Good news from the Gulf: This year’s ‘dead zone’ is smaller than expected 

This year’s low-oxygen “dead zone” in the Gulf is smaller than previously expected, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration researchers’ announced on Thursday.  The zone, which...

Tire service business buys Airline Highway property to expand operations

Commercial repair shop Total Tire Solutions has purchased a nearly 5-acre tract on Airline Highway near Holmes Building Materials to expand the company’s operations. Total...

Here’s how Shell plans to turn around its slumping chemicals unit

Shell CEO Wael Sawan says the company is committed to turning around its underperforming chemicals unit, which has been hit hard by what he...

Roundup: Ford posts a loss / Chase banks / US-Mexico trade

Tariff hit: Ford Motor paid out more than $800 million in tariffs last quarter, despite manufacturing most of its vehicles in the U.S. The...

North Louisiana data center reflects national shift toward ‘hyperscale’ facilities 

As tech giants race to power artificial intelligence, the U.S. is seeing a surge in supersized data centers—and Louisiana is at the heart of...

Baton Rouge JCPenney is among 119 stores being sold in $947M deal

Roughly five years after JCPenney filed for bankruptcy, a Boston private equity firm has agreed to buy 119 JCPenney stores, including Baton Rouge’s Mall...

Auditor flags nearly $1B in questionable costs across state and local agencies

Widespread financial mismanagement, waste and oversight failures across Louisiana state and local agencies led to nearly $1 billion in questionable costs last year, The...

Roundup: Jobless claims / Gov. Landry’s dad / Women making gains

Slight rise: The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits inched up modestly last week as businesses continue to retain staff despite economic uncertainty...

Here’s where Panda Express will open its fourth Baton Rouge location

Plans are moving forward for a new Panda Express in a rapidly growing area of Baton Rouge. A $2.4 million building permit was issued earlier...

Are Trump’s tariff hikes beginning to drive up US prices?

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge ticked higher last month in a sign that President Donald Trump’s broad-based tariffs are starting to lift prices...

US ends tariff-free status for small imports 

The White House announced on Wednesday that the U.S. is suspending its "de minimis" exemption, which allowed low-value commercial shipments to be shipped to...

How the AI boom is causing a power struggle over the bill

As AI advances fuel a rapid boom in U.S. data center construction, utilities and tech giants are sparring over who should pay for the...

Roundup: Banking with the state / Cryptocurrency report / Tariff appeals

Political pressure: A group of 26 financial officers from 21 states—including Louisiana—sent letters to 18 major financial institutions this week, warning them to abandon...

Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged

The Federal Reserve left its key short-term interest rate unchanged for the fifth time this year, brushing off repeated calls from President Donald Trump...

Walker industrial property nets $1.1M sale

A vacant industrial warehouse and office property in Walker has been sold, with the new owner planning to bring in a tenant soon. Baton Rouge-based...

LSU researchers developed a breakthrough flood forecasting tool

A new flood forecasting tool developed by a team of LSU researchers has the potential to reshape how Louisiana—and perhaps the world—prepares for and...

D’s Garden Center announces closure

D’s Garden Center, a plant nursery on Pecue Lane, is going out of business. The garden center announced the closure on social media on Tuesday,...

Roundup: OMV / Architecture business / Disaster aid for restaurants

Tech upgrades: Louisiana is upgrading its software for the Office of Motor Vehicles, allowing the state to move on from the system it’s used...

Great River Industries rebrands with new name as part of growth strategy

Great River Industries is changing its name and rebranding to TankWorx + Construction Services effective immediately, according to its parent company, HBH Holdings Inc.  The...

How Louisiana is narrowing its global investment strategy amid tariff turmoil

Louisiana is retooling its international investment strategy, narrowing its focus to Japan, Australia and Central Europe—even as shifting U.S. trade policies under President Donald...