The Jambalaya News - 02/21/13, Vol. 4, No. 23

Steve Schindler Photography

VOL. 4, NO. 23 / FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Sam Harmison: Younger than his Years

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Hospital Round-Up

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Lake City Beat

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

GENERAL 715 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.thejambalayanews.com PUBLISHER Phil de Albuquerque publisher@thejambalayanews.com

NEWS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren@thejambalayanews.com

CONTRIBUTORS King Alexander Leslie Berman George Cline Angie Kay Dilmore Braylin Jenkins Mike Louviere Mike McHugh Mary Louise Ruehr Brandon Shoumaker Karla Tullos

contents COVER STORY 20 Our Lady Queen of Heaven School: A Celebration of Family and Friends

On Cover: Our Lady Queen of Heaven School: From left to right: Eric A. Sanders, DDS, Owen Thompson, Monsignor James Gaddy, Bryan Vincent, Mark Lundy Photo: Steve Schindler Photography

February 21, 2013 • Volume 4 • Issue 23

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REGULARS 13 7 10 11 24

Adoption Corner The Boiling Pot The Dang Yankee Tips from Tip Sports Report

FEATURES 5

Sam Harmison: Younger than his Years 9 Hospital Roundup 28 Opening Night at Dharma

ADVERTISING sales@thejambalayanews.com

ENTERTAINMENT

SALES ASSOCIATES Michele Clack Faye Drake Allen Garber

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GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Burn Rourk CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Danley Romero BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Kay Andrews

Red Hot Books Funbolaya Family Night at the Movies!

Lake City Beat!

Society Spice Jambalaya Jam Local Jam Eclectic Company Killin’ Time Crossword

Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff.

The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by The Jambalaya News, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The Jambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a selfaddressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Copyright 2013 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

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A Note From Phil It was Rhiannon’s World I was always a big dog kind of guy. So when I met my future wife and she told me she had a little dog, I wasn’t too happy. “Oh, no,” I thought. “This could be bad.” I never cared for yappy little dogs.

She told me it was a black Scottish Terrier. I wasn’t excited to meet this dog, but I faked it, hoping it would turn out okay.

I met Rhiannon about two weeks after I met Lauren. She was so cute!

We hit it off right from the start. Not only did she not yap—she rarely barked! She was ready for anything.

Lauren told me how she liked to be chased around the couch, so I started running after her and off she went. Then she would stop and go toward me so it was my turn to run.

She was so funny!

I wondered what my dog Bear would think of her. He was a big dog I got from the local rescue in Providence. So one day, as we drove to Boston, I told him about Rhiannon. I think his initial reaction was the same as mine, but he also hid it well. He sat up straight in the passenger seat as if to say, “Let’s go, dad!”

Bear and Rhiannon became instant friends. Well, at least Bear let her think that. I’ll never forget the first night they spent together.

Rhiannon stayed up all night staring at Bear, thinking he was there just for her. She was thrilled.

The next morning, we went playing in the park. I would throw the ball and Rhiannon and Bear would take off running. Since Bear was three times as big as Rhiannon, he always got to the ball first, but after a few throws, he would stop and let Rhiannon get it. She would come running and I would grab her and lift her high in the air saying “Good girl, Rhiannon! You beat Bear to the ball! You are so fast!”

Rhiannon would always sleep next to Bear. One night. I remember waking up and seeing Rhiannon pulling on Bear’s bandana, trying to play. He looked up at me with those eyes as if to say “Dad. I’m trying to sleep. Tell her to stop.” But he always let her play.

When Bear passed on about a year later it broke all of our hearts.

Rhiannon looked around for him for days. I explained to her that he had

to leave us, but she would see him again someday.

Rhiannon was always up for action. I enjoyed buying and selling cars, and I would often take her with me when I wanted to check out a vehicle. She helped me buy and sell many cars!

She also liked to help me find deals at Lowe’s and Home Depot, both in New England and down here. First, I would put her in the cart and we’d go flying around in the parking lot. It was a challenge for her to stay standing up and hanging on the front. But the more she fell, the faster she wanted me to go! Then we would go into the store panting and looking for deals. All the Lowe’s employees loved her.

She made the move from Boston to Louisiana with no problem, loving the two-and-a-half day journey, looking out the car window, running down the halls of the hotels we stayed in. It was another big adventure.

She was on the front page of the American Press with us when we were the subject of an article in the “Our Neighbors” section. She was in our commercials for our kitchen

design business, our clothing store, and our furniture store. She would always encourage me to keep going whenever I got tired. I just think she wanted to be on more adventures!

A couple weeks ago, she slept through most of the day. She was over 100 years old in dog years. She had been through all the adventures she could handle, including visiting 16 states. She lived her life to the fullest!

On February 13, I picked her up from outside, brought her in, and wiped her down with a towel. She shook herself off, took a few steps under the kitchen table and lay down. An hour later she was gone.

God gives us these wonderful creatures to be loved and to love us.

I only wish they could stay with us forever.

I miss you so much, Rhiannon.

Thank you for all the fun, games, and your odd little personality.

Give Bear a big kiss for me and a little tug on his bandana. I will see you again...when it’s time.

– Phil de Albuquerque TJN

Phil can be found all over town, and right now, he’s getting ready to go to the Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2013!

On his way, he’s hiding somewhere in The Jam. When you find the Cartoon Phil, call 436-7800 ext. 110 and leave your full name, phone number and tell us where Phil is for a chance to win A FAMILY PACK OF FOUR TICKETS to the matinee performance on MARCH 17 at the Rosa Hart Theater.

WINNER WILL BE DRAWN FEBRUARY 28.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

By

Mike Louviere Meeting Sam Harmison for the first time, it’s hard to believe that he will celebrate his 97th birthday in May. Sam looks to be 20 or so years younger and acts like a man half his age. He also could be a candidate for The Reader’s Digest’s “Most Unforgettable Character.”

Harmison is a native of Berkley Springs, West Virginia. An early family picture shows Harmison in his dad’s band. He is easy to find. He is standing in the front, the only band member wearing knickers. The young trumpet player looks to be about ten years old.

When he was 17, he joined a 15piece band and traveled on the East Coast with them for five years, playing trumpet. They played many venues, including some of the biggest hotels in the largest cities. In 1931, they were playing in New York City and took a night off. The entire band went to the legendary Cotton Club in Harlem.

“The Cotton Club was a unique place, very popular at the time,” he remembered. “All of the entertainers were black and the customers were white. The night we were there, Cab Calloway was the headliner. When it came time for him to go on, there was a series of drum rolls, then things got quiet. A spotlight came on and Calloway walked into the light. He had on a purple tuxedo! No one had ever seen anything like that; it was so unusual that it blew everyone away.

The place went wild! It was one of the best nights I’ve ever spent.”

INTO THE REAL WORLD After his tenure with the band, Harmison’s first “real job” was with the Firestone Corporation in Akron, Ohio in their accounting department.

A woman who came in and out of his office to do business thought that he had some ability in an area other than Volume 4 • Issue 23

finance and offered to send him to an interior decorating school in Rhode Island. He went. “I freelanced with the lady for a while and did two pretty good jobs,” he said. “We decorated a home for Admiral Richard Byrd and another for Senator Robert Byrd. They were interesting people to meet.”

But ultimately, he decided that the field was not for him.

So he went back to Firestone and became a store manager, marrying his wife Jane in 1944. They would be married 64 years until her death in 2008.

“We lived in three states the first five years we were married,” he said.

“They kept us on the move.” He decided to leave Firestone and became a store manager at Western Auto. But that store caught fire and completely burned.

“I was moved to Amarillo and then to El Paso,” he continued. “I stayed there for 30 years. I wanted to stay in one place because we had two boys and I did not to want to constantly move while they were growing up.”

Eventually, he became a furniture and toy buyer for American Furniture Company, working his way up to national sales manager for a company headquartered in Juarez, Mexico that made fiberglass furniture.

“I was over 42 sales reps in three states and 17 counties in Texas alone,” Harmison said.

But there would be yet another change in store for him. “One time, Jane and I had been on a vacation and were driving home and she said, ‘why don’t we open a store?’” he said. “She had been dealing with people that were dealers in home furnishings, paintings, collectables, and stuff like that. We ended up opening two stores in El Paso.”

When their son Mike ended his service with the US Navy, he entered the banking business and became established in Lake Charles. He sug-

gested that Sam and Jane sell out in El Paso and move to Lake Charles. They thought about his idea and decided to make the move.

LAKE CHARLES AND THE PLUM TREE But retirement was out of the question. When they settled in Lake Charles, they opened The Plum Tree, which was one of the Cottage Stores.

“We sold a lot of different things in the Plum Tree,” Harmison remembered. “We had the fiberglass furni-

ture. It was the best outdoor furniture available. It took very little maintenance; all you had to do was wash it off with a hose. We sold the Edna Hibel plates and got to know her. We were able to import Guiseppe Armani figurines. You can see a lot of what we sold in here today,” he added, gesturing around his living room. “We sold a lot of fine collectable items.”

In their years of successfully operating the Plum Tree, the Harmisons received several awards for

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their business endeavors. Things were going well until Jane was diagnosed with colon cancer. When her health declined, they sold the store.

“I decided we needed to sell the store so that I could take care of her,” Harmison said. His wife lived two more years with Sam by her side. But before Jane’s death, Sam had taken another hard blow when his son Steve died unexpectedly.

STILL GOING STRONG Harmison shows very few signs of his age. He may be as agile as he

Sam enjoys a recent birthday card.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

was a few decades ago, but his mind is as active as it ever was. The ability to converse on almost any subject accurately is still with him and the twinkle is still in his eyes.

“Once you learn to be a salesman, it never leaves you,” he said with a smile. “I thought a while back, I ought to look around and see what I could find, but I decided that I don’t have the stamina I had a few decades ago.”

He is content in his interesting home, which houses an eclectic collection that ranges from the aforementioned Hibel and Armani figurines to Civil War miniature figures to an original poster from his 1931 Cotton Club visit. He has two Olympic posters, one from the 1894 and another from the 1898 Olympics. “I like these Olympic posters. I wish I knew someone who could hook me up with some more,” he said.

On the wall of his living area is a beautiful charcoal draw-

ing of a tree with spread limbs and leaves, done in an oriental style. It’s the most impressive thing in his home.

“We wanted to cover the wall with silk, but it was too expensive,” he said. “Jane said, ‘Get me a 69-cent charcoal stick and I’ll draw you a tree.’ You know I got her that charcoal and she drew that tree in just a little over an hour.” There is a “JH” in the lower right corner.

A strong interest in history has led Harmison to scrapbook. He has a large collection of family memorabilia and pictures, along with two books of archived newspaper clippings that date from 1916 to recent times. They include such events as the crash of the airship Akron in 1933 and an article about Gertrude Ederle swimming the English Channel in 1926, along with numerous articles about Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean and the March, 1932 kidnapping of his infant son. The subsequent trial and execution of accused kidnapper Bruno Hauptmann is also documented.

He has autographs from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Zane Grey, and Will Rogers. Among the signed letters and autographed pictures is a small letter

on blue paper. It was written by General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson to General Robert E. Lee. To say that his home is a museum is not an overstatement.

He still keeps busy. In his neighborhood, he is noted as the mailbox painter, since he paints it the first of every month. Last month it was decorated for Mardi Gras; it is currently red for Valentine’s Day. And thanks to two of his neighbors, he has discovered a sport he likes that has made an appearance in Lake Charles: roller derby.

“My wife and I used to buy season tickets to the derby when we lived where there was a derby,” he said. “I’m glad to see it come to Lake Charles. It is a fun thing to go to.

The thing about the derby here is that they do it on flat concrete. The girls really take some hard falls. The two girls that live next door are on the team here and they took me to some of the derbies. I really had a good time.”

Harmison still enjoys life to the fullest. He remembers the past, yet lives in the present, and most of his memories are good ones. “I really had a good time” accurately sums up the interesting life of Sam Harmison. TJN

Volume 4 • Issue 23

The

Boiling

P l

Please submit press releases to lauren@thejambalayanews.com

PROGRESSIVE WASTE SOLUTIONS EXPANDS LOCAL SALES TEAM Progressive Waste Solutions has expanded its local sales team with the addition of Jake Philmon as district sales manager and sales representative Kevin “Davis” LaFleur. Philmon comes to Progressive Waste Solutions with over 30 years of experience in the waste industry. His strong sales background and knowledge of the waste disposal industry make him fundamental in reaching Progressive’s local goals of volume growth and superior customer service in Lake Charles and the surrounding area.

