Vol. 3-5 LEAGUE'S ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER SERVICE May, 2003
"L*E*N*S Looking at Greater Baton Rouge and Louisiana!"
This information is presented to you as a community service project of
The League of WoMen Voters of Baton Rouge.
The LWV of
Baton Rouge encourages the healthy participation of citizens in civic and
political activities. The posting
of an event other than official LWV of Baton Rouge events
DOES NOT
convey league endorsement of the event or organization.
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"Progress Begins with Pride!"
LOUISIANA
POSITIVES
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League
Lagniappe: Steps to effectively follow
your interests at the Legislature
To contact your legislator by e-mail:
To track a bill through the
internet in the legislature:
Senate Bills: http://senate.legis.state.la.us/
For committee agendas,
committee hearings and floor votes:
House <http://house.legis.state.la.us/WebRepresentatives/schedules.htm>
Senate <http://senate.legis.state.la.us/committees/MeetingSchedule.htm>
For
floor votes <http://www.legis.state.la.us/sessioninfo.htm> or
For
the the final disposition of the bill/resolution <http://www.legis.state.la.us/> [click
on bill history link, bill to act table]. If there are questions, you may
contact the PULS line: <http://house.legis.state.la.us/PULSfaqs.htm#Phone%20lines%20are%20available%20from>.
How do I contact a "live person" to assist me with legislative
information?
The PULS (Public Update Legislative Services) Line has staff who will answer
your questions concerning the current (interim: most recent or upcoming
legislative session) or direct you to
the
appropriate information source. Phone lines are available from 8:30
until adjournment during session and on a limited basis during interim at 225-342-2456
(Baton Rouge) and 1-800-256-3793
(inside La.)
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EXTRA!!! EXTRA!!! EXTRA!!!
Information for the
politically active Subscribers
Read
all about the issues which affect you from the Public Affairs Research Council,
Louisiana’s
Own Award
Winning Research Center
PAR
Report’s on Higher Education and on Secret Votes on the Legislative Auditor
Candidates
now available on the web.
The full reports are now available on PAR's website at
www.la-par.org. Just click on "What's
New?"
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AND FROM LAKE CHARLES,
LA.
If you want to change the IRS, SPEAK UP!
YOU can help improve the way the IRS does business.
The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) needs your ideas!
The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is a Federal Advisory Committee to the Department
of the Treasury. Members are independent volunteers selected from all across
the country. TAP Members listen to taxpayers, identify systemic taxpayer
issues, and make suggestions for improving IRS service & customer satisfaction.
Call toll free - 1-888-912-1227 with your ideas
or
visit online - www. improveirs.org
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And another Extra from Baton Rouge
….
“Become a community partner for forensic
science”
Community Partners
for Forensic Science (CPFS) is organizing a “DNA Awareness Month” during May to
increase public awareness and raise additional funds to help process backlogged
rape test kits across Louisiana.
CPFS will
kickoff “DNA Awareness Month” on Monday, May 5th with Howard
Safir, who will be in town promoting the
importance of DNA testing. Safir served as New York City’s
Police Commissioner under Mayor Rudolph
Giuliani and is the country’s leading voice
promoting the expansion of DNA to help solve crime.
Over the last
few months, CPFS members have taken their message to policy makers and
community leaders in hopes of generating funds to process the backlogged rape
test kits. In light of this, Speaker Charlie DeWitt recently announced that the
Louisiana House of Representatives will turn over a
$650,000 surplus it has amassed during the past 31⁄2 years. This surplus will help pay for the crime lab
testing of stored rape kits in an attempt to track down the serial killer who
has slain five south Louisiana women since 2001.
CPFS
is thrilled to know that our leaders are listening and are committed to making
our communities safer. But we must not stop here!
There
are a total of 3,100 backlogged rape test kits in storage across the
state. The House funds will help the
state crime lab jumpstart the effort to process about 800 of these kits–
starting with those in the Baton Rouge
and Acadiana crime labs. CPFS will continue to do its part to help raise the
needed funds to process the remaining backlogged kits and make our communities
safer.
CPFS
was established in January 2003 by a group of concerned Baton
Rouge women who wanted to help make our communities
safer across Louisiana. CPFS is a non-profit 501c3 organization, and
all donations are tax deductible.
