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New America Media, News Report, Aaron Glantz

December 18, 2009 - Loans handed out to struggling small businesses as part of President Barack Obama's stimulus package have largely shut out minority businesses -- especially those owned by Blacks and Latinos -- according to data provided by the federal government's Small Business Administration (SBA) to New America Media (NAM).

On June 15, the SBA, using money from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, launched the ARC program, America's Recovery Capital, giving banks and credit unions 100 percent guarantees so they're taking no risk when they make loans of up to $35,000 to previously successful, currently struggling small businesses to help them ride out the recession.

Under the program, the borrower pays no interest and makes no payments for 12 months, then has five years to repay the loan. SBA charges no fees and pays interest to the lender at prime - the rate of interest at which banks lend to favored customers - plus 2 percent.

The Obama Administration does not report the racial breakdown of who's benefiting from these loans at Recovery.gov, but data obtained by NAM from the SBA found that of the 4,497 ARC loans where the race of the borrower was reported, 4,104 (over 91 percent) went to white-owned firms, 140, (3%) went to Hispanic-owned businesses, and 151 (3%) went to Asian- or Pacific Islander-owned businesses. Only 65, (1.5%) went to black-owned firms.

Overall, white-owned businesses received over $130 million in loans through the program, while Hispanic- owned businesses got $4 million and black-owned businesses less than $2 million. In five states - Alabama, Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Wyoming -- every single firm that received an ARC loan was white-owned. In eight other states, including Louisiana and Nevada, all but one loan went to a white-owned firm.

Civil rights groups and representatives of the minority business communities reacted with anger when told of NAM's findings.

"It's just horrendous," said Anthony Robinson, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Minority Business Legal Defense and Education Fund (MBELDEF). "During this economic recession, there is no recognition or sensitivity to the need to support and benefit people of color."

"The data raises troubling questions" and should trigger an investigation," says Oren Sellstrom of San Francisco's Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. "This should be a red flag for the SBA and the banks. It gives us the indication that something may be amiss and further explanation is warranted."

Census figures put black business ownership at 5% and Hispanic business ownership at about 7% -- more than double the numbers getting these SBA- backed loans.

At the SBA in Washington, spokesman Jonathan Swain argued racial disparities in the ARC loan program don't paint the full picture of the agency's lending practices. Many of the SBA's other loan products, he says, have large minority business participation. For example, he says, minority-owned businesses receive 29% of loans given through the SBA's regular lending program and 37% of Microloans doled out by the agency.

"It's hard to look at the ARC program by itself," he told NAM. "It's just one tool in the tool box, just one tool in the array to help small business in these tough economic times."

One reason for the extremely low level of minority participation in the ARC loan program, he maintains, is that the Recovery Act specifically prohibits the agency from allowing an ARC loan to be used to refinance a regular SBA loan, which minority firms are more likely to have.

That explanation isn't enough for minority business and civil rights groups, however. Sellstrom of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights isn't convinced by that argument. "You would think that minority owned firms could use $35,000 for a lot of uses other than paying down SBA loans."

Sellstom said SBA's response only underscores the need for further investigation. "It's often the case that the first explanation leads to further questions," he said.

Javier Palomarez, the president and chief executive officer of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, says the ARC loan program was poorly designed and "destined to fail."

When Congress was drafting the stimulus package, Palomarez said, his agency and other minority business groups argued the severity of America's recession should have led to the government handing out loans to struggling small businesses directly - rather than simply backing up loans from the very banks that caused the country's economic recession.

But the SBA and the banks lobbied against direct government financing of small business, he said, and so Congress devised a $35,000 loan program that requires a small business to wade through nearly the same paperwork needed to obtain one of SBA's regular $2 million loans.

Because of the paperwork and the small sums involved, "most banks don't want to participate in the loan program, and many of those that are participating are restricting applications only to long-term clients."

And those long-term clients often exclude small, minority businesses, which banks see as "risky." "There's been a dramatic rise in the risk profile of small businesses," Palomarez said "and that is even more pronounced among minority entrepreneurs.

