Here’s the deal: Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has finished renegotiating the terms of deals with all the private managers of the state’s safety-net hospitals and services, except for its facility operator in north Louisiana. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says all of the other hospital agreements had been signed on Friday. The deals are part of yearly bargaining with the companies, aimed at keeping state costs in check. The Edwards administration has negotiated short-term contract add-ons that include spending caps, data collection requirements to track patient care and other provisions.
It’s closing time: The cost-cutting strategy continues at Sears with another 63 stores targeted for closure early next year, USA Today reports. The struggling retailer has already closed more than 350 Sears and Kmart stores this year, and plans to shutter an additional 45 Kmart stores and 18 Sears stores in late January 2018. The stores will remain open during the holiday season and employees at the closing stores will get severance pay and an opportunity to apply for other jobs within the retail chains. Liquidation sales will begin as early as Thursday at the closing stores—none of which are located in Louisiana. Read more.
Up in the air: 21st Century Fox has been holding talks to sell most of the company to Walt Disney Co., leaving behind a media company tightly focused on news and sports, CNBC reports. The talks have taken place over the last few weeks and there is no certainty they will lead to a deal. The two sides are not currently talking at this very moment, but given the on again, off again nature of the talks, they could be revisited. Read more.
