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DannyHeitman
AT RANDOM
Smallchanges canopen us to miracles
While Iwas deep in the newspaper the other morning, a sound from the patio, likethe steady shakeofamaraca, took me out of the headlines. Glancing out the window,Iquickly solved the riddle. My wife was working among her tomatoes and cucumbers, salting their roots with grains from ajar With jolts of fertilizer,she was trying to give them asecond life.
August is an in-betweentime in Louisiana gardens. Fall isn’t within reach, but summer is bottoming out. Plants that seemed strong and vibrant when the season began now tend to look abit shopworn so alittle perspective helps. Old gardeners know thatthe doldrums will pass,and in the meantime, it’sbest to wait things out.
Or so Itell myself when I glance at our tomatoes, which have gotten stingier with their fruit. Our cucumber vine is a little playedout, too, as if it’s decided thatsummer is ahill it no longer wants to defend. The hydrangeas wilt more these days when the weather’sdry, but Istand overthem witha hose at dusk to give them courage. Out in the front yard, our big sycamore is shedding as it does every summer,strips of bark littering the yard like leaflets dropped from enemy planes.
This August, other parts of life have also seem alittle tired. Summer is supposed to be arestorative season, butit’s had adifferent feel this year
The news cycle doesn’tseem to chime withsummer’scelebration of carefree times. Even so, the days bringtheir gifts. Iwas watering our pencil tree the other evening when a rainbow appeared in the spray The colors faded in and out as Imoved the nozzle, reminding me that the tiniest changes in how we see things can open us to miracles.
I‘ve been thinking aboutthis more deeply after finishing “And Then? And Then? What Else?,” novelist Daniel Handler’snew memoir.Near the end of his book, Handler wonderswhether appreciating this little stuff matters very much in abroken world.
“How,” he asks, “can such a loss be comforted, and how can it be repaired? Youmust we must —build it back the same way, layer by layer,out of tiny things we findand love.”
This seems like wiseand timely advice,which I’m trying to keep in mind as we allnavigate achallenging year.Inthe spirit of respite and renewal, I hope to do abetter job at noticing goodness close at handin this final leg of summer
One recent weekend, my wife and Ismiled when our
ä See AT RANDOM, page 2G
BY LAURENCHERAMIE and JANRISHER | Staff writers
rawfish
Aquatics
co-founder Steven Ripple is as concerned with teaching everyone how to swim, along with core values,asheishelping gifted swimmers reach the Olympics
“We’re not trying to make Olympians,” Ripplesaid. “Valuecentric principles are learned It’s about humility.It’sabout gratitude. Kids have to belong to something.”
Even so, theprogram hashad afew Olympians in itstime and several swimmers in the Olympic trials. Carson Foster,who swam with CrawfishAquatics from2007 to2010, just won abronze medal inParis forthe U.S. in themen’s
PROVIDED PHOTOS
ABOVE: Sebastian Gomez, with Crawfish Aquatics, flexes hismuscles. TOP: ‘We’re not trying to makeOlympians,’Crawfish Aquaticscofounder Steven Ripple said. ‘Value-centric principles are learned.It’s about humility.It’sabout gratitude. Kids have to belong to something.’
400m individualmedley anda silver medal in the men’s4x200m freestyle
relay
In 2008, Phillip Morrison, another Crawfish Aquatics member, swam forBrazilatthe Olympics in Beijing
Despite the progress and awards, the goal remains the same: Foreveryone,nomatter the skill level, to find aplace to fit in and advance their swim skills. Theoverall mission at Crawfish Aquatics, which operates in itsown facilitiesinboth Baton
ä See AQUATICS, page 2G
Howmanydrawbridges areinLouisiana?
BY JANRISHER Staff writer
Curious Louisianareader Abigail Hendren, of Baton Rouge, asked, “Does Louisiana have moredrawbridges than any other state? Andhow many drawbridges are in thestate? Hendren, originally from Lexington, Kentucky,went to LSU and was struck by thenumber of large and small moveable bridges in her adopted state.
