WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• What's family for?

  June 10, 2013 7:45 PM

  WASHINGTON- A senior Energy Department official was actively involved in getting summer jobs for his three college-aged kids, according to an internal investigation. The actions appear to violate federal rules that bar officials from securing government jobs for relatives. The Energy Department Inspector General's report does not name the official... more »

• Jindal: Marine contractor plans $30M expansion

  May 21, 2013 3:27 PM

  THIBODAUX - An oilfield service company plans a new $10 million headquarters in Gray and a $20 million manufacturing and fabrication plant at a Louisiana port. President and CEO Hank Danos says Danos & Curole Marine Contractors LLC is considering at least two ports. The manufacturing site to be selected... more »

• La. unemployment claims decrease

  May 10, 2013 11:45 AM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending May 4 decreased from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims decreased to 2,466 from the previous week's total of 2,541. For the comparable week a year earlier,... more »

• New jobs and energy gains helping lift US economy

  May 5, 2013 10:42 AM

  WASHINGTON - A stronger-than-expected April rebound in job creation and recent dramatic discoveries of vast U.S. oil and gas reserves are helping to lift the American economy out its long funk. The economic advances also are drawing attention to the importance of private-sector innovation rather than government policy in fostering... more »

• Stocks fall on jobs concerns, fall in Merck profit

  May 1, 2013 9:01 AM

  NEW YORK- The stock market is falling early after a survey showed U.S. companies added the fewest jobs in seven months and Merck reported a lower quarterly profit. Shortly after the market opened, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 55 points to 14,784, a fall of 0.4 percent. The Standard... more »

• Future teachers not intimidated by challenges Play Video

  April 24, 2013 5:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Marvin Stephens is hoping to make a good first impression with recruiters. "I'm graduating on May 17 of next months and if figure it would be a good way to find a job when i graduate," he says. He's one of dozens of graduating education majors... more »

• IBM reps at Southern University

  April 16, 2013 11:14 AM

  BATON ROUGE - IBM representatives are at Southern University today talking to dozens of students and others about some 800 new well-paying technology positions that the computer giant will be filling over the next several years. IBM is bringing those jobs to a new office and residential space in... more »

• Louisiana unemployment rate at 6 percent

  March 29, 2013 11:14 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Federal unemployment statistics show Louisiana's unemployment rate edged up to 6 percent in February. It had been 5.9 percent in January. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that the seasonally adjusted jobless rate went up despite an increase in total jobs of 9,100. Friday's preliminary figures... more »

• IBM building office, residential tower downtown Play Video

  March 27, 2013 12:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE - IBM is coming to Baton Rouge and bringing with it more than 800 technology jobs. The tech company will occupy an office building on the former site of The Advocate downtown. The IBM complex will be built and managed by Commercial Properties Realty Trust and owned... more »

• IBM to build office building in Baton Rouge

  March 27, 2013 10:14 AM

  BATON ROUGE - IBM is coming to Baton Rouge, sources tell News 2. The tech company will build an office building on the former site of The Advocate downtown. The IBM complex is expected to employ hundreds of people. IBM is a Fortune 500 company with thousands of... more »

• Coca-Cola to cut 750 jobs in US

  March 21, 2013 9:28 AM

  NEW YORK - Coca-Cola says it's cutting 750 jobs in the U.S. as it continues to streamline its business. The world's biggest beverage maker says the jobs cuts will be across the board and that affected individuals will be notified in coming weeks. The cuts represent roughly 1 percent of... more »

• US unemployment falls, jobs added

  March 8, 2013 8:04 AM

  WASHINGTON - U.S. employers ramped up hiring in February, adding 236,000 jobs and pushing the unemployment rate down to 7.7 percent from 7.9 percent in January. Stronger hiring shows businesses are confident about the economy, despite higher taxes and government spending cuts. The government's February employment report was filled with... more »

• New multi-million dollar plant bringing jobs to BR Play Video

  March 6, 2013 1:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Jindal and city leaders announced today that a new multi-million dollar chemical company project would start construction soon in Baton Rouge, leading to hundreds of new jobs. Jindal said the state had been working for a year to land the $150 million expansion for Katoen... more »

