[ Business Briefs

MargaritavilleResortCasinohasbeennamedCasinoWhere YouFeeltheLuckiestforthesecondyearinarowinCasino PlayerMagazines’:BestofGaming2015,Louisiana.Thisyear MargaritavilleResortCasinobringshomefirst-placeawards in12categoriesinBestofGaming2015,LouisianaforCasino WhereYouFeeltheLuckiest,FavoriteCasinoResorttoVacation at,BestHotel,BestHotelStaff,BestRooms,BestSuite,Best Spa,BestPlayersClub,BestHosts,BestComps,BestReelSlots andBestCasinotoPlayBlackjack.MargaritavilleResortCasino alsoplacedinnineadditionalcategories,includingsecondplace inBestOverallGamingResort,BestPool,BestCasinoandBest PlacetoPlayRoulette.

LouisianaHomeCareofShreveportisholdingamonth longfooddrivetohelplocalSalvationArmylocationscollect non-perishablefooditemstoaidneedyindividualsandfamilies. ThedrivewillrunthroughNov.6.Donationcontainerswill beavailableatmanychurches,doctor’sofficesandother businessesintheShreveportarea.Donationscanalsobemade attheagencylocationatOneBellemeadCenter,6425Youree

Drive.Thepublicisencouragedtostopbyoneoftheselocations anddonatenon-perishablefooditems.Astheholidayseason approaches,thestaffatLouisianaHomeCareofShreveport encouragesthecommunitytogivewhattheycansothatthe SalvationArmycancontinuetohelpthoseinneed.Louisiana HomeCareofShreveportispartofLHCGroup,aproviderofpostacutecareserviceswith10,000employeesoperatingmorethan 300locationsin29states.

TheManufacturingInstituteannouncedthreecommunity collegeswillreceivesupportfortrainingofveteransin manufacturingprograms.Thethreecolleges–BossierParish CommunityCollege,locatedinBossierCity;LorainCounty CommunityCollege,locatedinElyria,Ohio;andCentralCarolina CommunityCollege,locatedinSanford,N.C.–werechosenfrom TheManufacturingInstitute’sM-Listformanufacturingexcellence. ThefundingwasmadepossiblebyagrantfromLockheed MartinCorporation.Thegrantswillbeusedtoengageveterans seekingtrainingforemploymentinthemanufacturingsector. CentralCarolinaCommunityCollegewillutilizeexistingveteran

servicestorecruitandidentifypromisingveteranstoenter intomanufacturingpathwaysbyofferingscholarshipfunding; LorainCountyCommunityCollegewillpilotanaccelerated ManufacturingCareerAwarenessandReadinessprogram customizedforveterans;andBossierParishwillworkwithcollege veterans’groupstorecruitandprovidetrainingforveteransin AdvancedManufacturingandMechatronicsprograms.Criteria fortherecipientsofthegrantincludedthequalityofservicesfor veteransandtheimpactandscaleofactivities.Morethan80 percentofmanufacturersreporttheycannotfindpeopletofill theirskilledproductionjobs.Meanwhile,thousandsofservice menandwomenreturnhomeeachmonth,possessingnotonly anexemplaryworkethic,butalsorigoroustechnicaltrainingand experience.Manufacturersareinneedofhigh-skilled,quality workers,andveteransholdtheleadershipskills,teamwork andacceleratedlearningcurvethatassurethemtobevaluable employees.

TheFoldsofHonorFoundationannouncedLt.Col.(ret.) HenryBurns,staterepresentativefromHaughton,wasnamed

thewinnerofthe2015DistinguishedMilitaryHonorAward, whichispresentedannuallytoaLouisianamilitarymember orveteranwhosupportsthebettermentandwelfareofother militarymembers,veteransand/ortheircommunity.The DistinguishedMilitaryHonorAwardhonorsalifeofservice tothestateandcountryandisgiveninmemoryofoneof Louisiana’sfallenmilitaryheroes,StaffSgt.WilliamAustin Daniel.Burnsbeganhismilitary careerintheOrdnanceCorps oftheUnitedStatesArmyasa memberoftheEODBombSquad. Heservedournationinmany capacitiesduringhiscareeron activeduty.Burnswillbehonored attheFoldsofHonorGalaon Oct.18inBatonRougeand recognizedonthefieldatthe LSUversusUniversityofFlorida Burns footballgameOct.17alongside thechildrenofthosekilledorwoundedinservicetoournation.