Matt Doyle spoke with Minden Mayor Terry Gardner about the two plans they’re pursuing to keep Fibrebond from moving to east Texas…
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The Council for a Better Louisiana is offering voters a more detailed look at where the major candidates for Governor stand on the big issues with the Gubernatorial Survey…
cut 2 (30) I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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State and local officials are putting plans into action to try to keep Fibrebond from leaving Minden for east Texas.
The company has threatened to leave due to the poor condition of bridges in north Louisiana that forced them to take a 247-mile detour to ship products west. Minden Mayor Terry Gardner says they’ve found a new route that should shave off 170 miles…
The new route will have the company ship it’s 150,000-pound structures down highway 80, through Camp Minden, and out through Darlene.
Gardner says they’ve pitched the new route and are holding a meeting this Friday with state officials to try to secure the money needed to repair or replace a series of bridges that would open a second route.
The company says it would only feel comfortable staying if it had two route options, in the event one of those routes had to be shut down for whatever reason.
Gardner says it’s crucial that the state and local powers do everything they can to keep the company in town due to it’s massive impact on the local economy.
Census estimates put Minden’s population at 12,100 people.
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A cold front is moving through the state today and by tomorrow should make its way to the coast. While it is expected to bring down temps and humidity, State Climatologist Barry Keim says it may bring a bit of rain as well.
Cut 6 (07) “…some extra clouds.”
Keim says of the next few days, Friday should be the most comfortable day.
Cut 7 (08) “…couple of weeks.”
Keim says there will be lingering effects from the cold front that will extend to Saturday, which should be a positive for college football tailgaters…
Cut 8 (11) “…your umbrellas handy”
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Council for a Better Louisiana releases its candidate surveys, offering interested voters a more in-depth, detail-oriented look at the major candidates for Governor.
CABL President Barry Erwin says the 11 to 15-page survey asked candidates to weigh in on most of the hot button policy issues of the day.
The candidates submitted a roughly page-long response detailing each of their proposals for infrastructure, business and job growth, higher ed, k-12 ed, fiscal responsibility, tax structure, and criminal justice.
It doesn’t just touch on hard policy though, Erwin says the survey offers voters a glimpse into how the candidates view themselves, and what they find most important.
The survey asked the candidates to rank three qualities that best describe them, list three outcomes they will measure their tenure by, and list three factors holding the state back.
Governor Edwards and Republican Congressman Abraham submitted their surveys, but Erwin says the third major candidate in the race did not.
You can read the survey PDFs on CABL’s website.
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The U-S teen birth rate has declined to its lowest level in recorded history. As of 2018, there were about 17 babies born per one-thousand girls aged 15 to 19 in the United States. Tulane Sociology professor Michele Adams says its not that teens are having less sex, its that more are practicing safer sex
Cut 12 (12) “…consequences of sex”
In the 50s and 60s, when a teenager got pregnant, she would likely get married. Adams says that’s not the case now and women today are more ambitious when it comes to having a professional career…
Cut 13 (11) “…contraceptives.”
Pew research says the teen birth rate has been cut in half since 2008 and the drop is across all races. Adams expects the trend to continue as occupational opportunities continue to grow for women…