BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 13 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news: Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that he signed several bills into law and vetoed a number of bills. Gov. Edwards signed the following bills into law: ACT 163--HB 869 Provides relative to requirements for permitting a solid waste incineration facility. ACT 164--HB 12 Provides relative to the suspension of benefits of members of the Firefighters' Retirement System upon reemployment. ACT 165--HB 5 more PR

PINEVILLE, Louisiana, June 9 -- Cleco, a regulated electricity utility company, issued the following news release: Cleco continues power restoration efforts following outages after Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall yesterday bringing high winds and heavy rain. "Cleco crews and contractors continue clearing debris, making repairs and restoring power," said James Lass, director of distribution operations and emergency management. "We expect all customers' power to be restored today." As of more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 11 -- The University of New Orleans issued the following news release: You might have noticed the evidence anecdotally: the empty bike racks at stores or seemingly more of your neighbors cycling or walking around the block. University of New Orleans Transportation Institute researcher Tara Tolford has data that shows bike riding and walking have increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during the stay-at-home order. "Count data collected at more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 12 -- Delgado Community College issued the following joint statement on June 11: Delgado Chancellor Larissa Littleton-Steib and the college's Executive Council shared the following message with the Delgado community. The Executive Council is the executive advisory council for the chancellor. The function of the Executive Council is to address opportunities, challenges, or issues impacting the college, which include fiscal, administrative, resources, personnel, acad more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 11 -- Entergy issued the following news release: Entergy Corporation has once again been named a 2020 honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. For the fifth consecutive year, Entergy has been recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States. This recognition reinforces the company's business strategy to grow a world-class energy business that delivers long-term, sust more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 8 -- Entergy issued the following news release: As Tropical Storm Cristobal bears down on Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, Entergy's Louisiana storm team of approximately 2,700 is ready to safely restore power where needed. We urge our customers to be storm ready as well. Southeast Louisiana is expected to see the brunt of Cristobal's impact, with maximum winds of 45 mph and gusts as high as 65 mph. Crews are already responding to outages as the storm's outer bands be more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 8 -- Entergy issued the following news release: Entergy's Louisiana utilities are finalizing preparations ahead of Tropical Storm Cristobal's anticipated landfall Sunday evening. Based on current forecasts, portions of the state, particularly the southeast, are expected to see sustained winds up to 53 mph and gusts as high as 68 mph. Entergy's crews are in place and will be ready to perform damage assessments and restore power to customers as quickly as possible on more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 8 -- Entergy issued the following news release: As Tropical Storm Cristobal continues moving north into Louisiana, Entergy crews have successfully restored 10,711 customer outages as of 5 p.m. Sunday. Winds and localized flooding continue to be a threat with the potential for wind gusts of up to 50 mph. Customers are encouraged to remain weather aware and continue to monitor reports from local officials as rain bands can move through after the eye passes. Crews wi more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 12 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following statement: Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statement supporting the student-led effort to rename Middleton Library on the campus of Louisiana State University. The library is currently named for a former LSU president who supported racial segregation and LSU announced last night that it will begin the process of renaming the building. Gov. Edwards said: "I support changing the name of Middleton Librar more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 11 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news: In a private bill signing ceremony, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the late Rep. Reggie Bagala's bill, HB 765, into law. The ceremony was attended by Rep. Bagala's wife and son, LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron and Athletic Director Scott Woodward. Rep. Bagala succumbed to complications from COVID-19 on April 9, 2020. HB 765 was filed by Rep. Bagala, R-Cut Off, to authorize a license plate in h more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 10 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following statement : Gov. John Bel Edwards issued the following statement about legislation he signed recently to end a practice that caused members of the military who deployed overseas to face higher auto insurance rates when they returned home. Senate Bill 16 by Jay Luneau was a part of the Governor's package and received unanimous support in the Legislature. Gov. Edwards said: "One area where there was lit more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 10 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news: Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the 15 college students who have been chosen to participate in The Lamar Governor's Fellowship Program in Louisiana Government. This is an opportunity for the students to gain firsthand knowledge about the development and implementation of public policy as well as the state's rich history and current affairs of Louisiana government. The program is a partnership with  more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 12 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news on June 11: Gov. John Bel Edwards and the South Louisiana Rail Facility announced SLRF will develop an $11.6 million rice mill in Jefferson Davis Parish. Located at the Lacassine Industrial Park, SLRF is owned by the Jefferson Davis Parish Police Jury and can handle up to 25,000 bushels of rice per hour for storage and export. The new project will create seven new direct jobs, with an average annual more PR

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, June 12 -- Discovery Education, a division of Discovery Communications, issued the following news release: Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) announced the renewal of its long term partnership with Discovery Education, the leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms worldwide. LPB's renewal of its 17-year collaboration with Discovery Education continues empowering K-12 educators across the st more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 13 -- The Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center issued the following news release on June 10: A new study offers the first evidence that a chemical compound named BAM15 acts as an energy uncoupler and could be an effective drug for treating obesity and related diseases. Obesity affects more than 650 million people worldwide and drives a number of dangerous health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more than a dozen more PR