"African American and Hispanic entrepreneurs often self-financed their start-ups or expansions, meaning, that they tapped into their own net worth . . . taking out home equity loans or second mortgages to invest in their communities and create jobs."

"These businesses did not get a bailout and, while the Administration has been generous with tax credits for struggling businesses, the banks that caused this problem are nowhere to be seen," he said.

James Ballentine, senior vice president of the American Bankers Association, told New America Media the banks have nothing to do with the racial disparities apparent in the stimulus' small business loans.

"When somebody comes to us, we don't look at their race," he said. "The(y) can be red, white, brown, or green. The only thing we look at is their credit worthiness."

The main problem, Balletine, said, is "there's been a real lack of marketing and as a result, very few lenders have participated." He noted that in the six months since the ARC Loan program was first announced, the SBA has been able to underwrite fewer than 5,000 loans.

But Sellstrom of the Lawyers Committee says the bankers' analysis doesn't address the question of the racial inequities. The fact that there's been little marketing doesn't mean that nobody is being told about the opportunities. It just means that it's going on in less formal ways, and those informal channels are the ones that minority businesses are not privy to."

"The breakdown is that people of color are not present at the banks," added Anthony Robinson of MBELDEF." And the government that's pushing these benefits through are not sensitive to the fact that we are not involved in this distribution network.

"So to solve this problem we need to incorporate people of color into the distribution chain of banks, business, and government. Otherwise, the flaws of the system will only magnify the inequality that's at the center of our recession.

NEW ORLEANS - Award winning journalist Roland Martin will be the keynote speaker for the 24th Annual Martin Luther King Week for Peace January 18 - 22, 2010.

The Martin Luther King Week for Peace is presented by Xavier, Tulane, Loyola and Dillard Universities. This year's theme is "Change: From Rhetoric to Action."

"We will start our MLK Week celebration with a Day of Service this year," said Deon Ridgell, chair of the committee. Students from all four campuses will meet at Xavier's University Center and be matched up with a service project. The week's other activities include the MLK Convocation Wed. Jan 20 at Tulane's McAlister Auditorium at 6:30 pm with an Opening Reception at 6pm. The Week will conclude with the student led Expressions of Unity on the Dillard campus Friday Jan. 22 at 7pm at the Cook Theater.

Presentations at the Convocation include the Lifetime Achievement Award and Student Community Service Awards. This year's Presidential Lifetime Achievement winner is civic leader and businessman, Charles Teamer.

Teamer is the co-founder and chairman of the Dryades Savings Bank in New Orleans, and chair of the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce in New Orleans. He is recognized nationally as an expert in the field of higher education and financial management. He has over forty years of service as an Advisor/Consultant in higher education, with a sphere for institutions in financial distress.

Guest speaker Roland Martin is a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate and is a commentator for TV One Cable Network, a CNN contributor, and host of the Roland S. Martin Show on WVON radio in Chicago. He has appeared as an analyst on several television and radio programs including MSNBC, Fox News, BET nightly news, the Tom Joyner Morning Show and NPR. He is a contributor for Essence magazine and posts a daily blog on Essence.com. He is the author of "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America" and "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith."

For more information on the Xavier/Tulane/Loyola/Dillard Martin Luther King Week for Peace events, call 504-520-5450 or 865-5181.

DARLENE SUPERVILLE, AP

President Barack Obama on Monday rebutted critics who say he isn't showing enough compassion toward black America, citing his health care effort as one example he says "will be hugely important" for blacks.

Obama said another example is the billions of dollars in aid to states included in the economic stimulus bill, money that was used to save thousands of teachers, firefighters and police officers from losing their jobs. He said many of those workers are black.

"So this notion, somehow, that because there wasn't a transformation overnight that we've been neglectful is just simply, factually not accurate," Obama said in an Oval Office interview with April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks.

But the president acknowledged there are limits to what a president can do for any class of people.

"The only thing I cannot do is, by law, I cannot pass laws that say 'I'm just helping black folks.' I'm the president of the entire United States," Obama said, giving his standard answer to questions about the economic and other disparities facing blacks.

"What I can do is make sure that I am passing laws that help all people, particularly those who are most vulnerable and most in need," he said. "That in turn is going to help lift up the African-American community."

