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A biofuels company is considering building a $700 million renewable diesel refinery in Caldwell Parish, state and company officials said Friday.
A final investment decision is expected late next year. The plant might begin operating in 2025, and additional Louisiana refineries producing renewable diesel and aviation fuel are possible, officials said.
Kansas-based Strategic Biofuels and its subsidiary, Louisiana Green Fuels, said the plant, based on a 171-acre site at the Port of Columbia, would produce up to 32 million gallons of renewable fuel annually with wood waste as the feedstock.
Officials said Louisiana Green Fuels would make a capital investment of at least $700 million and employ 76 people with an average annual salary of more than $68,000 plus benefits. The median household income in Caldwell Parish is about $38,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Louisiana Economic Development estimated the project indirectly would spur the creation of 412 new jobs, for a total of almost 500 new jobs in Caldwell Parish and the surrounding region. During a 30-month building phase, the project would generate 450 construction jobs, LED said.
Strategic Biofuels has raised 85% of its early-stage financing from investors in north Louisiana, according to the company.
The company also will raise money for the project with a $200 million tax-free bond allocation issued through the Louisiana Community Development Authority.
Once the company has made a final investment decision, state officials likely would negotiate an incentive package with the project owners, according to the governor’s office.
“Louisiana Green Fuels is an example of how our state can merge traditional and emerging forms of energy in exciting ways to address climate change,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a prepared statement.
Edwards said the refinery’s diesel would be produced in a “carbon-negative fashion,” removing more carbon from the environment than the refinery produces.
The company has engaged Jena-based Justiss Oil to drill a test well to confirm the integrity of carbon sequestration below the site.

If you’re starting to think these elections are never going to end, that may be due to the fact that these elections never seem to end.
President Joe Biden claimed his seat last year, which in turn prompted the resignation of former Congressman Cedric Richmond, who is now working for the White House.
The special election to replace Richmond concluded this past weekend with voters siding with Congressman-elect Troy Carter, who, as a result, will soon resign from his state Senate seat, which will require another special election.
Now there are three sitting state representatives (Gary Carter of New Orleans, Mack Cormier of Belle Chasse and Rodney Lyons of Harvey) and one former state senator (David Heitmeier of Algiers) who are considering running in the special Senate election to replace Carter.
Should any three of the state representatives win, yet another special House election will need to be called this year by the legislative leadership.
Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin has increasingly expressed concern over the growing number of elections put before voters, but there’s only so much he can do when those races are connected to the Legislature.
“While it’s true that we seem to have several elections in Louisiana, it’s not the job of the secretary of state to call them,” said Ardoin. “We just conduct them in a fair, accurate and transparent manner.”
If you don’t believe elections beget elections in Louisiana, just look at the runoff ballot from this weekend — particularly the bottom of the ballot.
There were 13 parishes that hosted a few dozen parishwide propositions, mostly related to taxes. Like most election cycles, the vast majority of propositions passed, save four in Acadia, DeSoto, Jackson and West Carroll parishes.
In a surprise twist, a roads-related proposition in St. Helena Parish actually ended in a tie. According to Ardoin, that meant the proposition failed.
While that might be enough to trigger a recount in a candidate race, no one was quite sure as of Monday afternoon who exactly had standing to request a recount. What’s more likely to happen is St. Helena residents will get another chance in the future to vote on the same proposition.
Most everything else from the conclusion of the spring election cycle seemed familiar, or was somewhat predictable.
For example, there were close races: Rodney Geyen bested Priscilla Sam by 11 votes for a Lake Charles council seat, joining Mary Morris, who beat Dianna Ross by 26 votes for her seat there.
In Winn Parish, Frank McLaren became a juror-elect by 32 votes, over Jesse Cox.
Party affiliation, meanwhile, drove the action around Louisiana’s lone open seat on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
While party affiliation matters little in most BESE outcomes, the District 4 race in northwest Louisiana finally tipped the scale, with five elected Republicans on the board, two elected Democrats and three members appointed by the Democratic governor.
Michael Melerine became the sixth Republican this weekend, easily beating Democrat Cassie Williams.
Nearly all of the candidate races that were featured on this past weekend’s ballot were special elections, meaning they were unexpected.
That was the case in Metairie’s House District 82, where Rep.-elect Laurie Schlegel, who is expected to be sworn into office next week, overcame a bid from Eddie Connick, who belongs to a well-known political family in Jefferson Parish.
In local news, Mayor-elect Betty Alford-Olive is next in line in Bastrop.
She won with 60% of the vote, leaving the incumbent mayor in the primary and her opponent Clarence Hawkins in the runoff.
Again, if you already miss the action, you won’t have to wait long for another election story.
The special election to replace Congressman-elect Troy Carter will likely be called over the next couple of weeks, which could in turn prompt another special election depending on who wins.
Much like our weather in Louisiana, if you don’t like our elections, just wait a bit — a new front is always moving in, whether we want it to or not.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com orfollowAlford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been dating a married man for the last three years, and everything was great. We were attached at the hip and inseparable. I thought we had something special going.
His wife abandoned him and their two children for more than a year, and he didn’t know anything about raising kids, so I stepped in to help. It was great. They were just like my own. I was finally happy. I had the life I wanted. He even met with a lawyer to get a divorce.
Suddenly he announced he’s letting her come back because she has nowhere to go. I am devastated. Ever since her return, she has made his life a living hell. He tells everyone — including her — how miserable he is, and she does the same thing.
Why won’t he get a divorce? Should I wait for him? Did he ever really love me?
LOVING LADY IN TEXAS

