Updated May 7, 2008

 The following linked articles and reports provide a summary of recent activities in the New Orleans and Louisiana economy and the outlook in a number of key sectors compiled by the WTC’s 1st Stop for International Business Services. 

Also, the  WTC regularly updates its Directory of Louisiana Construction Projects, now listing over 350 projects of all types that are in the planning or development stage (housing, industrial, commercial, port facilities, schools, hospitals, churches, and more) totaling over $45 billion of prospective investments (click here). This Directory can be useful to potential national and international investors, joint venture partners, financial institutions, suppliers of building materials, contractors, engineering firms, and other providers of goods, services, technology, and capital seeking business opportunities in Louisiana.

For additional information, 1st Stop's Category Index provides comprehensive news items, websites and databases (updated daily) for 33 economic, business, and other categories

STATE GOVERNANCE

State Senate OKs eliminating income taxes (4/30/08) CityBusiness

Panel OKs Jindal-backed education bill attacked as 'voucher' (4/30/08) CityBusiness

Public comment on Jindal budget begins (4/28/08) CityBusiness

Louisiana House agrees to LRA power expansion (4/22/08) CityBusiness

State Senate OKs public records law exemption for economic agency (4/9/08) CityBusiness

Jindal administration rules for GO Zone program adopted (4/4/08) CityBusiness 

Jindal turns focus to worker training (4/1/08) Times-Picayune 
 

RECOVERY PLANNING 

Plan puts airport in state hands (5/1/08) Times-Picayune

N.O. thanks Qatari ruler for support after storm (4/30/08) CityBusiness

FEMA obligates $6.5B to Louisiana for hurricane recovery (4/28/08) CityBusiness

Blakely wants trailers vacated in summer (4/24/08) Times-Picayune

Federal recovery czar: ‘Rebuild it and they will come' (4/22/08) CityBusiness

Federal office for gulf coast rebuilding kept alive (4/19/08) Times-Picayune

Architects praise plan to develop riverfront (4/19/08) Times-Picayune

Road Home awards grants to 57 percent of applicants (4/16/08) CityBusiness

Fannie Mae invests $48M in N.O. housing (4/16/08) CityBusiness

GO Zone extension offers new life to recovery plans (4/14/08) CityBusiness

New Orleans recovery drive hopes to tap China firms (4/11/08) Reuters

Road Home begins awarding elevation checks (4/9/08) CityBusiness

Road Home appeals fruitful (4/8/08) Times-Picayune

Grants awarded for neighborhood recovery projects (4/8/08) Times-Picayune

Louisiana Supreme Court sides with insurers in suit over Katrina breaches (4/8/08) CityBusiness

UNO students map recovery through Viet Village project (4/7/08) CityBusiness 

US Senate: Don't tax Road Home grants  (4/4/08) CityBusiness 

FEMA better prepared, report says (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Road Home efforts to recover overpayments will not create hardships (4/1/08) Times-Picayune 
 

HOUSING & REAL ESTATE

Refinancing plan is meant to close repair-cost gaps (5/6/08) Times-Picayune

Apartment rental rates reach calm after storm (5/1/08) Times-Picayune

LRA moves to speed up small-rental availability (4/29/08) Times-Picayune

Lender says new fees may hurt La. (4/27/08) Times-Picayune

Proposal to revive Six Flag site unfurled (4/23/08) Times-Picayune

Signs of life slowly return to Lower 9th (4/20/08) Times-Picayune

Investment company buys hotel (4/18/08) Times-Picayune

Exception to GO Zone cap granted for N.O. projects (4/18/08) CityBusiness

Fannie Mae invests $48M in N.O. housing (4/16/08) CityBusiness

Louisiana bucks national foreclosure trend (4/15/08) CityBusiness

Residents contest canal safety zone (4/10/08) Times-Picayune

Economist: Louisiana housing market set for improvement (4/9/08) CityBusiness

Kenner looks to future with first land-use plan (4/9/08) CityBusiness

$60M Tracage condo project spawns lawsuit (4/9/08) CityBusiness

Credit crunch threatens N.O. housing plans (4/8/08) Times-Picayune

Credit crunch threatens N.O. housing plans (4/8/08) Times-Picayune

Developer creates affordable housing (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Fat City plans still evolving (4/2/08) CityBusiness

River Parishes show steady growth (4/1/08) Times-Picayune

Private companies to take more of state-backed insurer's policies (4/1/08) CityBusiness 
 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Elmwood studio inks movie deal with Universal Pictures (4/28/08) CityBusiness

Insurance department forces Allstate to give discount if they exclude wind coverage (4/27/08) Times-Picayune

