Author: Emily Gautreaux

Louisiana in Position to Provide Free Community College

Starting on July 1, 2022, Louisiana adults enrolling in high-demand career programs at community colleges may have their tuition paid for, according to this article from the Daily Advertiser.  Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards’ budget proposal for the 2023 fiscal year that begins July 1st was presented to the Joint Legislative Branch Committee in late January. While Louisiana lawmakers have been discussing and debating how exactly they should spend over $2 billion in surpluses and increased future revenue, one of Edwards’ proposed budget increases is poised to survive the debating: The M.J. Foster Promise Program.

Named after the late former Gov. Mike Foster, who is colloquially known as the father of Louisiana’s community college system, the M.J. Foster Promise Program aims to serve as a unique, valuable resource to Louisiana citizens 21 and older who are enrolled in community college programs that support one of five growing industry sectors in the state. Applicants could receive their community college paid for via a grant if their enrolled program supports a career in construction, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics.

Monty Sullivan, President of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, described the M.J. Foster Promise Program as “TOPS for grown folks,” but unlike the immensely popular university tuition scholarship programthat’s funded by the state with more than $300,000 annually, there are no academic requirements for applicants wanting to secure their community college grants.

Sullivan went on to explain that the maximum $6,400 award will cover all of the eligible training and degree programsfor those high-demand career sectors “without having to come out of their pocket.” He went on to refer to the program as a transformational opportunity poised to benefit 1.1 million Louisiana adults who don’t have training beyond high school.

Under the grant, the types of eligible training that can be covered for approved applicants can range from a two-year associate nursing degree to a 10-week commercial driving course. Sullivan, who plans to begin marketing the program and how to access it this spring, said: “This will not only transform the lives of these adults and their families but the communities in which they live. Imagine having more nurses during a pandemic and having a workforce to attract new business and industry.”

The idea for the M.J. Foster Promise Program, now Act 457, started as Republican Senate President Page Cortez’s Senate Bill 148, and while the bill was passed last year, it still must be funded in order to officially start on July 1. Republican Senate President Page Cortez said of the program, “the Legislature has been very supportive of this new program for those who have been caught in an education and career gap, and I’m confident my colleagues will continue to support it when it comes to funding the program,” Cortez told the USA Today Network, “The MJ Foster Promise Program is the first of its kind in our state’s history and will provide opportunity and access to jobs for thousands of Louisianans. Employers across the state are seeking skilled workers who often lack the resources they need for training.”

In addition to the proposal for $10.5 million in free community college tuition, Governor Edwards’ budget proposal also announced: a $1,500 pay increase for K-12 teachers and $750 raises for school support staff at a cost of $148.4 million; a $31.7 million pay raise for higher education faculty, $97.2 million in other higher education funding increases such as Go Grants and Title IX, and $43 million to expand early childhood education in the state.

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Best Game-Day Chicken Wing Recipes

As more and more sports fans find themselves in the throws of Super Bowl season, the conversation continually turns to what recipes should be “on the table” for the big game. So, since a platter of chicken wings seems to always be welcome around the television, this list of “Chicken Wing Recipes for Game Day (or Any Day)” from the editors of Epicurious, is just what you need to prepare the ultimate game-day snack.

It should be noted that the following is just an excerpt of the full list of 31 recipes for wings of all types, but the recipes highlighted below promise to underline the essential flavors of well-prepared chicken wings, ranging from smoky and sweet to spicy and tangy.

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

If you love the taste of crispy wings but hate the production, dirty dishes, and splashing oils that come along with frying them, then this recipe for baked wings is perfect for you. These delicious wings that can be dressed with buffalo sauce or a ginger-soy glaze stand to prove that wings can yield a crispy skin by being baked in the oven. This recipe proves that you can forget the mess and constant maintenance that comes with frying by baking your wings in a 400°F oven atop wire racks placed on baking sheets for 45-50 minutes.

Sesame Chicken Drumettes

While these baked, glossy drumettes are the perfect dish for game day, this recipe is too good to keep locked away until playoff season each year. These drumettes, which get their immense flavor profile from marinating overnight in the refrigerator, make for a great year-round appetizer or dinner entree if they’re served alongside steamed rice and broccoli. This is also because of the flavor-rich glaze that’s made with minced, peeled fresh ginger, soy sauce, cooking sherry, honey, and toasted sesame oil. Try out this delicious one-pot recipe and enjoy the other-worldly flavors.

