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UPDATE: Choctaw Road has been reopened. URGENT: Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department is on the scene of a crash in the 200 block of Choctaw Road. Choctaw Road is closed at Highway 20 until further notice. At 7:25 PM, radar indicated strong thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Laplace to 12 miles south of Amelia. Movement was east at 60 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include Choctaw, Chackbay, Kraemer, Thibodaux, Houma, Reserve, Hahnville, Laplace, Metairie, Gramercy, Lutcher, Lockport, Mathews, Schriever, Montz, Luling, Garyville, Boutte, Supreme, Raceland, Ama, and Destrehan. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Click HERE to view the official alert. A TORNADO WATCH is in effect until 9:00 PM for Southeast Louisiana.
Click HERE to view the official alert. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10:00 PM THIS EVENING for Southeast Louisiana.
South winds from 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts are expected. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Click HERE to view the official alert. Following almost six weeks of improvements in Louisiana’s COVID case counts and a sustained decrease in COVID-related hospitalizations, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced today that Louisiana will move forward to Phase 3. This will bring most COVID restrictions back to where they were last September. Louisiana’s statewide mask mandate, which has been in place since last July, will remain in place. The Governor’s new order will last for 28 days and will expire March 31, 2021.
Overall, Louisiana’s percent positivity for COVID-19 tests is 5 percent, one third of the positivity rate six weeks ago. The state has completed more than 6 million COVID tests and administered more than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. “Since we stepped back into more increased restrictions more than three months ago, the goal has been to slow the spread and avoid overwhelming our hospitals, which we have done thanks to the hard work of many Louisianans,” Gov. Edwards said. “These Phase 3 restrictions will keep some common sense and lifesaving limitations in place while we work to continue keeping the case counts down and administering the vaccines to as many Louisianans as quickly as we can. “As we are cautiously reducing some of the restrictions related to slowing the spread of COVID, it is even more critical that people take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and those around them. This includes wearing face masks, practicing social distancing, washing their hands frequently, staying home when they are sick or have been exposed and getting the vaccine when it is their turn. The last several weeks have been full of hopeful milestones, including a third COVID vaccine and the state administering more than one million doses. But we also know that COVID variants, which we know are more contagious, are active in Louisiana. In nearly a year of battling this pandemic, we have lost almost 10,000 of our fellow Louisianans, and many people have suffered greatly. It is incumbent upon all of us to do our part to help put this pandemic behind us and save lives.” The majority of businesses, including restaurants and salons, will be able to move to 75 percent of their capacity and indoor gatherings and event centers will be capped at 50 percent of their capacity but limited to 250 people. Religious services will no longer have capacity limits, social distancing is strongly encouraged and masking will still be required. Gyms and fitness centers will remain at 50 percent of their capacity, based on recent research from the CDC that raises concern about the spread of COVID-19 in these settings. Bars in all parishes will be able to open for indoor service at 25 percent capacity, not to exceed 250 people, but those in parishes where the percent positivity is 5 percent or lower for two consecutive weeks may have indoor service at 50 percent capacity, not to exceed 250 people. Alcohol sales still must end at 11 p.m. and no one younger than 21 years old can enter a bar. Patrons must be masked at all times except when consuming food or drink, and they must be served at socially distanced tables. Live music will be allowed indoors under additional guidance provided by the State Fire Marshal. Indoor gatherings may operate at 50 percent capacity with a cap of 250 people. Outdoor events may operate at 50 percent of their capacity, with no cap on attendance, but six feet of social distancing must be practiced. Conventions, conferences, indoor sporting events and fairs and festivals may operate at up to 50 percent capacity with six feet of social distancing required, if they receive approval from the State Fire Marshal and the Louisiana Department of Health. Strict masking continues to be required for all gatherings and events. UPDATE: Just before noon Wednesday, officials identified the mother of the children as the suspect. She was located in Florida, where officials began a search for the stolen car and the children. The children were located, but the mother fled on foot and is still wanted. The children have been placed in protective custody. The Louisiana State Police has issued a Level II Child Endangerment Alert on behalf of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. They are requesting assistance in locating two juvenile males, Kaesyn Heck, an 8-year-old white male, and Jax Matthews, a 4-year-old white male. Kaesyn is approximately 5 feet tall and weighs approximately 60 pounds. Jax is approximately 3 1⁄2 feet tall and 45 pounds. Both Kaesyn and Jax are blonde headed and have ‘crew cut’ style haircuts. Both children are missing and were last seen from their father’s home at 41598 River Road in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Jax Matthews was last seen wearing a camo jacket and black rubber boots. Kaesyn was last seen wearing a black jacket and blue long sleeve shirt, jeans and black rubber boots. The children may be riding in a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, Burgundy or Red in color with a busted sunroof. The direction of travel is unknown. If you know their whereabouts of have any information, please contact the Tangipahoa Parish Sherriff’s Office at 985-345-6150 and Sgt. Lindell Bridges at 985-551-0653. No additional information is available at this time. Contact Information: Sgt. Dustin Dwight Louisiana State Police Public Affairs Section A FREEZE WARNING is in effect for Southeast Louisiana — including the Choctaw, Chackbay, and Bayou Boeuf communities — from midnight until 8:00 AM Saturday morning.
Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above- ground pipes to protect them from freezing. Click HERE to view the official alert. Click HERE to view our winter weather preparedness page. A FREEZE WARNING is in effect for Southeast Louisiana — including the Choctaw, Chackbay, and Bayou Boeuf communities — until 8:00 AM Wednesday morning.
Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above- ground pipes to protect them from freezing. Click HERE to view the official alert. Click HERE to view our winter weather preparedness page. Icy road conditions are possible tonight and on Tuesday. Lafourche Parish is also under a MANDATORY CURFEW from 8:00 PM tonight through 8:00 AM tomorrow.
With that said, we strongly urge everyone to stay home and off the roads if at all possible today and tomorrow, especially during the hard freeze period which is projected for 6:00 PM tonight through noon on Tuesday. For those who MUST drive due to work or otherwise, allow yourself an extra 30 minutes or more to arrive at your destination. If roads are icy, SLOW DOWN and follow these safety tips. Bridges tend to be affected by icy conditions more quickly than roads. We know this could be impossible for some, but try to avoid bridges when driving or limit your route to crossing as few as possible. Check for road closures around the state at 511LA. If there are any major road closures in our area, we'll relay them to you on through text message alerts and on our CURRENT ALERTS page.. We're still here and we'll be working to keep everyone safe. For you. For us. Better. Together. Per Lafourche Parish Government, a mandatory CURFEW is in place for Lafourche Parish from 8:00 PM tonight until 8:00 AM Tuesday due to hazardous conditions expected.
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