DOTD says a jacking system has arrived that will used in the repairs of the Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish, which has been closed for nearly a month. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
_____________________________________________
LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine receives a 10.1 million dollar commitment from a family who fell in love with the institution after it cared for their two Chihuahuas.
The Sunshine Bridge is still on course for its January reopening after the bridge was closed due to a barge carrying a crane colliding with the structure last month. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says a jacking system has arrived that will allow the installation of a replacement chord that was a main load bearing component of the bridge.
Mallett says the arrival of the jacking system to realign the bridge ensures the momentum is moving forward to hitting the anticipated reopening time frame.
Mallett recommends that drivers leave a little early for their commute as well as take advantage of the Commuter Krewe app for those that choose to car pool.
A 31-year-old Iowa man is dead after being struck by the vehicle of an on-duty Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputy on LA Hwy 3020. LSP Spokesperson Trooper Thomas Gossen says the incident is still under investigation, but it appears 31-year-old Jessie Blanchard was walking in the middle of the roadway.
Gossen says the pedestrian later died at a medical facility. The deputy was not injured.
Cut 7 (10) “…lighting at all.”
Gossen adds this is one of several pedestrian incidents recently.
______________________________
A line of rough thunderstorms will begin impacting north and central Louisiana primarily by the early afternoon hours today. National Weather Service Shreveport meteorologist Aaron Davis says heavy winds will run through the night, but at least it won’t be as bad as last Wednesday.
Dangerous winds, and not heavy rains, have been cited as the primary threat from this system.
Multiple tornadoes touched down in the state last week, including two EF-2 rated twisters in Washington Parish. Davis says that kind of damage is unlikely this time around…
It’s been a nasty start to the fall season, but Davis says that doesn’t mean we’ll be enduring months of bad weather.
Large hail is also a possibility with this system.
______________________________
The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine receives the largest commitment in school history, and the eight largest gift in LSU Foundation history. That’s after a 10.1 million dollar endowment from the Soong family, who SVM Senior Director of Development Tracy Evans says developed a close bond with the school after it cared for their two Chihuahuas.
The money will fund several initiatives including a scholarship for underrepresented students at the SVM, but all started when Connie Soong pledged two million dollars to help care for local animals in need.
Evans says Dr. Herman Soong, a Tulane professor of forensic psychiatry, talks to the students several times a year about how to identify animal abuse, and frequently lobbies the legislature for more severe penalties for abusers who he says a more likely to pose a threat to humans.
The fund will also pay for an oncology professorship.