February 4, 2016
By EMMANNUEL S. SELF (via Facebook Note)

To whom it may concern:

With all the abandoned buildings on Foster Drive and Plank road, there should be something done to them to help with productivity in North Baton Rouge.
I have a lot of ideas as to what should happen to some of those buildings that I'm willing to share.
 
A soup kitchen that's maintained by students of the Culinary school. Culinary students can work/manage this soup kitchen for college credit, volunteer work and maybe a small pay for their hard work (or maybe the possible payment could go into their tuition or something). The idea is that the culinary school would have some firsthand experience in the field and some homeless people get to eat in the process.
 
I dub this idea "Second Chance"--it's pretty much a combination of a homeless shelter, rehab center, GED Center, Mental Health and Workforce Assistance. Homeless people could live at the shelter for as long as they need to until they're cleaned up of all the drugs or mental problems that harbor them and while they're in the program, they could be placed in jobs or schooling. If they relapse or something happens, they just go back to the program until they can find another job and such.
 
My other idea is a park. First story could have weight training, an indoor track, a basketball court (maybe a few). Outside could be a wide open field and a forested area with trees. The second layer could be a lounge with a couch, a television, maybe some video games, a place to go to buy some healthy snacks, maybe a restaurant. A pool should be included for those that want to learn how to swim as well as a matted room to help people that want to practice their gymnastics. The idea of this is that it'll be an ultimate park. A place that has everything that this town may need for recreation and the building on the corner of Foster and Choctaw seems like a pretty good place to make that happen.

I'd personally try to initiate these myself but I lack the funding and the assistance to make these into a reality. However, I hope my suggestion doesn't fall on deaf ears. I've lived in North Baton Rouge for a long time (back when that Star Hill Church was just a bunch of trees) and if there's one thing I know is that the reason behind the crime is simply because people are bored and it's not like there's something to do nearby to go to.
The distance between progress is almost unreachable thanks to the notoriously inadequate public transportation but rather than relocate everything. I suggest we take charge and do something with all the empty space we have here. Some of these buildings have been sitting for years with nothing done to them. Isn't it time that changes for the better?

These ideas will not only help the people but provide jobs that could actually become stable (if you ask the people that work at the Eden Park Library Branch, I'm sure they can tell you that it's not all bad on this side).
The more progress that happens on both sides of town, the better the local economy can be and the better the reputation for the entire city. Please consider this.

-Emmannuel

Special thanks to Emmannuel Self for allowing us to repost this note.
 
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By: Kent B. - MSTv

The possibility of the proposed annex city of St George seems closer to fruition than many would like. And the general reasoning to dispute the creation of this new city, (built within the UN-incorporated portion of the existing city of Baton Rouge) is that it seems to be promoting a return to school segregation.

This movement, started by residents of the more affluent and Caucasian areas of Baton Rouge, began this effort to create a local independent school district in the southeastern part of East Baton Rouge Parish.

These citizens made it clear that they were dissatisfied by the quality of their children's area public schools. Cited incidents of violence, over-sized classes, lack of teachers and generally poor national average school test scores in the Parish, fueled their arguments for a change.

This is perceived to be the primary and often only argument stressed in fueling their decision to separate from the city of Baton Rouge proper.

As the concerned citizens represent more than two-thirds of the parish's tax base, they seek a visible change to their concerns. But, this change will primarily affect the lower economic, minority classes and those who use the school busing system. 

This move will essentially end busing to the new area and perhaps deny students availability to better areas to receive their education.

Simply put, this change will make the proposed new city of St. George a richer and "whiter" area that once represented a part of the city of Baton Rouge, LA -  on the whole.

Is this something we in 2014, want?  Is any type of racial and economic separation fair when it comes to our children receiving decent educational options? 

And is any excuse or argument to this end, fair?

Take a look at this Frontline report and after, let us hear your thoughts.

Reproduced from: theadvocate.com

One evening a year, as the clock ticks toward midnight, New Orleans musicians, artists, photographers, authors and film directors come together for an annual grassroots commemorative event, to share with the public their artistic response to Hurricane Katrina.

“We have it on the anniversary eve of Katrina, because that is the day that our lives were normal — and then it crosses over into midnight where our lives were changed forever,” said Patty Lee, founder and host of Katrina Artistically Revisited.

Now in its eighth year, Katrina Artistically Revisited is free and open to the public. The event is hosted annually by Lee and her husband, the New Orleans musician and entertainer Armand St. Martin.

