Making waves: The Greater New Orleans Foundation has awarded a $200,000 planning grant to the Water Institute of the Gulf for the establishment of a New Orleans-based Resilience Lab. Established in collaboration with Tulane University’s ByWater Institute, the lab will focus on helping to increase the resiliency of coastal communities, and to strengthen the position of entrepreneurs and researchers in southeast Louisiana as global leaders in water management, adaptation and resilience, a news release says. Read more.
Running water: Gov. John Bel Edwards joined officials from the town of St. Joseph to unveil a new water plant and lift a public health emergency there. The Tensas Parish town has experienced major water problems for more than a decade due to a poorly maintained and deteriorating water distribution system. The project was funded with nearly $8 million in state capital outlay funds and nearly $600,000 from the Delta Regional Authority. Read more.
Past due: The bleak financial situation looming over Toys “R” Us took a turn for the worst this week with the retailer missing several payments to vendors as it moves toward total liquidation, Bloomberg reports. The retailer, which filed for bankruptcy in September, has stopped making the payments without providing an explanation, according to sources who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The company has a $5 billion debt load and is expected to close all of its U.S. stores. Read more.
