Talk of the town: Volunteers in Public Schools and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber announced today their Partners in Education Business Luncheon to be held Thursday at Juban’s restaurant has been canceled. However, a separate event aimed at facilitating community discussion about education reform was announced today. Legislators, a BESE board member, ministers, community members, business leaders and other education officials are hosting “Pre-K–12 Public Education Summit 2012” at Living Faith Christian Center, 6375 Winbourne Ave., at 6 p.m. Thursday. Parents, students, educators, school employees, community leaders and the business community are encouraged to attend. The public will be invited to share thoughts on education reform following a panel discussion.
The name game: State officials are questioning the wisdom of a proposal being considered by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board to buy the naming rights to the New Orleans Arena. Houma-area state Sen. Norby Chabert says several south Louisiana lawmakers think the proposal is a bad idea. The money would come from $30 million BP gave to repair Louisiana seafood’s reputation after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010. Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham, who oversees the money, told a legislative panel he wants to have a “lot more conversation” before any naming rights deal is struck. The seafood board’s executive director, Ewell Smith, says the naming rights could help Louisiana seafood and restaurants statewide. Several trade groups and industry officials say the money could be better spent elsewhere.
Trouble: A Baton Rouge grand jury has indicted the owner of a personal care attendant business, his wife and a third man for participating in a conspiracy to forge CPR and First Aid training certification documents for his employees. Dwaine Joseph Woods, 43, of Prairieville, and his company Millennium Health Care Services are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit forgery, 19 counts of principal to forgery, and one count of principal to felony theft. The business also operated under the name Millennium PCA Services, which billed the Louisiana Medicaid Program more than $10 million dollars from 2006 to 2010. Woods’ wife and a third man are also charged in the alleged scam. Read the full story here.