RUSTON, Louisiana, June 12 -- Louisiana Tech University issued the following news: College of Business student-analysts recently presented the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) annual report to industry professionals during their virtual advisory board Spring meeting. The $1 million fund, established through the generosity of alumni, is managed by undergraduate finance majors who are responsible for all investment research, portfolio positions, and reporting. For senior finance major Andr more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 12 -- Louisiana State University issued the following news release: LSU is helping the U.S. respond to hazards from environmental releases of oil and toxic chemicals. A team of seven researchers from the LSU College of the Coast & Environment, or CC&E, will be partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to provide primary emergency response to chemical hazards in support of NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration's Emergency Respo more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 10 -- Louisiana State University issued the following news release: Testing for SARS-CoV-2, the official name for coronavirus, has been a sticking point since the respiratory virus entered the United States at the beginning of 2020. The fact that anyone can have the virus, even after testing negative, coupled with the fact that nearly 25% of those with it are asymptomatic, leaves many questioning whether or not medical testing will ever give us an accurate measureme more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 13 -- The Louisiana State University Ag Center issued the following news release: This year's rice crop is progressing well, and the recent Tropical Storm Cristobal had little effect, an LSU AgCenter rice expert said at the Evangeline Parish rice field day on June 11. AgCenter rice specialist Dustin Harrell said March temperatures were warmer than normal and were ideal for young rice, but April brought three cold fronts that stressed the plants. "If that's the wor more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 11 -- Louisiana State University issued the following news release: Baton Roots Community Farm opened last year in North Baton Rouge as a restorative landscape to support healthy lifestyles, mental welfare and environmental security. With recent support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio will partner with the nonprofit organization The Walls Project, which operates Baton Roots Community Farm at BREC Howell Park, and Mayor more PR

THIBODAUX, Louisiana, June 13 -- Nicholls State University issued the following news release: The Association for Business Communication-Southwest U.S. named Nicholls State University Professor Laura Valenti its 2020 Outstanding Educator. The assistant professor of marketing joined the College of Business Administration faculty in 2010. "When I read the congratulatory email from the association president, I teared up," Valenti said. "I genuinely care about the impact I make on my students and more PR

THIBODAUX, Louisiana, June 9 -- Nicholls State University issued the following news release: A Nicholls State University management instructor received two research awards from the Association for Psychological Science. Harvey Peltier Endowed Professor Melanie Boudreaux earned the APS graduate student and overall award. She competed in the "2020 Psychological Science and Entrepreneurship Poster" category. Boudreaux is enrolled in a Ph.D. program for business management at the University of Sou more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 8 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news: Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that President Donald Trump has approved his request for federal assistance related to Tropical Storm Cristobal. Gov. Edwards submitted the pre-landfall emergency declaration to the President and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday. "We are thankful to Pres. Trump and his administration for responding quickly to my request and the needs of the people of more PR

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana, June 9 -- Southwestern Electric Power issued the following news release: The American Electric Power Foundation has awarded a total of $29,500 to five East Texas nonprofits in Southwestern Electric Power Co.'s (SWEPCO) service area providing additional health and human services in response to COVID-19. Grant dollars will aid organizations in expanding services and accommodating increased caseloads. The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Po more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 9 -- Tulane University issued the following news release: Tulane University has received a $1 million gift from Elana Amsterdam and her husband Rob Katz to significantly expand its molecular pathology lab to increase COVID-19 testing capacity within the region. The funding will enable Tulane University School of Medicine to purchase new equipment and hire additional full-time staff to ramp up capacity to process up to 1,000 COVID-19 tests per day at its downtown la more PR

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana, June 12 -- The University of Louisiana's Lafayette Campus issued the following news story: Carbon dioxide levels are higher than they have been for the past 23 million years, according to a study led by Dr. Brian Schubert at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The findings, published in the scientific journal Geology, are significant. A frequently accepted theory by many scientists puts the time frame at about 1 million years ago. That assumption is based on CO2 mea more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 9 -- The University of New Orleans issued the following news release: If you were designing a New Orleans to Baton Rouge passenger train service, what would it look like? What departure times or route stops would you include on the depot schedule? The University of New Orleans Transportation Institute is seeking public input via an anonymous survey to determine interest in a New Orleans-Baton Rouge passenger rail service and to determine travel patterns post COVID- more PR

RALEIGH, North Carolina, June 9 -- Wake Technical Community College issued the following news: Wake Tech is pleased to announce Dr. Michael Beck as the new Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Beck will provide direction, leadership, and oversight of the college's Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Division. He brings nearly 15 years of experience in higher education to Wake Tech holding leadership positions at community colleges in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana.  more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 9 -- Xavier University of Louisiana issued the following news: A total of 548 graduates - nearly 10 percent of whom earned summa cum laude honors - were awarded their degrees during the virtual Xavier University of Louisiana's (XULA) 93rd annual commencement on May 23. During the ceremony, the University also honored Dean P. Baquet, New Orleans native and Executive Editor for the New York Times with an honorary degree. Mr. Baquet also delivered the commencement add more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, June 11 -- Xavier University of Louisiana issued the following news: A New Orleans native, Mr. DeBose is a member of the St. Augustine graduating class of '76. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1986. He then earned his masters in mathematics teaching from Loyola University of New Orleans and later secured his master's in education administration from the University of New Orleans "I am proud to carry on the educational more PR