The following is the updated sponsor list for Cookin'. These sponsors have given a combination of funding, products, labor, and land use to help make Cookin' in Central possible. THANK YOU!

DIAMOND LEVEL

BP of America

PLATINUM LEVEL

Southern Power Systems

GOLD LEVEL

CH2MHILL, Inc.

Coca Cola

Cox Communications

Gil & Michelle Matherne

Carlton LaGrange

Louis Mechanical Contractors, Inc.

The Village at Magnolia Square

ARMCO Electric, Inc.

SILVER LEVEL

AAS Company

Oak Point

Ross Tire & Service

PODS

BRONZE LEVEL

Bank of Zachary

Cover’s Unlimited

NAPA Auto Parts-Central

RV Cams

EBR Clerk of Court

LCR Corporation

Tiger Sanitation

Screen Printing Express

IN-KIND DONATIONS

Advance Office Systems

Bassline Audio, LLC

Capital Ultrasonics

Capitol City Produce

Carbon Copy (Band)

Central Women's Club

Chase Health Care

Community Coffee

Dennis Stewart

EMS

Gulf Coast Office Products

Hancock Bank- Central

Kleinpeter's Farm Dairy

Kiwanis Club

Kelly's Meat Market

LaCassagne Meats, Inc.

IBEW Local Union 995

Louisiana Office Supply

OMNI Industries, LLC

Pastors of Central

Sammy's Grill- Central

Sheriff

Suzonne Cowart

United Rentals

Winn Dixie

The fifth annual Cookin’ in Central begins tonight (Friday night) at 5 PM with a huge crawfish boil and concert at Magnolia Square. Since its inception in 2006, Cookin’ has become an event that all of Central can look forward to, with its great food, entertainment, and charitable causes. Cookin’ has raised over 1 million dollars for schools and non-profits over the past several years, and this year looks to be just as successful. As Cookin’ organizer Louis DeJohn said, the crowd should be enormous this year, as there is not a single vacancy left in any hotel in Central. Come enjoy some fantastic crawfish Friday night at 5, and show up Saturday morning at 10 AM as the fun starts up again at Magnolia Square. The schedule for Cookin' is as follows:

FRIDAY, APRIL 16^th

5:00 PM- 10:00 PM: Crawfish boil kickoff event at Magnolia Square featuring live music by Carbon Copy (crawfish served from 5 to 7 PM, with plenty of fun to be had afterward)

SATURDAY, APRIL 17^th

10:00 AM: Festivities begin at Magnolia Square

10:00 AM: Cook-off

10:00 AM- 2:00 PM: Car Show

11:00 AM- 3:00 PM: Food is served

1:10 PM: CHS Jazz Band performs as tent fills for Live Auction

Other activities happening throughout the day include a Silent Auction, Live Auction, a $10,000 raffle, children’s games and activities, and live entertainment. Remember to buy your tickets ahead of time if possible. Tickets are available from Central schools: $15 for crawfish boil, and $10 for cook-off tickets.

If you find yourself in a giving mood or with some free time on your hands, volunteers will be needed all day Saturday- no training required. Just stop by the volunteer booth near the t-shirts and see Mrs. Rhonda Taylor.

Arthur Hardy, Chairman of the Warren Easton Hall of Fame Selection Committee, has announced the selection of longtime educator and Central citizen, Lee M. Faucette, Jr., for induction into the Warren Easton High School Hall of Fame. The New Orleans based Warren Easton is the oldest public high school for boys in Louisiana.

      Lee Faucette was  selected for his “… outstanding contributions to the community and the education profession…,” says Hardy, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Directors of the Warren Easton Charter School Foundation, Inc. 

      Faucette served as principal of St. Gerard Majella School in North Baton Rouge and was the first principal of Baton Rouge Magnet High School. This selection is somewhat unique as it is Faucette’s second hall of fame selection, having been inducted into the Baton Rouge High School Hall of Fame in 1981 for leadership in establishing the highly successful magnet program at the East Baton Rouge landmark school. Mr. Faucette currently supervises LSU student teachers as they practice teach in three EBR schools: Broadmoor High, Central High, and Westdale Middle School.

