Taking names: The state of Louisiana is accepting applications for a program offering low-interest loans of up to $5 million to businesses affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which struck in 2005. The state Office of Community Development says the loans are designed to address “unmet business recovery needs” and stimulate economy recovery. Eleven projects have already received funding through the “Project-Based Opportunity Program.” The loans are funded by federal grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. More info is available here.
Coming to terms: The Walgreens pharmacy chain will begin filling prescriptions from customers in the Express Scripts network again starting in September under a new multiyear contract that ends a costly impasse between the companies. The agreement announced today follows a series of disputes between Walgreens and Express Scripts that ended with the discontinuation of the contract between the drugstore operator and the pharmacy benefit manager last year. The Associated Press has all the details here.
Rising from the East: China’s population of Internet users, already the world’s biggest, has risen to 538 million, driven by rapid growth in wireless Web surfing, an industry group is reporting today. The latest figure represents an 11% increase from a year earlier, according to the report by the China Internet Network Information Center. The government-sanctioned group says that raises the share of China’s population that uses the Internet to 39.9%. The number of people who go online from mobile phones and other wireless devices rose to 388 million—up 22% from a year earlier.
Correction: Daily Report PM incorrectly reported on Wednesday that Verizon Wireless is expanding its 4G LTE network in Baton Rouge today. Verizon expanded the network to Baton Rouge in July 2011. The network expansion taking place today is in Baker, Denham Springs and Walker, part of Verizon’s expansion of the service in 32 markets across the nation. Daily Report regrets the error.
