Louisiana officials are working to give a final resting place for a U-S soldier killed in action during the Korean War. Jeff Palermo has the story.
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Julia Letlow brings out a heavy hitter to help her urge her supporters to get to the polls in early voting. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Louisiana Tech President Doctor Jim Henderson’s last day will be Thursday, earlier than planned. Kace Kieschnick has the story.
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Early voting continues today as it will run through Tuesday October 27th, except for Sunday. Early locations are open from 8:30 AM to 6 PM. JMC Analytics and Polling’s John Couvillon says this midterm election will not see an overall turnout that approaches a Presidential election, but he expects a good number of early voters.
Because this is a federal election, it falls on a Tuesday, not Saturday, which many Louisiana voters are used to. Couvillon says to avoid lines on Tuesday, November third, many people will cast their ballot during this early voting period.
Couvillon says more than a quarter of the votes for this election will be made during early voting.
To see what’s on your ballot, go to geaux-vote-dot-com.
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The grave of a Louisiana soldier killed in the Korean War has deteriorated so badly that his casket is exposed at a Baton Rouge cemetery. Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary, Doctor Jerome Buller (BUHL-er), visited Private First Class Samuel Pierre Junior’s grave yesterday.
Buller says the brick structure covering Pierre’s grave has collapsed.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley says no grave should look like this, especially that of a soldier killed in action.
Pierre was 22 when he died in Korea in 1952. He grew up in Baton Rouge, attended McKinley High School, graduated from Gaudet High School in New Orleans and attended Southern University. He entered the Army in April 1951 and arrived in Korea that November.
With no living immediate family identified, Buller says the state, governor’s office, Louisiana Cemetery Board and Attorney General’s Office are considering repairing the grave or relocating Pierre’s remains.
The Louisiana Cemetery Board has advised that relocating remains would require court approval since no family members have been located.
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With early voting underway, Louisiana’s Republican U.S. Senate nominee, Julia Letlow, urged her supporters to get the polls to cast their ballots for her. Letlow spoke in front of a small invitation-only audience in Lafayette.
Letlow told her supporters that the difference between not only her and Jamie Davis, but also between Republicans and Democrats as a whole, couldn’t be any more stark.
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Letlow got an assist in getting her message out from Senator John Kennedy, who said as charming as Letlow is, she can also be very fierce.
Early voting runs through next Tuesday, with no early voting on Sunday.
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Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson will step down Thursday, months earlier than planned. Henderson announced last month that he would leave at the end of the year, citing health reasons. But his departure also comes amid frustration over the U-L System Board’s decision not to approve faculty pay raises. USA Today Network political reporter Greg Hilburn says Henderson sent a letter to faculty earlier this month criticizing the system board.
Hilburn says Henderson’s last day on the job is the same day that the U-L System will have its next board meeting.
Hilburn reports that Dickie Crawford, Tech’s current executive vice president for student affairs, will serve as acting president. The UL System Search Committee is accepting applications until November sixth from individuals who are interested in becoming the school’s next president. Hilburn says State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has been rumored as a possible replacement to Henderson.
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The U-L System is looking to have a new president in place on January 1st.
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The Pelicans tip off the Jamahl Mosley era in New Orleans against the Pacers tonight. The Pels are coming off their two worst seasons since 2012, and with much of the same roster returning, Locked On Pelicans podcast host Jake Madison says the front office is putting a lot of faith in its new head coach.
Forward Zion Williamson returns as the team’s biggest star. After being plagued by injuries, the former number-one pick played in 62 games last year, but his 21 points per game were the fewest of his career. Madison says a lot has been made of his offseason work.
NBA All-Rookie team selections from last year, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, will look to take the next step in year two. Queen has struggled during the preseason, but Madison says Fears has looked like the team’s best player. He says he wouldn’t be surprised if he is the starting point guard tonight.
Tip-off in the Smoothie King Center is at 7 p.m.
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LSU will hope to snap its eight-game SEC road losing streak at Auburn this weekend. The Tigers have lost by one score in both of their conference away games so far this season, and safety Ty Benefield says every detail matters on the road.
Benefield started the season at his natural safety position but has since moved over to STAR to fill in for the injured Dashawn Spears. His length and physicality have made him an excellent fit, but he says there is still more work to do.