Consumer research shows shoppers now demand 40-50% markdowns to motivate holiday purchases

By Journal Services Staff Writer

A 15% discount won’t motivate most Black Friday shoppers anymore, according to multiple consumer research studies analyzing 2024 holiday shopping behavior.

Roughly 38% of shoppers say they will only purchase items marked down by at least 50%, according to a Deloitte holiday shopping survey reported by CNBC. The finding represents a significant shift in consumer expectations during the critical holiday shopping period.

The threshold for driving physical store traffic appears even higher. Stores offering minimum 40% discounts successfully attracted customers to brick-and-mortar locations on Black Friday, while retailers promoting only 30% markdowns experienced noticeably lower foot traffic, according to analysis by retail consulting firm Kearney reported by The Associated Press.

Adobe Analytics, which tracks online retail transactions, reported peak Black Friday 2024 discounts ranging from 19.5% to 27.8% across major product categories including toys, electronics, televisions, apparel, computers and sporting goods, according to data published by Retail Dive. Toys saw the deepest discounts at 27.8% off list prices, while sporting goods discounts reached 19.5%.

More than 60% of shoppers began searching for Black Friday deals in October or early November, according to a Boston Consulting Group survey of more than 10,000 consumers across nine countries, as reported by Chain Store Age.

Additionally, more than 90% of U.S. Black Friday shoppers planned to search for deals before making purchases, the BCG study found.

WalletHub’s 2024 analysis of Black Friday pricing found that 41% of items marketed as Black Friday deals carried identical pricing to other times of year, while 26% were priced higher than previous non-promotional periods, according to Newsweek’s coverage of the research.

Online Black Friday sales reached $10.8 billion in 2024, a 10.2% increase over 2023, according to Adobe Analytics data reported by NPR.

However, consumers planned to spend an average of $622 during the Thanksgiving weekend shopping period, down 4% from the previous year, Deloitte research showed, as reported by CNBC.

The research indicates that discounts of 30% to 40% represent the minimum threshold for driving traffic during the Black Friday shopping period, with the most successful promotions offering 50% or higher markdowns.

The shift reflects multiple factors including inflation concerns, increased price comparison behavior, and greater consumer skepticism about promotional claims, according to the various research studies.

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By Richard Searles, Special to the Journal

Americans expect speed. From delivery apps to streaming platforms, convenience has become the default. Increasingly, this culture of instant gratification is shaping how citizens view the government and the economy. The urgent demands of “We want it now” and “Fix it now” are colliding with two systems… democracy and capitalism — that were never designed for immediacy.

Democracy Was Built for Process

American democracy is intentionally slow. Debate, compromise, review, and public engagement are the foundation… not the flaw. But to a population accustomed to tapping a screen for instant results, deliberation looks like dysfunction.

The consequences are becoming visible:

• Executive orders replace negotiation
• Policy swings sharply between administrations
• Trust in institutions declines
• Polarization intensifies as voters demand immediate wins over gradual progress

A democracy governed by urgency risks both overreach and gridlock… sometimes simultaneously.

Capitalism’s Shift Toward Short-Term Gains

U.S. capitalism has long rewarded innovation and long-term investment. Yet impatience now drives business strategy. Companies face massive pressure to show instant returns, often at the expense of future growth and workforce stability.

This shift produces:

• Shorter product lifecycles… more churn, more waste
• Employer reliance on contract and automation over career growth
• Volatile consumer spending fueled by debt and impulse

When quarterly profits matter more than long-term planning, economic resilience weakens.

Technology Accelerates Expectations

Social media influences markets and policy before thoughtful debate begins. Viral anger forces leaders and corporations into reaction mode… prioritizing speed over accuracy.

As one local CEO recently summarized in a private conversation:
“If you can’t fix it in a quarter, people assume you can’t fix it at all.”

Why It Matters

Louisiana’s economic future… from manufacturing to data centers to energy expansion… depends on long-term investment. Projects like the state’s growing AI and industrial infrastructure require years of planning, permitting, and financing before results appear.