• Specifics on gov's budget to be released Friday

  February 21, 2013 9:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The governor's plans for the state budget will be unveiled Friday. Bobby Jindal said Thursday it would include cuts for about 10,000 state positions, many in the health care sector. But, most jobs would be absorbed through private-public partnerships in health care. Of the remaining positions,... more »

• Experts say 2nd industrial revolution starting in La. Play Video

  January 28, 2013 5:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A new LSU energy report shows industry will invest $60 billion dollars in Louisiana projects over the next decade. The investments are tied to Louisiana's natural gas resources and production development, and expected to generate more than $20 billion directly to the state economy. Louisiana Chemical... more »

• NYC school bus drivers, matrons go on strike

  January 16, 2013 5:59 AM

  NEW YORK - More than 8,000 New York City school bus drivers and matrons have gone on strike over job protection. Some 152,000 students, many disabled, have to find other ways to get to school. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott says the strike started at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Most... more »

• US economy adds 155K jobs, rate stays at 7.8 pct.

  January 4, 2013 6:56 AM

  WASHINGTON - U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs in December, a steady gain that shows hiring held up during tense fiscal cliff negotiations in Washington. The Labor Department says the unemployment rate stayed at 7.8 percent last month. November's rate was revised higher from an initially reported 7.7 percent. ... more »

• GM plant being sold in Shreveport

  January 2, 2013 10:14 PM

  SHREVEPORT - Shreveport and Caddo Parish officials say the former General Motors assembly plant has a buyer that plans thousands of vehicle assembly jobs with good pay. Assistant Parish Administrator Randy Lucky says the buyer expects to bring 1,500 jobs by the end of the second quarter and 3,000 within... more »

• Hope for college graduates Play Video

  December 13, 2012 5:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Thousands of students from LSU and Southern Univeristy will be walking across the stage Friday to receive their diplomas. As those students make the walk across stage things are looking good for them on the other side. In Novermber, the U.S. economy added over 100,000 jobs,... more »

• Weekly unemployment insurance claims drop

  December 7, 2012 6:08 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Dec. 1 increased from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims increased to 4,048 from the previous week's total of 2,705. The department said similar spikes have occurred... more »

• Stocks mixed as investors work through jobs report

  December 7, 2012 11:52 AM

  NEW YORK - Stocks are trading mixed on Wall Street as investors work through the government's latest jobs report. It turns out Superstorm Sandy didn't have as much of an impact on the employment picture last month as economists had expected. The government says the storm played only a minimal... more »

• US economy adds 146K jobs, rate falls to 7.7 pct.

  December 7, 2012 9:05 AM

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy added a solid 146,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, the lowest since December 2008. The government said Superstorm Sandy had only a minimal effect on the figures. The Labor Department report offered a mixed picture for the economy.... more »

• New job opportunities for the deaf and blind

  November 8, 2012 10:26 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A new business has made its way to Baton Rouge to help those who may find trouble getting a job which takes all their needs into account. Lighthouse Louisiana opened a new facility that offers employment opportunities for the deaf and blind. News 2's Adrian Pittman,... more »

• Obama: New jobs growth part of 'real progress'; Romney calls it 'stagnation'

  November 2, 2012 12:22 PM

  HILLIARD, Ohio - President Barack Obama is hailing another month of job growth but declaring "we've got more work to do." Falling just four days before Tuesday's election, the government's latest employment snapshot shows U.S. employers added 171,000 jobs in October. It also shows hiring was stronger in August and... more »

• Obama blasts Romney ad on auto industry in Ohio

  November 2, 2012 10:22 AM

  HILLIARD, Ohio - President Barack Obama is accusing Republican rival Mitt Romney of running dishonest ads on the auto industry to scare voters in Ohio, saying: "This isn't a game. These are people's jobs." The Romney ads, which have been airing in Toledo, the home of a Jeep plant, suggest... more »

• Romney campaign challenges criticism by automakers

  October 31, 2012 12:31 PM

  TAMPA, Fla. - Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is challenging criticism from U.S. automakers over campaign ads that claim General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of Ohio. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said Wednesday, quote: "Their comments don't refute anything in our ad." Romney ads on... more »

• Biden calls Romney auto ad an 'outrageous lie'

