program
Aid available for LA shrimpers
Qualified Louisiana shrimpers are eligible for up to $12,000 and technical training under a federal program designed to help shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic adjust to increased competition. There is a deadline for filing. Find application here.
Associate degree program in list of potential LSUA cuts
This year’s graduates may be among the last getting a degree from the LSUA Department of Allied Health's Associate of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science program, according to the list of proposed LSU System cuts released last week. Allied Health Department Chair Haywood Joiner Jr. said the clinical lab program fills a void in area hospitals and that the cuts would be a major loss to hospitals in our area, especially with the pending retirement of the baby boomers working in that particular field. Full Article.
Feds could pay farmers for wildlife habitat
U.S. agriculture officials say a new program could compensate farmers for agricultural practices that provide habitat to wildlife. Scott Edwards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service says the program could pay farmers for creating mud flats in their fields, pumping water onto fields and holding water. Full Article.
Utility incentives program approved
Alexandria’s City Council recently passed a utility incentives program to aid economic development and job creation, with emphasis on three cultural restoration areas. The program distinguishes between businesses within the city of Alexandria and those located specifically in areas defined by the city's Specially Planned Activity Redevelopment Corridors initiative. Full Article.
Toys ‘R’ Us Offers Holiday Savers Club
Toys “R” Us is counting on an Eisenhower-era tactic to get consumers spending again. The program is a throwback to programs banks and credit unions offered in the ‘50s and ‘60s, called holiday clubs, where prudent consumers set aside shopping money in advance. The “Christmas Savers Club” will allow shoppers to put money away for holiday gifts, and is another example of how the recession forced retailers to come up with creative ways to promote sales. Full Article.
Appliance rebate program filled
All of the $6.4 million in funding for the LA Dept of Natural Resources' Empower LA Energy Star Appliance Rebate Program has been reserved. Consumers looking to be placed on the waiting list are asked to access the application site. Full Article.
Workforce Commission gets $1 million federal grant
The LA Workforce Commission received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Dept of Labor to implement a pilot program in four parishes, including East Baton Rouge, aimed at reducing the amount of time people spend unemployed. Full Article.
Corps Activates Flood Watch Program
The news that the US Army Corps of Engineers has put its flood fight program into action comes at appropriate time, as rain falls steadily across South LA. The Corps activated the first phase of flood fight procedures to monitor levees along the unusually high rivers. Full Article.
Maginnis: Many Schools Decline Shot at Race to the Top
Fewer than half of the state's school districts are participating in Race to the Top, a competition for federal education dollars. 28 of 70 school districts applied to receive grants from Louisiana's expected $300 million share of the $4.35 billion national pot. Full Article.
Financial Assistance Likely for LA Shrimp Industry
LA shrimpers and processors may benefit from special trade support this year from the U.S. Dept of Agric’s Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which offers help to applicants whose econ. environments are altered by foreign competition. Full Article.
