In honor of Father's Day on June 16, we found five devoted Baton Rouge dads to discuss with 225 some popular misconceptions about their roles, to hear their advice for other busy parents and to find out how they connect with their children.
In honor of Mother's Day on May 12, 225 spoke to five dynamic working moms of Baton Rouge. The feature, "Working Moms," focuses on the mothers' daily challenges, motherly advice, tips for connecting with their children, and holding it all together. The profiles look at a range of women from the Capital Region. There's fashion designer Ann Tillage, who has two children and knows all too well about the sleep deprivation and not being able to find personal time. However, she takes a break with a 15-minute walk, or by reading a chapter of her favorite book. Another featured mom is Alicia Marion, a server from California Pizza Kitchen who has five children. Read all the profiles in the current issue of 225here.
The last few years have seemed like one long season as my daughters leave the nest. Last spring I was escorting my first-born daughter, Alexandra, through the twists and turns of wedding preparation until her daddy walked her down the aisle and she became someone else's chick. Soon the newlyweds will fly north to Rochester, Minn., to start the next chapter of their careers and build their own (hopefully non-permanent) nest.
In honor of Mother's Day on May 12, 225 spoke to five dynamic working moms in Baton Rouge to hear their challenges, their motherly advice, and their tips for connecting with their children and holding it all together.
East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney Mary Roper says her office is planning to file an appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court on a ruling handed down Wednesday by 19th Judicial District Court Judge Janice Clark that found the city-parish's definition of "family" in its Unified Development Code to be unconstitutional and unenforceable. "We're already starting to prepare that to file," says Roper, adding her office will be asking for a stay on the ruling's effect until the matter is addressed by the state Supreme Court. The ruling is the result of a lawsuit the city-parish brought against landlord, attorney and one-time mayoral candidate Stephen Myers, in which the city-parish alleged Myers was not compliant with the UDC by renting a home to unrelated tenants in a neighborhood zoned A1 single family. Section 2.8 of the UDC defines "family," in part, as "two or more persons who are related by blood, marriage or legal adoption." In her ruling, Clark says: "there is no rational basis for the...
This weekend marks the beginning of a transformation on Government Street with the Better Block BR project. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the two blocks between Bedford and Beverly drives, residents will get to see a model of what Government Street could look like if we push local and state officials to update the roadway to a safer, more “complete street” model.
Calling all young scientists, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum has a big weekend in store for you. On Saturday, check out NanoDay, a nationwide festival that celebrates the science of small matter. The event includes hands-on activities with a live-stage performance, story time, and a planetarium show. One activity that piques our interest is discovering the nano-world of the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears a Who. LASM will also celebrate the special occasion during FestForAll with a booth highlighting the events. For more information, click here.
It's good to be a cow—especially if your caretakers are the folks at Kleinpeter Farms Dairy. Just like members of the family, each animal in the herd at the company's 1,500-acre farm in Montpelier is known by a personal name, not just a number on an ear tag.
Not long ago a friend of mine threw a birthday party at home for her 11-year-old daughter themed on the popular Food Network series, Cupcake Wars. It was a big success. Even for grumpy middle schoolers, cupcakes slice through boundaries and are universally popular, and an element of culinary competition makes them that much more fun.
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is implementing a new initiative in the state's foster care system called Faith in Families. DCFS Secretary Suzy Sonnier says the goal is to safely reduce the number of children in the state's foster care program and decrease the amount of time children spend in the system. The initiative also is geared toward helping every child find a permanent connection before he or she leaves the foster system. The (Shreveport) Times reports Faith in Families seeks to reduce the number of children in Louisiana's foster care program by 25% by 2015. Louisiana has 706 children ages 15 to 17 in foster care. Over the next three years, many of them will age out of the system. "By 2015, we want 85% of our children to exit foster care within 24 months of entering either through reintegration with family or adoption," Sonnier says. "We want to meet the national standard of 75.2% of children being reunited with their family within 12 months."...
Kristy McKearn never experienced morning sickness, never felt her baby boy kick inside her belly. But today, it's easy to see that 4-year-old Jack inherited Kristy's blond hair and her husband Todd's green eyes. He is his parents' child in every genetic way.
