English owe LA millions for oil s
year. An estimated 4.1 million
recreational saltwater fishing
trips are initiated from marinas
in the impacted area annually.
Preliminary indications based
on license sales and data from
the Louisiana Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
indicate that approximately
6,127 commercial fisherman,
4,238 vessel owners, 645 whole-
sale/retail dealers, 420 char-
ter captains, 107 marinas and
1,200 oyster lease holders man-
aging 358,740 acres of leased
water bottoms and 1,047,074
acres of state managed public
seed grounds will directly
impacted.
When combined with other
economic outputs, these indus-
tries generate a total economic
effect of nearly $4 billion annu-
ally. With oil contaminating the
Gulfs coastal marshes and es-
tuaries, LDWF, in coordination
with the Louisiana Department
of Health & Hospitals (DHH),
has been forced to close recre-
ational and commercial fishing
in most of the area east of the
Mississippi River since Friday,
April 30, 2010. As a result, the
fishing industry in the parishes
of Plaquemines, St. Bernard,
Terrebonne, Lafourche and
St. Tammany have begun to
feel severe impacts. This area
produces roughly 20 percent
of Louisiana's annual seafood
harvest, which is valued in the
millions of dollars. With the
continued migration of large
volumes of oil across the Loui-
siana coast, other parishes are
feeling the effects as well. Com-
mercial fishermen, vessel own-
ers, wholesale/retail seafood
dealers and related commer-
cial establishments across the
coastal parishes are already
suffering decreased re? venues
due to area closures necessitat-
ed by the spill.
Economic forecasts currently
predict that possible job losses
related to this incident will be
in the thousands; more than
12,000 jobs might be lost. Given
the uncertainties and the po-
tentially devastating impact on
an already weakened job mar-
ket, it is vital that the state pre-
pare for reasonably anticipated
scenarios.
In order to provide a swift
and ameliorative response for
the individuals and businesses
greatly impacted by this disas-
ter, as well as to address the
long-term impacts, the State of
Louisiana is formally requesting
that BP establish a fund to ad-
dress a variety of specific needs
regarding business and com-
munity impact mitigation. The
State requests that in this first
phase, BP make available an
initial $300 million in the fund.
This fund will provide critical
resources to mitigate the im-
mediate, short- and long-term
impacts on affected businesses
and individuals by including
ROM PAGE .4,-6
financial assistance and techni-
cal support to businesses and
workers in our affected parishes
and public health and behavior-
al health resouTces for our resi-
dents, as well as a mechanism
to analyze the short- and long-
term impacts of the event.
Below is an overview of the
first phase of critical programs.
Phase I
Phase I focuses on the urgent
need for immediate assistance
to the impacted businesses and
communities, recognizing sig-
nificant uncertainty about the
future impacts of the spill.
1. Provide Businesses and
Workforce Financial and Tech-
nical Assistance
BP individual and business
claims process (ongoing). BP
should proactively administer
its claims process for individu-
al loss of income and business
interruption losses and dam-
ages (and make improvements
where necessary, including
making process details and
claims activity more transpar-
ent to State agencies) to ensure
that all legitimate claims are
paid quickly and consistently
over time.
Given the magnitude of po-
tential impacts, it is likely that
many individuals and busi-
nesses will experience losses for
multiple years, particularly in
the fisheries and tourism sec-
tors.
"No u¢lno, I Corn e To:You"
Photographer- Derick Hingle
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CALL (985) 507-8380 for nfo/scheduling
Robert Girl
Scout earns
Highest award
in Girl Scouting,
Girl Scout Gold
Award
BATON ROUGE - Girl Scout
Senior Jennifer Roques of Rob-
ert has earned the Girl Scout
Gold Award, the highest award
in Girl Scouting. The Gold
Award symbolizes outstanding
accomplishments in areas of
leadership, community service,
career planning and personal
development. Roques is a mem-
ber of Girl Scout Ambassador
Troop 31131 in Robert.
To earn the Girl Scout Gold
Award, a girl must demon-
strate her leadership ability by
designing and implementing a
plan of activities that includes
completing five requirements,
all of which promote com-
munity service, personal and
spiritual growth, positive val-
ues, and leadership skills. She
is also responsible for creating
and implementing a sustain-
able and ongoing community
service project. Only 5.4% of
Girl Scouts in grades 10-12 ever
earn the award, which has been
described as being "what you
really want to be remembered
for" in Girl Scouting.
In developing her commu-
nity service project, Roques
partnered with the Tangi Food
Pantry to supply fresh produce
like tomatoes, beans, and shal-
lots from a garden that she
THE PONCHATOULA TIMES, JUNE 3, 2010 PAGE 3-B
planted and maintained behind
the food pantry's building last
fall, and held a fresh produce
food drive at her high school.
She solicited support from
the Master Gardeners of Tan-
gipahoa whose member, Da-
vid Bowman, donated 11 fruit
trees producing figs, lemons,
navel oranges, kumquats and
plums that were planted at Girl
Scout Camp Covington. Local
media publicity for her project
garnered a donation of another
12 trees including satsuma and
pear trees that were planted at
Camp Covington on Arbor Day.
While the members of her Girl
Scout troop pledged to continue
the care and harvesting of fruit
from these trees for the Tangi
Food Pantry, Roques continues
her commitment to the pantry
and has begun a spring garden
which she will maintain until
she starts college this fall.
"I've learned so much through
Girl Scouting, like what can be
accomplished when friends work
together and the importance of
volunteerism," said Roques.
"Just as I worked to make the
lives of others better through
my garden, I hope to inspire
others to work toward making
the world a better place."
During her seven years in Girl
Scouting, Roques also earned
the Girl Scout Bronze Award,
the third highest award a reg-
istered Girl Scout can achieve.
She was actively involved in the
Beta Club, Key Club, Hammond
High School Robotics, and the
National Honor Society. Roques
is a graduating senior at Ham-
mond High School who plans to
attend college this fall with a
major in biology.
Girl Scouts Louisiana East
serves girls 5-to-17 in 23 parish-
es throughout southeast Louisi-
ana, including Tangipahoei Par-
ish. For more information about
Girl Scouting or adult volunteer
opportunities in southeast Lou-
isiana, call the council office in
New Orleans at (504) 733-8220
or (800) 644-7571, or visit its
website at www.gsle.org.
Loud music
leads to dru
PPD Report
Police Chief Bry Layrisson
reports the recent arrest for pos-
session with intent to distribute
marijuana which resulted from
a traffic stop. Officers patrol-
ling North First Street detected
a vehicle playing loud music.
Sergeant Melvin McGary con-
ducted a traffic stop and identi-
fied the driver as Leo Dickens
Jr. A computer check revealed
that he was driving under sus-
pension.
The passenger in the front
seat of the vehicle, Kenshawnry
Berry, was asked to step out
and identify himself, Layris-
son stated. During a search of
Berry, officers found 13 small
plastic bags containing a green
leafy material and one large bag
containing a green leafy mate-
rial, believed to be marijuana,
in Berry's left shoe. Both Berry
and Dickens were transported
to the police department.
Dickens was charged with
driving under suspension and
disturbing the peace. Dickens
has been previously arrested
18 times on numerous violent
felonies.
He has served time in prison
for armed robbery, possession
of cocaine and aggravated bat-
tery with dangerous weapons,
according to Layrisson.
Dickens is currently on pro-
bation for attempted armed
robbery and aggravated battery
until June 20, 2012. Berry was
charged with possession with
intent to distribute schedule
I narcotics and transported to
the parish jail.
Berry has been previously ar-
rested for felony theft and two
counts possession with intent to
distribute marijuana.
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