  October 31, 2012 12:29 PM

  SARASOTA, Fla. - Vice President Joe Biden is calling advertising released by Republican Mitt Romney "an outrageous lie" for asserting that automakers General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of workers in Ohio. Biden says in Florida that Romney is "trying to scare the living... more »

• Hurricane Sandy could delay October jobs report

  October 29, 2012 1:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - Hurricane Sandy could complicate Friday's release of the October jobs report, the final snapshot of employment before the presidential election. U.S. Labor Department officials are still hopeful that they can release the report as scheduled. But they acknowledged that the storm could cause a delay. "Our intention is... more »

• Unemployment rates fall in 7 US swing states

  October 19, 2012 10:23 AM

  WASHINGTON - Unemployment rates fell or held steady last month in nine key swing states at the center of this year's presidential election. Rates dropped in Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and North Carolina. They unchanged in New Hampshire and Virginia. The declines could help President Barack Obama at... more »

• Emerson announces plans for new Gonzales headquarters

  October 12, 2012 3:00 PM

  GONZALES - Emerson Electric Co. says it will build a $10 million regional headquarters in Gonzales, creating 50 new jobs. The company announced its Ascension Parish plans Friday with Gov. Bobby Jindal. The new jobs will have salaries averaging $49,000, plus benefits. Residents living in the area the company... more »

• Romney blasts Obama despite drop in unemployment

  October 5, 2012 2:44 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says a drop in the nation's unemployment rate to 7.8 percent "is not what a real recovery looks like." The former Massachusetts governor responded to the September jobs report out Friday by arguing that Obama has a failed record on the economy.... more »

• Unemployment falls in nearly 90 percent of US cities

  October 3, 2012 2:56 PM

  WASHINGTON - Unemployment rates fell in nearly 90 percent of large U.S. metro areas in August, mainly because more people gave up looking for work. The Labor Department says unemployment rates dropped in 329 large cities, the most in four months. Rates rose in 24 cities and were unchanged... more »

• Survey: US businesses added 162K jobs in September

  October 3, 2012 10:29 AM

  WASHINGTON - A private survey shows that U.S. businesses hired fewer workers in September than August, a sign that slow growth may be holding back hiring. Payroll processor ADP says companies added 162,000 jobs last month. That's below August's total of 189,000, which was revised lower. The report only covers... more »

• ExxonMobil to expand 2 La. chemical plants

  September 27, 2012 3:13 PM

  BATON ROUGE - ExxonMobil says a new project to expand its Louisiana chemical and lubricant plants will bring more than 400 construction and full-time jobs to the state over the next two years. Company officials said Thursday construction on the $200 million chemical and lubricants plants in Baton Rouge and... more »

• Emerson Processing Management delayed in Gonzales Play Video

  September 24, 2012 6:13 PM

  GONZALES - A company that could bring dozens of jobs to Ascension Parish may have to wait to build a $10 million regional campus on Orice Roth Road. Emerson Processing Management, whose parent company Emerson Electric is a Fortune 500, plans on building a campus to house sales, engineering,... more »

• La. continues to shed state government jobs

  September 17, 2012 9:59 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A total of 173 state employees have been laid off in the first two months of the fiscal year that started July 1. Lindsay Ruiz de Chavez, with the state Department of Civil Service, says the latest figures show that from July 1, 2008, to Aug.... more »

• Isaac causes spike in initial jobless claims

  September 14, 2012 4:30 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Hurricane Isaac caused a spike in initial claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Sept. 8. Figures released Friday show initial claims increased to 9,023 from 2,345. That's the most initial claims filed in one week since Hurricanes Gustav and Ike impacted Louisiana in... more »

• Burnside alumina plant in danger of closing again

  September 11, 2012 4:56 PM

  BURNSIDE - More than a year after announcing plans to reopen an idled alumina plant in Ascension Parish, Ormet Corporation announced today they could layoff many of the plant's 250 workers or even close it. Ormet said a recent Ohio public utilities ruling not to exempt the company's aluminum... more »

• Storm soaks Charlotte hours before Obama's speech

  September 6, 2012 3:51 PM

  WASHINGTON - The jobs outlook in the U.S. brightened a bit Thursday just before President Barack Obama was to make his case for re-election to the American people. Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, the government reported. And companies boosted hiring in August, according to a private survey.... more »

