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What’s your scene?

My Scene TV is a new show that airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on WBXH (Cox Channel 16). This new show brings a unique view of the Capital City by exploring music, food and culture. The show will also inform you of popular local bands through interviews and performances. WBXH and WAFB are part of Raycom Media Inc.

The Mamas and the Papas

Destination Maternity and Woman’s Hospital have teamed up to offer a variety of events and educational classes. Expectant moms and dads can enjoy exercise or educational classes in the learning studio. Expectant and new parents can participate in creative activities and courses such as prenatal yoga and Doula comfort measures taught by experienced and certified instructors.

BRAC on top

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber was recognized by the Center for Community and Economic Research for its five-part research series on public education, Perception, Reality, and Reform: Public Education in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area. The series represented the first comprehensive analysis of the 11 public school districts in the Capital Region. For the second year in a row, BRAC’s submission received the highest overall rating of any organization in the nation.

Awards/Honors

The Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge has been awarded the Bennett Award for Congregational Action on Human Justice and Social Action by the Unitarian Universalist Association. James R. Bennett started the award in 1999 to honor the congregation that has done exemplary work in social justice. The church was chosen because of its hurricane relief and recovery work and its advocacy on behalf of hurricane survivors.

Jean Rohloff, LSU English instructor, was presented with the 2007 TIAA-CREF Outstanding Service-Learning Faculty Award for her exceptional and long-standing commitment to service-learning. The award is presented annually to an LSU faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to integrating quality service-learning activities in their own classes, as well as throughout the campus and extended community.

MAPP Construction has been recognized with a Pyramid Award in ABC’s 2006 National Excellence in Construction competition in the Commercial $5-$10 million category for its State Farm Operations Building project. The 68,000-square-foot, $6.5 million Class A office space serves as the headquarters for State Farm Operations and houses business operations, including claims, litigation and a call center.

The Louisiana Bar Foundation received a $12,000 pledge to the Louisiana Bar Kids’ Chance Scholarship Program from Winning Way Inc., a Baton Rouge company which provides resolution-focused mediation, training, technical assistance and consulting services in workers’ compensation matters. LBF Kids’ Chance awards scholarships to children of Louisiana workers killed or permanently disabled in an accident compensable under a workers compensation act or law.

Robert Perlis, professor of mathematics at LSU, has been named 2007 TIAA-CREF Service-Learning Fellow. In 2006, Perlis engaged 59 LSU students and 12 public-school teachers in a project designed to bring math tutoring to three local public elementary schools. Perlis has joined weekly meetings of the Service-Learning Faculty Scholars with the goal of implementing a course during the 2007-08 school year.

Fred H. Belcher Jr. has been named a fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation. Belcher received his bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and his law degree from LSU. He practices family and personal injury law, and he is a member of the Baton Rouge Bar.

Charles H. Willliamson, MD, FACS, medical director of the Williamson Eye Center, was selected to present a paper, Correction of Lenticular Astigmatism with an Implantable Contact Lens, to the National Conference of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Williamson is an innovator in refractive laser surgery and has performed more than 20,000 procedures.

John W. deGravelles and Richard J. Dodson recently spoke at a conference on Maritime Law and the Law of the Sea at Odessa National Law Academy in Odessa, Ukraine. DeGravelles, a partner at deGravelles, Palmintier, Holthaus and Frugé, spoke on the rights of maritime workers under American admiralty law. Dodson of Dodson, Hooks and Frederick spoke on foreign seafarers in American courts.

Phelps Dunbar was again listed as a leading law firm in the nation by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm was ranked in 12 categories, and 34 Phelps Dunbar attorneys were recognized as leading lawyers in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and nationally. They received the No. 1 national ranking in the practice areas of transportation, shipping and litigation (outside New York) for the third consecutive year. The book is published by Chambers and Partners, an independent research-based company that selects the top law firms and attorneys based on recommendations by clients and peers.

Atelier Rouge Hair & Body Retreat has been named a Salon of Distinction in the Salons of the Year interior design competition sponsored by Salon Today. The categories included use of color, lighting, flooring, efficient use of space, consistency of design and overall aesthetics.

Kelsey Kornick Funes is the Outstanding Young Lawyer of 2007 as selected by the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section Council. Funes is a partner in the litigation practice group of Phelps Dunbar’s Baton Rouge office. She practices in the areas of commercial, construction and insurance litigation.

Nominations

The Louisiana Legislative Women’s Caucus is now accepting nominations for the LLWC Women of Excellence Awards. The award is to recognize and honor the professional excellence, achievements and contributions of extraordinary women who personify excellence in their area of specialty, integrity, character, community service and professionalism. For nomination forms, visit the Women’s Caucus Web site at llwc.Louisiana.gov. Nomination forms are due by 5 p.m. July 16.

Keep Baton Rouge Beautiful Inc. has an annual Clean Business of the Year Awards Program to recognize those businesses, organizations and institutions in the Greater Baton Rouge Area that present an aesthetically appealing image. You are invited to nominate your business or another organization. Nomination forms and details can be found at kbrb.org.