Two AmeriCorps teams pulled from New Orleans following member’s death

Following the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old AmeriCorps member in west Carrollton on Monday, two teams of his co-workers have been withdrawn to their home base in Vicksburg, Miss., for counseling and support, agency officials confirmed Wednesday. Officers responding to reports of gunfire found Joseph Massenburg lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds near the interesection of Eagle and Birch shortly before 11 p.m. Monday, and he died later that night at the hospital, authorities said. Massenburg, originally from Illinois, had been in New Orleans for about three weeks as a member of a National Civilian Community Corps team, an AmeriCorps program. His team was working with Green Light New Orleans, an organization that promotes the use of energy-efficient light bulbs in the city. “The team returned to campus for counseling and support services,” said Samantha Warfield, acting press secretary for the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that manages AmeriCorps.

Egyptologist discusses Senneferi’s tomb at Tulane lecture

Egyptologist Dr. Nigel Strudwick will discuss his work at “Pharaoh’s Chancellor: The Tomb of Senneferi at Thebes” at Tulane Friday (April 5). For more details, see the announcement below:

Pharaoh’s Chancellor:
The Tomb of Senneferi at Thebes

Friday, April 5 at 6:00 PM
102 Dinwiddie Hall, Tulane University

Ever wonder who helped the Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs run Egypt? Administrators like Senneferi did, and they were richly rewarded for it by the king. Most notable among these rewards are the beautiful tombs meant to help them reach the afterlife. Originally from the Nile Delta in the north, Senneferi was brought to Thebes in the south by Pharaoh Thutmose III to be in charge of the local administration and finances.

National political journalist Cokie Roberts to speak at Loyola

New Orleans native Cokie Roberts, known nationally for her political journalism at NPR and ABC, will provide a historical overview of local politics — including the experiences of her parents, U.S. Reps. Hale and Lindy Boggs — in a public address at Loyola University next week. For more information see the following news release from Loyola:

Her voice is synonymous with NPR’s Morning Edition, and she is a nationally recognized political reporter. Cokie Roberts, New Orleans native and daughter of prominent U.S. Representatives Hale and Lindy Boggs, will headline a free event at Loyola University New Orleans Thursday, April 4 at 7 p.m. Roberts will provide an historical account of New Orleans politics, touching on her family’s experiences and her own as a political correspondent, as well as offering perspective on the recent election of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit to become pope. Open to the public, the event is part of Loyola’s Presidential Centennial Guest Series and will take place in the Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall located in the Communications/Music Complex on Loyola’s main campus.

Registration open for Alliance Francaise French classes

The Alliance Française of New Orleans spring session of French-language classes begins April 8. For more information see the following press release:

Spring Session of French Classes

Starts April 8

Session includes 11-week comprehensive French classes as well as 5-week specialized classes such as conversation, literature, phonetics, news & discussion, and more. This session we are introducing Accelerated Classes — a fast track to complete a full level in just 5.5 weeks. Full Schedule of Classes and Registration available at www.af-neworleans.org

Contact:

Alliance Française of New Orleans

504-568-0770

afno@af-neworleans.org

Audubon Riverside’s neighborhood easter egg hunt Saturday

The Audubon Riverside Neighborhood Association will hold its annual Easter egg hunt Saturday afternoon at Alma Peters Playground in the 5900 block of Annunciation Street (by Eleonore). The hunt begins at 3 p.m., and, “to give the Easter Bunny plenty of time to hide all those eggs, PLEASE, NO EARLY BIRDS,” the association writes in the invitation.

Senior Center hosts “Jazzin’ on Jackson Gala” fundraiser

Mercy Endeavors Senior Center will hold its inaugural “Jazzin’ on Jackson Gala” tonight (Thursday, March 21) at St. Alphonsus Art and Cultural Center in the Irish Channel. For more information see the following press release:

MERCY ENDEAVORS SENIOR CENTER HOSTS ITS 1ST ANNUAL JAZZIN’ ON JACKSON GALA

NEW ORLEANS, LA- Mercy Endeavors Senior Center is hosting its 1st Annual Jazzin’ on Jackson Gala on Thursday, March 21, 2013, from 6-8PM at the St. Alphonsus Art and Cultural Center, located at 2045 Constance Street, New Orleans, LA, 70130. Mercy Endeavors serves the aging population of the Irish Channel and Lower Garden District by providing daily recreation, social enrichment, educational opportunities, nutrition programs, noon meals and advocacy programs to over 100 community seniors.

