Southeastern to host Northshore Gubernatorial Forum
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – The 2015 Northshore Gubernatorial Forum will is set for 8 p.m. on Wednesday,
Sept. 2 in Southeastern Louisiana University’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing
Arts in downtown Hammond. The four leading candidates in the race have indicated their
intent to participate in the forum, which is being underwritten by First Guaranty
Bank, Northshore Business Council, Northshore Legislative Alliance, and Southeastern
Student Government Association.
A collaborative effort of the regional business, economic development and higher
education communities, the event is free and open to the
public.
“The Northshore is pivotal to the future economic success of the State of Louisiana,”
said Erin Cowser, executive director of Southeastern’s public and governmental affairs
and forum Steering Committee member. “The region’s needs and utility are unique, and
it will be up to the next Governor to address those needs and reap those benefits
we can collectively provide.”
Cowser said questions for the forum will be generated using current topics from
front page and editorial section headlines of major newspapers across the state with
an emphasis on Northshore-specific interests.
Award-winning novelist and former broadcaster Leo Honeycutt will serve as forum
moderator.
Partners for the forum include the Bogalusa, East and West St. Tammany, Franklinton,
Livingston, Ponchatoula, and Greater Hammond chambers of commerce, Livingston Economic
Development Foundation, Northshore Business Council, Northshore Legislative Alliance,
St. Tammany
Economic Development Foundation, Southeastern Alumni Association, Tangipahoa Economic
Development, Washington Economic Development Foundation, and the Student Government
Associations of both Northshore Technical Community College and Southeastern.
The forum will air live, statewide on Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) with
stations in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe
and Shreveport, and also on the Southeastern Channel on Charter Cable 199. It will
also air at least four times a week
until the election on the Southeastern Channel and on live simulcast at southeastern.edu/tv.
It will also be streamed constantly as Video on Demand at the Gubernatorial Forum’s
forthcoming website at southeasternchannel.com.