The Louisiana Retailers Association updates this page regularly with "hot news and announcements" to keep the savvy member and the public alert, informed, and in touch with industry issues, locally and nationally. 2010 Louisiana Retailers Education Foundation Scholarship Golf Tournament The 2010 Tournament was a great success. Thank you to the following contributors! Gold Sponsors: CVS, Wal-Mart Stores Silver Sponsors: Supervalu, Associated Grocers, Albertson's Bronze Sponsors: Louisiana Nursery, Sara Lee, Target, Towing and Recovery Association, Winn Dixie, Walgreen's, Smithfield Packing, Dairy Fresh, Blue Bell, Benefit Advisory Group Individual Player Sponsors: Dennis Duszynski, Mary Kay, Buddy Gossom Food & Beverage Contributors: Associated Grocers, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola, Manda's, Golden Flake, Blue Bell, LA Beer Industry League Door Prize Contributors: Dairy Fresh, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola, Louisiana Nursery, Best Buy, Louisiana Lottery Goody Bag Contributors: Louisiana Nursery, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Louisiana Office Supply, Louisiana Lottery, JC Penney, Mainstreet Financial Hole Sponsors: Buddy Gossom, Benefit Advisory Group, Walgreen's, Baker Donelson Prize Hole Sponsor: Louisiana Lottery Congratulations to the 2010 Tournament Winners: 1st place: Albertsons Marcus Duhan Anthony Lewis Keith Barrilleaux David Shelton 2nd place: Walgreen Co. Ricky Indovina Jeff Gaude Mark Benignot 3rd place: Albertsons Kim Gray Rick Hoffman Richard Nash Chris Betz Longest drive: Mike Argote with Sara Lee Closest to the pin: Mike Argote with Sara Lee The Louisiana Retailers Education Foundation Awards Scholarship to Louisiana Students The Louisiana Retailers Education Foundation is pleased to announce the award of college scholarships to four Louisiana students. The Louisiana Retailers Education Foundation awards college scholarships to deserving students that are either employees or children of employees of a member of the Louisiana Retailers Association. The following students were 2010 recipients: Nicholas Bihm: Lafayette, LA. Eligible through his affiliation with Olinde's Fine Furniture & Appliances. Leigha Garrison: Lafayette, LA. Eligible through her affiliation with Brookshire Grocery Company. Ciara Collins: Batchelor, LA. Eligible through her affiliation with Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. Stephanie Morgan: Mandeville, LA. Eligible through her affiliation with Rouse's Supermarket. Congratulations to the 2010 recipients! 2010 Sales Tax Holidays Annual Hurricane Preparedness Sale Tax Holiday (May 29-30, 2010) The sales and use tax levied by the state of Louisiana shall not apply to the first one thousand five hundred dollars of the sales price of purchases of hurricane-preparedness items or supplies during the last weekend in May beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. Hurricane-preparedness items or supplies shall include any of the following: (i) Any portable self-powered light source. (ii) Any portable self-powered radio, two-way radio, or weatherband radio. (iii) Any tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting. (iv) Any ground anchor system or tie-down kit. (v) Any gas or diesel fuel tank. (vi) Any package of AAA-cell, AA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries. (vii) Any cell phone battery and any cell phone charger. (viii) Any nonelectric food storage cooler. (ix) Any portable generator used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage. (x) Any storm shutter device. The term storm shutter device shall include materials and products manufactured, rated, and marketed specifically for the purposes of preventing window damage from storms. (xi) Any carbon monoxide detector. (xii) Any blue ice product. Annual Louisiana Sales Tax Holiday (August 6-7, 2010) The sales tax levied by the state of Louisiana shall not apply to the first two thousand five hundred dollars of the sales price or cost price of any consumer purchases of tangible personal property that occur on the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of August each year. Consumer purchases shall mean purchases of items of tangible personal property other than vehicles subject to license and title. Consumer purchases shall not include the purchase of meals furnished for consumption on the premises where purchased, including to-go orders. Annual Louisiana Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday (September 3-5, 2010) The sales and use tax levied by the state of Louisiana and its political subdivisions shall not apply to the sales price or cost price of any consumer purchases of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies that occur each calendar year on the first consecutive Friday through Sunday of September. PART-TIME EMPLOYEES AVAILABLE A successful retailer knows that good customer service is vital to keeping loyal customers. Every retailer wants customers who not only come back time and time again, but enthusiastically tell others about their good experiences. So, where can you find employees that know how to provide good customer service? Contact the high school marketing teacher in your area for a list of work ready students that are currently studying to receive the National Retail Federation Customer Service certification and/or the Louisiana Retail Pro certification. Students are learning how to provide good customer service and other useful skills such as: handling fraudulent checks, business math basics, suggestive selling, preventing shoplifting, etc. If you are hiring seasonal employees or permanent part-time employees, please contact the marketing teacher in your area to create an employment opportunity for a local high school student. MARKETING TEACHERS- Penny Montz: Abbeville