Hairdresser finds new roots in Ninth Ward (4/21/08) CityBusiness

Federal charter proposal weighed (4/20/08) Times-Picayune

Exception to GO Zone cap granted for N.O. projects (4/18/08) CityBusiness

Stalled St. Tammany development sold at auction (4/17/08) Times-Picayune

Film festival shows N.O. from inside and outside (4/14/08) Times-Picayune

Short-term filming, long-term benefits (4/14/08) Times-Picayune

Grants to help assess N.O. sites (4/13/08) Times-Picayune

Reinventing the crescent (4/6/08) Times-Picayune

Finally a big cost break for business insurance (4/4/08) CityBusiness 

Monsanto to expand Luling plant (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Encouraging Growth (4/3/08) Times-Picayune 
 

HURRICANE PROTECTION, FLOOD CONTROL, & COASTAL RESTORATION

Corps offers plan to block gulf outlet (5/3/08) Times-Picayune

Corps to begin closing spillway (4/30/08) CityBusiness

Corps explains newspaper's use in floodwall (4/26/08) Times-Picayune

Corps resuming dig near levee leak (4/25/08) Times-Picayune

Engineers raise concerns about Kenner floodwall (4/23/08) CityBusiness

Bonnet Carre bay openings remain at 160 (4/21/08) Times-Picayune

Proposal would turn rubble into reef (4/20/08) Times-Picayune

EJ, St. Charles levees' strength in question (4/17/08) Times-Picayune

Florida firms wins $41.5M contract to raise St. Bernard levees (4/14/08) CityBusiness

Bonnet Carre spillway to open tomorrow (4/10/08) Times-Picayune

Corps sign contract for IHNC Surge Protection Project (4/7/08) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Hope Status Report Newsletter

Shaw wins $695M Inner Harbor surge-protection contract (4/4/08) CityBusiness 

Constructing levees creates dilemma (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Jefferson lists critical drainage needs (4/1/08) Times-Picayune 
 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TRANSPORTATION

Trump card or pipe dream? (5/08) American Shipper

Venice port plan gets new life (5/4/08) Times-Picayune

Bill would fold cargo airport board (5/2/08) Times-Picayune

Port looks for private partner (4/29/08) Times-Picayune

Railway property along Airline sought (4/22/08) Times-Picayune

Bush defends free-trade agreement with Mexico and Canada (4/22/08) CityBusiness

N.O. recovery plays role in trade summit (4/22/08) Times-Picayune

Consulate marks N.O. 'comeback,' Bush comes back (4/22/08) Times-Picayune

Port touts rail access for container shipments (4/21/08) CityBusiness

Sea point container project receives La. bond approval (4/21/08) American Shipper

Port of N.O. wooing Canadian exporters (4/20/08) Times-Picayune

3 nation summit will shine international spotlight on N.O. (4/19/08) Times-Picayune

Shutdown of Port Fourchon would hit U.S. economy (4/17/08) Times-Picayune

Port officials balk at legislator’s consolidation plan (4/14/08) CityBusiness

Lakeview regaining bus route Monday (4/13/08) Times-Picayune

New Orleans recovery drive hopes to tap China firms (4/11/08) Reuters

Weak dollar slows steel imports, troubles Port of New Orleans (4/4/08) CityBusiness

I-12 interchange could be delayed again (4/1/08) Times-Picayune

RTA says it needs more aid for buses (4/1/08) Times-Picayune 
 

TOURISM & CULTURE

That's a wrap (5/5/08) Times-Picayune

Jazz Fest beats comparable events in economic impact, attendance (4/24/08) CityBusiness

Omni Royal Orleans back in local hands (4/24/08) CityBusiness

Proposal to revive Six Flag site unfurled (4/23/08) Times-Picayune

French Quarter Fest attendance up 4 percent (4/19/08) CityBusiness

SATCHMO SPRUCE-UP (4/19/08) Times-Picayune

Bug buzz builds at Custom House (4/16/08) Times-Picayune

Jefferson looks to draw tourists (4/15/08) Times-Picayune

Jazz landmark in running for grant (4/15/08) Times-Picayune

N.O. tourism officials bank on weak dollar’s silver lining (4/14/08) CityBusiness

Dancing in the Streets (4/13/08) Times-Picayune

Construction begins on $300M WWII museum expansion (4/7/08) CityBusiness

RECLAIMING THE RIVER: An ambitious plan calls for opening the riverfront (4/5/08) Times-Picayune

Tennessee Williams Festival Growing (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Nagin to attend mayors forum in China (4/3/08) CityBuisiness 
 

ENERGY, SHIPBUILDING, AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, FISHING