3-Ingredient Garlic-Herb Grilled Chicken Wing Recipe

Sometimes you have days and weeks to prepare the pre-game appetizer, but for those times in which you’re behind and in need of a marinade that is easy to whip up in a hurry, then these herb-filled grilled chicken wings are the perfect solution to any time-sensitive problem. Though suspiciously simple when it comes to ingredients, this herb-rich recipe is anything but simplistic when it comes to a delicious texture and flavor of garlic that just can’t be beaten. Grilled over medium heat, these wings that can be marinated overnight for maximum flavor are benefited by garlic partnering with the herbal trinity of oregano, rosemary, and thyme to provide a blackened exterior that’s sure to make your mouth water.

3-Ingredient Gochujang Grilled Chicken Wings with Scallion

While this specific chicken wing recipe isn’t quite as crispy as traditional Korean fried chicken, it’s benefited by the inclusion of the uniquely sweet and savory flavor of gochujang, the red chili paste condiment that is consistently popular in Korean cooking. This dish makes great use of a simple recipe that has you toss your wings in the sweet and softly spicy flavor of gochujang along with sliced scallion for a flavorful final product that’s as pleasant to look at as it is to taste.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken “Wings”

Sometimes the best dishes are in disguise, and that’s certainly the case for these delicious boneless buffalo chicken “wings” that are really dressed up chicken breast strips. These strips are fried and sauced pieces of chicken breast with all of the spicy flavor associated with traditional buffalo wings, but they’re without the hassle that comes along with bones. Pair these delicious strips with some tangy blue cheese dip, celery sticks, and baby carrots, and you might find yourself opting for this meal again instead of bone-in wings.

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Gonzalez Internet Provider Surprises Nonprofits with Ida Recovery Donations

Two nonprofit organizations were surprised with $2,500 grants by the generosity of a Gonzales internet provider, according to this news article from Houma Today.  REV Broadband and Vision Communications recently wanted to give back to local organizations that have been giving “so much over the last several months” during Hurricane Ida recovery, according to Chief Financial Officer Peter Louviere. This wanting to give back has resulted in the awarding of a $2,500 donation to the Bless Your Heart volunteer organization in Larose, Louisiana. Volunteers with Bless Your Heart have been working continuously to help residents rebuild from damages that were sustained from Hurricane Ida, which was particularly devastating to the area.

In addition to Bless Your Heart receiving a donation, REV Broadband, which is the parent company of several telecommunications businesses such as RTC, EATEL & EATEL Business, Vision Communications & VENYU, also gave a $2,500 donation to the St. John United Way, which is also located in Larose.

According to REV Broadband and Vision Communications, both companies were quite surprised by the unexpected donations. A news release from REV reported that “representatives from both organizations were invited to individual meetings to discuss the potential of filming a production about their work in the community — specifically in the form of aiding citizens affected by Hurricane Ida. In the place of a meeting, the nonprofit representatives were surprised with a donation made on behalf of REV’s executive leadership.”

Both the St. John United Way and Bless Your Heart have continued to play big roles in helping the community with Ida recovery. The Category 4 storm made landfall on August 29.   CFO Peter Louviere told HoumaToday, “we continue to hear so much about the great work these two organizations continue to do – bringing positive, lasting impact to the communities we serve and live within. It’s not only an honor to be able to present these donations to such deserving organizations but to do so on behalf of our 400 employees really makes this rewarding.”

REV Broadband reported that more than 60,000 of its customers were impacted in some way by Hurricane Ida, so for them to make an effort to donate funds right back to the on-the-ground organizations that were and still are assisting their customer base is an effort to show support to a community that was impacted by the detrimental storm. So far, Bless Your Heart reported that they’ve raised over $500,000, have helped over 1,000 people, and have donated more than 100,000 pounds of supplies since 2020, when the nonprofit organization was founded.

One of the people who helped to launch Bless Your Heart is Jeray Jarreau, an attorney in LaRose. He gave a statement relaying that he was particularly grateful for the donation. He said, “Bless Your Heart is overwhelmed and humbled that RTC-EATEL-Vision would choose to donate to our organization. RTC-EATEL-Vision’s support of our organization exemplifies its continued dedication to help[ing] Lafourche Parish recover after the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida.”

