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TODAY’S HEADLINES / November 13, 2006
Creekstone Capital Corp., developers of the Towne Center at Cedar Lodge, has purchased a 75-acre tract of land at the intersection of Interstate 12 and Juban Road in Livingston Parish. The company paid $4.46 million for the land. Doug Ferris, a ReMax agent who brokered the deal, says he can't say yet what the plans are for the property. There has been speculation in Livingston that Creekstone will build an upscale shopping center, similar to Towne Center, to tie in with all the growth along I-12 and the Juban Road interchange, now under construction.
(Timothy Boone)
Amadou Lamine Ba, Senegal's ambassador to the United States, will be in Baton Rouge today through Wednesday in a visit that officials hope will lead to more trade with the west African nation. Len Robinson, a local business consultant who has been working with the government of Senegal for years, is serving as a host for the visit. Robinson says Senegal is an attractive market for business because the democratically elected, pro-Western government wants to turn the nation into a hub for the oil and gas industry. An agreement already exists between the Port of Dakar and the Port of South Louisiana. Robinson says he hopes Ba's visit will clear the way for Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade, to come to Baton Rouge early next year.
(Timothy Boone)
A plan to revitalize Old South Baton Rouge is set to go before the Planning and Zoning Commission tonight. The plan will implement suggestions that have come out of an ongoing series of discussions and public hearings. The commission will also hear plans for a 136-room W Hotel in Esplanade Mall. Planning staffers have recommended rejecting the proposal because it would result in a net loss of 121 parking spots in the busy shopping center at the corner of Interstate 10 and College Drive. Another item on the agenda is a zoning change for a 108-acre tract at Perkins Road and Pecue Lane where Ross Berthelot plans to build a mixed-use subdivision. Jamestown at Old Perkins would include 219 single-family homes, 110 garden homes, 240,000 square feet of office space and 12,000 square feet of retail.
(Timothy Boone)
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Lion Chemical Capital has signed a deal to buy Chemtura Corp.'s plant in Geismar for an undisclosed amount. The plant, which has about 450 employees, makes rubber chemicals and synthetic rubber. Lion Chemical, based in Houston, also owns a copolymer plant in Baton Rouge. The company plans to merge the Geismar operations into Lion Copolymer, but officials say the deal won't lead to any job losses in Ascension Parish and could result in some additional research and development jobs in Baton Rouge. The sale is expected to close early next year.
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Now that the negative political ads have dissipated -- until the gubernatorial election gears up -- here's a tip for future viewing. It's well known that congressional candidates are now required to personally approve their ads on air. But what TV viewers might not know is that the delivery has become an exact science. For instance, some politicians have been changing the words around to make it sound more natural or to fit their message. Take long-time Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd's most recent ad: "I approved this ad because the people of West Virginia deserve the truth." Or U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, with his wife watching in the background: "I better approve this ad." Where the statement takes place, however, may be the most important decision, according to Kirby Goidel, director of the Public Policy Research Lab at LSU. "If it's a positive ad, you do it at the end so they remember you and your face," he says. "But if it's an attack ad and you're going after your opponent, you want it in the beginning so the attack lingers and the viewer possibly forgets who put forth the spot before it ends."
(Jeremy Alford)
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Daily Report readers gave high grades to the New Orleans Saints, one of the surprise teams this football season. Fifty-six percent of readers think the Saints deserve an "A" for their play in the first half of the football season; 38% think the team should get a "B." The Saints are 6-3 and on top of their division after a tough road loss to the defending Super Bowl Champ Pittsburgh Steelers. Nearly 900 people participated in the poll.
Today's question: Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Kuwaiti officials announced a refinery site in south Louisiana is being considered for development. What do you think are the chances of the multibillion-dollar facility being built?
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Welcome tabloid photographers! Louisiana is open for business: Actress/party girl Lindsay Lohan will shoot a movie in Louisiana this spring. The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond is based on a screenplay by Tennessee Williams and deals with class tensions in 1920s Memphis. The film will also star Ellen Burstyn, David Strathairn and Ann-Margret. No exact shooting locations for the movie have been announced. Walking down the street: A6 will hold "A Walk Down 3rd Street" at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, beginning at the Downtown YMCA. The group will travel down the street and discuss recent developments in downtown Baton Rouge before concluding at the Hilton Capitol Center. In case of bad weather, the event will start at 5 p.m. at the Hilton. For details, go to A6's Web site here. N.O. department store comes back: Saks Fifth Avenue will re-open its New Orleans store Thursday. The Canal Street retailer was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina by looting and from water damage after a small fire. New Orleans officials say getting the upscale retailer back in business will help with the city's recovery, since it attracts shoppers from a wide area.
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