THE BATON ROUGE WEEKLY PRESS by Ivory Payne

BATON

SERVING

BAKER,

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10-16, 2019

La. Workforce Commission Outlines Steps For Furloughed Government Employees to File Claims

ROUGE,

LOUISIANA

CENTRAL, AND

ZACHARY VOL. 42 • NO.33 • FREE

PEOPLE’S PUBLICATION

Gov. Edwards Declares State Of Emergency Due To High River Levels Eight parishes are a part of the declaration

BATON ROUGE, LA - The Louisiana Workforce Commission is offering assistance and guidance to furloughed employees who wish to file unemployment claims amid the government shutdown. Furloughed Federal employees who are impacted by the shutdown are subject to specific documentation requirements: • Furlough Notice or documentation if available • A copy of the SF8 or SF50 • P roof of wages (W-2 or check stubs) To file a claim go to HiRE. LWC Secretary Ava Dejoie said, “I’ve worked throughout my career with workers faced with the loss of a pay check, it is never easy. As with all Unemployment Insurance Claims, wages offset benefits. Claims filing and required documentation are different for furloughed workers. Another extremely important peculiarity exists. If Congress approves retroactive pay, which has been the norm after prior federal shutdowns, all workers who receive unemployment insurance benefits must repay all benefits received.” Important tips and information: • Federal employers are contacted and have 12 days to provide wage and separation information. • Furloughed workers should continue to file benefits weekly as long as on furlough. Claims processing may take up to three weeks. Continue to file every week. • Unemployment Insurance claims based on furloughs may be approved for payment unless there is another disqualifying eligibility issue. In these cases, the claimant will be contacted for additional information. All required information can be provided to the LWC by either of these methods: Electronically (best option): The furloughed employee can file their unemployment claim through HIRE. Once logged in, go to Unemployment Services > Provide Specific Documents to upload the requested documentation.

President Trump in New Orleans on Monday for Farm Bureau convention

President Donald Trump

“Again this year, we are dealing with high water levels on several different waterways much earlier than we typically see these problems develop,” said Gov. Edwards.

BATON ROUGE, LA - Rain is forecasted for Saturday and Louisiana has seen a lot of rain over the last few weeks. The rain has upped river levels in the area and Governor Edwards is responding with a State of Emergency Declaration. The Governor's Office said, "Gov. John Bel Edwards has issued a State of Emergency Gov. John Declaration due to Bel Edwards concerns about high river levels across the state caused by increased rain within the last few weeks."

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is helping fight flooding in local parishes and the Governor's Office specified which parishes are part of the declaration: • Beauregard • Bossier • Caddo • Calcasieu • Catahoula • Rapides • St. Tammany • Washington. “Again this year, we are dealing with high water levels on several different waterways much earlier than we typically see these problems develop,” said Gov. Edwards. “Many regions of the state

saw near-record rainfall in December and in the first few days of 2019. It is important for the state to provide support to the communities facing this emergency and to assist other communities where additional problems could arise. GOHSEP has been closely monitoring this situation and continues conversations with local leaders, hydrologists, the four National Weather Service (NWS) offices that cover the state and levee district leaders. By issuing this declaration, the state will be able to answer any potential calls for support from our local partners.” If you would like to stay aware of current road conditions, visit Louisiana DOTD.

President Donald Trump will be in New Orleans on Monday (Jan. 14) for an appearance at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 100th annual convention. The organization confirmed the president’s visit Wednesday. News of Trump’s stop in New Orleans comes during the third week of a partial government shutdown over the president’s demand that Congress fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall. Some 800,000 federal employees have been impacted since lawmakers failed to meet a Dec. 21 deadline to approve a budget with the $5.7 billion he’s seeking. Shiloh Perry, a media relations specialist with the Farm Bureau, said Trump is expected to take part in the convention’s general session on Monday. The group expects more than 6,000 attendees for its convention and trade show, which begins Friday at the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center. This will mark the second year in a row that Trump has spoken at the Farm Bureau convention. Last year, he was in Nashville, Tennessee, for the event.

Capital Area CASA Announce 2019 Board of Directors BATON ROUGE, LA CASA’s executive committee members include Jeff Calmes, Chair, Jolaina Matthews, Vice Chair, Jan Cassidy, Secretary, and Roy Hebert, Treasurer. Newly elected to the board are Patti Beste, Suzanne Cambre, Shari Franklin- Poydras, Lauren Hadden, Melissa Mann, and Renee Trusty. Returning to the board are Reginald Brown, Mary Jane Dillenberger, Crystal French, Bebe P. Landry, Andy McCall, Kathryn Mount, Aimee Riggs, Jean Anne Songy, Jessica Starns-Debetaz, and Cynthia Wade-Babin. The Capital Area CASA board of directors is comprised of committed and diverse com-

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS BRING MORE EXPERIENCE

munity activists, as well as fundraising and marketing experts. Membership responsibilities include, but are not limited to, governing the legal and ethical duties of the organization, offer support and review performance of the executive director, determine and monitor the growth of the program, and ensure and manage adequate resources necessary to the program’s development. CASA volunteers speak up for abused and neglected children in need of safe, permanent homes. Volunteers are needed in order for CASA to continue providing an advocate for every See CASA, on page 2

STATE & LOCAL

Capital Area CASA’s newly elected officers are, from left, Jolaina Matthews, Vice Chair; Roy Hebert, Treasurer; Jan Cassidy, Secretary; and Jeff Calms, Chair.