Faucette will be honored during Hall of Fame ceremonies at 7 PM, May 14, 2010, at Warren Easton. The school, originally named Boys High, is the oldest public school for boys in Louisiana. The school’s roots date to1845 and its predecessor school. Warren Easton has been at its Canal Street location since 1913.

Among Lee Faucette’s achievements are the following: 

*LSU Honor Graduate, 1962;

*Chosen by Jaycees as Louisiana’s Outstanding Young Educator, 1968;

*Appointed First Principal of Baton Rouge Magnet High School, 1976;

*Established Magnet Curriculum (selecting faculty and recruiting student body), 1976;

*Co-founded (with John Dobbs), Baton Rouge High’s FM radio station, WBRH, 1977;

*Charter Member of the Louisiana Association of School Executives, 1978;

*President, Louisiana Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, 1980;

*Inducted into Baton Rouge High Hall of Fame for Outstanding Leadership, 1981;

*Principal, St. Gerard Catholic School, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1995-1997;

*Co-founder of the New Orleans Lakeview Ramblers Association, 1999;

*Usher, St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Greenwell Springs, Louisiana. 

CAPITAL REGION BUILDERS ASSOCIATION WORKING

WITH LOCAL REMODELERS TO BEAT DEADLINE

EPA REQUIRES TRAINING IN LEAD PAINT REMOVAL BEGINNING APRIL 22 
 

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Capital Region Builders Association (CRBA) is currently sponsoring certification and training programs for building contractors on how to safely remove lead paint from homes in an effort to have a sufficient pool of local building professionals in the Baton Rouge area who meet new federal requirements that go into effect April 22.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require on April 22 that home owners hire only a certified safe lead paint contractor to do remodeling projects and/or expansion projects on homes built before 1978.  All contractors must be trained and certified under the Lead Paint: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule (LRRP). Contractors subject to the rule include remodelers, carpenters, plumbers, heating and air conditioning workers, window installers and others.

Contractors who are not in compliance with the new regulations will be subject to a $32,500 fine per day by the EPA, and all work could be ordered to halt until a certified safe lead paint contractor has properly contained the work site and submitted a plan of action, according to the regulatory guidelines. The new, strict regulation aims to reduce exposure to lead paint that may occur when a home built before 1978 is remodeled.

CRBA President Jerry Passman said homeowners should ask their remodelers if they are part of an “EPA Lead Certified Firm” and have a trained and certified renovator on staff because only such firms will be able to work legally in homes built before 1978 beginning April 22. Homeowners may not be subject to the same fines as contractors, but they may be at risk for delays and additional costs associated with any corrective action required by the EPA, he said.

Passman said his association is working aggressively with the EPA to address the need for qualified lead paint contractors. However, a shortage of qualified instructors and the EPA’s requirement that classes be limited to 18 people per session has created a tremendous shortage of certified contractors and a tremendous demand for training. The association has completed four training and certification classes thus far, and two additional classes have been scheduled for May 25 and June 1.  All classes are being held at the LA House on the LSU campus.

“This new requirement could delay many remodeling projects in the area, as well as put many non-certified contractors and homeowners at risk of violating the law.  It is important that we make our industry professionals aware of this change in order to protect them and their clients,” Passman said.  “I would encourage all professionals in the area, members and non-members, to call our office and become better informed of this new regulation before April 22.  Homeowners can also contact us to get a list of certified safe lead paint professionals.”

 “We applaud the EPA’s attention to this matter, because we too are concerned about protecting people of all ages from the hazards of lead in these older homes. We know that our members are working hard to get certified by the deadline so they can keep families safe from lead, but we know that many others still need this training too.  That’s why we want to encourage all housing industry contractors to contact us and to become better informed of their options,” said Passman.

Those building contractors in the Baton Rouge area who wish to join CRBA and sign up for a certified safe lead paint class can do so by contacting the CRBA Office at 225-769-7696.

To learn more about the EPA ruling, go to www.epa.gov/lead. For more home remodeling tips, contact Capital Region Builders Association or visit www.remodelbr.com.

