Louisiana
‘Gutted’: Line Crews Rebuild Systems in Wake of Louisiana Tornadoes
As electric cooperatives celebrate Lineworker Appreciation Day in April, devastating tornadoes in Louisiana served as a hazardous reminder as to why they deserve recognition.
Just about every cooperative along the Gulf Coast was touched by thunderstorms and strong winds on April 10. The heaviest damage occurred in Louisiana, where tornadoes spiraled through the territories of DEMCO and Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative, causing outages for more than 40,000 members of the two co-ops at peak.
Severe weather also was responsible for a large, fallen tree that crashed onto to a truck driven by a DEMCO employee on an assessment assignment. Fortunately, the driver was treated for minor injuries.
But the incident and the mass of broken poles and downed wires untangled by hundreds of lineworkers reinforced the skill level needed to deal with storm damage and destruction.
“It is amazing to see how crews rebuilt massive electric infrastructure, such as new transmission and distribution poles, lines, and transformers, to reinstate service in a matter of four days,” said Anne Hawes, manager of member and public relations at Greenwell Springs-based DEMCO.
The combination of 110-mph winds and rains knocked out power to about 26,000 DEMCO members when the storms passed northwest of Baton Rouge.
An EF1 tornado that struck St. Francisville obliterated DEMCO’s infrastructure along a 20-mile swath. Hawes said. “It ravaged everything in its path as it passed through the town and gutted it,” she said.
More than 200 lineworkers and contractors, including mutual aid crews from Louisiana and Arkansas, worked through mounds of debris and challenging terrain to restore full power to members by April 15.
Thirty-three lineworkers with Arkansas Electric Cooperatives and Petit Jean Electric Cooperative in Clinton helped DEMCO, bringing additional off-road equipment with them. South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association in Houma also dispatched mutual assistance lineworkers.
To the east of DEMCO, Washington-St. Tammany crews did a stellar job in swiftly restoring service in the aftermath of an EF2 tornado that blasted the Slidell area on April 10 with 120-mph winds. The tornado, the width of three football fields, stayed on the ground for almost 10 miles, according to the National Weather Service.
About 15,000 Washington-St. Tammany members were without power at peak, but crews were able to restore power in less than 40 hours—a minor miracle in the view of Coylean Schloegel, manager of marketing and economic development at the Franklinton-based co-op.
The first priority was restoration of power at a hospital, and Washington-St. Tammany was able to backfeed the hospital to ensure service was uninterrupted.
“Our lineworkers and our contractors were incredible. After seeing the pictures of the damage that was out there, it’s amazing that people had lights so quickly. That speaks volumes about the co-op and these lineworkers. They’re definitely our heroes,” she said.
Steven Johnson is a contributing writer for NRECA.
Louisiana
‘Growth pays for growth’: Entergy’s Fair Share Plus model to save Louisiana customers $2.8 billion
Think tank proposes capping Social Security benefits at $100,000
A Washington think tank proposed capping annual Social Security benefits at $100,000 for couples as a way to shrink a looming deficit in the retirement trust fund.
When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
A motorcyclist is recovering after a West Monroe crash involving an 18-wheeler, while Chevron won a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling shifting a major coastal lawsuit back to lower courts. Ouachita deputies arrested a suspect and recovered more than a dozen guns, Mississippi passed a new school social-media safety requirement, and Louisiana’s House advanced a unanimous state budget. A new recovery center opened, and multiple weekend events are underway across northeast Louisiana, plus national updates include stock-market stress guidance, a Ford F-150 recall, Spirit Airlines uncertainty, and tax-refund tips.
-
World3 minutes agoPope Leo says remarks about world being ‘ravaged by a handful of tyrants’ were not aimed at Trump: report
-
Politics9 minutes agoTrump renews bridge, power plant threat against Iran in push for deal, mocks ‘tough guy’ IRGC
-
Health15 minutes agoLoneliness may be silently eroding your memory, new research reveals
-
Sports21 minutes agoESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
-
Technology27 minutes agoChinese robot breaks human world record in Beijing half-marathon
-
Business33 minutes agoCivil case against Alec Baldwin, ‘Rust’ movie producers advances toward a trial
-
Entertainment38 minutes agoKarol G at Coachella was a global hit. Yet other foreign acts fear touring the U.S.
-
Lifestyle44 minutes agoL.A.’s unofficial Statue of Liberty is a Fashion Nova billboard off the 10 Freeway