Approved:The Metro Council on Wednesday night approved a revision to the city’s Major Street Plan that will reduce the width of the right of way on Perkins Road between Glasgow Avenue and Congress Street. The measure reduces the setback width from 125 feet to 100 feet. The change will enable Rouzan developer Tommy Spinosa to build Rouzan Village Center—the commercial portion of his traditional neighborhood development—closer to Perkins Road than originally planned. Construction on the Village Center has been on hold for months, pending the resolution of the setback issue. It is unclear when construction may resume. A Rouzan spokesman did not return a call seeking comment by this morning’s deadline.
Face to face: Gov. John Bel Edwards is visiting with representatives of the major credit rating agencies today, after Louisiana was hit with one downgrade and is threatened with more, The Associated Press reports. Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo says the meeting will take place this evening at the governor’s mansion. Also invited to the meeting are legislative leaders and state Treasurer John Kennedy. Edwards called the meeting to try to reassure the rating agencies that he and lawmakers are working to stabilize Louisiana’s finances after years of budget problems. Moody’s Investors Service—one of the rating agencies that will be at today’s meeting—downgraded Louisiana last month, citing years of “structural imbalance” in the budget and declining reserves. Read the full story.
At the helm: AARP has announced the appointment of Denise Bottcher as state director in Louisiana. The agency says Bottcher will provide strategic guidance to staff and volunteers who work in advocacy and outreach. She will also strengthen relationships with the nonprofit sector, business community, and local and state officials, AARP says in a news release. Bottcher previously served as AARP Louisiana’s interim state director and communications. She also served as the press secretary and official spokesperson for Governor Kathleen Blanco during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. AARP Louisiana has nearly 500,000 members.
