High-voltage situation: Entergy officials told Louisiana’s utility regulators today that the company is working to improve communication with its customers, in reaction to complaints about lengthy outages and inadequate updates after Hurricane Isaac. “We can do a better job of getting information out ahead of the storm and setting better expectations for the duration,” says Bill Mohl, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, which have more than 1 million customers in the state. But Mohl also defended the utility’s restoration work after Isaac as he spoke to the Public Service Commission, which is investigating power companies’ preparation for and response to the August storm and considering whether to level any penalties against them. Read the full story here.
Choices to make: The Louisiana Department of Education today announced applications from 72 course providers are advancing to the next evaluation round to participate in Course Choice, a new program that allows businesses and other nontraditional course providers to apply to partner with the state to create workforce training courses for K-12 students. Advancing applicants include “universities and technical colleges, Louisiana school districts, business and industry groups, proven online educators, and several promising Louisiana educational entrepreneurs,” the department says. The second round of evaluation includes a background check, a more rigorous review of each applicant’s course offerings, panel interviews and follow-up due diligence. Recommendations will be sent in December to BESE, which will make the final decisions.
Naming names: The Republican Party of Livingston Parish announced today its endorsement of Republican candidates in various races on the Nov. 6 ballot. The party is endorsing: Rep. Bill Cassidy for U.S. Congress, 6th District; Judge Jeff Hughes for Louisiana Supreme Court, 5th District; and Scott Angelle for Louisiana Public Service Commission, District 2. Daily Report is compiling a list of endorsements for candidates in the East Baton Rouge Parish mayoral, Public Service Commission District 2 and Louisiana Supreme Court 5th District races. You can check it out here; and if your association or organization has an endorsement in one of these races you’d like to share, please email it to ssanoski@businessreport.com.
