Louisiana Economic Development and Entergy Louisiana Economic Development today announced the launch of the Site Selection Center. The Web-based, easy-to-use and comprehensive database, found at LouisianaSiteSelection.com/LED or OpportunityLouisiana.com/Sites, is designed to assist businesses looking for new locations or opportunities to expand their operations.

"With more than 400 available properties listed, the Site Selection Center will significantly improve Louisiana's business recruitment capabilities," said LED Secretary Stephen Moret. "We are launching a state-of-the-art resource that makes Louisiana more competitive and makes it easier to attract investment in communities throughout our state."

Combining detailed demographic and business data with Geographic Information System mapping technology, the Site Selection Center allows business executives, site selection consultants and engineers to zoom in on high-resolution aerial photographs of potential business and industry sites in Louisiana. The site provides comprehensive details, such as state incentives to locate or expand operations; rail, water and highway access transportation routes; community profiles and demographics; and information on surrounding businesses that could provide needed support and supplies.

Real estate companies, communities and economic development organizations now have a powerful tool to help promote Louisiana's commercial and industrial properties worldwide.

The Site Selection Center was developed by Entergy and offered to state and local economic development organizations without charge in a public-private partnership to promote the state.

"We are very pleased to offer this technology to support economic development in the state," said Renae Conley, president and CEO of Entergy's Louisiana companies. "We and Louisiana Economic Development share the same goals - to bring new jobs, growth and prosperity to the communities in which we live and work."

"We wanted to develop a tool that made the enormous potential that Louisiana has visible on a local, national and global level," said Shelley MacNary, director of Entergy's economic development initiatives for its two Louisiana utilities. "The site provides the information that businesses and site developers look for when they are planning to locate or expand operations. It positions Louisiana as a serious contender for new business and economic opportunities, and we are excited to be part of its development."

To combine the detailed data with map imagery, Entergy worked with Microsoft Virtual Earth to use its integrated platform, giving chief executive officers and site selection consultants a bird's-eye view of locations across the state.

"With just a few clicks of the mouse, they can easily find the imagery they're looking for right there on the computer screen," said Chris Sampson, director of Virtual Earth Sales and Operations at Microsoft Corp. "Combined with the high-quality demographic and business data, they have all of the resources they need to make the best decisions for their companies."

In addition to the data and imagery, Entergy has made it possible for organizations to customize their appearance, which allows economic developers to tailor the look of the site.

"Having this level of information instantly available to companies considering expansion or relocation to the Bayou Region immediately distinguishes our region from other possible business destinations," said Vic Lafont, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Economic Council.

Tana Trichel, president and CEO of Northeast Louisiana Economic Alliance, agrees. "We are privileged to have this technology that moves us closer to our goal of competing at any level, in any market and in any country," said Trichel.

Other local and regional Louisiana organizations also using the Site Selection Center to promote areas of the state include Bayou Region, Ascension Economic Development Corporation, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Port of Lake Charles and Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance.

For additional details on the new Site Selection Center technology, view the fact sheet here. The database is also available at LouisianaSiteSelection.com/LED.

LSUHC 

For the first time, an international group of researchers has found genetic evidence linking schizophrenia to a specific region of DNA  – on chromosome 6. This is the same area where key genes for immune function are located. The LSUHSC research team was led by Nancy Buccola, APRN, PMH CNS-BC, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, who also coordinated the ten clinical sites. The work, Common variants on chromosome 6p22.1 are associated with schizophrenia, along with two related papers, is published in the July 1, 2009 issue of the journal Nature.

Insurance Commissioner

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon will address the Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge, Inc. (Downtown) tomorrow, July 9, at noon.  The meeting will be held at the Woman's Club located at 259 East Boulevard in Baton Rouge.

Commissioner Donelon will discuss insurance measures passed in the recently concluded legislative session and other current insurance issues impacting the state.

Thursday, July 9, 2009, United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La., will lead a Committee roundtable in Washington DC, entitled “Healthcare Reform: The Concerns and Priorities from the Perspective of Small Businesses.” The roundtable will provide an opportunity to gain insight from small business owners and key groups on their ideas for healthcare reform and ways to help small businesses cope with their healthcare challenges

Tobacco Free Living

Rosalind Stewart has been named Director of The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL).

Stewart is a Certified Health Education Specialist with more than 10 years of local, statewide and national public health experience in the areas of reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and tobacco prevention and control.  For the past three years she served as Associate Director for TFL, which is an affiliated program of the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI). 

In addition to her tobacco prevention and control experience, Stewart has managed a women’s health clinic and served as an HIV Outreach Coordinator.  From 2001 to 2005, she worked with health departments around the country as a CDC-funded Capacity Building Assistance Provider for Mississippi Urban Research Center’s African-American Prevention Intervention Network located at Jackson State University.

