Food: LSU Dining adopting healthy-eating program, p. 4
Men’s basketball: Only 4 SEC teams break RPI top 25, p. 5
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www.lsureveille.com
Men’s basketball: O’Bryant expected to make impact, p. 5 Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 • Volume 115, Issue 84
For whom the ‘bell’ tolls Chime speakers sit atop historical Memorial Tower
Matthew Albright
H
Staff Writer
igh above the University, a series of huge speakers sits — waiting. They sing precisely every 15 minutes, filling the campus with familiar music. Then the air around the “bells” of the iconic Memorial Tower is quiet again, 175 feet above students just informed of their tardiness. Michael Guillory, director of Facility Systems, and Jim Henry, maintenance manager, are the men who run the tower. They’re used to making a climb that few students are allowed to make — up to visit the “bells” in their loft. “It’s a personal passion,” Guillory said of his work. The “bells” themselves were never actually traditional bells like the Liberty Bell or a
professor’s grading curve. They were Deagan chimes, a series of straight, vertical hanging bells, Guillory said. “This is really more of a ‘chime tower’ than it is a ‘bell tower,’” Guillory said. Today, the “bells” are actually a series of massive speakers sitting at the very top of the tower, only accessible by a ladLights in der that climbs a story up from center of ceiling the viewing area. They look like oversized megaphones pointing in all directions. Above the arched ceiling of the lobby, a narrow metal staircase winds its way along the inside of the tower walls. Searchlight The stairs end at a room houson 4 sides ing the actual clockwork, which of tower looks like a central rotating bar with thick metal wires stretching outward. Above the clockwork is the viewing area. Wide arches TOWER, see page 11
“This is really more of a ‘chime tower’ than it is a ‘bell tower.’” Michael Guillory, Facility Systems director
photo by ZACH BREAUX / The Daily Reveille; rendering of tower features courtesy of MICHAEL GUILLORY / Facility Systems
MOVIES
Film industry spends nearly $200M in BR in 2010 Commission expects trend to continue Rachel Warren Staff Writer
Lights, camera, income. The Baton Rouge Film Commission announced last week the film industry spent an estimated $196 million in Baton Rouge in 2010. Katie Harvey, BRFC project manager, said 26 films used the city as a filming location last year. Harvey said the figure for 2010 is a conservative estimate, and the actual number is likely closer to $200 million. That’s about $100 million
more than in past years, according to Amy Mitchell-Smith, BRFC executive director. Mitchell-Smith said the industry spent $72 million in 2009 and $25 million in 2008 in Baton Rouge. Paul Arrigo, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the numbers aren’t surprising because Baton Rouge has established itself as a popular location for the film industry in recent years. He said the BRFC has essentially been in business since 2005, when crews were unable to use New Orleans as a location after Hurricane Katrina. “After Katrina, a lot of films moved out of the hurricane zone,”
Harvey said. “We started to see a lot of business from people moving here from New Orleans.” Harvey said East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden was instrumental in attracting film and television shows to the area. “He made sure to let everyone know Baton Rouge was dry and ready to work,” she said. Harvey said big projects like the “Twilight” movies make Baton Rouge a more popular filming location and attract more business to the area. “We absolutely expect the trend to continue,” Harvey said. Arrigo said films also attract fans, which aids the city’s tourism. FILM, see page 11
ADAM VACCARELLA / The Daily Reveille
“Twilight” star Jackson Rathbone performs Oct. 26 at Boudreaux & Thibodeaux’s. The popular series is one of many lucrative film projects in Baton Rouge.