“It is totally the community giving back to the community,” said Lee. “We stay reverent and respectful, and we try to stay away from anything controversial — people will be entertained while also being reflective about Katrina.”

Katrina Artistically Revisited will be held at The Theatres at Canal Place on Wednesday. Starting at 8:30 p.m. in the lobby, there will be exhibits of Katrina-related books and photographs, while people have a chance to share their stories and mingle with Katrina survivors and first responders.

From 10 p.m. there will be an array of Katrina-related musical performances, clips from award-winning documentaries, photographs and slide shows with personal stories from Katrina survivors.

Katrina survivors themselves, Lee and St. Martin evacuated and came back one month later to find their Mid-City home, where St. Martin was born, flooded and without a roof.

Lee’s mother passed away in June 2006, before the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and Lee set about finding a way to honor her and everything New Orleanians had been through.

“We had this film, ‘Stillness,’ so I put together this idea of an annual event,” Lee said.

Said St. Martin: “We knew it was up to people like us to maintain and retain our part of New Orleans culture, because so much was torn apart by the diaspora. As the years have gone by there has been a lot of artistic response to the storm.”

Every year, locals and visitors keep coming back to remember, to learn and to heal through the sharing of visual art, music and words.

“We do it to remember those who perished,” Lee said, “and to honor those who survived.”

We got a brief glimpse into the new film, "Maze Runner" (which is being shot here in Baton Rouge) when we interviewed its star, MTV's Teen Wolf actor, Dylan O'Brien on May 27th. (See full interview here)

Well, it seems that the production is looking for local actors, with military backgrounds, to play soldiers in the feature-film adaptation of the popular teen-marketed book.

The scenes will be shot over two days around July 8-10 and the producers are seeking eight physically fit men between 30 to 45 years old with short, military-style hair. The chosen will be required to work outdoors in full military gear.

If interested and qualified, please send your information and stats, 2 photos (1 waist up & 1 full body shot. Both should show you clean shaven and wearing a plain white tee and slacks) to [email protected].

Applicant's wardrobe sizes should also be included. Sizes sought are 40-44 coats, 32-36 waist and between 5' 9 to 6' 1 in height.  Compensation will be $101.50 for 12 hours.

The film is based on the novel trilogy, "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner.  The story tells the tale of a boy named Thomas who awakens with his memory wiped to find himself among a community of boys trapped in a maze known as "The Glade." When a mysterious girl arrives with a strange note, their hope for escape is rekindled.

Teen Wolf star, Dylan O'Brien is cast as Thomas with several young actors of note and merit as his co-stars. 

The local production has been shooting since early May and is expecting to wrap-up in July.

The film is targeting a release date of Feb. 14, 2014.

When Holly Silva Richard, owner of C'est Bon Reception & Banquet Facility in St. Amant, Louisiana saw a contest on Facebook to 'Name Our Sex Column,'  she hurriedly entered her suggestion.  Silva and her husband, '...had a get-a-way to Virginia planned [and] wanted to take the Deluxe Over The Door Sex Swing (Grand Prize),' with them for a fun time. 

The contest ran for nearly 6 weeks with Facebook fans of adult romance company, The L Bar (www.facebook.com/thelbar) chiming in to make their suggestions in hopes of winning.  It was Silva's, "Things That Make You Go Ummm," that raised the eyebrows of The L Bar CEO and Romance Expert JP Dunbar.  "All I kept thinking was, "Wow - folks out there would love this!  I couldn't wait to get the column going." 

'Things That Make You Go Ummm' will begin featuring romance topics and tips weekly starting May 30, 2013.  If you have a question that you'd like answered or need ideas to keep your bedroom play spicy, drop us a line at [email protected].

By: Alex Templar - MSTv

Its been a popular event rolling around town for the past few years. But like all great things, in order to grow, it has to evolve. To that point, The Baton Rouge Gallery's "Movies on the Lawn" series now adds, "Music" to its title. 

This newest offering will be showcasing its usual classic films, but now local musicians will accent the films and entertain the crowds afterwards.  The series begins May 25th with the film, "The Artist."

“This year, we’re opening our series with a silent film made in modern times,” says Jason Andreasen, the gallery’s executive director. “And we’re excited to be able to get it for this year. The Artist is a perfect fit for the gallery to kick of its 2013 Movies & Music on the Lawn series, because both the film and the series reinvigorate our love of silent film with unique presentation.

