LSU gets $1 million for digital innovation

LSU's Center for Digital Innovation is set to receive $1 million in federal funds, which will be used to add jobs and expand Electronic Arts' local operations. U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu announced the appropriation, which was part of an omnibus bill signed by President Barack Obama last week.

 

A Landrieu aide says the appropriation was added at the request of LSU, which wanted the money to expand its curriculum and provide new training. The money will lead to some more jobs, but a deal between LSU and EA, "is not yet cooked,” the staffer says. EA, which opened a video game testing facility at LSU last year, has said it is looking at moving some jobs to Baton Rouge in order to take advantage of the low costs. Last week, it was reported that EA is looking at moving a development center from California to several Southern states, including Louisiana. The center could employ up to 300 people.

Excerpt taken from the Baton Rouge Business Report

Senator Landrieu Promotes Rural Broadband Internet Access

Senator Mary Landrieu spoke at the Lincoln Parish Library in Ruston, Louisiana on Monday April 13, 2008. She sought to encourage smaller communities in Louisiana to make applications for grants for funding installation of rural broadband Internet access pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Senator Landrieu and the Obama administration are concerned with closing the "digital divide" which has resulted in urban and high income areas having accesss to broadband Internet and rural and low income areas lacking such access.

According to Landrieu, the federal stimulus plan will provide approximately $3 billion for creating increased rural and low income broadband internet access.

For more on this story see the news article in the Ruston Daily Leader on Tuesday April 14, 2009 by Laura Bond entitled, Landrieu Lauds Broadband.

Erich P. Rapp.