The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) announced today the results of the regional innovation strategy it developed in order to create a culture that deeply fosters and supports entrepreneurship throughout the Capital Region. The strategy, which was created in collaboration with Louisiana Economic Development (LED), Louisiana State University (LSU), the Louisiana State University System Research and Technology Foundation (LSU RTF), the Research Park Corporation (RPC), and Southern University, recommends the formation of a new regional innovation organization and an agreed-upon plan to create a true university research park.

“These two developments, the new innovation organization and the university research park plan, are the two most critical components of the regional innovation strategy work. Both will have a tremendous, long-term impact on the Baton Rouge area, and our ability to create jobs and increase wealth,” said Adam Knapp, BRAC’s President and CEO. “We would like to thank all of those who gave so graciously of their time to bring this strategy to fruition. Their efforts will lead directly to future entrepreneurs having their ideas embraced and cultivated, thereby ensuring the region’s competitiveness on a national and international stage.”

The strategy results recommend that the regional innovation organization would be the entity responsible for all entrepreneurship and business acceleration services in the Baton Rouge area. It would be the central point of access for entrepreneurs, creating layers of service, while coordinating the region’s assets including business support services and incubators such as the Louisiana Business and Technology Center, the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center, the Louisiana Technology Park, and others. It would be modeled after highly-successful, entrepreneurial-centric organizations like Innovation Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the Council for Entrepreneurial Development in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

It is also recommended that the regional innovation organization be led by an executive director, who will be responsible for ensuring all aspects of the organization are focused on providing high-growth entrepreneurial firms the information and access they need to be successful. This would include serving as an advisor to existing incubator partners who serve the regional entrepreneurial network; developing a strategy to better align existing business development services and a plan to fill existing service gaps; assisting LSU in the development of the university research park; developing formal mentoring programs to advise early-stage, high-potential firms; creating a solid network of angel, seed, and early-stage capital providers; building a funding strategy for securing dollars to enhance programmatic offerings; leveraging the region’s universities and colleges to support entrepreneurial development; and coordinating the reliable tracking and recording of metrics on entrepreneurial service offerings from partner incubators and their impact on the regional economy. The executive director would be identified through a national search.

Due to the composition of its board and statutorily-created mission, it was recommended that the RPC would be the most appropriate entity to oversee the operations of the regional innovation organization. The RPC will officially receive the plan at its next board meeting on March 23, 2010.”

In announcing the plan for the university research park, BRAC cited its potential as a real catalyst for job growth. Current plans call for the park to be approximately 187 acres and would consist of land from Nicholson Drive to GSRI Road. Of the total acreage, approximately ninety-four acres would need to be purchased for $10 million in order to complete the park’s designed footprint. To obtain the necessary funds, BRAC and its partners will advocate for the dollars to be included in the state’s capital outlay budget to be dispersed over a four-year period. Five million dollars will also be requested over that time period for needed infrastructure improvements.

Under the current agreement, the park’s development, which would occur at what is now known as the LSU South Campus, would begin with the creation of an LSU-affiliated foundation to oversee the park’s development. The entity would be responsible for the land acquisition, infrastructure development, architectural administration, and tenant selection, under guidelines approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors. To date, the research park’s master plan has been approved by the board of supervisors, but approval of management agreements and tenant selection policies must be attained prior to implementation.

“At LSU we are committed to being a proactive partner in bringing new businesses and expanding existing businesses in East Baton Rouge Parish. Our South Campus, under the leadership of Charlie D’Agostino, offers opportunities for start ups and others to forge dynamic partnerships with LSU, its faculty, and students,” LSU Chancellor Michael Martin said.

“LSU System institutions support the academic entrepreneurialism that creates marketable innovations. These initiatives act as an economic catalyst, and at a time of decreasing state budgets, the opportunity to capitalize on the translation of knowledge through commercial breakthroughs using regional research collaborations means new jobs and increased prosperity for Louisiana and the nation,” said Dr. John Lombardi, LSU System President.