Stewart is a member of the Advisory Board for the Louisiana Community AIDS Partnership and has been involved with several HIV Community Planning Groups. She holds a Master of Arts in Health Studies from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living is a statewide tobacco control program funded by a state excise tax on tobacco passed in 2002. In her new position, Stewart will be responsible for leading this program and overseeing its mission to implement and evaluate comprehensive tobacco control initiatives that prevent and reduce tobacco use and exposure to second hand smoke.

Building Green

The ARRA provides tremendous opportunity for all of us to save money if we weatherize our homes. But how much will it cost the average family and what exactly do we have to do to reap the rewards? Green building efficiency expert Charlie Szoradi and his team have spent the last several months reading and deciphering the 400 page legislation. They have distilled it down to 11 pages of easy to read information so homeowners can focus on next steps instead of wading through the official language of the ARRA. GREENandSAVE is now offering this Federal Tax Incentive Decoder for free. This resource does not cost a dime and can be downloaded at: http://www.greenandsave.com/homecheckup/free_federal_tax_incentive_decoder

Agriculture

The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved its 2010 agriculture investment legislation, which contains more than $14.5 in funding for Louisiana projects requested by United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La. The total includes about $6.4 million for critical research projects conducted at Louisiana universities.

“Farming and agriculture research are integral parts of Louisiana’s economy and projects supported by this bill will help ensure that this industry continues to grow,” Sen. Landrieu. “The advancements made by the LSU Ag Center and other universities in Louisiana are valuable contributions to farmers in our state and around the nation.”

At Sen. Landrieu’s request the Committee directed $4.84 million to be split between the LSU Ag Center and universities in eight other states, for their wood utilization project. This funding would allow the program to address the development of decay resistant and environmentally benign wood preservatives; durable wood-based composites and engineered wood products; and environmentally-friendly and economically feasible methods of recycling decommissioned preservative-treated wood.  Sen. Landrieu also secured an additional $3.5 million to study ways to mitigate the Formosan Termite infestation. This insect has caused millions of dollars worth of damage including over $300 million in New Orleans alone. The management of this termite is essential to Louisiana’s economic well-being. 

Other Landrieu requests for the Louisiana universities include:

·         $500,000 to McNeese State University for the Chenier Plain Sustainability Initiative. This funding helps the monitoring and research of environmental issues and concepts related to wetlands restoration/remediation, with primary emphasis on the Chenier Plain through the implementation of Louisiana's Comprehensive Master Plan. The numerous benefits of this investment include storm protection, protection of oil and gas networks, protection of transportation networks including the Port of Lake Charles, improved water quality, sustainable fisheries and the protection of coastal communities and infrastructure.

·         $200,000 to LSU Ag Center to study biological approaches to wetlands restoration. This program combines the expertise of LSU AgCenter plant breeders, ecologists and other plant scientists to develop strategies for genetic improvement and preservation of remaining marshes. This project will allow the establishment of critically important wetland plant species on coastal wetlands.

·         $1,750,000 to Tulane University/Xavier University for the project “Phytoestrogens: Nature's Products for Health & Economic Development.” This project researches new effects of natural dietary elements on health and disease in humans.

·         $200,000 to LSU Ag Center for tillage and silviculture research. This special grant addresses the need for alternatives to traditional tillage in southwest Louisiana rice production to improve floodwater quality, reduce soil erosion, and reduce production costs, a critical environmental concern in Louisiana. 

·         $150,000 to the LSU Ag Center for aquaculture studies. Specifically, funds will be used to enhance crawfish harvesting efficiency, to protect cultured aquatic species from disease, and to develop new value-added aquaculture food products and waste by-products. The total farm-gate value of aquaculture production in 2007 exceeded $281.6 million. 

• $94,000 to LSU Ag Center for blackbird control. Funds will be used to research methods of mitigating crop losses due to black bird infestations. Yield losses due to blackbird depredation have been estimated to vary from 77 million pounds in 1995 to slightly over 93 million pounds in 2002. Economic losses associated with blackbird damage have been estimated to average $9.3 million annually from 1995 to 2002.

At Sen. Landrieu request, the Committee also funded the following Louisiana projects:

·         $2 million to American Sugar Cane League for the ARS Sugarcane Research Laboratory. This investment will expand a small "green" research program for the development of high-fiber/energy sugarcane varieties; identify the cultural, disease, insect, and weed control programs necessary to optimize yields and explore and integrate feedstocks. The development of energy varieties of sugarcane can be a key component of an effort to decrease our nation's reliance on foreign oil supplies. USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Houma, Louisiana are increasing this biomass yield sugarcane even further. 