Shrimp fleet closer to setting anchor (4/28/08) Times-Picayune

La. shrimpers hope report will make customers think (4/26/08) Times-Picayune

Entergy: St. Charles plant construction could be delayed for months (4/23/08) CityBusiness

Cheniere Energy completes $1.4B LNG terminal (4/16/08) CityBusiness

Gulf platforms must become more hurricane-resistant (4/15/08) CityBusiness 

Proposal would make agriculture department comply with public bid law (4/9/08) CityBusiness

Venezuela looks to replace Exxon Mobil as partner in Chalmette refinery (4/9/08) CityBusiness

Mesa Energy sells interests in Plaquemines Parish project (4/7/08) CityBusiness

EPL makes second discovery this year in Bay Marchand (4/2/08) CityBusiness 
 

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

First-time unemployment claims drop in N.O. area (4/29/08) CityBusiness

RSD gets crafty to boost attendance (4/28/08) CityBusiness

Fiscal mess reduced in N.O. schools (4/28/08) Times-Picayune

Metro N.O. adds jobs in March (4/26/08) Times-Picayune

Report: Louisiana teacher quality at all-time high (4/25/08) CityBusiness

State house panel approves college tuition hike (4/22/08) CityBusiness

Report tracks schools' progress (4/17/08) Times-Picayune

State House committee OKs labor department revamp (4/17/08) CityBusiness

Melancon backs extension for Louisiana seasonal workers (4/17/08) CityBusiness

Report mixed on N.O. public education (4/16/08) CityBusiness

School reform dynamo sure it will pay off (4/15/08) Times-Picayune

Roussel unveils proposal for schools construction (4/15/08) Times-Picayune

Supply and Demand (4/14/08) Times-Picayune

UNO students map recovery through Viet Village project (4/7/08) CityBusiness 

Labor secretary: recession provides opportunities for Louisiana (4/7/08) CityBusiness 

Construction jobs down for month, year (4/6/08) CityBusiness

State touts savings since hiring freeze (4/4/08) CityBusiness

School plan starts war of words (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Parents back Mid-City school (4/3/08) CityBusiness

Delgado, Tulane sign transfer pact (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

NASA transition will cost eastern N.O. jobs (4/2/08) CityBusiness 
 

HEALTH CARE

Bridge House to build substance-abuse treatment center in N.O. (4/22/08) CityBusiness

Louisiana to get $3.7M for clinics to cut ER load (4/18/08) CityBusiness

Mental health care may get a boost (4/16/08) Times-Picayune

LSU-run hospitals ask for $51M more in next budget (4/15/08) CityBusiness

Jindal admin puts new LSU hospital plan in flux (4/7/08) CityBusiness

Health clinic brings care closer (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

LSU opens local health clinics (4/1/08) Times-Picayune 
 

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC INDICATORS & TRENDS

Economist: N.O. collects 91 percent of pre-K sales taxes(4/30/01) CityBusiness

N.O. inspector general waits for office essentials (4/29/08) CityBusiness

Letten: 'Battles against corruption' will continue despite Bernazzani reassignment (4/28/08) CityBusiness

Earthlink to pull plug on N.O. Wi-Fi (4/28/08) CityBusiness

N.O. isn't alone in church closures (4/27/08) Times-Picayune

N.O. area posts third-lowest unemployment rate in state (4/25/08) CityBusiness

FLYING HIGH (4/24/08) Times-Picayune

AT&T plans $400M project in Louisiana (4/22/08) CityBusiness 

N.O. anti-crime group visits Washington (4/16/08) CityBusiness

Closed churches reborn in array of uses (4/13/08) Times Picayune

View parish-by-parish changes (4/9/08) Times-Picayune

Spending increase proposed in Slidell (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

Hispanic culture booms on the West Bank (4/3/08) CityBusiness

Economist: N.O. likely to avoid worst of national slowdown (4/3/08) CityBusiness

Budget cuts brew, St. Bernard chief says (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

N.O. City Council expected to shift consulting contract (4/3/08) Times-Picayune

United Way reaches $20M mark with fewer donors (4/1/08) CityBusiness

Jefferson drops to second most populous in latest estimates (4/1/08) Times-Picayune

 

Useful local media websites for current news and information:
Founded in 1943 as a not-for-profit membership organization, the World Trade Center of New Orleans was the first of what are today 300 WTCs in 85 countries that service more than 750,000 businesses engaged in international commerce. WTC New Orleans' mission is to add wealth and jobs in New Orleans and Louisiana through international trade, port development, and allied activities. The WTC conducts international trade education, training, and networking programs and provides trade information and other services for its 1,900 members and Louisiana's business community at large. Information on WTC membership, programs, facilities and services is posted at www.wtcno.org.  

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