Part of a trend: Louisiana has closed 24 aging rest stops since 2000, joining a growing list of states shutting down the facilities. The state has saved $250,000 for each rest stop it shut down, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development told USA Today. The state of Virginia has closed 19 rest stops this year, while Colorado, Maine and Vermont have also closed facilities due to the recession and tight state budgets. In contrast, Texas is upgrading its 98 rest stops with Wi-Fi access.
Making a difference on and off the field: Lyle Hitt, an offensive guard for LSU, and Darnell Jones, a fullback at Southeastern Louisiana, have been nominated to the 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works football team. Hitt, a Baton Rouge native who graduated from Parkview Baptist, and Jones, who is from Kentwood, are two of the 108 players nominated for the team. The award honors college football players who make outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement. Hitt and Jones are the only two players from Louisiana schools who were nominated.
Standing up for entrepreneurs: State Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, has been named a champion of small business for his efforts to promote economic development. Adley was presented with the honor this week by the National Coalition for Capital at a dinner in Philadelphia. The NCFC is a nationwide group that pushes for lending to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Adley was one of about 25 state legislators and economic development officials from across the U.S. to receive the honor.
