Services set for Turner

Bert Turner, the founder of Turner Industries, died early this morning at his home. He was 86. Turner built his company into one of the largest industrial contractors in the U.S., with more than $1.6 billion in revenue last year and nearly 8,300 local employees. "This community lost a great leader," Turner CEO Roland Toups says. "He was a difference-maker and a dear friend whose generosity touched many people's lives and made Baton Rouge a better place for us all." Turner, a native of Elizabeth who worked as an engineer for Exxon, founded his company in 1961 from the wreckage of Yuba Consolidated Industries. He was inducted into Business Report's Business Hall of Fame in 2001. To read the article, click here. Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Visitation will be held at the church from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday and from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday.

Starbucks to close nine B.R. locations

Starbucks will close nine Baton Rouge locations by the middle of next year, chopping in half the number of coffee shops it operates in the Capital Region. The closings are mainly confined to shops that opened in the past year or two, such as the Perkins Rowe and Essen Lane locations. The company had earlier announced it would close its locations at Siegen Lane and Interstate 10 and Coursey Boulevard and Market Street by the end of the month. The seven other locations are:

—Corporate Boulevard and Energy Drive;

—Siegen Lane and Perkins Road;

—Airline Highway and Highland Road;

—Perkins Road and Bluebonnet Boulevard (in Perkins Rowe);

—Essen Lane and Mancuso Lane;

—Airline Highway and Harry Drive;

—Burbank Drive and Bluebonnet Boulevard.

The coffee chain will also close one location each in Lafayette, Kenner, Shreveport and Monroe. The local closings are part of Starbucks' plans to shut down 600 stores. The company has been hurt by the faltering U.S. economy, which has reduced customer demand for premium coffee.

Barfield discusses plans to implement workforce reform

Tim Barfield, executive director of the newly renamed Louisiana Workforce Commission, says he plans to turn his agency into a "one-door service" for all business and job seekers. At a news conference this morning, Barfield discussed recent workforce reform plans pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and passed by the Legislature, such as integrating development and related support programs. The plan is to set up a demand-driven system that ties workforce development to business and industry needs and can react quickly to new businesses or expansion opportunities. "This is a collaborative process that business and industry certainly began years ago," Barfield says. "Nothing is more important for our future." The goal is to expand the workforce to fill nearly 100,000 job vacancies that currently exist; Louisiana Economic Development head Stephen Moret says there are 750,000 people who could fill those jobs if they had training. “The challenge is significant, but it's not rocket science," Barfield says.—Olivia Watkins

Downtown hotels could be model for Virginia Beach plan

Armada Hoffler, the Virginia Beach, Va. developer involved with plans to build two hotels by the River Center, is proposing a similar public-private partnership in its hometown, The Virginian-Pilot reports. Armada Hoffler is one of four finalists bidding to build a 700-room hotel next to the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Lou Haddad, president of Armada Hoffler, told the newspaper his company has the financial capacity to do projects in both Baton Rouge and Virginia Beach. To read the full story, click here.

LaPolitics by John Maginnis: Fallout from budget vetoes

Prospects for a veto override session, already dim, were about snuffed out Thursday when Republican caucus leaders came out strong against it. The letter to 49 GOP representatives and 15 senators urged them to return the ballot they received this week to cancel the session that is automatically called unless a majority of either house votes against it. Though many Democrats were either angry or disappointed over Gov. Bobby Jindal's 258 line-item vetoes to the budget bill, most also recognize the futility of getting spent lawmakers to return to the Capitol, much less to muster a two-thirds vote to override any of the items. Legislators' only recourse is to wait until next year, or next session, to respond to the governor. The first test of the new relationship between the branches will come in next year's special session to spend the projected $1 billion surplus from the recently ended fiscal year. Exceeding the constitutional spending cap will require a two-thirds vote. Last year, the Legislature passed the governor's surplus spending plan with little debate or change. It won't happen that way again.

—Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman stunned the political class by announcing that he is quitting his fall re-election bid. A source states that he knew it would be a hard-fought, negative race and "he didn't have the fire in the belly." Blossman was running under investigation by the state inspector general, after the ethics board charged him with improperly sending letters to trucking companies, regulated by the PSC, asking them to meet with a salesman friend of his. Blossman's dropping out throws open the race and even calls into question the consistent 3-2 majority that has sided with utility companies on the regulatory board. The primary is Oct. 4.

—The latest automated national Rasmussen Reports poll has Sen. Mary Landrieu leading Treasurer John Kennedy, 49% to 44%. With "leaners," Landrieu is ahead 51% to 45%. Rasmussen Reports notes that Landrieu's numbers inched up despite a surge in support for Republican presidential contender John McCain. According to the poll, only two-thirds of McCain voters also intend to vote for fellow Republican Kennedy, while 27% of McCain voters prefer Landrieu.

John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly at Lapolitics.com.

Editor: A smart growth model for Baton Rouge

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is going to Richmond, Va., for its annual canvass trip this fall. But Business Report Executive Editor JR Ball says local leaders ought to head west and see what's going on in Sacramento, Calif. The city is using smart growth planning principles to reduce decades of sprawl, counter rising gas prices, reduce commute times and address air pollution. "Any of that sound familiar?" Ball asks. Read the column here. Send comments to editors@businessreport.com.

Public meeting to discuss capital improvements plan

A public meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at St. George Catholic Church's Kleinpeter Activity Center to discuss Mayor Kip Holden's proposed capital improvements plan. The church is located at Interstate 10 and Siegen Lane. The meeting, sponsored by Metro Councilmen David Boneno and Pat Culbertson, will give people a chance to ask questions about the $989 million project.

Lafayette 10th, B.R. 17th on best business cities list

Lafayette was ranked 10th on Inc. magazine's list of the best mid-sized cities for doing business. The city jumped up 68 spots on the list, which focuses on short- and long-term job growth. Baton Rouge was ranked 17th, down four spots from last year's list. Provo-Orem, Utah, topped the list. For the complete list, click here.

Poll: Most back Jindal budget cuts

Sixty-four percent of respondents to a Daily Report survey say Gov. Bobby Jindal did the right thing in vetoing $16 million in projects from the budget. Twenty-two percent say while Jindal cut a lot of pork, some worthwhile programs were also hurt. Twelve percent say the cuts didn't need to occur, because the state is running such a large surplus. More than 2,600 people participated in the survey.

Today's question: Which of these is your favorite coffee shop?

News roundup: Business booming for repo men; CC's comes downtown; Dean visits Baton Rouge

Times are tough: The current economic slowdown has increased business for repo men, The Miami Herald reports. National Liquidators, a boat repossessor and auctioneer, says business has tripled over the past 18 months. "People that have gotten into boating more recently are not as experienced and may not have realized the costs involved. Fuel is a big part of it. Marinas are charging $5 to $6 a gallon, and you've got a 300- to 400-gallon tank,” National Liquidators President Bob Toney said. Read the story here. Local coffee chain growing: The first CC's Community Coffee House downtown is now open. Community Coffee President Matt Saurage says the company is excited to be a part of downtown growth in both the economic and community sectors. “We want the coffee house to a be a place for city planners and enthusiasts to meet and talk about their goals and a real vision for Baton Rouge,” Saurage says. The location on North Boulevard is in the Dean Plaza building, and will be open seven days a week. Stumping for Obama: Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean will visit Baton Rouge on Saturday as part of a southern bus tour aimed at registering voters and raising support for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Dean, the head of the Democratic National Committee, will be at New Hope Baptist Church on Greenwell Springs Road from 2 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. Saturday. Other stops on his tour include New Orleans, Shreveport and Jackson, Miss.