First step taken to update Horizon Plan
A first step has been taken toward updating the comprehensive land use and development plan for the city-parish. The Metro Council approved a measure from Mayor Kip Holden to pay the Urban Land Institute $60,000 to have an advisory services panel look at updating the Horizon Plan. Boo Thomas, head of the Center for Planning Excellence, says the rapid post-Katrina growth has made it necessary to take another look at the plan. "We want a visionary plan to fulfill the mayor's vision of Baton Rouge being the next great American city," Thomas says. The updated plan would look at everything from land use to transportation and from public services to greenspaces. No timetable has been set for when the panel would meet, and developing an updated comprehensive plan will require extensive work. Says Thomas, "I hope we start soon." -- Timothy Boone
Robert Fresh Market coming to Acadian Village?
The State Bond Commission has approved $4 million in GO Zone bonds for a Robert Fresh Market grocery store in the redeveloped Acadian Village Shopping Center at Perkins Road and Acadian Thruway. Robert is a New Orleans-based chain, with locations in neighborhoods around the Crescent City. Commercial Properties Realty Trust is redeveloping Acadian Village, which used to be home to Wal-Mart and Books-A-Million. The first stage of the redevelopment, an Acme Oyster House restaurant, is set to open in the fall.
La. Politics by John Maginnis: Stelly era ending
Gov. Bobby Jindal finally got in front of the Stelly tax-cut train that now appears to be rolling toward easy passage in the House and concurrence in the Senate. Already putting the Stelly cut into the big picture, the governor noted the proposed elimination would mark the sixth tax reduction of his four-month-old administration. "It shows what can be done when you don't care about who gets the credit," read the governor's statement announcing his and the legislative leadership's support of SB 87 by Sen. Buddy Shaw, R-Shreveport, which will cut $302 million in income taxes beginning in 2009. It also marks the first major show of independence by House members, particularly those on the Ways & Means Committee. They ignored Jindal's first condition that tax cuts be accompanied by spending cuts and then rejected a two-year phase-in.
-- Sen. Don Cravins Jr., D-Opelousas, is being heavily courted by national Democrats to challenge Congressman Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, and to abandon his earlier plan to run as an independent. Cravins acknowledged that the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had offered early financial aid and help with strategy. "In the next two weeks I will have a definite decision," he said.
-- Political newcomer Paul Hollis has declared he will enter the Republican primary for U.S. Senate against Treasurer John Kennedy. The 36-year-old Mandeville coin dealer and son of former state Sen. Ken Hollis has launched a Web site and says he will self-fund the early stage of his campaign. He sees the closed Republican primary as his opportunity to exploit Kennedy's party switch to the GOP last year. "I don't see Republicans going to the polls and voting for a Democrat," said Hollis. "I'm targeting real Republicans."
John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly at Lapolitics.com.
Albemarle plans new Chinese venture
Albemarle Corp. has joined with Sinobrom, a leading Chinese chemical company, to produce and market chemicals used in fire retardants. The joint venture Sinobrom Albemarle Bromine Chemicals (Shandong) Company will focus on bromine derivatives. Officials with both companies say the deal will allow them to expand their bromine operations in China and across the rest of the world. Albemarle has five operations in China, including sales offices and manufacturing plants.
Jindal finishes in the middle of sexiest governors poll
Gov. Bobby Jindal was ranked ninth in a Playboy Radio survey to find the nation's sexiest governors. The survey asked several "high-priced Los Angeles call girls" to look at 18 chief executives. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger topped the list. Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned after he was linked to high-priced prostitutes, finished last.
Shaw expands Houston operations
The Shaw Group has signed a deal to lease an additional 106,500 square feet in a Houston office building. The deal makes Shaw the sole tenant in the six-story office building in the city's Energy Corridor near Interstate 10. The building was originally designed for Stone & Webster, which was acquired by Shaw.
Poll: Clinton should stay in race
The majority of Daily Report readers think U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton should stay in the Democratic presidential race. Fifty-nine percent of the people who responded to an online survey say the former first lady shouldn't drop out, while 37% say she should stop her campaign. Four percent were undecided. Nearly 2,100 people participated in the survey. Though Clinton won big in the West Virginia primary earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama remains the frontrunner.
Today's question: How closely are you following the New Orleans Hornets' NBA playoff run?
News roundup: Reveille site gets honor; 'Extreme Makeover' finishes season in New Orleans
Named top college newspaper site: The Daily Reveille, LSU's student newspaper, has the best college newspaper Web site in the nation, according to Editor & Publisher. Lsureveille.com beat out the sites from the University of Arizona and Indiana University. During the last week of April, Lsureveille.com became the most popular site recorded by College Publisher, a national hosting service for collegiate Web offerings. Doing their part for rebuilding: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will wrap up its season Sunday night by rebuilding a New Orleans church. The Noah’s Ark Missionary Baptist Church in the Central City area will be featured during the two-hour finale, along with the Westwego home of Brad and Laura Usea. Sunrise Homes, a Slidell builder, helped participate in the program. Extreme Makeover airs at 6 p.m. on WBRZ Channel 2.