If public patience erodes:

• Policy support becomes unstable
• Businesses face uncertain regulatory environments
• Communities lose faith before benefits arrive

The impatience that powers our convenience-driven economy could ultimately slow the very progress it demands.

Looking Ahead

The United States excels at building big…  industries, ideas, infrastructure, and opportunity. But building takes time. For democracy and capitalism to remain strong, leaders and citizens must embrace the reality that lasting solutions are rarely instantaneous.

Progress is a process.
And patience… not speed… will determine whether America’s systems continue to deliver opportunity for the next generation.

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Opinion – Op-Ed

By W.R. Vance

In the 1975 film Rollerball, citizens of a future world live in complete comfort. Global corporations provide energy, food, housing, and health care… removing hardship but also eliminating rights. Individual achievement is discouraged, personal history is erased, and people are kept entertained and obedient through a violent global sport that reminds them: the corporations are in control, not the players.

Nearly 50 years later, what once played as dystopian fiction now reads like a cautionary blueprint.

A New Corporate Power Class

Today, economic and technological power is consolidating into a small cluster of dominant artificial-intelligence companies… the so-called “Magnificent 7.” These firms control massive digital infrastructure, global communication systems, consumer commerce, personal data, and increasingly, the tools of human thought and creativity.

No legislation governs their rise. No public vote determines their influence. Yet they are rapidly becoming the essential utilities of modern life.

When your ability to work, communicate, shop, learn, and even express ideas runs through private companies that answer only to shareholders, everyday citizens are left with a critical question:

What freedoms remain when dependence is total?

AI Will Create Winners — And Many Displaced Workers

Artificial intelligence promises great benefits — scientific breakthroughs, healthcare advances, new industries. But economic disruption is certain. Experts forecast that a third or more of jobs could be automated within the next generation.

That creates an unavoidable societal challenge:

When machines do the work, what becomes of the workers?

One solution gaining credibility is Universal Basic Income — paying people simply to exist, consume, and stay calm in a destabilized labor market. But such a system, controlled by tech-driven corporations, could easily shift from a social safety net into a form of quiet submission.

To maintain order, leaders throughout history have understood the value of spectacle.

Sports as Distraction — And Discipline

Just as Rollerball used a brutal arena sport to keep citizens obedient, today’s entertainment ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Major technology firms have moved into:

• Sports team ownership

• Streaming rights and exclusive broadcasts

• AI-optimized betting and gambling platforms

• Virtual reality athletic competitions

• Personalized behavioral engagement systems

If unemployment rises and corporate-provided income becomes the norm, the message could turn subtly familiar:

Enjoy the games. Cheer the chosen few. Don’t ask for more.

The citizen transforms from a worker into a spectator, valued for attention but stripped of agency.

The Human Element: Why Jonathan E. Still Matters

The lesson of Rollerball is not anti-technology — it is pro-human.

The corporations in the film demanded retirement from the star player, Jonathan E., because individuality threatened their order. His refusal to surrender his identity sparked the first true awakening among the people.

The question his triumph raises remains urgent:

Will technology enhance human purpose… or replace it?

A society built only on efficiency, safety, and consumption is not a society built for people. It is a warehouse for bodies.

We Must Choose Innovation With Freedom

America can… and must… harness AI for prosperity without sacrificing autonomy. That means:

• Upholding democratic oversight of essential technologies

• Supporting education that prepares workers for new roles, not unemployment

• Encouraging entrepreneurship and creativity over dependency

• Protecting privacy, identity, and the right to dissent

Convenience is not a replacement for liberty. Comfort should never require compliance.

Corporations, no matter how powerful, exist to serve humanity — not the reverse.

As we enter the AI era, let us remember:

The most dangerous future is not one where machines become like people.
It is one where people are treated like machines.

What Comes Next

The future of work, sports, and society itself hinges on the decisions being made right now… mostly in closed rooms far from public view. Citizens, lawmakers, and industry leaders must demand transparency and protect human purpose in the age of automation.

Technology can build a better world. But only if we insist that people remain at the center of it.

Visual Comparison Table

Rollerball’s Corporate Power vs. Today’s AI “Magnificent 7” Influence

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the North Louisiana Business Journal, its staff, or its ownership.

