BATON
ROUGE,
LOUISIANA
SERVING BAKER, CENTRAL, AND ZACHARY A PEOPLE’S PUBLICATION
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7-13, 2019
Mayor Broome Files Lawsuit Against St. George Incorporation B AT O N ROUGE, LA - The Senate’s Local Affairs Committee killed a bill by its chairperson, Sen. Yvonne MayorDorsey-Colomb, President that would have changed state Sharon Weston Broome law so the entire East Baton Rouge Parish could vote on the proposed St. George incorporation in the fall. Current law only allows voters within the Sen. Yvonne boundaries of a Dorsey-Colomb proposed city to decide whether they will incorporate. Lawmakers who voted against the bill noted it would have been the first time in the state’s history that an entire parish was allowed to vote on an incorporation initiative. “This is about the people residing outside of the proposed city limits of St. George, who under current law, will not get to vote, but are indeed adversely and financially affected,” Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome testified. “I believe that we all need to be pulling in the same direction.” The St. George initiative’s organizers told lawmakers the bill was an attempt to kill their movement. “This is an attempt by the powers that be to change the rules at the end of the game,” St. George leader, Norman Browning, said. “It’s unequivocally wrong and anti-American.” Broome’s office released a study before the hearing indicating the city-parish might have to slash each of its agencies’ budgets by 18 percent if St. George incorporated and no longer contributed $48 million to the city-parish’s coffers. Colomb, a Baton Rouge Democrat, argued residents in the entire parish should be allowed to vote on the issue because that potential reduction could affect people outside the St. George neighborhood. St. George organizers say the city-parish would have to spend less money because it would not be responsible for services like road maintenance inside the St. George See LAWSUIT, on page 2
17TH ANNUAL
GALA ON THE BLUFF A Huge Success
VOL. 43 • NO.03 • FREE
Ernest Gaines, Author of 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,' has Died Gaines “used his immense vision and literary talents to tell the stories of African Americans in the South. We are all blessed that Ernest left words and stories that will continue to inspire many generations to come.”
— Gov. John Bel Edwards
Dean of Business Dr. Donald R. Andrews and his wife and event Co-Chair Agnes Andrews of the Andrews All State Insurance Agency, pause for a quick family photo.
By Whitney Thomas Southern Digest The 17th Annual “Gala on the Bluff’, took place on Halloween night at the Belle of Baton Rouge casino. The event, hosted by Southern University’s College of Business, is intended to be an opportunity for business owners and alumni to donate money towards the university. Chaketa Spears, a Southern alum, expresses her role at the event, and how exciting it is each year. “I’ve been attending this Gala for 4 years. I go around the event throughout the night and sell raffle tickets for the split the pot fundraiser. This is basically going towards the scholarships. We also have door prizes where you can get a two-night weekend stay or some lucky person will win half the money we actually raise. Just knowing that this event is all for a good cause brings so much happiness each year.” Hosted by Co-Chairs Agnes Andrews and Dr. Pamela Ravarre-Jones, the event began by giving honors to all the people and businesses that See GALA, on page 2
NEW ROADS, La. — Novelist Ernest J. Gaines, whose poor childhood in a small Louisiana plantation town germinated the stories of black struggles that grew into universal stories of grace and beauty, has died. He was 86. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office on Tuesday released word of his death. Edwards said in a statement that Gaines “used his immense vision and literary talents to tell the stories of African Americans in the South. We are all blessed that Ernest left words and stories that will continue to inspire many generations to come.” “A Lesson Before Dying,” published in 1993, was an acclaimed classic. Gaines was that year awarded a MacArthur Fellowship grant, receiving
Author Ernest J. Gaines, who wrote The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
$335,000 to spend over the next five years. He was the author of eight books, and “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” (1971) and “A Gathering of Old Men” (1984) became honored television movies. Ernest James Gaines was born Jan. 15, 1933, on a plantation in Pointe Coupee Parish. His first writing experience was writing letters for illiterate workers who asked him to embellish their news to far-off relatives. The fictional town of Bayonne, La., the setting for Gaines’ stories, was actually New Roads, which Gaines left for California when he was 15. Although books were denied him throughout his childhood because of Louisiana’s strict segregation — which extended See GAINS, on page 2
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Headliners and entertainment for the evening The Stylistics gave a great performance.
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Send your news to the news department at the Baton Rouge Weekly Press by emailing it to: brweeklypress@yahoo.com
INDEX State & Local...................... 2 - 3
At the Scoreboards Sports Grill and Catering you can come for the food and stay for the sports because both equally exciting!. ...See Page 2
RED STICK VETERANS
TRAVIS GREENE'S 'BROKEN RECORD'
LAZY NERD GRAND OPENNING
This 2019 RED STICK VETERANS WEEK will benefit and show our appreciation for our Veterans, Military families, and the Baton Rouge regional community at large. . .. See Page 3
Get inspired with the refreshing sound on Broken Record, the new album from three-time GRAMMY nominee, acclaimed award-winner Travis Greene, available now.... See Page 4
The Mall of Louisiana welcomes, new business; Lazy Nerds Designs, whose designs have been featured in over 15 states and are now available here in Baton Rouge.... See Page 5
Religion....................................4 Business....................................5 Classifieds.................................5 Sports.......................................6
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