Crude oil prices keep falling and the oil industry continues to suffer. Shell anounced it’s cutting 2,800 jobs in addition to the previously announced 7500. LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says one of the few places companies can still make money at these oil prices is the Permian Basin in west Texas. He says many companies are concentrating efforts there and that’s not good for Louisiana…:
CUT 5 (06) “can imagine”
Scott says as long as Saudi Arabia floods the market with crude oil, prices will not improve forcing oil companies to continue to cut back.

A judge today dismissed a lawsuit by the Louisiana Chemical Association arguing the temporary suspension of a 1-cent sales tax exemption on business utilities did not get the required number of votes and is unconstitutional. Lawmakers passed the tax change which would generate $103 million dollars to balance the state’s budget. The judge said the procedure for adoption on the concurrent resolution was in line with the constitution.

Lines are long at the post office today as it’s the busiest mailing day of the year. USPS spokesman McKinney Boyd says over the course of the holiday season, 15.5 billion items of mail will be sent worldwide by USPS. He says they have ramped up staff and are ready to roll…:
CUT 8 (09) “December 25th“
He says delivery volume is already way ahead of where it was this time last year as more people are choosing to shop for gifts online.

ULM says it will officially introduce MNeese State’s Matt Viator as the new coach of the Warhawks at a press conference on Tuesday morning. West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman is the voice of the Warhawks. He commends the selection committee for making the hire as quickly as they did…:
cut 13 (07) “Viator”
As coach of the Cowboys, Viator won three conference championships and made four FCS playoff appearances.