“Edible Evening” fundraiser at Green Charter to benefit school gardens

More than 20 of New Orleans’ finest restaurants will meet Thursday night (March 19) at Samuel J. Green Charter School in a benefit for FirstLine Schools five “seed-to-table” food-education gardening programs across the city. For more information see the following press release:

Edible Schoolyard NOLA’s ‘An Edible Evening’ Garden Party

Supports Kids Gardening, Seasonal Cooking Programs at Five FirstLine Schools

WHO: Edible Schoolyard New Orleans and FirstLine Schools

WHAT: AN EDIBLE EVENING benefiting Edible Schoolyard NOLA

WHEN: 7 to 9:30 p.m., Thursday, March 21, Patron Hour 6 to 7 p.m.

WHERE: Samuel J. Green Charter School, 2319 Valence St. COST: $45 per ticket, Patron tickets start at $250; available at https://donate.firstlineschools.org/EE2013. DETAILS: (NEW ORLEANS)—Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESYNOLA) and its title sponsor Presqu’ile Winery will deliver AN EDIBLE EVENING: A Garden Party Under the Stars on Thursday, March 21 at Samuel J. Green Charter School, 2319 Valence St. The fourth annual event is ESYNOLA’s biggest annual fundraiser and will feature delicious bites from some of the city’s finest local restaurants, as well as live music, a silent auction and specialty cocktails.

Loyola University law school’s 5k race to support Boys Hope Girls Hope on Saturday

The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law is holding the “Race Judicata” one-mile fun run/walk on Saturday morning (March 9) to benefit Boys Hope Girls Hope of New Orleans. For more information see the following press release:

The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Boys Hope Girls Hope are sponsoring Race Judicata, a family- and pet-friendly 5K race and one-mile fun run/walk, which will be held Saturday, March 9, at Audubon Park in Shelter 10 located at the Magazine Street entrance to Audubon Park. Proceeds support Boys Hope Girls Hope of New Orleans. New this year, prizes will be awarded for best team name, best-dressed team and individual along with best-dressed pet. Loyola College of Law Dean, María Pabón López, J.D., is serving as the honorary chair of Race Judicata 2013 and alumnus Stephen Hanemann, J.D. ’02, is serving as chair.

Legal theorist, family-values proponent to speak Wednesday at Loyola University

Robert P. George, a legal theorist, former presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and former president of the National Organization for Marriage, will speak on issues of faith and social justice in a lecture titled “Five Pillars of a Decent and Dynamic Society” on Wednesday (March 6) at Loyola University. For more information see the following press release:

Robert P. George, J.D., Ph.D., former presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will deliver a free lecture at Loyola University Orleans Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. in Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall located on the second floor of the Communications/Music Complex on Loyola’s main campus. The lecture is free and open to the public. George, who is Princeton University’s McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and founder and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, will present the lecture “Five Pillars of a Decent and Dynamic Society.” The lecture is part of Loyola’s centennial celebration and is co-sponsored by the College of Business and Center for Spiritual Capital. It addresses two of Loyola’s Jesuit education ideals: linking faith with justice and concern for the poor and oppressed.

RSD hosts school application fairs at KIPP Central City Academy, Crocker Elementary

The Recovery School District, in partnership with the Orleans Parish School Board, will host two application fairs for families this month, one for middle school families at KIPP Central Academy Wednesday (March 6) and another at Crocker Elementary on March 15. According to a press release from the RSD, two fairs will be held in Uptown:

RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCE ONEAPP SCHOOL FAIRS WHERE PARENTS CAN MEET WITH PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Parents and students encouraged to attend and learn about all school options available through streamlined enrollment system

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Over the next month, parents will be making final decisions on where they want their child to attend school next year. With OneApp, the streamlined enrollment system, parents can identify up to eight schools and rank them in order of preference. As the OneApp deadline of March 15 approaches, the Recovery School District (RSD) and Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) are hosting grade specific fairs to encourage parents to get to know all of their school options. The transition grades of kindergarten, middle school, and ninth grade will be the focus of these fairs, but all parents are encouraged to attend.