 

Dystopian –  adjective describes an imagined society that is as bad as can be, characterized by human misery, oppression, and fear, often resulting from a failed attempt to create a perfect society. Dystopian worlds are typically the opposite of utopian ones and serve as a warning about current societal trends, exploring themes of dehumanization, control, and the darker aspects of human nature through fictional works like books and movies.

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By Frank Johnson, North Louisiana Business Journal

Nearly 85,000 American homeowners removed their properties from the market in September rather than accept what they considered inadequate offers, marking a 28% increase from the previous year and the highest September total in eight years, according to recent data from real estate analytics firm Redfin.

The trend, which has accelerated throughout 2025, reflects a fundamental standoff between sellers clinging to pandemic-era price expectations and buyers increasingly resistant to historically elevated home prices and mortgage rates hovering around 6%.

The Delisting Surge

The numbers tell a striking story. Nationwide, roughly one in 18 listings was pulled from the market in September without selling, representing 5.5% of total listings—the highest September rate in a decade. This pattern has intensified throughout the year, with year-over-year growth in delistings peaking at 39% in June 2025, according to Redfin’s analysis.

For perspective, delistings jumped 52% in September compared to the previous year, with growth rates reaching nearly 72% in August, according to separate data from Realtor.com. By May, 13 homes were being delisted for every 100 new listings hitting the market, up from 10 homes delisted during the same period in 2024 and 2023, and just six property delistings in 2022.

“The frequency of delistings is keeping inventory tighter than it looks on paper,” said Asad Khan, a senior economist at Redfin. “When tens of thousands of homeowners pull their homes off the market rather than accept a low offer, it effectively reduces the supply of homes that are actually available for buyers. That keeps sale prices elevated.”

Why Sellers Are Walking Away

The primary driver behind this unprecedented wave of delistings is a fundamental pricing mismatch. Sellers who bought homes during the pandemic frenzy between 2020 and 2022 remember a seller’s market where properties received multiple competing offers and sold at or above asking price within days. Many remain anchored to those peak-era price expectations even as market conditions have shifted dramatically.

Nearly half of September’s delistings—47%—came from owners who purchased within the last five years, suggesting these recent buyers are particularly resistant to accepting current market realities.

But unlike previous housing downturns, today’s sellers have a crucial advantage: equity. Home prices nationally are still 50% higher than they were five years ago, giving most homeowners substantial cushions of built-up equity.

“Unlike past housing cycles where falling prices pressured underwater homeowners to sell, today’s homeowners benefit from record-high levels of home equity, so they have the flexibility to wait it out,” explained Jake Krimmel, senior economist at Realtor.com. “This allows many sellers to withdraw their homes from the market if their asking price isn’t met.”

The so-called “lock-in effect” adds another layer of complexity. Many sellers who bought between 2020 and 2022 secured mortgage rates below 4%, with some obtaining rates in the 2% to 3% range during the historic lows of 2021. The prospect of selling their current home only to finance a new purchase at today’s rates around 6% makes moving financially unappealing even if they find a buyer.

“Some prospective sellers are opting not to list at all, and others are taking their home off the market if it’s not getting the price they want,” said Aditi Jain, a Redfin Premier agent in Boston. “Sellers aren’t motivated because, frankly, it’s no longer a great time to sell; today’s listings are getting one or two offers at best, compared to 10 a few years ago.”

Stale Listings and Market Fatigue

Properties are languishing on the market for unprecedented durations. Redfin reported that 70% of listings in September were on the market for 60 days or longer. The typical delisted home had sat unsold for 100 days before being withdrawn.

These extended marketing periods reflect buyer hesitancy. While the supply of homes for sale is approximately 15% higher than a year ago, pending home sales were down roughly 2% in October, according to the National Association of Realtors. The combination would typically drive prices down, but the surge in delistings is preventing that natural market correction.

Price reductions are becoming increasingly common as sellers test the waters. Some properties are seeing multiple price cuts—the typical listing saw cumulative price reductions of $25,000 in October, matching the largest discounts data firm Zillow has ever recorded. Yet even these adjustments aren’t always enough to close deals, leading frustrated sellers to simply remove their listings.