Black members of Congress have begun pressing their demands that the nation's first African-American president do more for minorities hard hit by the recession, noting the billions of dollars spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to prop up big banks and large corporations.

Nationally, unemployment stands at 10 percent while 15.6 percent of blacks are jobless.

Obama said the grumbling was justified because the U.S. has just begun to emerge from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. At the same time, he said polls show overwhelming support among blacks for what his administration is trying to do.

The president said the health care bill the Senate is expected to pass this week will help the one in five blacks who don't have health insurance - almost double the general population - by making coverage more affordable.

"This will be hugely important for the African-American community," he said, also citing increased spending on education.

Asked to comment on the state of black America, Obama paraphrased author Charles Dickens when he said it continues to be the best of times and the worst of times. Still, he said he was optimistic about the future.

"But it's going to take work. It was never going to be done just because we elected me," he said.

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- (12/21/ 09) - Property owners in the City of New Orleans should soon begin to receive their 2009 Real Estate and Personal Property Business tax bills. The bills were mailed over the past several days.

The City was unable to bill the additional millages sought by the New Orleans Public Library because the City Council's approved ordinance did not receive a 2/3 majority vote (five yea votes) as required by state statute. A supplemental bill will be issued if a new ordinance is introduced and approved at a later date.

Taxpayers are encouraged to pay their property tax bills online by visiting www.cityofno.com. Property owners must have their tax bill number and a valid checking account or debit/credit card to complete the transaction. Tax payments also may be mailed to: City of New Orleans, P.O. Box 60047, New Orleans, LA 70160-0047.

Walk-in customers may go to City Hall, Bureau of Treasury, Room 1W39 for assistance. This option is not encouraged due to potential long lines.

To ensure most efficient posting, the tax bill stub should be enclosed with payment. If no bill stub is available, taxpayers should write the tax bill number on the face of their check or money order. Payments must be payable to the City of New Orleans.

Property owners who do not receive a tax bill for each parcel of realty and/or business property they own by December 31, 2009, should call 1-866-493-7407 to obtain the information they need to pay the bills in a timely manner. Property owners should provide the tax bill number for any property about which you are requesting information.

Failure to receive a tax bill will not excuse property owners from delinquency interest and penalties if the payment is not received on time. Property taxes become payable upon issuance of tax bills and will become delinquent on February 1, 2010.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

If you are an NIEHS Worker Education & Training attendee, visit this web site for additional registration information: http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/events.cfm? id=2484.

Contact: Lena (Vickey) Epps-Price, Conference Coordinator; Phone: 919-541-5573 / Email: epps-price.lena@epa.gov

Sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) and co-sponsored by Dillard University and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Worker Education and Training Program.

While making your plans to attend the Environmental Justice Conference, you may want to consider staying in New Orleans for the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) meeting, which will also be held at the New Orleans Marriott. The NEJAC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday January 27 through Friday, January 29, 2010. For more information and to register for the NEJAC meeting, please visit http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustic e/nejac/meetings.html>

By Joy Hirdes, The Times-Picayune

EDGARD, LA - West St. John High School in Edgard has earned a bronze medal ranking as one of "America's Best High Schools" by U.S. News and World Report in the magazine's December issue. A "bronze" high school is one that has demonstrated commendable performance on state tests.

"We are so pleased for West St. John and so proud of principal Erica Merrick being recognized with some of the best high schools in the nation," said St. John the Baptist Parish schools Superintendent Courtney P. Millet. "We have made great strides at West St. John to incorporate technology into our curriculum so that our students can learn and compete with the best."

The survey conducted by U.S. News and World Report employed methodology developed by School Evaluation Services, a kindergarten-through-12th grade education data research company run by Standard & Poor's. SES developed the comprehensive methodology that judges how well high schools serve all their students, not just those who are college-bound.

School Evaluation Services collects state test data from state departments of education, according to U.S. News and World Report. More than 21,000 public high schools in 48 states and the District of Columbia were analyzed using data from the 2007-08 school year . . .