Local artists, Captain Green will accompany the film with an original score.”

The group was formed in 2010 and has been a favorite at festivals and local music venues, proclaiming its genre as “intergalactic space funk,” a high energy fusing of electric jazz and New Orleans style funk.

This will be Captain Green’s third year to perform at Movies & Music.

The series will continue with monthly events through September with five screenings: The General, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Righteous Buddha performing a new score on Saturday, June 29; The Black Pirate with music by The Breton Sound on Saturday, July 27; Nosferatu, with a score by England in 1819 on Friday, Aug. 30; and Clara Bow starring as the original “it girl” in It with music by bluegrass darlings Polly Pry on Friday, Sept. 27.

Movies will begin at sundown, and as always, visitors show up early with food and beverages, and blankets to spread on the ground. The $5 admission will include free popcorn.

“This series has been breathing new life into silent film for local audiences for 20 years,” Andreasen said.

Reproduced from The Advocate.com

Many high school kids dream of graduating and spending their lives hanging out, making music with friends and traveling the world. Flow Tribe is living that dream. The six friends, born and raised in New Orleans, are classmates from Brother Martin High School who see themselves as cultural ambassadors for the Big Easy.

Flow Tribe’s lead vocalist, K.C. O’Rorke, said the band is infused with the myriad sounds of the New Orleans music scene.  “Our earliest musical memory was second line at a parade, hearing the bass drum boom,” O’Rorke said. “You’re raised in an environment where music is such a part of the culture that it permeates everything you do. That’s the big thing for us. We try to be cultural ambassadors for New Orleans. We should be getting some tourism kickbacks.”

The lineup of Flow Tribe is O’Rorke (lead vocals/trumpet), Mario Palmisano (guitar), Chad Penot (bass/vocals), Russel Olschner (drums), Bryan Santos (guitar, percussion) and John-Michael Early (harmonica/washboard/vocals).

The sextet officially settled on the name Flow Tribe in 2006. For seven years they have been a relentlessly touring band, blasting fans away with bluesy rock with a flare of funk and the occasional breeze of Havana air. They call it “backbone-cracking music.”

With three full-length albums in the bag, Flow Tribe is embarking upon a new journey with their latest EP, “Painkiller.” The official album release will be at the Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans May 18.

The band will be stopping is Baton Rouge and touring on a festival-filled summer that includes New Orleans Food & Wine Experience, Riverfest in Arkansas, Bay Bridge Fest in Mississippi and Wakarusa in Arkansas.

“We’ve got to show Baton Rouge some love, because they’ve always supported us,” O’Rorke said, so Flow Tribe is doing a sneak peek of the album at the Chelsea’s show on the 17th.

By:  Jude Falcon - MSTv

Its rare when we see someone do the incredible, but we've seen it today in the music of Jake Shimabukuro.  And he did it, amazingly enough, with a ukulele; that "mini-me" cousin of the guitar. 

It seems unlikely to think that this small instrument, which brings up memories of that musical madman, Tiny Tim and his many "tiptoes through the tulips," might be welded with such a precision to play that Michael Jackson hit, Billie Jean.  But it seems Shimabukuro likes to do the improbable.  Just view the video below.

“It’s capable of playing a lot different styles of music,” Shimabukuro said. “People thought you could only play simple songs on it but now they are realizing that, ‘Wow, I can play complicated tunes. I can play songs that are hip and cool.’ That draws people in. And it’s very affordable.”

Having played the instrument since he was 4, Shimabukuro, an admittedly horrible singer, focused on playing melodies because most people didn't get his strumming.

So, he practiced, improvised and perfected his own style.  “I needed to figure out how to make the arrangements exciting,” he said. “So I incorporated a lot of percussive, rhythmic things.”

And now, the diligence of this 36 year old Hawaii native has paid off.  His unique style has made Shimabukuro a Youtube star and he now tours nationwide to amazed and sold out audiences.  His reasoning for this?  Far too many people underestimate the power of the ukulele.

“When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time experimenting with amplifying the ukulele, to make it growl, to make it roar. Because everyone knows the soft, gentle side of the instrument, but there’s a beast that lives in the instrument as well. It’s been fun discovering that and showing people that side of the instrument.”

And roar it will as Jake takes to Baton Rouge's Shaw Center stage, on March 23 at 8 pm sharp.  If you think he can't surprise you as well, then perhaps you need to take a second look at the video above.