McNeese has a new president – and for the time being, he’ll be doing double duty. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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LDWF’s whooping crane reintroduction project had its most successful nesting season ever. Kace Kieschinck has the story.
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Ochsner Health has partnered with a company testing a new Alzheimer’s treatment that is showing encouraging results in clinical trials. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Call him “president,” call him “senator” – when referring to Mike Reese, both titles apply to him simultaneously. The state senator from Leesville is now the new president at McNeese State University, taking over for Wade Rousse, who’s now heading the LSU system. Reese officially took over as McNeese president July 1st with words of encouragement for both current and incoming students.
Cut 4 (13) “…having wonderful careers.”
Reese notes that 78-percent of McNeese’s graduates remain in Louisiana, so it’s important that the school work very closely with the community to prepare them for life after college.
Cut 5 (08) “…meaningful to them.”
As for President Reese’s alter ego, Senator Reese says he will serve in one more legislative session and will not run for re-election. But between now and the end of his term, given the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day, Senator Reese – make that President Reese – says time management will be key.
Cut 6 (11) “…as state senator.”
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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported the state’s whooping crane recovery effort saw 10 fledged chicks. That means the chicks are fully grown and capable of flight. It brings the state’s total population to 84. LDWF Biologist Sara Zimorski says it was a historic nesting season.
Cut 7 (14) “…had this year.”
Louisiana’s whooping crane reintroduction project began in 2011. 18 of the 20 total pairs that nested were able to hatch chicks, the largest percentage ever. Zimorski says there could be several factors contributing to the successful season, but one is that the birds are more experienced.
Cut 8 (08) “…figured out.”
Whooping cranes are large white birds with a red head and black facial markings that can grow up to five feet tall. They are a federally endangered species that was once native to the state but had not lived in the Louisiana wilderness since 1950 before the project began. Zimorski says LDWF has a history of restoring endangered native species in Louisiana.
Cut 9 (14) “…the next ones.”
Zimorski says if you see a whooping crane, observe it from a distance and report where you saw it on the LDWF website.
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In announcing that he will not seek a second term in his second stint in Congress, Cleo Fields noted that a lot has changed since the first time he served on Capitol Hill, and not for the better. He said when he served in the House for the first time from 1993 until 1997, representatives from opposite parties were actually cordial towards one another.
Cut 10 (09) “…their families together.”
Of course, on the day Fields left Capitol Hill the first time, there was no such thing as Facebook, X was merely the 24th letter of the alphabet, and Donald Trump was seven years away from launching “The Apprentice” on NBC. Times have changed, and Fields says so has Congress in the 28 years he had been gone.
Cut 11 (09) “…has to change.”
Fields says the lack of cordialness has spread well beyond the halls of Congress.
Cut 12 (08) “…talking at all.”
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A new at-home treatment for Alzheimer’s disease could soon be available, and Ochsner Health is partnering with the company behind the technology. Ochsner regional medical director Dr. Richard Zweifler says Cognito Therapeutics has developed the Spectris headset, which uses brain stimulation to help slow the disease…
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The device is still in clinical trials and has not been approved by the FDA. But Zweifler says early results show the therapy may help remove the plaque associated with Alzheimer’s…
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Ochsner expects FDA approval could come by next June. Through its partnership with Cognito Therapeutics, Zweifler says the goal is to make the treatment available to Ochsner patients as soon as possible…
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Patients would wear the headset for one hour a day, and Zweifler says side effects appear to be minimal.
An estimated 95,000 Louisianans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers hope the Spectris headset could provide a less invasive alternative to infusions or oral medications.
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At SEC Media Days last week, LSU coach Lane Kiffin said his goal at LSU was to combine the top portal classes with elite high school talent. Kiffin has become known as the “Portal King” in college football, and welcomed the number-one class this offseason. He said people need to reframe how they look at transfers.
Cut 16 (11) “…eligibility left.”
Kiffin said programs that have tried to invest in only traditional high school classes have not survived. The most famous case of this is Dabo Swinney’s Clemson who brought in only five portal players in seven years before adding ten this offseason. Kiffin said freshmen don’t stick around anymore because of playing time or money.
Cut 17 (14) “…have that.”
He proposed a limit on the earnings of incoming freshmen similar to NFL rookie contracts.
Kiffin said to find success, coaches need to balance top-end young talent with long-term transfers and immediate impact transfers, and that balance will look different for every school. As for his LSU tenure, he does not plan to abandon his portal kingdom.
Cut 18 (15) “…through the portal.”