Manufactured joy: Louisiana Economic Development is accepting nominations for the 2018 Lantern Awards, taking place in June. The awards are presented annually to outstanding manufacturers from each of Louisiana’s eight regional planning and development districts. The deadline to submit nominations is April 23. Awards will be presented June 5 at a reception held at the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion. Get more information.
Budget item: Apple executives unveiled today a new $299 iPad aimed at students and educators. USA Today reports the 9.7-inch device comes with the Apple Pencil stylus, previously reserved for its premium iPad Pro tablets. Apple hopes the lowest price point offering while reverse slumping iPad sales. The company’s last budget iPad, which cost $329 for the base model, was introduced about a year ago and helped engineer a small turnaround, though schools did pay $299. Read more.
Underground: Satellite imagery has revealed an ancient civilization beneath the Amazon Rainforest, The Wall Street Journal reports. Evidence of the civilization—farms, settlements and roads buried under the flora of Brazil’s Amazon Basin—was found by Francisco Nakahara, a retired financial planner in São Paulo. Nakahara studies free online satellite photos as a hobby and led archaeologists to the earthworks. The archaeologists surveyed and excavated 24 sites, unearthing potsherds and decorated ceramics. They also found widespread evidence of distinctive dark enriched soil suggesting the land was used for intensive farming. Read more.
