Biz New Orleans - January 2015

NEW ORLEANS – Uber, the $41 billion transportation company that says they seamlessly connect riders to drivers through their Apps, mass emailed New Orleanians today with an update about their service in the Crescent City:            We wanted to…

NEW YORK (AP) — Major U.S. stock indexes moved lower in afternoon trading Friday, on track for their third down day this week. New government data showing a slowdown in U.S. economic growth helped pull stocks mostly lower. Investors also…

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In three months it will no longer be legal to smoke in bars and while gambling in the Big Easy.          On Friday, Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed into law a new ordinance doing away with smoking…

NEW ORLEANS – Charlotte Bourgeois has been honored with the Louisiana Housing Alliance’s (LHA) first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented today in recognition of Bourgeois’ dedication to creating affordable housing for all Louisianans over the course of…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke says he may run for Congress against the No. 3 House Republican, Steve Scalise of Louisiana.          Scalise recently apologized for a speech he gave in 2002 to a white…

JACKSON, MS (AP) — Low oil prices mean the driller that has been the most bullish on an oil region that straddles the Louisiana-Mississippi line is cutting back.          Goodrich Petroleum Corp., based in Houston, said Friday that it will…

BATON ROUGE (AP) — A member of Louisiana's top school board says she and three other panel members want a special meeting to discuss upcoming Common Core tests, including students who skip the exams.          The Advocate’s Will Sentell reports…

THIBODAUX, LA (AP) — The Larose floodwall project is moving closer to the start of construction.          Sandy Guidry, a project engineer with Angelette-Picciola design firm, tells The Courier’s Meredith Burns her company is finalizing the design package now and…

LAFAYETTE, LA (AP) — The Lafayette City-Parish Council could decide before the summer whether to ban smoking in bars.          Council Chairman Kenneth Boudreaux said Wednesday he plans to bring a proposed ban to the full council within 90 days.…

SHREVEPORT, LA (AP) — Work to give the Jimmie Davis Bridge a $23 million makeover won't start until at least the spring — much later than planned.          The Times’ Alexandria Burris reports the bridge originally was slated to close…

GRAND ISLE, LA (AP) — Nearly two dozen turtles that were stranded by cold weather last year in Massachusetts have successfully undergone rehab and have been returned to waters off Louisiana's coast.          More than 1,200 young, "cold-stunned" Kemp's ridley…

NEW YORK (AP) — Investors seem to be craving burgers and crinkle-cut fries.          Shares of Shake Shack Inc., a burger chain that started as a New York City hot dog cart, more than doubled in their stock market debut…

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Associated Press Louisiana Daybook for Friday, Jan. 30.   BLACK CAUCUS – RETREAT — The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus concludes its annual legislative policy retreat. Lake Charles.   LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE — Mission Possible Leadership Conference will…

NEW ORLEANS – GNO, Inc. announces 2 events scheduled for March 2015.          GNO, Inc.’s Annual Patron Celebration take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2015, from 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Dickie Brennan’s Tableau, 616 St. Peter St., New…

NEW ORLEANS – Peter Trahon, Ernst & Young Executive Director of Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services, will be the guest speaker for the Association for Corporate Growth, Louisiana’s luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, at the Roosevelt Hotel’s Blue Room,…

NEW ORLEANS – Approximately 400 middle and high school students from Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes will display the results of their scientific inquiry at the 59th Annual Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair (GNOSEF), Feb. 24…

NEW ORLEANS – Seven local New Orleans recipients, chosen from thousands of kids throughout the U.S. as part of the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation’s Give Music initiative, will receive more than $8,000 in new instruments on stage at…

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has pushed back to mid-February the release of its proposal to close a $103 million budget deficit.          Jindal administration spokeswoman Meghan Parrish said Thursday that the proposal to rebalance this year's…

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers on both sides of a same-sex marriage case urged Louisiana's Supreme Court on Thursday to rule soon on the matter even though the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to do so by late June.         …

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday approved a bipartisan bill to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline, defying a presidential veto threat and setting up the first of many battles with the White House over energy and the…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring an end to "mindless austerity," President Barack Obama called for a surge in government spending Thursday, and asked Congress to throw out the sweeping budget cuts both parties agreed to four years ago when deficits were…

HOUMA, LA (AP) — Film crews are once again scouring the bayous of rural southeast Louisiana in search of talented unknown children to fill lead and supporting roles in an upcoming movie.          The Courier’s Chris Leblanc reports Court 13,…

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Norwegian maritime tech company Kongsberg Maritime Inc. has bought 5.2 acres in St. Rose to expand its Louisiana office and training center in the business park where it currently leases offices.          Since the service department…

NEW ORLEANS – The City of New Orleans has issued a reminder that Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, is the payment deadline for 2015 property taxes.      Residents can pay their property taxes online or by mail on or before Saturday,…

NEW ORLEANS – The Lusher Charter School has received Louisiana’s highest award from the National Council of Teachers of English for its 2014 Literary Magazine, Street.          The award recognizes excellence in student literary magazines.          Participants in Lusher’s Creative…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dropping oil prices aren't slowing a push from U.S. producers to ship their crude oil overseas and change a decades-long ban on exports.          The cost incentive may not be obvious, with oil prices are as low…