RELIGION

BUSINESS

STATE & LOCAL NEWS

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

INDEX State & Local.....................2 & 3

RETIRED CHIEF JUSTICER DIED Maybe, “seasoned” isn’t the right word to ascribe to the New Orleans Saints when it comes to playoff experience...See Page 6

Louisiana Supreme Court retired Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr., 87, died. Chief Justice Calogero was the longest-serving justice in the history of the Louisiana Supreme Court, serving for 36 years,...Page 3

KELLY LANDS HER FIRST LEADER

$5 BILLION BID TO SAVE RETAILER

Sears Holdings Corp Chairman Eddie Lampert confirmed that he has made a new takeover bid of more than $5 billion for the company, an offer that may significantly increase the likelihood the U.S. department store. . ..Page 5

Religion....................................4 Business....................................5 Classifieds.................................5 Sports.......................................6

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Buying or selling a service, looking for a good job? Check out the classifeds .

THEWEEKLYPRESS.COM Celebrating 42 Years Of Service To The Baton Rouge Community 225.775.2002

Page 2 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, January 10-16, 2019

READER INFORMATION How to Reach Us General Information225-775-2002 Email Address brweeklypress@yahoo.com The office is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday and located at 1283 Rosenwald Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Correction Policy The Baton Rouge Weekly Press strives to be fair and accurate. The newspaper corrects any significant errors of fact brought to the attention of the editor. If you think an error has been made, call 225-775-2002

The Weekly Press Newspaper is a published weekly in Baton Rouge and distributed every Thursday with a circulation of 7,500. Subscription rates are $65.00 per year for Louisiana residents; $72.00 for one year for out-of-state residents; half price for six months subscription: and $1.00 per single copy. All money orders or checks should be made payable to The Weekly Press, P.O. Box 74485, Baton Rouge, La. 70874 1283 Rosenwald Road Baton Rouge, La. 70807-41 Phone: (225) 775-2002 Fax: (225) 775-4216 E-MAIL brweeklypress@yahoo.com thewpres@bellsouth.net Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Closed Saturday, Sunday and all Major Holidays

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STATE & LOCAL

Edwards’ Agenda: Pay Hikes, Minimum Wage, No Special Session BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. John Bel Edwards previewed a 2019 Louisiana legislative agenda Monday that features a few new items, several repeat proposals and a pledge that he won’t call any special sessions during this election year. Pay raises at public schools, a minimum wage increase, equal pay laws and health care protections are on the Democratic governor’s to-do list as he seeks reelection to a second term this fall. Attempts to roll back last year’s seven-year sales tax renewal won’t have Edwards’ backing. And after calling seven special sessions over his first three years in office, Edwards expects to return to the regular legislative calendar this year. Louisiana’s budget has stabilized, he said, and special sessions to address financial gaps aren’t needed. “In 2019, it is my intention not to have a single special session of the Legislature. That should be doable,” the governor told the Press Club of Baton Rouge, to applause. Top priority for Edwards when lawmakers return for their two-month regular session in April will be pay raises for public school teachers and support workers, along with block grant increases to school districts. The proposal, which he described as the first year of a three-year plan to raise salaries to the Southern average, includes a $1,000 pay raise for teachers and certificated personnel such as school counselors and a $500 increase for support staff such as cafeteria workers. The proposed raises — along with additional block grant increases to districts — are expected to cost about $135 million in the 2019-20 budget year. “Pay increases will help re-

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks to the Press Club of Baton Rouge about his plans for 2019, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La. The Democrat, who is running for re-election this fall, says he'll prioritize teacher pay raises in the legislative session and again seek to increase Louisiana's minimum wage.

cruit talented teachers and make Louisiana more competitive relative to other (Southern) states and improve educational outcomes in Louisiana, because the number one ingredient to quality education is to have a highly professional, motivated teacher in every single classroom,” he said. A teacher pay raise appears to have widespread support among lawmakers, though with disagreements about who should be included. House Republican leaders, however, have stalled the income forecast changes that Edwards hoped would pay for the raises, saying the state’s economy remains fragile and it’s too soon to boost the forecast. Another forecasting meeting is expected Jan. 17 to revisit the debate. Edwards also said he’ll try again to raise Louisiana’s minimum wage and enact equal pay requirements on private industry, despite three years of rejection from the majority-Republican House and Senate. Business lob-

