After 85 years, a Cameron Parish seaman will finally get a proper funeral in his home state Saturday. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 1 (42) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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Saints wide receiver Chris Olave speaks one day after signing a four-year, 132-million-dollar contract extension. Kace Kieschnick has more.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschncik.”
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More than 85 years after he was killed in Pearl Harbor, a Cameron Parish Navy seaman is coming home, and his funeral service will be in Lake Charles Saturday. Louisiana Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley says using anthropological and mitochondrial DNA analysis, the Defense Accounting Agency and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System positively identified the remains of Joseph Ucline Conner.
Cut 3 (12) “…from family members.”
Conner was born on June 30th, 1915, in Lake Charles and enlisted in the armed forces when he was 24 years old – a relatively late age, as Meginley pointed out. Meginley says Conner rose to the rank of Fireman 1st Class when he was aboard the USS Utah on that fateful day in 1941.
Cut 4 (11) “…including Joseph Conner.”
After his death, Conner was decorated with the Purple Heart, the World War Two Victory Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the American Defense Service Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. Meginley says his name and the names of the others who were unidentified were listed on what’s commonly known as The Punchbowl.
Cut 5 (12) “…finally found him.”
Meginley also points out that Conner’s brother, William, was also lost during World War Two – he was aboard the USS Houston. William Conner’s remains are missing to this day.
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A slew of new laws goes into effect Saturday. Among them are two laws pertaining to the classroom. One of them, authored by New Orleans Representative Candace Newell (new-WELL), toughens penalties for those who assault teachers and other school personnel. Newell says unruly students have been pushing teachers out of the profession.
Cut 6 (07) “…in the classroom.”
Among other things, Newell’s law subjects students who assault teachers to expulsion, and it allows up to a year of paid medical leave for teachers and other school personnel who are injured on the job by an unruly student. Newell says her bill gives them peace of mind.
Cut 7 (12) “…of their administration.”
Another law going into effect Saturday is one that allows retired teachers to return to the classroom without having their retirement benefits reduced. It was authored by Gonzales Senator Ed Price, who says it will help support teachers and the school system.
Cut 8 (10) “…agreed to.”
To receive benefits while being employed, a teacher must be over 65 years old and have been retired for at least a year.
The new law raises the earning limit of returned retirees from 25-percent to 50-percent of their final average compensation. It also allows retirees to suspend their benefits and regain membership in the retirement system and allows for a new supplemental benefit. Price says the new law should benefit all parties.
Cut 9 (09) “…retirement system.”
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Participants in the Louisiana Women, Infants and Children program may begin using their new EBT cards tomorrow. Leslie Lewis, the nutrition operations manager at the Louisiana Department of Health, says these cards are different from the old cards that had to have benefits loaded in person every three months.
Cut 10 (08) “…be loaded remotely.”
Lewis says that means in most cases, participants will not have to visit clinics nearly as often beyond the initial appointment in which they obtain their cards.
Cut 11 (07) “…just about yearly.”
Lewis says the new cards help the Department of Health modernize the whole system.
Cut 12 (08) “…a federal requirement.”
Participants will need to choose a PIN before using their new cards; they may do so by calling the number on the back of the card or by using the myWIC app.
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We’re hearing from Saints wide receiver Chris Olave one day after he signed a four-year, 132-million dollar contract extension. While he’s had three one-thousand-yard seasons, his four concussions since entering the league were a major concern. That said, Olave says this deal is fair for both sides.
Cut 13 (11) “…communicating that.”
The contract makes Olave the highest paid Saints and sixth-highest paid receiver in the league. Olave wanted to get the deal done before camp and held in for the first two practices during negotiations. He said he was glad to get back onto the field and didn’t want to bring any negativity to the team.
Cut 14 (08) “…be a leader.”
New Orleans traded up to draft Olave 11th overall in 2022. He had the best season of his career last season with 100 catches, over one-thousand yards receiving and nine touchdowns. He says this is the most momentum there has been in New Orleans since he’s been there, and it means a lot to stay long-term.
Cut 15 (11) “…that every day.”