A report out of Tulane University says if cuts needs to be made to TOPS, it would be more beneficial to state if needs based students were protected first. Emelie Gunn has more…
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New Orleans lost out to Atlanta, who is building a new stadium, to host Super Bowl 53 in 2019, and some are asking if it’s time for New Orleans to get a new stadium. Jeff Palermo has more…
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In light of LSU’s Mike the Tiger’s recent cancer diagnosis, PETA sent a letter to the university calling for them to end the live mascot program, when Mike VI passes away. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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A report from the Tulane University Cowen Institute says if the legislature is forced to reduce state funding for TOPS cuts, they hope students most in need of financial assistance are protected first. Policy director Vincent Rossmeier says the program has increasingly awarded scholarships to students who are coming from families, who could otherwise afford college.
Rossmeier says TOPS is an excellent vehicle for students who can least afford to go to college to manage the costs. He says if legislators raise the academic requirements for students to achieve a TOPS scholarship, it will leave a lot of college worthy students with no way of paying for college.
The report also found raising the minimum GPA from 2.5 to 2.7 would reduce the eligibility of 22 percent of students in Louisiana. Rossmeier says TOPS was originally designed to help low-income students afford higher education, so the Cowen Institute favors need-based changes if cuts are made to the program…
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The state Department of Children and Family Services says a Baton Rouge mother took the appropriate steps when she left her newborn baby at a fire station, instead of abandoning the child. Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Program Rhenda Hodnett says the child was placed in the arms of a fireman and then transported to Woman’s Hospital for a checkup. She says the mother will face no charges.
Hodnett says newborns up to 60 days old can be relinquished in the hands an employee at an emergency care facility. She says hospitals, police stations, and child advocacy centers are examples of locations where a child can be handed over.
Hodnett says the baby must be placed in the hands of an official, the newborn cannot be left on the door step or somewhere in the building. She says at that time, the mother is issued a card with a number to call if she wants to provide additional information.
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After finishing second to Atlanta to host the Super Bowl in 2019, some are wondering if it’s time for a new stadium in order to attract another Super Bowl. This is the second straight time New Orleans has lost to a city that was in the process of building a new stadium. Former-governor Kathleen Blanco, who sits on the LSED board, which oversees the Dome, says Louisiana does not need to build a new stadium to host a Super Bowl.
Blanco says they are always looking at ways to keep the Mercedes-Benz Superdome up to date. She says football fans will enjoy the new high definition video board that will be in place for the upcoming season. She says keeping the 40-year-old building in top notch condition takes a lot of money.
The NFL has now awarded Super Bowls through 2021. Blanco remains optimistic that the Mercedes Benz Superdome will be able to host at least one more Super Bowl.
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PETA has sent a letter to LSU calling for them to end the live mascot program once Mike VI passes away. Mike VI has been diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer, meaning he might only live another year or two with treatment. Lewis Crary, a captive wildlife specialist with PETA, says wild animals are not meant to live in captivity on a college campus.
Crary says if LSU genuinely cares about tigers, they can donate to big cat sanctuaries or conservation efforts. But he says locking up another tiger is not the way to promote team spirit.
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LSU issued a statement in response to the letter, saying this is not the time to discuss football or a new mascot. Mike’s attending vet Dr. David Baker says they’re just worried about Mike’s wellbeing.