The Weekly Press 0829

BATON

ROUGE,

LOUISIANA

SERVING BAKER, CENTRAL, AND ZACHARY A PEOPLE’S PUBLICATION

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

EBR Schools Mourns the Loss of High School Principal

FUTURE OF CORTANA MALL UNCLEAR

Istrouma High School Principal Reginald Douglas BATON ROUGE, La.— EBR Schools Mourns the Loss of High School Principal.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System announced the loss of Istrouma High School Principal Reginald Douglas. Douglas was instrumental in creating the vision for Istrouma High School and will always be a champion of education. He will forever be known for his kindness and for instilling character-building and leadership qualities everywhere he worked.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, staff and students during this difficult time.

Our school district will provide the school with additional counselors, I CARE specialists, and district staff to assist the campus See PRINCIPAL, on page 2

VOL. 42 • NO.50• FREE

Louisiana Named the 19th Hardest Working States in America

Photo by: Sarah Pflug

With Americans working an average of almost 1,800 hours per year and the average worker using only 54% of their available vacation time, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s Hardest-Working States in America as well as accompanying videos.

In order to determine where Americans work the hardest, WalletHub compared the 50 states across ten key metrics.

The data set ranges from average workweek hours to share of workers with multiple jobs to annual volunteer hours per resident.

Top 20 Hardest-Working States in America

Cortana Mall BATON ROUGE, La. - A new life for Cortana Mall could be coming soon, with at least one report claiming Amazon is eyeing

the mostly empty property.

The Baton Rouge Business Report confirmed through a source there are plans to bring

Amazon to Baton Rouge, but an attempt was made to reached See CORTANA, on page 4

1. North Dakota 2. Alaska 3. South Dakota 4. Texas 5. Nebraska 6. Hawaii 7. Wyoming

8. Colorado 9. Virginia 10. Maryland 11. New Hampshire 12. Oklahoma 13. Kansas 14. Iowa 15. Minnesota 16. Tennessee 17. Georgia 18. Utah 19. Louisiana 20. Wisconsin Key Stats • Alaska has the longest hours worked per week, 42, which is 14% longer than in Utah, the state with the shortest at 37.

• New York has the longest average commute time, 33 minutes, which is 1.9 times longer than in South Dakota, the state with the shortest at 17 minutes.

• Mississippi has the highest share of workers leaving vacaSee WORK, on page 4

President Trump Approves Hurricane Barry Major Disaster Declaration for Louisiana Baton Rouge — Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards was notified that President Donald Trump has approved his request for a Major Disaster Declaration for several Louisiana parishes that sustained damage caused by Hurricane Barry. This comes after teams from The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and FEMA recently completed damage assessments in the impacted areas.

Barry made landfall near Intracoastal City July 13th as a Category 1 hurricane. Storms associated with Hurricane Barry began impacting the state July 10th.

"While Barry did not cause widespread problems across the state, there were still issues where the hurricane made landfall as well as flooding from southeast Louisiana and southwest Louisiana to central Louisiana," said Gov. Edwards. "We appreciate President Trump approving the state's request as we help support our local partners. We are now in the heart of hurricane season, and it's important for the state, our local partners and our citizens to stay prepared and informed as threats such as Dorian continue to develop."

Frank Conforto Jr. walks in the parking lot of the University Medical Center (UMC) with the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the background on Glavez Street in New Orleans after flooding from a storm Wednesday, July 10, 2019. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of tropical weather that could dump as much as 15 inches of rain in the state over the coming days.

See BARRY, on page 4

SAINTS NEED TO CONSIDER SIGNING KENNY STILLS

HEALTH

STATE & LOCAL

HEALTH

STATE & LOCAL NEWS

Send your news to the news department at the Baton Rouge Weekly Press by emailing it to: brweeklypress@yahoo.com

INDEX

2019 KIBLER MEMORIAL AWARD Tina M. Harris, Ph.D., is the winner The New Orleans Saints will play the Miami Dolphins this Thursday in their final preseason matchup. Fellow CSC writer Chris Dunnells provided us with a great preview and included a few interesting storylines....See Page 12

of the National Communication Association’s prestigious 2019 Robert J. Kibler Memorial Award, which is given to only one communication professional in the country each year. See Page 2

AMERICA NEEDS UNION JOBS

This Labor Day, working people in Baton Rouge have a demand for any candidate in this year’s state elections: Unions for All. Meaning, no matter where they work, every Louisianan has the opportunity to join a union...See Page 5

HEPATITIS C IN LOUISIANA

In the state of Louisiana Hepatitis C is a major problem that severely affects the citizens of Louisiana. Furthermore, each year it is projected that upwards of five hundred people in our state are currently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. ...See Page 7

State & Local.....................2 & 3 National....................................4 Health.......................................5 Religion....................................6 Business....................................7 Classifieds.................................7 Sports.......................................8

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LSU Manship School Professor Named National Award Winner

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Tina M. Harris, Ph.D., is the winner of the National Communication Association’s prestigious 2019 Robert J. Kibler Memorial Award, which is given to only one communication professional in the country each year.

BATON ROUGE, LA – Tina M. Harris, Ph.D., is the winner of the National Communication Association’s prestigious 2019 Robert J. Kibler Memorial Award, which is given to only one communication professional in the country each year.

The award was created in 1978 to honor Robert J. Kibler. It recognizes those qualities epitomized by Professor Kibler's professional and personal life, including dedication to excellence, commitment to the profession, concern for others, vision of what could be, acceptance of diversity and forthrightness. The award is given to a person who has exhibited those qualities over their career.

Harris will accept the award in November in Baltimore, Maryland at the National Communication Association’s annual conference.

“I am deeply honored to have colleagues recognize the contributions I have made to the discipline.

I hope that this inspires others to realize the potential that lies in creating environments, relationships and scholarship where ‘concern for others’ and ‘acceptance of diversity’ are at the core,” said Harris.

“We are imperfect people living in an imperfect world; however, we can turn the tide by reflecting compassion and kindness through word and deed.”

Harris joined the Manship School’s faculty in summer 2019

as the Douglas L. Manship Sr.-Dori Maynard Race, Media,and Cultural Literacy Endowed Chair – the first and only position of its type in the nation. She is an internationally renowned interracial communication scholar who studies and teaches on race, media representations and racial social justice. Her pedagogy, research and service are driven by her desire to empower students and others with the communication and critical thinking skills necessary for becoming global citizens.

“This award is a testament to the distinction that Dr. Harris is known for, not just in the region, but around the world, as a scholar, mentor and educator. We are thrilled to celebrate with her this well-deserved recognition,” Martin Johnson, dean of LSU’s Manship School, said.

Lieutenant Governor's Travel Summit Kicks Off In Baton Rouge

Largest Educational Opportunity for State Tourism Industry Presented

by Louisiana Travel Association BATON ROUGE, La. – The annual Lt. Governor’s Travel Summit kicked off today in Baton Rouge. Held in partnership with Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and presented by the Louisiana Travel Association (LTA), the summit is the largest educational opportunity for tourism industry professionals in the Louisiana. The event features workshops addressing industry trends, educational speakers from around the country, and networking opportunities. The Lt. Governor’s Travel Summit runs today through Thursday afternoon at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge. The summit culminates with Lt. Governor Nungesser’s keynote address Thursday on the state of tourism in Louisiana when he will recognize the state’s Travel Champions and True Louisiana Ambassadors.

“The travel summit is an excellent opportunity for members of the travel and tourism industry to gather to learn and network,” said Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. “We are excited to support and participate in this

event again this year and I look forward to celebrating all of the accomplishments made in the past year while sharing our plans for the future.”

Additional speakers this year include inspirational speaker Justin Jones-Fosu; Jamie Vogt of Travel Tacoma + Pierce County; Richard Peterson, President and CEO of the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council and publisher of The Cultural Traveler; Stephen Ekstrom of Fire Starter Brands; Eric Morgan of Morgan & Company, Cory Cart of Hub – Integrated Communication Agency; and more.

Thought leader sessions will also provide insight on marketing, public relations, sales and advocacy.

“Each year summit allows us to join together with our partners as we hear from travel professionals from across the country on trends and best practices,” said Assistant Secretary of Tourism Doug Bourgeois. “We look forward to joining the line-up of world-class speakers as we share how we are impacting the travel industry in Louisiana each day.”

The Louisiana Travel Association is a trade association dedicated to leading and strengthening Louisiana’s vibrant tourism industry through promotion, education, and advocacy on behalf of its members.

To learn more about the Lt. Governor's Travel Summit, including a schedule of events, visit LouisianaTravelAssocation.org.

Principal from page 1 and offer comfort to students and staff throughout the week. Mr. Douglas was a tremendous leader and was beloved by all.

"He modeled excellence and had high expectations for all. He

was an outstanding colleague and an even better friend," said Superintendent Warren Drake. "We will all profoundly miss him and must work to carry on his legacy of leadership and success."

The EBRP Library Offers New Pop Up Library For ebooks In Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport

Most of us have been there— waiting to board a flight, and in need of something to help pass the time.

In partnership with Baker & Taylor, a Follett company and a distributor of books to public libraries and schools, your East Baton Rouge Parish Library (EBRPL) is piloting the Pop Up Library, an innovative new resource for travelers at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

The Pop Up Library provides FREE access to e-books on a smartphone or tablet, and can be used via the internet connection native to the Airport.

