It has been three years since the BP oil spill. While thousands of individuals have been compensated for their losses, many citizens, small business owners and Gulf Coast communities are still waiting for a full recovery and a final resolution.

We don’t have the luxury of time to begin restoring the environment and economy of America’s working coast.

Nearly a year ago, Congress overwhelmingly passed theRESTORE Act to direct 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines to the Gulf for ecological and economic recovery. These funds will bring justice to this region and allow us to rebuild the eroding coastline, protect communities from storms and preserve a unique and treasured way of life.

While I am disappointed no settlement has been reached, I am hopeful that the civil trial against the responsible parties will be completed as quickly as possible.

Nickels and dimes are not going to help make our communities whole again—we need serious funding. The RESTORE Act provides us the opportunity to jumpstart our coastal restoration efforts and help get our economy back on its feet.

My efforts to bring justice to the coast are not done. 

Last month, I joined Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate’s Energy Committee to introduce the FAIR Act to build upon the unprecedented success of GOMESA and to secure our fair share of offshore oil and gas revenues. In Louisiana, the funds under the FAIR Act will be used for coastal restoration.

The RESTORE Act becoming law is a victory that will allow our children and grandchildren to see what you and I see everyday: America’s working coast.

Keep in touch,

What exactly is CGCS? Our motto is that it’s “a new wave of doing business.” We are a business, and provide the following consulting services:

• Online marketing
• Email marketing
• Quality Control
• Reputation Management
• Business Development

Although we are a business, we give a substantial portion of our revenue to a cause or charity. Last year our cause was restoring the Gulf Coast after the devastating BP Oil Spill and CGCS staff also committed significant volunteer time to local charities.

This year we are fighting for your 5th amendment constitutional rights, starting with a class action against the GA Super Speeder Law. At CGCS we do not promote speeding, we recommend those speeding to slow down, rather this movement is to promote that a violation must suit the penalty, likewise the law should work for the people and not people working for the law.

We are working on getting a t-shirt store up to promote this cause where half of our revenue will go towards non-traditional advertising such as Facebook and Youtube ads to promote awareness for this cause. The weather is getting nicer perfect timing to invest in a t-shirt and support our movement. Watch the video and/or contact us directly on the front page. We will be sending an email update once the store is up, thank you for your support.

Best Wishes,

The CGCS Staff

In the past, the success of a Louisiana business could often be determined by its proximity to major roads or interstates, such as I-10 or I-20. Today, businesses also need to be located along the digital superhighway, since 97 percent of people go online to find a local product or service.

It is no longer a luxury to have an online presence—it’s a necessity.  Unfortunately, approximately 64 percent of small businesses in Louisiana do not have their own website. That’s why I partnered with Google on Monday to bring the Get Your Business Online workshop back to Louisiana with an event in Baton Rouge that drew 250 local businesses.

Watch WAFB’s story on Monday’s event in Baton Rouge.

Last August, 150 local businesses came to our first event in Acadiana. Google’s GYBO initiative gives small businesses free online tools to create their own website. One of these business owners was Lauri Wallace, who developed an online presence for her Shreveport-based jewelry design company, Just Ask Creations, after attending the GYBO event.

Watch Lauri share how her business grew with an online presense.

During the next three years, businesses that make use of the Internet are expected to grow 40 percent faster than those that don’t. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and will drive success in our communities—we cannot afford to let Louisiana get left behind.  I look forward to continuing my mission to jumpstart the more than 380,000 small businesses in our state by getting them online.

Listen to my interview on WJBO Baton Rouge to talk about my partnership with Google.

Happy Easter,

The State of Georgia expects to raise $23 Million each year via the Super Speeder Law. They understand that most citizens will not contest this unjustified law. It is just too costly for the average citizen to contest or sometimes even pay this fine. At the same time not paying this fine, will result in a suspension of one’s license. Talk about triple jeopardy. In these tough economic times, we at CGCS understand that citizens are strapped enough already and we aren’t asking for much, to fight for their constitutional rights.

