The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission approved or closed 16 loans last year, helping projects with a combined value of $7.6 million, according to the agency's 2012 annual report
- The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission approved or closed 16 loans last year, helping projects with a combined value of $7.6 million, according to the agency's 2012 annual report. JEDCO also helped local businesses enroll in state tax incentive programs for projects that will create 902 new jobs and retain 2,843 jobs, according to the report. The agency posted a flip-page version and a PDF version of the report on its Web site.
- The parish is holding open houses at two drainage pump stations in Harvey and Metairie, to show off safe rooms built to let operators run the stations during hurricanes. The open houses are to take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Cousins pump station, 2466 Destrehan Ave., Harvey, and the Suburban Canal pump station, 4800 Lake Villa Drive, Metairie. The parish built 13 safe rooms after Hurricane Katrina. Then-Parish President Aaron Broussard's administration ordered the evacuation of pump operators during the storm, citing personnel safety, but the idle pumps allowed tens of thousands of homes and businesses to flood. A class-action suit brought by property owners is set for trial next January.