See MINIMUM WAGE, on page 3

* The asterisks indicate which programs require pre-registration. For more information about or to register for all the programs listed, call the branch where the event is scheduled directly or visit www.ebrpl.com. Can’t visit any of our 14 locations, which are open seven days a week? The Library is open 24 / 7 online at www.ebrpl.com. The Library’s Featured Events, www.ebrpl.com (225) 231-3750 Release the Hounds: Come to the One Book One Community Kickoff Party! It’s that time again … time to begin this year’s One Book One Community (OBOC) celebration of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! Everyone in the whole family is invited to join us for a fun, FREE street party at the Main Library at Goodwood from 6 until 8 p.m. Saturday, February 23. You won’t want to miss this family friendly event that’ll formally kick off the spring reading program with activities including FREE food, games and prizes, crafts, face painting, an old-fashioned Cake Walk to win a delicious confection, live music by the Waelandanna band, plus a visit from Sherlock Holmes and much more! In addition, events will be planned throughout the spring through May with book clubs, community groups, discussions on addiction and substance abuse, film screenings and more related to the book and its author. For more information about this year’s OBOC season, the book and a full schedule of events and programs, visit www.ReadOneBook.org. EBRP Library Special Collections Celebrates African-American History Month! To celebrate African-American History Month, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Special Collections Department will have displays highlighting the Civil Rights Movement in Baton Rouge, prominent people who have affected change in both the African-American community in Baton Rouge and beyond, as well as an exhibit of local African-American artists and musicians. Special Collections also will introduce its partnership with Google Arts and Culture, a platform that allows the public to connect with art and history from culture institutions around the world. February will mark Special Collections first-ever digital exhibition, which will highlight the history of the Baton Rouge blues music scene. Genealogy en-

thusiasts are invited to register to attend the Resources for African-Americans class taught by the knowledgeable and skilled genealogy staff at the Main Library at Goodwood at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 5. Additional information will be posted to the Baton Rouge Room and Genealogy InfoGuides, but patrons are welcome to stop by the Special Collections Department located on the second floor of the Main Library. For more details, program registration or suggestions, call (225) 231-3751. African-American Read-In 2019! Each year during the month of February, schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations and interested citizens are urged to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting an African-American ReadIn. Everyone is invited to the Library to enjoy and/or participate in several FREE programs to celebrate this annual event! To find out more about the national program, visit http:// www.ncte.org/aari. Registration is required for all. For program details and to register, call the Library branch location directly. Here’s the schedule: • 4 p.m. Mondays, February 4, 11, 18 & 25, River Center Branch • 4:30-5:45 p.m. Monday, February 11, Fairwood Branch • 3 p.m. Saturday, February 16, Scotlandville Branch • 4:45-5:30 p.m. Monday, February 18, Baker Branch • 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 19, Carver Branch • 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 19, Eden Park Branch VITA Super Tax Day! Come to the Main Library at Goodwood from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday, February 9, to receive FREE tax preparation assistance through the Capital Area United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program! No registration is necessary, just show up. If spouses are filing jointly, both must be present. Can’t make it? Call 2-1-1 to find your nearest tax site and schedule an appointment. For more information, visit https://www.cauw.org/supertaxday. Here’s what you should bring: • Photo identification See JOURNAL, on page 3

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bying groups strongly oppose the proposals. The makeup of the House committee that reviews such legislation hasn’t changed, making passage of the employment law changes unlikely. “Their unreasonableness on this will not deter me,” Edwards said. Also on the agenda, Edwards said he will ask lawmakers to prohibit health insurers from refusing coverage to people because of their medical conditions. That’s aimed at duplicating a provision of the federal health care overhaul that is threatened by litigation. Though the governor didn’t include legalization of sports betting on his list Monday, Edwards said he would support that. Seven states currently offer sports gambling, and more are expected to consider measures to permit it this year. Louisiana lawmakers spurned similar leg-

Mada Journal February Listings

TRAINING CENTER LLC

child who needs one. Find out how you can speak up for a child during one of the following 45-minute orientation sessions. All sessions are held at the CASA office, 848 Louisiana Ave. • Thursday, Jan. 10 at 9 a.m. • Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. • Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. • Monday, Jan. 28 at 9 a.m. • Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. • Monday, Feb. 11 at 12 p.m. • Saturday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. • Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. • Monday, Feb. 25 at 11 a.m. The mission of Capital Area CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Association is to advocate for timely placement of abused and neglected children in permanent, safe, and stable homes. Contact Erin Fulbright the Recruitment Coordinator for the Capital Area CASA Association at www.casabr.org or by calling 225-379-8598 for additional information.

Thursday, January 10-16, 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 3

Journal from page 2 • Social Security card or ITIN for each family member • W-2 forms for all jobs, all 1099 or 1098 forms and information on other income received • Childcare provider information • Checking and savings account information for direct deposit • Other relevant information about income and expenses Get FREE Legal Counsel with the Ask a Lawyer Program Adults can come to the Jones Creek Regional Branch from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. Saturday, February 9, to take advantage of FREE confidential and individual counseling offered by the Pro Bono Project of the Baton Rouge Bar Association. Area attorneys will be available for one-on-one, 15-minute sessions for legal advice on a first-come, first-served basis. Inter-Civic Council of Baton Rouge’s Non-Profit Fair! Do you want to learn the missions and visions of nonprofit organizations in the Greater Baton Rouge Area? Perhaps you’d like to find rewarding opportunities to get involved in helping others. If so, come to the Main Library at Goodwood from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, February 16, for the Inter-Civic Council of Baton Rouge’s Non-Profit Fair! See and hear from organizations including the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, Susan G. Komen Cancer Center, Families Helping Families, Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area, O’Brien House and many more. For more information, call Laura Gilliland at (225) 335-4419. The BREC Baton Rouge ZooMobile Visits Libraries this Month! The BREC Baton Rouge ZooMobile has come back to the Library! Children

