Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-01-24

Duration: 00:28:08

Subjects: Economy | OIL INDUSTRY | UNEMPLOYMENT | Agriculture | Banking Industry

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Nachman, Karen Reporter
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Drennan, Mark Interviewee
• Laborde, Raymond Interviewee
• Forster, Garey Interviewee
• Crain, Leo Interviewee
• Bares, Emmett Interviewee
• Bailey, William, Jr. Interviewee
• Steimel, Ed Interviewee
• Robinson, Oliver Interviewee
• Scott, Loren Interviewee
• Cohoon, Tom Interviewee
• Johnston, Gerry Interviewee
• Faulk, George Interviewee
• Gilmore, Allen Interviewee
• Ellington, Noble Interviewee
• Pickering, Kenneth Interviewee
• Huenefeld, Fred Interviewee
• Odom, Bob Interviewee
• Calhoun, J.W. Interviewee
• Allen, Bob Speaker
• Chandler, Hugh E. Interviewee
• Colvin, William Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from January 24, 1986, features a special report on Louisiana’s struggling economy. First, Ken Johnson reports on the impact of the drop in oil prices on Louisiana’s economy, including the implications for state revenue, the oil industry, and the state’s 11% unemployment rate. He interviews: Mark Drennan of the Legislative Fiscal Office; State Representative Raymond Laborde; State Representative Garey Forster; Leo Crain, the owner of an oil field construction company in Grand Chenier; Emmett Bares, a business owner in Erath; William Bailey, Jr. of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association; Ed Steimel of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI); Oliver Robinson of the Louisiana Department of Labor; and Dr. Loren Scott, an economics professor at LSU. Next, Karen Nachman reports on the impact of unemployment on the family of Tom Cohoon, an unemployed carpenter. Lastly, Laura Myers reports on the economic woes facing small towns in north Louisiana. Her report touches on: the difficulties facing farmers; bank closures; the loss of 900 jobs at AT&T in Shreveport; and the importance of the Tifton Aluminum plant in Delhi and the timber industry in Bernice. She interviews: Gerry Johnston, cotton broker; George Faulk, farmer; Allen Gilmore, farmer; Noble Ellington, cotton broker; Louisiana Commissioner of Financial Institutions Kenneth Pickering; Fred Huenefeld, bankruptcy trustee in Monroe; Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Bob Odom; J.W. Calhoun, a farmer in Concordia Parish; Hugh E. Chandler of Tifton Aluminum; and William Calvin of Chips of Louisiana, Inc.