Construction officially gets underway this afternoon on a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Baton Rouge-based Turner Industries announces plans to build a nuclear fabrication facility in New Iberia and Port Allen. Jeff Palermo has the story.
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Louisiana Tech is closing the chapter on its time in the Conference USA and turning the page to a new era in the Sun Belt. Andre Champagne has more.
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Construction officially gets underway in Lake Charles this afternoon on the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. The 2.3-billion-dollar bridge is being built immediately next to the existing bridge that first opened in 1952, predating I-10. Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Brian Abshire says the bridge is of utmost importance, with 75-thousand vehicles passing over it every day.
Cut 4 (08) “…a screeching halt.”
Abshire says the new bridge will be a vast improvement over the one that it will be replacing.
Cut 5 (06) “…still being debated.”
The bridge will also have 12-foot-wide shoulders on both sides of the roadway, and it won’t rise as high above the river. Whereas the current bridge takes traffic 152 feet above the river, the apex of the new bridge will be somewhere between 75 and 95 feet.
Abshire says not only will the new bridge be a lot safer than the current one, but it will also hopefully be an economic boost to the City of Lake Charles.
Cut 6 (07) “…downtown Lake Charles.”
The bridge will be a toll bridge; Abshire says that was the one and only option to get the funding needed for the project. Construction will take seven years, and the bridge will be tolled for 50 years.
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Baton Rouge-based Turner Industries announces it’s creating one-thousand jobs, as it’s building state-of-the-art nuclear fabrication facilities in New Iberia and Port Allen. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says the facilities will be dedicated to the production of high-precision modules and nuclear-grade piping for the next generation of nuclear power.
Turner Industries was founded in Baton Rouge in 1961. It’s one of the nation’s largest industrial contractors, with more than 93-hundred employees and six offices statewide.
Turner Industries CEO Stephen Toups made the announcement at a nuclear power summit in New Orleans organized by the Landry administration. Bourgeois says Toups believes Louisiana should be at the center of the next wave of nuclear innovation.
Cut 8 (12) “…when you’re ready.”
The nuclear fabrication facilities coming to West Baton Rouge and Iberia parishes will build pipes, modules and subassemblies for nuclear reactors. Each facility will see 500 new jobs with annual salaries of 77-thousand dollars.
There’s a renewed focus on nuclear power, because energy experts say it’s reliable and does not emit greenhouse gases. Bourgeois says it’s exciting to see a homegrown company meet the new demand.
Cut 9 (12) “…state but others.”
Environmentalists have expressed concern about the radioactive waste that carries health and safety risks.
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The House Education Committee approves legislation that would give Louisiana public colleges the authority to increase tuition by as much as 10-percent for all graduate, professional and specialized programs and any undergraduate program identified as high-cost. Lobbyist Norby Chabert (sha-BEAR) testified in favor of the legislation; he says the money generated from the higher tuition costs would be put to good use.
Cut 10 (08) “…to student ratios.”
The bill passed on an eight-to-three vote and heads to the House floor. Lafayette Representative Josh Carlson says if you raise tuition, fewer students will attend college.
Cut 11 (06) “…in lower demand.”
The state’s four management boards currently have the authority to set what is known as differential tuition. But the bill’s author, Ruston Representative Christopher Turner, says that authority should really reside with each public institution.
Cut 12 (12) “…with basic needs.”
Tuition increases are necessary, since the state no longer funds higher education to the level it once did. Carlson asks why universities need to raise tuition when enrollment is dropping, a four-year degree is no longer a necessity to get a good paying job, and the state has more public universities than it really needs.
Cut 13 (12) “…percent every year.”
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An agreement has been reached between Louisiana Tech and Conference USA that allows Tech to leave Conference USA and join the Sun Belt this summer. Terms of the out-of-court settlement have not been released, but Matt Bellinson of the Ruston Leader says Louisiana Tech most likely had to pay a hefty exit-fee.
Cut 14 (08) “…eight-million dollars.”
Even though the move to the Sun Belt will cost the university a pretty penny, Bellinson believes it’s one that will end up favoring Louisiana Tech when all is said and done.
Cut 15 (12) “…right for them.”
Not only will Louisiana Tech save money by traveling far less than they had to, but Bellinson says the move will also favor the athletes.
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LSU football coach Lane Kiffin met with the media on Monday to discuss the end of spring practice. He said quarterback Sam Leavitt took part in 7-on-7 drills during Saturday’s final practice. While Leavitt was limited, Kiffin said he’s trending in the right direction.
At the start of spring practice, LSU’s defense was miles ahead of the offense. With several new pieces on that side of the ball, it took time to adjust, but Kiffin says he’s seen progress for the second straight week following Saturday’s scrimmage in Tiger Stadium.
Cut 18 (13) “…pleased with that.”
Redshirt quarterback Sam Leavitt has missed most of the spring while recovering from a Lisfranc foot injury. Kiffin says that even though he has not been able to spend much time on the field, Leavitt has remained engaged and continues to find ways to improve.
Cut 19 (13) “…but mentally also.”
Junior safety Dashawn Spears moved to the STAR position this offseason. Kiffin says it’s one of the most important roles on the field and believes the Denham Springs native did a tremendous job there this spring.
Cut 20 (14) “…we’ve gotten here.”