Travelers can get started reading at the Airport in just three easy steps: • Access the Wi-Fi connections on your phone or tablet • Select Pop Up Library • Open your browser, enter PopUpLib.com and tap Go to start reading!

• About the Pop Up Library Powered by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Pop Up Library is a small network device with one dedicated purpose—to instantly deliver

e-books to readers wherever it is placed. Libraries that use Pop Up Library are able to extend the reach of their digital collection across the community, making its offerings accessible to all, and introduce the Library to non-card holding citizens.

In other cities, the Pop Up Library is available in hospitals and community centers, but the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport is the first air travel facility to be outfitted with the resource. “We are always looking for ways to enhance our customers’ experience,” said Jim Caldwell, Marketing and Public Relations Manager at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. “We appreciate the East Baton Rouge Parish Library for providing this service to our customers.”

This resource is totally FREE—no cost to the user, no fees or fines accrued, and no hassle autoreturns after 14 days. Travelers just need to be within 250 feet of the Pop Up Library transmitter (located near concourse A), and they can begin exploring a collection of more than 350 titles for adults, teens and children, including both fiction and nonfiction. The collection is updated

on a monthly basis, and will reflect user interest based on frequently borrowed titles. The next phase of this partnership with the Airport will involve the installation of a kiosk to supply physical books to travelers with Library cards, similar to a vending machine.

Baker & Taylor officially launched the Pop Up Library program at the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Conference in Seattle this January, and demand from libraries everywhere was immediate, however this is the first installation in an airport.

“Pop Up Library is a brand new technology in the library market space,” said Michael Bills, director of sales and marketing for Baker & Taylor’s digital products. “Every library wants to engage with more of their community, but libraries don’t have limitless funding. Pop Up Library is a low cost way to achieve greater engagement and create a larger presence in a library’s community.”

“One of the reasons Baker & Taylor is a 200-year-old company is that we listen to the customers we See LIBRARY, on page 4

www.brweeklypress.com • Thursday, August 29 - September 4 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 3

Get Registered To Vote At EBRP Libraries September 3-6 Plank Road Master Plan to be To commemorate Voter Registration Week (September 2-6), Registrar of Voters Steve Raborn is reminding citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish to make sure they are registered to vote, and to either register or update their registration as needed before the fall elections.

The Registrar of Voters Office also will conduct a voter registration drive at East Baton Rouge Parish Libraries from 1 until 6 p.m. during Voter Registration Week.

Citizens who need to register to vote or update their registration may do so online at www.GeauxVote.com, in person at the Registrar of Voters Office, or during the voter registration drive. Applicants registering to vote in person should bring valid identification that establishes identity, age and residency. You must submit your current Louisiana driver’s license, if you have one, or your birth certificate or other documentation which reasonably and sufficiently establishes your identity, age and residency. If you do not have a picture ID, you may bring a utility bill, payroll check or government document that includes your name and address.

If you plan to cast a ballot in the upcoming election on Saturday, October 12, you must register in person or via mail

by Wednesday, September 11.

The last day to online register

• Branch, 12910 Old Hammond Hwy. • Scotlandville Branch, 7373 Scenic Hwy. • Z achary Branch, 1900 Church St. Wednesday, September 4 • Carver Branch, 720 Terrace St. • Delmont Gardens Branch, 3351 Lorraine St. • Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.

Thursday, September 5 • Eden Park Branch, 5131 Greenwell Springs Rd. • Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch, 11300 Greenwell Springs Rd. • Pride-Chaneyville Branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Rd.

to vote through the GeauxVote. com website is Saturday, September 21. Early Voting will be held Saturday, September 28, through Saturday, October 5. Voters may check the status of their registration at www.GeauxVote. com, or by calling the Registrar of Voters Office at (225) 389-

3940. Here’s the voter registration drive schedule: Tuesday, September 3 • B l u e b o n n e t R e g i o n a l Branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.

• Central Branch, 11260 Joor Rd.

Friday, September 6 • Baker Branch, 3501 Groom Rd. • J ones Creek Regional Branch, 6222 Jones Creek Rd. For more information, go online to www.GeauxVote.com, or call the Registrar of Voters Office at (225) 389-3940. To learn more about the Library and any of its free programs, events and resources, call (225) 231-3750 or visit us at www.ebrpl.com.

Gov. Edwards Announces DOTD has Received $76.2 Million in Federal Transportation Funds Baton Rouge — Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. announced that DOTD has received $76.2 million in federal funds that will be used to quickly advance highway projects including bridge replacements and highway expansions. This is the 19th year in a row the state has received these redistributed funds, a validation of the department’s efficiency in managing projects and funding.

The department qualified for the additional federal funds after successfully allocating the full amount of its available federal funding to construction projects for the 201819 federal fiscal year, and having the necessary match dollars available.

“This award is a testament to the proven track record this administration has had to advance, prioritize and improve our state's infrastructure,” said Gov. Edwards.

“Under Secretary Wilson’s leadership, DOTD has been able to use all the federal resources available which has allowed us to take advantage of the federal redistribution allocation year after year. These additional funds will allow us to continue to advance projects across the state.”

“We appreciate the USDOT’s allocation of these funds,” said Secretary Wilson. “These funds will allow us to advance critical projects that have been previously identified in the area of maintenance, preservation, and capacity. As with previous redistributed funds, we have ensured these allocations will impact all areas across the state.”

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Unveiled on Tuesday, Nov. 5

The $76.2 million in additional funding will be used for the expansion of I-12 between U.S. 190 and LA 59 and on five bridge replacement projects around the state.

The I-12 project will add a third lane in each direction and include new bridges over U.S. 190 and Ponchitolawa Creek/Tammany Trace. St. Tammany Parish is contributing $8 million to the project.

DOTD is partnering with St. Tammany Parish for several projects on I-12, including the section between LA 21 and U.S. 190, for which the parish received a $25 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in December 2018. DOTD is also preparing plans for the third phase of I-12 improvements from

LA 1077 to U.S. 190.

The bridge projects to be funded include the following: • Bayou Boeuf Bridge on LA 106 in Avoyelles Parish • Creek Bridge on LA 507 in Red River Parish • Three bridges on LA 1042 east of Greensburg in St. Helena Parish • LA 532 bridge over I-20 in Webster Parish • Amite River Bridge on LA 16 near French Settlement in Livingston Parish Each year the U.S. Department of Transportation redistributes federal funding from budgeted funds that were not used by other states or national programs to those states that successfully obligated

their full federal highway funding allotment during the fiscal year, which is from October 1 through September 30. DOTD will use the newly awarded additional funds on projects where the funds can be obligated by September 30, 2019 and were included in the state’s Highway Priority Program.

Build Baton Rouge will unveil its master plan for the future of Plank Road, on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at the Valdry Center for Philanthropy at Southern University. The presentation will begin at 8:30 A.M. until 10 A.M. Build Baton Rouge will present a vision and set of recommendations for Plank Road's

revitalization gleaned from its almost year-long planning and community engagement effort.

East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and other elected officials, consultants, stakeholders, and community members will be on hand to celebrate the culmination of this planning effort. The event is open to the public.

SEND US YOUR COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMNTS brweeklypress@yahoo.com

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Page 4 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, August 29 - September 4, 2019 •www.brweeklypress.com

Louisiana Voting Rights Change Not Causing Surge in Signups

BATON ROUGE, La. — A Louisiana law change earlier this year restored voting rights to thousands of convicted felons, but at most, only a few hundred have registered to vote so far.

Data from the secretary of state’s office shows modest upticks in the number of felons who have registered to vote since the law loosened March 1.

Louisiana legislators agreed to allow people on probation or parole for a felony to register to vote if they haven’t been incarcerated for at least five years, a change estimated to make 36,000 felons eligible for voter registration.

But since the law took effect, 581 felons have had their voting rights restored. The secretary of state’s office has said it cannot determine which were able to register specifically because of the law change.

The data shows 82 felons had their voting rights reinstated in February before the voting rights restoration took effect. By comparison, the number was 77 in March and 88 in April. The secretary of state numbers show 179 felons had their voting rights reinstated in May, followed by 99 in June and 138 in July.

Some supporters of the voting rights restoration have said officials are doing too little to reach out to the potential voters and the multistep registration process is too complicated.

Cortana from page 1 out to Amazon for comment and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), neither have confirmed.

However, lots of people are waiting to see what happens.

“Back in the 80s, he had a brainchild to start a family business, so here we are,” said Frank Chase.

Chase and his dad, Andy, run Hobby Towne. It’s right across the street from Cortana Mall. They moved to the area in 2013 and have had a front row seat to its steady decline.

“It had been going down five or six years before then,” Chase said. “More stores are moving to the south side of Baton Rouge.”

Last week, the mall’s few remaining tenants got notice to move out and it already looks pretty empty. A quick walk through Cortana and you’ll notice it sort of looks like a ghost town.

Brick and mortars and drying up across the United States, partly due to the ease of shopping online.

Louisiana Teachers to Have Analysis: Campaigns Access to ‘Panic Button’ App Spin Economic Data in Governor's Race

The goal is to increase response time in the event of a shooting, fire, or other health or safety emergency.

MONROE, La. — All K-12 teachers in Louisiana will have access to an app allowing them to press a panic button that immediately calls 911 and notifies first responders and school staff in the case of an emergency.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Kevin Reeves introduced the app Thursday in Monroe, news outlets reported.

