New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc., -- the nonprofit organization that owns Jazz Fest presented by Shell -- has elected new officers to its Board of Directors.
They are:
Ronald J. Sholes, President
Judge Sholes is a partner at the law firm Adams and Reese and is a former district judge in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court. A graduate of Louisiana State University, he holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the Tulane University School of Public Health and a law degree from Loyola University. He serves on many civic and professional organizations, including the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the Dryades YMCA and the Louisiana Bar Association.
Nancy Marinovic, First Vice President
Ms. Marinovic is the president of Enplanar, Inc., an architectural/engineering company. Born in La Paz, Bolivia, she has an Architectural degree and a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from St. Andres University in La Paz. She serves on many business and civic local/international associations. Ms. Marinovic is one of the founders and past president of the Louisiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is currently a member of the Consular Corps of New Orleans, serving as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Mali. She also serves on the governing board of Ochsner Medical Center in Kenner. Ms. Marinovic is also certified by the Gemological Institute of America as a Graduate Gemologist and Accredited Jewelry Professional.
Clifford Johnson, Second Vice President
Mr. Johnson, now retired, has held executive fundraising and development positions at Southeastern University in Washington, DC, the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, the Amistad Research Center and Dillard University. He is a graduate of Dillard and holds a Master’s in Teaching, Language and Literature from Harvard University. He has served on many boards and commissions, including the New Orleans Museum of Arts, the College Fund/UNCF, Odyssey House, the Louisiana State Police Commission and the French-American Chamber of Commerce. He is also a published poet and author in fiction and nonfiction.
Demetric Mercadel, Secretary
Ms. Mercadel is a Senior Associate Analyst with Entergy New Orleans, Inc., where she has worked since 1981. She attended Xavier and Tulane universities and has served on many professional and civic associations, including the American Association of Blacks in Energy, the Urban League of Greater New Orleans Youth Program, the College Fund/UNCF Run/Walk, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Super Bowl Committee, the National Forum of Black Public Administrators. She is a founding member of the Kiwanis of Metro New Orleans.
Beverly Guillory Andry, Treasurer
Ms. Guillory Andry is on the faculty of Xavier University, where she teaches entrepreneurship, marketing and other business subjects. She is a graduate of Xavier and holds a Master’s degree in Arts from the University of New Orleans, a Master’s degree in Urban Studies from the University of New Orleans and a Master’s in Business Administration from Tulane. She is a Ph.D. candidate in business administration at Louisiana State University. She is active in numerous civic associations, serving currently as president of the Mid-City Community Development Corp. and of the New Orleans Jazz Centennial Celebration.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc., is the nonprofit organization that owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. The Foundation uses the proceeds from Jazz Fest for year-round activities in the areas of education, economic development and cultural programming.
The Louisiana Recovery Authority today unveiled its new Web site at www.lra.louisiana.gov.
The new www.lra.louisiana.gov makes it easier for residents and reporters to keep up with the LRA's actions. An RSS feed allows subscribers to add LRA press releases and other stories to their RSS readers, including Bloglines, Google Reader and Newsgator. Signing up for the LRA's e-mail list is also easier now, using a simple form on the front page.
The revamped site aims to serve as an archive of the state's progress in its recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita so that Louisiana residents and the American taxpayers can see where their tax dollars are being invested.
The site also features videos and photo galleries that document the state's progress in the aftermath of the hurricanes of 2005 and 2008. Current featured videos include one outlining the LRA's commitment and responsibilities in the wake of hurricanes Gustav and Ike. A second video highlights the state's Low Income Housing Tax Credit Piggyback program. Another highlights safe rebuilding practices that saved SouthCameronMemorialHospital from flooding during Hurricane Ike.
Photo Galleries highlight progress in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and show first hand the scene at SouthCameronMemorialHospital in the days after Ike. Additional improvements to content are in the works and the site will continue to be updated frequently.
Road Home: Latest Program Statistics
As of November 10, 2008
Total applications recorded:
185,106 (final)
Initial appointments held:
166,093 (final)
Eligible applicants:
155,406
Benefit options selected:
143,586
Option 1 - 125,880
Option 2 - 10,192
Option 3 - 2,923
Declined benefits - 2,428
Delayed benefit selection - 2,047
Completed applications:
136,324
Closed - 119,563
No Funding/zero awards - 14,333
Declined awards - 2,428
Total amount of awards disbursed:
$7.3 billion*
Average award disbursed:
$61,344*
* These numbers are reported as of November 6, 2008.
Help build a playground in Central City! Park-It is partnering with KIPP Central City Primary and Kaboom to build the dream playground designed by local students. Join us in preparing the site on Thursday, November 13 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m at KIPP Central City Primary located at 2625 Thalia St. After the playground site is prepared, volunteers are needed to complete this dream playground on Saturday, November 15 from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