Formerly with JimBill Disposal, LaFleur joins the Progressive sales team with a strong sales record in waste disposal sales. His experience also includes the many connections he has made from his 25 years as a radio personality at local country station KYKZ 96. For more information, contact Progressive Waste Solutions Lake Charles office at (337) 436-2161.

LSBDC HIRES BUSINESS CONSULTANT James T. Jones has been named a business consultant with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese. Jones has 21 years of experience in the banking industry, including work as a credit analyst, branch manager and business and commercial banker. He received his MBA from LSU in Shreveport and his bachelor’s degree in business management from McNeese.

Among his responsibilities are providing small business counseling, training and information services to owners or potential owners.

Jake Philmon

Kevin LaFleur

L’AUBERGE SUPPORTS ABF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles supported the ABF Community Development Fund’s annual Basketball Fundraiser with a cash donation and luxury auction item.

Pictured presenting a $2,850 sponsorship check are (L to R): Michael Ned, Board Member; Freda Gauthier, Event Organizer, Keith W. Henson, L’Auberge Senior VP & General Manager; and State Representative A.B. Franklin, founder.

Volume 4 • Issue 23

CVB HONORED The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau recently accepted the award for Outstanding CVB of the Year at the Lt. Governor’s Tourism Summit, held Jan. 22-24, as well as an award for having the best Tourism Campaign/Promotion of the Year. The bureau also won an award for its National Tourism Week promotions for the Tourism Campaign/Promotion of the Year category. For more information about the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, visit www.visitlakecharles.org.

WALLACE NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SEED CENTER Adrian L. Wallace has been named the executive director of the Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development (SEED) Center's Business Incubator. Formerly with the City of Lake Charles, Wallace has worked on this project since its inception and has recently earned his Incubator Management Certification. He also has a B.S. degree in Chemistry (Texas Southern University) and an MBA (McNeese State University). The SEED Center Business Incubator, which will be located at The SEED Center, will include over 30 office spaces for Business Incubator clients. The SEED Center will also be home to the Alliance, Chamber, and other economic development organizations such as IMCAL, McNeese University Small Business Development Center, PTAC and SCORE. SYMPHONY NAMES NEW DIRECTOR Shelly Appleby has been named executive director for the Lake Charles Symphony. She comes with more than 20 years of professional experience in grant writing, fundraising, coordinating special events and volunteer management. In her position as executive director for the Lake Charles Symphony, she has a strong drive to collaborate with public/private sector, education, government, and other nonprofit art organizations to further the artistic synergy of the Symphony that began over 55 years ago.

Shelly Appleby FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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McDONALDS OF SWLA AND BILLY NAVARRE SUPPORT SOUTH LAKE CHARLES LITTLE LEAGUE McDonald’s of Southwest Louisiana and Billy Navarre Chevrolet Cadillac recently donated $14,000 to the South Lake Charles Little League.

This past year, the league's 12-year old boys won the state championship and went on to compete in the Southwest Regional Tournament in Waco, Texas.

Pictured are Dexter Fountain, league player agent; Doug Gehrig, McDonald’s of SWLA; Ron Turner, league president; Ryan Navarre, and David Haegele, league VP. CITY SAVINGS BANK MARKS 85TH ANNIVERSARY City Savings Bank recently celebrated 85 years of community banking service. Customers as well as the public were invited to visit any City Savings Bank location on Valentine’s Day to enjoy refreshments and help celebrate the bank’s milestone birthday. City Savings Banks was recently ranked fourth in overall performance among banks in Louisiana by the nationally recognized

Business is

Booming! mi And we need to increase our sales staff!

financial firm, Financial Management Consulting (FMC) Group. City Savings Bank is the only Southwest Louisiana bank to be listed in the top five. For more information, visit www.citysavingsbank.com.

SWLA STUDENTS COMPETE AT REGIONAL POETRY OUTLOUD COMPETITION Nine high school students representing Sulphur High School, DeRidder High School, Westlake High School, A.M. Barbe (from left to right) Brooke Bose, Bree Lee, High School, and home Elizabeth Salvador school groups competed for the top three honors at the SWLA Regional Poetry Out Loud Competition at Central School. Elizabeth Salvador, a home school student, won third place in the competitions with her performances of “Sea Fever” by John Masefield and “A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky” by Lewis Carroll. Bree Lee, a junior at Sulphur High School, was awarded second place for her recitations of “Alone”

by Edgar Allan Poe, and “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight” by Vachel Lindsay. Brooke Bose, a junior at A.M. Barbe High School, was honored with first place for her moving renditions of “The Lamb” by Linda Gregg and “The Maids Lament” by Walter Savage Landor. Poetry Out Loud is coordinated in the SWLA region by the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, and was initiated by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts in 2005. For more information, contact the Arts Council office at (337) 439-2787.

HEALTHY IMAGE NAMED US CHAMBER BLUE RIBBON AWARD WINNER The U.S. Chamber of Commerce named Healthy Image, a full-service marketing and communication agency in Lake Charles, a 2013 Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winner. Healthy Image was one of 100 businesses throughout the country to be named. The company’s three partners, Kristy Armand, Christine Fisher, and Barbara VanGossen, will be recognized in April at America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. The award program honors companies that demonstrate excellent business practices in several areas including strategy, employee development, community involvement and customer service. Blue Ribbon businesses are also eligible for the Community Excellence award, which will be decided through online public voting until February 22. To vote, visit www.usachambersummit.com/ceaaward and vote for Healthy Image. To learn more, visit www.ehealthyimage.com.

STELLY PROVIDES LEADERSHIP TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS John Stelly of Nissan of Lake Charles, Paramount Automotive and 171 Nissan of DeRidder will be funding The Leader In Me initiative in three schools in Southwest Louisiana. In Beauregard Parish, a portion of these funds ($47,715) will bring The Leader In Me to Merryville Elementary School.

John Stelly and Paramount Automotive Companies’ investment in The Leader in Me is a total of $150,000.

Do you have prior sales experience?

Are you looking for full-time work with people who love what they do?

E-mail resume to office@thejambalayanews.com PAGE 8

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Avon Knowlton (SWLA Economic Development Alliance) Chad Schulz (Merryville Elementary), Dennis Parrott (Rosepine Police Chief), John Stelly, Tim Cooley (Superintendent of Beauregard Parish Schools), Troy Auzenne (owner/GM of 171 Nissan), George Swift (Alliance President/CEO), Ann Barilleaux (Alliance Foundation Development Director) Volume 4 • Issue 23

legs and feet.

By striving to answer the need for a safer, more effective procedure to treat a wider range of disease states including tough, calcified plaque, the Diamondback 360°TM System optimizes the ability to remove plaque and restore flow for treating the disease – ultimately improving the patient’s quality of life and saving limbs.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AWARDED JOINT COMMISSION ACCREDITATION Lake Charles Memorial Hospital has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals, home care and behavioral health. The accreditation award recognizes Memorial’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.

Lake Charles Memorial underwent a rigorous unannounced on-site survey in August 2012. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated the hospital for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

"With Joint Commission accreditation, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence,” says Larry Graham, CEO of Lake Charles Memorial Health System. “Achieving Joint Commission accreditation, for our organization, is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care we provide.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital standards address important functions relating to the care of patients and the management of hospitals. The standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts, providers, measurement experts and patients. Lake Charles Memorial is surveyed every three years.

WCCH ANNOUNCES SAFETY AWARD RECIPIENTS West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital recently named Charlotte Ardoin, RN, and Lonnie Puryear, network telecommunications supervisor, as recent recipients of its Safety Award. The award, which honors employees for their promotion of Lonnie Puryear Charlotte Ardoin safety and safety awareness in and around the hospital, is distributed to those employees that demonstrate extraordinary awareness and action in minimizing potential safety risks.

According to JW Peloquin, WCCH safety officer, “Providing exceptional healthcare to those visiting our facility is at the forefront of everything we do.

Our success with meeting this vision statement can be attributed to the great attention we place on sustaining this culture of safety.”

WCCH ADOPTS NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR TREATING PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is pleased to announce that it’s the first in Southwest Louisiana to offer a new treatment option to people suffering from the debilitating effects of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) – the Diamondback 360°TM Orbital Atherectomy System.

Peter Angelopoulos, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FSVM, interventional cardiologist with the Heart and Vascular Center and medical staff member of WCCH, is currently the only cardiologist in the area practicing with the new equipment and has played a pivotal role in demonstrating the potential safety and effectiveness of this new technology, and its ability to provide new hope for treating the disease.

Peripheral Arterial Disease is a life-threatening condition where plaque builds up on the inside walls of the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to legs and arms. The build-up of plaque causes the arteries to harden and narrow – a condition called atherosclerosis – reducing blood flow to the Volume 4 • Issue 23

GARY NAMED WCCH EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital recently named Chase Gary, exercise specialist at Dynamic Dimensions Fitness Center in Sulphur, as its first quarter Employee of the Quarter. Gary is responsible for assisting in the coordination, promotion, and implementation of all wellness programs at Dynamic Dimensions and in the daily operations of the center.

He also provides appropriate, systematic, individualized, and safe exercise prescriptions for clients, identifying goals and considering the health status, risk factors, limitations, abilities and preferences of these members. Gary is a resident of Lake Charles and has worked at WCCH for six years.

Chase Gary

LAKE AREA PHYSICIANS OPENS NEW CLINIC IN GRAND LAKE Lake Area Physicians, a multi-specialty group affiliated with Women & Children’s Hospital is pleased to announce the opening of a satellite primary care clinic located at 10071 Gulf Highway, right next to Brown’s Neighborhood Market and Subway. Grand Lake area residents will have access to experienced primary care providers including family medicine physicians, internists, a pediatrician and a wound care specialist, right in their community. Services available include annual physicals for adults and children, x-rays, lab tests, management of chronic illnesses, treatment for colds, flu, minor injuries and more. New patients are being accepted and walk-ins are welcome. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointment requests can be made online at www.lakeareaphysicans.com or by calling the clinic at (337) 905-2151.

WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S PRESENTS ‘GIRL’S NIGHT OUT’ Women & Children's Hospital is proud to present “Girl's Night Out” on Sat., March 2, from 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. Girls ages 9-16 are invited to come hear physicians, nurses and other professionals engage in direct and honest dialogue concerning a wide array of topics including anatomy, puberty and hygiene, fitness and nutrition, self-esteem, sexual health and more. Pre-registration and a signed parental consent is required. Cost is $20 per person, which includes dinner. For more information or to register, call 475-4075 or visit www.Women-Childrens.com/GirlsNightOut.

RIBBON CUTTING AT CALCASIEU URGENT CARE Calcasieu Urgent Care of Lake Charles, an efficient, affordable alternative to visiting the emergency room, recently celebrated their ribbon-cutting.

Whether you have an urgent need or you've had trouble getting an appointment with your primary doctor, the clinic is there for you. The walk-in clinic was founded in 2012 by Lake Charles resident Dr. Robert M. Anderson and is located at 2640 Country Club Road (Suite 400) in Lake Charles. Go to www.calcasieucare.com for more information.

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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Dang Yankee The

By Mike McHugh

Lights! Camera! Gangnam Style!

Mardi Gras was special for me this year, as it featured my acting debut here in Southwest Louisiana.

It was in a big production, too—the presentation for the Krewe de la Famille ball. If you didn’t catch it, I’m sure it’s out there on YouTube somewhere. Just do a search using the keywords “dancing clowns,” or better still, “spasmodic musk oxen.”

My wife and I are new krewe members, or what our ball captain, J.J., likes to refer to us as “fresh meat.” He greeted us warmly when we met him the first time. I should

have taken more notice at that meeting of the way he was wringing his hands, as a redneck might if he’d just gotten his hands on Jimmy Johnson’s car keys.

“So, you’re going to be in the skits for this year’s ball presentation, right?” he asked us.

“Yeah, sure!” we answered, my wife with excitement, me with a bit more apprehension. She’s had numerous roles in amateur theater, whereas the extent of my acting résumé was the time I played the part of a tree during a grade school

performance of Robin Hood.

