The midterm elections haven’t happened yet, but speculation in the 2028 presidential election is already underway. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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A company that develops, builds, and operates small modular nuclear power plants has decided to build its headquarters. Jeff Palermo has the story.
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LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade is making no apologies for how he’s built his roster for the upcoming season. Kace Kieschnick has the story.
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The midterm elections are a little more than a month away, but speculation is already underway as to who will run for president in two years. Among those considering a run for the White House on the Democratic side is former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. He expressed his interest in an interview with Politico, saying he expects to make a decision by the end of the year. LSU New Orleans political scientist Ed Chervenak says Landrieu is quite prominent within Democratic circles.
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Landrieu was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988 to 2004 before serving as lieutenant governor from 2004 until his resignation in 2010 when he took over as mayor of New Orleans, a post he held until 2018. Chervenak says not holding elected office since then shouldn’t be a detriment for Landrieu.
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If Landrieu does decide to get into the race, he can expect to be in a very crowded field. Chervenak says as such, Landrieu will need to work extra hard to separate himself.
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The field is also expected to be crowded on the Republican side, with no incumbent eligible to run for re-election due to term limits as spelled out in the 22nd Amendment.
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With diesel prices soaring to record levels at precisely the worst time for the state’s agriculture industry, farmers are thanking Governor Landry for suspending the penalty for using non-taxed dyed diesel on roadways. American Sugar Cane League General Manager Jim Simon (see-MOH) says the average price of diesel in Louisiana has soared to more than six dollars a gallon right at harvest time.
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Simon says while sugarcane farmers routinely use dyed diesel on their farms, they rely on taxed diesel to haul the sugarcane to the mills.
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Simon says now that those truck drivers can use dyed diesel to haul the sugarcane to the mills through October 22nd without penalty, that could yield around eight-million dollars in economic relief to the sugarcane industry.
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Applied Atomics, which develops, builds and operates small modular nuclear power plants, is building its headquarters in New Orleans. John Fleig (“fleeg”), the chief innovation officer with the Louisiana Economic Development Department, says the facility will be in the Bywater neighborhood, and it will include a training demonstration system that will be operational early next year.
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The company, which was founded last year, is expected to create 41 new direct jobs. Feig says the project shows what’s possible when Louisiana uses its energy and industrial expertise with companies developing what comes next.
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There’s a demand for small nuclear power plants to provide the power needed to run data centers and other facilities that need a lot of energy to operate. Feig says Applied Atomics investment builds on Louisiana’s broader strategy to expand its role in the nuclear energy industry.
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Applied Atomics headquarters is not a nuclear power generation site, and no radioactive materials will be handled, processed or stored at the facility.
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Will Wade’s LSU basketball roster officially lists only four players, but he says he’s been practicing with a full team since Labor Day. That’s because most of his players are former international pros or fifth-year seniors waiting on eligibility rulings to play this season. Wade has drawn a lot of criticism for his approach, but he says just because it’s different doesn’t make it wrong.
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All four of the players currently listed on the roster are transfers, meaning Wade will be starting from scratch for his second stint in Baton Rouge. He says his goal is to hit the ground running, and that is why he’s trying to bring in the experienced talent.
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Wade was fired as the Tigers’ head coach in 2022 amid accusations of NCAA violations. He led the Tigers to a 108-and-54 record in five seasons but says that will not be enough this time around.
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LSU has its first exhibition game at McNeese on October 8th.
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Both LSU and Texas A-and-M will be looking to rebound from disappointing losses when the teams square off in Tiger Stadium this weekend. LSU coach Lane Kiffin says quarterback Sam Leavitt has admitted he had a bad outing against Ole Miss, and the home game will be a chance to get back on track.
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Texas A-and-M lost to Kentucky 31-21 as over 16-point favorites last week. The Aggies gave up 21 points in the third quarter, but Kiffin says that coach Mike Elko will have his team ready to play better when they come to Baton Rouge.
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Aggies coach Mike Elko says it was one of the worst defensive performances in his time in College Station.
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The Saints host the Raiders in their home opener on Sunday. After the team’s upset win over the Ravens and comeback against the Lions, there is a lot of excitement in New Orleans around the black and gold. Head Coach Kellen Moore says the team won’t be listening to its own hype.
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It will be the first game back in the Superdome since the start of the preseason. Quarterback Tyler Shough expects to see a full house.
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Kickoff is set for 3:25.