Last week, we heard from Public Service Commissioner-elect John Atkins. This morning, we’re hearing from the other commissioner-elect, Stephanie Hilferty. Cade Voisin reports.
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LSU is set to embark on a 440-thousand dollar preservation project to restoring the Native American mounds that are located on campus. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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LSU’s playoff hopes are all but over after Saturday’s performance. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Come January, Stephanie Hilferty will be the new public service commissioner out of district one, which encompasses much of Southeast Louisiana. The Metairie Republican beat Democrat Connie Norris and no-party candidate Chris Justin in last Tuesday’s general election to win a spot on the five-member commission. Hilferty, who had been a state representative, says voters told her one of their biggest issues is their water service.
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Hilferty says the other big issue she heard from voters, just like everywhere else in the state, was the rapid growth of data centers and their effect on utility reliability and utility rates.
Hilferty says one of her main priorities once she enters office is to update electrical reliability standards, which she says are long overdue to be updated.
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The Louisiana Board of Regents is developing the new Louisiana Opportunity index to help measure how effectively Louisiana’s higher education system creates career opportunities for its students. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says the index allows campuses to assess whether they are career-connected.
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Louisiana has announced over 260-billion-dollars in economic investment across the state, and higher education officials are working to ensure their programs can develop students to meet the needs of a growing workforce. Reed says they want to make sure they are developing and retaining great talent in Louisiana
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Louisiana met its goal of awarded 85-thousand postsecondary annual credentials four years early, but the index works to make sure those achievements translate to real opportunities. Reed says the index is designed to make sure officials are measuring things that matter.
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LSU will soon begin a 440-thousand-dollar preservation project to restore the iconic Native American mounds located on campus. The man-made mounds are thousands of years old, but are suffering from erosion. One mound has lost its cone-like shape, and grass is no longer growing in certain areas, leaving patches of dirt. LSU campus landscape architect Dennis Mitchell is heading up the project…
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Mitchell says the preservation work will address mound erosion, resodding the mounds with grass that will not die off as easily, and a new irrigation system will be installed…
And Mitchell says the irrigation will water the dirt and sediment from the bottom up. He says they are also taking down the chain link fence around the historic site, but they still don’t want anyone walking on the mounds…
The National Park Service is paying for half of the project and work should begin in the next six months.
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LSU’s playoff hopes all but came to an end Saturday after losing to Alabama in Death Valley, 31-13. LSU actually took a 13-10 lead with 2:44 left in the third quarter on a five-yard touchdown run by Dilin Jones. But it took Alabama just five plays to regain the lead that it would not relinquish. After the game, Head Coach Lane Kiffin said that two-minute, eight-second drive by Alabama was the turning point of the game.
Kiffin noted that LSU dominated the game statistically, outgaining Alabama in total offense, 457 yards to 285.
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Quarterback Sam Leavitt said LSU’s inability to score touchdowns in the red zone is what did the Tigers in against Alabama.
The loss drops LSU to 6-and-3 on the season, making any realistic chance for the Tigers to finish in the top seven among the non-conference champions in the final College Football Playoff rankings very highly unlikely. LSU wraps up its home schedule Saturday against Texas.
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Louisiana Tech forced five turnovers and scored another defensive touchdown as the Bulldogs remained unbeaten in Sun Belt play with a 41-17 win over Troy for their sixth straight win. Coach Sonny Cumbie is excited to see his team go on the road for a second straight week and get a win…
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The Ragin Cajuns are bowl eligible for a ninth consecutive season after a 28-26 win over South Alabama. U-L Lafayette rushed for 312 yards and Micah Johnson intercepted a pass with 1:29 left to preserve the victory. Coach Michael Desormeaux says after losing a couple of close games earlier this season, it was nice to win a tight one…
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For the first time since 2001, ULM defeated Arkansas State in Jonesboro beating the Red Wolves 19 to 17 to retain the Rice Bowl Trophy. The Warhawks got two key interceptions and Coach Bryant Vincent liked what his team did on offense…
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The Saints finally won inside the Superdome this season as New Orleans beat the Cleveland Browns 23 to 22 in overtime. The Saints had their troubles in the red zone, including a turnover, but Coach Kellen Moore credits quarterback Tyler Shough and the offense for scoring two red zone touchdowns, one near the end of regulation and the other in overtime…
Shough threw for 265 yards and a touchdown; he also rushed for 51 yards. Chris Olave had seven catches for 98 yards, including a huge 33-yard catch to set up New Orleans first touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Olave says they made their mistakes, but got the win…