The correct term forthe bridges is “moveable bridges,” according to Rodney Mallett, communications director forthe Department of Transportation and Development. He says Louisiana currently has 138 total movable bridges. He explained that 101 of the moveable bridges are owned/ operated by the DOTD.The remaining 37 are operated by local cities or municipalities. “DOTD currently employs
around 175 employees across the state to operate its movable bridges,” Mallett said. “Many bridges are manned and operate ‘on signal,’ meaning they will open upon request. Someof these bridges operate ‘on signal’ 24/7 while other bridges will only operate ‘on signal’ during specific defined hours.” Meanwhile, Mallett explained that other bridges operate “on
CURIOUS
Continued from page1G
call,” meaning they require a specific number of hours of advance notice before they will open.
“This can range from 4hours of notice to 24 hours or 48 hours of notice,” Mallett said.
In the calendar year 2023, the DOTD owned/operated bridges were opened for navigation, collectively,just over 100,000 times for the year,accordingto Mallett.
“Some bridges are staffed 24 hours aday,seven days aweek Others are on-call. Some of the bridge operator houses, that’s what we call them, are only used when there is an advance reservation for the bridge to be opened,” DOTD’schief maintenance engineer Kevin Reed said. “Others are always staffed.”
Reed said that the state’s busiest bridges are opened 5,000 to 10,000 times annually Meanwhile, some bridges will operate just ahandful of times eachyear,and in some cases won’t even open at all in agiven year Mallett says that thebridges are operated fairly similarly to how they have always been operated—except that communicationisdifferent these days.
“No one uses whistles now Communication is more efficient,” he said withalaugh.“All industry evolves.”
Reed explained that most moveable bridge operators still usesradios to communicate. Reed has been withthe DOTD for 21 years with 7years as the chief maintenance engineer in charge of all bridges.
Reed says that Louisiana and Florida run neck and neck for having the most operable movable bridges in the countryand it goes back andforth between the twostates from year to year In Louisiana, the West Larose Bridge is the second-most used moveable bridge in Louisiana.
The BlackBayouinCalcasieu is the most openedbridge in the state.
In 2019, two Texas men died when their car sunk in theIntracoastal Waterway after they attempted to jump the Black Bayou Bridge. In astatement, Trooper Derek Senegal said the men were driving south on La. 384, known as Big Lake Road, when they came to the Black Bayou Bridge around 2a.m. The pontoon bridge was raised to allow aboat to pass on the Intracoastal Waterway
According to awitness as reported by Katie Gagliano, the passenger got out of the 2016ChevroletCruze andlifted the drawbridge gate arm. The driver pulled through, picked up the passenger and backed up to gain alittle distance before speeding forward to jumpthe bridge’s ramp.
The vehicle became airborne, then crashed into the waterway and sank. The driver was unable to escape the vehicle. The passenger was located floating in the waterway,according to Senegal.
To submit aquestion about something in Louisiana that’sgot you curious, go to theadvocate.com/ curiouslouisiana.
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neighbors inflated abounce house near the fence. Children squealed through the afternoon as they danced on their improvised cloud.
At its best, summer lifts us out of the ordinary,ifonlyfor amoment —a flutter that,like the deepest joy,surpasses understanding.
Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com
Forall youdo, my love and…araingauge
BY SAM IRWIN Contributing writer
EDITOR’S NOTE: Irwin says this piecewas inspired by Billy Collins’ poem “The Lanyard.”
Human Condition
Itravel thesugar cane belt dayafterday observing the fields, listening to farmers, scientists, agronomists and crop consultants while you, my adoring and loyal wife, stay at home planningthe grocery shopping, arranging the refrigerator and communicating with our far-flungchildren spread across theworld.
It seems Itoil endlessly andtravel far,but the work is not very hard in the grand scheme of things.