·         $623,000 to Pennington Biomedical Research Center of East Baton Rouge Parish to fund ongoing research addressing the epidemic of obesity in the U.S. and the world. 

·         $526,000 to Pennington Biomedical Research Center for human nutrition research. These funds will cover two continuing research studies – one a school-based intervention program and the other a 10-year longitudinal study.   

• $69,000 to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for West Nile Virus Disease research. This investment will provide research into infectious diseases and parasites that cause significant mortality of farmed alligators or destroy the value of the products such as meat and leather.

In addition to securing funding for critical local projects, Sen. Landrieu successfully urged the Committee to include bill language to support a variety of other Louisiana initiatives. At Sen. Landrieu’s request, the Committee recommended that the Rural Water Program give special consideration to the Town of Ferriday. This investment would allow the community to once again provide clean, drinkable water to its residents, who have been under a boil order since May 2009. 

The bill includes the Landrieu-requested language that ensures the National Finance Center will remain in New Orleans. The National Finance Center provides approximately 1,200 jobs for the area and is essential to the health of the local New Orleans economy. 

The Committee also included Landrieu language to renovate the fire station in the Town of Haynesville. This investment will make possible improvements to the existing fire station by adding three new truck bays and renovating the existing building to allow all fire engines and equipment to be housed in one facility. 

At Senator Landrieu’s request, the bill provides $500,000 for the Horse Protection Act. Enacted in 1970, this legislation gives the USDA the authority to penalize individuals who practice soring on horses —the intentional infliction of pain to the hooves and legs of a horse to producing exaggerated gait.  Unfortunately, the Act has been woefully underfunded and the USDA does not have the necessary tools to adequately protect horses from this type of abuse. 

(Landrieu Press Release)

Mental health and Addictive Disorders

Gov. Bobby Jindal today signed into law HB 837, which will improve and strengthen the planning and delivery system for mental health and addictive disorder services.  House Bill 837 creates the Office of Behavioral Health within the Department of Health and Hospitals by merging two existing offices, the Office for Addictive Disorders and the Office of Mental Health.

“I applaud the legislature for their focus on streamlining state agencies - not just for the sake of smaller government, but for the purpose of making government services more responsive to the needs of the people we serve,” said DHH Secretary Alan Levine.  “The goal behind this bill is to better integrate planning and help us implement best practices in the delivery of these critical services."

“This bill is the end result of a lot of hard work by so many different people who feel passionately about the people they serve and represent,” said Rep. Fred Mills (D-Parks), the author of the bill. Mills personally met with stakeholders and representatives of the Department on numerous occasions to address various concerns and gather input for this bill. “We still have a lot of work ahead of us to successfully merge these two program offices, but I am confident that the end result will be improved access to appropriate mental health and addictive disorder services for the people of this state.”

The bill consolidates the administrative and planning functions of the two separate offices, while maintaining the expertise and role of the addictive disorder and mental illness practitioners.  It also preserves how professionals are credentialed and licensed to treat addictive disorders or mental illnesses.

A 12-member advisory committee will be formed to recommend a structure for consolidation, mission and vision, performance measures and expected outcomes, strategy to maximize funding, strategy to coordinate with local districts, and strategy for workforce development.  The Office of Behavioral Health is scheduled to be implemented in July 2010.  This implementation is dependent upon the Joint Health and Welfare Committee’s approval of the advisory committee’s final plan for implementation. The committee will disband after DHH delivers a final status report on the merger in 2011.

Office for Addictive Disorders Assistant Secretary Mike Duffy said, “The implementation advisory group will produce an administrative structure that will better serve those individuals, families and communities who suffer from addiction, mental illness and co-occurring disorders."

One of every eight teenagers with a mental illness has a co-occurring addictive disorder, with less than 60 percent diagnosed and treated appropriately.  Fifty to 75 percent of people with a mental illness or an addictive disorder have a co-occurring disorder.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov ..

(DHH Press release)

Louisiana Workforce Stats

The following are the stats for the workforce during the last quarter.  

Intermedia

Intermedia today announced that it hosts over 200,000 premium Microsoft Exchange mailboxes, a sign of growing optimism among the company’s customer base of 11,000 small and medium-sized businesses. The 200,000+ total puts Intermedia ahead of any other Exchange hosting provider. Intermedia hosts more than 400,000 mailboxes overall. The premium mailboxes use Microsoft’s full MAPI license, which includes a downloadable copy of Microsoft Outlook, the power to share calendars, and other features essential to business users.

Cyber attackers target South Korea and US

G-8 Leaders Spar Over Stimulus, Leave 'Exit Strategies' Open

IMF Predicts Stronger 2010 Global Rebound After 2009 Economic

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