Delta Financial laying off half its workforce

``Subprime lender Delta Financial Corp. is laying off almost half its workforce, hundreds of employees, its chief announced Thursday in an office e-mail that said he had "no viable alternatives."... The layoffs come after a series of troubles, from 300 jobs cut just in August to suspended dividends and desperate negotiations to get a $60 million loan to weather the mortgage industry crisis. The company has about 1,000 workers nationwide.''