Support our online marketing campaign by visiting our online storefront. We don’t believe in donations because we want to make your hard-earned money work for you. Thus your contribution is NOT tax deductible. Our online storefront will be up shortly and will display various trendy t-shirt. Each month our progress will be tracked on this page via the thermometer below:

CGCS
113 S. Monroe St.
1st Floor
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 270-7213
www.gulfcoastblog.org

If you are a resident of Florida, or any state other than Georgia, and have received a notice which states that your license may be suspended for a failure to pay an extra $200.00 on top of your traffic ticket, Mr. Syfert is currently putting together a list of clients for a possible class action suit against various entities within the State of Georgia.

The first thing you will need to do is visit https://www.foreclosurelawyerjacksonville.com/contact.php
and enter your information.

Second, please gather the materials that you have collected (Your ticket, any letter or demand for payment provided by DDS) and provide it to Mr. Syfert at graham@syfert.com or fax it to 904-638-4726. By submitting your information, no attorney client relationship exists, but attorney client confidentiality does. This is not a guarantee that any case will even occur, but collection of this information is the first place to start. Mr. Syfert intends to consult with other attorneys on this matter, and may enter into an agreement for joint representation with other counsel in these matters.

Of particular interest is anyone who actually had a license suspended due to a failure to pay the super speeder fine. I would like to talk to a few people who had this happen. Mr. Syfert is licensed only in Florida and Georgia, and cannot give you advice on how to challenge Georgia’s suspension of the superspeeder law if you are the resident of another state.

I wrote an earlier blog post regarding the double jeopardy aspect of the Georgia Super Speeder law. I hope to challenge this soon in a criminal matter. While researching the matter of the constitutionality of the Super Speeder law, I came across something interesting. The legal theory is still being developed, but I don’t see any reason why it is not a good argument.

My Grandfather died on I-95 in South Georgia. He is someone that could have benefited from the extra revenue the Georgia Super Speeder law (O.C.G.A. section 40-6-189). He would be rolling over in his grave if he knew that there was another fine on top of a fine that was already paid.

“[N]or shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb …” – AMENDMENT V

On top of that, if the Super Speeder fine is unpaid by the short deadline given, the defendants driver’s license is suspended which costs another fee to reinstate or worse, the defendant is arrested and needs to post bail. We feel that the law should work for citizens instead of citizens working for the law. In these tough economic times, although the State may be strapped for cash, it is not a solution for the State to jeopardize her own citizens to generate that revenue, when they are put there to serve her citizens in the first place.

If you or someone you know has fell victim to the Georgia Super Speeder Law, firstly please gather the materials that you have collected (Your ticket, any letter or demand for payment provided by DDS) and provide it to the corresponding attorney, Mr. Graham W. Syfert, Esq. P.A. at graham@syfert.com or fax it to 904-638-4726. By submitting your information, no attorney client relationship exists, but attorney client confidentiality does.  This is not a guarantee that any case will even occur, but collection of this information is the first place to start.

Secondly, we are raising awareness to support a class-action law suit and need the funds to continue to reach out to most, if not all these victims to come forth and support this movement. Support to our online marketing campaign for only $5. We don’t believe in donations because we want to make your hard-earned money work for you. Thus your contribution is NOT tax deductible. In return we will put you or your business on our roster, and send you one of these handsome bumper stickers Purchase one on the top right of the page where it says BUY NOW. Please spread the word via a link to this page thanks!

CGCS
113 S. Monroe St.
1st Floor
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 270-7213
www.gulfcoastblog.org

When we create energy in America, we create jobs in America. In Louisiana, we know this first hand. The oil and gas industry alone supports 375,000 jobs in our state.

Recent technological advancements have allowed us to harness our country’s vast natural gas reserves, leading to a manufacturing renaissance. Companies that were shipping jobs overseas just a few years ago are now bringing them back home because of the United States’ cheap, reliable energy.

I was encouraged to hear President Obama focus on the benefits of natural gas development in his State of the Union address last week. But talk alone is not enough. We must take action and fully invest in the vast potential of oil on land and offshore, especially in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast.

That’s why I have continued to urge the President to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. 

Last month, I joined a group of 53 senators in sending a bipartisan letter to him pressing this issue. And last week, I took to the Senate floor to discuss more reasons why this pipeline is critical for our economic and national security.

Listen to highlights of my remarks on the Senate floor.

Canada is going to produce this oil one way or another. The question is: Who are they going to send it to? Are they going to send it to their good friend, the United States, to our refineries in Texas and Louisiana? Or are they going to ship it somewhere else in the world?

