A new connection: Commuters, bicyclers and pedestrians can look forward plenty of elbow room when the state builds a new Jimmie Davis Bridge connecting two of the fastest growing areas in Shreveport and Bossier, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced Wednesday. The Shreveport Times reports Red River flooding, cost overruns and the protected brown swallow bird nesting underneath its deck kept the planned rehabilitation of the existing two-lane Jimmie Davis Bridge in limbo for so long the state has forgone the facelift and instead opted to build a brand new one. The new bridge connecting 70th Street in Shreveport with the Jimmie Davis Highway in Bossier will have four vehicle lanes as well as a bicycle and pedestrian lane. Read the full story.
The down low: The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week to a near 43-year-low. Reuters reports the drop in jobless claims suggests there’s resilience in the labor market even though hiring significantly slowed significantly in May. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined 18,000 to a seasonally adjusted 259,000 for the week ended June 18, the Labor Department says. The drop was the largest since February and left claims not too far from a 43-year low touched in March. Claims have now been below 300,000, a threshold associated with a strong job market, for 68 straight weeks, the longest streak since 1973. Read the full story.
Staying or going? Financial markets and bettors put their money on Britain’s voting to remain a part of the European Union today in a historic referendum that threatens to undermine the experiment in continental unity launched in the aftermath of World War II. The Associated Press reports more than 46 million people are registered to vote in the referendum, which asks: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?” Financial markets have been volatile ahead of the vote, with opinion polls suggesting a tight race, but the pound surged this morning amid market optimism that uncertainty over the vote would end with a vote to stay. Currency traders expect mayhem in the event of a British exit, or Brexit. Read the full story.
