News For Wednesday 112112

By Dave Graichen

Hostess Brands Inc. will continue down the path to a full liquidation after a last-ditch mediation session with its striking bakers' union failed to save the baker. The company, which has already shuttered its plants and sent its workers home, will push ahead with its bid to embark on a shutdown that will leave about 18,500 people unemployed, 200 here In Central Louisiaia,  and its iconic brands either in the hands of new owners or gone forever. Hostess Chief Executive Gregory Rayburn confirmed the mediation hadn't resulted in a deal. The Irving, Texas-based company now plans to the US bankruptcy court for approval to proceed with a liquidation.

Louisiana's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest rate in over  three years. The October jobless rate was 6.6%; down from 7% in  September. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink  (I-sink) says the 30-day drop of four-tenths of a percent is remarkable.  The national unemployment rate, meanwhile, rose to 7.9-percent for  October. Eysink says Louisiana's economy and jobs market continues to  outperform the nation's.

More people are expected to travel for Thanksgiving this year. Louisiana  AAA's Don Redman says the number of folks traveling  this week is  expected to rise for the fourth straight year. Redman says just over 43-million Americans are anticipated to travel 50  or more miles for the holiday weekend. By the way, the number of Thanksgiving flyers is down this year, with  about 90-percent of folks choosing to drive.

This Thanksgiving Holiday Week-End  has  stated  off  deadly.  State Police  Trooper  Stephen  Hammons  reports there were fatal  traffic accidents in the Acadiana region Saturday,  Sunday  and  Monday.  He says  in  two of the cases, the death resulted from the victims  not wearing a seatbelt.

The state's second highest  elected  official  expressed interest in one  day  becoming  the  governor  of  Louisiana. Lt.  Governor  Jay Dardenne  announced his political aspirations  to  the  Baton  Rouge press club. Hurricane Katrina  hero. General Russell Honore has also reported he may run in 2015. Dardenne says it’s too early to start speculating who else may run.

Authorities   are  trying  to  track  down  the  person  or  persons responsible for  a  recent  rash  of dolphin killings along the Gulf Coast. Lisa Franzetta with the Animal  Legal  Defense  Fund  says at least  six dolphins have washed up along the gulf coast in the  past 11 months,  who have either been killed or mutilated in savage ways. Franzetta  says  she's  not  sure  who  is   responsible or why it's happening, but for now they can only speculate   fisherman  perceive dolphins as competition for fish. A $5000 reward is offered for information that leads to an arrest of the perpetrators.

Tonight's Powerball Jackpot has risen to an estimated $250 million  which could hit just in time for Black Friday shopping. Kimberly  Chopin with the Louisiana Lottery says this jackpot has an estimated cash option of $166.8 million. She says this is the fifth jackpot  that's gotten over $200 million dollars this year.