Edwards says the goal is

to increase response time in the event of a shooting, fire, or other health or safety emergency.

“While we hope and pray that the safety of our children and their teachers is never compromised, it’s our hope that this technology will assist in protecting our schools,” Edwards said.

The state’s 2020 fiscal year budget included $4 million to pay for all schools, including charter schools, to use the Rave

Mobile Safety app.

Edwards created the Blue Ribbon School Safety Commission, which suggested implementing the technology.

“This technology is a huge step in providing educators the means to quickly communicate with law enforcement,” Reeves said.

The app is expected to be rolled out to schools this fall.

First mosquito sample in EBR Parish for 2019 tests positive for West Nile Virus

missions in the area. Parish officials warn residents that even though 2019 has been “light” in terms on WNV, they should still take precautions be wearing mosquito repellent and/or long sleeved clothing when outdoors, as well as avoiding outdoor activity during peak mosquito activity (morning and evening). Any containers around the home containing standing water should be dumped out.

BATON ROUGE, La. East Baton Rouge Parish officials announced Friday, Aug. 2 they’ve received the first mosquito sample for 2019 that has tested positive for West Nile Virus.

The sample was collected from the O’Neal Lane/I-12 area on Thursday, July 25, officials say.

East Baton Rouge Parish Mosquito Abatement will be conducting additional spray

The irony is the popular online stores that offer quick deals and delivery like Amazon are buying buildings and flipping them. It’s already happened in Ohio and the Business Report claims all signs point to Amazon doing the same with Cortana.

However, this mom and pop store isn't too worried.

“The traffic is still out there,” Chase said. “They’re just moving back and forth and not stopping.”

The Chases did say if Amazon does come, they’d hate to see the other stores leave.

“I’ve been going to Cortana since I was a child," Chase said.

While the mall’s anchor stores shut their doors for good, the family business isn’t seeing any signs of slowing down.

“It changes a lot, but we’ve got more out of town people coming in from Lafayette, Lake Charles, Ponchatoula, and Covington,” Chase said.

Hobby Towne is sort of a specialty shop. You go there for a reason.

“Word of mouth is great for us too, that helps us a lot,” Chase said.

And that’s exactly what’s keeping business booming when everything else around them is on the way out.

“I’ll be honest, there’s not many mom and pops left,” said Chase.

On top of that, the Chase family calls their storefront home, and Florida Boulevard is the perfect corridor, despite some business going in the other direction.

“It’s still a good area, a good side piece of Baton Rouge,” Chase said. “We’re not looking to move anytime soon. We’re going to be here long term.”

Work from page 1 tion time unused, 34.70 percent, which is 1.6 times higher than in Ohio, the state with the lowest at 21.90 percent.

• South Dakota has the highest share of workers with multiple jobs, 8.20 percent, which is 2.3 times higher than in New Mexico, the state with the lowest at 3.60 percent.

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Library from page 2 serve, and we provide products and services that will help them be successful,” added Bills.

“The central role that libraries play in boosting literacy is one of the greatest accomplishments of the institution. We’re proud to be helping libraries achieve this

Barry from page 1 The Public Assistance categories are as follows: • Category A: Debris Removal.

• Category B: Emergency Protective Measures.

• Category C: Roads and Bridges.

• Category D: Water Control Facilities.

• Category E: Buildings and Equipment.

• Category F: Utilities.

• Category G: Parks, Recreational Facilities and Other Items

BATON ROUGE, La. — By Gov. John Bel Edwards’ telling, Louisiana’s economy is on the mend, growing and creating new jobs after exiting a recession. By his Republican opponents’ accounts, the state economy is in a slump, spiraling into a deep decline.

As often happens with campaign talking points, the reality rests somewhere in the murky middle between the competing rosy interpretation and starkly pessimistic view.

Edwards faces two main GOP challengers on the Oct. 12 ballot: U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, a doctor from rural northeast Louisiana, and Eddie Rispone, a wealthy Baton Rouge businessman making his first bid for elected office.

The two sides in the governor’s race are cherry-picking economic facts to either credit the Democratic incumbent’s term with jump-starting a sluggish state economy or trash Edwards’ performance as dragging the state into the economic doldrums.

A deep dive into years of employment data, done by state legislative economist Greg Albrecht, instead shows a Louisiana economy still being hammered by the steep drop in oil and gas prices that started during former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s tenure.

Louisiana has started modest, though inconsistent, upticks in job growth after the state shed jobs during 2015 and 2016, Albrecht’s analysis shows. Still, the data shows Louisiana significantly lags the South and the nation in job creation, and the state remains below its peak 2014 level of employment.

“As reflected in those employment numbers, it’s been flat.

There’s been improvement, but it’s pretty modest,” Albrecht said.

The economist said Louisiana’s private sector employment was 9.8% higher in June 2019 than

it was in February 2010, the state’s low point from the national recession. By comparison, the private sector employment growth over the same period was 22.5% for the South and 20.1% for the nation.

“Over the course of the national expansion to date, total payroll employment growth in Louisiana has been approximately 67% less than that of the national economy and 70% less than the South,” Albrecht wrote in his analysis.

That doesn’t suggest Louisiana is rocking and rolling on the economic front, but it also doesn’t mean Louisiana has fallen into the economic abyss.

The numbers used by Democrats and Republicans to make their points often capture short snapshots in time or don’t provide the full context of a report.

For example, Edwards recently touted Louisiana’s 4.3% unemployment rate as the lowest the state has seen in 11 years and lower than the 6.1% rate when he took office. “Louisiana truly is headed on the right track,” he said in a statement.

The flip side, which Republicans point out, is that Louisiana continues to have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, above the national average of 3.7% and below the rate of only six other states.

The Republican Governors Association is running a TV ad slamming Edwards on the economy, describing Louisiana as “the only state in America that lost jobs in the last year.” That spot uses federal seasonally-adjusted employment data that shows Louisiana has 1,000 fewer jobs in July 2019 compared to July 2018.

Democrats pick a different set of months for comparison to suggest the job numbers look better.

None of the data looks great See RACE, on page 7

calling through Pop Up Library.”

“We are excited to be partnering with the Airport, and bringing an innovative new service to all of those people on the go. The Pop Up Library with its wireless access to e-books is yet another way the Library and our partners can provide a new dimension of convenience and accessibility to a broad cross-

section of our community,” said Library Director Spencer Watts.

To learn more about the Pop Up Library powered by EBRPL, call (225) 231-3710. For more information about the Library and any of its programs, events and resources, call (225) 2313750, or visit us online at www. ebrpl.com.

Summary of Public Assistance Approval (Emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities): Allen, Iberia, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Mary, Terrebonne, and Vermillion Parishes for all categories of Public Assistance.

Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, and West Feliciana Parishes for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B), including direct federal

assistance.

Summary of Hazard Mitigation (Assistance for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards): All areas in the state of Louisiana are eligible for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

There was no request for Individual Assistance because damage assessment data did not indicate it was warranted.

Note: Additional parishes may be included in the Major Disaster Declaration as damage assessment work is completed and reviewed.

www.brweeklypress.com • Thursday, August 29 - September 4 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 5

Beyond the Rhetoric

We Need to Revitalize the Great 8a Business Development Program

OPINION

America Needs Union Jobs, Labor Day Focus

Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce ®. Ms. DeBow is the Co-Founder, Executive Vice President of the Chamber. @HarryCAlford @nationalbcc @ SBAgov

By Harry C. Alford & Kay DeBow According to the Small Business Administration (SBA): “The federal government’s goal is to award at least five percent of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses each year.” Here are the Program benefits: “To help provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the 8(a) Business Development program.”

“Disadvantaged businesses in the 8(a) Program can: Compete for set-aside and sole-source contracts in the program. Form joint ventures with established businesses through the SBA’s mentor-protégé program. Receive management and technical assistance, including business training, counseling, market assistance, and high-level executive development programs, as they apply.”

The above program was the brainchild of the late, great Parren J. Mitchell while he was the Chair of the House Small Business Committee and his staff – led by NBCC Board Member Anthony W. Robinson. It is, without debate, the most successful minority business program in the history of federal procurement. No formal program has made more Black millionaires than this program. Despite this, it needs to be updated and reinforced.

Having a 5% minority business goal for the federal government is pittance. The Black population percentage of our nation is over 14.6% alone. Hispanics have a percentage of 17.0%. That amounts to 31.6% without other ethnicities.

Racism and passive discrimination in this nation still exists and per the U.S. Supreme Court and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 discrimination needs to be addressed according to the disparate impact placed on identified groups. President Bill Clinton had the answer to this after being encouraged or intimidated from the Million Man March of 1996. His plan to “Mend” affirmative action rather than “end” it included formal Disparity Studies for each of the 10 Federal Regions.

Following that adjusted goals could be implemented. One big problem – he never did it. The Congressional Black Caucus should wake up and take the lead from its greatest Founder, Congressman Mitchell, and proceed with the above idea.

The great HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson applied this logic and took Black procurement at HUD to new heights – approaching 32%. President George W. Bush watched his “back” as democratic congressmen tried to have him indicted for whatever reason they could find. He eventually resigned to spend time protecting his name and future during various hearings and investigations.

HUD does about 4% in Black procurement today. Updating the goals and returning to a serious aura can bring this program back to the effectiveness it once had.

