Baton Rouge
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Source: Wilson Family / Courtesy of Wilson Family
A Southern University student and member of its “Human Jukebox” marching band is dead, allegedly after a fraternity ritual off-campus.
According to reports, a student at Southern University died after taking part in a fraternity-related ritual off-campus early Thursday morning (Feb. 27). The student was identified as Caleb Wilson of Kenner, Louisiana. The group had been gathered at the North Sherwood Forest Community Park, not far from the HBCU’s Baton Rouge campus, when Wilson collapsed during a ritual where participants were standing in line. He was pronounced dead at 3:15 a.m. after being brought to Baton Rouge General Hospital on Bluebonnet Boulevard, leading hospital authorities to call the police, as the death was “suspicious in nature.” Baton Rouge police are continuing to investigate the death, pending results from the autopsy.
Southern University’s Division of Student Affairs sent out a notice declaring that all new membership activities on campus including fraternities, sororities, and student clubs would be paused indefinitely until further notice. The directive specifically points to prohibiting any rushes or interest meetings, initiation processes, and any induction of new members. It has been alleged, but unconfirmed, that Wilson was pledging to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. The fraternity, along with all the other D9 organizations, have long banned pledging or hazing as a requirement for entry.
“It is with profound sorrow that we extend our condolences on the passing of Caleb Wilson. His loss is deeply felt, and our hearts go out to his family, friends, and all who were touched by him,” said Ricky L. Lewis, Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. in a statement shared on Friday, February 28. He added, “We have been informed that the local authorities have launched an investigation into this tragic incident, and we fully support their efforts to seek the truth. Currently, our foremost priority is standing in unwavering support of Caleb’s family. We have extended ourselves to them and are ready to assist in any way possible during this difficult time.”
The 20-year-old was a mechanical engineering student and trumpet player, affectionately nicknamed “Cheese” by fellow members of the Human Jukebox, the university’s famed marching band. “He was always smiling,” senior and bandmate Lonnie Robinson said of Wilson, who he first befriended at a summer band camp. “He just had the best sense of humor.”
Wilson’s father, Corey Wilson, is a high-ranking member of law enforcement who works part-time with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, having recently retired last year at the rank of sergeant. He also served as part of the security detail for New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.
Benson offered her condolences to the family in a statement: “This tragic loss has hit very close to my heart as his father (Sgt.) Corey Wilson has worked with our team for many years,” Benson said, adding: “I have a deep and personal connection to his family. We mourn with him today on this senseless passing, our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this heartbreaking loss.”
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The whitest section of Baton Rouge, the Black-majority Louisiana state capital, is now the newly-incorporated city of St. George. The state Supreme Court overturned the rulings of lower courts in what advocates for the change are excited about while others, including the Baton Rouge’s NAACP chapter, are calling it a modern-day secession.
According to WGXA, Norman Browning, the St. George Transition District Chairman, called last Friday’s Supreme Court ruling “a historical and exciting day for the City of St George citizens” and vowed to “build an efficient, productive, and vibrant city while contributing to a thriving East Baton Rouge Parish.”
Well, here’s what the NAACP had to say about all of that:
“The St. George plan poses significant risks to our education system, threatens the continuity of critical programs, and challenges community representation. The creation of a new municipality introduces considerable uncertainty around funding allocation for our schools, jeopardizing the cornerstone of our community’s future: education.”
For the record, this decision was the culmination of a yearslong battle between proponents of the new city and opponents, many of whom view the move as a microcosm of recourse-siphoning colonization. Up until now, the latter group was winning that battle in the courts.
Here’s a little history on the matter reported by the Advocate:
Baton Rouge leaders took St. George organizers to court in 2019 over the proposed city, just two weeks after 54% of voters living within the proposed city’s limits voted “yes” on the incorporation in a November election.
Baton Rouge leaders argued in their petition — and had argued for years leading up to the election — that the new city would financially cripple Baton Rouge’s city-parish services and force layoffs by taking away an estimated $48.3 million in annual tax revenue. They also argued that St. George’s proposed budget was inaccurate and that it’d actually operate with a deficit.
Twice the courts have sided with Baton Rouge and shot down the proposed city, once in 2022 when a district judge ruled that St. George couldn’t operate with a balanced budget and was “unreasonable,” and again last year when the First Circuit Court of Appeal ruled that St. George organizers hadn’t followed state law for getting on the election ballot.
The fight for St. George preceded the 2019 election by a decade — it originally started out as a movement to create a separate, independent school district before evolving over the course of several years into a full campaign to create a new city.
Organizers for St. George, who reside in the predominantly White and affluent Southeast corner of the parish, said for years that the city-parish government and school system were poorly run and that they wanted more localized control of tax dollars.
St. George is comprised of 68,000 residents, only about 12% of whom are Black, which is why opponents have argued that the incorporation proposal was essentially segregation by another name and inherently racist. The Supreme Court’s ruling doesn’t really address whether or not the move is racist, the justices simply argued that the St. George organizers followed the proper steps for incorporation and that it would provide its residents with proper public services.
But the question remains: At what cost to other Baton Rouge residents?
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Source: @daeemarie / Twitter
Club Bella Noche is still getting motion. The Baton Rouge club is still lit, per X, formerly known as Twitter, as video footage of party night during LSU Homecoming has gone viral.
But first, you might need background on Bella Noche. Eight years ago, Hazel London, and her homegirl Jerhonda Henderson, were the guests at a wedding that was marred by a shooting. The location of the ill-fated nuptials was Bella Noche, and London was absolutely flummoxed that a good time was ruined by a shooting outside the venue and she let local news station WBRZ know exactly why.
“It’s upsetting me and my homegirl cause we feel like, Well damn if you can’t go to Bella Noches [sic], where the hell couls you go?!,” she said, her charismatic delivery quickly making the vid go viral.
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Fast forward to 2023, and clearly Bella Noche is still lit. As reported by Madame Noire, a new clip of an assembled crowd of partygoers having an absolute blast at the infamous venue has gone viral in 2023.
The video of a Saturday night (Oct. 21) party features BBE AJ performing his “SlaughterHouse 3’Mix” in a bright yellow Moschino sweatshirt, a partygoer with a whistle (who is on beat) and a jam-packed crowd bouncing along.
If Bella Noche is like this every weekend, book it as a destination. Hopefull the whole guns in the parking lot vibes have settled. We understand now, Hazel London, and her homegirl Jerhonda Henderson, we understand. Peep more reactions in the gallery.
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