Regional Variations

The delisting phenomenon is most pronounced in the South and West, particularly in markets that saw explosive growth during the pandemic. Miami leads the nation with 59 homes delisted for every 100 new listings in June—more than double the national average. The South Florida metropolitan area has consistently posted the highest delisting ratios among major metros.

Phoenix ranked second nationally in delistings during spring 2025, with 37 delistings per 100 new listings, followed by Riverside, California with 30. Austin, Texas, and Denver also saw high shares of price reductions and subsequent delistings.

Florida markets dominate the trend. In the Miami metropolitan area, 85% of listings were stale (sitting for at least 60 days) by summer 2025. Fort Lauderdale matched that rate at 85%, while Austin hit 83%. San Antonio and other Texas markets also reported exceptionally high shares of stale listings.

“Some South Florida homeowners’ choice to delist points to sellers anchored to peak-era price expectations and willing to wait rather than negotiate,” noted Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com.

By contrast, markets in the Northeast and Midwest remain relatively tight, with fewer delistings and more stable pricing.

The Risk Factor

Approximately 15% of homes delisted in September were at risk of selling at a loss—the highest share in five years, according to Redfin. This suggests that not all sellers are in strong financial positions, despite the overall equity cushion most homeowners enjoy.

South Florida’s median listing prices showed some of the largest declines among major metropolitan areas studied, falling from $535,000 in July 2024 to $509,950 in July 2025. Yet even with these price adjustments, sellers in the region continued pulling listings at record rates.

Market Implications

The delisting surge creates a paradox. While total inventory has increased—active listings topped 1.1 million nationally by mid-2025—the effective supply of homes genuinely available for purchase remains constrained as tens of thousands of properties cycle on and off the market.

This pattern is propping up home prices despite weak buyer demand. The median home price nationally reached the steepest level ever recorded by the National Association of Realtors earlier this year, with prices continuing to rise approximately 2% year-over-year even as sales volume declined.

“This year’s market is a study in contrasts,” Hale said. “Buyers are seeing more choices than they’ve had in years, but many sellers, anchored by peak price expectations and upheld by strong equity positions, are deciding to step back if they don’t get their number.”

According to Redfin data, roughly one in five homes delisted over the summer were re-listed within three months, with many sellers likely waiting for the spring 2026 selling season to try again.

What It Means for Louisiana

While national delisting trends have focused heavily on Sun Belt markets like Miami, Phoenix, and Austin, Louisiana’s housing market presents a more moderate picture with its own unique dynamics.

Louisiana home prices rose 6% year-over-year in October 2025, reaching a median of $256,200, according to Redfin data. That growth rate outpaces the national average of approximately 2%, suggesting Louisiana’s market remains relatively healthy compared to overheated markets now experiencing corrections.

However, the state isn’t immune to broader market pressures. Home sales in Louisiana declined slightly in 2024, dropping 2.6% to 38,450 transactions, according to the Louisiana Realtors Association. The number of homes for sale statewide fell 3.4% year-over-year to 17,004 properties in October 2025, indicating tighter inventory than the national trend of rising supply.

Louisiana sellers appear less inclined to delist than their counterparts in major metros experiencing dramatic slowdowns. The state’s median days on market stood at 62 days in October—substantially lower than the national figure of 100 days for delisted homes. Price reductions affected 28.1% of Louisiana listings, up from 23% the previous year but still below many overheated markets.

“Louisiana’s housing market is showing resilience partly because we never experienced the same pandemic-era price explosion as places like Austin or Miami,” said Alí Bustamante, an economist with the University of New Orleans who leads its Institute for Economic Development & Real Estate Research. The state’s more affordable baseline—with median prices roughly $100,000 below the national median—has created less dramatic corrections.

Regional variations exist within Louisiana. The Greater Baton Rouge area anticipates 10% to 15% increases in home sales in 2025, driven by lower interest rates and increased inventory, according to market forecasts. New Orleans faces a modest potential decline, with Zillow projecting a 4% decrease by September 2026 as the market recalibrates after recent growth. Lake Charles is projected to see a 2.9% decline in home prices due to increased housing supply, new construction, and rising insurance costs related to natural disasters.