Syndicated Weekly Column by National Urban League President & CEO Marc H. Morial

To Be Equal #51 / December 23, 2009

As we make our lists and check them twice this holiday season, we are reminded that on April 1, many of the essential "gifts" of democracy will be determined by our participation in the 2010 Census. A complete and accurate census count will ensure that your state and community get their fair share of Congressional seats, community services and the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal funding. But, the undercounting of African Americans in recent years has short-changed hard-pressed communities of color. That is why it is so important for every citizen to participate in the census and for the government to take specific actions to remedy the under-counting of African Americans. And it was the reason I convened a meeting with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and a broad coalition of civil rights leaders last Wednesday in Washington.

As chair of the 2010 Census Advisory Committee, I called the meeting to hear the Department's plans for tackling the issue of African American undercounting and to share our ideas for partnering with the Census Bureau in a coordinated outreach and mobilization campaign to ensure a full count. Other meeting participants included Benjamin Jealous of the NAACP, Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network, Rev. Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay Jr. (D- MO), Melanie Campbell of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Danny Bakewell of the National Newspapers Publishers Association, John Payton of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others.

As the Black community continues to suffer disproportionately from job losses, foreclosures and the other ravages of the great recession, it is vitally important that we not have a repeat of the 2000 census when about 1.3 million people were over- counted, mostly because of duplicate counts of Whites with multiple homes, while more than 4 million Blacks and Hispanics were never counted.

An accurate census count is an essential tool of public policy and citizen empowerment. It helps determine how many federal dollars are allocated for local schools, hospitals, health care, public transportation, senior centers, job training and a host of other vital community services. It also determines the number of Congressional representatives each state is allowed.

Our coalition recommends a greater emphasis on advertising in the Black community and a stronger partnership with community-based organizations to get more citizens to fill out their census forms. It should be noted that federal law protects the personal information you share.

The more than 1.2 million African Americans in prisons across the country also represent a built-in undercount. To remedy that problem, we are recommending a change in Census Bureau policy to allow prison inmates to be included in the counts of their hometowns, not where they are being incarcerated.

In our meeting, Secretary Locke acknowledged that "African Americans and other minority communities have been consistently undercounted in past censuses . . . " I am encouraged by his willingness to work with us to fix the problem and also by the strength of the coalition that will stay focused on this issue right up until Census Day.

National Urban League (www.nul.org) - Established in 1910, The Urban League is the nation's oldest and largest communitybased movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League, headquartered in New York City, spearheads the non-partisan efforts of its local affiliates. There are over 100 local affiliates of the National Urban League located in 35 states and the District of Columbia providing direct services to more than 2 million people nationwide through programs, advocacy and research.

Join WBOK 1230AM for Roundtable Tuesday from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. with guest co-host Vincent Sylvain of the New Orleans Agenda.

Listen as they discuss some of the top issues of the week with community leaders & newsmakers.

Past Roundtable Guests:

Donna Brazile / Susan Taylor / Marc Morial / Reverend Jesse Jackson / Dr. Corey Hebert / Judge Ed Lombard / Judge Michael G. Bagneris / Dr. Ron Walters / BESE Member Louella Givens / Dr. Silas Lee / Nolan Rollins / Pastor Torin Sanders / Pastor Tom Watson / Dr. Beverly Wright / Councilman James Carter / Councilman Arnold Fielkow / Councilperson Cynthia Willard-Lewis / Councilperson Cynthia Hedge-Morrell / Councilman Byron Lee / Senator Cheryl Gray / Senator Ed Murray / State Senator Ann Duplessis / Rep. Austin Badon / Rep. Juan Lafonta / Rep. Cedric Richmond / Rep. Charmain Marchand / Rep. Jared Brossett / Election Commissioner Dr. Sandra Wilson / Recovery Manager Ed Blakely / AALP's Gail Glapion & Mtangulizi Sanyika / Melanie Campbell / Dr. Ron Daniels / Congressman William Jefferson / Mtumishi St. Julien / Helena Moreno / Actor Wendell Pierce / Sheila Williams / Tracie Washington / James Perry / Dr. Elliott Willard / Rev. Sampson "Skip" Alexander / Dyan French Cole / Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson / Keith Medley / Lloyd Dennis / Bishop J.D. Wiley / Pastor John Raphael / Speaker Pro Tempre Karen Carter Peterson / Police Chief Warren Riley / Dr. Stephen J. Thurston and many more ...

