LSU has completed its contract with the company that will grow medical marijuana, clearing the way for cultivation to begin. Michael Farrar reports..:

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michael Farrar”

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LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center receives a six-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to study how to improve soldiers’ nutrition. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Four sheriff’s offices have filed state lawsuits in an effort to stop the opioid abuse epidemic. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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LSU has taken the final step in the medical marijuana contract process, which means patients with debilitating conditions could have the drug in their hands some time next year. LSU vice president for Agriculture Dr. Bill Richardson says the agreement with the cannabis company GB Sciences is done; and he predicts they’ll be moving quickly to begin cultivation…:

Cut 4  (08) “East Baton Rouge Parish”

Richardson says GB Sciences has a first-class production and research facility. He says he visited the operation in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and was extraordinarily impressed, especially with their commitment to medical…:

Cut 5  (10)  “recreational side”

Richardson says he doesn’t know when the drug will be available in 2018, because they have to make sure everything is done right…:

Cut 6 (10) “endeavor”

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Pennington Biomedical Research Center has been awarded a 6.7 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to study military nutrition and metabolism research. Researcher Dr. Jennifer Rood (Rude) says they will focus on how to ensure a healthy and fit military…

Cut 7 (11)  “situation”

Rood says Pennington has worked to improve the performance of the U.S. military for the last 29 years. She says the facility has the expertise to conduct research that’s not available within the Department of Defense.

Cut 8 (11) “United States”

Pennington is the only entity that has received funding for this work and they are the number one provider of nutritional information for the Department of Defense. Rood says this research could change the eating habits of soldiers.

Cut 9 (08)  “the globe”

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Four sheriff’s offices in Louisiana have filed lawsuits against drug companies and physicians for allegedly helping to grow the opioid crisis. Attorney David Laborde says the defendants have misrepresented the proper use of opioids which has led to an epidemic and an uptick in crime

Cut 10 (12) “as inmates”

Avoyelles, Lafayette, Jefferson Davis and Rapides have filed lawsuits in state courts in their respective parishes. Laborde says the sheriff’s offices are seeking to recoup the money law enforcement has spent on dealing with the opioid epidemic…

Cut 11 (12) “misuse”

Laborde says data from 2015 shows there were more opioid prescriptions than residents, which is a key argument in their lawsuit. He says opioids were originally intended to be used for just a short period in particular with those experiencing end of life pain…

Cut 12 (09) “the country”

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Two elected officials in the northwest Louisiana town of Stanley suffered burns from an explosion at their home. DeSoto Parish Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle says Mayor Sharon Fletcher and her mother Dwena Henry, who is the alderman and former mayor, suffered burns on their bodies. He says the 92-year-old Henry is fighting for her life…

Cut 13 (07) “and released”

A third person, William Roe, also suffered burns in the explosion and should be released from the hospital today. Arbuckle says Henry suffered third-degree burns over 50-percent of her body and the town of Stanley is praying for her recovery….

Cut 14 (09) “well thought of”

Arbuckle says Henry is lucky to be alive and doctors say the next 48 hours will be critical. The sheriff says she is a vital part of the community as she’s served as mayor, now alderwoman and in February retired as the scorekeeper of the Stanley High basketball for 55 years…

Cut 15 (09) “Mrs Dwena”

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LSU football coach Ed Orgeron is confident his team will rebound from Saturday’s shocking 30-point loss to Mississippi State. Orgeron believes the loss to the Bulldogs could be a turning point for the Tigers

Cut 16  (18)  “of the season”

Nearly every LSU player performed badly against State, including senior quarterback Danny Etling, who completed just 45-percent of his passes for 137 yards. True freshman Myles Brennan watched from the sidelines, but Orgeron says Brennan might play more in the near future

Cut 17 (17)  “same goes”

Running back Derius Guice the lack of production on offense on Saturday was not all Etling’s fault, it was a breakdown by the entire unit….

Cut 18 (12) “next game” 

On defense, the Tigers lost outside contain on numerous occasions, which led to big gains on the ground. Cornerback Donte Jackson says the corners and safeties have to do a better job at keeping ball carriers in the middle of the field…

Cut 19 (19)   bad position“

A person of interest in the fatal shooting of two black men in Baton Rouge last week has been released on bond. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Whether or not charges will be filed in the case of the LSU freshman who died in a possible hazing incident is still a long way from being known. Michelle Southern reports…:

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A Baton Rouge man considered a person of interest in the shooting deaths of two black men last week, has bonded out of jail. 23-year-old Kenneth Gleason was arrested over the weekend on drug charges. Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says Gleason has yet to be cleared of the homicides.

Cut 3 (09) “together”

The first murder took place last Tuesday night when 59-year-old Bruce Cofield was fatally shot and on Thursday, near LSU, 49-year-old Donald Smart was shot to death while walking to work. Coppola says Gleason was in a vehicle that matched the description from the two homicide investigations. He says they are still working to determine a motive.

Cut 4  (08) “possible motive”

Coppola says Gleason was charged with possession of a schedule one, marijuana and a schedule three, human growth hormone. He says the circumstances surrounding both shootings are extremely similar.

Cut 5  (09)  “two together”

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The White House holds a summit with presidents of black colleges today, but Grambling State President Rick Gallot is not there. Gallot says he’s not boycotting, but there’s a lot happening on Grambling campus’ between the start of a new semester and football season…

Cut 6 (07) “this year”

New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond says he’s not surprised many black college presidents have declined to come. Richmond says policies need to be established to help these schools with scholarships, campus infrastructure and teacher pay. Gallot adds they are still waiting for a person to be named to head the White House Initiative on HBCUs….

Cut 7 (11)  “with my schedule”

Gallot attended a White House meeting earlier this year and he’s pleased they’ve re-opened the access to Pell Grants for summer school students…

Cut 8 (07) “right direction”

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East Baton Rouge DA Hillar Moore says it will probably be a while before they’ll know if charges will be brought in the case of the LSU freshman who died in a possible hazing incident at his fraternity. Preliminary autopsy findings indicated that 18-year-old Max Gruver had high levels of alcohol in his system at the time of death. Moore says this investigation will be long:

Cut 9 (05)  “60 people”

The official cause of death from the coroner’s office may not be known for several weeks as they await toxicology results. Moore says some members of the fraternity were fully cooperative with LSU police…:

Cut 10 (08) “yet to be interviewed”

Attorneys say whether or not felony charges would be brought likely depends on if there is evidence of hazing. Moore says he’s met with the Gruver family and they are devastated…:

Cut 11 (08) “pick up your son”

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The Louisiana Democratic Party opposes U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy’s and three other Republican lawmakers bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Party Spokesperson D’Seante Parks says this legislation would end the Medicaid expansion, which covers more than 430-thousand Louisiana residents.

Cut 12 (11) “health insurance” 

Parks says every resident should have access to affordable healthcare and Cassidy’s legislation to provide block grant funding to the state will make it more difficult for low income individuals to purchase coverage.

Cut 13 (11) “lowering costs “

Parks says it’s important to protect the Affordable Care Act, because it has allowed many individuals to finally have access to affordable health insurance….

(Cassidy says his legislation will give power to the states when it comes to how health care should be offered in this country. He says that will hope lower premiums and the ball also calls for the end of the individual and employer mandate.)

Cut 14 (10) “their families”

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