This news from REV Broadband comes at a similar time that The Bayou Community Foundation has announced that their Bayou Recovery Fund for Hurricane Ida Relief has awarded over $3.7 million to nonprofits located in Terrebonne, Lafourche, and Grand Isle. While the full list of grants can be found at this link, HoumaToday reported that the grant money was essentially broken down as follows:

  • $1.4 million for emergency services immediately following the Aug. 29 storm.
  • $1.4 million for housing programs
  • $700,000 for direct financial assistance to individuals, families, emergency responders, andcommunity recovery projects
  • $230,000 for local nonprofit organizations to repair their buildings or replace lost equipment so that they could resume operations and deliver critical programs to residents.

For more Louisiana-related articles, click here.

Travel Tip: Do What the Locals Do

Vacationers and worldly travelers have many different ways of experiencing a new, unfamiliar city. Sometimes they go to restaurants and shops based only on the recommendations given to them by their close friends and family, but they still miss out on some experiences unique to that city. Other times, travelers will book a stay at a hotel and only venture within a certain mile radius of the lobby and make a judgment of the city that doesn’t take a lot of its offerings into account. But if you really want a fool-proof guide filled with travel tips to see this unfamiliar town through the eyes of a local resident, then you’re all set thanks to this list of handy tips and tricks to experience a new city as though you are a local from Trip Adviser, the true authority on the subject.

Whenever you find yourself out in a new city after weeks or months spent anticipating this escape from your own town, you’ll often want to avoid the touristy neighborhoods, and see just how the locals live their lives. The following suggestions from Trip Adviser travelers that were compiled by Wendy Perrin demonstrate how you can get an authentic reading of how it feels to live in your new city on a day-to-day basis.

As a reminder, no matter where you’re traveling to in these uncertain times, it’s always a responsible move and a good idea to check local travel advisories, city ordinances, and state mandates that may have been implemented due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Travel safely and rest assured that you’ve done your due diligence by referring to CDC travel guidelines.

One of the best ways to measure just how different your travel destination is compared to your home city is to pursue an unfamiliar supermarket’s shelves. Not only will locals be around, but you’ll also be able to stock up on groceries for your stay. Plus, grocery stores sell some of the more affordable, edible souvenirs to bring home to loved ones expecting a gift. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to strike up a conversation with your cashier or fellow shopper who might recommend a must-try restaurant that’s right around the corner.

One traveler from GreenSpot.travel gave a unique suggestion that’s guaranteed to be the perfect fit for some people: to get a haircut mid-vacation. Not only will you have some lengthy face-time with your barber who will likely strike up a conversation on where you have to visit, but the barbershop’s group of customers likely consists of people who have lived in the city for years and want to have a say in where you go to next.

Most cities and towns of a certain size will organize a community event such as a farmer’s market that sets up shop every weekend. Oftentimes these Saturday morning markets are located either within or nearby a lively neighborhood that gives you an idea of just how involved the local community is in their produce-growing and craft-selling. Not only will the farmer’s market be a melting pot of citizens, foods, arts, and more, but you’ll be able to assess for yourself just how passionate these locals are about their region in a new and exciting way that also gives you a chance to bring home some unique finds.

If you’re finding yourself in a major metropolitan area, there’s a fine chance that it has an efficient public transportation system. Whether it’s by bus, subway, or train, you’ll likely be able to purchase something like an Oyster Card, which will allow you to travel by bus or train for ‘free’ once you reach a minimum daily amount, or some cities offer an unlimited day or weekend pass. Either way, you’re bound to see the same sites that your average tourist bus would take you to, or at least you’ll be closer to a new area of town that you’d otherwise not see. Just be sure to read up on your city’s public transit system so as to find the best and most efficient way of navigating it.

For more travel-related news and information, click here.

Sponsorship Applications Open for Summer Food Service Program

The Louisiana Department of Education has recently announced that they have begun accepting applications from eligible agencies and organizations wanting to contribute to the 2022 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), as per their news release.

The announcement comes from the Louisiana Department of Education’s Division of Nutrition Support wherein they are seeking sponsors and program sites for their providing healthy meals to school children in the summer months. As a whole, the SFSP provides food for students from disadvantaged backgrounds at a time of year when school is not in session.

Applications are being accepted for those who wish to participate in the 2022 Summer Food Service Program until April 15, 2022. Once accepted and approved, sponsors would receive financial assistance to help with the cost of obtaining, preparing, and serving food under the program. While the financial assistance would include administrative costs, Sponsors would be responsible for providing a capable staff and be able to exhibit managerial skills and food service capabilities. Any approved sponsors would be allowed to purchase meals through an agreement with an area school or through a contract for meals with a food vendor.