DEAR LOVING LADY: There could be any number of reasons why he won’t divorce his wife.
He may feel that, miserable as he is, a divorce would be too expensive. Or he may be trying to keep the family together “for the sake of the kids.” Or he may even love her.
That she is making his life a “living hell” is a problem of his own making. Please, for the sake of your own mental health, quit making it yours. Did he ever really love you? I can’t answer that and neither can you. He certainly isn’t acting like someone who loves you.
Gather your strength and jump off the treadmill. It’s time to go on with your life.

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are going to be first-time parents in a few months, and this will be the first grandchild on both sides of the family (and the first baby in almost 18 years). We are excited to share this experience with them. However, I have some concerns about after the baby is born.
I already deal with anxiety, and I have strict “rules” that I would like to be followed. For example, no kissing my baby’s face, no posting photos on social media, etc.
How can I get my wishes across to my family without sounding like a control freak? I worry that they won’t respect them and say I’m overthinking everything. Any advice is appreciated.
FIRST-TIME PARENT IN NEW YORK

DEAR FIRST-TIME PARENT: Your life is in transition, and your concerns are understandable. Remember, YOU are the parent. If you prefer your baby not be smothered with kisses, you are within your rights to say so. However, as long as your relatives are not sick and wash their hands well before touching your newborn, there shouldn’t be a problem. After three months, your baby’s underdeveloped immune system should be stronger.
If you haven’t already discussed this with your pediatrician, schedule an appointment. Not only will you find it educational, it may put some of your fears to rest.
As to your little one’s image being posted online, every family has their own comfort level. Explain your concerns, and if the grands don’t cooperate, make them surrender their cellphones when they visit.
***
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

Louisiana’s mask mandate is being rolled back in response to statistics reflecting success in fighting the spread of COVID-19.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a Tuesday press conference that the 9-month-old mask mandate will be lifted with exceptions. Local officials and business owners will set their own mask policies. But masks will still be required:

—In state offices and businesses where the management decides masks are necessary.

—In K-12 schools.

—In colleges and universities.

—In health care facilities licensed by the Louisiana Department of Health.

—On public transportation.

Also, salons will be allowed to reopen waiting rooms.

Theaters and other indoor venues, include sports venues, will have a choice between a 75% occupancy limit with social distancing and no occupancy limit as long as masks are required.

Live music restrictions are being eased to allow audience members to within 10 feet of the stage.

Details will be available at opensafely.la. gov.

Edwards signed the new proclamation shortly before Tuesday’s 3:30 p.m. press conference. The new rules take effect Wednesday.

The mask mandate has been in force since mid-July, during the second of two COVID-19 surges in Louisiana.

Edwards encouraged people to continue to follow mask-wearing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It’s not an end to mask-wearing,” Edwards told reporters at the Capitol. “It’s a reflection of where we are with the pandemic.”

Where mask requirements remain in force, “I hope you will understand that,” Edwards said. “It’s the neighborly thing to do.”

The Office of Public Health was ready to announce a 2.8% weekly average positivity rate on COVID tests Wednesday, down from 3.5% the previous week, said State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter.

COVID-related hospitalizations were at 308 Tuesday, down from a peak of 2,035 during the most recent and most lethal coronavirus surge in January.

The latest figures say 26% of Louisiana’s adult population is fully vaccinated, including 67% of people 65 and over, the group hardest hit by COVID.

Efforts to reach minorities with vaccinations are lagging, Kanter said, but not by as much as in the rest of the country.

The number of new “breakthrough cases” of COVID-19 among people who have been vaccinated is at 367 in Louisiana. The number of breakthrough cases requiring hospitalization is at 21, or 0.002% of the vaccinated population.

“That’s an extraordinarily low number,” Kanter said.

“We’re doing much better overall,” Edwards said, “although we’re not where we want to be as far people who are vaccinated or starting their series.”

Next week’s expected allocation of vaccine from federal stocks is expected to be about the same as this weeks: a combined total of 119,730 first doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Locally, the OPH reported Tuesday:

—St. Mary has now had 3,622 confirmed COVID cases and another 1,021. The number of COVID-related deaths, confirmed and probable, is at 134.

—St. Martin has had 4,722 confirmed cases with 467 probable cases. The number of COVID deaths is at 116 confirmed and probable.

—1,572 confirmed COVID cases and 596 probable cases have been reported in Assumption. The death toll is at 36 confirmed and probable.