Holden announces plans for inaugural events
A daylong celebration is planned for Monday, when Mayor Kip Holden will be sworn in for his second term. The day starts with an interfaith service at St. Joseph Cathedral at 8:30 a.m. Holden will be sworn in at 10:30 a.m. at the River Center’s Theater for the Performing Arts. Louisiana Supreme Court Justice "Kitty" Kimball and U.S. District Judge Ralph Tyson will administer the oath of office. A formal reception will be held at 7 p.m. at the River Center, featuring a performance from Terrence Simien. Attendees are asked to bring nonperishable items for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
Senate primary election set for March
A primary election has been set for March in the race to replace State Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Baton Rouge Republican who won a congressional seat. Senate President Joel Chaisson says the primary will be March 7, with a runoff on April 4 if necessary. Qualifying for the race will run Jan. 14-16. So far, two Republicans have announced plans to run for the Senate District 16 seat: Laurinda Calongne and Lee Domingue.
Manufacturing index drops to 28-year low
Manufacturing activity fell more than expected in December, hitting the lowest reading in 28 years as new orders and employment continue to decline. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said today its manufacturing index fell to 32.4 in December from 36.2 in November. Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected the reading to fall to 35.5. Component readings of the index hit historic lows. New orders fell to their lowest level on records going back to 1948. Prices fell as the number of respondents saying they had paid more in December than in November sank to its lowest monthly reading since 1949. Any reading for the overall index above 50 signals growth, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction. The index is based on based on a survey of the institute's members, has fallen steadily for the last five months as the economy deteriorated. The index fell to its lowest level since June 1980, when the economy was near the end of a six-month recession.
Editor: A glimpse into the future
Business Report Executive Editor JR Ball has broken out his crystal ball to list some of the headlines for 2009. What will happen to city-parish government, LSU, Gov. Bobby Jindal and librarians in the upcoming year? To read the column, click here. Send comments to editors@businessreport.com.
Albemarle sells French subsidiary
Specialty chemical maker Albemarle Corp. says one of its subsidiaries has sold a plant in France to an affiliate of International Chemical Investors Group. The ICIG-owned affiliate, Azur Chimie, bought all equipment, buildings, land and other assets at the Port de Bouc, France facility from the subsidiary, Albemarle Chemicals SAS. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The sale was effective Wednesday. As a result of the sale, Albemarle said it will incur a pretax charge of about $25 million to $30 million in its fourth quarter.
Popular resolutions: Lose weight, listen more
The U.S. Government's official Web site has a list of some of the most popular New Year's resolutions. Topping the list is losing weight, while managing debt and saving money ranked second and third. See the list here. Meanwhile, USA Today small business columnist Rhonda Abrams has a list of seven New Year's resolutions for companies. Her list is led by "listen more,” followed by "embrace change" and "be brave.” Read her column here.
It’s official: Orgeron won’t be joining LSU staff
New Orleans Saints assistant and former Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron is returning to the Southeastern Conference as part of Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin's staff. The Volunteers announced today that Orgeron will work as an assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach. The Larose native spent the past season as the defensive line coach for the Saints after being fired by Ole Miss, where he coached for three seasons. He has also worked as an assistant at Miami, Syracuse and Southern California. Orgeron and Kiffin worked together as assistants under USC coach Pete Carroll from 2001-04. Several media outlets reported earlier this week that Orgeron could possibly LSU’s staff.
Poll: Chick-fil-A Bowl popular New Year's Eve activity
The majority of Daily Report readers spent their New Year's Eve watching LSU's 38-3 victory over Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Fifty-seven percent of the people who responded to online survey say they planned to watch the game. Twenty-two percent say their New Year's plans involved a quiet evening at home, while 13% planned to party and 7% planned a meal out. One percent was unsure of their plans. About 750 people participated in the survey.
Today’s question: What is your new year’s resolution?
News roundup: 2009 could be year for travel … Louisiana ranks low for unemployment benefits … New coffee shop opening downtown
See the world: For people who can afford a vacation, 2009 looks like it will be the year for travel deals because of falling gas prices, softening hotel rates and a rising dollar. TravelMole, a tourism Web site, says as long as the economic slowdown continues, deals are available. For example, Walt Disney World is offering a seven-night stay for the price of four nights. Despite the deals, the Travel Industry Association predicts a 1.3% drop in leisure travel during 2009.
Don't lose your job: Louisiana has the fourth-lowest weekly maximum unemployment insurance benefits in the country, according to a BusinessWeek report. The maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefit is $258, but the average unemployed person receives just under $210 a week. Mississippi has the lowest unemployment benefits, giving out a maximum of $210 a week.
Sweet dreams: A cafe specializing in chocolate, coffee and pastries will open Monday on Laurel Street, according to the Downtown Development District. Strands Café is next to the Red Star Bar at the former site of the Coffee Star Cafe and Bakehouse. Strands will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
No LaPolitics today
John Maginnis is on vacation. His LaPolitics column will return to Daily Report on Jan. 9.