Imostly hobnob with outsized menand women who can move mountains, drain fields, overcome all obstacles and repair any machine, whileyou prepare lists of supplies andmaintain inventories ofperishables and drygoods alike as well as any Arrakian Mentat. Youprepare listsofitems for weekend tripsthat make the quartermasters of Patton’s3rd whistle in awe. At the meets, Isay common
things like, “How’sthe cane looking?” and “Got your layby done?” …things that sound knowledgeable in agricultural circles but are really nothing more than small talk that places me in the peripheral orbit of the brotherhood of growers.
Ivisit the sponsor’sswag tables filled with gloves marked with “Case,” green mesh ball caps emblazoned with“John Deere” and rain gauges appliqued with“Courtesy of Louisiana Land Bank.”
AQUATICS
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Rouge and Lafayette, is to offer high-quality swim instruction and ageneral swim experience thatfocuses on each swimmer’s overall developmentand fulfillment of potential for personal health, family funand community impact.
The organization operates a swim team and teaches swim lessons, but its staff members also teach humility,gratitude, integrity and teamwork.Crawfish Aquatics takes aholistic approach to developing swimmers.
In January 1999, the first Crawfish Aquatics practice was held at the now-closed Ketcham Fitness Center on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, after Ripple and his wife, Jan, saw aneed for aquatic facilities in the city.Ripple’sdaughter Shelly Ripple Rogers, swam for Parkview Baptist School, Stanford University and later for the USA Swimming National Team.
Rogers is theholder of over 60 Louisiana staterecords, aworld championship gold medalist and was inducted into the Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, among many other accolades. When she was leaving for college, her dad wanted to create aswimming program that was centered around families.
“I was leaving, and my brother and sister weren’tswimmers,” said Rogers, who now operates as the chief executive officer of CrawfishAquatics. “He was willing to invest and sacrificedespite the fact that he didn’tpersonally have achild who would benefit inside the actual programming.”
Crawfish Aquatics quickly grew from afew high school swimmers to hundreds of participants. In 2004,membership doubled in ayear. The next year Crawfish Aquatics opened an outdoor pool and won its first long-course state title. In 2006, the program won its first shortcourse state title. “Every child matters,” Ripple said. “It’sjust as much the social development. It’smore about ‘It ain’taboutyou.’ There is no finish line. It’s about the child that (Crawfish Aquatics) might be the last thing they ever try to join.They didn’tmake the
Iask, “Are these work gloves free?” “Is that alanyard?” and “My wife would love arain gauge.”
Icome home to aperfectly manicured yard with strategically placed native plants and trees that provide endless pleasure and habitat for ahusband and wife and the hundreds of birds, insects and squirrels. Icome home to amade bed, ameal and a swept floor But Icome home with arain gauge. Youhave worked out at the pool, swimming laps and conversing with earnest folks, and had meaningful conversations with your sister and brother
Ibrought home arain gauge, adeluxe one with precision markings upon its highly polished plastic casement; one side demarks inches and the other centimeters, forthe rest of the world. My rain gauge can precisely measure all liquids, but it works best in an open field or verdant pasture or perhaps mounted to adry,ancient post devoid of the lastamount of its original preservative. The rain gauge stands guard stoically like aRoman centurion ready to, well, remain
motionless but ready nonetheless to collect precipitation, rainfalls, snow,deluges, downpours and the earthy imagery of abovine relieving herself on aflat rock.
Here is your shirt with the stain removed.
And here is your rain gauge.
Here is your morning cappuccino.
Ideliver this rain gauge.
Youfight birds forfigs and blueberries.
Ihave collected yet another rain gauge.
Youturn compost and produce and protect aripe tomato from a hungry squirrel. And Idrove down Bayou Teche to procure arain gauge. Here are my loving arms, my compassion, my optimism and my admiration. And here is arain gauge from the exotic Iberia.
You, like the rain gauge, collect my tears, my pain, my joy and my love. Youand the rain gauge are my constant.
Irwin lives in Baton Rouge.
