Dean plans to auction properties in November

Bob Dean is putting some of his real estate holdings, including Dean Tower and the Commerce Building, on the auction block. Dean says he is working with Williams & Williams, an international firm, to sell the properties during an auction in mid-November. He says the time is right to sell because the Baton Rouge real estate market is one of the best in the U.S. "This will bring in people who [wouldn’t] normally come into the Baton Rouge area," Dean says.

The 180,000-square-foot Commerce Building on Laurel Street will be up for auction, along with Dean Tower, an 83,000-square-foot office building on Florida Boulevard, and an eight-story building at 339 Florida Street. Those buildings could be converted into lofts or assisted living facilities for the elderly, Dean says. Two warehouses on Choctaw Street are also up for auction; the warehouses are near the ExxonMobil refinery and have 60,000 square feet of space.

Dean will put 55 acres of undeveloped land at Plank Road and Main Street in Zachary on the market, along with a 55,000-square-foot tract bordered by 8th, 9th and Laurel streets. "That land at Plank and Main is perfect for commercial development," he says. Three Natchez properties will be listed, including a hotel and a bed and breakfast. Dean says he might still add two or three properties before the auction date. Several of the properties will be sold at absolute auction, meaning they'll change hands regardless of price. Read the rest of Real Estate Weekly here.—Timothy Boone

Make saving automatic, expert says

People who have a psychological tendency not to save money can get control of their finances through programs that make automatic contributions to their savings, says author Kathleen Gurney. Such programs can include 401(k)s or checking accounts that automatically put small deductions into a savings account. “Just eliminate the willpower decision,” Gurney says. When people get more involved in their finances, they start to prefer saving over spending, she says. Detail-oriented people, like accountants and engineers, tend to be the best savers, while creative types like marketing professionals are often among the worst. Gurney is the CEO of the Financial Psychology Corporation and the author of Your Money Personality: What It Is and How You Can Profit From It. She was at a Capital One branch location on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard in Baton Rouge today for a book signing and a presentation on “subconscious savings.”—David Jacobs

Metro Council to vote on $595,304 in police department funding

The Metro Council seeks public comment at its Wednesday meeting on boosting a public safety grant. The council is considering a resolution to increase the amount of a Louisiana Highway Safety Commission grant from $320,670 to $365,395 for the Baton Rouge Police Department. The grant allows the department to obtain equipment, training and overtime funding for enforcing DWI and underage drinking laws. The Metro Council will also vote on authorizing Mayor-President Kip Holden to accept a $229,909 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that will buy equipment for the police department.

Also on the agenda: A dozen condemnations around the city, resolutions approving the sale of bonds for St. George Fire Protection District 2, applying to the State Bond Commission to issue road and street sales tax revenue bonds and authorizing the Library Board of Control to execute three grants totaling $78,235 for library programs, technology and resources. The Metro Council meets Wednesday at 4 p.m. Tune in to Government Access Channel Metro 21 (for Cox Cable subscribers) or watch it live online here.—Emma James

Maginnis: Kennedy leading the charge to cut government

State Treasurer John Kennedy has taken the lead on efforts to streamline government, calling for measures such as a 15,000 reduction in the number of state employees and a single board of higher education. Meanwhile, Gov. Bobby Jindal has been traveling around the state, handing out ceremonial checks and giving medals to veterans, says John Maginnis. "Going strictly by appearances, Kennedy is looking like a governor; Jindal, a lieutenant governor," Maginnis says. Read the full column here.

(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)

Number of people moving into La. increasing

A new report by a moving company found the percentage of people moving into Louisiana increased during the first eight months of the year. The Mayflower Customer Relocation Survey found that 56.9% of the moves through the end of August were people coming into Louisiana, as opposed to 43.1% moving out of the state. During the first eight months of 2008, 55.8% of the moves were into Louisiana, while 44.2% were outbound. Gov. Bobby Jindal and state economic development leaders hailed the numbers. "As long as Louisiana's economy continues to outperform the Southern and national economies, these positive in-migration trends will continue," says Stephen Moret, Louisiana Economic Development secretary. West Virginia saw the biggest gain, with 64.1% of all moves being inbound this year, compared with 54.3% in 2008. Minnesota saw the biggest increase in people moving out, with Mayflower reporting 56.3% of moves were out of the state, compared with 48% in 2008.

State could sell carbon credits for Mississippi River restoration

Louisiana could become a player in emerging cap-and-trade markets by selling "carbon credits" tied to restoration of the Mississippi River delta. "We can tap that market to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars without making any modifications to our projects whatsoever," says Garret Graves, a top adviser to Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal. In the coming decades, Louisiana and the federal government plan to spend billions of dollars on planting cypress trees, piping mud into dying wetlands and diverting rivers to flush out destructive salt water. Credit for the good the carbon sponge to keep the planet cooler could be sold as carbon credits -- the units that make up cap-and-trade markets. Companies buy the credits to offset their own emissions.

News roundup: Stadiums, hotels warned to watch for terrorists ... LRA backs $112M spending for Gustav, Ike recovery ... Report finds NY charter school students outperform peers

Be careful: Counterterrorism officials have issued security bulletins to police around the nation about terrorists' desire to attack stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels—the latest in a flurry of such internal warnings as investigators chase a possible bomb plot in Denver and New York. In the two bulletins—sent to police departments Monday and obtained by The Associated Press—officials said they know of no specific plots against such sites, but urged law enforcement and private companies to be vigilant. These two bulletins followed on the heels of a similar warning about the vulnerabilities of mass transit systems.

Hurricane help: The Louisiana Recovery Authority has backed plans to spend $112 million in hurricane recovery aid on first responder radios, business loans and grants, fisheries equipment, and local infrastructure. The money comes from $1.1 billion in flexible federal block grant aid given to the state after hurricanes Gustav and Ike struck last year. More than half the money has been set aside to go to individual parishes, to largely decide how to spend on housing and infrastructure rebuilding. The latest plans approved today by the LRA board also require approval from federal officials and state lawmakers before the money can be spent.

A leg up? New York students who won lotteries to enroll in charter schools scored higher on standardized tests than children who didn’t get spots and ended up in traditional public schools, according to a Stanford University researcher. Caroline Hoxby, an economics professor, found that charter school students in New York, who tend to come from poor and disadvantaged families, scored almost as well in English and math as students from affluent suburbs, reports the Wall Street Journal. Hoxby's study aimed to address the argument that charter school students tended to do well because only the most motivated parents put their children in the schools.

Forty Under 40 nominations due Friday

All applications/nominations for Business Report's annual Forty Under 40 awards must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday. The awards honor the young men and women who are making the Capital Region a better place to live, work and play. The winners will be recognized in the Nov. 17 issue of Business Report. You can nominate someone or submit your own application. Nominations must be made online here.