Anyone interested in supporting CPFS can mail contributions to Community
Partners for Forensic Science, Inc./LaFASA, 2561
Citiplace Court, Suite 750, Box 246, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana 70808
or call 1.866.761.8815 for
more information.
This issue also contains: "League's
Community Bulletin Board"
May Calendar of Events – Accompaning Articles
listed by number ~* *~:
Today,
May 2-4
~* 0
*~ FESTforALL FESTIVITIES KICK-OFF FRIDAY, MAY 2 at 6p.m.
through May 4!
Saturday, May 3 ~* 1 *~ ELECTION DAY!!! Please exercise your right to vote today,
Vote Yes for a
Penny
to support the children in our community and then go play at the
~* 2*~ FESTforALL
Sunday, May 4 ~* 3 *~ Louisiana Youth Orchestra concert - LSU Union Theater – FREE
Monday, May 5 ~* 4 *~ Press
Club’s Schedule, delaRonde Hall, Baton
Rouge, LA
Monday,
May 5 ~* 5 *~ Transforming
Communities Through Philanthropy - LANO
Wednesday, May 7 ~*
6 *~ BRCS's "Everything's Coming Up Roses"
Luncheon
Thursday, May 8 ~*
7 *~ "Lunch With the League" “Insurance … Fact or Fiction?”
Saturday, May 10 LWVLA Board Meeting, 8:30
a.m., 728 North Blvd. Baton
Rouge, LA
Saturday, May 10 ~* 8 *~ THE BATON ROUGE ARTHRITIS WALK
Sunday, May 11 Happy
Mother's Day!
:-)
Monday, May 12 ~* 3 *~ Louisiana
Lottery Tunes at Noon - Main
Street Market – FREE
Thursday, May 15
~* 9 *~ Old State Capitol Calendar & Smart Growth
Meetings
Friday, May 16 ~*
10 *~ Your Special Invitation from the Golden
Magnolia organization
Sunday, May 17 Rally
for the Victims – Louisiana State
Capitol Steps
Monday, May 18 ~*
11 *~ National Museum Day
Saturday, May 24
~*12 *~RAISING THE HUNLEY Civil War
Sub, Civil
War Round Table, 9:30 a.m.
* * * * * LEAGUE'S * COMMUNITY * Bulletin Board * * * * * *
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~* 1 *~
The League of Women Voters of Baton Rouge
ask you to vote “Yes!”
It is only a penny, but it goes a long way. Please say “Yes” and cast your Vote foro the school tax that will help our
children. Even if your children
are in private school, please remember that education is everyone’s
responsibility and
our society and quality of life is affected
if the children in our community don’t have access to a proper education
so they can become productive tax paying
citizens.
Our vote is for the future of education in Louisiana. Thank you!
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~*
2 *~
KICK-OFF CELEBRATION!
Art
Exhibition & Silent Auction
Exhibition of Louisiana
Artists
curated by
Don
Marshall, Director
Masters Program in Arts
Administration,UNO on view May 2-May
7, 2003
Exhibition
Opening Reception & Silent Auction
Friday
May 2, 2003
Old State
Capitol, 100 North Boulevard
6:00-9:00 P.M.
Make your bids at
the FestForAll Silent Auction!
Lots of great items
including a Rodrigue print and hot-air balloon ride!
Off street parking and parking
in Centroplex available. Please not North
Blvd. will be closed Friday
evening in preparation for
FestForAll.
A Quick Look at FestForAll
May 3 – 4, 2003
FestForAll has
something for everyone in its full two-day line-up of activities on May 3 – 4
in
downtown Baton Rouge. Here’s
just a sample of what to expect during this weekend arts
extravaganza:
☼60 juried artists from Louisiana and 11
other states with a diverse offering of arts
in the following media will be located along North Boulevard: Clay, fiber,
furniture,
glass, gourds, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking,
sculpture,
and wood.
☼The Louisiana Gumbo Stage
will showcase many musical genres at Galvez
Plaza.
Performers include the Benjy Davis
Project, the Myrtles, Scott Feske,
Mitch Landry
and the Cajun Ramblers, Chris
LeBlanc.
Sean
Ardoin and Zydekool, Righteous Buddha,
and the Redstick Ramblers.
The Secretary of State's Louisiana
Music Cavalcade will be presented Sunday on the Old
State Capitol grounds.
