Rocky road: A defiant Lafayette-based committee voted on Wednesday to recommend both the elevated and partially-covered Interstate 49 connector concept be advanced for more study. The Advertiser reports that Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn Wilson has said it would cost too much to study both concepts in detail. DOTD representatives and paid consultants tried unsuccessfully to steer the committee meeting their way, but the working group prevailed. The committee, which includes representatives of various neighborhoods and civic groups, has been meeting for more than a year about the 1.5-mile section of the proposed I-49 connector. The group is an advisory panel and has no final say on which design is approved. Read the full story.
Looking for a new home: The University of Louisiana at Monroe has announced that it plans to relocate two of the largest collections of fish and plant specimens in the state. The fish collection alone includes upwards of 6 million specimens in jars, while the herbarium is the largest in the state with roughly 500,000 items. Vice President for Academic Affairs Eric Pani tells The News Star the collections are an important resource to the university, and they take finding someone to house them seriously. The university wants to find someone in Louisiana who will take on the specimens. Several offers have been made, including some by in-state institutions. The university plans to rehome the collections by mid-July. Read the full story.
On closer inspection: The U.S. economy grew at a slightly faster rate in the fourth quarter than earlier estimates, as consumers powered economic momentum heading into 2017, The Associated Press reports. The Commerce Department says the nation’s gross domestic product, the economy’s total output of goods and services, expanded at an annual rate of 2.1% over the three month period that closed out 2016. That’s an improvement from the previous estimate of 1.9%. The added strength stemmed from stronger consumer spending, which offset an increased drag from trade. The small change to the fourth quarter did not alter growth for the entire year, which came in at an anemic 1.6%. It was the worst showing in five years. Read the full story.
