Delegation chasing federal highway money

When U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu queried the Capital Region Legislative Delegation last week on potential projects for the federal highway bill, she received a quick reply outlining three high-priority initiatives. It’s part of a collective push by local government and the state Department of Transportation and Development. The delegation, for its part, has filed the appropriate paperwork to get the process moving. The targeted projects include:

—The widening of Interstate 12 from the Denham Springs exit to Walker

—The Interstate 10/Pecue Lane interchange

—The La. 1/I-10 connector

The delegation was able to secure more than $100 million for these projects from the capital outlay budget in the recent legislative session. Dawn Starns, the delegation’s executive director, sent Landrieu a letter saying the state cash is helpful, but won’t be enough to see the projects through. “We will continue to support capital outlay funding for these projects as needed in future years however federal support will also be essential,” Starns says. “Additionally, you will remember that we talked about the benefit that each of these projects has not only for the parish and residents where the project actually sits, but for the entire region and state.” For the full version of this story, click here.—Jeremy Alford

Investors, Southern looking at bringing biodiesel plant to Baton Rouge

A collaboration between investors and the Southern University Business and Research Corp. is looking to set up a biodiesel plant in East Baton Rouge Parish. Williams-Wallace Management Consultants and the SUBRC plan to buy patented technology from TPA, a Michigan-based biodiesel producer, and use it to set up a $12 million plant capable of producing 20 million gallons of biodiesel a year from feed stocks such as fat, grass and sugarcane, says Musheer Robinson, CEO of Williams-Wallace. The plan is to sell the fuel to Entergy, chemical plants, hospitals and other big companies that have big diesel backup generators. Right now, Robinson and SUBRC are looking to line up financing from government agencies and private investors. "This is not just about one facility, but turning this technology into laboratories," he says. The project fits in with other initiatives at Southern to develop renewable energy sources, including collaborations with Oxford University and Catholic University College of Ghana. Robinson is working with James Reily to purchase a brownfield site in Baton Rouge as the home for the biodiesel plant. "We want to combine the biodiesel with solar panels to demonstrate the combined renewable use for the land," Robinson says. The plant could be open within a year to 15 months and would have a staff of 20 to 30 employees.—Timothy Boone

Area residents favor mass transit and loop, BRAC says

FuturePAC, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s political action committee, says 65% of respondents to an April survey called for an improved transit system, while only 8% said there is no need for such a system. FuturePAC surveyed 1,500 people in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston and Iberville parishes, the five parishes that would be directly affected by the proposed Baton Rouge Loop highway project, and found 83% of respondents favored the loop. The results of the loop questions were released in May, while the results related to transit were released today. Among transit options presented, 54% favored rapid bus transit, while 42% supported light rail. An attempt to get $15 million from the Legislature to pay for the second phase of an environmental impact study for the Baton Rouge Loop project failed this session, but backers plan to try again next year. The money for the first phase of the environmental impact study will run out in mid-2010.

Rotolo's adding Prairieville, Millerville locations

Rotolo's Pizzeria plans to add two more local restaurants within the next year. A location on Airline Highway in Prairieville, across from the Wal-Mart Supercenter, is set to open in September, says Mitch Rotolo, who owns the chain. Rotolo is set to go before the city-parish Planning Commission today to get a rezoning to open a restaurant on Millerville Road, just south of Interstate 12. If all goes well, Rotolo says the restaurant should be open by summer 2010.

"This is more of a future-type growth, since it's new construction from the ground up," he says. "It's a good location for us to grow our market." A Rotolo's opened in Gonzales a few weeks ago, near Airline Highway and Burnside Avenue. Once the Prairieville restaurant opens, the pizza chain will have 12 locations. Rotolo says the Prairieville and Millerville restaurants will be identical to the other locations. "We're sticking with the same brand and concept," he says.—Timothy Boone

Mortgage insurance company drops B.R. from distressed cities list

Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corp. has dropped Baton Rouge and 135 other metro areas from its declining and distressed cities list, which could lead to looser down payment standards locally. According to HousingWire.com, Genworth made the decision based on statistics such as borrower performance. The move means that as of Oct. 1 borrowers with credit scores of less than 700 who are seeking loans with loan-to-value (LTV) greater than 90% will be able to get insurance at Genworth's nonstandard rates. Other cities removed from the list include Shreveport, Mobile, Ala., and Biloxi-Gulfport, Miss. New Orleans is one of 41 cities still considered to be a declining market, along with 14 states, including markets hard hit by the recession, such as California, Florida, Nevada and Michigan.

U.S. economic indicators up more than expected in June

A private-sector forecast of U.S. economic activity rose more than expected in June, the third straight monthly increase. The New York-based Conference Board says its index of leading economic indicators rose 0.7% last month. Wall Street analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a gain of 0.4%. A rise in building permits and stock prices, and fewer people filing first-time jobless benefit claims, boosted last month's results. The group also says activity in the six-month period through June rose 2%. Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein says if these conditions continue, "expect a slow recovery this autumn."

Poll: Will mankind return to the moon?

Friday's Daily Report poll has been taken down because of ballot stuffing.

Today's question: Will humans go to the moon again in the next 10 years?

News roundup: MidSouth hires new CFO...Shreveport company testing cocaine treatment

Bank getting bigger: A veteran Georgia banker is the new chief financial officer for MidSouth Bank. James McLemore has joined Lafayette-based MidSouth after seven years as executive vice president and CFO of Security Bank Corp. in Macon, Ga. McLemore will be responsible for MidSouth's financials, and will also assist in market strategies and analysis. He replaces Eustis Corrigan, who left the bank in January to head the new Lafayette office of Postlethwaite & Netterville.

Cocaine treatment might have wider implications: Embera NeuroTherapeutics, a Shreveport-based pharmaceutical company, has completed a pilot study for treating cocaine addiction. The company has boosted its management team and is raising capital to advance the clinical development of its product, EMB-001. The company believes its treatment may treat other disorders, such as obesity, alcoholism and smoking.