Affordability remains the chief concern for Louisiana’s housing market. Record-high property insurance premiums—a particularly acute problem in Louisiana due to hurricane exposure—combine with mortgage rates around 6% to hamper buying power. The state’s 4.8% unemployment rate provides economic stability, but construction costs and insurance continue to pressure both buyers and sellers.

Louisiana sellers benefit from substantial equity cushions, similar to national trends. However, the state’s lower price points mean homeowners haven’t accumulated the same massive equity gains seen in coastal markets, potentially making them more willing to negotiate rather than delist when offers come in below asking prices.

For Louisiana buyers, the relatively modest delisting activity compared to national hotspots suggests more genuine inventory remains available. The state’s position as a buyer’s market—with homes spending an average of 74 days on market as of January 2025—means negotiating room exists for those who can navigate the affordability challenges posed by insurance and interest costs.

The Outlook

The National Association of Realtors forecasts a potential turnaround in 2026, with chief economist Lawrence Yun predicting existing-home sales will jump 14% after three years of stagnation. New-home sales are projected to rise 5%, with home prices expected to tick up 4%.

“Next year is really the year that we will see a measurable increase in sales,” Yun said at a Nov. 14 conference. “Home prices nationwide are in no danger of declining.”

However, this optimistic projection depends on several factors aligning, including mortgage rates declining and buyer confidence improving. Current mortgage rates around 6% remain elevated by historical standards relative to the pandemic era, though they’re below the long-term average of approximately 7.8% dating back to 1971.

For now, the housing market remains gridlocked. Buyers have gained negotiating power as inventory has grown, but sellers retain what analysts call a “trump card”—the ability to simply walk away and wait for market conditions to improve rather than accept prices they view as inadequate.

“Delisting may help the market, because there is no sense for buyers to look at overpriced homes where the seller isn’t truly interested in negotiating,” said Mike Pappas, CEO of The Keyes Company, a South Florida real estate firm. Yet this pattern of withdrawal is extending the market adjustment period, leaving both buyers and sellers in an uncomfortable holding pattern as 2025 draws to a close.

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Louisiana drivers are finally seeing relief after years of some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the nation. More than 20 insurers have filed rate decreases in 2025, with new reductions taking effect in December.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced November 21 that the declines are a direct result of Governor Jeff Landry’s 2025 tort and insurance reform package—considered the most sweeping legal reform effort in state history.

Major Carriers Cutting Rates

Several top insurers have already secured approval for significant decreases:

• Encompass Insurance (National General program): 15% reduction for 1,516 customers, effective Dec. 8.

• Allstate Insurance: 8.1% reduction for standard policies and 6% for non-standard policies, impacting 10,333 policyholders beginning Dec. 16.

Other major carriers—including GEICO, State Farm, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, and Louisiana Farm Bureau—have filed similar decreases throughout the year.

Why This Matters for Louisiana

The 2025 reform package included 27 bills aimed at reducing excessive litigation and improving regulatory oversight. Key changes include:

• Comparative Fault Update: Plaintiffs barred from recovery if 51% or more at fault.

• “No Pay, No Play” Expansion: Uninsured drivers now face a $100,000 threshold for bodily injury and property damage before they can recover.

• Collateral Source Rule Revision: Plaintiffs may recover only actual paid medical costs—not inflated billed amounts.

• Commissioner Oversight: New authority to reject excessive rate hikes and increase transparency.

• Removal of the Housley Presumption: Requires medical evidence to link injuries directly to accidents.

State officials say these reforms target Louisiana’s historically high litigation rates—nearly triple the national average for bodily injury claims.

Looking Ahead

The rate decreases now appearing across the market indicate that the reforms are gaining traction. More carriers are expected to file downward adjustments through 2026 as Louisiana works to stabilize auto insurance costs for families and businesses across North Louisiana.

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Louisiana became the first state in the nation to receive full federal approval for its $1.355 billion BEAD broadband deployment plan on November 18, marking the largest digital infrastructure investment in state history.

