Open for access: Cox Communications is temporarily offering free, out-of-home TV access via its Cox Contour App to customers who were displaced or impacted by the flood in its Baton Rouge service area. The company has announced that effective immediately, customers can view live, local broadcast feeds of ABC (WBRZ), NBC (WVLA), CBS (WAFB), Fox (WGMB) and CW (WBRL) from now through Sept. 16 from any internet source on their tablet or phone. These live streams are also available on computer at watchtv.cox.com. No cable TV receiver is required, as the service will be streaming from any mobile device. The Cox Contour App for Apple or Android devices can be downloaded via the App Store or Google Play. Read the full notice.
Restoring power: Crews with Entergy-Louisiana from four states are walking through neighborhoods across south Louisiana, inspecting electrical equipment and working to re-energize lines where it is safe to do so, The Associated Press reports. As of 5 a.m. today, the number of customers without power due to flooding had dropped to just under 6,000 from Tuesday night’s peak of more than 32,000 customers. The process of restoring power to the remaining customers will be a slow one, as those who had received floodwaters in their homes or businesses may have to make repairs to their electrical system before power can be restored. Customers in the Baton Rouge, Denham Springs and Gonzales areas who were not flooded but who are still without power also may have to wait a little longer. Entergy says power cannot be restored to their area until all meters are inspected on their circuit as well as other devices, such as transformers and fuses.
Going strong: Oil is headed for its strongest weekly increase in four months after entering a bull market amid speculation that major producers may act to freeze output as U.S. crude and fuel stockpiles decline, Bloomberg reports. Futures were little changed in New York, erasing an earlier gain of 1.1%, yet still poised for weekly increase of 8.2%. While OPEC is unlikely to take action that changes market conditions, its plans to hold informal talks in Algiers next month “were the spark” behind oil’s rally, according to Morgan Stanley. U.S. crude inventories dropped the most in five weeks through Aug. 12, while fuel stockpiles slid a third week, Energy Information Administration data showed Wednesday. Read the full story.
