Louisiana
Hurricane-Proof Home Just Outside of Louisiana Built to Withstand Category 5 Storms
In an era where the weather is getting just as crazy as soaring insurance rates, protecting our homes has never been more important. This reality drove Josh Morgerman, a well-established hurricane chaser and respected meteorologist, to construct a home designed to withstand the most powerful storms. Known as “iCyclone,” Morgerman has encountered the eye of over 70 hurricanes, providing him with unparalleled expertise in hurricane preparedness.
Who is Josh Morgerman?
Josh Morgerman’s reputation as a hurricane expert is well-earned. He has faced storms such as Haiyan, Ian, and Hurricane Patricia, the latter being the strongest cyclone ever observed, with winds reaching 215 mph. His extensive experience led him to the decision to build a hurricane-resistant home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi—an area notorious for devastating hurricanes like Katrina and Camille.
Seriously, a Hurricane-Proof Home
Morgerman’s home, which he affectionately calls his “Hurricane House,” appears at first glance to be a traditional southern shotgun house. However, this home is anything but ordinary.
“If I’m going to build a home here, it has to be designed and built right; it has to be hurricane tough,” Morgerman explains. The house is a “FORTIFIED Gold” standard home, a designation from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, indicating it meets the highest construction standards for hurricane resistance.
The Fortification Process
Morgerman emphasized the importance of involving a third-party inspector during construction to ensure the home meets all safety recommendations.
This process not only guarantees the house’s resilience but also significantly reduces insurance rates. “Once you comply with all their recommendations, you receive a certificate that says your home is fortified gold,” he said, highlighting the dual benefits of safety and savings.
Tips for Existing Homeowners
For those not building new hurricane homes (which is most of us), Morgerman offers practical advice for hurricane-proofing existing structures:
1. Roof Integrity: A standing seam metal roof is ideal for withstanding extreme winds.
2. Window Protection: Impact-resistant glass or shutters are essential to prevent structural damage.
3. Siding Upgrade: Fiber-cement siding, such as James Hardie siding, provides superior protection compared to traditional materials.
A Community of Weather Experts
Morgerman’s housewarming party, held on the first day of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, attracted dozens of residents, weather enthusiasts, and meteorologist Jim Cantore.
The event underscored the importance of hurricane awareness and preparedness. “This is a celebration of hurricane awareness and preparedness,” Morgerman stated, urging attendees to ready themselves for what could be a particularly severe hurricane season.
A New Weather Station
Adding to his commitment to weather science, Morgerman installed a custom weather station in his backyard to measure winds up to 224 mph. “Mississippi gets the craziest hurricanes,” he remarked, emphasizing the need for accurate scientific measurements.
As the 2024 hurricane season approaches, Morgerman is fully prepared for whatever will come our way. Let’s hope Mother Nature doesn’t test the Hurricane House too hard, for our sake.
LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades
Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF
A state lawmaker whose district includes Iberville and nine other parishes will lead the way on the drawing of a new congressional map when the committee convenes Friday.
Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, will chair the hearings to draw a new congressional district map. He currently serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.
On Wednesday, Kleinpeter said he has not worked on any maps. He is letting the committee members and the members of the Senate work on this with staff.
The move will come nine days after the U.S. Supreme Court on a 6-3 vote ruled one of Louisiana’s two majority-Black U.S. House districts unconstitutional.
“We can’t base it on race anymore, so the minority party is the Democrats,” he said. “The Democrats have migrated away from the New Orléans area, so we’re looking at Democrats versus Republicans, so the minority party — the Democrats — which means it’s more favored toward Baton Rouge.”
The move would work in favor of incumbent 6th District Congressman Cleo Fields, who was a candidate for the race which Gov. Jeff Lndry suspended in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.
The ruling stemmed from Louisiana vs. Callais – a consolidation of Robinson vs. Callais – that centered on racial gerrymandering and redistricting in the state of Louisiana following the 2020 United States census. The lead plaintiff, Phillip “Bert” Callais, is a resident of Brusly.
The Supreme Court vote came despite the African American population comprising nearly one-third of the state’s population.
According to the 2020 Census, the Black or African American population in Louisiana was approximately 1,464,023,representing 31.4%of the state’s total population. Louisiana has one of the highest percentages of Black residents in the United States, ranking second behind Mississippi.
The Baton Rouge district would likely be the area to undergo the remap, he said.
It amounts to an intricate balancing act.
“What far-right Republicans don’t understand is that with Congress maps, you have to be within 776, 280 votes – within 50 votes of the other districts,” Kleinpeter said. “It’s not like our legislative maps where you can be off by thousands … when you start changing a precinct, it can run down a rabbit hole chasing this precinct over here and over there.
“We can easily draw a really strong nine Republican and one strong Democrat, so if you start watering districts down you could wind up with a 4-2 map.”
Republicans currently have a two-vote super majority vote.
“But some Republican districts are strong and others are weak,” Kleinpeter said. “If you take 58 percent Democrats and put them in Republican districts, you could end up losing Republicans.
“Drawing congress maps is very difficult – you have the leader of the party, and you have the Speaker of the House you have to protect,” he said. “You don’t want to jeopardize their maps at hole.”
One other issue is looming for the state, Kleinpeter said.
“What people don’t understand is that we will have to do this all over again in five years, after the next census comes out,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll people by that time.”
The 2030 Census will play a key role in the process, but it still requires participation.
“I had plenty of next-door neighbors who didn’t want to fill out their census” he said. “I’m going to push to fill out their census. We miss out on federal money and potentially risk losing a seat. “
Neuty, the iconic Bucktown nutria visits the state capitol, with Myra Lacoste, Denny Lacoste, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Dennis Lacoste Sr., and Louisiana state Senator J. Cameron Henry Jr. Neuty was an orphan, rescued by the Lacostes. In March 2023, LDWF agents attempted to confiscate the illegal pet.
VIDALIA, La. — Louisiana State Police arrested 18-year-old Gregory Steele early Sunday morning on two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of underage operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, one count vehicular negligent injuring and one count careless operation, according to Concordia Parish Jail records.
Steele, 18, a white male, was arrested in connection with an accident that occurred at approximately 1:54 a.m. on Sunday morning on Minorca Road in Vidalia. Two passengers in the vehicle were killed. Steele and another passenger were able to escape the vehicle.
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