Helping the children: Teach for America in Louisiana has received a $350,000 grant from Entergy Corporation, which will be used to help recruit and train college graduates who commit to working in under-resourced South Louisiana schools. The money will be spread across Teach for America’s efforts in South Louisiana, which includes metro Baton Rouge and New Orleans. This is the largest donation Entergy has made to Teach for America in Louisiana and the biggest corporate gift the local organization has received.
Gloomy guys: The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence plunged in the fourth quarter, hitting an all-time low. The measure, which is based on a survey of about 100 business leaders, currently sits at 24. A reading of more than 50 points reflects more positive than negative responses. This is the second time the measure fell below 30 in its more than 30 years — the first time was when it hit 29 in the second quarter of 1980. Only 11% of those surveyed expect business conditions to improve in the next six months, down from about 20% in the third quarter.
Suds sales slide: The beer industry is starting to go flat in the face of the worldwide economic slump. SABMiller PLC of London, which brews Grolsch and Miller Genuine Draft, announced beer sales unexpectedly fell in the third quarter as consumers pulled back demand. Carlsberg A/C of Copenhagen, which makes Carlsberg beer, announced it was cutting 274 jobs to save costs. Sales of domestic beer are also dropping. Miller Lite sales fell 7.5% in the third quarter and Coors Light posted a 1% sales increase, slower than previous quarters. Beer is “recession-resistant, not recession-proof,” says Benj Steinman, editor of the trade publication Beer Marketer’s Insights.