They must have seen potential talent, though, as they tapped me to be in two skits. The first one—the couples’ skit—wasn’t so bad, as they gave me the part of a lion. I’d always fancied myself as a lion-kind of guy, and so it would not be too difficult to assume the character.

My wife agreed, noting certain elements of my behavior, particularly in the area of table manners.

As a lion, my big moment involved jumping through a ring of fire. And it wasn’t actually what you would call “on fire.” It was just a hoop decorated with fire-colored feathers. And it was big; I could have flown a blimp through the thing. Still, compared to the Robin Hood gig, I was moving up in the world of theater.

It was the second skit—the one for just the men—that threatened to make my acting career shorter than the life expectancy of an armadillo crossing Interstate 10. In this one, we were all supposed to be clowns.

My wife would tell you that I’m more suited for that role than playing a lion. And she’d be right, except in this skit, we weren’t going to be doing any clown-type stuff, like riding around on Barbie dollsized tricycles. I could have done that a lot more easily than what our director, Karen, wanted us to do, which was to dance.

The dance that she had in mind for us was one that had gone viral on YouTube a while back, although I’d never seen it. It was called “Gangnam Style,” done by a Korean entrepreneur named Psy, thus adding dance moves to the growing list of exports from that country. It was an ambitious project on Karen’s part, getting a group of 50-something guys, whose idea of strenuous

physical activity is shuffling a poker deck, to move like they were in a Jane Fonda exercise video.

But the dance wasn’t the worst part of it; rather, it was our costumes. Mine looked like a sleeping bag for the Easter Bunny, something I wouldn’t otherwise be caught dead in, or even at Wal-Mart. And we had to wear these foam clown noses that cut off the air supply to our lungs, so that the dancing felt as if we were doing aerobics while choking on a chicken bone.

The best way I can describe the Gangnam Style dance is to say that it’s like riding a wild stallion through a field of banana peels. Karen made us practice it over and over until we got it right, or faked ankle injuries, as was more often the case. But slowly, things came together.

But when the big night came, the butterflies in my stomach felt more like pterodactyls. From backstage, I peered through the curtains to see an ever-growing crowd of guests in tuxedoes and evening gowns filling the stands of the Civic Center Coliseum. They looked like they were being seated for a performance of Madame Butterfly, unaware that they were about to get something more along the lines of a Dancing With the Stars episode featuring the Three Stooges. I hadn’t wished so much for a bomb threat since that day in high school when I hadn’t studied for my physics final.

In the end, I had nothing to fear.

The crowd went wild as we demonstrated the newest Korean import, making me wonder what kind of beverages they were serving up there in the stands.

So would I do it again next year?

Maybe, but I’m going to be paying much closer attention to what’s hot on YouTube. TJN

Dang Yankee Gumbo Congrats to Mike McHugh, our Dang Yankee! He got a Jambalaya team together to enter the annual Mardi Gras Gumbo Cook-off. We didn't place, but Mike got our score yesterday. The Jam ranked SIX out of 29!!! Thanks to Mike and his wife Susan and Dr. Bruce and Monika Maerhofer for their hard work! Next year, we hope to bring home a trophy!

TJN

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

By George “Tip” Cline

IT’S CRAWFISH TIME! In a way, it’s nice to get past the holiday season. Life gets so hectic between Halloween and Mardi Gras.

Since our past Mardi Gras season was on the short side, it was a jammedpacked whirlwind, winding up with some of the best parades that Lake Charles has ever offered. The hustle

Volume 4 • Issue 23

and bustle is so much fun, but a slower time is welcome and good for the soul.

A time of reflection allows the mind to clear and sort through the memories and be able to appreciate the good times we’ve shared with those that mean so much to us.

Now, it’s crawfish season and that will make for some good get-togethers.

Nothing says family and good friends like that Good Friday crawfish boil as the weather begins to warm up and the flowers come back to life. As I had mentioned in an earlier column, the prospects for a great crawfish season are now coming to fruition. The prices

have been coming down and the quality is superb. For boiled crawfish to be in the $3.50 range at the early part of the season bodes well for us fans of the tasty crustacean.

We have been able to enjoy mudbugs many more times this late winter than we have been able to in quite a few years as they are quite plentiful and certainly more affordable. The drivethrough take-out boil houses are springing up around town and that makes a crawfish dinner an easy accomplishment. Some of them are offering boiled crab and shrimp as well.

GOOD NEWS FOR DINERS A recent survey shows the trend to eat out more is good news for diners and quite the opposite for the restaurant industry. The pressure is on for providers to give more for less, putting their profit margins in jeopardy. The forecast shows that diners are cost shopping more and demanding discounts while seeking coupons and special deals. All this while the cost of beef and other food items are rising.

The restaurant business is extremely competitive; everyone is watching what others do to attract the fickle consumer dollar. This trend is reflective of the lackluster economy we are currently experiencing, which will

continue for some time to come. In the meantime, going out to eat may be a more economical experience.

SUPERMARKET ROUNDUP Since Lent has begun, many of us replace red meat with fish. Our shopping survey checks out some of the ingredients used in a good old tuna sandwich. We surveyed the following locations on Feb. 13: Albertsons, Country Club Road; Market Basket, Lake Street; Kroger, McNeese Street and Walmart, Nelson Road. The prices reported here reflect the posted price where the product was placed for sale on the shelf.

Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna, packed in water, 5-ounce can: Albertsons $.88, Market Basket $1.25, Kroger $.97, Walmart $1.18.

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, 30-ounce jar: Albertsons $4.59, Market Basket $4.79, Kroger $3.49, Walmart $3.98.

Heinz Sweet Pickle Relish, 12ounce squeeze bottle: Market Basket $1.89, Walmart $1.28.

Albertsons and Kroger did not have Heinz Pickle Relish on their shelves.

Whitewheat Bread, 20-ounce loaf: Albertsons $3.29, Market Basket $3.49, Kroger $3.49, Walmart $2.68. TJN

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

The Jambalaya News Person of the Year Award Dinner April 4 Save the date! The Jambalaya News will honor Sylvia Chaves Stelly at a dinner to be held in her honor on April 4, 2013 at the Chateau du Calcasieu at 932 Enterprise Boulevard in Lake Charles.

Tickets will be will be sold to this gala event, with the proceeds going to the charity of Mrs. Stelly’s choice. Look for ticket information in the next issue! TJN

Meet Sam! Are you looking for a running buddy? Or, maybe a guy to just hang out with? Sam is a terrier mix weighing about 40 pounds who loves to be outside. He would be happy to have a big, fenced yard with a doghouse to call his own (a large acreage would be even better!). He is one of our few dogs who prefers to live outside, as long as his person spends time with him. His only vice is stalking cats, so, his must be a no cat zone. He has also been known to chase chickens, so no livestock in this boy's future. He has not had the opportunity to be around children, so is not kid-tested.

Sam is about 3 years old, is incredibly smart, and would love to attend obedience training. He already "sits" on

Volume 4 • Issue 23

command. He is one boy who loves the attention of his person and is very affectionate and protective. He LOVES to play outside with other dogs. He would also love a running buddy. For more info, email us!

LAPAW brings animals looking for forever homes to PetSmart on Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. If you would like to meet a specific pet, please let us know in advance by emailing us at lapaw@bellsouth.net.

Home visit required. Hurry, Sam is waiting! TJN

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 13

Since 2009, Landmark of Lake Charles has provided so much more than a “Preferred Retirement Address!” The facility’s skilled team of therapists work in close collaboration with five assessment nurses to make sure that residents who are admitted for rehab have an excellent chance to meet or exceed their goals – whether that means going home to resume their lives independently or continuing to reside at Landmark.

Rehab patients often choose Landmark based on its reputation for helping residents successfully transition back into the lives they enjoyed before a medical event, such as a stroke, fracture, or joint replacement surgery.

Patients admitted with orders for therapy (whether it be physical, occupational, speech, or a combination) are set up for success from the beginning with an interdisciplinary team approach that puts together a plan designed for the individual and built around his or her personal goals.

Landmark’s physical therapists work with residents to improve strength, balance, and endurance, so that transferring or walking becomes safer and mobility is enhanced. Arm and leg exercises get fluid moving through joints, decreasing pain and stiffness and enabling residents to tolerate more and more activity.

Landmark’s occupational therapists coordinate with physical therapy to train residents to safely transfer to and from wheelchairs, beds, recliners, or commodes. They can even educate families on how to help residents get in and out of a car. Occupational therapy focuses on sitting and standing balance so that daily activities such as eating, dressing and grooming can be executed independently and safely. By concentrating on enhancing gross and fine motor skills and working on reaching for things, residents are again able to accomplish basic tasks.

While physical and occupational therapies work to steadily rebuild the resident’s physical endurance and balance, speech therapists work on strengthening memory and processing tasks, such as remembering to lock the wheels on the wheelchair before standing, or turning off the stove after preparing dinner. Speech therapy also addresses swallowing and eating issues, strengthening mouth and throat muscles and fostering those all-important processing skills to ensure that favorite foods can once again be eaten safely. Most importantly, speech therapy can address language deficits, enabling residents to resume communicating and relating to their loved ones.

At Landmark of Lake Charles, the end product of a well-planned therapy stay is a resident on the path to declaring independence and getting back to the business of living life safely and independently.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Memorial Provides Safety Net for Moss Regional Walter O. Moss Regional Medical Center has gained renewed strength and will now live on as a part of the Lake Charles Memorial Health System.

“As Lake Charles' only community-owned, not-for-profit hospital and as the region's health care leader, we have a legacy of stepping up to provide critical health care access based on the needs of the patients we serve,” said Larry Graham, CEO and President of the Memorial Health System.

This agreement is similar to the historic public-private partnerships happening at several other state run hospitals throughout Louisiana.

Memorial will lease Moss from the LSU system. West Cameron Calcasieu Hospital will partner with Lake Charles Memorial Hospital in this endeavor through a separate agreement. This allows LSU to avoid previously planned staff layoffs at Moss and maintain patient services at the existing location while a final agreement is reached. This agreement is part of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital’s investment to strengthen the local

health system.

Lake Charles Memorial will continue clinical care, medical research and education programs provided through Moss. This agreement will also help preserve graduate medical education in the area, sustaining Memorial’s long-standing Family Medicine Residency Program, which is affiliated with LSU and referred to as Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Center Residency Program.

“Memorial has always been a team player when it comes to the health care needs of our community, and all of our decisions begin with the question: What is the right thing to do for our community?” Graham asked.

“Memorial believes that preserving the health care safety net for the working poor and uninsured served by Moss Regional is the right thing to do.”

Memorial has hired a consulting firm to help with the public to private transition of Moss Regional. The transition will start in March with the merger becoming official by late June. TJN Volume 4 • Issue 23

Bone and Joint Health

By Thomas Ford, MD, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon

Age-related changes in your bones, muscles and joints are a fact of life, but they’re also preventable. As we age, our muscle and joint tissue change, becoming thinner and more brittle.

Certain conditions affect the structure of bones and muscles including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

That can mean joint pain, inflammation, stiffness, and deformity – and a risk of falls and fractures.

Help minimize bone and joint problems by following some simple nutrition and lifestyle guidelines. Eat a diet rich in calcium (i.e., 1,000 mg/day for adults up to age 50, and 1,200-1,500 for those over age 65) and vitamin D, and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

Weight-bearing exercises like walking, climbing stairs or dancing can also help lower your risk for osteoporosis. Your joints and soft tissues provide the support and cushioning you need to stay active. Exercises that are kind on joints include swimming, yoga and bicycling. Avoid high-impact sports such as step aerobics, soccer and skiing. These types of exercise are often hard on joints and often result in injury.

Joint pain and inflammation happens as the cartilage and other soft tissues become less elastic. Arthritis can develop at any age, but is most common among adults age 65 or older.

Osteoarthritis affects weight-bearing joints; and rheumatoid arthritis impacts other joints.

It is important to follow your doctor’s recommendations for necessary screenings, such as a bone density test, which determines your bone mass. All women 65 years and older should have this test, as well as women or men age 50 or older who have a broken bone or one or more risk factors.

Finally, over-the-counter medications may relieve symptoms of joint pain and decrease degeneration of cartilage. Joint replacement surgery is an option, although it is generally discussed when other methods have failed.

