Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, Cameron Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2021-08-27

Duration: 00:28:05

Subjects: Hurricane Laura, 2020 | Hurricane Delta, 2020 | Disaster response and recovery | Natural Disasters | Hurricanes

Contributors:

• Moreau, Andre Host
• St. Cyr, Kara Host
• Fortenberry, Rex Q. Editor
• Hunter, Nic Interviewee
• Bruchhaus, Karl Interviewee
• Clanton, Owen Interviewee
• Marceaux, Clair Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from August 27, 2021, features Andre Moreau’s special report on the first anniversary of Hurricane Laura and the ongoing recovery efforts in southwest Louisiana. Kara St. Cyr first reports on the week’s headlines. Moreau then interviews Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, who discusses: Lake Charles experiencing four federally declared natural disasters in less than a year (Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta, a winter storm, and the May 17th floods) in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic; residents’ difficulties in receiving fair settlements from their insurance companies; the lack of federal disaster aid; and their next steps in the ongoing recovery. Next, Moreau reports on Hurricane Laura’s impact on the school system in Lake Charles. He interviews Karl Bruchhaus, the superintendent of the Calcasieu Parish School Board, and Owen Clanton, the administrative director of the Calcasieu Parish Middle Schools. Lastly, Moreau interviews Clair Marceaux, the port director of the Cameron Parish Port, who discusses the slow pace of the recovery in Cameron Parish.