Rooftop to rooftop: According to new data from the Pew Charitable Trusts, every state except Rhode Island saw its number of housing units increase between 2010 and 2014. North Dakota outpaced the rest of the states with 10% growth, more than double the next closest state, Texas, with 4.3%. On average, the number of housing units in the states and the District of Columbia grew 1.8%. Louisiana’s number of housing units grew at a slightly faster pace, 2.19%, during that span, during which the total tally topped 2 million. In 2010, Louisiana counted 1,967,867 housing units, which rose to 2,010,868 in 2014. See an interactive map of the data.
Signed, sealed, delivered: Regional parcel carrier Lone Star Holdings LLC, which covers Texas, Oklahoma and parts of New Mexico, is expanding its delivery options into Louisiana. The Wall Street Journal reports the move by the Austin, Texas-based company, known as LSO, is the latest evidence of regional carrier expansion, as smaller parcel companies increasingly encroach on United Parcel Service’s and FedEx’s territory to snag a bigger share of the e-commerce delivery business. LSO’s geographic expansion is possible because of its acquisition last December of Nashville, Tennessee-based Express Courier International, which operates in 13 states in the Southeast. Read the full story.
All the roadrunning: Gasoline prices are drifting higher as the Memorial Day weekend approaches, but American holiday travelers can still expect to save nearly a dollar a gallon on average compared to last year. The sharp decline in oil and gas prices last fall and winter is saving the average household roughly $650 this year, according to the Energy Department, but the boon has lost some of its appeal in recent weeks. Retail gas costs are up by approximately a third since January, following an even larger rebound in crude oil prices at home and abroad. Still, the AAA motor club projects that 37.2 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles this weekend—a 4.7% increase from last year and the highest number for the holiday since 2005. Of those travelers, about 33 million will drive, a 5.3% increase over last year, the club says. The New York Times has the full story.
Editor’s note: In observance of Memorial Day, the offices of Louisiana Business Inc. will be closed on Monday and Daily Report will not be published. Daily Report will return on Tuesday. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
