Around the State for June 17, 2012

Pearl River b ridge
to close for repairs

PEARL RIVER — Beginning Monday, the Chris Kennedy Bridge in the Pearl River area will be closed for repairs.

St. Tammany Parish officials said the bridge is expected to be closed for two weeks.

This bridge is on Chris Kennedy Road, south of La. 41 and north of Detwiller Road.

Student journalists
set to meet at Loyola

NEW ORLEANS — Nationally known journalists are getting set to join high school journalism students from around the nation for an event at Loyola University in New Orleans.

Called “JCamp,” the sessions are conducted by the Asian American Journalists Association. They begin on Tuesday and run through June 24.

Guest speakers include Hoda Kotb, a former WWL-TV news anchor who now co-hosts NBC’s “Today” show; and Byron Pitts, national correspondent for CBS.

Houma teen receives
10 years in DWI death

HOUMA — A Houma teenager, who pleaded guilty to being drunk when he wrecked his car, killing his girlfriend, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

State Police reported Stephen Murphy was driving with Amanda Doyle, of Houma, on Dec. 11 when he lost control, hit a mailbox and flipped into a water-filled ditch.

Troopers said Murphy, who was 18 at the time, was driving 81 mph in a 45-mph zone and had more than two times the amount of alcohol in his system allowed by law for a person under 21.

Murphy, who was sentenced Thursday, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, which carries up to 30 years in prison. Murphy will serve his first five years in prison without parole, said his attorney, Gregg Graffagnino.

Compiled from
The Associated Press