The approval allows Louisiana to immediately launch GUMBO 2.0, a statewide effort led by ConnectLA that will bring high-speed internet to 130,000 unserved and underserved locations across all 64 parishes. Nearly 70% of the construction awards will go to Louisiana-based internet providers.

Massive Economic Impact

State officials estimate the broadband buildout will:

• Create 8,000–10,000 jobs,

• Generate $2–$3 billion in revenue for Louisiana businesses,

• Support long-term growth in education, health care, agriculture, and small-business development.

The expansion is also expected to strengthen digital infrastructure needed for major industrial projects underway across the state, including multibillion-dollar data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities.

Why This Matters for North Louisiana

Reliable broadband remains one of the last major infrastructure gaps in rural parishes. The BEAD approval accelerates efforts to close that gap… supporting remote work, telehealth, distance learning, and business expansion across North Louisiana.

GUMBO 2.0 builds on the nearly complete GUMBO 1.0 program, which is already delivering service to more than 61,000 locations statewide.

Looking Ahead

With federal approval secured, ConnectLA expects construction to begin within weeks. Fourteen providers will partner with the state to execute the rollout, positioning Louisiana as a national model for efficient, locally driven broadband deployment.

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Oil and gas exploration in Natchitoches Parish continues to accelerate, with 29 new leases filed at the Parish Clerk of Court’s office as of Friday, November 7, 2025.

These latest filings push the year-to-date total to more than 330 leases recorded since January 1, reinforcing Natchitoches Parish’s expanding position within the Haynesville Shale region. Industry observers note that this level of sustained leasing reflects long-term confidence from operator… rather than the short-lived surges seen in some neighboring areas earlier this year.

Geographic Expansion Continues

This expanding footprint aligns with operators’ efforts to refine geological models and assess new zones of interest heading into 2026.

Legal Advisory for Property Owners

Landowners approached with lease offers are strongly encouraged to seek counsel from qualified oil-and-gas attorneys before signing. Mineral leases can have long-term consequences for royalty structures, surface rights, and future development activity. Proper legal guidance remains essential for protecting property rights.

Why It Matters

The steady pace of filings confirms that Natchitoches Parish remains one of the most active leasing markets in Louisiana for 2025. As national demand for natural gas and LNG exports continues to rise, upstream operators remain focused on securing acreage across the Haynesville Shale, positioning the parish squarely within ongoing regional investment trends.

Looking Ahead

With more than 330 leases now on record, analysts expect the parish to gradually transition from leasing activity to preliminary exploration efforts in early 2026. Tracking new drilling permits, seismic activity, and early surface operations will provide the next key indicators of how this leasing momentum translates into economic impact.

A review of Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court records shows that 29 leases have been filed since November 7, 2025. (The NPJ obtained this list directly from the parish’s online Public Records system.)

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BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — The Preamble to the Constitution of the State of Louisiana states, “We, the people of Louisiana,…desiring to protect individual rights to life, liberty, and property;…do ordain and establish this constitution. Article 1, Declaration of Rights, declares the origin and purpose of Government by stating, “All government, of right, originates with the people, is founded on their will alone, and is instituted to protect the rights of the individual and for the good of the whole.  Its only legitimate ends are to secure justice for all, preserve peace, protect the rights, and promote the happiness and general welfare of the people. The rights enumerated in this Article are inalienable by the state and shall be preserved inviolate by the state. “ 

The LA Constitution is the will of the people and therefore the foundation of authority for the Louisiana Government. This constitution both grants power and restricts power. It’s ultimate aim in granting and restricting power is to form a government which the principle purpose, “only legitimate ends” is to protect the rights of men, of these rights, the most basic are Life, Liberty and Property. Any action taken by any branch of our government which violates our Constitution and abridges these rights must be challenged and declared unlawful.

