LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — The closure of Hostess Brands Inc. put the brakes on Gerald Robinson's career and left him without health insurance for his family, including a son with asthma.
Robinson worked an early-morning shift as a Cotton's Holsum Breads route salesman in New Iberia.
Robinson, 50, joined other former Holsum/Hostess employees in reviewing their options last week during benefits orientation sessions hosted by the Louisiana Workforce Commission in nine Louisiana cities.
The Advertiser reports three displaced employees attended the Lafayette session, a fraction of the 400 people statewide who lost their jobs.
Robinson and other former employees like John Mac Melancon, 62, learned at the sessions how to keep up with unemployment insurance and improve job-seeking skills.
They hope to put that knowledge to use, but are concerned about their futures.
Robinson heard about the Hostess liquidation on the radio Nov. 16.
Robinson met up with other drivers completing their routes that morning, but no one knew what the liquidation meant for their jobs. After a series of calls that led them to a supervisor in Mississippi, they finally got the answer.
"They basically told us to clean out our personal stuff from our lockers and that we didn't have jobs anymore," Robinson said.
Robinson called his clients — some of whom he'd served for the duration of his 13-year driving tenure — to give them the news, packed up and went home. Shortly after, he filed for unemployment and tried to figure out what to do next.
Robinson considered going back to school instead of returning to 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. driving shifts, but the entire process was overwhelming. He had not had a resume in 30 years.
"You didn't used to need a resume to get a job," Robinson said.
The biggest impact in Louisiana was felt in Alexandria, where 200 people lost their jobs at Cotton Brothers/Holsum Bakery. Hostess' liquidation caused the layoffs of more than 18,000 workers nationwide, leaving employees like Robinson without severance pay or pay for accrued vacation days.
"They threw us to the wolves," Robinson said. "That's so discouraging that the people that are still working there are still going to be paid and getting bonuses."
About 3,200 Hostess employees nationwide are being retained to help in winding down operations, including 237 employees at the corporate level, and $1.8 million will be paid out to 19 executives.
Holsum had more than two dozen retail locations in Louisiana, including those in Lafayette, Opelousas and New Iberia. Three days after Hostess announced its liquidation, the Holsum Outlet store on Bertrand Drive was packed with Wonder Bread and snack food lovers looking to stock up on their favorite items. At the time, it was unclear whether the brands would continue.
The store shuttered that week and it is unclear whether it will reopen if new owners purchase Hostess Brands Inc. Holsum did not respond to requests for comment. Last month, Hostess said in court that it's in talks with 110 potential buyers for its brands, which include Twinkies, Sno Balls, CupCakes, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos.
State treasurer John Kennedy says lawmakers are sacrificing long-term gains for a short-term fix in their handling of the tobacco settlement trust fund.
The Senate Education Committee voted Tuesday to reject the formula, because of concerns about proposed changes to special education and gifted student payments to schools.
The Senate Education Committee voted Tuesday to reject the formula, because of concerns about proposed changes to special education and gifted student payments to schools.
The tireless chronicler of the New Orleans brass band and second-line community and a Gambit contributor, Cotton was among the 19 people shot on Mother's Day in New Orleans. She continues to recover from a gunshot wound to her back.
The tireless chronicler of the New Orleans brass band and second-line community and a Gambit contributor, Cotton was among the 19 people shot on Mother's Day in New Orleans. She continues to recover from a gunshot wound to her back.
UL Lafayette's primate center has paid the fine for the deaths of three rhesus monkeys in May 2011 and an injury last year to a chimpanzee.
UL Lafayette's primate center has paid the fine for the deaths of three rhesus monkeys in May 2011 and an injury last year to a chimpanzee.
State senators rejected a proposal on Monday for Louisiana to offer government-subsidized health insurance to the working poor through the federal health overhaul law known as the Affordable Care Act.
State senators rejected a proposal on Monday for Louisiana to offer government-subsidized health insurance to the working poor through the federal health overhaul law known as the Affordable Care Act.
Overwhelming support from lawmakers comes despite concerns the constitutional amendments would further limit budget areas available to cut when Louisiana has financial woes — and leave public colleges more vulnerable to slashing.
Overwhelming support from lawmakers comes despite concerns the constitutional amendments would further limit budget areas available to cut when Louisiana has financial woes — and leave public colleges more vulnerable to slashing.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bid to give judges five years of annual pay raises easily received the backing Monday of the Senate's budget committee — after it was changed to require money for the salary hike to come from the annual judicial budget.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bid to give judges five years of annual pay raises easily received the backing Monday of the Senate's budget committee — after it was changed to require money for the salary hike to come from the annual judicial budget.
