District 8, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting your faith in me for another four years.  We’ve done a lot together the last eight years, but I’m not ready to quit yet.  There’s so much more I want to do to make our part of Baton Rouge even better.  I pledge to you to work just as hard the next four years as I have the last eight, to always have an open door policy, and to do everything I can to keep District 8 looking great.  Again, I thank you.

This past Tuesday I had the privilege of attending the Council on Aging’s candidate forum.  The Council on Aging is near and dear to me, as I was one of the original signers of their charter back in 1973.  I also had the honor of serving as their first Chairman of the Board.

It was great to see some old friends, and I really enjoyed hearing from folks about the issues they’re facing as seniors.  I always have and always will make taking care of our seniors a priority.  They’ve spent their life working to make our community better.  The least we can do is make sure their golden years are just that — golden.

Earlier this week, we broke ground on the new intersection at Coursey and Sherwood Forest.  This is the 8th Green Light project to enter the construction phase, and will result in several new turning lanes at this intersection — significantly improving the flow of traffic and making your commute easier.  Folks, these are promises made and promises kept.  You can view the fact sheet on the project by clicking here.

And right down the road at Coursey Blvd. and Lake Sherwood Ave. we’ll soon begin work on a new traffic signal and new turning lanes, making this a safer intersection.  Click the image below for a drawing of both completed projects.

As part of the Green Light Plan’s continuing traffic improvements, North Harrell’s Ferry Road between Old Hammond Highway and Sherwood Forest Boulevard is currently being widened from a narrow, two-lane open ditch road to a curb and gutter road with a continuous turning lane. This will make North Harrell’s Ferry Road a safer route for you and your family to travel.

While construction is ongoing, North Harrell’s Ferry has been reduced to only one, eastbound lane of travel. West-bound traffic will need to detour north onto Sherwood Forest and then west onto Old Hammond Highway. You can view the detour map by clicking here.

The affects of Hurricane Gustav on Baton Rouge were some of the worst our area has ever seen.  As your Councilman and neighbor, I am committed to doing everything I can to help our community get back on its feet.  Included below are links to several important websites as well as important phone numbers that might be of help as we begin the process of recovering.

Baton Rouge Emergency Information (includes information on shelters, feeding sites and Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) distribution locations)
FEMA
American Red Cross Gustav Information (866) GET-INFO [866-438-4636]
Baton Rouge Traffic

Click on the thumbnail below for a list of important phone numbers.