“The Ourso College of Business is proud to be a partner in this collaboration,” said Eli Jones, Dean of the E. J. Ourso College of Business. “The College has been and will continue to be a partner to business in all parts of the state, and we will be a leader in bringing innovation to Louisiana.”

An issue brief summarizing the regional innovation strategy can be found at www.brac.org/research.

Local leaders today unveiled an updated master plan for Downtown Baton Rouge that was created by national consultants, local planners and public officials with input from the public.

Plan Baton Rouge Phase II, led by Chan Krieger Sieniewicz of Cambridge, Mass., is a master plan and economic strategic plan that builds upon the original Plan Baton Rouge and develops directions for future growth in the downtown area..

Components of the updated plan include:

• Creating a central green space that would be the preeminent downtown park.
• Planting and maintaining an urban forest.
• Making Third Street a vibrant entertainment corridor.
• Ensuring the cleanliness and safety of the downtown area..
• Taking advantage of the Mississippi Riverfront.
• Establishing integrated public parking policies.

“Plan Baton Rouge Phase II heralds a new wave of economic development downtown and the DDD will position itself in the forefront of implementation efforts,” said Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District.

With costs totaling $588,000, the plan was sponsored by Fannie Mae, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, the City of Baton Rouge, the Center for Planning Excellence, the Downtown Development District, the Downtown Business Association, and the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

The new plan can be viewed at http://downtownbatonrouge.org/devMasterPlans.asp

The goal of Plan Baton Rouge Phase II is to help make downtown a more vibrant place to live, work, shop, dine, learn and play.

Following approval by the city-parish Planning Commission, Plan Baton Rouge Phase II will be presented to the Metro-Council for adoption.  The plan will then be incorporated into the new Comprehensive Master Plan for East Baton Rouge Parish.

Downtown Baton Rouge has also been selected as a mobile workshop for the American Planning Association’s 2010 National Planning Conference in New Orleans April 10–13 because of its comprehensive planning and implementation efforts.  Planners from all over the country will visit downtown Baton Rouge for a working session on downtown improvements and planning.

After Plan Baton Rouge Phase II was unveiled at a press conference Monday, John Schneider and Brace Godfrey of Cyntreniks LLC announced details of the complete tenant mix for the retail space at the first floor of the Kress at Third and Main.  The development follows the recommendations in Plan Baton Rouge Phase II.

A successful settlement has been reached with the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, or FMOL.  We are pleased to announce that FMOL has agreed to hold the line on costs by accepting our company’s final offer. The offer, made Jan. 8, 2010 allows for a minimal inflationary increase.

This means you can continue to receive in-network benefits at hospitals such as Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge and St. Francis in Monroe as well as with all their affiliated providers.

Blue Cross and FMOL have come together to work in the best interests of our stakeholder. It’s an example of how Blue Cross and your providers are working together to manage healthcare costs for you.

FMOL hospitals are well-respected in their communities, and we are pleased that they will remain an important part of our strong statewide networks. You can use our online provider directory at any time to find in-network providers.

“We understand this has been a difficult period for our customers and for all parties, but we have been absolutely committed to you and to heeding your request to hold the line on healthcare costs,” Blue Cross President and CEO Mike Reitz said. “As a non-profit mutual company owned by our policyholders, we take our responsibility to manage your money wisely. Blue Cross will continue to work as an advocate for you going forward.”

As always, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana works hard to keep healthcare quality-driven, accessible and affordable. And we focus on using as much of your healthcare dollar as possible on direct hospital, physician and prescription drug costs for our customers.

Wednesday Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden announced that two Chinese companies that specialize in LED-lighting had agreed to jointly build a new manufacturing and distribution plant in Baton Rouge to serve North America.

“This has been a great day for Baton Rouge,” Holden said.

