A new report shows small business owners hold little hope for the economy – and their businesses – to improve anytime soon. More from Kevin Gallagher…:
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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The National Hurricane Center says its less likely a trough along the Gulf Coast will develop into a tropical depression. LRN Meteorologist John Wetherbee gives us an update….
Cut 2 (32) “….I-10 corridor.”
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Is the poor economy hurting Louisiana’s real estate market? Kevin Gallagher reports…:
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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Small businesses in Louisiana have a bleak outlook for better business and economic conditions for the near-future. National Federation of Independent Business state director Dawn McVea says their periodic Optimism Index survey of members has dropped nearly 4 points; meaning members fear thing aren’t going to improve anytime soon…:
Cut 4 (10) “…unfortunate to see that.”
McVea say fewer member businesses feel sales will increase in the near-term. Over half say they cannot fill open jobs. An increasing number feel they cannot raise their prices fast enough to keep up with runaway inflation. She says members point their collective finger at the White House…:
Cut 5 (07) “…killing small business.”
McVea says member say supply chain issues, inflated costs and high fuel prices are combining to make their outlook for future months poor. She says many do not dare raise their prices further to compensate…:
Cut 6 (08) “…live with that.”
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A Baton Rouge pro-life women’s clinic was vandalized Monday, and a Louisiana right-to-life group hopes the perpetrators will be caught and prosecuted. The Women’s New Life Clinic was covered in spray painted graffiti. Messages read “abortion is a right”, “fake clinic” and more. Pro-Life Louisiana spokesperson Sarah Zagorski says no one was hurt, but the incident is sad and unfortunate…:
Cut 7 (08) “….absolutely horrific.”
The Women’s New Life Clinic offers medical and mental health care to pregnant women who do not wish to abort their baby. They also offer gynecological care, STD testing & care and more. Other graffiti messages sprayed on the clinic Monday slammed police, and still others read “Jane’s Revenge.” Zagorski explains the significance of the latter…:
Cut 8 (12) “…of the building as well.”
Zagorski says the vandals were trying to intimidate women away from using the clinic, which she calls a form of urban terrorism. She says pro-abortion activists are actually oppressing women while saying they advocate for them…:
Cut 9 (11) “…parenting or adoption.”
She says Pro-Life Louisiana hopes law enforcement will investigate & arrest and the D.A will prosecute.
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The start of the high school volleyball and football seasons is right around the corner and the Louisiana High School Association is facing a shortage in referees. LHSAA assistant executive director Lee Sanders says they need at least four-thousand officials…
Cut 10 (12) “…play sports.”
Sanders says instead of Friday night lights for football, more and more games are being scheduled for Thursday and Saturday to ensure they will have enough game officials. He says there are a lot of benefits in being a referee…
Cut 11 (12) “…travel”
Football officials can make at least 72 to 100-dollars a game, plus travel, a volleyball referee can earn at least 60-dollars a match plus travel.
Sanders says one of the issues they face is losing new officials after working games for just a year or two…
Cut 12 (10) “…better training”
For more information on becoming a referee, go to the Louisiana High School Officials Association page on the LHSAA website.
The deadline to register to be an official for volleyball and football is next month.
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Louisiana’s real estate market appears to be slowing down, as interest rates rise and inflation affects the cost of everything else. Kristin Courville is a realtor in the Capital Region. She says she is definitely seeing more listings on the market…:
Cut 13 (09) “…to two days pending.”
Courville says the inventory of available homes in increasing, and homes are on the market longer than, say, a year ago. She says recent hikes in interest rates – coupled with high costs for gasoline and groceries – are giving many potential buyers cold feet…:
Cut 14 (09) “…dating the rate.”
Courville says mortgage rates are higher, but buyers can always refinance to a lower rate when the economy improves…:
Cut 15 (07) “…to creep up.”
Courville says the real estate market has slowed a bit, and some sellers are reducing asking prices…but overall, there is no cause for alarm. She says it’s still a good time to buy a home, which is always cheaper than rent.