Beyond Bossier
New Orleans krewe ditches beads for next year's celebration and will throw things more "sustainable."
Move to Louisiana, and your car insurance doubles. Home insurance triples.
It's Leap Day
You've been given an entire extra day in the year. Today is Leap Day, also called Leap Year Day. So, 2024 is 366 days long.
Let's go to the charts. As you can see from the three-dimensional digital graphic projected onto your Apply Vision Pro ski glasses-looking thing, the Earth takes slightly longer than 365 days to orbit the Sun. So, to keep our calendar aligned with the seasons, we need to add an extra day every few years.
Let's dig deeper. Why? Because we've got pixels to burn.
Not every year that is divisible by four is a leap year. Years divisible by 100 but not by 400 are not leap years. For example, 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was.
Still with me? Here's even more.
People born on February 29th are called leaplings or leapers. They only have an official birthday every four years, though they may celebrate on February 28th in non-leap years. Permission granted.
Leap Day has some unique customs and traditions worldwide, including holding leap year weddings, proposing to women, and leaplings having the "right" to demand an extra gift or service.
That is all. You've been given an extra day. Make use of it.
EXCLUSIVE REPORT: The Bossier economy is declining. Here's why.
The powerful engine of the Bossier economy sputtered again in the last quarter of 2023, according to a quarterly report published by the Greater Bossier Economic Development Foundation highlighting the economic indicators of the area.
Quarter-over-quarter, from 2022 to 2023, retail sales were down in the City (-8.66%) and Parish (-2.6%) in the fourth quarter of 2023.
And sales tax revenue continues to sag into 2024. But it's not a temporary glitch, one economic developer believes. It's a new reality.
Rocky Rockett, executive director of the GBEDF for over 19 years, has seen enough economic cycles in our area to know a trend when he sees one. Rockett tells BossierNow that he thinks a combination of market changes, inflation, and more retail closures "are catching up" to the Bossier area economy.
"There have been and continue to be changes in the retail environment nationally and locally. We are feeling the crunch in many ways as it has filtered down to our community," Rockett says.
"Closures of stores have affected income in the sales tax bracket along with other factors. We see closures in all aspects of retail, including shopping and service industries. I am sure many of your readers have noted the closures of restaurants, some of whom are long-standing partners in our community."
And there are plenty of catalysts, he adds. Shopkeepers and restaurateurs have been and continue to be hit with rising costs of wholesale items that are passed down to the consumer, which in an atmosphere of inflation doesn't lend itself easily to discretionary spending.
"It costs a lot more to take the family out for dinner in 2024 than it did in 2020, post COVID even. I have personally had conversations with local owners who say this is a strong factor in their decision-making process on whether to continue operations — some saying it's like throwing good money after bad."
"We have also witnessed the decision by many long-standing retail and restaurants to retire," he adds. Post-COVID, many business owners with nobody to pass or sell a business to don't see a clear path to continue the business and often decide to "call it a day."
The 3% factor
"The other major factor involved is employees. I hear constantly from employers that 'nobody wants to work'. This is having a devastating effect on all corners of the market. Why is this? The unemployment rate in this area hovers in the 3% range and has for some time. Flipping that around, that means 97% +/- of our market are employed."
Rockett says that 3% represents a niche population that has typically struggled with committing to a job, with availability, medical issues or addiction factoring into the ability to perform.
I hear constantly from employers that 'nobody wants to work'
"I no longer talk about minimum wage in this market. If you are capable and have a track record of working and performing, your rate is considerably above what was the minimum wage in this market, as you are in demand," he adds.
He believes another factor is a generational transition of the economy.
"We have benefitted greatly from the Baby Boomer population — the industries and services that were necessary to sustain that large number. As we grow older, the Boomers are retiring, and the next generations (Gen X, Y, Millennial and Gen Z) are smaller, yet expect to have the same services without the cost increases to make up for the Boomer number losses."
A new solution: recruiting a nonlocal workforce
But Rockett sees a solution. And it's one that many people may find hard to accept.
"There are discussions being had regarding filling the open slots in our market that I truly hope can change the market. For the first time in my career, we are discussing among many of our partners at Chambers and Eco Dev Organizations about recruiting and beginning in-migration efforts for the workforce."
If there isn't enough local workforce willing or able to work, recruit them to move to Bossier City and Bossier Parish to live and work.
"We cannot be shy of telling our story in other parts of the USA on what the area offers and how they can enjoy a full career and livelihood," Rockett says. "Naysayers will say to me when I mention this that we need to have our people work; I can't agree more, so what's stopping them?"
Engine fire causes B-52 to make an emergency landing
A B-52 based out of Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, made an emergency landing early last Friday morning. The Air Force confirmed the incident Tuesday. The B-52H Stratofortress bomber suffered a single-engine fire.
No injuries were reported among the airmen, and Minot firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
Col. Daniel Hoadley, Commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot, expressed gratitude for the safe return of all personnel and commended the rapid response of the base firefighters.
An investigation into the incident is underway, with further details regarding the extent of the aircraft's damage yet to be disclosed.
The B-52H Stratofortress, a cornerstone of the strategic bomber fleet, has been in service since 1961. Equipped with eight jet engines, each aircraft is crewed by five Airmen: two pilots, two weapon systems operators, and an electronic warfare officer.
There are 76 B-52s in the Air Force's fleet, based at Minot and here in Bossier City at Barksdale Air Force Base.
Bossier City free time calendar
Live music, and notable events for your consideration.
March 2: Blake Shelton at the BGA.
March 2: Ward Davis, country singer/songwriter, returns to Louisiana Grandstand
March 8: Whisky Myers at the BGA.
March 16: The Wilder Blue brings their harmonious collective sound to Louisiana Grandstand.
March 17: Winter Jam at the BGA.
March 22: Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top at the BGA.
March 22: Jason Boland returns with his full band, Delectric Tour, to Louisiana Grandstand.
March 23: Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart brings his world-class band, The Fabulous Superlatives, to Louisiana Grandstand.
March 24: The Love Hard Tour: Keyshia Cole, Trey Songz & Jaheim at the BGA.
April 12: Shreveport Blues Festival: Tucka, King George & Pokey Bear at the BGA.
April 15: The Harlem Globetrotters at the BGA.
April 20: Hank Williams Jr. at the BGA.
May 17: Marc Broussard and his father, Ted, return to the Louisiana Grandstand. Last year, they packed the house and had an unforgettable show. They'll bring another instrumentalist or two with them this year for an even bigger show.
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