ages 4-11 are invited to the Library in February to enjoy these FREE informative and entertaining programs designed to educate audiences about wildlife conservation. Attendees will be amazed as they get up close and personal with several live animals at each program and learn about their bone structures, fur and more! Each presentation lasts about one hour. Registration is required for all. For more information and to register, call the Library location directly. Here’s the ZooMobile schedule: • 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 6, Baker Branch • 10 a.m. Wednesday, February 13, Main Library at Goodwood • 10 a.m. Tuesday, February 19, River Center Branch • 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 20, Jones Creek Regional Branch • 4 p.m. Thursday, February 21, Eden Park Branch • 4 p.m. Thursday, February 28, Bluebonnet Regional Branch Baker Branch Library, 3501 Groom Rd., (225) 778-5950 Heroes of African-American History: Marian Anderson To celebrate African-American History Month, Southern University history professor and Director of the Mwalimu Institute Dr. Charles Vincent will be at the Baker Branch at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 23, to present a discussion for all ages on trailblazer Marian Anderson! An acclaimed singer whose performance at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 helped set the stage for the civil rights era, Anderson was born February 27, 1897 in Philadelphia. Much of her life was spent breaking down barriers for other African-American performers. FREE school supplies will be given to the first five students to arrive!

Minimum Wage from page 2 islation in 2018, but supporters of the gambling expansion hope a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing sports betting could change minds. Edwards didn’t spell out

what he’d support, but said he thinks the activity would help Louisiana’s casinos remain competitive with casinos in neighboring Mississippi, where sports wagering is legal.

Retired Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr Died NEW ORLEANS, LA - Louisiana Supreme Court retired Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr., 87, died. Chief Justice Calogero was the longest-serving justice in the history of the Louisiana Supreme Court, serving for 36 years, from January 10, 1973 to December 31, 2008. He served as Chief Justice for 18 years, from April 1, 1990 to December 31, 2008. A native New Orleanian, Chief Justice Calogero attended St. Aloysius High School (now Brother Martin High School) and Loyola University. He earned his law degree from Loyola Law School in 1954, graduating first in his class and serving as President of the Student Editorial Board of the Loyola Law Review. He later received a Master of Laws in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia (’92). He served three years in the U.S. Army, first as a military police officer, and then as a “JAG” in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He worked as a law clerk at Civil District Court in Orleans Parish prior to practicing law from 1958 to 1972 with the law firm of Landrieu, Calogero & Kronlage with life-long friends

Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr.

Moon Landrieu and Charles A. Kronlage, Jr. In 1972, Chief Justice Calogero was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court from the First Supreme Court District, consisting of the Parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines. He was reelected in 1974, 1988 and 1998. His impact on the Supreme Court was felt immediately when he became the majority vote for opinions that followed the directive of the U.S. Supreme Court in the criminal justice field, directives that were

being resisted in Louisiana. During his historic tenure on the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Calogero authored over 1,000 learned majority opinions, concurrences, and dissents, including numerous historic and groundbreaking decisions, and participated in over 6,000 oral arguments and published opinions. His opinions and writings reflected his intellect, his integrity, his respect for the rule of law, and his passionate dedication to fairness and justice. As Chief Justice, he spearheaded numerous reform initiatives in the area of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice in Louisiana, many of which serve as national models of court improvement. Chief Justice Calogero considered his Court’s most important administrative achievements to be completion of the restoration of the Royal Street Courthouse, improvements in Louisiana’s indigent defense system, improvements in both the attorney and judicial disciplinary systems, and the maintenance of a consistently current court docket for 36 years. Following his retirement from

the Louisiana Supreme Court, in 2008, Chief Justice Calogero returned to the private practice of law. He opened his own boutique firm focused on appellate practice. During his illustrious career, Chief Justice Calogero was the recipient of numerous accolades and awards. Award from the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; the distinguished Medal of Honor Award from the Mayor of New Orleans; and in 2007, the American Judicature Society, a national nonpartisan organization dedicated to the effective administration of justice, awarded Chief Justice Calogero the Dwight D. Opperman Award for Judicial Excellence. He continued to receive honors after his retirement in 2008, including the dedication in his honor of an issue of the Louisiana Bar Journal, and Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Counsel’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Louisiana Bar Foundation instituted the Calogero Justice Chief Justice Calogero is survived by his wife Leslie M. Langhetee; ten children, and many loving grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family.

East Baton Rouge Council on Aging Re-Opens Antioch Senior Center Baton Rouge, L.A. — The East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging is excited to announce the grand re-opening of the Antioch Park Senior Center. Having outgrown the current facility in less than a month, the new Antioch Senior Center will be newer, bigger and better to equip this vast growing location. “The new location will better accommodate the growing number of seniors in the Antioch, Jefferson Highway, Shenandoah area. We are happy the community excited about participating in Council on Aging Activities and we welcome even

more.,” said Tasha Clark-Amar, Chief Executive Officer. The Senior Center officially reopens to the public on Monday, January 14th for daily activity. A celebratory event to commemorate the re-opening in the new location will be held Friday, January 11, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at 7140 E. Antioch Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, 70817. The Antioch Senior Center’s hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. East Baton Rouge Council On Aging: Supporting Independence ~ Serving Seniors

Since 1973, the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging (EBRCOA), a 501c3 nonprofit supported by philanthropic donations and public funds (federal, state, and local), has served the seniors of East Baton Rouge Parish through a spectrum of nutritional and social services such as the nationally recognized Meals on Wheels program and over a dozen community senior centers throughout the Parish. EBRCOA is charged with discovering and meeting the growing needs of this ever-increasing population. Central to EBRCOA's mission - Supporting Independence

JA Z Z E D ABOUT

and Serving Seniors – is proving high-quality services to seniors, the maintenance of their personal independence, and the enhancement of their storied lives while being good fiduciary stewards of public funds and trust. More information about EBRCOA and its services can be found online at www.ebrcoa.org. East Baton Rouge Council on Aging Contact: Angell Jackson at 225-266-3395 or by e-mail: ajackson@ebrcoa.org.