Pepnice Corp. is the largest LED lighting manufacturer in the world, and Liantronics Co. Ltd. is the largest LED billboard manufacturer in the world, according to Eugene Ji, the mayor’s liaison to China. Executives from both companies announced plans for the new Baton Rouge plant after meeting with representatives from Lamar Advertising Company.

Ji said the new plant will be developed in phases, and expects to employ 100 to 300 people.

Ji said representatives from the two Chinese companies plan to meet with state officials and Southern University officials Thursday about the prospects of LED lighting.

“LED is the future, because a 6-watt LED light will replace a 100-watt traditional light, has no mercury, is environmentally friendly, and lasts for 10 years,” said Ji, who acted as Holden’s interpreter during his trip to China last year.

This is the fourth Chinese contingent to visit Baton Rouge in response to Mayor Holden’s visit to China last April. One Chinese group from Huiheng Medical Inc. announced during a visit in October that it plans to build a manufacturing plant in Baton Rouge to produce cutting-edge equipment in the fight against cancer.

Today, Gov. Bobby Jindal joined the executive team of TraceSecurity Inc. to announce the relocation of two of the company’s key operating divisions, software development and national sales, from Dallas and San Diego to Baton Rouge. The relocation creates 15 new, direct Louisiana jobs with average annual salaries exceeding $50,000, plus benefits, for a total of approximately 50 jobs in Baton Rouge. Additionally, the company plans to add more than 30 jobs over the next two years. TraceSecurity’s workforce in Baton Rouge is more than doubling within two years as a result of the relocations and planned expansion.

“Today’s announcement is yet another example of the success we’ve had attracting business investment and jobs to Louisiana from other states,” said Gov. Jindal. “Indeed, this announcement is another victory in our mission to attract more jobs into Baton Rouge and Louisiana and reverse the decades-long trend of jobs leaving our state.

“Since early 2008, leading companies have announced moves of their headquarters or other significant operations to Louisiana from a wide variety of states, including California, Georgia, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon and now Texas, as well. TraceSecurity’s relocation will result in additional high-tech job opportunities, help Baton Rouge’s digital industry continue to grow, further strengthen our economy and, most importantly, help keep our sons and daughters right here in Louisiana.”

“We have noticed a much greater willingness of people moving to Baton Rouge in the last couple years than we did before,” said TraceSecurity President & CEO Peter Stewart. “Part of it is that our local economy is doing much better than the national economy, but another part is that our state image has improved dramatically in the last couple years. The Electronic Arts win in 2008 was particularly helpful in improving the credibility of Baton Rouge as a high-tech jobs market.”

Recent changes to the state’s digital media tax credit program, supported by Gov. Jindal and adopted by the Legislature, expanded program eligibility to include a broader array of software development firms. For the first time, TraceSecurity Inc. expects to make use of the program. Previously the company used the state’s Quality Jobs Program.

“The assistance offered through these programs by Louisiana Economic Development clearly played a role in our decision to relocate our Texas and California operations back to Louisiana,” added Stewart.

“Economic predictions for 2010 indicated that Louisiana will continue to gain jobs,” said Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden. “The announcement today is proof that these predications are on target. We are happy that TraceSecurity Inc. is expanding its Baton Rouge operation. Baton Rouge can compete with any city in the nation. Companies like TraceSecurity Inc. continue to put a spotlight on our great state and this great city.”

Key considerations that led to TraceSecurity’s relocation included the ability to recruit and retain quality staff, support received from Louisiana State University and Southern University on workforce development issues, economic development incentives and Baton Rouge’s competitive operating costs and cost of living.

“The continued expansion and success of TraceSecurity, along with the highly sought after knowledge-based jobs it creates, has a tremendously positive impact on the entire Capital Region,” said Adam Knapp, president and CEO of Baton Rouge Area Chamber. “Their commitment to growing here in the Baton Rouge area also sends a promising message, both locally and nationally, that this region will continue to successfully support high-growth, innovative entrepreneurial companies.”

