Governor John Bel Edwards’s proposes allocating $500-million toward building a new I-10 Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, but his plan faces pushback from legislative leaders. Senate President Page Cortez says that’s a lot of money to set aside, when environmental impact studies haven’t been done or even a place to put the bridge not selected…:

CUT 03(08)      “…before it gets spent.”’

One plan to build that bridge is a public-private partnership that would make it a toll bridge – at least for a while. The trucking industry doesn’t like that idea. Louisiana Motor Transport Association director Renee Amar says that’ll just drive the overall cost of the project up…:

CUT 07(07)      “…just to break even.”

The most recent estimate for the project is $600-million to $800-million. Amar believes the administration needs to give the Calcasieu I-10 Bridge top priority in the near term.

Lawmen are on the lookout for three of five violent and potentially dangerous juvenile offenders, who escaped from the Bridge City Center for Youth last night. All are between 16 and 18. Officers caught up with them in a stolen truck on I-19, but three got away. The search for those three is ongoing.

One of new LSU President William Tate’s priority projects is becoming at leader in cybersecurity. LSU Provost Matt Lee says a strategy of cross-training of students in different disciplines is one way to help that happen. Lee says LSU will strengthen its ROTC program with facility and training upgrades and add new skill development tracks for civilian students as well…:

CUT 10(12)      “…development.”

They also plan to expand faculty and research at the LSU engineering school.