• Romney: Jobs report 'hammer blow' to middle-class

  August 3, 2012 11:21 AM

  NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev.- Mitt Romney says the latest unemployment uptick is "another hammer blow to the struggling middle-class families of America." The Labor Department said Friday the country saw unemployment rise from 8.2 percent in June to 8.3 percent in July. Romney says that is "not just statistics" and... more »

• Obama: Too many people still looking for work

  August 3, 2012 11:20 AM

  WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama says new jobs figures released Friday show there are too many people looking for work. He says "we've got more work to do on their behalf." The president is urging Congress to pass a tax cut extension for families making less than $250,000 a year. He... more »

• Program brings natives home, finds them jobs Play Video

  August 2, 2012 10:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE- There's action to end the brain drain in Louisiana with a call for people from Baton Rouge to come home for jobs. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce is trying to link them with good paying careers. "The ones who maybe went to high school... more »

• State: 350 new jobs coming to Camp Minden site

  July 30, 2012 4:05 PM

  CAMP MINDEN - A planned maintenance facility for military vehicles at a north Louisiana National Guard training site is forecast to create 350 new jobs. Tiburon Associates Inc. and the state economic development department announced the plans for the facility at Camp Minden in a news release Monday. The state... more »

• Tech Center setting up shop in Baton Rouge

  July 24, 2012 2:37 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Ameritas Technologies says it will open an information technology center in Baton Rouge creating 300 jobs. The startup company's CEO, Brian Keene, said Tuesday that Ameritas will receive a state economic development grant of $125,000 per year over a 10-year period to offset leasing costs at the... more »

• Boomtown Casino to add 150-room hotel

  July 24, 2012 1:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment says it will build a 150-room hotel at the site of the company's Boomtown Casino in Jefferson Parish. Construction of the $20 million development in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey is expected to begin in September and should be completed in late... more »

• Lawmakers seize on report detailing impact of cuts

  July 17, 2012 4:53 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republicans and Democrats alike are pointing to a new report estimating that automatic budget cuts will cost the economy 2 million jobs. With five months to go before the across-the-board cuts kick in, the Aerospace Industries Association unveiled a report today that warned of job losses, billions of... more »

• Report: 2M jobs lost if automatic cuts kick in

  July 17, 2012 9:00 AM

  WASHINGTON - A new report on the government's looming automatic spending cuts estimates they will cost the economy more than 2 million defense and domestic jobs. The study was done by Dr. Stephen Fuller of George Mason University and Chmura Economics and Analytics. It was conducted for the Aerospace... more »

• Documents conflict on when Romney left Bain

  July 12, 2012 2:23 PM

  WASHINGTON - Federal documents filed by Mitt Romney's former company appear to conflict with the Republican presidential candidate's statements about when he left Bain Capital. The private-equity firm is central to Romney's legacy in the private sector. Bain told the Securities and Exchange Commission in February 2001 that Romney was... more »

• Senate rejects Democrats' business tax cut bill

  July 12, 2012 2:22 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate has rejected a Democratic bill providing tax breaks to companies that enlarge their payrolls or make major purchases or plant improvements. The vote was 53-44, seven short of the 60 votes required to overcome GOP procedural hurdles. The roll call came after senators voted 73-24 against... more »

• Louisiana 1st-time jobless claims decrease

  July 6, 2012 5:13 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in Louisiana for the week ending June 30 decreased from the previous week's total. State labor department figures released Friday show initial claims fell to 3,456 from the previous week's total of 3,633. The figure was lower than it was for... more »

• Local church helping area teens find jobs

  June 29, 2012 9:58 AM

  BATON ROUGE- With the help of a local church, area teens are finding summer jobs. Elm Grove Baptist Church is placing teens with businesses, and reimbursing them for their work. Coming up at 6 p.m., News 2's Adrian Pittman, shows you why the church is getting involved, and... more »

• Iberville School board approves 4 new jobs

  June 13, 2012 6:57 AM

  PLAQUEMINE - The Iberville Parish School Board decided to create four new positions that will give the district a supervisor of technology and three new program directors at its two Math, Science and Arts academies. The board was divided during Monday's meeting on whether or not to approve the proposal.... more »