Caring for your bones and joints is a lifelong journey, and it’s imperative to be proactive: eating right, getting plenty of exercise, and safeguarding against injury. By doing the right things now, you may reap the benefits of staying pain-free and active, later in life. TJN

Volume 4 • Issue 23

‘Dare to be Healthy’ Officially Launched in Calcasieu Parish Calcasieu Parish’s exciting new wellness initiative, “Dare to be Healthy,” was officially introduced at a launch at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Garber Auditorium.

Almost 100 health leaders and community organizers came together to celebrate new health-oriented services being rolled out for the residents of Calcasieu Parish, including: •New community gardens and increased availability of affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in Southwest Louisiana, especially in underserved neighborhoods.

•Bringing four major hospitals together to conduct an annual health fair each year. Three thousand free health screenings will be conducted to detect and educate participants about key health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and others.

•Fitness and nutrition classes, benefitting over 500 area children

and adults.

•Working with local restaurants to develop healthier menu items and highlighting these options to the community through an educational campaign.

The “Dare to be Healthy” initiative, made possible by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation’s $760,000 Challenge Grant, is matched by approximately $832,000 in matching funds from collaborating organizations in the Southwest Louisiana area. The program is a three-year grant, 2013 – 2015, administered by Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center in cooperation with the Partnership for a Healthier Southwest Louisiana and its community partners. TJN

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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Women & Children’s Hospital Providing Quality Care for the Entire Family

For nearly 30 years, Women & Children’s Hospital (WCH) has been providing quality healthcare services to the residents of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas.

Conveniently located off Interstate 210 and Nelson Road

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

in Lake Charles, WCH is an 88bed full-service acute care hospital. Since the hospital opened in 1984, services have expanded to offer healthcare for the entire family including: inpatient, outpatient, medical and surgical services for adults and children; a 24-hour emergency department; cardiology services, with a new catheterization lab slated to open in March 2013;

intensive care services; labor and delivery services; diagnostic imaging; laboratory services; physical, occupational and speech therapies, orthopedic surgery and urology, to name a few.

Known as the area’s preferred leader for women’s services, Women & Children’s offers an experienced team of physicians and nurses who are truly committed to patient care. By offering private labor and delivery suites, a newborn nursery, birthing classes and a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the most delicate of patients, it’s no wonder why families continue to choose Women & Children’s as the birthplace for their children.

Women & Children’s is also a recognized Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery Center of Excellence by the American

Society for Bariatric Surgery and is also accredited by The Joint Commission, one of the healthcare industry’s most recognized quality and performance standards organizations.

With nearly 500 employees and a medical staff consisting of over 200 physicians, Women & Children’s is an important healthcare resource for the community.

Not only does the hospital provide patient care, Women & Children’s also hosts numerous support groups, a seniors group called Senior Circle for adults age 50 and over, Healthy Woman for women of all ages, in addition to a variety of free educational classes and seminars to better educate the community. Visit www.WomenChildrens.com for more information about their hospital services and programs. TJN

Volume 4 • Issue 23

OB Care Continues Service

OB Care continues to serve the families of Southwest Louisiana and has expanded its staff to include two nurse practitioners and six doctors trained in obstetrics and gynecology.

The clinic’s comprehensive services and team of skilled, highly qualified physicians and nurse practitioners will guide women through their pregnancy, delivery and postpartum journey.

OB Care, a full-service obstetrics clinic, fosters a positive, healthy pregnancy and childbirth experience regardless of your financial situation. Serving the residents of Calcasieu, Cameron, Allen, Beauregard and Jefferson Davis Parishes, OB Care accepts private insurance, Medicaid or self-pay, working with expectant moms to develop an affordable payment plan.

Nurse Practitioners • Tammy Gillett, APRN, NP • Anna Marchantel, APRN, NP

You have a choice where you have your surgery Surgicare of Lake Charles is a multi-specialty outpatient surgery center that has served the Lake Charles community for 38 years. The center offers a safe, convenient and costeffective option to hospital-based surgery for both physicians and their patients, and accommodates a full range of advanced surgical outpatient care.

According to Debbie Boudreaux, RN, BSN, who has served as Surgicare’s administrator since 1992, the 12,600 sq. ft. facility offers:

Physicians • David Darbonne, MD • Bradley Forsyth, MD • Armand Grimshaw, MD • William Groves, MD • Gisele McKinney, MD • Matthew Scroggs, MD OB Care is located at 1420 18th Street in Lake Charles. Call (337) 562-0510 or (888) 814-6880 for more information. TJN

• five operating rooms • two procedure rooms • post-operative waiting area • surgical recovery area • a step-down area where patients are monitored before they are discharged Surgicare’s surgical specialties include ENT (ear, nose and throat), General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery and Cosmetics, Gynecology, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management and Dental.

Surgicare employs a staff of 27 medical and administrative professionals and partners with 160 credentialed physicians, surgeons, podiatrists and dentists located throughout Southwest Louisiana. Most of the physicians are on the medical staff at Women & Children’s Hospital, as well as other area facilities. With such a large group of affiliated physicians, area residents can easily find a physician that utilizes the facility, which offers a convenient central location, covered patient drop-off and pick-up areas, free parking and many other amenities.

Surgicare of Lake Charles is an important healthcare resource for the residents of Southwest Louisiana. They are able to work with most insurance plans to provide patients with the surgical care they need. For a physician directory or for more information, call (337) 436-6941 or stop by the center located at 2100 Lake Street in Lake Charles. TJN Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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The Chiropractic Experience Ultimate Performance Sports and Rehab What if we told you that your body was created with the ability to heal itself in miraculous ways? It’s fascinating to watch the tail of a lizard regenerate. We do similar things every single day. Have you thought of what goes into replacing old skin and bone? You were born to be healthy and self-healing, and this is what chiropractors utilize in their practices.

Chiropractic is a field of the healing arts structured on the understanding that one’s brain and spinal cord control every mechanism of the body. For every effect; there must be a cause. For every effect seen in the body--the way we feel, think, or function--there is a cause that can be traced back to the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord.

Stress can come in three forms: mental, chemical, and structural. Chiropractors are

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

trained to identify and correct any stress placed on the central and peripheral nerves. We address chemical, poor nutrition, and physical, spinal misalignments.

Along with many other roles, the human spine functions as a protective housing for the nerves that exit the spinal cord. Misalignments in the vertebrae can decrease the amount of

Dr. Jeremy Ward

Dr. Kyle Daigle

information going to and from your brain to the rest of your body, dampening your brain’s ability to optimally control your muscles and organs.

Likewise, if we are robbing our body of the essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, we can’t function at our best.

Chronic spinal misalignments and nutritional deficiencies can manifest themselves as symptoms such as pain, fatigue, muscle weakness, gut dysfunctions, etc. In order for our body to function at its best and heal itself, our brain needs the proper nutrition and signal-

ing, both inward and outward.

At one time or another, we’ve all had to deal with being in a traffic jam. We will eventually get to our destination, but it slowed us down, required more gas, and made us angry. No one likes being delayed, and your central nervous system feels the same way. Once you remove the stress and give yourself the proper fuel, miracles start happening. People who utilize chiropractic experience decreased pain, increased function, and an all-over sense of well-being. When you give your body what it needs, you can expect miracles!

For more information, call the Ultimate Performance office at 421-0010. It is located at 646 W. McNeese Street in Lake Charles. TJN

Volume 4 • Issue 23

Know Your

Numbers

How many numbers do you keep track of in your daily life? If you’re like most people, probably at least a dozen: phone numbers, birth dates, social security number, bank accounts, pass codes, deadline dates, weight, employee I.D. and more.

But there are some important numbers you may not be all that familiar with – your blood pressure. Richard Gilmore, MD, interventional cardiologist with CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital, says everyone should know their blood pressure and understand what the numbers mean. “This is a very important part of preventing heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure is a risk factor for both of these serious conditions,” he said.

Research shows that as a person’s blood pressure rises above the optimal level of 120/80 mmHg, the risk of suffering a stroke, heart attack, or heart failure increases. Even study participants with a high-normal blood pressure of 130/85 had a 1.5 to 2.5 times greater risk within 10 years of having a cardiovascular-related health problem than those with optimal blood pressure. “The bottom line is the higher the pressure, the greater the risk,” Dr. Gilmore explained.

Many people get confused about the two numbers included in the blood pressure reading. As the heart pumps blood through the arteries to the body, the force of pressure in the arteries is measured with the blood pressure cuff.

Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers, with systolic over diastolic. The systolic pressure is recorded when the heartbeats, and the bottom number, the diastolic pressure, is recorded when the heart relaxes.

“When your pressure begins to rise, it means the heart is working harder,” explains Dr. Gilmore. “Often in older adults, the systolic number begins to rise while the diastolic number remains low or normal. This condition is called isolated systolic hypertension, or ISH. Studies have clearly shown that treating ISH prevents death from heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure; and improves the quality of life.”

The good news is that everyone can take steps to prevent and control high blood pressure. Here’s how: Aim for a healthy weight. Your risk of high blood pressure increases if you are overweight or obese. One way to determine if you need to lose weight is to measure your waist. If it is greater than 35 inches (women) or 40 inches (men), you probably have excess abdominal weight and may benefit from weight loss. Talk to your doctor to see if you are Volume 4 • Issue 23

at increased risk for high blood pressure and need to lose weight.

Be physically active each day. Get involved in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, such as walking, most days of the week. You can even do this in three 10-minute segments during the day.

Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. A recent clinical study, “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Sodium,” provided strong evidence on the ability to lower blood pressure by eating a diet low in salt and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. The DASH eating plan provides plenty of food choices that can be prepared in a variety of menus.

Choose foods low in salt and sodium. Most Americans consume more salt than they need. The current recommendation is to consume less than 2.4 grams (2,400 milligrams) of sodium a day. That equals about 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of table salt a day. The 6 grams include ALL salt and sodium consumed, including that used in cooking and at the table. It is easy to substitute

herbs and spices for salt. Read the food labels to make low-sodium choices. The DASH diet can help with guidelines for this.

If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. For men, this is no more than two 12-ounce servings of beer, or two 5-ounce glasses of wine, or two 11/2-ounce servings of “hard” alcohol a day. Women or lighter weight people should have no more than a single serving of any one of these beverages per day.

Take high blood pressure medicine as directed. If lifestyle changes, such as those described above, are not keeping your pressure under control, your doctor will likely prescribe blood pressure medications. There are many excellent ones to choose. They work and will help you. Some people think that when their

blood pressure comes down, they no longer need treatment. This is wrong.

Stay on treatment. If you have questions, talk to your doctor.

Dr. Gilmore says it's important to monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis, especially if you have heart disease. “If you have high blood pressure, take the appropriate steps to control this dangerous risk factor,” he said.

“If it's not high, take steps to prevent the condition from developing. There are some cardiovascular risks we can’t control, but blood pressure is one risk factor we can manage effectively.”

For more information or to find a cardiologist, visit www.christusstpatrick.org/hearthealth or call (337) 491-7577. TJN

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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Our Lady Queen of Heaven School A Celebration of Family and Friends

By Angie Kay Dilmore

Bruks Reed, Brandi and Michael Cox and Jay Fusilier

Tender buds have emerged on trees, the grass is greener, and azaleas will soon burst into bloom.

Spring has definitely arrived in Southwest Louisiana! Are you ready to get back into the great outdoors? If so, dig your golf bag out of the garage and dust off those clubs! Our Lady Queen of Heaven Alana Lefort and Luke School will host its 11th Annual LeBeouf at the launching of “Layers of Legacy Courtyard.”

Golf Classic on March 15, 2013 at the Lake Charles Country Club.

The annual OLQH School Golf Classic began 11 years ago in memory of area businessman Mike Halay and his commitment to quality Catholic education. It will be a four-person shamble with a shotgun start at noon and registration beginning at 11 a.m. The cost is $500 per four-person team.

Register your team early to reserve a spot. The tournament is open to the public and everyone is invited. You won’t want to miss this fun, worthwhile event.

Susan and Bryan Vincent will offer culinary delights at the Fourth Hole, and Billy and Cassie Gage and Brandon and Brandi Guillory will provide tasty treats to golfers waiting to tee off on the Ninth

Hole. Players will celebrate with an awards ceremony at the Clubhouse after the Eighteenth Hole, with $3,000 in prize money awarded.

Contests include four par-3 closest-to-hole events and two longest drive contests. Several levels of hole sponsorship are available (see sidebar for details). Tournament co-chairs are Mark Lundy; Eric A. Sanders, DDS; Bryan Vincent and Billy Gage.

