There is a lot of talk this week about a new study which found brain damage in 99 percent of participating former NFL players. Jeff Palermo reports some are skeptical of the findings…:
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A report from an independent consulting firm finds the University of Louisiana at Lafayette had a $379 million economic impact for FY-15. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Authorities say a suspected drunk driver has claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl and injured another teen in Red River Parish. Emelie Gunn on the Wednesday evening crash.
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There is a lot of talk this week about a new study which found brain damage in 99 percent of participating former NFL players. The report says CTE occurs after repeated blows to the head, and it causes things like memory loss, depression, and dementia. But Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine director Dr. Greg Stewart believes the report is a stretch:
Cut 4 (09) “way too simplistic”
The Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine is one of only four medical facilities in the nation chosen to take care of the physical and mental health of former pro-players. Stewart says one of the things they’ve seen is that once a player leaves the league and isn’t playing anymore, they stop taking care of themselves physically and mentally…:
CTE can not be diagnosed when you’re alive, so the research uses donated brains, and the study notes that relatives of the subjects probably already suspected something was wrong. The most common cause of death among those with mild stages of CTE was suicide. Stewart hopes people don’t think that everyone who plays football is going to kill themselves:
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UL-Lafayette had a statewide economic impact of $379 million in FY-15, according to a study by the New York-based consulting firm Appleseed. University president Dr. Joseph Savoie says the college offers about a 7 to 1 return on investment for the state.
Cut 7 (10) “throughout the state”
Savoie hopes this will help higher education leaders make the case for increased state funding during difficult budget times. He says the university contributes to the economy in a variety of ways, from employing nearly two thousand people to buying local.
Savoie notes UL-Lafayette’s support of the francophone and creole culture in Louisiana. The report also found community service work performed by students and faculty totaled more than 332,000 hours, which is valued at more than $7 million. But he says it’s all about giving back.
University, student, and visitor spending supported more than 5,500 jobs and had an overall economic output of $492 million in Lafayette Parish.
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A 17-year-old is dead and a 19-year-old was injured after a suspected drunk driver struck the girls as they were walking on LA 784 in Red River Parish. State Police Trooper Matt Harris says they responded to the crash Wednesday just before 6 p.m. and determined 47-year-old Kenneth Morse of Coushatta was impaired.
Harris says Morse was not injured in the crash and was booked into the Red River Parish Jail. He says anytime you drink and drive, you put others and yourself at risk because your reaction time slows and your motor skills are affected.
Harris says 19-year-old Lacy Ross sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital, but 17-year-old Rachel Barnette of Coushatta was pronounced dead at the scene. He says in 2016, 52-percent of fatal crashes in the northwest Louisiana area involved drunk drivers.
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It will be a fun-filled weekend across the Bayou State, as events are taking place in both north and south Louisiana. In Grand Isle, the Tarpon Rodeo is underway. Event president Barry Kern says it’s the oldest fishing tournament in the country in its 89thyear. He says this year they’re letting the good times roll with a Mardi Gras theme, complete with a parade on Saturday night.
Kern says there will be a drawing every night for attendees to win a ride on the Mardi Gras World float in the Krewe of Orpheus parade. He says even if you don’t want to participate in the rodeo itself, there’s still lots of things to enjoy in Grand Isle this weekend.
In north Louisiana, the 54th annual Farmerville Watermelon Festival kicks off. Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Eva Edinger says between a golf tournament this morning followed by a treasure hunt that will run through Saturday, there’s lots of fun activities for families to enjoy.
Edinger says tomorrow night, she’ll pass on her crown to the next queen of the festival. She says the festivities will be ongoing all weekend long. She says the watermelon seed spitting contest in particular will be a sight to see.
Cut 16 (10) “watermelon auction”
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During the first day of Saints training camp, rookie Ryan Ramcyk took first team reps at left tackle. It appears the rookie from Wisconsin is getting the first chance to start at that position for the injured Terron Armstead, who is recovering from a torn labrum. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees looks forward to Ramcyk developing over camp…
Brees is heading into the final year of his contract, but the 38-year-old says it’s a non-issue for him…
Coach Sean Payton said Brees finished in the top two in Wednesday’s conditioning test. Brees says he takes pride in staying in great physical shape…