For decades, Louisiana has proudly refined oil from onshore, offshore and from overseas. We are eager to see the Keystone Pipeline approved so we can start refining more oil from Canada.

We must continue to employ an all-of-the-above energy policy, boosting our economy and creating millions of jobs here at home. I’m committed to doing just that.

Keep in touch,

We are back online (version 2.0)! After a very eventful and short transition we are settled in and ready to tackle our next projects for 2013. Firstly we want to wish everyone a wonderful 2013 and albeit it there may be certain obstacles ahead, we believe this will be a flourishing year for many.

This year we would like to welcome our new business partners for fiscal year 2013 – ESPN Inc. and Microsoft BING for providing opportunities to me and my staff. And we are also proud to announce we are expanding our territory and will cover the entire SouthEast region of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

I also want to give a special thanks to our intern-turned-consultant Danielle Bolte for her exceptional hard work and positive attitude throughout her time with CGCS. Danielle is a passionate graduate student in Environmental Planning and an equestrian in her spare time. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.

If you would like a free small business consultation, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly at duke@gulfcoastblog.org or (850) 270-7213. CGCS also offers online marketing, quality control and business improvement services for a small fee. We look forward to serving you.

Best Wishes,

The CGCS Staff

The staff at the Collegiate Employment Research Institute and members of our Trends coalition express our deepest appreciation for your efforts in providing information for the 2012-2013 report.  You will find the Recruiting Trends 2012-2013 report attached.  We hope you find it helpful in your recruiting and hiring activities for the rest of this academic year.  We know that the survey is long but each piece of information you provided will be used. Look for special reports on our website throughout the year.

CERI is presenting the National College Recruiting Outlook webinar twice in December.  On either December 3 or 10 you can learn more about the implications of our findings and participate in a discussion on the meaning of the results.  To register, just follow the link below.  At the My Spartan Career page click on the Collegiate Employment Research Institute registration button and follow the instructions.

https://msu-csm.symplicity.com/events/index.php?PHPSESSID=0ab474af14eef7290edf58a994ef2afc

If you have any questions about this report, please contact me.

Dr. Phil Gardner, Director

Collegiate Employment Research Institute

Michigan State University

2012 was a remarkably productive year for Louisiana. From coastal restoration to economic growth, we scored many victories to move Louisiana forward.

Watch the short video below as I recap the progress we made in 2012.

Coastal Protection
In June, Congress passed the RESTORE Act, directing 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines paid by BP back to the Gulf Coast for economic and ecological restoration. This unprecedented legislation will provide a down payment on our state’s Coastal Master Plan, which restores wetlands and protects coastal communities to preserve our unique culture and vital industries.

The RESTORE Act was part of a bipartisan transportation bill to rebuild our crumbling roads, rail, bridges and other critical infrastructure. The bill will help create thousands of jobs in Louisiana.

What are some of the other victories? Watch the recap.

Infrastructure and Hurricane Protection 
This was great progress, but as we were reminded when Hurricane Isaac made landfall in August, our nation’s investment in flood protection infrastructure is dangerously insufficient. The $14.5 billion hurricane protection system for the Greater New Orleans area, which the federal government funded after Hurricane Katrina, worked. However, the surrounding communities still need flood protection. I have redoubled my efforts to secure resources to complete the necessary flood protection projects across coastal Louisiana.

Small Business
All businesses, especially small businesses, count on having solid transportation, flood protection and digital infrastructure to thrive and grow. Throughout the year, I brought experts under one roof in Louisiana communities to help small business owners gain access to capital, discover trade opportunities and take advantage of training.

I’m committed to helping all businesses grow, particularly small businesses. If every one of the 80,000 small businesses in Louisiana hired just one more person, the recession would be far in our rearview mirror.

Keep reading or watch why 2012 was a great year for Louisiana.

Supporting Our Military and Veterans
Louisiana continues its strong role in supporting many branches of our armed forces. We saw the continued development of Fort Polk, the continued growth of the Cyber Innovation Center, the recognition of our National Guard Air Traffic Control Squadron’s excellence and dedication to its mission, and the expansion of Louisiana-built cutters for the Coast Guard. In addition, our state is home to more than 400,000 veterans. I worked this year to ensure we keep the promises we have made to them whether that is housing, health care or employment.

I look forward to building on our accomplishments together as we ring in 2013.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,