Proceeds from the tournament benefit OLQH’s Cornerstone Capital Campaign Fund.

The 2013 Golf Classic will be held in conjunction with the third annual “Celebration of Family and Friends Weekend.” Other events during that weekend include an OLQH School Family Jambalaya Bingo Night on Thursday, March 14, 2013 and “Spring Fling” Celebration of Family and Friends Party on Saturday evening, March 16.

CORNERSTONE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FUND

On September 7, 2012, OLQH School began an ambitious capital gains project in order to raise funds to build a new 26,500-square-foot middle school building and renovate their present campus, which has been evolving since the 1960s.

This plan will modernize the facility and allow all the students in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade to stay on the west side of Creole St., rather than having to cross the street for various classes. The new Early Childhood Center will be built on the east side of Creole St. Four and a half million dollars are needed to make these changes.

“Eighty-six percent of this money was raised in the first five months of the capital campaign,” said Lisa Jakel, Director of Public Relations and Advancement. This remarkable feat represents the dedication of the community to high-quality Catholic education. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new middle school will take place May 2, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. with the Most Reverend Bishop Glen John Provost and distinguished guests.

Jakel is excited about this event. “Our whole student body will celebrate and participate in this amazing event,” she said.

Our Lady Queen of Heaven School is offering a myriad of opportunities and events to support their capital campaign and other expenses at the school. If you don’t know a pitching wedge from a putter and golf isn’t your thing, no problem. If you’re a runner, a fisherman, a gardener, a culinary connoisseur, or someone who simply loves having a good time, the school has many upcoming events to interest and entertain the whole family.

SPRING CARNIVAL WEEKEND APRIL 27-28, 2013

Colin Roan, Mackey Derouen, Warren Henning, and Cameron Witherwax PAGE 20

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Ashlyn Theriot, Olivia Hebert, Kennedy Hebert, Madeline Stine and Grace Helms with Father Keith Pellerin and Chef John Folse

The school will host their annual Spring Carnival on April 28. The Carnival features their famous BBQ dinners, fun amusement rides, entertainment by local dance troupes and musical performers, great prizes, carnival food and games, all for a good cause – the support of Catholic education.

Volume 4 • Issue 23

Other events during Carnival weekend include: RUN FOR OTHERS, APRIL 27

On April 27, OLQH School will sponsor their 16th annual Run for Others, a 5K run and a 1K Fun Run to benefit their Special Education Department. Their program for special needs children receives no federal funding, so they rely on the support of generous donors. Please consider participating in the run or sponsoring the event.

‘UN PETIT TASTE-N-TELL’

Kids warming up for “Run For Others” race.

OLQH School campus.

This unique event combines food and fun. In the past, both students and amateur chefs have participated in this popular event. This year, because there are so many events scheduled at OLQH School, they have downsized the Taste and Tell and incorporated it into the Spring Carnival.

Entrants are limited to middle school students in the OLQH School Culinary Club. This Club boasts a whopping 223 students. The OLQH School Culinary Club was inspired by their mentor, Chef John Folse, who is a great friend to all of those at OLQH School.

Twenty or more culinary teams will create appetizers, desserts, and entrees. With the purchase of a carnival entry wristband, patrons have the opportunity to sample each dish and choose their favorites by dropping their “Baron Bucks” in the tip jars. The dishes with the most Baron Bucks collected will be the winners in each food category, as well as a Grand Champion.

Winners will receive autographed copies of Folse’s cookbook and gift certificates to his Restaurant R’evolution at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans.

LAYERS OF LEGACY COURTYARD

School supporters can leave their legacy at OLQH School by purchasing an engraved brick for the “Layers of Legacy Courtyard,” to be found in its new middle school facility. Students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, parishioners and friends may buy a personalized brick in honor or memory of themselves, a loved one, or a business. Leave a lasting tribute and pave the way for generations of OLQH School students to come.

Bricks come in four different sizes and range in price from $100 - $1,000. The deadline for ordering bricks is December 31, 2013.

GREEN ROOM

Gardeners can get a jump on the spring planting season by visiting the “Green Room” and purchasing flower and vegetable plants, bedding plants, and house plants, all donated by school parent Buddy Hebert.

HEAVENLY GATOR

You’ve seen the “Gators on the Geaux” here and there all over Lake Charles. OLQH School has had their “Heavenly Gator” for many years. But those years of exposure to Southwest Louisiana weather has taken its toll. The school’s Partner in Education, PPG (now Axiall), has generously offered to refurbish this Gator. Well-known local artist Candace Alexander will re-paint “Heavenly” as part of the Spring Carnival activities. Students will draw and color pictures of their favorite school activities, which Alexander will incorporate into her own work to make “Heavenly Gator” a uniquely special part of the

FRONT ROW: Jennifer Benoit (15 years), Rebecca LeBleu (4 years), Carmel Fazzio (4 years), Jo Ann McDaniel Niles, Administrator (16 years), Jessica Wilson (4 years), Yvonne Mullen (9 years), Sandra Lapoint (4 years), Aimee Smith (1 year), Nadine Rayon (6 years), Bridget LeBleu (1 year), Annie Rowley (16 years), Martha Trahan (2 years), Mr. Jackie Trahan (3 years), and Andrea Celestine (1 year).

NON-DENOMINATIONAL • PET-FRIENDLY • FIRST FLOOR AVAILABILITY • NO DEPOSITS • CENTRALLY LOCATED

Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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OLQH Golf Classic Register to be a Hole Sponsor!

To sponsor a hole at the Golf Classic, choose your desired level of sponsorship. Deadline for sponsorship registration is March 1.

HEAVENLY FISH FEST, MAY 4

Calling all anglers! Another big event is coming up in May. Load up your poles, bait, and tackle boxes and head to Calcasieu Point for the 5th Annual Heavenly Fish Fest, the school’s annual fishing tournament, on May 4. Whether fishing from a bank, boat, or pier, the event begins at 6 a.m. Weigh-In starts at 11. Participants must be in line for Weigh-In no later than 1 p.m. Each entrant may weigh only one fish.

Prizes awarded in the Youth Division (8th grade and under) are 1st through 10th place for trout, 1st through 10th place for redfish and flounder, and 1st through 10th place for largest fish in the “Other” category.

Every youth who weighs a fish wins a prize.

In the Adult Division, there will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place each for trout, redfish and flounder. Additional prizes will be awarded for the heaviest fish caught from a pier and for the redfish with the most spots.

Monsignor James Gaddy, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, will preside as “Official Weighmeister.” Entry fees are $25 for individuals or $60 for a family. Lunch and drinks will be provided. Sponsorships similar to those offered for the Golf Classic are also available for the Fish Fest.

This year, OLQHS is offering a spectacular raffle. A 15' X 48" Alweld VHull boat and 25 horsepower Tahatsu Trolling Motor with seats and trailer has been donated by Charlie Terrio. The boat will be displayed on the pond at the Lake Charles Country Club during the OLQH School Golf Classic. A special prize will be awarded to whoever hits their golf ball into the boat.

Raffle tickets are $10 and may be purchased anytime between the Golf Classic and the Fish Fest. Monsignor Gaddy will draw the lucky ticket and announce the winner at the Fish Fest.

“The Masters” $1,500 Individual Recognition Banner, Premier spot on Sponsor Banner, Hole Sponsor signs throughout course.

“19th Hole” $1,000 Premier spot on Sponsor Banner, Hole Sponsor signs throughout course.

“Hole in One” $500 Included on Sponsor Banner, Hole Sponsor signs on course.

“Eagle” $250 Included on Sponsor Banner, Hole Sponsor signs on course.

“Birdie” $100 Included on Sponsor Banner and a Hole Sponsor sign.

OLQH Golf Classic February 21, 2013. Call the school with questions about Register to be a Hole Sponsor! grade level openings.

To sponsor a hole at the Golf Classic, choose your desired Our Lady Queen of Heaven School is located at 3908 Creole St. in Lake Charles. For more information on any of these upcoming events, call Lisa Jakel or Diane Jackson at (337) 4777349, or email ljakel@olqhs.org or djackson@olqhs.org.

A LEGACY OF LEARNING

Our Lady Queen of Heaven School first opened on October 13, 1958, under the direction of Rev. Adrian Van Hal, the pastor of OLQH Parish at that time. The school began with only 24 students in kindergarten. OLQH School has since grown to an enrollment of 700 students. There are three classes of each grade level, Pre-K through 8th grade. The faculty includes 31 teachers plus two dozen ancillary staff. JoAnn Wallwork has been the school principal since 2009.

The Early Childhood Center, for children 6 weeks to four years old, accommodates approximately 55 children cared for by a staff of 18 employees. Lisa Jakel has been the director of development for eight years. “It’s a greatest job in the world,” she said. “Not only am I able to be around these precious children and parents, but the entire OLQH community is amazing. Here at 3908 Creole Street, we have the ‘complete package,’ and we are blessed with all that that entails!” New family registration begins on

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival Poster Contest Entries Accepted Tues., March 5 – Fri., March 8 Associated Louisiana Artists with the National Parkinson Foundation of SWLA/SETX invite area artists of all ages enter the poster contest for the Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival. The winning entry will receive prize money, with the artwork reproduced on the annual festival poster and T-shirt.

It will also be featured during Spring ArtWalk 2013 at the Gallery by the Lake.

Call (337) 478-9405 or (337) 310-0083 for details, or email crawfishfest@elijayfd.org for entry form. TJN

Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 23

ker n Shouma o d n a r B y B

A Season to Struggle—

and Fail

Dear Houston Astros fans, I apologize in advance for the historically terrible season your team is about to have in its first year in the American League.

As a guy who grew up watching the Killer Bs of Bagwell, Biggio, and <insert B-name here>, I understand your disbelief at how a once-proud

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

franchise could sink lower than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seriously, the Astros finished 24 games behind Pittsburgh last season.

But, make no mistake; this season will be much, much worse.

This season is going veer precariously close to 1962 New York Mets territory. That year, the expansion Mets lost a modern-day record 120 games. It is entirely conceivable the 2013 Astros could lose 14 more games than last season. Heck, if you’re really feeling pessimistic, you might ask yourself if this year’s Astros might not compete with the 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134 record) for

worst team in major league history.

No one would blame you if you did.

In one of the epic rebuilding jobs in major sports history, the Astros sold off practically every player of worth not named Jason Castro, Carlos Lee’s refrigerator and a carton of orange juice as they lowered their 2013 payroll to near $25 million. In addition, Houston will be moving from the comforts of the relatively small-market National League Central division to the American League West, where the Los Angeles Angels have already spent almost six

times more than the Astros.

For perspective, New York Yankees “third baseman” and perpetual embarrassment Alex Rodriguez will make $28 million this season, provided he doesn’t spend it all on steroids or drown looking at his own reflection in a locker room toilet.

What will $25 million buy you in today’s big leagues? Not much. In fact, the Astros’ highest-paid player, pitcher Wandy Rodriguez, will get $5 million of that $25 million chunk to play for another team, the very same Pirates mentioned above.

Other than the expenditure on Rodriguez, who may pitch against the Astros in Interleague play, Houston’s

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big signings were that guy (Carlos Pena) whom Billy Beane traded from Oakland in the book Moneyball and the brittle skeleton that is starting pitcher Erik Bedard.

Pena, your franchise’s first regular designated hitter, is going to turn 35 this season and he drove in a whopping 61 runs last year. Granted, that was six more runs than any Astro drove in last season. Then again, Pena has established a permanent settlement near the Mendoza line in recent years and he has had almost double as many strikeouts to hits each of the past three seasons.

And he’s supposed to be the designated “hitter.”

Bedard, on the other hand, purchased either because he provides a veteran arm in the rotation or because the team doctor needs more work, limped to a 7-14 record last season. However, his biggest accomplishment may have been not shattering into a bajillion pieces like the frozen T-1000 from Terminator 2.

Meanwhile, to reiterate what I said in a column before last season’s debacle, the Astros feature a collection of guys who wouldn’t look out of place in the cast of Major League 3 (I’m not counting Major League: Back to the Minors as a sequel).

Sadly for everyone, Bob Uecker won’t be calling the games on Houston radio. That would at least make the carnage a little easier to take.

The good news, Astros fans, is that Tinkerbell’s more athletic cousin, Jose Altuve, isn’t going anywhere and will provide a solid, top-of-the-lineup bat and sure hands at second base.

