Shelter from the storm: Homeowners and renters have received $101 million in individual aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency since Hurricane Isaac. More than 29,000 people have received housing assistance, which totals $83 million. Another $18 million has been provided for other types of individual assistance, according to FEMA. The federal agency continues to review applications for assistance. More than 194,000 people have registered for FEMA help.
Ragin’ Cajun pride: Students at UL Lafayette have approved a referendum that will establish a new fee and set in motion major improvements at the university. The referendum passed with 54% of voters favoring the fee. Funds generated from the fee, which is $7.50 per credit hour and will be assessed starting in the spring semester, will be spent on only master-plan projects. A student taking a full load of 15 hours will pay $112.50 that semester to cover the new fee, which is capped at that amount, whether or not students take more classes. The (Lafayette) Advertiser has the full story here.
Slick revisions: OPEC boosted estimates of the amount of crude it will need to supply next year after trimming forecasts for oil production from outside the group, Bloomberg reports. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries says in a monthly report that its 12 members will need to provide an average of 29.8 million barrels a day in 2013, about 200,000 more than estimated last month. The group reduced its forecast for output from outside the group for next year by the same amount, to 53.89 million barrels because of lower-than-expected growth in emerging nations. Get more details in the full story here.
