Naming names: President Barack Obama is expected to announce today that he is nominating Merrick Garland to serve on the Supreme Court, setting up a protracted political fight with Republicans who have vowed to block any candidate picked by the White House, The Washington Post reports. Garland, 63, is a longtime Washington lawyer and jurist who is chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Considered a moderate, Garland became Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, where he supervised the massive investigations that led to the prosecutions of the bombers of the federal building in Oklahoma City and the Unabomber. Read the full story.
On hold: Noranda Alumina in Gramercy has put off laying off workers for now. The Associated Press reports Noranda still is facing possible closure, but now state officials say the jobs are expected to last until May when 113 workers will be laid off. Noranda had given notice in January that it was looking at a temporary closure of its Gramercy plant this month. A letter Noranda sent to state officials last Wednesday cites a dispute with the government of Jamaica over taxes on aluminum ore, and a decrease in orders for Noranda’s product as reasons for the anticipated closure. The company now says it is taking steps, including expansion of its capacity to produce non-metallurgical grade alumina, in hopes of avoiding closure.
Pay off: Sasol says it has spent more than $50 million on a program aimed at purchasing property from residents living in the immediate radius of a chemical plant the company is building in Calcasieu Parish. In a news release, the South Africa-based firm says since its Voluntary Property Purchase program was launched in July 2013 more than 85% of eligible properties have registered to participate, meaning Sasol can appraise the properties and make offers. The company says it has made offers to purchase 782 parcels of land since March 11. Owners of 584 parcels have accepted and 148 have rejected the company’s offers.