Beginning in 2020, the Louisiana Legislature passed a series of special laws granting special privileges to private companies engaged in the carbon capture and sequestration industry. Through these special laws, the Legislature stripped Louisiana citizens of their Constitutional protections against expropriation of private property by non-utility service providing private companies for private gain. In these special laws, the Legislature granted the power of eminent domain to private companies in violation of Constitutional guarantees and protections, in particular, the right to Property. It is our firm position that these special laws are in violation of the LA Constitution, specifically Article 1, Sections 1, 2, and 4, Article 3, Sec 12 as well as additional sections. 

Today, our organization, Save My Louisiana, a citizen organization dedicated to safeguarding the fundamental rights and public safety of the citizens of Louisiana has exercised our right to petition our government for corrective action of what we believe to be unconstitutional law. We are petitioning the Judicial Branch to review these laws and establish that they are indeed in violation of the Constitution of Louisiana and that they be struck from the law thereby restoring Louisianaian’s fundamental Right to Property. 

Prior to filing this petition today, our organization petitioned members of the Legislature and the Governor to correct this egregious and overt trampling of Constitutional guarantees and protections. As the fact of our standing here today testifies, neither Legislators nor the Governor have taken acceptable corrective action in response to our concerns. 

Legislators have offered excuses for this massive failure stating that they either didn’t read or understand the bills that created this situation yet still they voted for them. It was not until this organization and others like it discovered this treachery of negligence that Legislators began “working” to correct the situation. Although Legislators seek full forgiveness for their negligence, they have only offered anemic half-measures to correct their whole measure offense. Their actions seem more like threading a needle to placate citizens with a false sense of security while protecting the carbon capture and sequestration industry’s “right” to exercise eminent domain. They also continue to deceive citizens that no eminent domain danger exists. The problem with their statements is that RS 19, Sec 2, paragraph 10 and 11 and RS 30:1108, A(1) states “Any storage operator is hereby authorized…to exercise the power of eminent domain and expropriate needed property to acquire surface and subsurface rights and property interests necessary…”. The authorization to utilize the power of eminent domain for the carbon capture and sequestration industry is still in full force. 

The Governor’s response to our petition was to issue an executive order, which, in part cited a “Landowner Bill of Rights for Geological Sequestration Projects” as created by the same laws the Legislature neglectfully passed. The problem with this approach is that Louisiana citizens already have Constitutional guarantees to property which are far more restrictive. New laws can make the taking of property more restrictive but in no case less restrictive than the Constitution.

So here we are today, having been woefully disappointed by both the legislative and executive branches, we are now petitioning our remaining branch of government for redress of our grievance. These special laws created by the Legislature exceeding it’s authorized powers and ignored by the Governor are unconstitutional and this petition before the court will prove that fact to be the case. 

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North Louisiana Business Journal Staff

200-MW development planned by NextEra Energy Resources targets 2028 launch

NATCHITOCHES PARISH, La. — A major renewable-energy development is taking shape in Natchitoches Parish as NextEra Energy Resources advances plans for the Blue Lake Solar project, a proposed 200-megawatt (MW) solar farm that would span roughly 2,000 acres and begin operations by December 2028, pending local and state approvals.

If approved, the project would be one of the largest utility-scale solar installations in Central and North Louisiana, positioning the parish at the center of the region’s fast-growing clean-energy sector.

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Project Overview

NextEra Energy Resources, one of the nation’s largest renewable-energy developers, is proposing to build the Blue Lake Solar project on privately owned land in Natchitoches Parish.

Key project elements include:

• Capacity: Up to 200 MW of clean, renewable energy

• Developer: NextEra Energy Resources

• Acreage: Approximately 2,000 acres

• Timeline: Expected commercial operation by December 2028, contingent on regulatory approvals

According to preliminary filings, the project would generate enough electricity to power tens of thousands of homes while helping strengthen Louisiana’s energy mix.

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Economic Impact

Local officials say the project could generate significant economic benefits, particularly during construction.

The multi-year buildout is expected to:

• Create hundreds of construction jobs, providing substantial but temporary workforce opportunities

• Deliver millions of dollars in new tax revenue to Natchitoches Parish

• Support local suppliers and service providers through procurement and operational spending

For rural communities, utility-scale renewable projects often offer long-term revenue stability without requiring extensive public infrastructure investments.