On Saturday the Blues Stage on North Blvd.
will spotlight Baton Rouge's rich
blues heritage with Raful Neal , Henry
Gray, and many more. The Blues Stage
will evolve into the Jazz/Gospel Stage on Sunday with Southern University Jazz
Students, the Herman Jackson
Trio, Greater King David Mass
Choir, to name a few.
☼The Performing Arts Stage will feature East Indian dance, the Lagniappe
Dulcimer Society, Happensdance, opera, poetry and much more in the Old
State Capitol's House Chamber.
See the very best of Baton Rouge's performing arts organizations including
Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, Baton Rouge Little Theater, Tourgee DeBose National
Piano Competition Foundation, Swine Palace Productions, Louisiana Sinfonietta,
& Of Moving Colors on this stage.
☼The Senate Chamber of the Old State
Capitol will be home to the FestForAll Visual Art
Invitational featuring the
crème de la crème of Louisiana's
professional artists.
☼The Children's Village will have lots of fun hands-on activities for
kids, as well as storytellers, puppeteers, and musicians on the Children’s
Village Stage at the Old Governor’s Mansion,
home to the Foundation for Historical Louisiana.
Playmakers, Baton Rouge's own professional
acting company geared towards children, will perform at
Children's Village during the weekend.
☼Downtown Celebration of the Arts in Public Schools will show off the
talents of middle and high school students throughout the parish on Saturday on
the Old State
Capitol grounds.
☼View and bid at FestForAll's Silent Art
Auction in the Old
State Capitol.
☼Walk the FestForAll Labyrinth at 700
North Blvd. Labyrinths are found in cultures
worldwide since 3500 BC.
☼Sample the best of local cuisine from Philly cheese steaks to
cheesecake, jambalaya, burgers, crawfish etouffee, and yes, the omnipresent
funnel cakes, provided in large part by area restaurants in the FestForAll
Food Court.
☼And don't forget to buy your limited edition official FestForAll Poster
and FestForAll CD.
These will be hot and go FAST!!!
NO ICE CHESTS OR
BAR-B-Q PITS and no pets, except for
seeing-eye dogs!
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~* 3 *~
Events Scheduled for the Baton Rouge Symphony:
May 4 - 2pm - Louisiana Youth Orchestra concert - LSU Union Theater - FREE
May 12 - 12pm - Louisiana Lottery Tunes at Noon - Main Street Market - FREE
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~*
4 *~
PRESS
CLUB SCHEDULE
All meetings are De La Ronde
Hall, 320 Third St., Baton Rouge,
LA
Monday,
May 5
Col.
Joey Strickland,
Executive Director of Veterans Affairs for the Foster
administration, will talk about women in the military, as well as the
war in Iraq.
Monday,
May 12
In
honor of National Nursing Home Week, Joe
Donchess with the Louisiana Nursing Home Association and Glen
Duncan with Louisiana Health Care Review will
address the club.
Glen's organization is the state liaison for
Medicare/Medicaid. He also is helping to head up the state's response to a
national nursing home quality initiative. He will announce the three top
priority areas that nursing homes in Louisiana
have agreed to target to improve. Donchess will tell us how the nursing homes
feel about being under the spotlight, as well as how helpful this national
thrust may be.
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~* 5 *~
This
is your invitation from Donna Saurage,
Chair of the Louisiana
Association of Non Profits
“Come learn and be
inspired by this world-class author and speaker! Mark
your schedule as "out of office" from 10:00am
to 1:30pm on Monday May 5. She is
terrific!”
Donna M.
Saurage, Chair, LANO
Transforming
Communities Through Philanthropy * Monday,
May 5, 2003 * Boudreaux's
How to Move
Donors from Transactional to Transformational Philanthropists
PRESENTED BY KAY
SPRINKEL GRACE
10:00-11:30 a.m.
FREE
Learn about how
transformational philanthropists become engaged professionally, emotionally and
financially through your organization.
Transforming
Communities Through Philanthropy Luncheon
KEYNOTE
ADDRESS BY KAY SPRINKEL
GRACE
12:00 -1:30
p.m.
$30.00 per
guest $240 table of eight
Make plans to hear
internationally acclaimed speaker and author, Kay
Sprinkel Grace---you will leave inspired and
motivated to "Transform Communities Through Philanthropy".
The Louisiana
Philanthropy Initiative will be honoring the Pointe Coupee Community Enrichment
Fund, a new donor advised fund at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, for their
transformational philanthropy in the Baton Rouge
community.