Family and friends today are remembering local business and civic leader Hillar Moore Jr., who died Wednesday evening at the age of 87. A native of New Orleans, Moore was a sergeant major in the U.S. Marine Corps and a World War II veteran, who made his mark on the local business community both as president of Associated Grocers in Baton Rouge and as a tireless advocate and volunteer for numerous causes. "My dad will be remembered as one of the finest men to live and will have left a legacy of giving to the Baton Rouge community," says District Attorney Hillar Moore III. "He will be sorely missed." Though Moore Jr. left a long legacy in the Capital Region, he established himself and built his career in his native New Orleans, where he broke into the grocery business with Louisiana Grocers Cooperative. He rose through the ranks with the company, eventually becoming president, before relocating to Baton Rouge in the 1970s to head Associated Grocers of Baton Rouge. Under his leadership...
“Can new babies see? Do you think that I could see her?” asks my oldest child, a 10-year-old boy. “Do you think I saw her face?” He searches his memory, trying to summon its earliest images. He wants a vision of his birthmother. To know what she looks like. It's important to him, and I don't even have a photograph.
In the chill hours after she came into this world one short December day, they called Riley Hooper their "Dream Baby." While the other infants born around her screamed, filling the hospital hallways with wet, newborn cries, Riley, beautiful daughter of Jeff and Kelly Hooper, took in the world with big, saucer eyes and snuggled in, calm as "Silent Night." Soon they called this baby girl "Smiley Riley." And the best probable future flowed out before the Hooper family like a clean, blue cloth. They had three beautiful, healthy children. They had a strong faith. They were blessed beyond measure. Riley hit all the usual milestones in her first few months. Rolling over. Finding her feet. Sitting up. Crawling. Getting her first tooth. She babbled and cooed. She seemed to say "duck" and "cup." She wore that smile like a halo. And then everything seemed too still. "When she was a year old, she was nowhere near walking," Kelly Hooper recalls. "I thought, 'She'll do it. Give her time.' "...
Harken back to 19th-century rural Louisiana at this weekend's Harvest Days. The 16th annual event, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, will bring pastoral Louisiana to life at the LSU Rural Life Museum for the pleasure and edification of one and all. Historical demonstrations, old-fashioned games and a primer on plantation-style living all add up to fun for the whole family. History buffs will find an extra treat this year, as a re-enactment of the Battle of Baton Rouge will commemorate its 150th anniversary. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop to peruse the stock of handmade and folk items. For more information, call 765-2437 or check out the website.
The first time Sue Turner visited famed African-American artist Frank Hayden on the Southern University campus more than three decades ago, he introduced her to his students as his sister.
There are no stone buildings bearing my name. No museums attribute their success, in part, to my generous contributions. No house awaits me in the South of France for holidays, and no bank vault brims with family jewels, important papers and gold.
Everyone knows the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. The inevitability of the former, of course, is indisputable. But for the remainder of 2012, some fortunate souls may have a chance, just this once, to avoid a multimillion-dollar hit from the latter.
When Mary Eymard called her neighbors Susanna McCarthy and Tricia Davidson and asked if they'd be interested in throwing a poolside progressive dinner for their three families and a few other friends, they weren't quite sure it would be worth what potentially seemed like a lot of trouble.
Millions of economically pressed Americans cushioned themselves against the recession by doubling up in houses and apartments, according to the latest Census Bureau report. The Washington Post reports the number of adults sharing households with family members or other individuals jumped 11.4% between 2007 and 2010, according to Census Bureau figures. Overall, such living arrangements accounted for 22 million households in 2010—or 18.7% of all U.S. households, compared with 17% in 2007. Young adults were the most likely to double up, the report says, accounting for more than half of those who moved in with family members or friends. Between 2007 and 2010, the number of adult children who lived in their parents' homes increased by 1.2 million to 15.8 million. Those between the ages of 25 and 34 made up two-thirds of that increase, underscoring a prime reason for a broader slowdown in household formation that economists call both a symptom and a cause of the nation's...
Lessons from dad
Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry
Casey Phillips
Age: 37
Child: Mason (pictured), age 9
Oscar Udoh
Age: 60
Children: Iboro-Umoh Oscar Udoh (pictured), age 26; Eme Oscar Udoh, age 32; Idorenyin Udoh-Bradford, age 37
Spouse: Bridget Udoh
John Jackson
Age: 38
Child: Hayes (pictured), 20 months
Spouse: Fairleigh Cook Jackson
Michael Pasquier
Age: 33
Children: From left, Peter, age 2, Mick, age 4, and Sara, age 6
Spouse: Kristen Carbo Pasquier
Scott Hemmerling
Age: 43
Child: Phoebe (pictured), age 11
Spouse: Nicole Hemmerling
Devoted Dads
In honor of Father's Day on June 16, we found five devoted Baton Rouge dads to discuss with 225 some popular misconceptions about their roles, to hear their advice for other busy parents and to find out how they connect with their children.