• More than seven in 10 US teens jobless in summer

  June 12, 2012 12:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - Once a rite of passage to adulthood, summer jobs for teens are disappearing. Fewer than three in 10 American teenagers now hold jobs such as running cash registers, mowing lawns or busing restaurant tables from June to August. Employment for 16-to-19-year olds has fallen to the lowest level... more »

• 396,000 state jobs tied to port operations

  May 22, 2012 8:35 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A newly released economic impact study shows more than 396,000 Louisiana jobs are tied to the operation of the state's ports, which have grown in assets by almost $600 million in the last decade. The Times-Picayune reports the study makes the case that Louisiana's deepwater and shallow-water... more »

• Recent LSU and Southern grads find jobs in sought-after careers Play Video

  May 18, 2012 6:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Thousands of college students graduated today in Baton Rouge and will soon make the move into the workforce. Competition is tough with millions of people across the country still looking for work, but some grads already have jobs waiting for them. Southern University engineering major Fate... more »

• Iberville Head Start workers must reapply for jobs

  May 16, 2012 7:12 AM

  PLAQUEMINE- Employees of the parish's Head Start program may reapply for their positions at an upcoming job fair. The Head Start chief administrative officer, Edwards Songy, told parish councilmen Tuesday that the event, open only to current Head Start employees, will be held May 29-30 at Nottaway Plantation. Last month,... more »

• Company to bring more than 100 jobs to Jeanerette

  May 14, 2012 4:23 PM

  JEANERETTE - Jeanerette-based Metal Shark Boats LLC is bringing more jobs to the Acadiana area. Company executive Matthew Unger and Gov. Bobby Jindal said Monday that Metal Shark has agreed to make a $1.9 million capital investment that will allow it to complete a contract to build 500 response boat-small... more »

• Jobs tough to find for young adults with autism

  May 14, 2012 7:55 AM

  Young adults with autism often have trouble finding a job. Researchers say opportunities for them are limited. The study found 35 percent of young adults with autism have no paid job experience, or formal schooling nearly 7 years after graduating high school. Those figures compare with 26 percent of mentally... more »

• Expansion planned at Garyville plant

  May 10, 2012 2:14 PM

  GARYVILLE - A company that makes environmental services products at a plant in Garyville plans an $18.7 million expansion that will create 22 new jobs. Louisiana's Economic Development Department said Thursday that Nalco Company's new production facility will produce dry polymers that are used to remove contaminants from waste water.... more »

• Hiring outlook improves

  May 8, 2012 10:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - There's a new indication today that hiring could strengthen in the coming months, after slowing down during the spring. The government says U.S. companies in March posted the highest number of job openings in nearly four years. Still, more than 12.7 million people were unemployed in... more »

• College Seniors unsure of future as graduation approaches Play Video

  May 5, 2012 6:44 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Over the next few weeks thousands of college graduates all over the country will leave school. and enter the work force. But with one of the worst job markets in decades, competition is tough. A new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers says... more »

• Bills blocking former lawmakers from taking jobs rejected Play Video

  May 2, 2012 5:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A house committee killed two bills with one stone. The bills would have kept lawmakers from leaving the legislature and going straight into other state jobs. It has been a hot topic around the capitol for the past few months. Several former lawmakers were given appointments to... more »

• Secret service prostitute scandal

  April 20, 2012 4:00 PM

  WASHINGTON - A federal official familiar with the investigation into misconduct by Secret Service officers said at least three additional employees will lose their jobs. The official spoke on condition of anonymity and was not authorized to speak publicly before an official announcement perhaps later today. Eleven Secret Service employees... more »

• Livingston Parish lands new jobs Play Video

  April 19, 2012 5:56 PM

  ALBANY- Livingston Parish lands at least 40 new jobs with the introduction of Quality Iron of Louisiana, a company that manufactures and sells iron products. The company chose Livingston because of its location and people. "It's a great location, but it's on the far side of Livingston Parish,... more »