Founded in 2004 at the Louisiana Technology Park in Baton Rouge, TraceSecurity Inc. is a leading provider of security compliance and risk management software solutions. TraceSecurity’s comprehensive patent-pending methodology helps clients address all critical components of a successful security compliance program, including people, process and technology. With more than 1,000 customers located throughout the U.S., TraceSecurity supports the security and risk management efforts of organizations in financial services, healthcare, insurance, government and other regulated sectors.

The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE: SHAW) today announced it has been awarded a $10.8 million federal tax credit from the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Internal Revenue Service for its Shaw Modular Solutions, LLC, nuclear module assembly facility in Lake Charles, La.

The goal of the tax credit, also referred to as Section 48C of the Internal Revenue Code, is to help build a robust, high-technology domestic manufacturing capacity to supply clean energy projects with U.S.-made parts and equipment. The credit supports several critical components of the Recovery Act, including job creation and investment in the domestic renewable energy industry, and will assist Shaw in continuing its role in moving the commercial nuclear industry forward.

Shaw Modular Solutions is a state-of-the-art, 410,000-square-foot facility that will assemble structural, piping, equipment and other modules for new nuclear power plants including Westinghouse AP1000™, the world’s safest and most economical commercial nuclear power technology. Shaw Modular Solutions will incorporate modern modular construction techniques that result in a shortened schedule and reduced capital costs for new nuclear power plants.

Up to $2.3 billion in credits have been allocated by the U.S. government for advanced energy projects, which will support total capital investments of almost $7.7 billion in new renewable and advanced energy manufacturing projects. The tax credit provides a 30 percent credit for investments in new, expanded, or re-equipped advanced energy manufacturing projects.

Both the Department of Energy and the Internal Revenue Service evaluated and ranked applicants based on a variety of factors, including expected job creation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, technological innovation and regional economic development.

“As President Obama stated during his announcement today, these projects must help close the clean energy gap that has grown between the U.S. and other countries, they must reduce our emissions and they must increase our energy security,” said J.M. Bernhard Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Shaw. “Shaw is at the forefront of this commitment through our leadership in the revival of the commercial nuclear energy industry.”

In addition to the company’s long-term investment in Shaw Modular Solutions, Shaw currently is providing engineering, procurement and construction services for six new nuclear units in the U.S., the first contracts awarded in nearly 30 years for new nuclear builds.

The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE:SHAW) is a leading global provider of engineering, construction, technology, fabrication, remediation and support services for clients in the energy, chemicals, environmental, infrastructure and emergency response industries. A Fortune 500 company with fiscal year 2009 annual revenues of $7.3 billion, Shaw has approximately 28,000 employees around the world and is the power sector industry leader according to Engineering News-Record’s list of Top 500 Design Firms. For more information, please visit Shaw’s Web site at www.shawgrp.com.

HealthSouth Corporation (NYSE: HLS) today announced it has signed an agreement to divest HealthSouth Rehabilitation of Baton Rouge, La., to Baton Rouge Rehabilitation Hospital, LLC. The divesture is expected to be completed on January 29, 2010.

“The situation in Baton Rouge is unique,” said Linda Wilder, HealthSouth’s Regional President. “The rehabilitation market in Baton Rouge is over-bedded and the hospital, although profitable, was underperforming financially when compared to the portfolio of hospitals HealthSouth owns and operates. Ultimately, we determined it was in the company’s best interest to monetize this asset and redeploy the capital in other markets.”

There will be no interruption of patient care during the transition to the new ownership and HealthSouth will continue to serve patients through its other hospitals in the state including, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Alexandria and HealthSouth Specialty Hospital of North Louisiana, a long-term acute care hospital.

As a result of this transaction, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Baton Rouge is expected to be classified as discontinued operations in Q4 2009. The operating results for this hospital include a $4 million impairment charge recorded in the third quarter of 2009.