Hosted by: The Louisiana
Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Association of Fundraising
Professionals, Capital Area United Way, and Leave A Legacy.
ABOUT KAY
SPRINKEL GRACE
Kay Sprinkel
Grace, an author, consultant, trainer and
national philanthropic leader, Kay brings a
breadth of experience, knowledge and insight to the "Transforming
Communities Through Philanthropy" events. Recognized both nationally
and internationally, Grace is the co-author of
High Impact
Philanthropy and author
of Beyond Fund Raising: New Strategies for Nonprofit Innovation and Investment.
Her inspiring new vision of philanthropy challenges and motivates everyone in
the philanthropy process---nonprofit and foundation staff, donors, board
members and community leaders alike.
ABOUT THE LOUISIANA
PHILANTHROPY INITIATIVE
The Louisiana
Philanthropy Initiative is a statewide collaborative of nonprofits, foundations
and corporations working to sustain Louisiana's
nonprofit sector by promotion philanthropy and increasing grant making assists.
The initiative was made possible thought the support provided by
the New Ventures in
Philanthropy Initiative and has made great strides in increasing Louisiana's
charitable giving and promotion volunteerism, philanthropy and social capital
investment.
For reservations visit the Louisiana
Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO) online at www.lano.org or call (225)
343-5266.
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~* 6*~
BRCS's
"Everything's Coming Up Roses" Luncheon
"Everything's Coming Up Roses" Luncheon, sponsored by BRCW's Club,
will be held May 7th,
from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Oak Lodge at Bricksome, 2834 S. Sherwood
Forest Blvd, E-1.
Ida Sharp,
owner of Rose Hill
Garden in Ethel,
will discuss antique roses and heirloom plants.
Vickie Benton
will be guest singer.
Betsy Bilbruck,
a public relations consultant from New Orleans,
will speak on "Father Knows Best".
Cost
is $16.00, inclusive of tax and tip.
Business
women are especially invited to attend from 12-1
p.m. by prepaid reservation.
For reservations and free nursery information,
please call Genelle at 769-4570 or
Mary Ann
at 627-9619, or email BatonRougeCWC@cs.com.
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~*
7 *~
"Lunch With
the League"
The Place Restaurant, Florida Blvd. BRLA * May 8th, 2003 * 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Get the inside scope on some of the 2003 proposed insurance legislation
covering issues,
such
as availability of insurance, cost of insurance, credit scoring of consumers
for setting price of premiums,
and
how will lowering the access to a jury trial from a $50K lawsuit to a $10K
lawsuit affect you.
Listen to the experts from all points of view and you decided if
“2003 Proposed Insurance
Legislation, which affects You … Fact
or Fiction?”
Speakers:
Jeff
Albright * LA Independent Insurance Agents
Malcolm
Young * President, LA Realtors Assoc.
Representative
Troy Hebert * House Insurance Chair
LA.
Commissioner of Insurance Robert
Wooley
Tom
Anderson, President, LA Trial Lawyers Assoc.
"LWL"
Tickets are $20.00 for non-members;
*
* * *
NEW
RATE FOR LWVBR Members: $15.00
Questions from the audience encouraged after the presentations.
RESERVATIONS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ENSURE SEATING.
For Updates on this forum, membership applications, or to make reservations.
Click on: http://www.lwvbr.org League voice
mail: 334-9999 League fax:
930-6322
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~* 8 *~
PUT
YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AT THE BATON ROUGE ARTHRITIS WALK
The
Arthritis Foundation, Louisiana Chapter, will hold its first-ever Arthritis
Walk in downtown Baton Rouge on
May
10. PRSA-BR member Robin M.
Mayhall, APR, the chapter's director of
health promotion, is encouraging
PRAL
and PRSA members to participate as walkers and even team captains. More than
one million people in
Louisiana
have some form of arthritis, including 5,000 children, and the Arthritis
Foundation is the only nationwide
nonprofit
organization raising money to fund research into treatments and cures.
Team captains are asked to recruit four additional people -- friends, family,
or coworkers -- to form a team of at
least
five, with help and support from the Foundation's staff. For a team captain
information packet, please contact
Robin
at 275-1119 or by email at rmayhall@arthritis.org.
