| Good Morning, If there’s any news in Louisiana, it’s the impact and recovery from Hurricane Ida, the strongest storm in more than a century with hours of sustained 150 mile per hour winds and gusts of 170 mph or more. Ida shoved aside, at least for the time being, the growing debate over how state government and public schools should handle who should get vaccinated against COVID, how and when. As of Tuesday morning, the state is still in its search and rescue mode. Recovery will soon start in earnest. Most of southeast Louisiana – roughly half of the state – is without power and will be for the foreseeable future. "I can't tell you when the power is going to be restored. I can't tell you when all the debris is going to be cleaned up," Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday. On Tuesday the governor was flying to impacted areas to see the destruction firsthand. First on the list will be getting power back to the hospitals. Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma, Ochsner St. Anne Hospital in Raceland, Our Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Cut Off and Terrebonne General Hospital in Houma have been evacuated. Fifty-one hospitals are operating on generator power, according to the Public Service Commission. Technicians are being sent to those hospitals to ensure that power stays on until electricity can be restored. Eighteen water systems are out, affecting 312,000 people, and 14 others are requiring 329,000 users to boil water first. Nearly 2,000 people sheltered at 36 locations across the state. For more info on shelters, text 'LASHELTER' to 898-211 or call 211 President Joe Biden late Sunday night approved federal assistance for individuals and businesses. Those in the affected parishes can apply online through DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or through the FEMA mobile app. Information needed for applicants is a current phone number; address at the time of the disaster; Social Security number; a general list of damages and losses and, if insured, the policy number or the agent and company name. Assistance may include financial help for temporary lodging and home repairs. FEMA may assist with repairs or replacement of damaged heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems; refrigerators; stoves; electrical; plumbing and gas systems. Also, repairs to disaster-related leaks in a roof, ceiling damages and electrical components, like overhead lights. FEMA assistance may be used to repair a disaster-related subfloor in occupied parts of the home but not tile or carpet. The agency may also assist with disaster-related broken windows but not blinds or draperies. Those awarded grants should keep receipts for three years to show how the money was used. Also, the Small Business Administration said low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses and residents. Disaster loans of up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses of all sizes and private non-profit groups can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery, inventory, and other business assets. Interest rates start at 2.855% for businesses, 2% for private non-profit groups and 1.563% for homeowners and renters with terms of up to 30 years. As always, check throughout the day for the latest Louisiana political news at theadvocate.com/politics or NOLA.com/politics and on Twitter at @MarkBallardCNB, @tegbridges, @samkarlin, @blakepater, @WillSentell. Here are a dozen articles, commentaries and editorials that will catch you up for the week to come. One last item: Thank you to our subscribers. Your support means a great deal to us. If you're not yet a subscriber, we’ve got a special offer you can check out here. – Mark Ballard | 