About HealthSouth

HealthSouth is the nation’s largest provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services. Operating in 26 states across the country and in Puerto Rico, HealthSouth serves patients through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation satellites, and home health agencies. HealthSouth strives to be the nation’s preeminent provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services and can be found on the Web at www.healthsouth.com.
_________________
Andy Brimmer, 205-410-2777
Casey Lassiter, 205-969-6176
casey.lassiter@healthsouth.com

Better Business Bureau today released a list of the top 10 scams and rip-offs of 2009. Not surprisingly, many scams sought to take advantage of people who were suffering under tough economic circumstances—such as the unemployed. Additionally, the use of free-trial offers to lock consumers into recurring credit and debit card charges was widespread online.

“While many of the scams on the list are perennial problems, some scams were distinct in 2009 because of the economic climate and scammers’ penchant for taking advantage of the top headlines,” said Steve Cox, Council of Better Business Bureaus President and CEO. “Some scams plagued different parts of the country more than others. For example, in places particularly hit by the housing crisis, bogus offers for foreclosure rescue or debt assistance ran rampant.”

Following, in no particular order, is BBB’s list of top scams and rip-offs that took advantage of consumers and small business owners across the U.S. in 2009:

• Acai Supplements and Other “Free” Trial Offers – Ads offering trial offers for teeth whiteners, acai anti-aging pills and other miracle supplements blanket the Internet, including trusted Web sites of national news organizations. The marketing campaigns often falsely claimed an endorsement by Oprah, Rachel Ray and Doctor Oz. Thousands of consumers complained to BBB that the free trial actually cost them as much as hundreds of dollars, month after month.
• Stimulus/Government Grant Scams – Even before President Obama announced the stimulus plan in February, scammers had already set up schemes for misleading consumers and small business owners into thinking they could get a piece of the pie. Offers for worthless assistance and advice on how to get government grants bombarded consumers online, over the phone and via mail and e-mail.

• Robocalls – Owning a cell phone or having their phone number on the do-not-call list did not help thousands of people across the US put a stop to harassing automated telemarketing calls in 2009. The robocalls often claimed that their auto warranty was about to expire—which wasn’t true—or offered help in reducing their interest rate on their credit card. The prevalence of robocalls violating federal telemarketing laws prompted the FTC to increase restrictions on the practice in 2009.
• Lottery/Sweepstakes Scam – The victim receives a letter in the mail pretending to be from Reader’s Digest, Publisher’s Clearing House or a phony foreign lottery claiming that he or she has won millions. The letter comes with a check that represents only a portion of the total winnings. In order to get the rest, the victim has to deposit the check and then wire hundreds of dollars back to the scammers supposedly to cover taxes or some other bogus fee. The victim wires the money, but the prize never arrives.

• Job Hunter Scams –Scams targeting job hunters vary and include attempts to gain access to personal information such as bank account or social security numbers and requirements to pay a fee in order to even be considered for the job. Another common scam was reported to BBB by job hunters who were told by a prospective employer that they had to check their credit report before being considered for a job. The job offer is actually a marketing ploy for online credit monitoring that costs the victim every month until they cancel.
• Google Work from Home Scam – Countless Web sites cropped up in 2009 that claimed you could learn how to make money from home using Google or Twitter and offered a free trial of learning materials. The Web sites often included the Google or Twitter moniker and logo. As a result, many people who complained to BBB thought they were getting a job with Google or Twitter when in, fact, they were being lured into another misleading free-trial offer and were billed every month for the materials and other mystery charges that added up to hundreds of dollars.
• Mortgage Foreclosure Rescue/Debt Assistance – Many families are struggling in the current economy and hucksters are offering to help them save their house from foreclosure or help them get out of credit card debt. Unfortunately, victims are paying hundreds of dollars up front for the assistance they desperately need but ultimately never receive.
• Mystery Shopping – Consumers across the country thought that they could make some extra money by becoming a secret shopper and evaluating the customer service of various stores. The victim is asked to evaluate their shopping experience at a few stores as well as a money wiring service such as Western Union or MoneyGram by wiring money back to the scammers. A seemingly real looking check is supposed to cover the costs, but ends up being a fake. The victim is out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
• Over-Payment Scams – Over-payment scams typically target small business owners, landlords or individuals with rooms to rent and sellers on classifieds or sites like Craigslist. Typically the scammer pretends to be a customer, possible renter or interested buyer, respectively. The victim receives a check for more than the amount requested. The scammers then ask the victim to deposit the check and wire the extra amount elsewhere, such as to a shipping company. Ultimately though, the check is fake and the victim is really wiring money back to the scammers.
• Phishing e-mails/H1N1 spam – A perennial problem, phishing e-mails pop up in inboxes and can take various forms such as appearing to be from a business, a government agency or official or even a friend. Whatever the setup, the goal of any phishing e-mail is the same: to trick victims into divulging sensitive financial information or to infect the victim’s computer with viruses and malware. In addition to phishing e-mails, spam e-mail selling wares to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus were particularly rampant in 2009.