The greatest challenge to the 8a Program came under the Barack Obama Administration.

It is so ironic! This president had a mission to “repay” white construction unions for raising over $600 million dollars in his first presidential campaign. His pay back to them was to require federal construction contracting over $1 million to become union only projects. As Blacks and Hispanics are terribly underutilized by construction unions, this would cripple the 8a program. We went to the White House and pleaded on the effect this would have over our constituency (should have been his too). They ignored our efforts and quickly became adversarial towards us.

What quickly happened was devastating. The Obama Administration went “dark” over the 8a Program. Black procurement levels at the time George W. Bush left office were over 8%. When Obama finished his two terms it had been reduced to a little over 1%. People, we are talking billions of dollars extracted from our communities.

SBA Regional Administrator Ashley Bell spoke at our recent Annual Conference and emphasized the reduction in Black procurement due to the reduction in active Black 8a firms. The same can be said for SBA business loans. It was just devastating and most of the Black community does not know what “hit” them.

What was particularly “salt in the wounds” was that the SBA under the Obama Administration became very hostile towards Black business. At one point, the SBA would reject our emails to them.

They took their budgets for funding development grants away from Black associations and tossed them around to non-Black groups. There was pure hatred over there during those eight dark years. How could Blacks do this to other Blacks in the 21st century?

Let’s get busy with turning this atrocity around. We must encourage the White House and federal agencies to quickly “pick up the pieces” and bring the 8a Program back to life and with vigor and updated goals. If Black firms could attain at least 5% in procurement contracting with the federal government that would mean $25 billion dollars annually infused into our economic base. There is a federal election coming in 2020 and we must make significant improvement while that environment exists.

It is time for Blacks to address each political candidate with that great quote from Chaka Khan – “What Cha’ Going to do for Me”.

Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce ®.

Ms. DeBow is the Co-Founder, Executive Vice President of the Chamber.

The 8(a) Business Development program was the brainchild of the late, great Parren J. Mitchell while he was the Chair of the House Small Business Committee and his staff – led by NBCC Board Member Anthony W. Robinson. It is, without debate, the most successful minority business program in the history of federal procurement. No formal program has made more Black millionaires than this program. Despite this, it needs to be updated and reinforced.

By: Edward Smith, SEIU Local 21 Louisiana member and Employee of the City of BatonRouge This Labor Day, working people in Baton Rouge have a demand for any candidate in this year’s state elections: Unions for All. Meaning, no matter where they work, every Louisianan has the opportunity to join a union.

I know firsthand the benefits of having a union. As a longtime SEIU member, my union has helped me fight for better wages, benefits to support my family, and a healthy workplace. Union membership ensures that I have a seat at the decision-making table, my health care coverage is dependable, and my working conditions are fair.

As a Juvenile Probation Officer, I hold an associates degree in law enforcement, a bachelors in sociology, and a masters in social science. After 17 years in the field, I should be making more than $25 per hour. Despite having three degrees and a steady job, it’s difficult

to pay the bills. I understand that things would be even worse if I didn’t have the support of a union behind me.

But unions aren’t just good for their members or people who are covered by a contract. Having more workers in unions benefits our whole community. Unions are the best way to create familysustaining jobs, and begin to fix the rigged economy.

My union unites people from different places and different races to fight alongside one another for issues that matter to our families.

We’re committed to building an economy and a democracy that works for all of us, not just billionaires and corporations, to winning $15 an hour and a union for all working people—Black, white, and brown—and to using our powerful voice to hold politicians accountable to fight alongside us.

Stronger unions raise wages.

More money in the pockets of working people provides a better standard of living and more prosperity for all of us.

Unions are also an important way to tackle racial disparities.

Without unions, low wages will continue to disproportionately affect workers of color. Across the country, more than half of black workers and nearly 60% of Latino workers are paid less than $15 per hour, according to the National Employment Law Project. Black, white, and brown workers all do

better when we join together to have a say in what happens on the job and in our communities.

Despite having been in a union most of my life, I’ve never seen so many people, from so many parts of our economy, demanding a voice on the job. From McDonald’s to Amazon, workers are ready to organize. Polling shows that nearly half of Americans would join a union if they could, a number hasn’t been that high in decades.

The Fight for $15 movement, originally inspired by McDonald’s workers, has proven that the benefits of unionizing can affect many.

Since striking for a $15 minimum wage and a Union in 2012, cities, states, and employers all around the country have lifted wages. In those seven years, workers have won more than $70 billion in raises for 24 million workers around the country.

Unfortunately, not nearly enough people in America today are able to join a union like me.

Our federal labor laws have not caught up with the realities of today’s economy, while big corporations like McDonald’s have rigged the rules to put a union out of reach for too many workers.

As a result, the number of working people in unions is much lower than it should be. Just one in ten Americans is part of a union today, and that number is falling.

Historically, unions are the

way workers have gotten ahead in this country. Joining together in unions is the only shot for workers to take back the country and fight against corporate interests that have rigged the system against them.

That’s why I’m joining together with workers across the country to demand Unions for All. Unions for All means overhauling the rules and making it possible for all workers to join into a union. It’s about raising wages so that people all over the state can afford to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. It’s about demanding safety at work, from sexual harassment to gun violence to injuries on the job.

It’s about making sure our jobs provide healthcare and paid leave.

With a union, we can build the power in numbers that we need to defend our rights and make our jobs better. No matter where you live or where you work, every person— Black, white, and brown— should have the same opportunity to join a union that I do.

In our economy and in our political system, the deck is stacked against working people. To bring balance back to our economy, we need to make it easier for workers to unionize across every industry and in every city. Together with working people all across the economy, I’ll fight for Unions for All to make sure everyone has a fair shot to thrive.

Do Black Kids Deserve This Treatment in School?

PART 1

By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire Contributor Laughing at the humiliation and degradation of a young and impressionable Black boy is intolerable but having that type of behavior displayed by the people directly responsible for the education and development of that young Black child is even more despicable.

Better yet, what if it was your child?

Well, one family is having to deal with the aftermath of what allegedly happened to their 13-yearold son, Juelz Trice, back on May 17th that has left the community up in arms.

The emotional, mental and physical scars that Juelz has had to overcome since the alleged incident involving three White Pearland Independent School District (ISD) employees, has left him feeling embarrassed, distraught and the subject of online bullying.

Juelz’s family recently filed a federal Civil Rights lawsuit against Pearland ISD, along with the School Discipline Clerk, Helen Day; the Assistant Principal at the time, Tony Barcelona; and a teacher, Jeanette Peterson, at the school that young Juelz attended.

According to the lawsuit, on April 16, 2019, Juelz, who is referred to as ‘J.T.’ in the federal lawsuit, was a 7th grader at Berry Miller Junior High School

in Pearland, Texas. At the time of the alleged incident, Juelz had just gotten a “fade” haircut with a design line in his head. For those not familiar, a fade haircut is common and popular amongst many African American youth. Juelz’s fade haircut did not depict or represent anything violent, gang-related, obscene or otherwise offensive or inappropriate in any manner, as it relates to somehow violating the school policy that was on the books. The lawsuit continues by stating that on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, Juelz arrived at school by bus in a timely manner at about 8:20 am and immediately went to the cafeteria for breakfast. Tony Barcelona, who was the Assistant Principal at the time, and who is a White male, approached Juelz and told him to go to the office because he was allegedly “out of dress code” according to the school’s policy.

Juelz had never been informed that he had been “out of dress code” before, according to the lawsuit, so he did as he was told and went to the office. He waited for approximately twenty minutes before Assistant Principal Barcelona finally showed up. According to the lawsuit, Assistant Principal Barcelona further instructed Juelz to go to the office of Discipline Clerk Helen Day, who is a White female.

For the record, a discipline clerk in Pearland ISD is, as the title suggests, is stated as a person who is supposedly knowledgeable

about the discipline policies in Pearland ISD and who is charged with their enforcement, including hairstyles in the dress code.

The lawsuit continues to describe what happened next.

According to the lawsuit, Juelz walked into Discipline Clerk Day’s office, where she showed him a copy of the Pearland ISD dress code and told him that he was in violation of the dress code regarding hairstyles. After a short while, Assistant Principal Barcelona came to Discipline Clerk Day’s office to address the situation.

In the presence of Discipline Clerk Day, Assistant Principal Barcelona informed Juelz that he would receive In-School Suspension as a form of punishment for an indeterminate length of time.

For the record, In-School Suspension requires that a student stay in one room all school day, where they cannot go to classes, thereby, straining their academic success.

In addition to that, any school discipline received by a student can affect their extracurricular activity participation, to which Juelz, who is an active track participant, would have been affected.

Assistant Principal Barcelona gave Juelz another option, however, which was to have the fade haircut line design he had on his scalp immediately colored with a permanent marker, otherwise known as a Sharpie pen.

According to the lawsuit, in Juelz’s mind, this was intended to

somehow cover up the line design.

The lawsuit claims that neither Assistant Principal Barcelona, nor Discipline Clerk Day, informed Juelz that he could appeal the proposed suspension, appeal the potential scalp coloring or have a meeting or hearing about the matter to resolve the issue. The lawsuit also states that Juelz was not informed that he could contact his parents for their advice on the matter.

According to Juelz’s parents – Ms. Washington and Mr. Trice – no one made any attempt to contact either of them, although their phone numbers were on file and readily accessible. The lawsuit also states that no hearings or meetings were ever proposed or set up by any Pearland ISD employee to address the matter.