HumanCondition submissions of 600 words or fewer may be emailed to features@ thedvocate.com. Stories will be kept on file and publication is not guaranteed.There is no paymentfor Human Condition
football or basketball team. It’sabout building trust.”
Theorganization services children under 3 years old at Crawfish Swim School at two locations: 8556 Siegen Lane, Baton Rouge, and15077 La. 73,Prairieville. Crawfish Swim Schoolofferslessons for children as young as two months and as old as 12, ranging in programs from “Water Babies”to “Rising Stars.”
Nan Fontenot, who began working at Crawfish Aquatics in 2005, serves as theswimminglessons and masters director
“I love that Crawfish Aquatics is afamily organization and all that come feel they are apart of afamily,” she said.
“With swimming lessons, our motto is that lessons are agift for life —meaning, as we teach swimming, we are saving lives as they learn to swim.”
Additionally,Crawfish Swim School offers an Adaptive Aquatics Programinpartnership with BREC’sSunshine Club,
which bridges the gap for adults with intellectualand developmental disabilities through recreational experiences, life skills and volunteer opportunities.
Those older than 12 years old, as well as adults, partake in lessons at the CrawfishAquatics facility at 7150 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. To better serve on astatewide level, Crawfish Aquatics established aLafayette locationat 107 Susan St. in August 2009.
“Webelieve alot in the fact that swimming lessons really are agift of life for every single kid,” Rogers said. “And every single kid should havethat opportunity to learn how to swim.”
In June 2012, Crawfish Aquatics launched Outreach Lessons, aprogram that partners with local churches and nonprofits, such as RocketKidz Foundation, to provide free swim lessons. Since its inception, the program has taught more than 4,000 participants to swim.
After thelaunch of Outreach Lessons, in 2015, the organization established Crawfish Agape International, which functions as the nonprofitarm of Crawfish Aquatics. The nonprofit supports
the community through water safety education presentationsinschools, outreach swimming lessons, swimming scholarships, free water safety education materials and other aquatics and educational programming.
Ripplegivesa lotof credit to the organization’scoaching staff, who he says “give everything they have” to the kids. Rogers says that theinstructors at Crawfish Aquatics are aware of the importance of teaching someone how to swim.
“Wework every single month to constantly remind our staff that even though you may be having abad day,” Rogers said, “when you walk in that door,you don’tknow whose life you’re saving.”
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY SCOTTTHRELKELD
The U.S. 11 drawbridgeopens during avisit of transportation officials.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Nan Fontenot, right, is the Crawfish Aquatics swim lesson director and community swim lesson director
PROVIDED PHOTO
Preston Valenciano kicks hisfeet in the water at Crawfish Swim School.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO BY PETRDAVID JOSEK Carson Foster,ofthe United States, competes during aheat in the men’s400M individual medleyatthe 2024 Summer Olympics.
PROVIDED PHOTO Crawfish Aquatics founders StevenRipple, left,and Jan, right, with their daughter Shelly,who operates as the chief executive officer.Shelly Ripple Rogers was inducted into the Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.
Date setfor next LouisianaInspiredBookClub
Read thebookand join thediscussion
Staff report
The next Louisiana Inspired book club selection is Mónica Guzmán’s“INeverThoughtofit
That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious ConversationsinDangerously Divided Times.”
The virtual statewide discussion will be held online at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday,Sept. 18. Sign up for details at nola.com/book_club.
Guzmán, the daughter of Mexican immigrants who voted twice for Donald Trump, leans in the other direction. She used the lessons she learned in maintaining conversation andrelationshipwith her parentsasthe big idea behind the book. She knows frompersonal experience how hard having con-
versationswithpeople whose perspectives are different can be, but she also believes in the value of having them. The book is atimely choice given thepolitical and social climatetoday. The goal of the LouisianaInspired Book Club is to encourage readers across thestate to grab a copy by visiting their local librariesorbookstores and have civil conversation In avariety of ways,this book (along withother Book Club picks)prompts ideas or tells the stories of people who are working toward solutions —keeping in spirit with the goal of Louisiana Inspired.
