Roundup: Jet fuel costs / Consumer confidence / From oil to AI

Passed to consumers: JetBlue Airways is raising checked bag fees as soaring fuel costs push airlines to pass expenses onto travelers. Fees will increase...

A West Virginia medical imaging firm has acquired this Baton Rouge company

Radon Medical Imaging has acquired Baton Rouge-based Majestic Medical Solutions, expanding its footprint into Louisiana and Mississippi, the companies announced on Tuesday.  The deal, which...

Drivers feel the squeeze as the US average for gas tops $4 a gallon

U.S. gas prices jumped past an average of $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 on Tuesday, as the Iran war pushes...

Crypto in your 401(k)? Proposed rule change sparks debate over risk

The Trump administration is proposing a significant shift in how Americans invest their retirement savings, opening the door for 401(k) plans to include alternative...

ExxonMobil promoted a biofuels breakthrough despite internal doubts

Internal documents reveal ExxonMobil scientists raised serious concerns about the viability of the company’s algae biofuels program even as executives continued promoting it to...

State lawmakers target emerging recording tech with new privacy rules

Louisiana lawmakers are advancing new rules aimed at addressing privacy concerns tied to emerging recording technologies, including smart glasses and AI-enabled devices, Louisiana Illuminator...

Roundup: Inflation / Automated driving systems / Early childhood education

Powell’s thoughts: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says longer-term inflation expectations appear to be in check but that the central bank is carefully monitoring...

‘LaPolitics’: Who will replace Foster Campbell on the PSC?

Term-limited Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is one of the last prominent members of an increasingly rare breed in the South: a white, rural,...

‘LaPolitics’: Who will replace Foster Campbell on the PSC?

Term-limited Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is one of the last prominent members of an increasingly rare breed in the South: a white, rural,...

Why Japanese homebuilders are betting big on the US housing market

Japanese homebuilders are rapidly expanding their footprint in the U.S., placing multibillion-dollar bets on a housing market that is slowing but still viewed as...

Louisiana gasoline prices spike but remain in line with Gulf South peers

Gasoline prices are climbing faster in Louisiana than in most states after war in the Persian Gulf—home to about one-fifth of global oil supply—sent...

How energy volatility is rewriting the rules of business operations

Energy is no longer a predictable overhead—it’s becoming a core strategic lever for businesses navigating an increasingly volatile market, Harvard Business Review writes.  Driven by...

Roundup: LNG milestone / Final investment decision / TSA funding

Production begins: A major LNG project on the Texas-Louisiana border has begun production, marking a key milestone for U.S. energy exports as global supplies...

AI talent war is driving startups to offer big salaries over long-term incentives

Startups racing to dominate artificial intelligence are rewriting the rules of compensation, offering significantly higher cash salaries to lure a limited pool of elite...

Roundup: Sysco’s $29B deal / Alliance for Affordable Energy / CVS pharmacies

Wholesale model shift: Sysco is acquiring Jetro Restaurant Depot in a roughly $29 billion deal, expanding into the fast-growing cash-and-carry model serving independent businesses....

Louisiana is leaning on NDAs to land projects, raising transparency issues

Louisiana’s push to land major economic development deals is increasingly happening behind closed doors, as elected officials sign nondisclosure agreements that limit what they...

Trump keeps gas tax holiday in ‘pocket’ as pressure builds at the pump

As the war in Iran pushes U.S. gas prices toward $4 a gallon nationally, some lawmakers are pushing to suspend the federal gasoline tax...

Who’s the clinician other clinicians look up to? Nominate them.

They're the ones in the exam room, in the operating suite, at the bedside—the clinicians whose skill, judgment and commitment to their patients define...

Louisiana sees slight drop in initial unemployment claims

Initial unemployment claims 03/21/26 Continued unemployment claims 03/20/26

Where art meets wellness: A Denham Springs studio taps into a growing trend

A new pottery studio in Denham Springs is blending art with wellness, offering a creative outlet designed to help people disconnect from daily stress,...