As Juelz had never been in trouble before, and because he did not want to be suspended or get in trouble with his parents by having a first-time suspension appear on his school record and possibly be removed from the track program, he made the decision, under great duress, to immediately choose coloring his scalp with the Sharpie as the best course of action to take.

After this forced decision, it was then, according to the lawsuit, that Discipline Clerk Day handed Juelz a jet-black Sharpie permanent marker in full view of Assistant Principal Barcelona.

Page 6 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, August 29 - September 4, 2019 •www.brweeklypress.com

NATIONAL

Record-setting Hurricane Dorian keeps pounding north Bahamas McLEAN'S TOWN CAY, Bahamas — In a slow, relentless advance, a catastrophic Hurricane Dorian kept pounding at the northern Bahamas early Monday, as one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded left wrecked homes, shredded roofs, tumbled cars and toppled power poles in its wake.

The storm's top sustained winds decreased slightly to 165 mph (265 kph) as its westward movement slowed, crawling along Grand Bahama island Monday morning at 1 mph (1.6 kph) in what forecasters said would be a daylong assault.

Earlier, Dorian churned over Abaco island with battering winds and surf during Sunday.

There was little information from the affected islands, though officials expected many residents to be left homeless. Most people went to shelters as the storm approached, with tourist hotels shutting down and residents boarded up their homes.

"It's devastating," Joy Jibrilu, director general of the Bahamas' Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, said Sunday afternoon. "There has been huge damage to property and infrastructure. Luckily, no loss of life reported."

On Sunday, Dorian's maximum sustained winds reached 185 mph (297 kph), with gusts up to 220 mph (354 kph), tying the record for the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall. That equaled the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, before storms were named.

The only recorded storm that was more powerful was Hurricane Allen in 1980, with 190 mph (305 kph) winds, though it did not make landfall at that strength.

Forecasters said Dorian was most likely to begin pulling away from the Bahamas early Tuesday and curving to the northeast parallel to the U.S. Southeast seaboard.

Still, the potent storm was expected to stay close to shore and hammer the coast with dangerous winds and heavy surf, while authorities cautioned that it could still make landfall.

According to a Monday morning advisory from the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida's east-central coast may see a "brief tornado" sometime between Monday afternoon and Monday night.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an order Sunday for the mandatory evacuation of his state's entire coast. The order, which covers about 830,000 people, was to take effect at noon Monday, at which point state troopers were to make all lanes on major coastal highways one-way heading inland.

"We can't make everybody happy, but we believe we can keep everyone alive," McMaster said.

A few hours later, Georgia's governor, Brian Kemp, ordered mandatory evacuations for that state's Atlantic coast, also starting at midday Monday.

Authorities in Florida ordered mandatory evacuations in some vulnerable coastal areas. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned his state that it could see heavy rain, winds and floods later in the week.

Dorian first came ashore Sunday at Elbow Cay in Abaco island at 12:40 p.m., then made a second landfall near Marsh Harbour at 2 p.m.

"Catastrophic conditions" were reported in Abaco, with a storm surge of 18 to 23 feet (5.5-7 meters).

Video that Jibrilu and government spokesman Kevin Harris said was sent by Abaco residents showed homes missing parts of roofs, electric lines on the ground and smashed and overturned cars. One showed floodwaters rushing through the streets of an unidentified town at

A baby sleeps inside a church that was opened up as a shelter for residents who will wait out Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019. Hurricane Dorian intensified yet again Sunday as it closed in on the northern Bahamas, threatening to batter islands with Category 5-strength winds, pounding waves and torrential rain. nearly the height of a car roof.

In some parts of Abaco, "you cannot tell the difference as to the beginning of the street versus where the ocean begins," Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said. According to the Nassau Guardian, he called it "probably the most sad and worst day of my life to address the Bahamian people."

Bahamas radio station ZNS Bahamas reported that a mother and child on Grand Bahama had called to say they were sheltering in a closet and seeking help from

police.

Silbert Mills, owner of the Bahamas Christian Network, said trees and power lines were torn down in Abaco.

"The winds are howling like we've never, ever experienced before," said Mills, who was riding out the hurricane with his family in the concrete home he built 41 years ago on central Abaco.

Jack Pittard, a 76-year-old American who has visited the Bahamas for 40 years, also decided to stay put on Abaco for Dorian,

which he said was his first hurricane. A short video from Pittard about 2:30 p.m. Sunday showed the wind shaking his home and ripping off the siding.

The Bahamas archipelago is no stranger to hurricanes. Homes are required to have metal reinforcements for roof beams to withstand winds into the upper limits of a Category 4 hurricane, and compliance is generally tight for those who can afford it. Risks are higher in poorer neighborhoods, with wooden homes in low-lying areas.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Dorian is forecast to be 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometers) off Florida, with hurricane-force wind speeds extending about 35 miles (56 kilometers) to the west.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for Florida's East Coast from Deerfield Beach north to the Georgia state line. The same area was put under a storm surge watch. Lake Okeechobee was under a tropical storm watch.

Mandatory evacuation orders for low-lying and flood-prone areas and mobile homes were in effect starting either Sunday or Monday from Palm Beach County north to at least the Daytona Beach area, and some counties to the north issued voluntary evacuation notices.

Weekend traffic was light in Florida despite those orders, unlike during the chaotic run-up to Hurricane Irma in 2017 when the unusually broad storm menaced the entire state.

Ken Graham, director of the hurricane center, urged people not to bet on safety just because the forecast track had the storm a bit offshore. With every new forecast, "we keep nudging (Dorian's track) a little bit to the left" — that is, is closer to the Florida coast, Graham said.

President Donald Trump already declared a state of emergency and was briefed about what he called a "monstrous" storm.

"We don't know where it's going to hit but we have an idea, probably a little bit different than the original course," Trump said. "But it can change its course again and it can go back more toward Florida."

www.brweeklypress.com • Thursday, August 29 - September 4 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 7

Hepatitis C in Louisiana

By: Charles Edward Hill Jr. In the state of Louisiana Hepatitis C is a major problem that severely affects the citizens of Louisiana. Furthermore, each year it is projected that upwards of five hundred people in our state are currently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Most of the infections are widely considered as asymptomatic and unfortunately because of this most of the cases are neither diagnosed nor, reported as a result. In addition, in previous years when it came to Hep C and how it affected the state the number of fresh cases was anywhere between one hundred to four hundred cases.

It was not until the 1990s when Hepatitis C would become a serious issue when cases of people being diagnosed with Hepatitis C started happening at a relatively alarming rate.

However, there has been a great deal of good news to come out of this tragic situation since the start of the 2000s the rise of acute infections due to having hepatitis C has dropped significantly. I interviewed Mrs. MetaSmith Davis, who works at the open health care clinic in Baton Rouge. I asked her what is hepatitis C and she informed me that it was a medical condition that affects the liver which is caused by the hepatitis C virus. Another thing that I learned about Hepatitis C while speaking with Mrs. Davis is the fact that it is like any other medical condition people may or, may not notice any of the symptoms at all. When it comes to hepatitis C she educated me on the wide variety of distinct similarities that the flu and hepatitis C share. The symptoms are for the most part not generally noticeable. However, the symptoms can include belly pain, clay-colored

poop, dark urine, fever fatigue and jaundice which is a medical condition in which the eyes or skin start to produce a yellowish colored tint. Correspondingly other symptom of hepatitis c includes joint pain, poor appetite, nausea and lastly vomiting. The symptoms time frame can take place anytime upwards of two to twelve weeks after a person has been exposed to the virus. One of my questions during our interview that I asked was how many people do they plan on treating during this time period? And while I was not given a specific number she stated that the goal of the open health care clinic was to provide quality healthcare to the whole community with compassion, competency, and culture.

She also stated that the numbers will vary as the clinic provides those services to our communities. In like manner I asked Mrs. Davis was the clinic working with another company to help aid in the treatment of hepatitis C throughout the state? According to, Mrs. Davis neither the clinic nor, its staff was not parterning up with another company but that the clinic is keeping a close eye on the latest medications on the market to provide treatment to those individuals that are living with Hepatitis C. Her goal is to ensure that everyone who was living with Hepatitis C had access to life changing treatment.

Mrs. Davis felt that by that happening it would entail lower the Medicaid restrictions that at times slows down the access process considerably and it would also mean eliminating the stigma and disparities that keep those most vulernable from access to the much needed medications.

HEALTH

Grower: 5,000 in Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program So Far BATON ROUGE, La. — Two weeks after Louisiana patients began receiving medical marijuana, the program is humming along without supply disruption and with thousands of people receiving the drug for medical use, regulatory officials and the head of one growing operation said Monday.

John Davis, president of GB Sciences Louisiana, one of two state-sanctioned medical marijuana growers, said Louisiana has about 5,000 cannabis patients so far.

Louisiana became the first Deep South state to dispense medical marijuana on Aug. 6, four years after state lawmakers agreed to give patients access to medicinal-grade pot. Nine medical marijuana pharmacies have been permitted to dispense the products, with the first cannabis available in a flavored liquid tincture, a bottle containing a dropper to use.

“The feedback that we’re getting from patients is really overwhelming, with patients who were having epileptic seizures of 18 a day now down to two,” Davis told a panel of state regulators who meet regularly to update the public on the medical marijuana program.