If I were to hear anyone say that there is nothing to do in Central this week, I would have to assume they had just returned from an extended vacation in Siberia. My first and strongest recommendation of how to spend your free time this weekend is to go to Cookin' in Central! It is a fun way to support our city and schools. You can find more information on Cookin' in the 4 page Cookin' in Central insert of this week's CentralSpeaks.com paper, or you can search under the Community section of this website for Cookin' details.  

Since I will assume everyone reading this will be going to Cookin' in Central, I'll give some suggestions for your weeknights and your resting time on Sunday afternoons.

Read a book! There is one library at the heart of Central on Joor Rd. between Gurney and Hooper, and one at the edge of Central on Greenwell Springs Rd., between Flannery and Sherwood Forest. To get a library card is free (replacement cards are $1), and your children can get a card, too, ultimately in your name. The librarians at our Central library are vey resourceful and can help you find the information you need to get a great new book to read. They have book clubs with the next few books already chosen, so you can see what everyone is reading, and you won't be behind. They also can get you connected with reading lists that are full of great book suggestions. The phone number for the Central Branch library is 262-2640, and they are open Monday – Thursday from 9:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M., Friday – Saturday from 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M., and Sundays from 2:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. The Greenwell Springs Branch offers the same services and is open Mon – Thurs from 9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. and the same times as the Central Branch on Friday – Sunday. Their phone number is 274-4440.  

Now that I've planted that seed of reading in your mind, here are my recommendations:

For teenagers, young adults, and the young at heart. If you enjoy love stories with a touch of drama and a twist of science fiction (yes, you read correctly), or if you like science-fiction stories with a hint of love and suspense, check out The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Yes, this is the author of those massively popular Twilight books, but this is her unsung masterpiece compared to the Twilight series. The characters and conflicts in this book are much deeper than those of her famous series, and the writing shows more skill, making it much more compelling to read. The first time I read this book, I finished it in one night. I opened The Host again to refresh myself on some areas to better write this column, and I ended up reading it again! It's easy to feel for these characters, and you come out on the other end of this book with a fresh perspective to consider.  

For children (or for the families that love to read a book together). Look into stories by E. Nesbit, an English author who has a talent for capturing the curiosity of children. One particularly captivating trilogy she wrote is Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, and The Story of the Amulet (and that is the correct order, so be sure not to get mixed up!). The books center around a group of children who fall into magical adventures and learn life lessons along the way. If your children are not at an age where they can read and truly gain meaning from these books on their own, I recommend starting a bedtime story tradition. You can read 1 or more chapters to your children every night, or maybe once a week if schedules are tight. Reading to your kids is a great way to spend quality time together, while helping your children experience literature that may have been too difficult to access on their own. Since you are there reading, you can help define words, clarify plot devices, and explain characters' motives. You may also find that reading aloud helps you see one of your favorite childhood stories in a new light.  

For you and your loved one. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate, by Gary Chapman, is a new look at how you feel and express love. You may want to read this book on your own, or you may read it together with your spouse, fiancee, or serious significant other (don't scare off a brand new boyfriend or girlfriend by bringing this out on the third date!). The book explores five major ways people express love to one another, and how to communicate love in new ways. Gary Chapman has a series of books continuing in this theme, even The Five Love Languages of Children, a good read for parents, grandparents, and those who work with children.  

If you think you are just too busy to do any reading at all, check out a book on CD. It can keep you entertained in the car, during your workout, or while you work around the house, while still immersing you in literature.  

All of these books, and some of these book recordings, can be found in the East Baton Rouge Parish Library. If they are not currently at the Central Branch, you can request the book you want to be sent to whatever branch you prefer.

By Jeanie Barnett

 It’s that time of year again.  The grass is green, the hummingbirds are back and the hearts of the people of Central are a little bit bigger.  Since the spring of 2006 the good folks of our community have worked together to raise over $1 million for school children.   
 

      It all started with that very sad and helpless feeling we all shared in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  A handful of Central individuals decided to organize an effort to make a difference in the lives of the students of the devastated Chalmette schools.  By reaching into their resources, their hearts and deeply into their pockets, twenty or so volunteers staged an event, Cookin’ for Our Neighbors that raised $191,000 towards purchasing three school buses.  The apt phrase “The Spirit of Central” is printed on the plaques that adorn these busses.

