AI is predicted to impact ad spending next year

Global ad spending is set to grow faster than expected in 2025 as tariffs sting less than feared and AI-driven efficiencies pump new dollars...

Epic Piping announces a $25M expansion of its Livingston Parish facility

Epic Piping, a pipe fabrication and distribution business headquartered in Baton Rouge, on Wednesday announced a $25 million expansion and upgrade of its advanced...

London company Ancala acquires Geismar industrial property for $15.7M

London-based infrastructure fund manager Ancala has acquired Hexion Inc.’s property on La. 75 in Geismar for $15.7 million. Ancala purchased the roughly 159-acre site through...

Roundup: City-parish budget / MacKenzie Scott / Labor costs 

Approved: The Metro Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Mayor Sid Edwards’ 2026 fiscal budget, a plan that includes significant cuts across nearly every city-parish...

State to use federal grant money on AI tools and tutoring in public schools

Louisiana education officials plan to invest nearly $6 million in federal grant funding to expand AI-powered learning tools and tutoring across public schools, The...

Study outlines a strategy to revitalize downtown Baton Rouge retail

A new study outlines strategies to strengthen downtown's retail health by attracting more customers, easing operations, and creating a plan for long-term growth.  Mukul Verma...

Roundup: Small business confidence / Commercial real estate / Private consumer lending

Ticking up: Small business confidence rose slightly in November, with the NFIB optimism index climbing to 99.0 on stronger sales expectations, outperforming forecasts. However,...

Fed is likely to cut key interest rate this week, but then what?

The Federal Reserve faces an unusually contentious meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell’s ability to corral the necessary support from fellow...

‘LaPolitics’: Candidates will be in a sprint for open legislative seats

For ambitious politicos, perhaps the two most tantalizing words in the English language are “open seat.”  But while they won’t have an incumbent to contend...

The official coffee of Livingston Parish is opening its first café

French Settlement Roasting Co., a veteran-owned coffee roaster based in Livingston Parish, is preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar café. It’s a major milestone...

Louisiana will play a key role in Europe’s energy future

Greece’s new deals to import U.S. LNG for reexport to Central and Eastern Europe will “reshape the energy future of Europe,” strengthen Greek-American ties...

Roundup: Oil drilling off Florida / Hostile bid for WB / GDP prediction

Not here: Florida’s Republican-dominated congressional delegation is urging the Trump administration to drop a plan that would allow new oil drilling for the first...

Main Street Market reopens and announces new tenants

Downtown Baton Rouge’s Main Street Market has finally reopened after closing for a major renovation in September 2023. BREADA, which manages the 8,000-square-foot marketplace, on...

Who’s building and who’s buying in Greater Baton Rouge

Here’s a look at the latest property transactions and issued permits in East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes. East Baton Rouge Parish Currency Bank purchased...

Mystery surrounds how Louisiana is using its opioid settlement funds

Louisiana has received roughly $100 million in opioid settlement funds, yet five years into the payout process, it remains difficult to see how the...

LSU president’s contract adds incentives for economic development wins

LSU’s new president, Wade Rousse, is stepping into his new role with a compensation package that could top $2 million a year thanks to...

Here’s how much the shift to closed-party primaries could cost Louisiana

Louisiana’s shift away from its signature “jungle” primary system is about to come with a serious price tag, The Center Square writes.  Beginning in 2026,...

Roundup: Netflix to buy WB / Insurance fraud law / Consumer sentiment

$72B deal: Netflix has struck a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, the legacy Hollywood giant behind Harry Potter and Friends, to buy its studio...

Tariffs on cranes are causing some US ports to rethink modernization plans

American ports caught in the crosshairs of U.S.-China trade tensions are scrambling to rethink modernization plans as steep tariffs threaten to derail upgrades to...

This Northshore-based bank is planning to expand into Ascension Parish

Covington-based Resource Bank is expanding its footprint in the Capital Region with plans for a full-service branch in Ascension Parish, subject to regulatory approval.  Last month,...