"Showtime in the Afternoon"

The Legend of LIONMAN & the Seven KURODOS along with the Martial Arts Festival at DISNEYLAND® Resort Search for "7 Young American Heroes"

NEW ORLEANS - To introduce "THE LEGEND OF LIONMAN AND THE SEVEN KURODOS," The Lionman Foundation and Disneyland Martial Arts Festival partner to host the "Knowledge is Power" 20 City Tour. The tour kicked of in New Orleans at the Blue Lion Nationals Title Belt Championship held on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at the Hilton Riverside Hotel.

The Knowledge Is Power Tour will visit schools and Martial Arts Tournaments in 20 cities as Grand Master Eric O'Neal searches for worthy competitors, and will culminate in Anaheim, CA at the Disneyland Martial Arts Festival on June 19, 2010. Students in each city will compete, American-Idol style, to become the face of one of the Seven KURODOS. The ultimate goal of the Knowledge Is Power * 20 City Tour is to have the winning students represent their cities by competing in the finals. A total of 140 children and their families will attend the finals.

Grand Master O'Neal, Seven-time USKA World Karate Champion, two-time gold medal winner of the Goodwill Games, inductee of the International & Masters Karate Hall of Fame and Creator/Founder of the Blue Lion Karate Academy and The Lionman Foundation, has always been about the children. In his efforts to reach, teach and uplift the children of New Orleans, Grand Master O'Neal created "The Legend of Lionman and the Seven Kurodos," a series of twenty-eight graphic novels of an American Superhero who, along with a multicultural group of young superheros, performs heroic and moral deeds, both real and fictional that will inspire, delight, uplift, and educate millions of children and adults all over the world.

"LIONMAN" is the only American Superhero that promotes education, academic achievement, self-discipline and affirmation. "LIONMAN" is also the first superhero that joins forces with characters from different nationalities that both entertain and educate at the same time. Through the 28 graphic novels, the website, the "LIONMAN" Clubs and mentoring programs, "LIONMAN" will become a positive influence and a source of support and inspiration for children and youth around the world.

New Orleans, LA. (12/22/09) - The Anthony Bean Community Theater will hold open auditions for 2010 Regional Tour of Anthony Bean's hip-hop musical play, '504'.

'It tells the story of displaced New Orleans youth who have returned to their city a few months after the storm to be part of the rebuilding process by "doing what we do best-taking it to the streets! Singing and dancing and making music!"

Directed by Anthony Bean and choreographed by Arieuna McGee. Audition will be for Actors, Singers & Dancers. Talents must be ages 15 through 24. Auditions will be held Saturday, January 2 beginning at 11:00 a.m. at ABCT, 1333 South Carrollton Avenue. APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Rehearsal begins January 6, 2010 and an eight city tour opens February 27, and are booked through May, 2010.

For appointment call: (504) 862-PLAY, Monday - Friday, between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Actors must be prepared with two (2) contrasting monologues.

Singers must be prepared to sing two (2) contrasting songs. Dancers must be prepared to perform at least a two minute routine. Please bring a photograph and resume'.

You must call for an appointment if you wish to audition.

NEW ORLEANS - Dr. Kenneth Boutte, Sr., professor of biology and Dean of Freshman Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana, has accepted the position of Program Officer in the Division of Human Resource Development (HRD), Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Virginia. He will remain a Xavier employee during his NSF tenure.

Boutte will work directly with the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, a NSF program that emphasizes broad based alliances to increase the diversity and quality of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce.

"Among my duties, I'll be working directly with institutions that have been awarded LSAMP grants and assisting them in meeting their goals. I'll also organize review panels that help determine what new grant proposals will be funded."

Boutte received his B.S. in biology cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana. He earned the Ph.D. in Immunoparasitology from the University of California, Berkeley and was the third African American to earn the Ph.D. from Berkeley's Zoology Department and the first in the area of immunoparasitology. He is a 2005 graduate of Harvard University's Management Development Program.