      From Cookin’ for Our Neighbors to Cookin’ for Our Kids, the annual spring event has outgrown St. Alphonsus, the old Winn Dixie parking lot and is likely to outgrow its current venue, The Village at Magnolia Square by 2011. 

      I attended a planning meeting for this year’s event.  While the camaraderie among the attendees was casual, the agenda was thorough and systematic.  Louis DeJohn guided the group through the five and a half color coded pages of highly organized information and action items.  Well over 80 volunteers mesh together with the efficiency of the cogs in a well oiled machine.  These dedicated people know what they’re doing, they love what they’re doing, and they do it well. 

      The non-profit organization, Cooking in Central was incorporated in February of 2007.  While it maintains a nine member steering committee, no assets including property or funds can be retained by any individual.  No one receives a salary, fee, stipend, favors, goods or services for their volunteer hours or cash or non cash donations.  They bring their skills and efforts and walk away with nothing other than the satisfaction of having made a difference.

      Considering revenues from previous years and the presales of tee shirts and tickets, DeJohn predicts that Central’s public schools and participating private and parochial schools will receive over $100,000 this year.  Each school has made a wish list including such things as computers, library books and playground equipment.  Of the remainder, $10,000 will be dedicated towards humanitarian efforts including Blue Star Moms and Gold Star Moms.  A maximum $5,000 will be retained in the accounts to seed next year’s event.  Any remaining balance will held in an account to provide or improve grounds for future events.

      There is a long term agreement being negotiated between the Cooking in Central Corporation and a local ministry to provide surface rights to a parcel of land sufficient to accommodate this yearly fund raiser.  This would be a mutually beneficial agreement that would give Cookin’ for Our Kids a permanent home. 

      Come enjoy Cookin’ for Our Kids 2010 on Friday and Saturday April 16^th and 17^th.  A schedule of events is included in this issue.  Know that while you are enjoying good food and a good time, you are also seeing Central citizens at their best.  Dedication, hard work and a sense of community make, “The Spirit of Central” more than just a line on a school bus plaque.

FRIDAY

5-10 PM: Crawfish Boil featuring live music by Carbon Copy

SATURDAY

11:15 AM: Tanglewood Elementary School

11:25 AM: Central Middle School Choir

11:35 AM: Central Intermediate School

11:45 AM: Bellingrath Elementary School

12:30 PM: Carrie’s 5-6-7-8 Dancers

12:40 PM: Legworks Dancers (Older Girls)

12:50 PM: Legworks Dancers (Younger Girls)

1:00 PM: Central High School Kittens

1:10 PM: Central High School Jazz Band

The Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) has recognized Central Fire Protection District #4  with the LWCC Safest 70 Award for the 2009 year. This award acknowledges outstanding excellence and commitment to workplace safety.
 In a congratulatory letter to Chief Porche, LWCC President & CEO Kristin Wall writes, “Through your achievements in loss prevention, you not only accomplish much for your own company, but also for your employees, other policyholders, your industry and LWCC.”

A big thank you goes to the Central Fire Department for their hard work and for helping to keep our community safe.

The Central Community Alliance (CCA) strives to promote open communication between the citizens of Central and the various organizations within our city. The CCA hosts forums featuring a different topic and speaker each month. This month’s forum will focus on gardening, and the guest speaker will be Travis Foreman, the manager at Clegg’s Nursery. The forum will begin at 7 PM next Tuesday in the DEMCO meeting room (16262 Wax Rd.). The public is invited to attend. Bring your gardening questions and a friend.

There will be plenty of fun for both kids and adults at Cookin’ in Central this weekend. Kids’ activities this Saturday will include face painting, a rock climbing wall for teens, a small inflatable for young children, a duck pond, ring toss, and several other games. There will also be a dunking booth, an inflatable obstacle course, and a Hummer featuring an X Box game console. Game cards will be for sale for $6 each or 2 cards for $10. Each card has 12 squares which can be redeemed for the various games and activities. Small games cost 1 square, and larger games and activities cost 2 or 3 squares. Make Saturday a family fun day and help raise money for a good cause.