Concerns that patients could face interruptions in supply since only one of the state’s two growers has a product in pharmacies haven’t panned out in the early days of the program.

“It appears the supply chain is working perfectly, or as well as it can be,” Davis said. “We’re able to satisfy the demands that are out there.”

Thomas Uhle, grow manager, tends to marijuana plants growing at GB Sciences Louisiana, in Baton Rouge, La., Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. Today was the first day the marijuana, which was grown for medical purposes, was processed and shipped to patients in Louisiana. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain, whose department oversees the medical marijuana program, urged: “We don’t want to run out” now that people are taking the drug to ease pain and other medical conditions.

Louisiana is one of more than 30 other states that allow medical marijuana in some form.

Under the 2015 law and additional changes passed since then, Louisiana is allowing medical marijuana to treat a long list of diseases and disorders, such as cancer, sei-

zure disorders, epilepsy, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder and Parkinson’s disease.

Only the agricultural centers at Louisiana State University and Southern University are authorized to grow medical marijuana. GB Sciences is LSU’s grower. Southern’s grower, Ilera Holistic Healthcare, estimates its first product could be available by fall at the earliest.

Marijuana can be available in oils, pills, liquids, topical applications and an inhaler, such as that used by asthma patients —

but not in a smokeable form. GB Sciences currently offers only the liquid tinctures, in three different concentrations.

Strain said 4,700 doses of therapeutic cannabis were in the first batch of mint-flavored tinctures. The second batch contains 4,300 doses in cherry-flavored product, he said.

Davis has said he expects to have dissolving strips taken by mouth available soon, followed by topical creams.

Celebrating Influential AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN Leaders Past and Present

Study Reveals How Much Fiber We Should Eat To Prevent Disease A new meta-analysis examines 40 years' worth of research in an attempt to find out the ideal amount of fiber that we should consume to prevent chronic disease and premature mortality.

Researchers and public health organizations have long hailed the benefits of eating fiber, but how much fiber should we consume, exactly?

This question has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to commission a new study. The results appear in the journal The Lancet.

The new research aimed to help develop new guidelines for dietary fiber consumption, as well as reveal which carbs protect the most against noncommunicable diseases and can stave off weight gain.

Noncommunicable diseases are also called chronic diseases.

They typically last for a long time and progress slowly. According to

WHO, there are "four main types of noncommunicable diseases:" cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.

Professor Jim Mann, of the University of Otago, in New Zealand, is the corresponding author of the study, and Andrew Reynolds, a postdoctoral research fellow at Otago's Dunedin School of Medicine, is the first author of the paper.

Prof. Mann explains the motivation for the study, saying, "Previous reviews and meta-analyses have usually examined a single indicator of carbohydrate quality and a limited number of diseases, so it has not been possible to establish which foods to recommend for protecting against a range of conditions."

To find out, the researchers performed a meta-analysis of observational studies and clinical trials.

Race from page 4 amid the threat of another national recession, particularly with outmigration trends suggesting Louisiana’s population continues to stagnate compared with many of its neighbors.

But how much a governor can influence those factors in a short time is questionable.

“In effect, the state is externally driven,” Albrecht said. “I don’t think state governments can really do much to push their economies faster in any short and intermediate term and certainly

not with spending and tax policy.”

The federal government can change interest rates, rework trade policy, and deficit spend to try to give the economy a boost. States can’t do such things.

Governors and lawmakers can, however, work to improve education, upgrade infrastructure, rewrite tax laws and adjust legal systems to lay the groundwork for future economic growth. Albrecht said such changes won’t show up in the snapshot of one term in office and it would take

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Submit your 180-200 word bio and a professional 300 dpi professional photo or nominate someone you feel deserving to be featured in our Leaders Publication. All bio and nominations must be sumitted with address, email address and daytime phone number.

Page 8 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, August 29 - September 4, 2019 •www.brweeklypress.com

BACK TO SCHOOL

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

A

FAMILY FEATURES

nother school year means millions of children across the country are boarding buses at the beginning and end of each day, and it provides an appropriate opportunity for parents, teachers, school administrators and students themselves to practice and enforce safety guidelines in and around the school bus.

Consider these tips from the experts at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) to help keep children safe before bus rides, during travel and after exiting the vehicle.

Before the Bus Arrives n Ensure

backpacks are packed securely so papers and other items don’t scatter as the bus approaches. n Create a morning routine that puts kids at the bus stop five minutes before the scheduled pickup time.

This helps avoid a last-minute rush, when safety lessons are easily forgotten, and ensures kids are safely in place for boarding. n Encourage children to wear bright, contrasting colors so they can be seen easier by drivers. n Instruct children to walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, advise them to stay out of the street, walk single-file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as possible. n Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage kids to walk in

groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see. n If kids must cross a street, driveway or alley, remind them to stop and look both ways before crossing. n Verify the bus stop location offers good visibility for the bus driver; if changes are needed, talk with nearby homeowners or school district officials to implement changes. Never let kids wait in a house or car, where the driver may miss seeing them approach the bus. n Remind children that the bus stop is not a playground. Balls or other toys could roll into the street and horseplay can result in someone falling into the path of oncoming traffic. n Instruct children to stay at least three steps away from the road and allow the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching it.

On the Bus Ride n When

boarding the bus, items can get bumped and dropped. Caution children that before picking any­ thing up, they should talk to the driver and follow instructions to safely retrieve their possessions. n Teach safe riding habits: stay seated with head, hands and feet inside at all times; keep bags and books out of the aisle and remain seated until the bus stops moving. n Remind kids that just like when riding in cars, loud noises are off

limits so they don’t distract the driver. That includes cellphones and other electronic devices; instruct children to put them on mute or use headphones.

Leaving the Bus n Remind

children to look before stepping off the bus. If they must cross the street, teach them to do so in front of the bus by taking five big steps (approximately 10 feet) away from the front of the bus, looking up and waiting for the driver to signal that it is safe. n For parents who meet their kids at the bus, remember that excited kids may dart across the street.

Eliminate the risk by waiting on the side of the street where kids exit the bus. n Make the bus ride part of your daily “how was school?” discussion. Encourage kids to talk about the things they see and hear on the bus so you can discuss appropriate behaviors and, if necessary, report any concerns to school administrators. n As bullying is prevalent and buses are no exception, ask children to tell you about any bullying they observe, whether against another child or themselves, and talk about how to shut down bully behaviors.

Visit BetterOurBuses.com for more school bus safety tips and information.

Rethink Your Child’s Ride While children and their parents can take many steps toward enhanced safety in and around buses, school districts also have unique opportunities to improve their transportation.

More than 900 school districts in 48 states across the country are operating propane-powered school buses rather than other fuels like diesel and gasoline. Alternative fuels, such as propane, offer multiple benefits for school districts and students alike because propane buses reduce harmful emissions, save money and create a safer ride for students riding school buses.

This school year, more than 1 million students will ride a propane school bus to school every day.

Parents and community leaders can engage their local school districts about the benefits propane buses provide:

Cleanliness While diesel exhaust is classified by the World Health Organization as a carcinogen, propane buses don’t expose students to the same harmful emissions. Propane school bus engines lower greenhouse gas emissions to near-zero levels, which improves air quality and eliminates concerns about breathing-related health issues.

Cost Savings With school budgets continually at risk of losing funding, parents and schools can think outside the box to target extra savings. Over the life of the vehicle, propane school buses cost less compared to other fuels for a variety of reasons, including lower fuel costs and more manageable maintenance. Those lower costs on oftentimes large expenses can instead be used to fund student-based programs.

Better for Students Propane buses are also noticeably quieter than alternatives. Noise level and safety go hand-in-hand when considering that a quieter ride allows drivers to focus more on the road as student conversations are less likely to reach higher levels in an effort to be heard over engine noise.

With less noisy distractions, drivers are able to hear what’s happening outside the bus – from horns and sirens to train whistles and more – and keep their riders safe. Additionally, the less distracting engine noise may allow drivers to more easily notice and address bullying behavior on the bus.

Explore the switch from diesel buses to cleaner alternatives by downloading resources available at BetterOurBuses.com, and consider starting a discussion with your children’s school district.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

www.brweeklypress.com • Thursday, August 29 - September 4 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 9

FOOD

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken Recipe courtesy of Lori Yates of Foxes Love Lemons on behalf of Milk Means More Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 16 minutes Servings: 4

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon Sriracha

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons paprika

4 chicken drumsticks, bone in, skin on

4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on vegetable oil, for grill 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

K

flavor. Zesty mustard, spicy Sriracha and rich buttermilk lend a marinated flavor upgrade to traditional grilled chicken, while homemade pesto, fresh corn and ham create a perfect harmony for a cheesy grilled pizza. Or make a salad the star of your dinner table with a simply seasoned sirloin steak, plenty of veggies and a tart twist on a creamy dressing made with yogurt and milk.

Find more refreshing meal solutions at milkmeansmore.org.

Grilled Steak Salad with Chive Yogurt Dressing

1/2 cup sweet red pepper rings 1/2 cup sweet yellow pepper rings

1 cup avocado chunks 1/4 cup thinly shaved red onion To make dressing: In blender, combine yogurt, lime juice, milk, chives, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend on low until smooth consistency forms and chives are completely incorporated. Transfer dressing to jar with tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until serving.

Heat grill to medium.