He joined the Xavier biology department as faculty in 1985, served as chair of the department, and in 1997 became the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science. He was named Dean of Freshman Studies in 2007. He has been a Scholar in Residence at New York University and has held several appointments including the New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board, the NIH BRIDGES Grant Review Panel, the Higher Education Advisory Group for the National Educational Goals panel, the NSF-REU Grant Review Board, and Board of Directors for St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS (12/15/09) - The University of New Orleans is among 19 colleges and universities to have its bond rating upgraded in 2009, a year in which many higher education institutions have seen their bond ratings downgraded.

UNO was among seven colleges to be upgraded by Moody's Investors Service this year, while Standard & Poor's Ratings Services upgraded 12 institutions in the first three quarters of the year. The UNO bond rating was improved to A3, a low credit risk, from Baa1, a substantial credit risk.

The improved bond rating should make it easier and less expensive for UNO to borrow money and should provide a low-risk opportunity for investors in the event of a bond issue, explained Joy Traylor, UNO assistant to vice chancellor for financial services and associate comptroller for finance.

"The improved bond rating is a benchmark of the University's successful recovery," said Chancellor Timothy P. Ryan.

UNO's bond rating had been downgraded in 2006 because of the decrease in enrollment following Hurricane Katrina.

The University of New Orleans (UNO), the urban research University of the State of Louisiana, provides essential support for the educational, economic, cultural and social well-being of the culturally rich and diverse New Orleans metropolitan area. It opened its doors in 1958 as part of the Louisiana State University System "to bring public- supported higher education to Louisiana's largest urban community." Today, UNO offers 43 undergraduate degree programs, 37 masters, and 11 doctoral programs. The 340-acre main campus sits on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, offering easy access to all parts of the metro area. For more information, visit www.uno.edu

Rodney & Etter, LLC features a roster of capable and energetic attorneys. The team of talented lawyers has litigated a wide variety of cases, while building a successful courtroom record. With over 25 years of combined legal experience, the attorneys of Rodney & Etter, LLC are a practiced and knowledgeable team, ready for the next challenge.

Dillard's Teams play LSU Shreveport and Xavier University Basketball Weekend Includes Alumni Events, Open House on Campus, and the 2nd Annual Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala

NEW ORLEANS - Dillard University's Athletic department will host an exciting weekend of basketball and social events at the annual "Bleu Devil Classic" on Thursday, January 28, through Sunday, January 31, 2010.

This year, the fun starts early when the Bleu Devils play state rivals LSU Shreveport on Thursday, January 28. The women's game starts at 5:30 p.m. and the men's game starts at 7:30 p.m. in the gym at Dent Hall on Dillard's campus. General admission is $10. Alumni are $5. Students without identification, senior citizens, teenagers over the age of 12 are $5. Students with I.D. get in free.

On Friday, January 29, Dillard will hold an open house on campus for potential students and alumni. At 3:00 p.m., the university's alumni division will sponsor a social, "Kicking it on Kabacoff," on Kabacoff Plaza in front of Dent Hall. At 8:00 p.m. on Friday night, Dillard alumni, family and friends will host the 2nd Annual Billy Ray Hobley Athletic Scholarship Gala at 8:00 p.m. in Kearney Hall. Hobley was a Dillard basketball star and Harlem Globetrotter, and his legacy is celebrated on and off the court. All proceeds from the dinner and the classic will benefit Dillard's athletic scholarships. Tickets for the Gala are $50.

On Saturday, January 30, the tailgate party starts at Noon at the Lakefront Arena - Northside. Basketball starts at 5:00 p.m. when the Dillard's Lady Bleu Devils play Xavier's Gold Nuggets at 5:00 p.m. The men's team plays the Gold Rush as 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students, and general admission is $12. Floor tickets are $20.

Tickets may be purchased at the cashier's office on the first floor of Rosenwald Hall on Dillard's campus, are at Ticketmaster.

On Sunday, January 31, Dillard will offer a worship service and alumni brunch.

For ticket information on the Bleu Devil Classic, please call 504.816.4867, or visit www.DillardBleuDevils.com.