Consumers or small business owners victimized by a scam can contact their local BBB or file a complaint at www.bbb.org. Always research a business with BBB before you sign any contracts or hand over any money.

The New Orleans metro area tied for the lowest unemployment rate among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, according to a report released today by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rate for the New Orleans metro area, which includes Metairie and Kenner, was 6.1 percent for November 2009, tied with the Washington, D.C. metro area.

All of Louisiana’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) ranked in the top quarter of the nation’s 372 MSAs for lowest rates, with the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux MSA tied for the ninth lowest rate in the nation. Houma’s rate was 4.6 percent for November 2009.

“This is great news not just for the New Orleans and Houma areas, but for the state as a whole,” said Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink. “These rankings are further evidence that our economy is performing strongly in the face of national economic challenges.”

The not seasonally adjusted state rate was 6.3 percent in November 2009. The U.S. rate was 9.4 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures reflect unemployment rates that are not seasonally adjusted. The BLS news release can be accessed at www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf.

For more detailed information on employment data for Louisiana, visit the Louisiana Workforce Commission Web site at www.laworks.net and select Labor Market Information. Then select Monthly Employment Bulletin – Workforce At A Glance or Monthly Employment Statistics Press Release for the latest monthly nonfarm and labor force data.

Effective January 1, 2010, the minimum Liability limits for Louisiana auto insurance will be 15/30/25 upon application or renewal of one’s automobile insurance policy.

Currently under Louisiana law, you must carry Liability coverage on any automobile you own. This coverage pays for property damages or personal injury for which you may be legally responsible, up to your policy’s dollar limits. Until 1/1/2010 in Louisiana, each vehicle is required to have 10/20/10 Liability limits. However in 2008 the state passed House Bill 1312 that raised the required auto insurance Liability limits to 15/30/25. So minimum car insurance coverage requirements will increase to 15/30/25 as of January 1, 2010.

These limits provide payments of $15,000 for Bodily Injury to one person, $30,000 for Bodily Injury to more than one person in a single accident, and $25,000 coverage for damage to someone else’s vehicle or other property (Property Damage Liability).

Supporters that got the bill passed into law said the change would bring Louisiana’s 20 year old insurance coverage requirement in line with the increased costs involved in accidents, accounting for inflation, the higher prices of new cars and the increased costs of medical care. Initially the bill proposed a larger increase (25/50/25) that was approved by the House, but senators scaled back the proposal and delayed its start date by a year.

The new Liability limits will go into effect for new policies written on or after January 1, 2010.

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CarInsurance.com

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) today released a summation of its 2009 results.  In all, BRAC achieved significant progress in a number of focus areas, including business recruitment and retention; education; small business; technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship; transportation; and workforce.

