There’s one job sector where Louisiana ranks second to none in year-over-year growth. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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A new study finds a combination of THC and CBD can significantly reduce agitation in people with advanced dementia who are receiving end-of-life care. Jeff Palermo reports.
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LSU coach Lane Kiffin spoke to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club yesterday and commented on the use of A-I in the football program. Kace Kieschnick has the story.
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Construction jobs are booming in Louisiana – so much so that the Associated General Contractors of America ranks Louisiana as number-one in the nation in year-over-year construction job growth by percentage and number-three in the nation in number of new construction jobs. Reldon Owens, the CEO of AGC’s Louisiana chapter, says the construction boom is being driven by Meta and other data center projects.
Cut 4 (11) “…St Francisville area.”
Owens says the construction boom is also being fueled by the industrial sector.
Cut 5 (11) “…in Ascension Parish.”
AGC says every major metropolitan area in Louisiana reported growth in construction jobs, leading to about a 22-percent year-over-year increase statewide. Owens expects that momentum to continue.
Cut 6 (11) “…conscious career choice.”
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Certain school support staff, including counselors, therapists and nurses, might not be getting stipends this year. This, according to information from the State Department of Education. That’s setting off alarm bells among unions representing those employees. D’Shay Oaks, the president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, says if those staffers are left on the stipend chopping block, they’ll be looking for alternate sources for the stipends.
Cut 7 (09) “…counselors some stipends.”
Oaks says they have to be careful that providing stipends doesn’t cause any collateral damage – robbing Peter to pay Paul, per se.
Oaks says finding the money to provide support staff stipends would be easier in some areas than in others.
The scramble to find money for the stipends comes after voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have turned the annual stipends into permanent pay raises.
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New research has found that the combination of CBD and THC significantly reduces agitation for people with dementia who are at the end of their lives. Dr. Jeff Keller of LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is one of the principal investigators of the clinical trial.
Cut 10 (10) “…to manage agitation.”
In severe dementia and in the late stages of life, agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom. Keller says the symptoms include vocal outbursts, verbal hostility, hitting and throwing of property.
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Keller says nine out of every ten study participants showed overall improvement in target symptoms from the THC-CBD combination, which is remarkable. He says these results offer new hope for providing greater comfort and dignity to people with advanced dementia at the end of their lives. However, Keller says more research is needed to see if this type of treatment can help those with mid- and late-stage Alzheimer’s.
Cut 12 (10) “…all the questions.”
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The Saints kicked off training camp yesterday. Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough will need to improve as the full-time starter this season if the Saints want to contend for an NFC South title. He says he’s focused on growing as a leader of the team.
Shough hosted pass catchers on a trip to San Diego for offseason workouts and passing sessions. Saints legends Drew Brees and Lance Moore stopped by to give tips, and Shough says it was hard not to be star-struck, especially for Louisiana native running back Travis Etienne (AY-chan).
Prairieville native and former LSU safety Justin Reid is entering his second season in New Orleans. He says he remembers coming to Saints games as a kid when it felt like a parade inside the Superdome. He says he hopes winning will bring that feeling back this season.
Cut 15 (08) “…pushing it forward.”
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LSU football coach Lane Kiffin worries the SEC’s new nine-game conference schedule could cost the league College Football Playoff spots. Kiffin says the selection committee doesn’t appear to be placing enough emphasis on strength of schedule when choosing and seeding the 12-team field. Speaking to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club, he jokingly suggested there’s a better way to determine the college football playoff bracket.
Cut 16 (12) “…team is better?”
Kiffin says the transfer portal has created more parity in the SEC and by playing a ninth SEC game, it increases the chances of a team losing an additional game. He fears three loss SEC teams will not make the College Football playoffs this season.
ESPN’s Football Power Index ranks LSU with the nation’s 11th-toughest schedule, and every SEC team is among the top 20. Preseason camp opens next week; and Kiffin says with such a demanding schedule, no player will be guaranteed a starting job or playing time.
Cut 18 (14) “…day in practice.”