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

The Small Business Development & Management Institute which is located located in the College of Business at Southern University-New Orleans (SUNO) is a full service assistance center providing professional management consultant service to existing businesses and individuals who want to enter the world of business.

SUNO Small Business Incubator Center; Empowering small businesses to GROW and SUCCEED

Get a Head-Start on your Competition!

25 Small Businesses will be accepted to participate in this Innovative Small Business Program. Program Services Include:

• Small business start up kit ($500 value)
• NxLevel Entrepreneurial Training (Business Plan Development)
• Business mentoring by College of Business Faculty and local Bank Executives
• Access to free business services including legal, marketing, public relations
• Quick Books Training
• Financial Management
• Business workshops and seminars
• Office Space will be available for (6) selected small businesses which includes the above services in addition to: Affordable lease space, individual furnished office space, State of the art office equipment, shared admin support . . . and MORE

Discover how you and your business can benefit from this one-on-one Specialized Business Development/Incubator Program. Contact the SBDMI and schedule an appointment to apply.

PHONE: 504.284.5512 or 504.286.5308

EMAIL: cbeaulie@suno.edu or amatthews@suno.edu

Cynthia Beaulieu, Executive Director, SUNO SBDMI

• email: cbeaulieu6@cox.net
• web: http://www.suno.edu

"It is my vision to provide District B with an accessible leader that will first and foremost represent the people of District B while building partnerships with the Mayor, fellow council members and the residents of District B to accelerate Hurricane Katrina recovery and provide quality of life throughout our entire district . . . "

Political Advertisement

By Christopher Tidmore, ctidmore@louisianaweekly.com

NEW ORLEANS (12/27/09) - Mitch Landrieu has endured a curious fall in the polls of late--at least in the surveys of some of his Mayoral opponents, and no one is sure of the exact reason.

Over two weeks ago, Leslie Jacobs said, "While I believe that I would be a great Mayor for the city of New Orleans, after much consideration and thoughtful analysis, I have determined I cannot win this election. I do not want to put my supporters, family, nor myself through a campaign I cannot win." Her reluctance was born of her internal polling. The surveys showed, in the wake of the Lieutenant Governor's announcement for Mayor, that he polled nearly 50% in the first primary--with across the board support in the White, Black, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities.

Three weeks later, Landrieu, while still assured a runoff slot, has fallen to an average third of the vote in polls of his two principal opponents--John Georges and Ed Murray.

Jacobs had been so convinced that Landrieu was a proverbial "shoe-in" that at mayoral debate less than a week after qualifying, she quit the race. Curiously, she waited until the forum's end, answering questions as if no major development were soon to occur. At the conclusion of the event, as the candidates gave their closing statements, Jacobs rose and, according to witnesses, told the audience of her intention to depart the race.

To many, the former Orleans School Board and BESE Board member stands a font of bipartisan, reformist ideas, but in the end, she is a Democrat.

By her own admission to The Louisiana Weekly and Bayoubuzz, Jacobs' core constituency was "white women", and according to polls conducted by the campaign, the Democrats in that number began to reconsider their votes once Landrieu entered the fray.

She figured no matter how popular she was with the female Republicans and Independents in New Orleans, thanks to her advocacy of Charter Schools, without a strong Democratic core, she could not win-- especially in a contest where John Georges, Ed Murray, and the other candidates were in such ardent pursuit of those voters as well as Landrieu.

Perhaps she left too soon.

While no one debates that Landrieu remains the frontrunner, an interesting change has seemingly begun with the White Republicans and Independents that the Lt. Gov. lost in the runoff four years ago. He ardently needs them to achieve victory this time around, and it appeared--according to several polls the week of qualifying--that a bit of "buyers remorse" was being to gel, at least until the Health Care vote.

Like in the Jacobs survey, Landrieu's entrance put him at 50% and the other candidates were just above ten percent--many statistically tied. So how, there weeks later, did the Lt. Gov. find himself in two of his opponents polls at 29% and 32% respectively.

