World Trade
On Thursday, May 1 the World Trade Center, Louisiana Economic Development, and other organizations will sponsor a breakfast briefing at the WTC on “Doing Business in Europe for Louisiana Companies” featuring David Smallman, the European representative for Louisiana Economic Development. Mr. Smallman will be available for consultations following the briefing.
For the last 41 years David Smallman has been involved in international business development and contract negotiation for corporations and local governments in over 40 countries. In 1990, encouraged by some of the current Team members, European political contacts and associates in international financing, he created Pathfinder Team Consulting Ltd. to bring together people with experience to provide truly independent advice. Since then the Team has worked in 35 countries on a variety of projects, from the restoration of a railroad to developing long-term economic development strategies for local governments and since 2004 opened associate offices in Dubai UAE and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. His firm is currently in its fourth year as the European representative for Louisiana Economic Development.
There is no charge for the briefing, but advance registration is required. To register for the May 1 briefing, go to www.wtcno.org/programs or call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, x222.
Superior Homes
According to the Advocate and circulated by the Jindal administration:
“Superior Homes of Louisiana LLC has chosen a Clinton building as the site of a $3 million, 71,000-square-foot plant that will build modular homes, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the state Department of Economic Development announced Tuesday.
Superior plans to hire up to 150 people in the next few years at $13-an-hour plus benefits.
The package included a $1 million, performance-based state grant from DED for building improvements.
According to the Advocate, “Basically the state is buying the building and leasing it to Superior for a nominal amount, Foster said. All Superior has to do is produce the jobs, pay its workers, buy materials in Louisiana and put out the products.”
“The Clinton facility will build modular homes, schools, restaurants, dorms, cafeterias and other light commercial buildings. The plant is scheduled to begin operations Oct. 1.”
Preservation Hall
Join Ben Jaffe and Terence Blanchard for a very special Happy Hour featuring the students of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz this Wednesday 5pm-8pm at Preservation Hall. Free and Open to the public, Limited tickets available.
Small Business
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s Small Business Assistance staff will be presenting a seminar to business people in Morgan City. The presentation will be given at the Louisiana Business and Technology Center’s Mobile classroom on April 30.
The main function of the DEQ Small Business/Small Community Assistance program is to help businesses and communities understand and comply with complex state and federal regulations. The program also offers assistance with permit applications, identification of emission sources and pollutants, resolution of environmental issues and general guidance for newly permitted facilities.
Ryan Brignac, with DEQ’s Acadiana Regional office, will present a seminar on the program on April 30 at 10:45 a.m. The mobile classroom will be located at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, 728 Myrtle Street on April 29 and 30.
The seminars are free; however, registration is required due to limited seating. To register, call 985-380-4639 or email asheff1@lsu.edu. For more information on the DEQ Small Business/Small Community Assistance Program, go to the DEQ website at http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/tabid/85/Default.aspx or call 800-259-2890.
Louisiana Teachers
The quality of Louisiana's public school teachers is at an all-time high. The percentage of teachers holding a standard teaching certificate stands at 95.7%, up from 95.3% last year. As recently as 2000, that percentage was only 85.8%. Moreover, the passage rate on the national PRAXIS teacher examination, required for certification, remains at 99%, where it has stood since 2003.
These encouraging statistics were presented to the Board of Regents this week as part of the 2008 Annual Report on Louisiana's Teacher Preparation Accountability System, created in 2001 to facilitate ongoing assessment of the performance of Louisiana's teacher preparation programs.
The report, presented by Dr. Jeanne Burns, Board of Regents Associate Commissioner for Teacher Education Initiatives, also revealed that new teacher production at university teacher education programs statewide, which dropped from a high of 2,727 in 2004 to 2,374 the year following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, is now up to 2,396.
"These results continue to validate the effectiveness of the measures Louisiana has taken in recent years to ensure that our elementary and secondary school students receive the highest quality instruction possible," said Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie. Louisiana finalized a complete redesign of every university teacher preparation program in the state in 2005.
The Teacher Preparation Accountability System evaluates programs based on such parameters as the performance of students on the PRAXIS exam; the quantity of program completers at each institution; program ratings by first-year teacher mentors; and the retention of teachers after three years. The system is designed to demonstrate to the public that all universities and colleges in the state are working diligently to produce quality teachers who work effectively for PK-12 students.
To view the complete report, log on to http://www.regents.state.la.us/Academic/TE/reports/2006.html.
Louisiana Art
The Arthur Roger Gallery is presenting an exhibition of recent paintings by contemporary Louisiana landscape painter Elemore Morgan Jr. The acrylic on masonite and acrylic on paper works were painted in Southeast Louisiana, New York City and New Orleans. The exhibition opens May 3rd and continues through May 28th at the Arthur Roger Gallery, 432 Julia Street. The gallery will host an opening reception on Saturday, May 3rd, from 6 to 9 pm, in conjunction with "Jammin' on Julia."
Elemore Morgan, Jr. is acknowledged as the leading contemporary Louisiana landscape painter. The artist continues to reside in Vermilion Parish in the heart of the rice growing region of Southwest Louisiana. However, after the ravages of Hurricane Rita in Southwest Louisiana in 2005, Morgan received assistance from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation that enabled him in 2007 to reside and to paint in New York City. This exhibition of Morgan’s work includes an impressive series of multi-paneled paintings of the Manhattan skyline painted in open air while he was staying in New York. “Manhattan from Liberty State Park”, composed of five panels, and the two-paneled “Manhattan and The Brooklyn Bridge” are both remarkable paintings from that period. This exhibition also features paintings of the New Orleans urban landscape, including a sweeping view of “The Crescent City Connection.”
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. on Monday posted a 10% increase in first-quarter profit as the communications company added 1.5 million wireless customers and more than 250000 video subscribers to its base.
Ford Motor
Kirk Kerkorian through Kerkorian Tracinda Corp., is purchasing 100 million shares shares in Ford Motor Co. and plans to obtain more which would give him an almost 6 percent share in the automobile maker.
