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D.C. DILEMMA
HOUSE passes legislation after three weeks of gridlock SENATE still tough road for GOP with narrow majority TRUMP refusing to sign bills until voting legislation passes
PHOTO By MICHAEL BACIGALUPI
A resident speaks Tuesday at a community meeting on the future of City-Brooks Park.
City Park Golf Course plans remain contentious More than 200 pack community meeting
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
refused to sign bills into law until Congress approved one that would tighten the use of mail-in ballots, require proof of citizenship when registering to vote, and show a photo ID when casting ballots. Called the SAVE America Act, the legislation doesn’t have the votes in the Senate to pass on its own. And the House still has plenty left on its plate. “We have a lot of work still to do,” said House Majority Leader Steve
Dozens of impassioned Baton Rouge residents confronted the city’s park agency Tuesday night at a community meeting over the future of CityBrooks Park. More than 200 people packed into BREC’s Independence Theatre for a public meeting about the master plan for the future of City-Brooks Park. At least 60 residents signed up to voice their comments about the plan to a panel of BREC leadership. The goal of the master plan is to transform the park “into a world-class, central park experience,” according to BREC, the parish’s parks agency. Sasaki Associates, the firm hired to create the master plan, proposed two designs at an open house community meeting in June, both of which keep the nine-hole City Park Golf Course as a key part of the park. But both proposals carve a few hundred yards from the course and propose new services for the park, such as expanding pedestrian space and adding new features. The majority of public conversation Tuesday
ä See DILEMMA, page 8A
ä See PARK, page 8A
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOSE LUIS MAGANA
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, accompanied by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — After three weeks of legislative paralysis that required Congress to go home early for the July Fourth holiday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, was finally able Tuesday to narrowly pass legislation that included the partisan voter restrictions demanded by President Donald Trump and making daylight saving time permanent. But the legislation faces a tougher path in the Senate, largely because
of the sudden death of prominent Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and the illness of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, told The Hill, a political trade publication, that the Republican agenda in the Senate seems stalled. “The next four weeks are going to look like the happy hour at an airport Chili’s,” Kennedy said. Much of the legislative constipation came about because Trump
Towne Center continues growth with new tenants, owner A year after sale, popularity remains
BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer
About a year after Towne Center at Cedar Lodge was purchased by out-of-state buyers, the shopping center has continued drawing in customers amid a changing retail landscape. Towne Center, built on a horse farm formerly belonging to the Witter family, opened two decades ago as one of the first open-air life-
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style centers in Baton Rouge and has maintained its popularity. New York-based firm DLC Management purchased the shopping center in August for $81 million. The center’s grocery store anchor tenant, Whole Foods, caught its eye. Open-air developments have risen in popularity due to their better visibility and relatively lower operating costs compared to enclosed malls. The increased demand coupled with low supply, hindered by low construction, has driven up prices. “The center already had a solid foundation with a high-quality ten-
ant mix and was well-positioned to serve the surrounding community, creating opportunities to further enhance its performance and longterm value,” said Jordan Kotek, regional marketing manager for DLC. Traffic has increased 5.7% year over year, according to data from Placer AI, which uses cellphone tracking to compile foot traffic data. Towne Center draws 310,000 shoppers each month. Whole Foods has proven to be a driver — most shoppers make
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
ä See TOWNE, page 11A Barnes & Noble moved into Towne Center at Cedar Lodge in October.
Business ......................3B Commentary ................7B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS:
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