• Stocks tumble after jobs report

  April 9, 2012 6:09 PM

  NEW YORK - Investors have had a three-day weekend to brood over disappointing job growth in March. When they got back to work today and delivered their verdict, it wasn't good. Stocks closed sharply lower, sending the Dow and S&P 500 to only their second four-day losing streak this year.... more »

• Louisiana unemployment rate

  April 9, 2012 5:58 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana has registered a slight increase in the number of newly unemployed seeking jobless payments. The state Workforce Commission says there were 2,945 initial claims for the week ending March 31 - up from the previous week's 2,873. For the comparable week ending April 2, 2011, the... more »

• US unemployment claims hits 4 year low

  April 5, 2012 11:50 AM

  WASHINGTON - There's a promising sign ahead of tomorrow's report on March job growth. Weekly applications for jobless benefits fell last month by six thousand to a four year low. Economists believe employers added 210,000 jobs last month, though they think tomorrow's report will show the unemployment rate holding steady... more »

• Steel company relocating to Livingston Parish

  March 15, 2012 11:21 AM

  DENHAM SPRINGS- A steel manufacturer is relocating to Livingston Parish. Superior Steel Inc. purchased nearly 20 acres on the site of the former Vulcan Foundry/East Jordan Ironworks on Hatchell Lane in Denham Springs. The company plans to have the plant operational by September. The company currently employs 85 workers,... more »

• Bill aims to block former lawmakers from state jobs

  February 27, 2012 10:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Several former state lawmakers have recently received high-profile jobs within state government. State Representative Dee Richard, I-Thibodaux, says that process needs to end. Richard has prefiled a bill for the upcoming session forcing an ex-lawmaker to wait at least two years before taking a job in state... more »

• USPS jobs coming to Baton Rouge

  February 23, 2012 11:06 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The U.S. Postal Service wants to close its mail-sorting center in New Orleans and move the operation to Baton Rouge. The Postal Service also proposes that the sorting of outgoing mail that is currently performed in Lafayette be shifted to Baton Rouge. Postal Service spokesman McKinney Boyd says... more »

• GE to bring 300 software jobs to New Orleans

  February 17, 2012 11:43 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The finance arm of General Electric Co. says it will open an information technology center in New Orleans employing 300 people. GE spokesman Andrew Williams said Friday that the jobs with GE Capital will pay up to $100,000. He said all the positions will be new hires. The... more »

• House passes payroll tax cut, jobless benefit bill

  February 17, 2012 11:01 AM

  WASHINGTON- The GOP-controlled House has passed a bill renewing a payroll tax cut for 160 million workers and jobless benefits for millions more, backing the main items on President Barak Obama's jobs agenda in a rare burst of bipartisanship. The bill passed Friday, 293-132. The Senate is expected to quickly... more »

• Union Pacific expanding in south Louisiana

  February 14, 2012 1:35 PM

  Union Pacific is expanding its presence in South Louisiana. The railroad company says it will build a new support yard in St. James Parish, and build more track between Livonia and Addis. The expansion is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2012. Company officials say... more »

• Latest LSU health cuts to affect hundreds of jobs

  February 4, 2012 10:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The chief executive of LSU's hospital system says hundreds of system employees could lose their jobs as LSU moves to close a $29 million budget hole. LSU Health Care Services Division chief Roxane Townsend said 645 jobs will be affected with the planned closure of clinics and reductions... more »

• Obama to push for veterans jobs programs

  February 3, 2012 5:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - Emulating the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, the president Friday will unveil a new jobs program for the nation's veterans, designed to rebuild roads, levees and trails on public lands. To make the announcement, President Obama will travel across the Potomac to a fire station in Arlington,... more »

• White House announces summer jobs initiative

  January 5, 2012 6:07 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is looking to boost summer job prospects for youth. The White House says that with help from the private sector it's gotten commitments for nearly 180,000 youth employment opportunities for next summer and is aiming for tens of thousands more. Obama says that with... more »

• DHH slashing 69 positions

  December 21, 2011 7:36 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Several employees of the state health agency's information technology department will no longer have jobs next year. The state Department of Health and Hospitals announced the elimination of 69 positions Tuesday as part of a restructuring of the agency's IT operations. The employee layoff plan... more »