JANUARY

MUSICAL THEATRE STUDY FOR KIDS INDEPENDENCE PARK THEATRE

January 2-4 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

ADULT AMATEUR ASTRONOMY COURSES HIGHLAND PARK ROAD OBSERVATORY

January 5: Learn Your Sky January 19: Learn Your Telescope February 2: Learn Your Binocular

FROGWATCH USA™ TRAINING

FARR PARK EQUESTRIAN CENTER’S STUDENT HORSE SHOW

BLUEBONNET SWAMP NATURE CENTER

FARR PARK EQUESTRIAN CENTER

January 5 | 10 a.m. – noon

January 19 + 20 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

HEARTS & HOOVES VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION and fun day!

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

FARR PARK EQUESTRIAN CENTER

January 20 | 8 p.m. – 2 a.m.

January 12 | 9 a.m. – noon

SWAMP FIBER ART SHOW BLUEBONNET SWAMP NATURE CENTER

Exhibition: January 15 – February 10

HIGHLAND PARK ROAD OBSERVATORY

WOODS WALK HIKING SERIES MANCHAC TRAIL

January 26 | 9 – 11 a.m.

SUNSHINE SOCIAL WOMACK PARK

January 18 | 6 – 9 p.m.

brec.org/thismonth TO VOLUNTEER AT THESE OR OTHER EVENTS, EMAIL VOLUNTEER@BREC.ORG

Page 4 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, January 10-16, 2019

Angola Inmates Receive Seminary Degrees BATON ROUGE, LA – The Leavell College of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Angola (NOBTS) – Joan Horner Extension Center held its 2016 through 2018 commencement exercises at Louisiana State Penitentiary. The college conferred 64 Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Christian Ministry. Additionally, there were 23 Graduate Certificates in Mentoring, which will lead to a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Ministry. This Masters Degree Program began at Angola in 2017 and is the first such program offered through NOBTS in a prison setting. Louisiana State Penitentiary Warden Darrel Vannoy and the prison staff would like to congratulate these graduates on their accomplishment. These men will be used in ministry through the Chaplains Department. Some will become missionaries and sent to Louisiana's other state prisons to assist the Chaplains Departments in those facilities. Many of the NOBTS graduates serve as pastors of the offender-lead churches at

Louisiana State Penitentiary. Others serve as ministers in the prison's hospital and other areas throughout the institution. These graduates are also mentors and instructors in Corrections Re-Entry Court and numerous other moral rehabilitation programs at Angola. Since the inception of the seminary program in 1995, there has been a significant reduction in violence at the facility. Leavell College of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary opened at Angola in 1995. Since then, there have been more than 300 college graduates. There are a number of the seminary graduates that have released from prison and are actively engaged in ministry through churches in their communities. Currently, 12 states are modeling the Angola Seminary Program, all with great success. Contact Ken Pastorick, Communications Director at 225-219-0499 or 225-620-3728.

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RELIGION

Kelly Lands Her First Leader and Franklin Adds His Sixth

Kirk Franklin

Tori Kelly's "Never Alone," featuring Kirk Franklin, ascends 2-1 on Billboard's streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart (dated Jan. 12), becoming Kelly's first leader on the list and Franklin's sixth. The track reigns in its 19th week with 3.7 million in airplay audience and 339,000 on-demand U.S. streams, according to Nielsen Music. "I'm so humbled that people are loving and listening to this song," Kelly tells Billboard. "It's amazing to see a positive reaction to something that came straight from my heart. I'm forever grateful." Kelly and Franklin wrote the song, while the latter also produced

Tori Kelly on The Late Late Show with James Corden on Sept. 24, 2018.

parent album Hiding Place, Kelly's first faith-based set. It arrived as her first No. 1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart dated Sept. 29, 2018. "Alone" also ranks at No. 21 on the Hot Christian Songs chart. Being dually promoted to both Gospel and Christian radio, it bullets at No. 21

on Gospel Airplay and No. 22 on Christian Airplay. It additionally revisits its No. 25 high on Adult R&B Songs, where it's Kelly's first charted title and Franklin's 19th. Franklin extends his mark for the most No. 1s in the history of Hot Gospel Songs, which began in

2005. After Franklin's six, James Fortune & FIYA, Donald Lawrence, Lecrae and Tasha Cobbs Leonard follow with four apiece. "Alone" dethrones Koryn Hawthorne's "Won't He Do It" atop See LEADER, on page 6

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

Advertise Your Church Baton Rouge, Louisiana - Banquet to be held Services In The Weekly Press for Bishop Brock on Saturday, February 2, DIRECTORY 2019 at 3:00pm the BREC building RoomCHURCH #3 BANQUET

at 7122 Perkins Road. For more information, Reach Thousands Weekly. Call 225-775-2002 please contact Bishop Brock at 504-715-0269 to. take advantage of our special rates Advertise with us for as little as $10 each week! 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

Give us a call at 225-775-2002 To schedule your ad today!

Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church OF SCOTLANDVILLE

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

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.

NEW RISING SUN BAPTIST CHURCH

16444 Highland Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Church: 225.302.5062 Home: 225.654.8947 • Cell: 225.572.7036

Bishop Ernest Mills & Evangelist Yvonne Mills

Sunday School..........................................11:00 am Worship......................................................12 Noon Communion.......................................... 4th Sunday Bible Class Tuesday.................................. 7:00 pm Saturday Prayer Service.............................7:30 am

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NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH 1283 Rosenwald Road Baton Rouge, La.70807 Phone: (225) 775-2049 (225) 775-2002 Bishop I J. Payne, Pastor Order Of Services Sunday Worship...................................................... 11:30 A.M. Holy Communion................................3rd Sunday 11:30 A.M. Sunday School..........................................................9:30 A.M. Hour Of Power............................................Friday 12:00 Noon

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

Thursday, January 10-16, 2019 • The Weekly Press • Page 5

BUSINESS

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Georgia-Pacific To Dismiss 650 Workers At Port Hudson Paper Mill PORT HUDSON, LA - Georgia-Pacific announced Thursday morning that they will leave the paper business, effectively laying off more than 600 workers at its plant in Port Hudson. A spokesperson for GeorgiaPacific, Kelly Fergison, said the company will permanently shut down all paper machines, as well as its wood yard and pulp mill. Employees are told they will stay on through March, at which point they will cease production. They said they are not completely shutting down the facility. Roughly 300 employees will stay on as part of its consumer tissue and towel business. Georgia-Pacific said this is not due to poor performance in Port Hudson, instead citing a declining market. In a statement, Georgia-Pacific president Mike Adams said, "We will be working closely with our printing and writing customers during this time of transition.” Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, released the following statement: “I am shocked and saddened

by the news this morning that Georgia Pacific is planning to lay off more than 600 employees in March. I am in touch with state and local officials, union representatives and company officials

to make sure that everything that can be done is done to provide the needed support for these workers and their families. It is my understanding that the company’s decision was based on declining

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demand for paper products, such as copy paper, etc. I know many of these families personally and we need to make sure that government and the community come together to help everyone move forward.”

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Sears Chairman Confirms New $5 Billion Bid to Save Bankrupt Retailer Sears Holdings Corp (SHLDQ.PK) Chairman Eddie Lampert confirmed on Thursday he has made a new takeover bid of more than $5 billion for the company, an offer that may significantly increase the likelihood the U.S. department store will be able to stay in business. Lampert’s revised offer, whose details were first reported by Reuters on Wednesday, will be assessed by Sears during a Jan. 14 bankruptcy auction. The company will consider whether the bid offers more value to creditors than a liquidation. “We believe our proposal will provide substantially more value to stakeholders than any other option, in particular a liquidation,” a spokesperson for Lampert’s hedge fund, ESL Investments Inc, said in

a prepared statement. “(The proposal) is the best path forward for Sears, its associates and the many communities across the United States touched by Sears and Kmart stores,” the statement added. Sears also operates the Kmart discount chain. Lampert’s previous bid, which fell short of Sears’ expectations, was valued at $4.4 billion. His new bid, made through an affiliate of ESL and disclosed in a regulatory filing on Thursday, assumes more than $600 million in additional liabilities, including taxes, vendor bills and other expenses Sears has incurred since filing for bankruptcy protection last October. That is on top of about $1.1 billion in liabilities Lampert, Sears’ biggest shareholder and creditor, previously agreed to assume.

“He has increased his bid substantially, but it’s hard to know how much more cash is in the mix,” said Todd Feinsmith, co-chairman of law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP’s bankruptcy practice. “I think it indicates he’s very serious.” Determining if Lampert will prevail in buying the company without seeing any other bids that may come in for Sears, Feinsmith added, is hard to do. At the auction on Jan. 14, his offer will be compared with how much Sears would bring if sold off in pieces. A group of Sears creditors, including some landlords and vendors, has been calling for the chain to shut its doors for good, saying they will recover more money in that scenario. They also say that suing Lampert over past deals he has done with the company will

help boost how much they recoup. Lampert has maintained that those previous transactions were proper. As part of his new bid, he has asked to be freed from having to face lawsuits over his past deals with Sears. For that right, a so-called “legal release,” Lampert is offering $35 million in cash, according to the regulatory filing. Those creditors have also opposed Lampert’s proposal to forgive the $1.3 billion of Sears debt he holds and use it as currency for his offer, a bankruptcy move called a “credit bid.” Sears this week allowed his bid to move forward without U.S. bankruptcy judge in its case, Robert Drain, addressing whether the move is valid, but the judge will ultimately have to weigh in.

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LOCAL PUBLIC NOTICE On May 7, 2018, Radio License Holding CBC, LLC filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission for a new FM translator station to serve Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The translator will operate on Channel 258 with 140 watts of effective radiated power from a transmitter site located at 7387 River Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820. The FM translator will rebroadcast the signal of primary station WIBR(AM), Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A copy of the application and related materials are available at http://licensing.fcc. gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_sear.htm or on file for public inspection during regular business hours at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 – 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20554.

PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION TO BID CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORTANA TRANSIT CENTER Solicitation 2018-CortanaTransitCtr-020

Weekly Press 225.775.2002

The Capital Area Transit System (CATS) is accepting bids from qualified Louisiana licensed contractors to provide construction of the Cortana Transit Center. Sealed bids will be received until 10:00 a.m. local time, THURSDAY, December 27, 2018 by CATS Procurement Department, 2250 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802. No bids will be received after 10:00 a.m. Bidders are invited to the bid opening. A copy of the bid can be downloaded from CATS website at: https:// www.brcats.com/page/procurement. A PRE-BID MEETING and SITE VISIT will be held at 11:00 am, December 4, 2018 at the proposed site, located at 9350 Cortana Place, Baton Rouge, LA 70815. Attendance at the Pre-Bid Meeting and Site Visit is not mandatory, but strongly encouraged. Written questions will be accepted through December 10, 2018, via email at: catsprocurement@brcats. com. CATS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Page 6 • The

Weekly Press • Thursday, January 10-16, 2019

Southern Falls In SWAC Opener to Prairie View A&M 82-73, 7th Straight Loss BATON ROUGE - Southern basketball dropped Saturday's SWAC opener 82-73 to Prairie View A&M marking their seventh straight loss. First year head coach Sean Woods continues to rotate the starting lineup in search for offensive production. Senior forward Sidney Umude led the relatively quiet night on offense with a team-high 17 points and nine rebounds. A cold first-half shooting would haunt the Jaguars. Southern shot just 32% on 8-of-25 shooting in the opening 20 minutes. After trailing 41-25 at the break, Southern flipped a switch on offense and burned down the nets in the second half. The Jags went 19-of-31 from the field (61%) in the second half, but the hole was already to deep. Southern trailed by as much as 27 before they cut the lead to eight in the final two minutes. Next up, Southern (1-12, 0-1 SWAC) will welcome in Texas Southern (5-8, 0-0 SWAC) while looking to break the win column for the first time in over a month. The Jaguars only win this season came back in November against NAIA Wily College.

SPORTS

New Orleans Saints Bring More Experience Into This Year's Playoff Appearance

Maybe, “seasoned” isn’t the right word to ascribe to the New Orleans Saints when it comes to playoff experience. Many key contributors won’t be making their fifth, seventh or 10th appearance in a postseason game Sunday when the Saints (13-3) host Philadelphia (10-7) in an NFC Divisional playoff game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. But New Orleans, the No. 1 seed, does have some crucial seasoning, much of it courtesy of a two-game postseason appearance last year, when players like guard Andrus Peat, receiver Michael

Thomas, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, safety Marcus Williams and running back Alvin Kamara made their playoff debuts. And when it comes to the playoffs, every little bit helps. “I think it’s important,” Coach Sean Payton said. “I think it’s something that, when you look at the teams in the tournament – certainly, the team we’re playing has that experience, winning a Super Bowl last year – (experience) doesn’t preclude a team from having success and playing well, but I think it can help.”

It can give a team a better understanding of what it takes to prepare for, and succeed in, the league’s one-and-done phase of the season. Partially, that factored into the Saints entering the season as one of the favorites to navigate the NFC and advance to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. “I think it’s a little different in the sense in that everyone is truly expecting us to go out and beat everybody, go win a Super Bowl,” said Rankins, whose eight sacks this season were second on the team, and surpassed the six combined sacks he totaled in his first two seasons. He also had 12 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hits. “Whereas last year, our last playoff game, people were kind of a tossup about it, whether it was us or Minnesota. For us this year, everybody is expecting greatness, everybody is expecting us to go out and do great things. But for us, we just need to go out and play the style of football that we know how to play, and we’ll be fine.” The Saints tied the Rams for the best record in the league, but earned the No. 1 seed by beating the Rams in their head-to-head matchup. Many of the aforementioned players were critical to the success. Possibly, Peat is the Saints’ most versatile offensive lineman, having played left guard, left tackle and right tackle – in the same game. Thomas, a first-team All-Pro, set franchise single-season records for receptions (125) and receiving yards (1,405), and had nine receiving touchdowns. Lattimore had two interceptions, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 12 passes defensed. Ramczyk, a second-team All-Pro, started every game and has developed into one of the NFL’s best in his second season. Williams had two interceptions, three passes defensed, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. And Kamara led the team in rushing (883 yards on 194 carries), was second in receiving (709 yards on 81 catches), tied a Saints singleseason record with 18 touchdowns, and set the franchise single-season record with 14 rushing touchdowns. “I think you just get better with experience," running back Mark Ingram said of his now moreexperienced teammates. “You get getter with success, you get better with failures. You kind of learn from it, you grow from it and I think all those guys have benefited from that this year. “Our guys are ready to go. We’re focused on just making sure we’re the best we can be, as healthy as we can be. Make sure we’re mentally, physically and emotionally ready to go out there Sunday and play our best game.”