“Even in the face of one of the nation’s most difficult economic periods of all time, we have been able to maintain our focus on the factors that matter most – creating and maintaining jobs and improving our region’s competitiveness,” said Adam Knapp, BRAC’s President and CEO.  “These impressive results are a testament to the dedication and expertise of not only BRAC, but also the state and region’s leadership, our parish partners, and everyone who works tirelessly to secure a positive economic future for the Baton Rouge area.”

For 2009, BRAC set a target number of 800 jobs secured through its business development efforts.  Due to a total of fourteen project wins, the actual number was 1,799, exceeding the target by approximately 125%.  Of the overall job number, 848 jobs were retained and 951 were new to the Capital Region.

The most notable of these wins were the recruitment of SNF Holding Co. to Iberville Parish; the operations consolidation of Affirmative Insurance Holdings, parent company of USAgencies, in East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR); the expansion of Orion Instruments in EBR; and the expansion of Evolved Industries in Pointe Coupee Parish.  Together, these four projects secured 512, 256, 105, and 56 jobs, respectively.  The SNF project was the largest manufacturing win ever for BRAC and occurred as a result of a tremendous partnership between the organization, the Iberville parish president’s office, and the Iberville Chamber of Commerce.  The significance of the Evolved Industries win came from it being the first-ever, BRAC-led project in Pointe Coupee Parish and was only made possible through the efforts of local leadership and the Greater Pointe Coupee Chamber of Commerce.

In terms of regional competitiveness, BRAC pointed to a number of successes that resulted from their policy and research efforts.  These included:

• Organizing and leading a community leadership group to aggressively recruit innovative candidates for the EBR superintendent position; once finalists were identified, BRAC organized fact-finding trips to their current communities
• Securing the elimination of the $10 minimum tax for all corporations; the removal of this “nuisance tax” will ease the burden on over 37,000 businesses with minimal fiscal impact to the state
• Publishing a critique of the impact of state health insurance mandates and making recommendations for reform
• Developing and publishing a two-part white paper series on creating a statewide innovation-based economy
• Undertaking a lead position for the passage of more aggressive incentives in digital media and research and development
• Overseeing an assessment of the region’s business acceleration and business park assets and a plan for the regional incubators to work in partnership with one another to improve the innovation culture in the Capital Region
• Partnering with GNO, Inc. to create the Southeast Super-Region Committee in order to provide leadership on a series of issues including higher education, international trade, and intercity rail
• Securing $107 million for transportation funding based on BRAC’s research on congestion relief priorities
• Working in unison with business leaders and the mayor’s office to transform the EBR workforce investment board; these efforts produced a new majority of business board members aligning with statewide 2008 workforce reforms

An in-depth presentation of BRAC’s 2009 accomplishments can be found on its website at www.brac.org/agenda.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ending December 19, 2009, decreased to 4,954 from the previous week’s total of 6,003. The largest decrease in initial claims was in the Transportation Equipment industry. Initial claims were below the comparable week ending December 20, 2008, figure of 5,976.

The four-week moving average of initial claims decreased to 5,063 from the previous week’s average of 5,183.

Continued unemployment insurance weeks claimed for the week ending December 19, 2009, increased to 65,317 from the previous week’s total of 64,405. The increases were spread throughout several industries.

Continued weeks claimed were above the comparable week ending December 20, 2008, figure of 33,110.

The four-week moving average of continued weeks claimed increased to 63,862 from the previous week’s average of 62,908.

For more detailed information on occupational groups of unemployment insurance claimants, visit the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC’s) Web site at http://www.LAWORKS.net and select Labor Market Information. Then select LOIS (Louisiana Occupational Information System), and under Demographics and Statistics select Unemployment Insurance Claimants.

UI Weekly Claims Data is a new feature now available on the LWC Web site. This feature will print out a report with initial and continued claims for the current selection, prior week, and prior year. Weekly claims data can be accessed back to the week ending January 3, 2004. Begin on the LWC home page and select Labor Market Information (LMI). Scroll down the LMI page to the LMI Products section and select Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claims.