'225': Moms talk about how they balance work, family
In honor of Mother's Day on May 12, 225 spoke to five dynamic working moms of Baton Rouge. The feature, "Working Moms," focuses on the mothers' daily challenges, motherly advice, tips for connecting with their children, and holding it all together. The profiles look at a range of women from the Capital Region. There's fashion designer Ann Tillage, who has two children and knows all too well about the sleep deprivation and not being able to find personal time. However, she takes a break with a 15-minute walk, or by reading a chapter of her favorite book. Another featured mom is Alicia Marion, a server from California Pizza Kitchen who has five children. Read all the profiles in the current issue of 225 here.
Hovering over an empty nest
The last few years have seemed like one long season as my daughters leave the nest. Last spring I was escorting my first-born daughter, Alexandra, through the twists and turns of wedding preparation until her daddy walked her down the aisle and she became someone else's chick. Soon the newlyweds will fly north to Rochester, Minn., to start the next chapter of their careers and build their own (hopefully non-permanent) nest.
Working Moms
In honor of Mother's Day on May 12, 225 spoke to five dynamic working moms in Baton Rouge to hear their challenges, their motherly advice, and their tips for connecting with their children and holding it all together.
Baton Rouge's definition of 'family' in UDC ruled unconstitutional
East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney Mary Roper says her office is planning to file an appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court on a ruling handed down Wednesday by 19th Judicial District Court Judge Janice Clark that found the city-parish's definition of "family" in its Unified Development Code to be unconstitutional and unenforceable. "We're already starting to prepare that to file," says Roper, adding her office will be asking for a stay on the ruling's effect until the matter is addressed by the state Supreme Court. The ruling is the result of a lawsuit the city-parish brought against landlord, attorney and one-time mayoral candidate Stephen Myers, in which the city-parish alleged Myers was not compliant with the UDC by renting a home to unrelated tenants in a neighborhood zoned A1 single family. Section 2.8 of the UDC defines "family," in part, as "two or more persons who are related by blood, marriage or legal adoption." In her ruling, Clark says: "there is no rational basis for the...
A better block is upon us
This weekend marks the beginning of a transformation on Government Street with the Better Block BR project. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the two blocks between Bedford and Beverly drives, residents will get to see a model of what Government Street could look like if we push local and state officials to update the roadway to a safer, more “complete street” model.
NanoDay Saturday at LASM
Calling all young scientists, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum has a big weekend in store for you. On Saturday, check out NanoDay, a nationwide festival that celebrates the science of small matter. The event includes hands-on activities with a live-stage performance, story time, and a planetarium show. One activity that piques our interest is discovering the nano-world of the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears a Who. LASM will also celebrate the special occasion during FestForAll with a booth highlighting the events. For more information, click here.
The cream rises
It's good to be a cow—especially if your caretakers are the folks at Kleinpeter Farms Dairy. Just like members of the family, each animal in the herd at the company's 1,500-acre farm in Montpelier is known by a personal name, not just a number on an ear tag.
A working mother
I never intended to be a working mother—at least not one who had to change out of my pajamas every day.
Throw a 'Cupcake War' birthday party
Not long ago a friend of mine threw a birthday party at home for her 11-year-old daughter themed on the popular Food Network series, Cupcake Wars. It was a big success. Even for grumpy middle schoolers, cupcakes slice through boundaries and are universally popular, and an element of culinary competition makes them that much more fun.
La. foster care system to undergo new initiative
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is implementing a new initiative in the state's foster care system called Faith in Families. DCFS Secretary Suzy Sonnier says the goal is to safely reduce the number of children in the state's foster care program and decrease the amount of time children spend in the system. The initiative also is geared toward helping every child find a permanent connection before he or she leaves the foster system. The (Shreveport) Times reports Faith in Families seeks to reduce the number of children in Louisiana's foster care program by 25% by 2015. Louisiana has 706 children ages 15 to 17 in foster care. Over the next three years, many of them will age out of the system. "By 2015, we want 85% of our children to exit foster care within 24 months of entering either through reintegration with family or adoption," Sonnier says. "We want to meet the national standard of 75.2% of children being reunited with their family within 12 months."...
Once there was a tree
‘Once there was a tree,” Shel Silverstein writes in The Giving Tree, “and she loved a little boy.”
A new birth plan
Kristy McKearn never experienced morning sickness, never felt her baby boy kick inside her belly. But today, it's easy to see that 4-year-old Jack inherited Kristy's blond hair and her husband Todd's green eyes. He is his parents' child in every genetic way.