If you would like to walk, but not as a team captain, you may consider joining Robin's
friends-and-family team,
or,
if there is enough interest, we could put together a PRAL-PRSA team. Walkers
are asked to collect donations
from
friends, coworkers, and family to be turnedin on walk day. There is NO minimum
goal to be able to walk.
Contact
Robin for more information. Corporate team
sponsor packages are available for companies looking for
a
promotional 0pportunity.
More information on the Arthritis Walk and the Louisiana Chapter is available
at http://www.arthritis.org/communities/chapters/chapter.asp?chapid=25.
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~*
9 *~
The Golden Magnolia
invites you to its
Spring Gala
Friday ~ May
16, 2003
6:30 p.m.
The Radisson Hotel
Entertainment Provided by
Fox McKeithen’s Louisiana Cavalcade
Gourmet Dinner Silent Auction
Cash Bar
Casual Cocktail Attire
$90.00 / Couple
$50.00 / Individual
Net Proceeds will be used to support
The International Children’s Talent Festival
Scheduled for August 22-23, 2003 to promote
World Peace and Friendship through Music.
Board
of Directors
Jo-Ann
Franchi
Ken
Rafferty
Diane Saadi Joan Hutson
Adonica
Duggan
Angeletta Fourdine Josie
Brandon
Jean
Armstrong Pamela
Matassa Monika Olivier
Kathy
Baker
Ed
Baker Polly
Henderson
To
purchase your tickets to the Spring Gala, Call or stop by P.
L. Rossi,
Distinctive or call 927-3117
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~*
10 *~
Louisiana's Old
State Capitol
Center for Political and Governmental History
100 North Boulevard,
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
(225) 342-0500 * (800)
488-2968
May 2003 Calendar
State Houses of Louisiana
Secretary
of State, W. Fox McKeithen and Louisiana's Old State Capitol are proud
to announce the opening of a new permanent exhibition. The exhibition traces the movement of Louisiana's
State Houses from 1803-1932 - New Orleans,
Donaldsonville, Baton Rouge, Opelousas,
and Shereveport. The exhibition focuses on the political, social, and economic
significance of each location. The interactive storytelling kiosk gives
visitors an opportunity to listen to personal stories
about
the Old State Capitol as told by historians, architects, and other visitors.
High-Definition Production
In
celebration of the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial, Louisiana's
Old State Capitol will show a new high-definition production throughout 2003.
The state-of-the-art production, "Pens to Parchment", was
specifically created for the 200 anniversary of the Louisiana
Purchase. The productions provides a visual stimulating experience
while focusing on the various lands of the Purchase
Territory and their significance in America's
history.
FestForAll 2003
Saturday,
May 3 & Sunday, May 4
2003 Louisiana
Music Calvacade
Date: Sunday, May 4
Time: 12:00
p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Location: Old
State Capitol
FestForAll
Visual Art Exhibition
Date: May 3 & 4
Smart Growth for All: A Blueprint for Baton
Rouge: Sponsored by Plan Baton Rouge
(open to the public)
Date: May 15 & 16
Location: House & Senate
Chambers (open to the public)
~*
11 *~
·
Baton Rouge area Museums celebrate annual Museum Day
Baton
Rouge, LA—In celebration of
National Museum Day on May 18, 2003,
members of Capital City Museums will offer special programs and discounts to
visitors on that day.
Capital
City Museums is an organization of the Baton Rouge
area museum professionals who work together to promote their institutions in
the community. The following are
National Museum Day discounts offered for May 16th, 17th, 18th, 2003:
·
BREC’s Magnolia Mound Plantation--2161
Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge,
will offer half-price admission to all visitors on May 18th. The house, c.
1791, will be dressed to represent early 19th century wedding
customs. The Museum Store is home to a
new exhibit, “The Magnolia Mound Lemoyne Star:
History told in a Quilt.” Hours
are 1:00pm-4:00pm. Call 343-4955
for more information.
·
Louisiana Arts
& Science Museum--100
South River Road, Baton Rouge,
will offer buy one adult admission, get one child’s admission free on May
18th. The museum features art exhibitions,
hands-on art and science exhibits, science demonstrations, and more. Hours are 10:00am-3:00pm. Call 344-5272
for more information.
·
LSU
Museum of Art--President’s
House, Baton Rouge, will celebrate
Museum Day on Friday, May 16, 2003. The museum is featuring an exhibit,
“Contemporar