Disputed Zachary TND site sold

A 414-acre site on La. Highway 64 west of Zachary has been purchased by a group of investors from a bankruptcy trustee for $7.1 million. Old Towne Development Group, made up of John Engquist, Patrick Campesi and Michael Campesi, bought the site after getting approval from a bankruptcy judge last week, says Ashley Moore, Engquist's attorney. New Towne Development Group, the corporate entity that oversaw the proposed Americana TND, defaulted on its mortgage and a suit was filed to put it into involuntary bankruptcy. Old Towne was formed last year to purchase the mortgage and buy the property out of foreclosure. Of the sale price, $6.7 million went toward crediting Old Towne for buying the mortgage. Moore says Old Towne wants to go ahead with building Americana, which will be a TND, that will feature an elementary school, a YMCA branch and tied into the planned BREC park next door. "This is a great piece of land that's perfectly situated," Moore says. "Zachary is an attractive community and there's no doubt it will be developed." For a Business Report cover story about the Americana dispute, click here.—Timothy Boone

Zachary selected for LED pilot program

Zachary is one of 12 cities selected by Louisiana Economic Development to complete an intensive six-month pilot program aimed at helping increase competitiveness with out-of-state communities for good jobs, business development projects and capital investment.

The program will begin next week with each community’s introduction to a team of experienced economic development professionals that will provide resources and preliminary training.

"This program represents the next step in our efforts to enhance the competitiveness of our local communities," says LED Secretary Stephen Moret. "By equipping these 12 communities with the resources they need to compete at the local and national level, we are helping them become better places in which to live, work and do business."

The other communities selected are: Arcadia, Crowley, DeRidder, Houma, Jena, Mansfield, Logansport, Stonewall, New Iberia, Pineville, Slidell, Vivian and West Monroe.—Emma James

IEM gets $22.5 million Army contract

IEM has been awarded a $22.5 million contract to enhance an emergency system that protects Army bases where chemical weapons are being stored and destroyed. The Baton Rouge-based company will enhance WebPuff, a system it developed for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program and is installed at Army bases in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Oregon and Utah. WebPuff provides models on how to treat the release of chemicals stockpiled at the bases and creates models on the potential for chemical releases, based on the weather. This allows the Army to determine which days it should move the weapons or destroy them. The five-year contract continues a decade-long agreement between IEM and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.

V-Vehicle to start hiring at end of the year

V-Vehicle Co., a startup auto manufacturer building a plant near Monroe that will hire up to 1,400 workers, plans to hire its first employees late in 2009. The company, on its Web site, says a small number of people would be needed to supervise renovation and construction work at the old Guide Corp. plant, which will be converted into an assembly plant. Some of those people may continue as managers once the plant opens, says V-Vehicle. V-Vehicle says it plans to have about 100 people when it starts operations next fall, followed by an expansion to 500 workers when it produces cars on a single shift in early 2011. The jobs will average about $40,000 a year once full production is reached.

To this stage, the company is keeping plans for its car under competitive wraps, but says it will be fuel efficient with a sticker price around $10,000.

The defunct Guide plant, which made electrical components for vehicles, is being converted through the use of $82 million in economic incentives, including $67 million from the state, $5 million from the federal government and $15 million from Ouachita Parish governments. V-Vehicle says it has raised $100 million from investors and is awaiting word on a $250 million loan from a federal Energy Department program to spur development of fuel-efficient cars.

Complaint filed against recruiter of teachers 


A teachers union has filed complaints with state authorities alleging a company that recruits Filipino teachers for Louisiana schools is operating illegally in the state, and charging the teachers exorbitant, illegal fees. The Louisiana Federation of Teachers says the teachers were cheated out of thousands of dollars. The LFT filed complaints with the state Attorney General's Office and the Louisiana Workforce Commission against Universal Placement International of Los Angeles.

The complaints were filed on behalf of Filipino teachers working in Caddo, East Baton Rouge and Jefferson parishes and in state-run schools in New Orleans. The company did not respond to a telephone request for comment from its director.

The union says the teachers should be relieved from their contracts binding them to Universal and that Universal should refund approximately $15,000 in fees that each teacher allegedly paid to be hired.

According to the complaint to the Workforce Commission, there are more than 200 Filipino schoolteachers working in at least five school systems in Louisiana, including the four mentioned in the complaint, plus Avoyelles Parish. The union alleges teacher recruits in the Philippines were initially charged $6,600 in fees covering costs including training, travel, medical exams, legal fees and visas.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System quit using Universal for teacher placement about a year and a half ago, says Chris Trahan, a spokesman for the district. Before that, when the Filipino teachers came to East Baton Rouge officials with complaints, they were referred to one of the unions or to private attorneys, he says.

Sports roundup: Jones says the best is yet to come for the Tigers ... Miles wants to see Tebow play ... Nike denies Vick deal

'On our way': Chad Jones, the hero of LSU's nailbiting win against Mississippi State last weekend, says the Tigers have just been getting by this season. “We’re definitely nowhere close to being as good as we’re supposed to be,” Jones told ESPN's Chris Low. “We definitely haven’t played our best football yet, but we’re on our way ... slowly but surely.” Jones was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week Monday for the 93-yard punt return that was the margin of victory in LSU's win over Mississippi State. Fourth-ranked LSU plays at 18th-ranked Georgia Saturday. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. and will be nationally televised by CBS. Las Vegas bookmakers have the Bulldogs as a 3-point favorite.

Careful what you wish for: Even though Tim Tebow is considered to be one of the top quarterbacks in college football history, LSU coach Les Miles is hoping the Heisman Trophy winner will play against the Tigers next week. Tebow suffered a concussion in a game Saturday against Kentucky and there's been intense speculation about his status for the LSU-Florida game Oct. 10. "We want him to play," Miles told Louisiana Gannett Sports. "We think he's great for college football." Miles says Florida Coach Urban Meyer "will do exactly what's right, without question."

Under contract: Nike says it does not have a "contractual relationship" with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, despite comments from his agent. ESPN says the shoe giant says it has "agreed to supply product to Michael Vick as we do a number of athletes who are not under contract with Nike." Nike, which signed Vick as a rookie in 2001, terminated his contract in August 2007 after he admitted his involvement in a dogfighting ring.

Outdoor concerts in the 225

As the weather cools off a little for fall, it's the perfect time to enjoy some of Baton Rouge's outdoor concerts. On Friday, starting at 5 p.m., the Live After Five concerts keep on rockin' with Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience. Gather at Galvez Plaza downtown with your dancing shoes on and show off your Cajun two-step. It's the best way to unwind after the workweek. Then, the Sunday in the Park concert series, sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and 225 magazine, kicks off with a Creole-blend double-bill of Cedric Watson and Feufollet. The concert will be held in Lafayette Park, behind the Shaw Center, from noon to 3 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. For more of what's happening in the 225 area and beyond, read 225 Select by clicking here.

News roundup: Teach For America reaches fundraising goal ... LHC Group acquires Alabama business

Thanks to community help: Teach for America South Louisiana has met its fundraising goal of $25,000 to claim a challenge grant. The organization had to raise the money by Wednesday, the end of its fiscal year, to get the funding or risk reducing the size of its work locally.

Company continues to grow: LHC Group has acquired the home health business of John Paul Jones Hospital in Camden, Ala. Lafayette-based LHC says the primary service area consists of seven counties with a population of 163,000. About 15% of the population is over the age of 65. The company says the business generates about $300,000 in annual revenue.