A real problem: Fake money is in circulation throughout Ascension Parish. WBRZ-TV reports people have been spotted on surveillance using counterfeit $10 and $20 bills. On Thursday, St. Amant investigators interviewed those from the video who were seen with the fake money. Lt. Colonel Bobby Webre says his office is working hard to solve the counterfeit money scheme before it continues to spread. Just this month, there have six reported cases of fake bills being used at several businesses. Investigators in neighboring East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes say they have not seen an uptick in the use of counterfeit bills.
Help wanted: Initial unemployment insurance claims for the week ended April 11 increased to 3,062 from the previous week’s total of 2,298, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which released the figures this afternoon. The commission notes that the week marked the start of a new quarter for new claims, when some claimants regain their eligibility for benefits, which typically results in an increase in initial claims. Nonetheless, initial claims were above the figure of 2,461 claims for the comparable week ended April 12 last year. The four-week moving average of initial claims increased to 2,676 from the previous week’s average of 2,541. LWC has more details.
High five: While the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and gas in the U.S. continues to plummet—this week to the lowest level since July 2009, according to the count by Houston-based Baker Hughes—Louisiana bucked the national trend and added five rigs on the week. The number of U.S. rigs in use fell by 34 this week to 954, Baker Hughes says. The count is down 877 rigs from last year. In Louisiana, the count rose from 67 to 72. The nation’s rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