Additionally, Houston’s pitching rotation doesn’t look that bad, even if they’re holding Bedard together with Bondo and bailing wire. Bud Norris is okay and might fare well in the front of the rotation while Jordan Lyles and Dallas Keuchel are young and should have improved after some seasoning last year.

As I close out this letter, I want to share with you what I think is the best news of all for Astros fans. For as much as Houston will struggle and fail this upcoming season, at least they are trying. Houston is not the Miami Marlins, cynically dismantling their team in order to cash in on MLB’s profit-sharing plan while simultaneously fleecing Miami’s taxpayers and engendering bad feelings all around.

The Astros have completely rebuilt what was one of the worst farm systems in the big leagues and stocked it with fresh talent. The own-

ers and front-office administration have a plan in place to get the Astros back in competition, though they aren’t sure how long that will take.

The team has, in a move designed to appeal to the team’s fans, done away with the hideous deep red uniforms of the past few years and gone back to the classic navy and orange look of the Nolan Ryan/Astrodome-era.

So, Astros fans, while there won’t be much to look forward to this season, you can know that something is being done about all of it and you can at least hold out hope for the future.

Sincerely, your brother in sports.

Brandon Shoumaker is a graduate of McNeese State University and has covered sports for more than a decade for various publications.

Brandon Shoumaker Coaches or parents with story tips or comments may contact Brandon at bshoumaker@yahoo.com or send him a message on Twitter (@bshoumaker).

TJN

15% Senior Discount All Doctors’ Prescriptions Accepted Experienced Professional Staff • Most Insurance Accepted

Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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By Mary Louise Ruehr

Blinded by Science?

Many of us eschew books about science, probably assuming that the material will be dry or hard to understand. Too bad -we’re missing out on some fascinating and even fun reading.

The Universe Within: Discovering the Common History of Rocks, Planets, and People by Neil Shubin provides an overview of the interrelationship of plants, animals and the planet. Shubin points out that “Within each of us

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

lie some of the most profound stories of all,” including the history of the universe.

He talks about the big bang and basic physics -- no, don’t be afraid; this is great stuff. In fact, here’s the thing: Some of the elements that make up our bodies come from supernovae, the explosions of stars: We are in fact made of star stuff.

Shubin discusses how our neighboring planets were formed,

sunlight and time, water -- “the ideal medium in which to dissolve a large variety of substances ... on which life depends” -continental drift, global catastrophes and even the principle of “multiples,” the fact that “many great ideas seem to come to different people at about the same time.”

Very reader-friendly, Shubin’s overview of science is sprinkled with examples and reminds me of TV’s Mr. Wizard.

The Kingdom of Rarities by Eric Dinerstein moves into the realm of biology, shedding light on the rarest species of plants and animals on Earth. The author defines rarities mostly as “those species whose entire global range is limited to one population at a single site.” Thus, rarity can be the precursor to extinction, should a catastrophe occur at that site to wipe them out.

(Conversely, if we can preserve the site, maybe we can save the species.)

The author goes on expeditions to remote areas of the world, looking for rare fauna and flora in jungles, rain forests, islands and rivers,

sometimes traveling by elephant, sometimes to where no human had ever been before. He searches for the causes of rarity such as poaching, overhunting, habitat loss, inbreeding and invasive species by studying birds, large cats, fish, monkeys, rhinos, giant anteaters, langurs and many more animals.

Dinerstein discusses conservation biology and the paradox of accessibility: “If upland forests were more open to biologists, we might know more about rarity and abundance for all the vertebrates, yet if they were more reachable, the vertebrates would likely be gone.”

With maps and illustrations, the book partly reads Volume 4 • Issue 23

like a textbook, partly as a memoir of an enthusiast, and partly as a travelogue: “By nine o’clock, the lid of fog covering the Chitwan Valley would have burned off and the sun would peek through the silk cotton trees. Then the hunt would begin.” The book would be of interest to botanists, zoologists, biologists and also geographers, as well as anyone interested in keeping our favorite species from extinction.

If you haven’t yet read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

by Rebecca Skloot, please add it to your to-read list. Skloot, a science journalist, has created an important book, not only for science, but also for American history.

Henrietta Lacks was an African-American who grew up in the 1920s in Virginia, where she lived in a log cabin that was once a slave quarters. In 1951, when she was treated for cancer, the doctor took a biopsy of her cells.

Most cells die quickly outside the body, but Henrietta’s cancer cells “were different: they reproduced an entire generation every twenty-four hours, and they never stopped. They became the first immortal cells ever grown in a laboratory.”

Growing and distributing the “HeLa” cells became a multibillion-dollar industry. Her cells were

Volume 4 • Issue 23

used in gene research and were used to develop drugs to treat a host of diseases and conditions, including polio. Her “cells have become the standard laboratory workhorse,” writes Skloot. But they were also used in outrageous ways, injected into people and fused with the cells of animals.

The Lacks family was angry.

Her children did not know her cells were being used until decades after her death, and they felt “that science and the press had taken advantage of them.”

The book is so wonderfully written, it’s simply a joy to read. It has something for everyone -- science and medicine, American history, social and cultural history, biography, family drama, scientific detective work, and even a mystery surrounding the fate of one of her daughters.

Henrietta’s case raises questions of science, ethics, law, race, class and even religion.

Finally, how about a little controversy? In Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future, authors Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum look at how politics and our culture have made science not just unpopular, but even anathema. They write that the United States is “home to a populace that, to an alarming extent, ignores scientific advances

or outright rejects scientific principles” such as evolution, childhood vaccinations and global warming.

Science, they write, is marginalized in the political arena.

Politicians fear looking like an “egghead” by talking about science, and “few elected officials really understand or appreciate its centrality to decision making and governance. Too many politicians, Democrats and Republicans alike, fail to see the underlying role of science in most of the issues they address, even though it is nearly always present.”

It isn’t that people hate science; they’re just “too uninvolved” with it, too busy with other things -and the news media doesn’t cover it nearly as much as crime, sports, entertainment, etc. Some scientists

even appear to be arrogant, unable or unwilling to explain their work or even deal with politicians or the voters. And Hollywood hasn’t helped, since its version of science bears little resemblance to reality.

After World War II, write the authors, physicists were “superstars” who had saved the free world.

The space race and missions to the moon were popular in the 1950s and ’60s. But in the ’70s came the rise of the Religious Right, questioning the role of science in public policy and choosing to insert faith-based principles in its place.

Agree or disagree, the authors present some interesting ideas to ponder. TJN Copyright © 2013 by Mary Louise Ruehr.

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 27

There’s a new venue in downtown Lake Charles, and I made it a point to be there for opening night.

Dharma is now open at 329 Broad. The old building is a two-story brick centenarian put up shortly after the Great Fire of 1910 that leveled every wooden structure in downtown Lake Charles. It has been a bar as long as I can remember, possibly since prostitution was legal in these parts. Its first gentrification was Rikenjak’s Brew Pub, whose now-unused mash vessels are still over by the rear parking lot. Then it was Sylvia's, then Happy Hippy Pizza. All had live music.

What immediately struck me was the spirited social gathering on the sidewalk out front. It reminded me of New Orleans' Faubourg Marigny club-goer scene on Frenchmen Street where I lived in the late 1970s, except that you can’t congregate in the middle of Broad Street.

The beautiful, hip people were there in winter style. The scene transported me back exactly 40 years: long-haired, bearded young guys wearing Army jackets and cute hippy chicks. The only thing missing was incense. It looked like a possibly college-age crowd, though not the athletics-centered society of, for instance, O.B.'s on Ryan Street. If so, it is more evidence that McNeese State University has broken through from the area commuter school of my youth to a truly national and international draw.

The notorious "Louisiana loophole" means that persons aged 18 to 20 may enter a place where alcoholic beverages are sold if the proprietor wishes. These presumptive non-drinkers were charged a slightly higher cover charge ($7 versus $5 for 21 and over). The busy bar charged me only $5 for a Maker's Mark.

There were some changes to the familiar old brick-walled interior with the same square bar, including Danish-style scalloped plastic light shades that look like dangling copepods. There is a roomy, raised sound tech area across from the stage, but it was only occasionally manned. During some acts, it was difficult to discern guitar over the pervasive wall of electro-drone, but I later learned that this goes with the territory of the featured genre.

There’s bright galvanized corrugated steel roofing material on the wall surfaces, the front of the sound booth, and the dividing half-wall between the bar and music area, reminiscent of the Louisiana offshore oilfield chic introduced by such places as Zydeco Jeaux's on Convention Center Blvd. in New Orleans.

The Word Was (((Sound))) took the stage, consisting of effects-pedalist/keyboardist/guitarist Brandon W. Pittman and drummer Amanda Sonnier. She was, for me, the highlight of a splendid evening. Their sound was centered on a room-filling electronic drone begun, supervised, and tweaked by Pittman, and accompanied by

By King Alexander Sonnier's contemplative and athletic drumming. She kept her mouth set hard and her eyes closed as she coaxed and punished the cymbals and skins. It was an interesting Yamaha trap set that featured a 16 x 16 tom in the kick drum position, hardwared, tuned, and muffled for bass. It worked. Her cymbals hissed and roared dynamically and constantly to match and blend with Pittman's unrelenting tone generators.

For his part, he divided his time between a large keyboard topped by a tiny one, a Fender Custom Telecaster guitar, an effects board with at least ten pedal gizmos on it, plus half a dozen other major and minor wired things on the floor, which he frequently crouched down to nurse and hammer on with his hands like percussion instruments. He spent more time under the big and little keyboards than playing them.

This, I learned, is a feature of the genre. There were no vocals.

Pittman returned to the stage for the debut performance of My Lover the Ghost, a five-piece affair with a different drummer (male), and a front woman singing and using a small keypad on a stand to modify her tone from time to time. Again, it was other-worldly.

Curious as to what I was seeing and hearing, I confessed to a young man taking photographs that an old guy like me doesn't know how to classify or describe this music. He turned out to be guitarist Jacob Danitzer, and this was his scene.

Over the good noise, I thought he explained it as "shu-gay jazz." I failed to understand, so, he cited My Bloody Valentine as an example of a "shu-gay" band. After doing the homework, I realize he was saying "shoegaze jazz," meaning an improvisational form of the alt-rock genre dubbed "shoegazing" by the British music press where it arose prior to the American grunge scene mostly sweeping it off the stage. In the early 2010s, it is seeing a revival.

The Lochness Mobsters, a fun college-rock band, were up next. High-T young males got a mini-mosh going. Lacking a designated driver, I decided to call it a night.

On the way out, I reflected how not so long ago, anyone returning from the massive throbbing madness of a Lafayette Saturday night Downtown Alive would have returned to a Lake Charles business district of sodium-lit streets naked but for the occasional tumbling tumbleweed. Late Mayor Jim Sudduth's vision of a "downtown mall" to compete with suburban shopping flight had bottlenecked and killed the place deader than a doornail for decades. But now, nearby Luna Live had a neon nightlife going too, plus there are enough other places for it to feel like an incipient entertainment district. I was pleased.

Dharma, 329 Broad St., (337) 433-3144. Open Wed.-Sat. 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. TJN

Live@ the Lakefront Music Festival Announces 2013 Sponsors

Denise Fasske (left), cultural affairs director for the City, Erica McCreedy, Arts Council; Barry Brown, IBERIABANK; John Arceneaux, Isle of Capri; Mayor Randy Roach; and Cassondra Guilbeau, Tobacco Free Living.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

The Arts Council of SWLA and the City of Lake Charles are proud to announce sponsorships from IBERIABANK, Tobacco Free Living, and Isle of Capri Casino Hotel for the upcoming second annual Live @ the Lakefront Music Festival, which is set to take place at the Lakefront Promenade on three consecutive Fridays, March 8, 15 and 22.

After an enormously successful first season, Live @ the Lakefront is back to showcase the best of local and regional live music as well as local artists, vendors, and area restaurants. The music festival is free to the public and will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the seawall directly behind the Civic Center. Bands will be announced in the coming weeks. For details, call (337) 439-2787 or visit www.facebook.com/ArtsCouncilSWLA. TJN Volume 4 • Issue 23

s Jenkin n i l y a

By Br

February: What a Month in SWLA! This month marks a time of fun, celebration, love and sacrifice.

February in Southwest Louisiana means Mardi Gras, and it was one of the hot ticket items on my calendar this month. I don’t believe there have been so many fun stories to cover on my day job!