Undoubtedly the Georges and Murray surveys skew to the benefit of the candidates who commissioned them. In Georges' poll, Landrieu is at 29% and the Imperial Trading CEO and former Gubernatorial candidate is at 20%. In the State Senator's survey, Murray is--reportedly according to internal campaign sources--at 35% with Landrieu statistically tied at 32%.

Both men say that they have seen consolidation of White, and particularly Republican voters in their camps, since qualifying. Of course, the polls differ widely, and a campaign poll is always subject to some manipulation by the candidates' pollsters. (One rarely hears about a poll that makes a candidate look weak, unless, like Jacobs, they are about to drop out.)

Nevertheless, some evidence exists that some GOP and Independent whites are deciding to consolidate behind candidates other than the Lt. Gov. Landrieu supporters attribute this trend, a "minor one" they argue, to Jacobs' backers on the right attempting to find a new home.

There is no doubt that all of the candidates have made attempts to woo her most ardent supporters. John Georges went so far as to send a press release saying, "I received the courtesy of a call from Leslie Jacobs just like all the candidates did. I know she has made a difficult decision and I will reach out to her supporters. She and I share the same values and want the same things. We need safe neighborhoods, better schools, good roads and an honest government. I agree with her platform of demanding results. No excuses . . . . "

NEW ORLEANS - On Wednesday, January 13th, "The New Orleans Mayors: A History of the Mayoralty Since 1946" concludes with a panel on Ray Nagin, mayor from 2002-present. Moderated by Clancy DuBos, Gambit Weekly.

By gathering together scholars, ex-staffers, activists, and journalists who covered City Hall, the series seeks to create public dialogue and historical understanding in the months before the 2010 mayoral election.

Doors open at 6:30, the panel begins at 7pm, and seating is first-come, first-serve. The Louisiana Humanities Center is located at 938 Lafayette Street, at the corner of O'Keefe.

Make It Right was founded by actor Brad Pitt to help residents of the Lower 9th Ward rebuild their lives and community in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The initial goal of the Foundation is to bring at least 150 families home to affordable, green and storm-resistant houses.

Rebuilding efforts have really started to take root. The community has come together to push for building two schools on the Lawless High School site, streets are being repaved, and there are now 50 families living in or building a Make It Right home in the Lower 9th. These families are already enjoying the benefits of living in a Make It Right home -- lower energy and water bills, five-to-eight feet elevation that will protect their lives and property from rising waters and being a part of a community group that's committed to keeping the neighborhood safe and close-knit. (Take a look at what the homeowners have to say at: http://www.makeitrightnola.org/index.php/media/video_ archive/homeowner_videos/)

To become a Make It Right homeowner, you or a member of your immediate family (father, mother, sister or brother) had to live in the Lower 9th Ward when Katrina hit on August 29, 2005 and you have to agree to make the home you buy in the Make It Right neighborhood your primary residence. Please come see the rebuilding of the Lower 9th Ward and these Make It Right homes for yourself.

If you are interested in taking a tour of the neighborhood or talking to one of the Foundation's staff members about rebuilding and buying a new home with Make It Right, please call 504-620-3200 and ask for Zakenya Perry or Le'Kedra Robertson.

State Representative Austin Badon who is a candidate for the New Orleans City Council for District E announced today the endorsement of District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro and other elected officials. Badon said, "I am so proud to have the support of the District Attorney as well as so many of my legislative colleagues. It is heartening to know that as a city council member I will go into the job being able to work with so many important elected officials to get our city working the way it needs to again."

Austin Badon has also received the endorsements of some of the key leaders of the Louisiana Legislature; Speaker Pro Tempore Karen Carter Peterson, State Senate President Joel T. Chaisson II, and Speaker of the House Jim Tucker. Those leaders were joined by fellow state representatives Walker Hines, Frank Hoffmann, Girod Jackson III, Juan LaFonta, Walt Leger III, Anthony V. Ligi, Jr., Neil Abramson, and Reed Henderson and Cameron Henry. State Senators endorsing Badon include Ann Duplessis, A.G. Crowe, and Cheryl A. Gray Evans. Badon is also proud to receive the endorsement of BESE Board Member Louella Givens and Pastor Kevin Boyd of the Church of New Orleans.