The state’s top higher education board will request an additional $172 million in state funding for public colleges next year to help lower the costs for students. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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LSU’s Manship School says Democrats have a noticeable lead in key battleground congressional races nationwide. Matt Doyle has more…
The Board of Regents will ask for a $172 million increase in state funding for public colleges next year. The request would push state funding for higher ed to $1.2 billion for the budget year that begins July 1. Higher Ed Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says the additional funding will help students who are struggling with the rising cost of education
Cut 3 (11) “…students to participate”
A significant amount of the money would be used toward keeping schools from raising fees next year. Reed says they also want to use some of the funds towards future-proofing the educational system.
Cut 4 (10) “…evolve the system.″
The Regents say charges on students increased 107% over the last 11 years. Reed says the message is clear when it comes to cuts to higher education.
LSU’s Manship School and the Cook Political Report have surveyed congressional battleground districts nationwide and say Democrats have around a double digit average advantage in races that will likely determine control of the House. Public Policy Lab Director Mike Henderson says in suburban districts that will likely decide the election, the President is dragging down GOP candidates.
Of the 1,500 people surveyed, 500 of them came from 69 districts rated as close races by Cook.
Much has been made of a potential “blue wave” of energized Democrats voting en masse in a repudiation of President Donald Trump, but Henderson says their findings indicate the participation gap may not be as big as advertised.
There are 12 million more registered Democrats than Republicans nationwide. Registered Democrats still also hold the lead in Louisiana.
Midterms are notoriously low turnout affairs, but experts say the nation’s heightened political fervor over the last two years will likely lead to the highest total participation rates in decades. LSU Professor James Carville says that could lead to some unexpected results.
The survey also indicates most Americans are at least somewhat confident that foreign intervention will not be an issue for the election.
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The FDA has approved a new drug that can reduce the severity of the flu, and it works against drug-resistant strains. Xofluza has been found to reduce flu symptoms if the patient has been sick for less than 48 hours. LSU Health New Orleans Professor and Infectious Disease Specialist Fred Lopez says it’s similar to TamiFlu.
The 150 dollar price tag is similar to the other three FDA recommended flu treatments, but with insurance Xofluza will generally cost around 30 dollars.
Lopez says after a busy season last year, it’s certainly possible that many of the flu strains this year have developed resistances to popular post-infection medications. The Professor says because Xofluza targets different systems than treatments like Tamiflu, it’s less likely to be shrugged off…
But Lopez stressed it’s still no replacement for getting a flu shot. He says considering how deadly last season was, it would be foolish not to get this year’s shot…
Lopez says the average effectiveness level for flu shots over the past few years has been 40 to 60 percent.
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The state fire marshal’s office has charged a 41-year-old woman with negligent homicide after her 11-year-old child died in a camper fire during the overnight hours in Beuregard Parish. State fire marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says Jenny Stafford of Singer admitted to not being home when the fire started…
Cut 12 (12) “…smoke and flames”
Stafford also face drug charges. Rodrigue says they don’t have a cause for the fire and firefighters discovered the body of the child in a bedroom.
The coroner’s office will make an official identification on the child. Rodrigue says Stafford admits to leaving the sleeping child unattended in order to go next door to do drugs…