To prepare steak: Combine kosher salt, black pepper and granulated garlic to create rub. Sprinkle half of seasoning mix over one side of steak, pressing it into meat. Repeat with remaining seasoning on opposite side of steak.

Grill steak over direct medium heat to desired level of doneness, approximately 4-5 minutes per side for medium pink center. Remove steak from grill and let rest 7-10 minutes on cutting board.

To make salad: Toss spinach and romaine on large platter. Scatter red and yellow peppers, avocado and onion over greens.

Slice grilled sirloin thinly against grain.

Arrange meat slices along center of salad.

Drizzle dressing over salad just prior to serving.

FAMILY FEATURES

Refreshing, dairy-infused dishes for warm days Grilled Pizza with Arugula Pesto, Corn and Ham

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Gurk of Rachel Cooks on behalf of Milk Means More Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 6 Arugula Pesto:

2 cups fresh arugula, tightly packed

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

pinch red pepper flakes, (optional) 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt, to taste pepper, to taste Grilled Pizza:

2 tablespoons flour, divided

1 pound pizza crust dough (at room temperature

if using refrigerated dough) vegetable oil, for grill 1/2 cup Arugula Pesto 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 lemon, cut into

wedges (optional) In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, mustard powder, Sriracha, garlic and paprika.

Place chicken in large zip-top bag; pour buttermilk mixture over chicken.

Seal bag and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Heat outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess; discard marinade. Lightly oil grill grates.

Transfer chicken to grill and cook, turning occasionally, 16-18 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 F. Transfer chicken to serving platter.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

eep your kitchen cool and comfortable with grilled meals that banish the heat to the outdoors. Crisp, fresh greens and a perfect blend of spices and savory ingredients make each of these refreshing dishes perfect solutions for toasty days.

Featuring ingredients across the food groups, these dairy-fueled recipes from Milk Means More are ideal for wellrounded meals filled with nutritious

1/2 cup diced deli ham 1/2-3/4 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 cob) 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Heat grill to medium heat (350-400 F).

To make Arugula Pesto: In food processor, combine arugula, garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and Parmesan.

Pulse until combined then, with food processor on, drizzle in olive oil until pesto forms, scraping down sides as needed.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To make Grilled Pizza: Flour pizza dough lightly and stretch or roll to about 1/2-inch thickness (14-16-inch diameter).

Sprinkle remaining flour on large rimless baking sheet, pizza peel or pizza stone. Transfer dough to baking surface.

Clean grill grate and grease with oil-soaked paper towel and tongs. Slide dough off baking surface onto grill. Cover and cook until dough is bubbling on top and golden brown on bottom, 2-3 minutes.

Carefully flip dough over using peel or tongs. Remove crust from grill to add toppings. Spread Arugula Pesto over dough. Top with ricotta, ham, corn kernels, onion and Parmesan. Return pizza to grill, cover and cook until toppings are heated through and bottom of crust is crispy, 5-7 minutes.

Remove from grill, slice and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Kirsten Kubert of Comfortably Domestic on behalf of Milk Means More Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 6

Dressing:

1 cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed

lime juice (3 small limes)

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper Steak:

1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic 20 ounces boneless petite sirloin steak Salad:

3 cups baby spinach

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce hearts

Page 10 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, August 29 - September 4, 2019 •www.brweeklypress.com

RELIGION

Book One Of 'The Christians’ Features Louisiana Love Story

Spread the Word Church Directory The People's Publication | Baton Rouge

Double

Single

DEADLINE FRIDAY BEFORE PUBLICATION AT 5PM CELEBRATING

43 YEARS

Basic

BJT Ledet Christian and how the interactions between family and friends impact the spiritual growth of young adults. B.J.T. Ledet is a retired Hurricane Katrina survivor who worked at Tulane University in New Orleans. She attended Southern University and A&M College and Tulane University. Currently, she gives back to the community by tutoring kids inside her home while working on completing the trilogy. Ledet enjoys writing from her Baton Rouge home where she lives with her spouse, a dog, and a cat. The Christians is available on Amazon and atwww.jozefsyndicate.com/creators/b-j-t-ledet/

The Weekly Press Place your ad today! (225)775-2002

EMAIL YOUR

NEWS ARTICLES TO

Community Fellowship Church 123 Anywhere St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 admin@communityfellowship.org Services: Sundays 11am Wednesday Bible Study 7pm communityfellowship.org | 225.555.1212

Reserve your space today!

With much anticipation, B.J.T Ledet, a Baton Rouge educator, has released the first a new adult, religious romance trilogy: The Christians.

The Christians, book one, follows the life and love of Mary Jean Woods, a young, Christian woman in 1960 South Louisiana as she maneuvers through selfdiscovery, unrighteousness, and betrayal in hopes to find a true spiritual identity.

Through this first release, B.J.T Ledet weaves a story that answers “What exemplifies a Christian?” and introduce readers to characters who boldly feel right–even all-knowing– in their beliefs when they are flawed and some are fallen.

The Christians deals with the distinctive differences and interactions between the characters who consider themselves Christians and those who don’t. Meet ministers who are in the business of religion instead of uplifting the people and teaching them to love. Meet the ‘show and tell’ flock alongside the church Mothers who have tunnel vision and live in the past.

Using romance, family scandals, and murder, the novel questions who is and is not a

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CHURCH DIRECTORY

Advertise Your Church Services In The Weekly Press CHURCH DIRECTORY Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25 CAMPHOR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

8742 Scenic Highway – Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70807 Telephone: (225) 775-4106 - Fax: (225) 615-8359 Rev. Elenora Mackey Cushenberry, Th.D, Senior Pastor Rev. Tiffanie C. Postell, Associate Pastor

Rev. Elenora Mackey Cushenberry, Th.D.

Sunday School................................................................. 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service............................................................ 10:55 a.m.

Youth Sunday & Contemporary Worship........ 2nd Sun. 8:00 a.m.

Bible Study..................................Wed. 12:00 Noon and 5:00 p.m.

Prayer Ministry ...................................................... Tues 6:00 p.m.

Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church OF SCOTLANDVILLE

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1414 Sora Street • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70807 Telephone: 225-775-7372 • Fax: 225-774-1767 Website: www.gmcbc.org Reverend Clee E. Lowe, Pastor

Hour of Power ..............................................12 Noon Each Wednesday Sunday School............................................................................ 8:00am Church Service ........................................................................... 9:00am Communion Service .............................................. 2nd Sunday 9:00am Bible Study Wednesday .............................................................7:00pm Sister/Brotherhood Meeting...................................................... 6:00pm

Sunday Morning Worship................................................10:45am Lord’s Supper..............................................................4th Sunday Sunday School..................................................................9:30am Mid-Morning Prayer Service.................................. Wed. 10:30am Prayer Service......................................................... Wed. 6:00pm Bible Study.............................................................. Wed. 6:30pm

NEW BIRTH FULL GOSPEL MINISTRIES 1283 Rosenwald Road Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70807 Bishop I. J. Payne, Pastor

'THE NEW LIFE' Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

— 2 Corinthians 5:17

SUNDAY WORSHIP

Every Sunday at 11:30 A.M.

HOLY COMMUNION

Every 3rd Sunday at 11:30 A.M.

SUNDAY SCHOOL Every Sunday at 9:30 A.M.

HOUR OF POWER

Every Friday at 12 NOON

Bishop Ernest Mills Dr. Donald Ruth, & Evangelist Yvonne MillsPastor

Radio Broadcast 1st and 3rd Sunday WXOK at 8:00am

NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH 5856 Greenwell Springs Road • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806 Telephone: (225) 926-0246 • Facsimile: (225) 925-8022 Toll Free: 888-700-6174 Websites: www.newhopebr.com Rev. Leo Cyrus Sr., Pastor

www.brweeklypress.com • Thursday, August 29 - September 4 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 11

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

A Guide to Local Businesses Serving the Community To Advertise your Business in the Business Directory, Please Call (225) 775-2002 TODAY!

Email: cjw7@att.net www.cjwdistributors.com 2303 West Highmeadow Ct. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 Ph: 225-292-0305 Cell: 225-405-3427 Fax: 225-292-0307 Toll Free: 800-240-9507

BUSINESS

Gov. Edwards, Formosa Plastics Announce $332 Million Expansion Baton Rouge — Gov. John Bel Edwards and Plant Manager Paul Heurtevant of Formosa Plastics Corporation, Louisiana (FPC) announced the company will invest $332 million to expand its production of polyvinyl chloride resin or PVC. Formosa Plastics also will add production equipment in two other units of the company’s Baton Rouge manufacturing facility, which FPC has operated since 1981.

The project will create 15 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $77,667, plus benefits.

Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 66 new indirect jobs, for a total of 81 new jobs in East Baton Rouge Parish and the Capital Region. Formosa Plastics also will retain 230 existing jobs. The expansion work is expected to create 500 construction jobs beginning in early 2020.

“Formosa Plastics has operated in Louisiana for decades, and we are happy to see its continued success result in this significant capital investment in Baton Rouge,” Gov. Edwards said. “As the company looks to a substantial increase in production and sales of PVC, Louisiana’s skilled workforce is at the ready. Permanent manufacturing jobs are particularly beneficial for our economy, and this major expansion also will support hundreds of jobs in our construction sector.”