A federal judge has dismissed a charge that is the backbone of the case against a former BP executive accused of concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil spewing in 2010 from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico.
A federal judge has dismissed a charge that is the backbone of the case against a former BP executive accused of concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil spewing in 2010 from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico.
UL's baseball team is a very different one from the squad that missed last year's Sun Belt Tournament, and their new-found long-ball ability could bode well when tourney play starts this week at Moore Field.
One statistic Lafayette Utility Systems Director Terry Huval has been reluctant to release since the launch of LUS Fiber in 2009 has been the number of its customers.
Danos & Curole announces a new $10 million headquarters in Gray and a $20 million manufacturing and fabrication plant at one of two Louisiana ports under consideration.
Veteran banker will eventually assume the role of RR Company co-founder Rodney Savoy.
State treasurer John Kennedy says lawmakers are sacrificing long-term gains for a short-term fix in their handling of the tobacco settlement trust fund.
Strategic branding and marketing firm Russo has announced the return of Ryan Anthony Rogers as associate creative director.
The Senate Education Committee voted Tuesday to reject the formula, because of concerns about proposed changes to special education and gifted student payments to schools.
The tireless chronicler of the New Orleans brass band and second-line community and a Gambit contributor, Cotton was among the 19 people shot on Mother's Day in New Orleans. She continues to recover from a gunshot wound to her back.
UL Lafayette's primate center has paid the fine for the deaths of three rhesus monkeys in May 2011 and an injury last year to a chimpanzee.
State senators rejected a proposal on Monday for Louisiana to offer government-subsidized health insurance to the working poor through the federal health overhaul law known as the Affordable Care Act.
Overwhelming support from lawmakers comes despite concerns the constitutional amendments would further limit budget areas available to cut when Louisiana has financial woes — and leave public colleges more vulnerable to slashing.
Even as Sean Payton tried to make the best of his one-season bounty banishment from the NFL by spending time with his children, getting in shape and playing golf, he often compared his punishment to prison time.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bid to give judges five years of annual pay raises easily received the backing Monday of the Senate's budget committee — after it was changed to require money for the salary hike to come from the annual judicial budget.
State police figures show most also won less than they did a year ago. The big exceptions were 8.7 percent one-year increases at both L'Auberge Lake Charles and the slots casino at the New Orleans Fair Grounds.
A federal judge has dismissed a charge that is the backbone of the case against a former BP executive accused of concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil spewing in 2010 from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico.
A New Iberia woman was sentenced in federal court Friday to 26 months in prison for an IRS tax scheme in which she was paid more than $77,000 in illegitimate refund checks.
Here's your daily look at late-breaking national and international news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Prepare for summer’s first holiday with super casual shorts — high on style, low on effort.
The veteran police officer remembered by friends for his large and small acts of kindness will be laid to rest Wednesday.
What better time to ensure that Ambassador South within the city limits of Lafayette doesn’t become an eyesore like Johnston Street?
Vermilionville’s free monthly cultural film series returns for May with Makers, which follows the social revolution that modern women have waged in the name of equality.
The audit says the Department of Education didn't verify that school-reported data used to calculate performance was reliable. It says the department couldn't prove that it comprehensively reviewed the legal obligations required of charter schools.
Policyholders with questions about their claims can speak with flood insurance program specialists.
Second-line parades have been around for generations as part of Mardi Gras and other holiday celebrations, and are perhaps best known as a feature of the city's famed jazz funerals.
Up to 45 branches of Hancock Back and Whitney Bank are slated for closure in the coming months, according to an announcement made Friday by Hancock Holding Co. President and CEO Carl J. Chaney.
Gifts perfect for great grads in your life
Jordan Wallace posted yet another shutout, and because of that UL's softball team is back in familiar territory in the NCAA Super Regionals.
Brianna Cherry's early homer and Jordan Wallace's right arm combined Saturday to put UL's softball team one win away from the NCAA Super Regionals.
It wasn't easy, but UL's softball team made it through the first step in NCAA Tournament play Friday. Now they'll face LSU's Tigers in the biggest game of the season so far at noon Saturday in the NCAA Regional Tournament.
This weekend, treat yourself to some fine local theatre with 18 Victoria, grab some new gear at Pack & Paddle’s garage sale, or spread the love with The Riveters at Hippie Fest.
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