The LDOE provided examples of local organizations that have often returned to serve as SFSP sponsors. The examples included public or private non-profit schools; local, municipal, parish, tribal, or state governments; private and non-profit organizations; public or private non-profit camps; and private or non-profit universities or colleges.

In addition to needing sponsors, the Louisiana Department of Education has also announced that they are in need of agencies or organizations willing to serve as physical locations for food to be served. These program site locations would need to work with an approved program sponsor that would be financially and administratively responsible for meeting all of the program’s requirements for the applicable meal service types located at the site.

All prospective new or returning sponsors for the 2022 SFSP would need to complete the ‘22 SFSP Training Sessionsthat are provided by the Louisiana Department of Education. Training sessions for the 2022 season will not be held in person as in the past, but they will instead be conducted and hosted through an online platform with the associated slide decks containing training information archived online. Registration for the sessions can be found at the LA Fit Kids Website, and the slide deck archive will also be stored on that site following the conclusion of the training sessions.

The SFSP is a federally-funded program that’s administered on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the services provided by the state’s education department. The Summer Food Service Program is traditionally held in economically disadvantaged areas, neighborhoods, or communities in which half of the school children are eligible to receive meals during the school year that are either free or reduced-price. Eligibility for participation in the SFSP can also be determined by census information via the use of site-level Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) information or by the use of individual eligibility of children.

Additionally, the SFSP will provide meals to any children aged 18 or younger as well as anyone over the age of 18 who is determined by a state or local agency to be mentally or physically disabled. These individuals would also have to participate in a public or private non-profit school program established for the mentally or physically disabled during the school year.

Prospective applicants or program sites seeking more information or answers to specific questions have been encouraged by the LDOE to contact the Department’s Division of Nutrition Support Staff.

For more education-related information, click here.

Chicken with Cashews (Poul Ak Nwa) Recipe

Sometimes you need to cook a restaurant-grade meal at home that is equal parts spicy, savory, and nutty. And thanks to this fantastic recipe from Bon Appetit for Poul Ak Nwa (chicken with cashews), you’ll be prepared to whip up an aromatic, Haitian meal in no time. The key to this tasty recipe is the Haitian spice blend known as epis, which also makes a fantastic marinade for pork or fish by the way.

Epis Ingredients

Epis Directions

Begin preparing this Haitian seasoning base by blending or processing your red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, scallions, parsley, garlic, vinegar, oil, lime juice, and thyme in a blender or food processor until smooth. This should generate about three cups. The epis could be made about 2 weeks ahead of time. Transfer the blender contents to an airtight container and either chill or pour into ice cube trays and free for up to three months.

Chicken Ingredients

 Chicken Directions

  1. Bring the cashews and three cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. You’ll want to simmer until the cashews crumble but don’t disintegrate when pressed between your fingers (approximately 45-60 minutes). Drain the cashews and set them aside.
  2. Mix your chicken, garlic, cloves, lime juice, parsley, thyme, a copious amount of black pepper, 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ cup of the epis in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot until your chicken is coated.
  3. Nestle the chile in the center of the pot, cover, and set it over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the chicken is nearly cooked through and a lot of the juices have cooked out; this will take about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken mixture to a medium bowl, scraping any remaining seasonings out of the pot with aheatproof rubber spatula.
  4. Pour some vegetable oil into the same pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Then, use tongs to return the chicken to the pot, leaving the juices and chile behind in the bowl. Cook the chicken until it’s browned all over while occasionally turning it over (about 5-10 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium-low, add tomato paste, and cook while stirring often and adding 1 tablespoon of chicken juice if it’s starting to burn. Cook for about 2 minutes- just until the paste is slightly darkened in color. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to soften (about 4 minutes).
  5. Add your reserved chicken juices, cashews, and reserved chile to the pot while making sure that you are keeping the chile intact. You’ll do this because an open chile will add a lot of heat. Pour ½ cup of water into a bowl and swish around to pick up any seasonings that were left behind, and then pour it all into the pot. Bring this chicken mixture to a simmer, cover it, and cook until the chicken meat is falling off of the bone, about 20 minutes. Stir in onion and bell pepper, re-cover the pot, and cook until vegetables are softened but still retain some bite (about 5-10 minutes). Remove the chile from the pot and discard. Taste your dish of poul ak nwa and season with more salt or pepper, if needed.
  6. To serve, divide your cooked jasmine rice among shallow bowls and ladle the poul ak nwa over. Iif needed, this dish can be made 1 day ahead if you cover, chill, and reheat it over medium-low heat before serving.

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