The Formosa Plastics Baton Rouge facility consists of three operating units to produce PVC, a synthetic plastic polymer with a variety of uses in the construction industry, including as insulation on electrical wires, in flooring for buildings needing a sterile environment, and as piping and siding.

“Louisiana is one of only a few areas uniquely qualified with the resources and infrastructure to support our industry, allowing us to diversify our production across our locations, further adding to the reliability of supply for our customers,” Heurtevant said.

“This expansion of our existing PVC unit will not only result in an additional nearly 300 million

Formosa Plastics Corporation, Louisiana (FPC) pounds of annual resin production and sales, providing our customers with the quality and consistency they have come to expect from Formosa Plastics, but will also provide for additional permanent jobs and several hundred construction jobs for our community.”

The project will include the installation of new machinery and equipment for the expansion of the PVC resin production unit, expected to result in a 20 percent increase in production capacity and sales; installation of new machinery and equipment for a halogenated acid production unit for internal use in the production of vinyl chloride monomer; and installation of utilities equipment needed for the new production operations. Launch of the new operations is expected for late 2021 or early 2022.

“When businesses in Baton Rouge are expanding, we all win,” said East Baton Rouge MayorPresident Sharon Weston Broome.

“This project will bring 15 new well-paying jobs to North Baton Rouge, and represents the retention of 230 existing jobs. I celebrate this news with the leadership of Formosa Plastics, and look forward to supporting their continued

growth.”

LED began discussing potential expansion plans with FPC in March 2019, and the company considered a Texas location before committing to Louisiana. To secure the project, LED offered Formosa Plastics a competitive incentive package that includes a performance-based grant of up to $500,000. The company also is expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

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“The Capital Region’s manufacturing renaissance continues with Formosa’s expansion announcement today,” said Adam Knapp, president, and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. “This project brings both new jobs and new capital investment to expand Formosa’s capacity to produce PVC, a product they export around the world from right here in Baton Rouge. Foreign direct investment like this is a critical component of the region’s economic progress.”

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Page 12 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, August 29 - September 4, 2019 •www.brweeklypress.com

SPORTS

Saints Need to Consider Signing Kenny Stills if Dolphins Cut Him The New Orleans Saints will play the Miami Dolphins this Thursday in their final preseason matchup. Fellow CSC writer Chris Dunnells provided us with a great preview and included a few interesting storylines.

In the past few days, another intriguing storyline has developed around the Saints’ next opponent.

The Dolphins appear to be actively shopping a few notable names on their roster including linebacker Kiko Alonso and wide receiver Kenny Stills.

Saints fans should remember Stills from his first two years in the league. Drafted in the fifth round out of Oklahoma, Stills was never as dominant as Michael Thomas, but he was a legitimate downfield threat way before Ted Ginn Jr. joined the fold.

As a member of the Saints, Stills played in 31 of 32 games while racking up 95 receptions, 1,572 yards, 71 first downs, and eight touchdowns. He also averaged a whopping 17.4 yards per reception during that span with Drew Brees as his quarterback.

Because the Saints drafted Stills so late in the draft, he only cost the Saints about a half million dollars each of those years as well.

In hindsight, I still have no idea why the Saints unloaded Stills for oftinjured linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third round pick who later became P.J. Williams. Apparently, I even wrote an article looking back at that trade’s outcome.

Of course, P.J. Williams has finally redeemed himself and cur-

rently looks to be the Saints’ strongest option at nickel cornerback despite the team investing more money and contract length to Patrick Robinson. Stills, on the other hand, has not appeared to reach his full potential with the Dolphins after showing so much promise with the Saints.

Stills has found his way into the end zone more over the past four seasons, including a nine touchdown season in 2017. He’s also maintained a very impressive 15.7 yards per reception average despite having to catch passes from the likes of Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore, Jay Cutler, and Brock Osweiler.

Yet, Stills has never replicated his totals with the Saints from the 2014 season with regard to receptions (63), yards (931), and first downs (47). Just imagine if the Saints never traded Stills and he continued to grow alongside one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Well, we just might have the chance to see it after all. There are many dominoes that need to fall first, however, and they are complicated and sometimes politically nuanced dominoes at that.

It’s no secret that the Dolphins are shopping Stills at this very moment. Head coach Brian Flores and team owner Stephen Ross can say cutting or trading Stills is a football or business decision all they want, but my eyes are wide open to the real reason why Stills’ future is in the air.

After Stills criticized Jay-Z’s partnership with the NFL, Flores

Kenny Stills ness of football, supposedly.

“The tweet doesn’t, like, put me against Mr. Ross,” Stills said last week. “I don’t have any hard feelings toward him. There’s no, like, beef. It’s just like, ‘Hey, these two things don’t align. And maybe somebody else hasn’t told you, but I’m letting you know.’ It’s important to me that the work that we’re doing isn’t just lip service. It’s real.

Everything that I do has been real from the very beginning.”

attracted a lot of press by playing eight straight Jay-Z songs during practice last week in order to “challenge” Stills to perform better no matter the distraction.

Then Stills criticized Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross for holding a fundraiser for Trump despite its’ obvious conflict with the mission of Ross’ non-profit RISE (Ross Initiative for Sports Equality). The player and owner have “agreed to disagree” and move on to the busi-

LSU Tigers Three-Time Football National Champions BobbleHead Unveiled The NCAA recognizes College Football National Champions dating back to 1869 when Princeton and Rutgers were both crowned National Champions.

The release follows very popular bobbleheads commemorating teams that have won Basketball National Championships and World Series titles.

"The championship bobbleheads are the ultimate way for fans to show off their school pride,” said Phil Sklar, CoFounder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. “We know how passionate LSU fans are, so we expect these to be extremely popular.”

“There’s not much to argue about,” Stills said. “He has his feelings about it, and he stands firm in that, and I respect that. But I disagree, and I told him there’s no hard feelings. There’s no beef, and let’s win some games this year.”

Ross’ choice to financially support a president who has called for protesting players to be removed from the league is a blatant conflict of interest for an owner of a football team. It’s easy to see why Stills fully understands the tenuousness of his employment.

Everyone is free to disagree with Stills’ method of protesting by continuing to take a knee, but everyone should also respect the immense potential professional sacrifice Stills has made by speaking his truth. The activist has maturity and awareness beyond his years, and he knew that just because the team supported him the past, that didn’t mean they would support him in the future.

“If something happens here and the staff gets flipped around,

I definitely think it is something that will be brought up,” Stills told ESPN in December weeks before Adam Gase was fired as head coach.

“I’m prepared for it. I save my money. I love playing ball. I’ve been doing it for 20 years, but I know I can do something else. I’d hope it doesn’t come to that. I hope my work over the last three years speaks for itself. But I’ve seen it happen in this league and things change. I’m prepared if I end up on the street and nobody signs me. I’m fine with it.”

If you think Stills doesn’t put his money and time where his mouth is, here’s a list of his accomplishments off the field since being traded to the Dolphins.

Two time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee Three time Dolphins’ Nat Moore Community Service Award Named a “Luminary Icon” by the LGBTQ rights group SAVE Visited the Miami VA Healthcare System Led a town hall meeting and spearheaded a RISE to Vote campaign that resulted in the entire team being registered to vote for the first time ever Mentored children and educated himself and others about civil rights Started a Miami branch of the OK Program, a mentoring nonprofit that connects young black men with black police officers Multiple police ride alongs with the Dolphins Football unites program that seeks to bring communities and police together peacefully Attended the Know Your Rights camp which empowers youth in their community and teaches them various ways to interact with law enforcement in addition to building self-empowerment and motivation I know what some of you might be thinking while reading this. Doesn’t Drew Brees dislike the method of protest through kneeling during the national anthem? Doesn’t Gayle Benson support Trump like Ross does?

Well, I don’t see Brees or Benson disliking Saints linebacker and super activist Demario Davis.

Limited Edition bobblehead commemorating the LSU Tigers’ three Football National Championships now available as part of new College Football Champions Series.

MILWAUKEE, Wi., August 26, 2019 – Today, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited edition bobblehead commemorating the LSU Tigers’ three NCAA Division 1 Football National Championships. The bobblehead features the LSU’s mascot, Mike the Tiger, surrounded by three championship rings on the base of the bobblehead, which is in the shape of LSU’s logo. A commemorative backing lists the years of LSU’s titles, which were in 1958, 2003 and 2007.

The limited edition bobbleheads, which are individually numbered to only 2,007 to coincide with the school’s last title year, are now available for purchase.

The bobbleheads are $40 each with a flat rate shipping charge of $8 per order. The bobbleheads are officially licensed and were produced by FOCO exclusively for the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.

Heading into the 2019 season,

LSU ranks 16th most in victories in NCAA Division I FBS history with 15 conference championships and 35 consensus All-Americans.

As of the beginning of the 2018 NFL season, 40 former LSU players were on active rosters in the NFL, the second most of any college program. Louisiana State University (LSU) played its first football game on November 25, 1893, losing to rival Tulane in the first intercollegiate contest in Louisiana. LSU won the 2007 National Championship by defeating top ranked Ohio State in the BCS national championship game by a score of 38–24, becoming the first school to win two BCS national championship titles.

This new bobblehead is one of seven to be included in an exclusive series of College Football Championship bobbleheads that the Hall of Fame and Museum is releasing leading up to the college football season. The other schools included in the series are Miami, Florida, USC, Texas, Nebraska and Ohio State.

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