In progress: Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is overseeing 109 projects across various stages of development, according to an end-of-year review presented earlier this week. There are 11 marsh creation projects currently under construction and 24 in the design phase. In addition, six shoreline protection projects are in construction. Read the full story from The Center Square.
Too steep?: As departments across East Baton Rouge Parish face budget cuts, some are facing starker cuts than others. Judges with the Office of Juvenile Justice are saying the proposed cut for next year is too steep. Currently, the juvenile court is slated for a 5% budget cut in next year’s budget, which equates to more than $92,000. Read more from WAFB-TV.
Hiking interest rates: Dozens of the largest U.S. retailers and their bank partners jacked up interest rates on their store-branded cards to record highs in the months before the Federal Reserve began cutting rates, as the companies looked to pad profits during a stretch of sluggish sales. At least 50 companies—including Big Lots, Gap, Petco, Burlington, Macy’s and TJX Companies—increased the APRs on their credit cards between September 2023 and September 2024. Read more from CNBC.