I was given the special assignment of visiting the Mardi Gras Museum of Southwest Louisiana. The museum is located at the Central School, 809 Kirby Street on the outskirts of downtown Lake Charles.

This visit marked the second time that I toured this unique museum full of costumes, old photos and lots and lots of mannequins. The beautiful colors, designs and themes of the costumes are unlike anything else. The museum truly is one of the most original places I have ever visited. Have I mentioned that this exhibit is said to have the largest display of Mardi Gras costumes in the world?

If you like history, then you will get a wealth of information from your tour. Not only do the mannequins serve as a great base to hear why, when and how particular krewes began, but also when the first Mardi Gras balls, parades and other festivities officially made landfall in Southwest Louisiana.

Moving along, I was then assigned what I know will be one of my most memorable moments in TV news: making the famous cream cheesefilled king cakes. I’m very particular about which king cake I eat, especially Volume 4 • Issue 23

since, if I had my choice, I would prefer plain cinnamon. But when I visited Delicious Donuts and Bakery at 8 a.m. for filming, my preference surprisingly changed. I had eaten a praline pecan king cake from Delicious Donuts and Bakery once before at one of the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitor’s Bureau events and fell in love, but didn’t realize at the time that any of their flavorful fillings would suit my palate.

The process of baking in general isn’t for everyone, so I didn’t deceive myself by thinking it was simple. But after a little trial and error, I learned a thing or two in the kitchen. The owner, Paula and one of her extraordinary king cake professionals, Paul, showed me everything from mixing the dough to laying it out, along with the technical steps of baking those scrumptious cakes. I was able to step in and helped create my own to bring back to my co-workers.

Next on my list was the Merchant’s Parade. It was the first Mardi Gras parade I have ever been in and it was a blast. While most people might have a standard method to throw beads or candy from a float, I have my own. I rode in the back of our float and threw to people after we both made eye contact. I know it might sound somewhat ridiculous, but I wanted to make sure my throw counted--and can you blame me? I saw so many beads lying randomly in the street by the feet of hundreds of people, who probably had no inten-

tion of picking them up. I would watch the crowd and see who was paying attention. It was at that moment I would nod or make sure they knew I was about to throw the beads. The comical part was when I would throw beads to a girl and her brother would catch it right in front of her. The brothers always looked at me to get my reaction and I would shake my head in disappointment--all part of the fun of riding in a parade.

The Children’s Parade, which took place on a Sunday, was really enjoyable and much larger than the Merchant’s Parade--nearly double in size. Despite the rain, a large number of spectators turned out. I believe that says a lot about our community--to have so many people show up for something even if it meant standing in the rain. The people of Southwest Louisiana don’t let anything rain on their parade--and that includes the rain!

I have to be honest and say that riding in a parade and watching one are completely different. It’s so different, in fact, that even though the Krewe of Krewes’ parade had larger floats, along with more people, beads, candy and moon pies, I didn’t have as much fun.

Waiting for the parade to begin is difficult in and of itself, not to mention the fact that there were no coffee shops

anywhere near where we stood. But the grand parade did finally roll on and seeing Mayor Randy Roach on a fourwheeler, Dale Mann serving as the grand marshal and the numerous krewes making their way down Ryan Street made for an exciting experience.

The season of Lent is now in full swing, and I decided to give up something for the 40 days. Let’s just say it makes it a bit difficult when visiting New Orleans. I decided to do it after speaking to Father Edward Richard and numerous members of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Sulphur.

Just a friendly reminder to look for me in March for Live @ The Lakefront.

It’s one of my favorite events of the year. Remember, even if for only an hour, get out and take a breather, because you never know when that chance might just pass you by forever.

TJN

Braylin Jenkins

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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box and take another turn. When all dots are connected, the player with the most boxes wins.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 23

ctor Dire

der useum n e l l n E dren's M a D By e Chil of th

Warm Bodies (Lionsgate, 2013) Every movie, even an ultra-light teenage comedy, can be a learning experience. In this case, Warm Bodies will teach you all about Zombies, from A to Z. Now, at last, I understand what everyone’s attachment to these flesh-eating people is: Irony.

And Identification.

“R” is a teenage boy in a postapocalyptic city who happens to be one of the walking dead. (He can’t remember the rest of the letters that make up his name.) The plague has turned almost everyone into brainhungry zombies. We begin the movie learning about R’s background, as told by his own voiceover. Wait a minute.

A Zombie voiceover?

Volume 4 • Issue 23

Of course, R can’t talk. He mostly grunts as he shambles from one desolated place to another. But we are constantly in his ironic teenaged head, while R hangs out at the bombed-out airport with other Zombies and spends nights alone on an abandoned 747 on the runway.

A small enclave of humans defends an area in the city, blocked by high walls. General Grigio (John Malkovich) keeps order and organizes raids into the city to get food and supplies. This being a teen movie, the teens get to do the raiding. One of the raiders is Grigio’s daughter, Julie (Theresa Palmer). Through a series of Zombie/human events, R meets up with Julie and they begin to have a sort of relationship.

This is definitely no ordinary Zombie movie. Yes, they all eat flesh, brains being the best, but all we see is a ring of blood around the Zombies’ mouths. Not much gore here, unless

you count the tidbits of brain that R pulls out of a bag now and then, for a snack.

What takes center stage in Warm Bodies is the ironic humor. I mean, here is a boy, who just happens to be a flesh-eating Zombie, attracted to a girl his own age. The comedy is not played as slapstick or lowbrow, it’s very dry.

Frankly, the constant background of wreckage and lonely scenes are pretty depressing.

This isn’t saying they’re done badly, but there’s not much warmth here.

Slowly (very slowly) R and Julie’s relationship develops from one of fear, to awkwardness.

Because deep down, R is just your typical hung-up teenager who wants to meet a girl. Even if he does act like Frankenstein, we’re in on R’s thoughts as he narrates the story. Is there a statement here? Don’t we all feel less than human once in awhile?

In fact, the whole Zombie persona is one of a depressed, lonely, alienated person. Wow, this is right out of 20th century literature.

But don’t go thinking Warm Bodies is a complete blast from the past. With all the special camera effects, the whole thing seems like a long, overly produced Super Bowl commercial. It also made me think of the “Thriller” video, except without Michael Jackson.

Even with it’s bleak tone, Warm Bodies seems to hit a nerve, in the same way that both The Social Network and Napoleon Dynamite did. Humor, and even storytelling, has changed. It has to be cool, not stupid.

But once the cool factor is established, it seems almost anything else can be forgiven. The storyline of the movie is simple, even predictable. The themes are classic, from Romeo and Juliet (R and Julie) and Pinocchio, with a little Twilight thrown in. As I said, it’s very educational. For a Zombie movie.

Even in the coldest, most hopeless person, there is a warm body, trying to get out.

Rated PG-13 for bloody mouths, a few bad words, and John Malkovich.

TJN

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

KREWE OF ILLUSIONS GOES TO THE OSCARS A festive crowd came out to attend the Krewe of Illusion’s 24th Annual Mardi Gras Extravaganza, held at the Rosa Hart Theater. Folks came from as far as Washington state and kicked back for an evening of enjoyment. The theme was “On the Red Carpet in Hollywood,” with entertainment from Chicago, The Godfather, Purple Rain, Out of Africa and more---followed by the Royal Court Promenade.

Another grand performance from the Illusionists!

Mona O’Brien, Angelle Boyette, Martha Polk, Simone Boyette and Summer Richard

Marilyn and Anna Sullivan

Brandi Nicole Martin with Dawn Grimes

Kinsley Killian, Nita Juneau and Jenny Schidla

Pam Stokes and Jim Sepulveda

Bobbie and Cliff Corcoran

Shandel Hambrik, Amber Becnel, Jayne Yellott, Katie and Jessie Wendt and Abby Roussell

CHILDREN’S MARDI GRAS PARADE The rain did not prevent the diehard Mardi Gras kiddos and parents from lining Ryan St. to catch some “Throw me Somethin’ Mista” beads, candy, cups and anything else the partiers in these 40-something floats were throwing! The Children’s Parade brought out the kid in all of us!

Monlezun Family Volume 4 • Issue 23

Savannah Guillory and Whitney Moss

Annalyn Hoffpauir and Kacie Morvant FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 33

Caeden LaRocca, Rain Sutherland, Madison George, Blake Dupont and Andrew LaRocca

Lucas and Emma Puckett with Josie Smith and Ana Chesson

Morgan Heard, Tala Roddy, Victoria Nunez, Heather Evans and Melissa Burleigh

Amanda and Aspen Stafford with Joseph Gentes

Jason LeMaire, Gina Mueller, Stacey Miller and DJ Myers

Deanna and Stuart Carpenter

MARDI GRAS ZYDECO DANCE A high-stepping, booty-shaking crowd came out to pass a good time at the Mardi Gras Zydeco dance at the Lake Charles Civic Center! Lil Wayne Singleton and his band kept this high-spirited crowd on their feet with old and new style Mambo and Zydeco! It was all good family fun. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Velma and Griff Foreman

Barbara, Angel and Theresa Gray PAGE 34

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Brandon Delafosse and Lil Wayne Singleton

Shanese, Latilda and Ashunti Gray

Telisha Rene, Kelly Jee, Alexis Saner, Shaconna Gordon and Kim Zasmine Volume 4 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 23

MARDI GRAS CHILDREN’S DAY Kids, kids, and more kids had a great time at the old time celebration of Louisiana culture, arts, crafts, music and magic at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Children enjoyed the education station, silly balloons, a petting zoo and a variety of games. And there was king cake, popcorn, hot dogs, and hamburgers for the whole family. All in all, it was a wonderful Mardi Gras season!

TJN

Emily Price, Julia Fruge and Lexxie Berlanga

Samantha, Tina, Caitlyn and Daniel Thibodeaux

Erin and Izzy Courville and Andee Reinsch

Hailee, Cassie and Jaida Henry

Zoey Nunez, Charla Nelson and Emma Nun

925 Enterprise Blvd., Lake Charles, LA • (337) 377-6616 Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 35

couple in Tokyo whose quiet lives are made chaotic by the invasion of a young man and his foreignborn wife. Beautifully filmed, this presentation is marked by strong acting and is social commentary at its most fun. Parents are advised that sexual themes and situations are part of its story. For more information, email cbadeaux@mcneese.edu or jkprjs@gmail.com.

’SECOND LIFE OF PLANTS’ THROUGH APRIL 6 A new exhibition, “Second Life of Plants,” will hang at Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center from Feb. 15 through April 6. The ancient technique of pressing dried botanical materials, known as oshibana, began hundreds of years ago by the Japanese. Rita Ford is a garden designer and artist of botanical materials who creates floral collages. Rita’s creations are intended to save and extend the charm of floral beauty.

Historic City Hall is open Mon. – Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information, call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

BAYOU PLAYERS PRESENT ALMOST, MAINE FEB. 20-24 The McNeese State University Theatre Bayou Players will present Almost, Maine at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-23, with a 2 p.m. matinee Feb. 24 in Ralph Squires Recital Hall. On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost. Maine. This touching play explores the human heart. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10 for McNeese faculty/staff, senior citizens and youth, and free for McNeese students with a current ID. For tickets or more information, call 475-5040 or visit www.mcneese.edu/theatre.

CALCASIEU CINEMA INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS HOSPITALITE FEB. 22 Hospitalite a 2010 award-winning film, will be presented free at 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 22, in Stokes Auditorium of Hardtner Hall at McNeese State University by Calcasieu Cinema International. It tells the story of a Japanese

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

CTC’S SLEEPING BEAUTY FEB. 22-24 Disney’s Sleeping Beauty launches The Children’s Theatre Company’s 2013 season. Directed by Kerry A. Onxley, performances will be held at the Central School of the Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby Street) located in downtown Lake Charles. The show will run Fri., Feb. 22 and Sat., Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Feb. 24 at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and may be purchased at www.childrenstheatre.cc or by contacting the theatre at (337) 433-7323.

GRAND BAYOU SHORT FILM SHOWCASE FEB. 23 The Grand Bayou Short Film Showcase will be held at the Historic Strand Theater in downtown Jennings on Saturday, Feb. 23. The family-friendly films are from local, regional, national and international independent filmmakers. Experience this unique art that is usually reserved for large cities. The program will be hosted by master of ceremonies August Fontenot, who will provide descriptions and details before each showing. In addition to the films, musician James Guilbeaux, Jr. will be giving an acoustic performance until the initial film begins.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.; program begins at 7 and ends at 9:45 p.m.

