Louisiana
A boy gave his only dollar to someone he mistook as homeless. In exchange, the businessman rewarded him for his generosity.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana — Matt Busbice and his partners have built and sold several outdoor companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But Busbice, the 42-year-old owner of sporting goods store BuckFeather in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, says he has never felt richer than he did the day he received a single dollar.
“I haven’t had that much faith in humanity in a very long time,” Busbice said.
He says it all began about a month ago. It was early morning, and the fire alarm was going off inside his condo complex. So, Busbice shot out of bed and raced down the stairs only to discover there was no fire. But he was awake now, so even though he was wearing mismatched clothes and was disheveled, he decided to go out for a cup of coffee.
As he was about to enter the coffee shop, he remembered he hadn’t done his morning prayer. So as the security camera shows, Busbice stepped to the corner of the patio to pray.
“And I started to slowly open my eyes, and there’s a kid coming at me, about my height,” Busbice said.
The boy had his fist clenched, so Busbice prepared for a confrontation. But instead, the boy opened his fist to reveal a $1 bill.
“And I go, ‘What?’” Busbice said.
“‘If you’re homeless, here’s a dollar,’” 9-year-old Kelvin Ellis Jr. recalls telling Busbice. “…I always wanted to help a homeless person, and I finally had the opportunity.”
Ellis says he had just gotten the dollar for good grades. It was the only money he had to his name. Busbice was so touched, he invited Ellis in for a snack and then connected with Ellis’ father, who was next door, and promised to stay in touch.
As a reward for his kindness, Busbice gave Ellis a shopping spree — 40 seconds to pick out whatever he wanted in BuckFeather, including a new bike. Ellis says it was great, but definitely not what he wanted to get for his dollar.
“Joy, because I helped someone,” Ellis said. “Give something away, and you feel like you’ve got a lot of things from it.”
“If you give, you’re actually going to get more out of that,” Busbice said. “I couldn’t grasp that as a kid. And if we can spread that around, everything changes.”
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On Friday, Jan. 10, Louisiana is remembering Billy DiMaio, a victim of the Jan. 1 Bourbon Street attack.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a period of mourning, ordering that all flags over state buildings be flown at half-staff.
On Friday, the state is remembering DiMaio, who was from New Jersey and a New York-based account executive for a radio station company.
At a Sunday news conference, Landry said he is remembered as a star student and a lacrosse player who had “an unwavering work ethic and positive attitude and kindness.”
Louisiana State Superintendent Cade Brumley also asked school systems to consider a moment of silence at 9 a.m. during the period of mourning.
The New Orleans Police Department and the Archdiocese of New Orleans will ring the bells of St. Louis Cathedral every day through Jan. 23, between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. to honor and remember the lives lost and those affected by the terror attack.
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Louisiana
Lower fees coming to homeowner insurance in Louisiana but premiums still high • Louisiana Illuminator
Homeowners in Louisiana will see a small discount on the fees they pay on top of their property insurance premiums this year.
The Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Directors voted Thursday to bring an early end to a 1.36% assessment added to all residential and commercial property insurance policies in the state. Louisiana Citizens is the state-run insurer of last resort for homeowners in environmentally risky areas who cannot find coverage on the private market.
The assessment, which goes toward paying off bonds for debt that Louisiana Citizens incurred from paying claims from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, was originally set to expire in June 2026 but will now end this April.
Gov. Landry signs Temple-backed insurance package
Additionally, those insured through Louisiana Citizens will no longer have to pay a 10% surcharge when they begin a new policy or renew their existing policy this year. The waiver, part of newly enacted legislation, took effect on Jan. 1 and will last for the next three years.
Both changes are part of Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple’s efforts to tame skyrocketing insurance rates in Louisiana.
“When Commissioner Temple took office and became chair of the Citizens Board of Directors, he encouraged our staff to find innovative ways for Louisiana Citizens to operate more efficiently and find savings for policyholders,” Louisiana Citizens CEO Richard Newberry said in a press release. “Our team identified this opportunity and brought it to the board for approval at today’s meeting.”
Although most policyholders will see relatively small savings from the changes, Temple said every little bit helps.
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Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana kicked off its year-long bicentennial celebration Wednesday
On a bright and chilly winter day, Centenary College of Louisiana kicked off its bicentennial year with a birthday celebration including a proclamation from the City of Shreveport and music by Centenary choir.
It was a grand start to the bicentennial year. Centenary College of Louisiana president, Dr. Christopher L. Holoman said, “we are really excited to be looking back at 200 years, an amazing history. We are so proud of that, but we are even prouder of what we are going to be in the future.”
Centenary College of Louisiana is a national liberal arts college in the heart of Shreveport. This college is deemed the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River, founded in 1825.
Holoman said, “200 years is an amazing length of time…Centenary is older than time zones. Centenary is older than golden doodles.”
City of Shreveport mayor, Tom Arceneaux read the citywide proclamation and said, “I am thrilled to be here for more than one reason. One, I’m really glad that Centenary is 200 years old. And two I’m glad to be here 12 days after hip replacement surgery.”
Wednesday’s birthday party is just the start of year-long celebration of special events and gatherings. These events include:
- special exhibit at the College’s Meadows Museum of Art
- festive neighborhood party during the Krewe of Highland Mardi Gras parade
- alumni trip to Centenary’s original campus in Jackson, Louisiana
- campus art stroll showcasing the talents of the Centenary community
The bicentennial commemoration will conclude with a gala event, Spotlight Centenary, in December 2025.
To keep up with all the bicentennial year events visit centenary200.com.
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.
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