Leader from page 4 Hot Gospel Songs. Hawthorne's second No. 1 first reached the summit last March and spent 41 weeks atop the list, the longest reign by a woman. Overall, only two songs have led longer: Marvin Sapp's "Never Would Have Made It," for 46 frames starting in 2007, and Franklin's "Wanna Be Happy?" (45 weeks, 2015-16).

Davis Has 38 Points, 13 Boards To Lead Pelicans Over Cavs

NEW ORLEANS — Anthony Davis had 38 points and 13 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a slow start to pull away from the Cleveland Cavaliers 140-124 on Wednesday night. The Pelicans have won three straight for the first time since Nov. 16-19. Cleveland lost its 11th in a row. New Orleans rookie Frank Jackson had 19 points to set a season high for a second straight game off the bench. He had 17 in a win over Memphis on Monday. Jrue Holiday added 18 points, and Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic had 17 each. New Orleans made 54.8 percent from the field (46 of 84), 41.4 percent of its 3-pointers (12 of 29) and 92.3 percent of its free throws (36 of 39). Cleveland's bench outscored the starters. Jordan Clarkson led the reserves with 21 points, Matthew Dellavedova had 17, Cameron Payne had 16 and Ante Zizic had 10 as the group totaled 75 points. Alec Burks led the starters with 17 points, and Collin Sexton added 13. The Pelicans trailed by 16 points during the first half but caught the Cavaliers early in the third period. They led 10091 at the end of the quarter. Davis scored 18 points during the period. Cleveland closed within three points early in the fourth before New Orleans went on a

23-9 run. The Cavaliers, who lost at home to Indiana 123-115 on Tuesday night, showed no signs of fatigue as they got off to a fast start. They led by 13 points after the first quarter and extended the margin to 16 midway through the second quarter. Mirotic and Davis each made a 3-pointer as the Pelicans finished the second quarter on a 12-2 run that cut Cleveland's lead to 63-59 at the half. Cavaliers: F Larry Nance Jr. did not play because of an injury to his right knee that he suffered a night earlier in a game against Indiana. ... Cleveland made all eight of the 3-pointers it attempted in the first quarter, taking a 38-25 lead at the end of the period. Pelicans: Mirotic returned after a 12-game absence due to an ankle injury. ... The Pelicans tied a season high by scoring 41 points in the third quarter and had 81 in the second half. This was the second meeting between the teams in five days. The Pelicans beat the Cavaliers 133-98 on Saturday in Cleveland. It was New Orleans' largest margin of victory and Cleveland's largest margin of defeat this season. UP NEXT Cavaliers: Cleveland visits Houston on Friday. Pelicans: New Orleans visits Minnesota on Saturday.

Thompson Scores 43, Warriors Beat Knicks To Snap Home Skid OAKLAND, Calif. -- Steve Kerr reminded his Warriors that with everything they have gone through already, Golden State reached the season's halfway point with 27 wins - so right on pace for 54. Klay Thompson is aiming higher. ''Who cares? We know how to play good basketball,'' said Kevin Durant, who is most concerned with how prepared the Warriors are for playoff time. Now, a major reinforcement looks to be joining the effort by month's end: a healthy DeMarcus Cousins, one of the NBA's best big men when at full strength. Thompson scored 43 points with seven 3-pointers, Stephen Curry had his first double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-best 14 assists, and the Golden State Warriors snapped a rare three-game home losing streak by beating the cold-shooting New York Knicks 122-95 on Tuesday night. Cousins said after the game he is targeting a game Jan. 18 at the Clippers for his return from left Achilles tendon surgery, his long-anticipated Warriors debut. ''We obviously want him coming back into a good vibe. That would be nice,'' Curry said, ''and us feeling good about ourselves with a guy like DeMarcus Cousins back in the lineup, so that'll be fun.'' Durant added 24 points, six rebounds and six assists while Draymond Green had 11 rebounds and 10 of his team's 36 assists as the Warriors pulled away late in the first half to get back on a winning track at Oracle Arena. Thompson hit 5 of his first 7 shots and had 12 points by the end of the first, finishing 18 of 29

from the floor - 7 for 16 from long range - and notching his second game with at least 40 points after going off for 52 at Chicago on Oct. 29. Mario Hezonja scored 19 points for the Knicks, who shot 39.8 percent (35 of 88). Enes Kanter added 12 points and 16 rebounds. ''We grew some thick skin over this,'' New York coach David Fizdale said. ''We took some lumps from some good teams.'' The Warriors ended the first half on a 13-0 run over the final 2:47 of the first half to turn a 49-48 deficit into a 61-49 lead at the break. The skid at home matched the longest at Oracle Arena during Kerr's five seasons as coach. Curry chuckled recalling Thompson walking off the court offering, ''When's the last time we blew somebody out, 2016?'' Golden State won its 10th straight against New York and fifth in a row at home, and this marked the Knicks' final visit to Oracle Arena before the two-time defending champion Warriors move across the bay to new arena Chase Center starting next season. Curry began 3 for 10 and finished just 5 of 19, 3 for 12 from deep, while Durant started 3 of 9 and missed his initial five 3-point tries. Curry hit 10 3-pointers on the way to 42 points in Saturday's 127-123 win at Sacramento, moving him into fourth place on the all-time 3-point list. He had three more Tuesday to reach 2,280, two shy of matching Jason Terry (2,282) for third all-time.

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