University Medical Center New Orleans’ expanded cancer center officially opens at 11 this morning. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
____________________________________________
LSU basketball commit RJ Luis has a preliminary injunction hearing this afternoon to decide his basketball future. Kace Kieschnick has more.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”
____________________________________________
Amazon Web Services hosts an open house tomorrow at the Shreveport Convention Center to answer the community’s questions about the three data centers they are building in Shreveport-Bossier. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
___________________________________________________
University Medical Center New Orleans officially opens phase one of its expanded cancer center, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 this morning. Dr. Amelia Jernigan with UMC New Orleans says the additional space will allow cancer patients to be able to be seen quickly for frontline care.
Cut 4 (13) “…patients with cancer.”
Dr. Jernigan says the expansion will help support the needs of oncology patients throughout the entire region.
Cut 5 (15) “…systemic therapy.”
Jernigan says this expansion is possible thanks to federal funding that New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter helped secure.
Cut 6 (10) “…to our community.”
__________________________________________
LSU men’s basketball commit RJ Luis (Lewis) has a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon that could decide his basketball future. The 23-year-old was the Big East Player of the Year at St. John’s two seasons ago but is not looking to return to college basketball after signing two brief NBA deals. Tiger Rag editor Glenn Guilbeau says LSU knew his chances of making it to campus were slim.
Luis signed two-way and NBA G League contracts but never appeared in a pro game due to injury. Alabama attempted a similar move from the G League to college hoops last season with three-year pro Charles Bediako. Guilbeau says he does not expect Baton Rouge Judge Ronald R. Johnson to rule in Luis’s favor.
A key difference, however, is that Bediako played in numerous professional games.
Guilbeau says Luis’s case has nothing to do with the recent rulings giving class of 2022 athletes a fifth season of eligibility, but the courts’ repeated recent support of athletes may give him a chance. Guilbeau still doesn’t think it will go his way.
Cut 9 (11) “…it’s ridiculous.”
__________________________________________
A new mRNA vaccine to reduce the risk of melanoma returning is showing great promise. Dr. Katherine Chang, an assistant professor of ear, nose and throat surgery at LSU Health Shreveport, says the vaccine being developed by Merck and Moderna works by removing the melanoma tumor, test it for genetic mutation and create an mRNA vaccine specific to that patient’s genetic profile – and that vaccine is taken with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda.
Cut 10 (09) “…it from coming back.”
Dr. Chang says clinical trials of the new vaccine have been very successful.
Merck and Moderna plan on filing for approval from regulators within months, although the specific timeline remains unclear. Dr. Chang says if this vaccine does achieve final approval, it could be a game-changer, especially in states like Louisiana.
Cut 12 (10) “…a death sentence.”
________________________________________________
Amazon Web Services will hold an open house tomorrow at the Shreveport Convention Center to discuss the three data centers they are building in the Shreveport-Bossier area. There are concerns about how much water and electricity the facilities will use. AWS Vice President of Economic Development Roger Wehner says the data centers will use water for cooling only when temperatures climb above 85 degrees — which he says is expected to happen less than 13 percent of the year.
Cut 13 (11) “…load on the grid.”
Watchdog and local advocacy groups have also raised concerns that residential utility customers could end up indirectly paying for major upgrades to the electric grid. But Wehner says Amazon will cover the cost of the energy improvements needed for its data centers.
Amazon also plans to invest up to 400 million dollars in public water infrastructure. The company is spending 18 billion dollars to build the three data center campuses, which are expected to create more than 700 permanent jobs. Wehner says Amazon will focus on hiring workers from the local community.
Cut 15 (08) “…workforce development.”
And Wehner says you don’t necessarily need a four-year college degree to work at a data center. He says an associate degree will qualify applicants for many of the jobs.
The open house will run from 4 to 8 PM.
____________________________________________
LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is entering his first yar in Baton Rouge but his ninth season working with Lane Kiffin. Weis has spent the last four years as Kiffin’s Ole Miss offensive coordinator, and he says it was their relationship that kept him from taking a head coaching job or staying at Ole Miss.
Weis helped bring Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss up to speed in just a summer last season and will look to do the same thing with Sam Leavitt in an injury-shortened offseason. Leavitt and the offense will rely on a group of nine transfer pass catchers. Weis says there have been a few players who have consistently stood out while others have flashed at times.
Leavitt’s most reliable target this season could end up being a tight end. Junior Trey’Dez Green is a preseason All-American and first-team All-SEC selection, and Weis says he has all of the physical and intangible attributes a coach could dream of.
_________________________________________
The Saints are back at their training facility in Metairie after finishing their week in California with a brutal 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Kellen Moore says a performance like that, even in the preseason, is unacceptable…
Cut 19 (17) “…really frustrating.”
Saints starting quarterback Tyler Shough did not play. His backups, Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson, each threw an interception. The Saints defense gave up 405 yards and New Orleans committed 12 penalties. Moore says they need to learn from their mistakes…