Webb Park playground renovation
Residents of several neighborhoods are making it happen.
Capital Region mourns the death of businessman, volunteer Hillar Moore Jr.
Family and friends today are remembering local business and civic leader Hillar Moore Jr., who died Wednesday evening at the age of 87. A native of New Orleans, Moore was a sergeant major in the U.S. Marine Corps and a World War II veteran, who made his mark on the local business community both as president of Associated Grocers in Baton Rouge and as a tireless advocate and volunteer for numerous causes. "My dad will be remembered as one of the finest men to live and will have left a legacy of giving to the Baton Rouge community," says District Attorney Hillar Moore III. "He will be sorely missed." Though Moore Jr. left a long legacy in the Capital Region, he established himself and built his career in his native New Orleans, where he broke into the grocery business with Louisiana Grocers Cooperative. He rose through the ranks with the company, eventually becoming president, before relocating to Baton Rouge in the 1970s to head Associated Grocers of Baton Rouge. Under his leadership...
A word of thanks
“Can new babies see? Do you think that I could see her?” asks my oldest child, a 10-year-old boy. “Do you think I saw her face?” He searches his memory, trying to summon its earliest images. He wants a vision of his birthmother. To know what she looks like. It's important to him, and I don't even have a photograph.
'225': A local family rallies around daughter with Rett syndrome
In the chill hours after she came into this world one short December day, they called Riley Hooper their "Dream Baby." While the other infants born around her screamed, filling the hospital hallways with wet, newborn cries, Riley, beautiful daughter of Jeff and Kelly Hooper, took in the world with big, saucer eyes and snuggled in, calm as "Silent Night." Soon they called this baby girl "Smiley Riley." And the best probable future flowed out before the Hooper family like a clean, blue cloth. They had three beautiful, healthy children. They had a strong faith. They were blessed beyond measure. Riley hit all the usual milestones in her first few months. Rolling over. Finding her feet. Sitting up. Crawling. Getting her first tooth. She babbled and cooed. She seemed to say "duck" and "cup." She wore that smile like a halo. And then everything seemed too still. "When she was a year old, she was nowhere near walking," Kelly Hooper recalls. "I thought, 'She'll do it. Give her time.' "...
Rustic fun at Rural Life
Harken back to 19th-century rural Louisiana at this weekend's Harvest Days. The 16th annual event, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, will bring pastoral Louisiana to life at the LSU Rural Life Museum for the pleasure and edification of one and all. Historical demonstrations, old-fashioned games and a primer on plantation-style living all add up to fun for the whole family. History buffs will find an extra treat this year, as a re-enactment of the Battle of Baton Rouge will commemorate its 150th anniversary. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop to peruse the stock of handmade and folk items. For more information, call 765-2437 or check out the website.
The art of giving
The first time Sue Turner visited famed African-American artist Frank Hayden on the Southern University campus more than three decades ago, he introduced her to his students as his sister.
The inheritance
There are no stone buildings bearing my name. No museums attribute their success, in part, to my generous contributions. No house awaits me in the South of France for holidays, and no bank vault brims with family jewels, important papers and gold.
Millionaire alert
Everyone knows the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. The inevitability of the former, of course, is indisputable. But for the remainder of 2012, some fortunate souls may have a chance, just this once, to avoid a multimillion-dollar hit from the latter.
Father's rights
As a young attorney, Norma Beedle knew she wanted to have an impact in family law. That aim has shaped her path for more than 20 years.
A movable feast
When Mary Eymard called her neighbors Susanna McCarthy and Tricia Davidson and asked if they'd be interested in throwing a poolside progressive dinner for their three families and a few other friends, they weren't quite sure it would be worth what potentially seemed like a lot of trouble.
Millions more Americans shared households during recession
Millions of economically pressed Americans cushioned themselves against the recession by doubling up in houses and apartments, according to the latest Census Bureau report. The Washington Post reports the number of adults sharing households with family members or other individuals jumped 11.4% between 2007 and 2010, according to Census Bureau figures. Overall, such living arrangements accounted for 22 million households in 2010—or 18.7% of all U.S. households, compared with 17% in 2007. Young adults were the most likely to double up, the report says, accounting for more than half of those who moved in with family members or friends. Between 2007 and 2010, the number of adult children who lived in their parents' homes increased by 1.2 million to 15.8 million. Those between the ages of 25 and 34 made up two-thirds of that increase, underscoring a prime reason for a broader slowdown in household formation that economists call both a symptom and a cause of the nation's...