• Congress easily OKs bill for vets, contractors

  November 16, 2011 5:17 PM

  WASHINGTON - Congress has overwhelmingly approved a bill helping government contractors and unemployed veterans, finally giving President Barack Obama the chance to sign the first, tiny shred of his $447 billion jobs bill into law. The House consented to the popular legislation Wednesday 422-0 as Democrats and Republicans rallied... more »

• La. offers $214M package to save jobs

  October 18, 2011 2:11 PM

  WESTWEGO, La. - Louisiana officials are offering a $214 million incentive package to Huntington Ingalls Industries in an effort to keep 3,850 workers at a suburban New Orleans shipyard that's set to close in 2013. Gov. Bobby Jindal was flanked by Huntington Ingalls chief executive Mike Petters at the... more »

• La. initial jobless claims remain steady

  October 7, 2011 4:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment benefits remained steady last week in Louisiana. However, the Louisiana Workforce Commission said Friday the number of additional benefit weeks requested by those looking for work fell to its lowest level in 2011. There were 3,236 initial jobless claims for the... more »

• Steve Jobs dead at 56

  October 5, 2011 6:48 PM

  CUPERTINO, Calif. - Apple says the company's co-founder Steve Jobs has died. He was 56. In a brief statement the company said Jobs died Wednesday. He had been battling pancreatic cancer. "We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," said Apple's statement. "Steve's... more »

• Shrimp company to bring jobs to BR

  September 26, 2011 6:03 PM

  BATON ROUGE - In six weeks, 38 new jobs will be in place with the new Baton Rouge Shrimp Company. Baton Rouge Shrimp will process and distribute millions of pounds of shrimp throughout the country and internationally, Tommy Lusco, the company's owner, said. He's looking for sales, accounting,... more »

• New shrimp company announced for Baton Rouge

  September 26, 2011 10:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Mayor-President Kip Holden and members of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber announced the opening of a new company today that would process and market gulf-caught shrimp in the U. S. and abroad. Baton Rouge Shrimp would create 38 direct and 54 indirect jobs, and hopes to... more »

• Jobless claims rise in Louisiana

  September 23, 2011 10:37 AM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for jobless benefits jumped 9.6 percent last week in Louisiana. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says there were 3,567 initial unemployment filings for the week ending Sept. 17. That's up from the previous week's total of 3,256. For the comparable week ending Sept. 18,... more »

• Obama urges Congress to pass jobs bill

  September 12, 2011 11:14 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he's sending his jobs bill to Congress on Monday and lawmakers should pass it immediately with no games, politics or delays. The bill Obama unveiled in a speech to Congress last week aims to create thousands of jobs through a blend of tax... more »

• Job speech on minds in Baton Rouge

  September 8, 2011 5:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Just hours before President Obama's expected speech on jobs, folks in Baton Rouge weighed in on the issue. "I'm expecting to hear some good news, about unemployment, because I'm unemployed have been for over a year, but I'm a college student so right now I'm just focusing... more »

• Obama's goal: Getting jobs, putting GOP on spot

  September 8, 2011 2:27 AM

  WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama goes before a skeptical Congress today with an economic plan aimed at creating jobs urgently and forcing Republicans to own the problem with him. The underlying political strategy is that if Obama can't get his ideas passed heading into his re-election year, he at least hopes... more »

• Feds say workers return to Gulf oil and gas jobs

  September 5, 2011 2:10 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Federal officials say offshore oil and gas workers in the Gulf of Mexico are going back to platforms and rigs that had been evacuated because of Tropical Storm Lee. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement said Monday in a news release that 232... more »

• AP: Obama to give major jobs speech

  August 17, 2011 5:06 AM

  WASHINGTON- A senior administration official tells The Associated Press that President Barack Obama will give a major speech in early September to unveil new ideas for speeding up job growth and helping the struggling poor and middle class. The president's plan is likely to contain tax cuts, jobs-boosting infrastructure ideas... more »

• Startup company to create 43 jobs

  August 3, 2011 4:33 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - CAP Technologies, a metal coating company, said Wednesday that it will spend $8.1 million on a facility in Denham Springs, creating 43 jobs. The company developed its concept at the Louisiana Business and Technology Center in Baton Rouge. CAP has renovated and constructed a 50,000-square-foot headquarters... more »