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Environmental Considerations

Solar energy remains one of the lowest-impact forms of electricity generation, and the Blue Lake project aims to align with that trend.

NextEra reports that renewable projects like Blue Lake:

• Produce zero air emissions during operation

• Reduce reliance on carbon-based power sources

• Improve long-term air quality

• Generate minimal traffic, noise, and land disturbance once operational

Specific environmental practices—such as vegetative buffers, soil management, and drainage plans—will be evaluated in upcoming permitting stages.

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Meeting Louisiana’s Growing Energy Needs

Louisiana’s electricity demand continues to rise, fueled by residential growth, industrial expansion, and new technology-driven sectors. Renewable projects have become essential components of the state’s strategy for long-term energy reliability.

The Blue Lake Solar project would:

• Add 200 MW of new generation capacity

• Diversify Louisiana’s energy portfolio

• Strengthen grid resilience

• Support the state’s ability to meet rising demand without expanding fossil-fuel generation

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Looking Forward

NextEra Energy Resources must secure a series of parish and state approvals before construction can begin. This process will include community meetings, environmental assessments, land-use reviews, and interconnection agreements with the regional power grid.

If the project remains on schedule, early site work could begin as soon as 2026, with full construction expected in 2027 and operations commencing by December 2028.

Residents can expect additional public discussions and updates as the project moves through the regulatory review process.

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When one thinks of Johnny’s Pizza House, the rectangle pizza slices, the always fresh toppings, or the boy on the pizza box could come to mind.

But for most, the founder Johnny Huntsman and his energy and charisma are front and center. The West Monroe High graduate discovered pizza during his college football days at Graceland University in Iowa, working for a classmate’s small pizza shop that the head football coach eventually bought. Huntsman brought this new fangled pizza – almost no one in Louisiana had eaten or even heard of the food – to Monroe in 1967 in a converted washeteria across the street from then-Northeast Louisiana University (now ULM).

Encouraged by people’s reaction to his pizza when Huntsman baked it for family and friends, the first store with just three parking spots served as a launching pad for the now-unmistakable Johnny’s brand of pizza.

The “only link in the world’s smallest pizza chain” was born.

Designer pizzas like “Sweep the Kitchen” (11 different toppings like sausage, peppers, mushrooms) to “Sweep the Swamp” (seasonal pizza with crawfish, shrimp and andouille) along with the restaurant’s execution of more traditional pizza styles has taken hold of tastebuds across the state and region through the past 50 years.

The journey to nearly 50 store locations across three states hasn’t always been rosy, but Huntsman’s magnetic personality pushed the brand through good times and bad.

Following a bankruptcy roughly 20 years into the operation, Huntsman regrouped and relaunched, including famously wearing nothing but a hat, barrel, suspenders and shoes to promote his one-of-a-kind pizza on street corners in the area with his sign “Please Eat at Johnny’s.”

Johnny’s Pizza House is more than just the magic of its founder, who died in 2017 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

When contemplating the future of Johnny’s Pizza House, Huntsman decided in 2000 to offer employees stock in the company through the Employee Stock Ownership Program.

He credited the hard work of his employees for the company’s success, especially through those hard times, and he wanted that sweat equity to be rewarded by more than just pay and other common benefits.

In just three years, employees owned more than 50 percent of the company and now own 100 percent today.

Current CEO Melvin DeLacerda embodies that sweat equity, starting with the company as a high schooler in its early days and became a close personal friend of Huntsman’s as he worked his way through the ranks.
The personal and community connection of Johnny’s Pizza House, in addition to its superb menu that’s expanded from just pizza into muffalettas and desserts among other categories, buoys the brand against national pizza competitors that have lower prices.

Most of the 50 stores are located in North Louisiana – Shreveport leads the way with seven stores – but many in this half of the state have their own Johnny’s memories.

Whether it’s playing an arcade game next to the buffet in the restaurant after a little league game or serving Johnny’s at Super Bowl parties or other family celebrations, Johnny’s has earned a place in North Louisiana food and culture.

A place that also lives on through its current and former employees, some of whom attended college and bettered their lives and their communities with help from the guy in the barrel.

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