Central Louisiana is seeing progress in economic development as four sites in the region have been selected to advance in the first round of Louisiana’s new Fast Sites Program. Louisiana Economic Development announced that 19 sites across 16 parishes will move forward in what the agency describes as the largest coordinated site investment effort in the state’s history. The program is designed to help Louisiana compete for major projects in advanced manufacturing, logistics, energy innovation, and other emerging sectors.
Louisiana’s crawfish industry is experiencing setbacks due to a shortage of foreign seasonal workers, a result of the federal cap on temporary work visas. Crawfish processing plants rely heavily on these workers to peel crawfish shipped nationwide. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the industry depends on foreign labor because the work is difficult and lacks sufficient domestic applicants. Strain has urged federal officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem, to lift the visa cap but says there has been no movement on the issue.
In Mississippi, proposals to raise teacher pay have stalled. Bills in both the House and Senate failed to advance out of committee. The House proposal included a $5,000 raise for teachers and an additional $3,000 for special education teachers. The Senate Education Committee considered several bills, including one offering a $2,000 raise for teachers, assistants, and professors. State Senator Dennis DeBar indicated that pay raises could still be possible through other legislative avenues.
A lawmaker from the New Orleans area is seeking to make canceling automatic renewal trial subscriptions easier. The proposal by Gretna Republican Vincent Cox aims to address difficulties consumers face when attempting to cancel before charges occur. Cox says current terms are often unclear, and disclosures in radio ads are spoken too quickly for consumers to understand. His bill would require clearer standards, including minimum font sizes for terms and conditions and normal-speed audio disclosures in radio advertisements.
The Mississippi River at Natchez-Vidalia is at 27.08 feet and rising. News, sports, and weather are available anytime at ListenUpYall.com.
