The ROI: Due primarily to its $5.7 billion acquisition of New Jersey-based Rockwood Holdings Inc. in January, Baton Rouge-based specialty chemicals maker Albemarle Corp says its second quarter 2015 net sales rose to $931.5 million, up from $604.7 million in the second quarter of 2014. Earnings, meanwhile, increased during the quarter to $52.1 million, or 46 cents per share, up from $22.4 million, or 28 cents per share. That left Albemarle’s profit for the second quarter at $95.1 million, or 84 cents per share, up from profit $86.8 million, or $1.10 per share, during the months of April to June last year. See the complete second quarter report.
Detour ahead: Jones Creek Road will be closed between Shenandoah Avenue and Tiger Bend Road this weekend for sewer work. The closure will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, with the roadway reopening at 6 a.m. Monday, according to Mayor Kip Holden’s office. Message boards alerting motorists to the closure have been in place on Jones Creek Road at the closure points since Wednesday morning. The suggested detour for northbound traffic during the closure is to take Tiger Bend Road to Stumberg Lane to Coursey Boulevard, then back to Jones Creek Road. Southbound traffic should take Coursey to Stumberg to Tiger Bend, and then back to Jones Creek.
New morning: The Louisiana Department of Education this morning launched a comprehensive “All Things Jump Start” website. The department says the new site provides more than 200 valuable resources necessary for students interested in following a Jump Start pathway, and for teams of educators and industry officials to effectively implement Jump Start. The site contains information about Jump Start training, as well as student internships, teacher externships and graduation course requirements. Launched last year, Jump Start is designed to train high school students in the technical and skilled trades with the goal of getting them into the workforce more quickly. Get more details and check out the new site.
