[StBernard] Wishing You a Merry Christmas

[Westley Annis]

Dear Friends, 

As we gather to celebrate the holidays, this time of year brings so many
wonderful memories, such as mom's Christmas ham or a child's first Christmas
morning.  In our house, we celebrate with a birthday cake for Jesus. This is
indeed a special time of year and I hope everyone has an opportunity to sit
down with family and friends to truly grasp the meaning of the holiday
season. I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, and hope
that you have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

I traveled to Lacassine last week to commission Zagis USA's new cotton
spinning mill, the first of two the company has committed to build in
Louisiana. As KPLC
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c912%7c9390&digest
=7O0MZeEEg%2f1lr98%2f0zVLxg>  reported, Zagis USA's new plants "will employ
160 workers in Louisiana by 2012.[and] are expected to create 645 additional
indirect jobs."

The company chose our state over multiple others, including Georgia and
North Carolina, showing once again that the economic environment we are
creating here in Louisiana is good for businesses and our people. The mill
will keep more of our own cotton right here in Louisiana, keeping our raw
goods at home, creating a new market for our farmers, and creating more jobs
for Louisianians.

I also visited Alexandria for the groundbreaking of the final segment of
Louisiana Highway 28, which serves an important role for our nation's
military. As reported by the Alexandria Town Talk
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c913%7c9390&digest
=zPiXye5qnkHzg%2bW6RvN9vg> , the improvements to the highway "will make the
travel of soldiers to and from Fort Polk easier and provide a more efficient
means of rapid deployment." Providing quicker transportation for our troops
between Fort Polk and Alexandria International Airport is important not only
for central Louisiana, but for our national security as well. The road will
also allow Fort Polk to compete on a national level with other bases,
helping secure its future in Louisiana.

LA-28 also plays an important role in central Louisiana's economy, and, as
the Leesville Daily Leader
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c914%7c9390&digest
=yKdtkhICU8stbXu2dPKCiw>  wrote, the improved highway "will spur business
growth in the region." Creating a world-class transportation infrastructure
is critical to our state's future, and we continue to take great steps in
that direction. That is why we began investing in this segment during our
first year in office.

I had the opportunity to visit Northwestern State University in Natchitoches
also, and to visit the NSU's School of Creative and Performing Arts, the NSU
Elementary Lab School, and the Department of Engineering Technology. We have
committed nearly $500 million in improvements to our state's higher
education institutions in the past two years, and will continue to make
higher education a priority as we move forward. I made a stop in Rayville as
part of the Louisiana Working Tour last week as well, and look forward to
meeting more Louisianians as the tour continues.

Sincerely,

Governor Bobby Jindal