High School, 337-898-2226 Gwendolyn Hunter: B. T. Washington New Technology Center, 318-425-3387 Beryl Kraemer: Baker High School, 225-775-1119 or 225-774-5232 Clara Carter: Belaire High School, 225-275-4819 Mary Ward: Benton High School, 318-549-5273 or 318-349-3395 Herbert Graham: Bonnabel High School, 504-443-4564 Christa Denney: Bossier High School, 318-549-6729 Debra Wilkerson: Broadmoor High School, 225-926-5486 Sandra West: C. E. Byrd High School, 318-868-7111 Alan Germany: Caddo Career Center, 318-631-1174 Cindy Dykes: Central High School, 225-261-3438 Debbie Gaudet: Chalmette High School, 504-301-2600 Penny Warner: Choudrant High School, 318-768-2541 JoAnna Purvis: Denham Springs High School, 225-665-8028 Monica Caillouet: East Ascension High School, 225-621-2404 Cheryl Barnes: East Jefferson High School, 504-454-4102 Georgann Baudier: East Jefferson High School, 504-457-5118 Cassandra Howard: Fair Park High School, 318-635-4739 Janice Lee: Ferriday High School, 318-757-3997 Rhonda Moore: Ferriday High School, 318-757-3998 Sarah Campbell: Glen Oaks High School, 225-356-4306 Jeryl Fischtziur: Grace King High School, 504-888-7334 Wilma Davis: Green Oaks Performing Arts Academy, 318-221-5523 Cheryl Daigle: H.L. Bourgeois High School, 985-872-3279 Joey Daughtry: Haughton High School, 318-549-5477 Kathryn Harris: Huntington High School, 318-687-7922 Barbara Toliver: Istrouma High School, 225-355-7701 Nikita Clark: L.W. Higgins High School, 504-328-8235 Claudette Tolbert: McDonogh 35 College Prep, 504-942-3592 Carmalita Jack: McKinley High School, 225-344-7696 Julia Ruffin: North Caddo High School, 318-375-5090 Zuleika Moore: Ouachita Parish High School, 318-343-2769 Cleta Bynog: Parkway High School, 318-549-6975 Sandra Eldridge: Peabody Magnet High School, 318-487-1262 Jeanne Vampran: Ponchatoula High School, 985-474-8821 Gerald Mocklin: Riverdale High School, 504-834-3220 Cindy Kemp: Salmen High School, 985-643-7359 Jamie Quattrone: Sam Houston High School, 337-855-4645 Sonya Gilbert: Scotlandville Magnet High School, 225-775-3715 C.J. Roberts: Slidell High School, 985-643-2992 Myrna Folse: South Terrebonne High School, 985-868-1962 or 985-868-7850 Denise Brown: Tara High School, 225-928-0120 Ed Rachal: Terrebonne High School, 985-872-3749 Sally Webre: Thibodaux High School, 985-446-8723 Debra Drayton: Tioga High School, 318-640-9661 Barb Crum: Vidalia High School, 318-336-6231 Ruby Gill: W.D. Smith Career Center, 337-233-2026 Cecile Mitchell: W.D. Smith Career Center, 337-233-2026 Debra Wilson: Walker High School, 225-665-9926 Josline Frank: West Jefferson High School, 504-362-9628 Charles Jackson: West Monroe High School, 318-323-3771 Tangi Milton: Woodlawn High School, 225-753-1200 x230 Karura Rainey: Woodlawn Leadership Academy, 318-686-1393 Eugene Pennison: Zachary High School, 225-654-2776 Louisiana Congressional Delegation Contact Information Mary Landrieu, U.S. Senator Democrat Internet: http://landrieu.senate.gov/ Mailing Address: 724 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: (202) 224-5824, Fax (202) 224-9735. David Vitter, U.S. Senator Republican Internet: http://vitter.senate.gov/ Mailing Address: 516 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: (202) 224-4623, Fax (202) 228-5061. Steve Scalise, US Congressman First Congressional District Republican Internet: http://www.scalise.house.gov/index.shtml Mailing Address: 429 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-3015, Fax (202) 226-0386. Joseph Cao, U.S. Congressman Second Congressional District Republican Internet: http://josephcao.house.gov/ Mailing Address: 2113 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (504) 595-5104, Fax (504) 5232705. Charlie Melancon, U.S. Congressman Democrat Third Congressional District Internet: http://www.house.gov/melancon/ Mailing Address: 2183 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-4031, (800) 352-2890, Fax (202) 225-0563. John Fleming, U.S. Congressman Republican Fourth Congressional District Internet: http://fleming.house.gov/ Mailing Address: 1023 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (318) 798-2254, Fax (318) 798-2063. Rodney Alexander, U.S. Congressman Fifth Congressional District Republican Internet: http://www.house.gov/alexander Mailing Address: 316 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-8490, Fax (202) 225-5639. William "Bill" Cassidy, U.S. Congressman Sixth Congressional District Republican Internet: http://cassidy.house.gov/ Mailing Address: 506 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (225) 929-7711, Fax (225) 929-7688. Charles Boustany, Jr., U.S. Congressman Seventh Congressional District Republican Internet: http://www.house.gov/john/ Mailing Address: 403 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-2031, Fax (202) 225-5724. Are You Starting a Business in Louisiana? GeauxBiz.com is a licensing information center for prospective small business owners. GeauxBiz.com gives current and potential business owners a place to go for licensing information needed to start a business in Louisiana. One of the innovations provided by GeauxBiz.com is providing small businesses with the state's licensing liaisons. Every state agency that deals with business or licensing designates an officer or employee to serve as its business licensing liaison. The primary purpose of the program is to facilitate business by providing a central system for the determination of what licenses and permits must be obtained and maintained by individuals conducting business in the state. GeauxBiz.com provides a central point of contact for state government requirements. It also directs the individual to the proper local licensing and taxing authorities, as well as to state and quasi-governmental agencies, by providing a customized licensing/permit checklist. www.GeauxBiz.com