RSS Feed

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana lawmakers Wednesday promised a renewed push to legalize sports betting, saying gamblers are finding ways to wager elsewhere and the state is losing out on taxing the activity.
Sen. Danny Martiny, a Kenner Republican, told members of a Senate judiciary committee that he’ll again introduce a sports betting proposal in the 2019 legislative session.
Lawmakers spurned similar legislation this year. But Martiny and other senators who support the gambling expansion hope a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing sports betting, combined with sports wagering now going on in Mississippi, could change minds.
Six states allow sports betting, and others are considering it. Ronnie Jones, chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, told senators that Louisiana residents are betting on sports today, not just in neighboring Mississippi, but through offshore gambling sites.
“They are happy to take your money in an uncontrolled and unregulated environment,” Jones said.
Sen. Gary Smith, a Norco Democrat, replied: “And we collect no taxes on it.”
The American Gaming Association projected sports betting in Louisiana could generate revenue ranging from $245 million to $288 million a year, according to data provided to senators by the Louisiana State Police. If Louisiana used the same tax rate charged on its riverboat casinos, that could bring in between $52 million and $62 million for state coffers.
Martiny suggested the largesse for the state may be far smaller, but he said Louisiana’s existing tax collections could fall if large numbers of gamblers head to Mississippi for the sports books.
“The question is how much are we going to lose if we don’t do it?” he asked.
Dan Real, general manager for Harrah’s New Orleans, urged support for legalizing sports betting at Louisiana’s casinos, calling it “a very important piece for us to add here” to compete.
No one in Wednesday’s hearing spoke against the idea.
Still, legalized sports betting faces high hurdles to passage in the Louisiana Legislature, with opposition from conservative groups and pastors who object to anything that increases gambling options.
And even among supporters of the wagering, lawmakers diverge on how and where sports betting should be offered in Louisiana.
If they wanted to permit sports betting, lawmakers would have to determine whether they want to limit its locations, such as only in the state’s existing casinos or in broader gambling sites, such as mobile sports betting. They’d also have to decide how to tax it.
Jones said he believes voters in parishes that would have the sports betting sites would have to decide if they want the gambling there through a referendum process, similar to how voters determined on a parish-by-parish vote if video poker or a riverboat casino was allowed.
A good gauge of residents’ interest in sports betting, Jones said, will be the Nov. 6 election, when voters will decide in each parish whether to allow residents to play for cash prizes in fantasy sports games through online sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
___
Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte

The Daily Review/Zachary Fitzgerald
Morgan City officials recently recognized 100 Black Men of St. Mary Parish, Skinner’s Barber Shop and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for holding a September health screening event. Pictured with the City Council and Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi are Hope Jeff of Mary Bird Perkins, Isaiah Skinner of Skinner’s Barber Shop, Demetrius Wilson and Clarence Robinson, both of 100 Black Men of St. Mary Parish.

Four Corners, La., a rural village in St. Mary’s Parish served as the birthplace of Raymond Jacob Lockett on November 8, 1935. The eldest child of Jacob and Velma Lockett, he was baptized at St. Peter Catholic Church and educated in the parochial and public schools of parish. While in school, Raymond was active in many clubs and sports teams including the football, track and baseball teams as well as participating in the drama club and choir.
In the summer of 1953, he was admitted into the accelerated academic program at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. While at Southern, Raymond continued to be active in extracurricular activities. A member of the R.O.T.C. program, he served as the commander of the famed drill team and was a co-captain of the track team and president of the Newman Club. In November of 1954 Raymond was initiated into the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Upon graduating from Southern with a degree in Education, he served in the United States Army. He left the Army as 1st lieutenant and returned to St. Mary Parish to teach. At Willow Street School, Raymond taught social studies and served as the school track coach.
Willow Street was also where he met Alene Banks. On June 8, 1962 they were united in holy matrimony. From this union two children were born, Sonya Denise and Tammy Marie.
In his social studies classroom, Raymond taught his students to question everything and to defend what they believed in. He lived that adage and as a member of the St. Mary Parish community, he fought for the inclusion of African Americans in the power structure of the parish. As a member of Citizens for Action, he helped to sponsor the first group of African American political candidates in Franklin, La. since Reconstruction. The following year Raymond served as the campaign manager for all African American candidates running for office in the parish. He was also a founding member of the Anti-Poverty Council serving as its first president. Raymond’s work with the Citizens for Action and Anti-Poverty Council served as the catalyst responsible for the desegregation of hotels, restaurants, food stores and other establishments in Franklin, La.
Later, Raymond received a fellowship to study in the first African American studies program at Southern University where he received his second Master’s degree, an M.A. in Social Studies with a specialization in Black Studies. His first Masters in Education was awarded a few years earlier. After the completion of his second M.A., Lockett received a fellowship to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder where he received his Education doctorate.
He taught for a short stint at Kansas State University before returning to Southern University as an assistant professor of history. For the next 40 years, he served as a professor and then chairman of the History Department. He was instrumental in initiating the Black History month program at Southern and served as its chair for 30 years. He also worked to start African American historical studies programs in the surrounding communities. For 18 years, he organized global cultural excursions for students and community members to expand their knowledge and appreciation of different customs and cultures. His legacy boasts a number of students who have received masters in social science and doctorates in history as well as law degrees. While at Southern, he served as the Vice-President and President of the University’s Faculty Senate. In 2012, he was inducted into the Southern University Sports Hall of Fame.
Active in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity since his initiation, Raymond was a charter member of the Opelousas Alumni Chapter. During his years in the chapter he has served as the Dean of Pledges and had three different terms as Polemarch. He was the advisor to the Alpha Sigma Chapter at Southern University for 15 years and served as Administrative Assistant for the Province Polemarch of the Southwestern Region.
Lockett was an active member of St. Paul Catholic Church having served as Parish Council President, Men’s Choir President and Grand Knight of St Paul’s Knights of Peter Claver. He is also active member of the Kwans Club of Baton Rouge.
Raymond departed this life on Sunday, October 21, 2018. Greeting him at the time of his transition were his parents Jacob and Velma; brothers Aubrey and Nolan; sister Jacqueline; stepmother Alice Clay; sister-in-laws Lillie Smith, Joyce Lockett and Mary Lee Johnson; brother-in-laws Reverend Clifton Smith and Melvin Johnson; and treasured loved ones. He leaves to rejoice his memory his devoted wife, Alene; children Sonya Denise Lockett and Dr. Tammy Lockett Benjamin; son-in-law Dr. Eric Benjamin; granddaughters Olivia Mae Benjamin and Sophia Lovie Benjamin; brothers John and Michael Lockett; sisters Cresie Page and Bernadette Thomas; brother-in-law Michael Thomas; a host of nieces, nephews and godchildren; and many cherished relatives and friends.

Two Morgan City artists placed in the 77th Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Art Show held Sept. 29 at the Cyr-Gates Community Center in New Iberia. Diane Amador, top photo, won first place for “Rainy Day” and second place for “Oak Tree” both in the landscape category. Christi Solar, bottom photo, won second in still life with, “Apples” and third place in buildings with “New Orleans French Quarter Building.” Both artists are students of local artist and art teacher Janet Robinson.