A new UL-Lafayette jobs report indicates a slow rebound for post-pandemic employment in Louisiana. Kevin Gallagher reports…:
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In his State of the Nation President Biden set out goals to help reduce inflation. Brooke Thorington has more on his plans from the Deputy Director of the National Economic Council.
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Now that Fat Tuesday has come and gone, it’s time to get ready for Fish Fridays. David Grubb has more…
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A new report from U.L.-Lafayette indicates recovery of Louisiana jobs in the wake of the pandemic will be a slow process. ULL economics professor Gary Wagner says there was a slight boost of nearly 28-thousand jobs in the last quarter of 2021, and jobs are coming back nicely on a national scale. However…:
Cut 4 (14) “…ticked back up yet.”
In his Louisiana Economic activity Forecast for the earlier part of 2022, Wagner says another 33-thousand jobs are expected to be added through the end of this year and be back at pre-COVID levels by about a year from now. He says the current post-pandemic economic recession threatens that progress, though…:
Cut 5 (12) “…growth in Louisiana.”
Wagner says job growth is expected to be slowest in cities like Alexandria, Houma & Thibodaux, while Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and New Orleans will grow fairly quickly over the next six months. He says record high inflation – coupled with very high fuel costs – is adversely affecting employers’ ability to fill needed jobs, and he doesn’t see that getting better very soon…:
Cut 6 (11) “…recover all those jobs.”
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In his State of the Union Address, President Biden highlighted accomplishments from his first year in office and also laid out future initiatives to help ease inflation. In an exclusive interview with Louisiana Radio Network, Bharat Ramamurti (Rom-ah-more-tee) Deputy Director of the National Economic Council says Biden will address price gouging in the ocean shipping industry.
Cut 7 (12) “…consumers are paying more.”
Ramamurti says the agriculture industry has been heavily impacted by the ocean shipping price gouging. And while inflation is caused by a multitude of factors, he says shipping prices is a large one.
Another sector of the economy that’s responsible for a large part of inflation is the automobile industry. Ramamurti says one-third of inflation last year was in vehicles and the severe shortage of semiconductors or chips that go into cars.
When asked about the energy production in the United States, many criticize the Biden Administration saying their clean energy policies have limited production thus causing inflation at the gas pump. Ramamurti says Biden is all for the U-S producing more oil and gas however…
Other inflation issues the Biden Administration is asking Congress to address is pharmaceutical prices and capping childcare costs.
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The Lenten season starts today. Fish on Fridays as a tradition dates back to the late 1960s, and perhaps no state takes to it like Louisiana. Harlon Pearce, Chairman of the Gulf Seafood Institute, says there should be no shortage of options for your plates even if the weather has slowed the harvesting of favorites like crawfish.
Cut 10 (13) “…really quickly here.”
Oyster beds have been impacted as well, with lower than normal numbers due to Hurricane Ida, but Pearce says they should bounce back and that Louisiana’s other favorite crustacean, shrimp, is coming in with record numbers to start the year that should only improve as the year goes on.
Cut 11 (10) “…still shrimp around.”
For those who may not be looking for shellfish, inshore fisheries have been doing their part as well. Pearce says there should be plenty of finfish available during Lent, including black drum and of course, Louisiana wild catfish.
Pearce also encourages shoppers to look for reasonable prices where they can find them until they begin to stabilize.
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The Lenten season is upon us and for the last two years COVID has greatly limited in-person church services, but Associate Professor at LSU’s Department of Religious Studies Michael Pasquier says he expects to see parishioners take a more active role in Lenten services this year.
And while many are concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine Pasquier says Lent is traditionally a time when parishioners concentrate on their immediate surroundings.
Pasquier says he feels Christians in Louisiana have been looking forward to getting back to normal or the new normal since the pandemic and that feeling has grown especially in the last few months.
Today is Ash Wednesday and Easter is April 17th.
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The annual NFL Scouting Combine started Tuesday, with several prominent LSU prospects looking to impress as the draft nears. The Tigers have nine players in Indianapolis this week, and one of those under the most scrutiny will be former cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Stingley’s season ended early due to foot surgery and he won’t be taking part in the drills in Indy. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says Stingley will still have an opportunity to prove his worth.
Cut 16 (16) “…at his pro day.”
Butkus Award Finalist Damone Clark should draw plenty of interest as well. After collecting 114 tackles in his first three seasons in Baton Rouge, Clark had 135 last season for the Tigers, including 5.5 sacks, and earned Second-team All-America honors from multiple outlets. His nose for the football and his sideline to sideline ability has pushed his name up draft boards.
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Football on every level is won in the trenches, and there is expected to be a run on offensive and defensive linemen in the first round. That could mean good things for Ed Ingram and Neil Farrell says Detillier, who could see their value increase as a result. He likes how both players were able to impact the game on a weekly basis.
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Louisiana Tech closes out the home portion of its schedule tonight when they host Old Dominion at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Bulldogs are 11-and-5 in Conference USA, third place in the West. The Monarchs are 7-and-9 in league play, but Tech Coach Eric Konkol says Old Dominion is playing its best basketball of the season…
Fifth-year seniors Amorie Archibald and Exavian Christon will play their final game inside the TAC tonight. Both players have spent the past five seasons with the Bulldogs, combining to play in 266 career games. Konkol says they are great people…