A visionary group seeks to assemble Lafayette’s abundant assets for success in a 21st century economy and here’s a clue: Arts and culture play a big, big role.
Who’s really behind the latest push to reform retirement laws in Louisiana?
By Jeremy Alford
There may be a man or woman or special interest or two behind the curtain, but Gov. Bobby Jindal is clearly the string-puller when it comes to this latest attempt to change Louisiana’s pension laws.
The legislative session has spawned retirement controversies, Web-based agendas and stupid bills. By Jeremy Alford
The old adage that no one is safe in life or property as long as the Louisiana Legislature is in session certainly applies this year.
Long-standing community arts organizations like PASA are adapting to Lafayette’s evolving cultural landscape with a ‘less is more’ approach.
By Heather Miller
As the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana wraps up its 23rd season of world-class performances and community outreach programs, the local nonprofit arts group finds itself at a turning point. Though donations and fundraising efforts have increased, ticket sales this year have been declining.
Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to modify the retirement plans of thousands of state employees — for the worse, many of them believe — even as he reforms his personal retirement plan for the better. By Jeremy Alford
It wasn’t exactly a secret that the administration was tinkering with public pension proposals. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s policy advisers were dropping hints about it over the Christmas holidays, and by the turn of the year holding meetings with obvious supporters. Jindal finally unleashed his plan Jan. 25 during a Baton Rouge Rotary Club luncheon.
MAY 20 This post by blogger CB Forgotston draws parallels between Gov. Bobby Jindal and two individuals he probably doesn't want to be aligned with: President Obama and former governor Edwin Edwards. CB says Jindal's trying to jack up the debt ceiling (an Obama play, according to CB) and buy votes from GOP leges who normally wouldn't go for that (an Edwards play, CB says).
MAY 20 Here's a post in the Baptist Message from an alumnus of Louisiana College. The author, Larry Burgess, calls on the leadership of the private school to take care of some pressing problems. Physical plant issues are critical and unaddressed, some faculty make so little they need government health care, and there is an atmosphere that does not encourage honest discussion, he writes. It's time to get things back in order, he says.
MAY 20 This post in Gambit tells of a benefit concert scheduled to raise money for the 19 people shot during a Mother's Day second line on Frenchmen Street in NOLA. Among them was Gambit blogger Deb Cotton, who spoke frequently about violence in the city and reported on the city's second line culture. Gambit's foundation, along with other NOLA non-profits, also is selling t-shirts to raise money for the victims.
MAY 20 Blogger Robert Mann is critical of the personal interest some legislators take in their work here, sharing the comments one NOLA solon made in explaining his decision to vote against a bill that would require people to stop discriminating against female workers. His wife might lose some salary, so he was going to have to vote against the equal pay bill, Conrad Appel said. Appel and everyone who heard him should have been ashamed, but they weren't, and that's what is wrong in that building, Mann argues.
MAY 20 American Press columnist Jim Beam writes about the budget again here, urging kudos for the House and its efforts to try to fix the budget as opposed to passing on a flawed and messy rubber-stamped document as it usually does. The Senate already is poo-pooing the effort, but instead Senators should be trying to find a way to improve it as well, Beam argues. He also has some predictions in here from LABI and CABL.
MAY 20 Here's a link to the photo gallery from Tulane's graduation this past weekend. Dr. John and Allen Toussaint played together and received honorary degrees. The Dalai Lama was so entranced by their performance he got up from his seat and walked across the stage to stand next to them. He even participated in a second line with his own personal, saffron-colored umbrella. To the graduates, he urged them to think about creating a peaceful, hopeful life and society.
MAY 20 This Picayune story questions the rhetoric of NOLA officials who say the city, aside from having a "murder problem," is safe. The talking points generally are that the criminals are killing each other, but everything else is OK. The police chief there says that even Lafayette is more dangerous than NOLA. But crime experts interviewed here say that NOLA's numbers indicate one of two things: either people are so used to violence they don't report it, or somebody's "fudging the numbers."
MAY 20 The Advocate's Mark Ballard writes about some of the background maneuvering that took place during the development of budget alternatives in the Legislature. From Rep. Joel Robideaux being called a "tax and spend liberal" to robo-call influence, Ballard lets us in on some of the work that happens behind the scenes but usually doesn't make it into the Advocate's daily coverage of the session.
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