In the inbox: Recently released emails document LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva’s frustration with the postponement of the LSU-Florida game. As Gannett Louisiana reports, Alleva implies in the emails that Florida was ducking the game. “Florida would want to play as much as us. Would they not?” LSU Board of Supervisors member Blake Chatelain asked Alleva in an email. Alleva answered, “No way. If they lost, they would lose the East (division race). Their schedule is easier than Tennessee’s. If they wanted to play, we would be playing here or there.” The emails were received recently after a public records request by WBRZ-TV. The game was ultimately rescheduled and will take place in Baton Rouge on Nov. 19. Read the full story.
Back on top: Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy has created some distance between himself and the rest of the top candidates in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race, according to an independent poll from Southern Media & Opinion Research released Wednesday. The News-Star reports that Kennedy, in the poll of 500 likely voters, was the choice of 22% of those surveyed followed by Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a Democrat, at 16%; and Republican 3rd District Congressman Charles Boustany at 14%. “Kennedy isn’t a lock, but he’s certainly favored to make the runoff,” says Bernie Pinsonat of Southern Media. “He opened up a decent spread.” The second runoff spot remains murky. Read the full story.
Weaker than expected: New orders for U.S. manufactured capital goods unexpectedly fell in September amid weak demand for computers and electronic products, Reuters reports. The decline for manufacturing goods could temper expectations for an acceleration in business spending in the fourth quarter. Other data released this morning shows a drop in the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week, pointing to sustained labor market strength and firming economic growth. Also, the Commerce Department says non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, fell 1.2% after three straight months of strong gains. Read the full story.