‘I NeverThought of it That Way: HowtoHaveFearlessly Curious ConversationsinDangerously Divided Times’ by Mónica
LouisianaInspiredhighlightsvolunteer opportunities across south Louisiana.Ifyourorganization has specific volunteeropportunities, pleaseemail us at lainspired @theadvocate.com with details on the volunteer opportunity,organization and the contact/registration information volunteers wouldneed
Acadiana
Focus Clubhouse, Inc., 1609Johnston St ,Lafayette, offers peopleliving with mental illness opportunitiesfor friendship and the resources to find employment, housing, education, medical and psychiatric services in asingle caringand safe environment.This social and economic inclusionreverses the alarming trendofhigher suicide,hospitalizationand incarceration rates associated with mental illness. For volunteer opportunities, visit focusclubhouse.org.
BatonRouge
First Tuesdayisa dynamic community initiativethat inspires businesses to giveback in adifferent, heartfelt way. Its mission is to implement acultureofgivingbackwithin businesses, challenging leaders and their employees to dedicate time and resources one workdayper month toward serving others. Volunteers are needed forthe organization’snextwork dayon Aug. 6, servingCompanion AnimalAllianceand Revive225.To volunteer, visit firsttuesdayserves.com.
Malaya createdMentor Milo, aplatform connecting studentsand counselors. Mentor Milo is acontemporarymethod forcommunication between studentsand counselors. Throughthissoftware, counselors canschedule meetings, store information and moreeasily connectwithstudents.The programwill first be developed as aweb application and then expandedtomobile devices. Malayashares, he resourcesprovided by school counselorsled me to competein national debate tournaments, enroll in early collegewithRiver Parishes CommunityCollege,and apply forthe YoungEntrepreneurs Academy. It would be ideal if all students couldreceive the individual attentionI received.”
Shell congratulatesMalayaonbuilding a productdesigned to helpstudentsreach their fullest potential!
Malaya’spitch wonher $1,500 in seed money. Like other graduates, she is eligible forthree credits at theLSU E. J. Ourso CollegeofBusiness
To keep thebranding fun and recognizable, Malaya’s business plan features her dogMilointhe logo
NewOrleans Generation Hope, 1206 St. CharlesAve NewOrleans, has amission to surround teen parentswithmentoring,tuition assistance, apeer communityand othervital, wrap-around services. Generation Hope Scholarsgraduate at arate that is double the rate forlow-income collegestudents and eight times the rate forsingle mothersnationwide.Asalumni, they are working in fields ranging fromcomputer engineering to education. For volunteer opportunities, visit generationhope.org
MALAYA MORRISisduallyenrolled as aDutchtown High School junior participating in theRiver Parishes CommunityCollege EarlyCollege Option program. Sheisonthe road to a future filledwithunlimitedpossibilities Sheisone of 22 graduatesofthe 2024 YoungEntrepreneurs AcademyBaton Rouge(YEABR),auniquelearning experience guidingtoday’s youthas they transformintotomorrow’s business leaders.
YEABR, an after-school programlocated on LSU’scampus, teaches high school studentshow to create,execute and pitchbusiness plans for funding.
Part of anationalorganization, YEABRis sponsoredbythe BatonRouge Area Chamber (BRAC),LSU E. J. OursoCollege of Business, andLouisianaEconomicDevelopment (LED) Each year,YEA BR comestolife throughthe enthusiasticsupport of area businesses
As asponsor of YEABR, Shell supports programscholarships forstudents in Ascension Parish,wherethe company employsmorethan600 people at its Geismarfacility.
Foradditionalinformation about YEABR, visityeabr.org. Applications forthe 2024-25 programare accepted throughAugust18.
HOWYOU CANHELP:
PROVIDED PHOTO
Guzmán.
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