Tickets are $5 at the door. For more information, go to www.grandbayoushortfilmshowcase.com.

WILD GAME COOK-OFF FEB. 23 The Southwest Chapter of the Louisiana Dutch Oven Society announces their monthly cook out. This month, they’re inviting all sportsmen to bring the best of their winter harvest and join them in a Wild Game Cook-off.

There will be prizes for first, second and third place dishes. Rules are simple; cook whatever you want by outdoor camp style methods. The Le Chien Cookers monthly Dutch Oven Gathering will be held at Sam Houston Jones State Park on Sat., Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The group was started by folks who love cooking outdoors in black iron pots over hot coals. They meet the fourth Saturday each month at Sam Houston Jones State Park. For more information, contact Dwayne or Randy at 302-5025 or 912-9394. For online information visit: www.ladutch.com or find them on Facebook at www.LeChienCookers.com.

Volume 4 • Issue 23

BANNERS SERIES PRESENTS MACEO PARKER MARCH 1 Maceo Parker simultaneously represents and connects the history of soul and funk music in one golden thread. For nearly half a century, the soft-spoken saxophonist from North Carolina has been a major component of funk as the key soloist heard in the live bands and recordings of James Brown, George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. With his own band, Parker continues the funk legacy. See him Fri., March 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rosa Hart Theatre, Lake Charles Civic Center.

Tickets are available at the door at $20 for adults, $5 for students and free to McNeese and Sowela students with IDs. For more information, call the Banners office at 475-5123 or visit www.banners.org.

‘BILOXI BLUES’ AT LUTCHER THEATER MARCH 1 Delight in Neil Simon’s hit comedy that follows the adventures of Eugene Morris Jerome, an aspiring writer who sees himself as an outsider observing the craziness around him, and his fellow Army inductees as they struggle through basic training near Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1943. See Biloxi Blues on Fri., March 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lutcher Theater in Orange, Texas. For more information, contact the Lutcher Theater box office at (409) 886-5535.

COUSHATTA FARMERS’ MARKET RUN/WALK MARCH 2 The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana will host the first Coushatta Farmers’ Market 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk on Sat., March 2. For the past two years, the Tribe has hosted a 5K Run/Walk, but the event is being expanded to include a 10K race for serious runners, and the event will be held in conjunction with the popular Coushatta Farmers’ Market in Elton. The 5K will begin at 9 a.m. at Koasati Plaza in downtown Elton, and the 10K will begin at 10 a.m. For both races, there will be cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall male and female finishers. For more information, call (337) 584-1545.

and Sowela students with IDs. For more information, call the Banners office at 475-5123 or visit www.banners.org.

JITTERBUG AND GRUB MARCH 9 Get set for Jitterbug and Grub!

Dinner, dancing and fun festivities.

Dance to the unique Cajun Zydeco sounds from Barry Badon and the Bayou Boys Band. Enjoy a delicious jambalaya dinner and an exciting silent Auction. This event will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Carlyss beginning at 6 p.m. Cost is $20 per person. Advance tickets are available at St Theresa’s Church office or by calling Janet Gautreaux at 583-4837 or Angie Clark at 583-4010. Benefits the Missionaries of LaSallette.

RUN FOR THE SON MARCH 9 Take part in the Missionaries of La Sallette’s 5k Challenge or 1 Mile Fun Run. Registration will be accepted on the day of the event beginning at 6:30 a.m., but pre-registration is encouraged to guarantee T-shirts. Register online at www.active.com or by obtaining a registration form available now at the church office and fitness locations around town. All ages are welcome. Pre-registration cost for adults $25. For children under 12, pre-registration is $15 and $20 the day of the race. The race will begin and end at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Sulphur.

BEATS & EATS MARCH 8 Volunteers of America will hold its Beats & Eats fundraiser on Fri., March 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Treasures of Marilyn’s in Lake Charles. The casual event will feature a dinner buffet and dancing to music by Tommy Shreve, Danny Kimball & Friends. Products and services donated by area businesses will be auctioned.

Additionally, there will be a raffle for a Gift Card Bundle valued at over $500 to top retail establishments.

Raffle tickets are being sold in advance for only $5, and you do not have to be present to win. The proceeds from Beats & Eats will be used to support the life-changing programs provided by Volunteers of America in southwest Louisiana. Tickets for Beats & Eats are only $30 per person or $250 for a reserved table of 10 before Feb. 25. Tickets are $35 per person after that upon availability. For more information, call (337) 497-0034.

BANNERS PRESENTS KORESH DANCE COMPANY MARCH 9 Renowned for its powerful stage presence and high-energy style, Philadelphia’s Koresh Dance Company has been hailed as a vital force on both national and international stages. Founded in 1991 by Israeli-born choreographer and artistic director Ronen Koresh, this troupe presents its audiences with an exciting and emotional blend of ballet, modern dance and jazz molded into a style of choreography that is both eloquent and explosive. See them at the Rosa Hart Theatre, Lake Charles Civic Center, Sat., March 9. Tickets are available at the door at $20 for adults, $5 for students and free to McNeese

Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 37

EMPTY BOWL FUNDRAISER MARCH 14 The Salvation Army will hold its fifth Empty Bowl dinner at L'Auberge Casino Resort on Thurs., March 14. Guests will enjoy a beautiful meal, which will include a variety of soups provided by twelve of Lake Charles' premier chefs. Each person will also receive a handmade, one-of-a-kind ceramic soup bowl prepared by local potters as a gift for helping those in need. Entertainment will be provided by the Victory Belles from the National World War II Museum.

Proceeds will be used to enable the Salvation Army to continue to meet the needs of the less fortunate.

Sponsorships and single admission tickets are still available and may be obtained by calling (337) 433-4155.

QUILT SHOW MARCH 15-16 "Beyond Grandma's Quilt" Quilt Show sponsored

by Calcasieu Cut-Ups Quilt Guild will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center, March 15-16 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nearly 300 quilts will be on display.

Ribbons will be awarded to First, Second, Third Places and Honorable Mention in over 25 categories. Area mayors have been invited to view the show and participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Fri., March 15. The show will also include a Merchant Mall, various vendors, boutiques and many wonderful door prizes.

Admission is $5, under 6 free. For more information, call 309-9731.

CHAMPAGNE BINGO LUNCHEON MARCH 16 Pop the champagne cork and grab a bingo card for a Saturday filled with games, prizes, and fabulous food – all for a great cause. The Lake Charles Symphony invites you to its first Champagne Bingo Luncheon on Sat., March 16, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Lake Charles Country Club. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. A buffet lunch of assorted finger sandwiches, seafood and chicken crepes, mini quiches, fruit and cheese, and an array of tantalizing desserts will be served. Champagne punch is included in the price and a cash bar will be available. The fun continues with bingo games and door prizes. Tickets are $50 a person or reserved tables of eight for $400, and may be purchased online www.lcsymphony.org or by calling the symphony office at 433-1611.

All proceeds benefit the Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra.

LCB’S ASSEMBLÉ 2013 MARCH 16-17 Tickets go on sale Jan. 28 for the Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2013--a complete theatre experience that fuses classical dance with our region’s rich art, music and choreography through a unique and exciting artistic collaboration. Held at the Rosa Hart Theatre, performances are Sat., March 16 at 7 p.m. and Sun., March 17 at 3 p.m. Tickets for both shows are available starting Jan. 28 by contacting The Civic Center Box Office/Ticketmaster at (337) 491-1432 or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are priced at $26.50 for Preferred Seating (Sections A-D) and $16.50 for General Seating, including balcony seats. For more information or to become a sponsor, visit www.lakecharlescivicballet.com.

TJN

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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Sponsored by

To list your event e-mail: lauren@thejambalayanews.com

The

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 • Kris Harper/Matthew Moss @ Otis & Henry’s, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 6 p.m.

• Pete Bergeron @ DI’s Cajun Restaurant, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Phillip Glynn & Daze @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Geno Delafosse & French Rockin Boogie @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.

• DJ San-D @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 • Second Nature @ Otis & Henry’s, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 6 p.m.

• Briggs Brown & Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun Restaurant, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Street Side Jazz Band @ Luna Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

• Static @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Brian Moore @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

• TBA @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

• BB & Company @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Karma @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.

• DJ San-D @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 • Lynyrd Skynyrd @ The Pavilion, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 6:30 p.m.

• TBA @ DI’s Cajun Restaurant, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Lochness Mobsters/Natural Child @ Luna Live, 8 p.m.

• The Kadillacs @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Paul Gonsoulin @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

• TBA @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

• BB & Company @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Karma @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.

• DJ San-D @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 • Asian Concert @ L’Auberge Event Center, L’Auberge Casino, 2 p.m.

• Warren Storm/Willie Tee & Cypress @ Yesterday’s, 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 • Consider the Source @ Luna Live, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 • Neal Smith @ Cigar Club, 7 p.m.

• T-Broussard & Zydeco Steppers @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 • Street Side Jazz Band @ Otis & Henry’s, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 6 p.m.

• Bri Bagwell & The Banned @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• The Posse @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• DJ Cage @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1 • TBA @ Otis & Henry’s, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 6 p.m.

• Street Side Jazz Band @ Luna Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

• Dirty Play @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

• Maceo Parker @ Lake Charles Civic Center, 7:30 p.m.

• PGA @ Linda’s Lounge, 8 p.m.

• TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• LA Express @ Gator Lounge, Delta • Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 • Dirty Play @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• LA Express @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• C-Loc/Lil Buck @ The Keg, 10 p.m.

• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

Volume 4 • Issue 23

THURSDAY, MARCH 7 • TBA @ Otis & Henry’s, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 6 p.m.

• Leroy Thomas & Zydeco Roadrunners @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8 • TBA @ Otis & Henry’s, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 6 p.m.

• Street Side Jazz Band @ Luna Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

• Stellar @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Mark Reeves Band @ Linda’s Lounge, 8 p.m.

• Twangsters Union @ Caribbean

Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Upper Level Disturbance @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9 • Stellar @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Dax Riggs/The Rayo Brothers @ Luna Live, 8 p.m.

• Satellite Sky @ My Place Bar, 8 p.m.

• Albert Simpson @ Cigar Club, 8 p.m.

• Vince Gill @ The Pavilion, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m.

• TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Upper Level Disturbance @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

TJN

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 41

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FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Volume 4 • Issue 23

young label’s mission perfectly.

When we spoke, Pawelski was nursing the weird cold/flu that’s been making the rounds, exacerbated by the non-stop week of events leading up to the GRAMMY awards, but she gave me nearly two hours of her time. Our conversation ranged widely over musical tastes we share, the Omnivore start up and her philosophy

about analog, digital and other recording formats (she believes that we are in for a re-emergence of vinyl records as a primary purchase choice among younger music fans) and so many other topics of mutual interest that I’m going give her (and me) a little time to recover, and I will visit those issues upon you in the next issue of The Jam. TJN

Lake Charles League of Women Voters 45th Annual Banquet

March 14, 6:00 PM • Reeves Uptown Catering • 1639 Ryan St. Learn about the core belief of these Political Parties Mike McHale, Democratic Party Gary McLendon, Libertarian Party Tore Carlberg, Republican Party $30 for LWV/Chamber • Non-Members $35 RSVP to publicrelations@lwv-lc.org or leave a message at 337.474.1864.

Killin’ Time Crossword ACROSS 1. Like a bug in a rug 5. Grammy category 8. Reverberate 12. Actress Russo 13. "Exodus" hero 14. Appearance 15. Military supplies 17. Hauls 18. Meeting place?

20. German "I" 21. Cost of living?

22. Galway Bay's ___ Islands 25. Craggy peak 26. Debtor's note 29. Paparazzi equipment 33. Floor rug 34. Circuit 35. Zone 36. Distinctive flair 38. Brooch 40. Colorado River gorge 44. So-so 45. Lincoln's first home 47. Crooner Crosby 48. Clean air org.

49. Gambling mecca 50. "Splendor in the Grass" writer 51. Study 52. Artificially colored

DOWN 1. Sold-out sign 2. Toy ball material 3. Word processing command 4. Bona fide 5. Salad dressing 6. With the bow, in music 7. French pantomime character 8. Ms Pompeo 9. Palace attendant 10. Swine 11. Authorizes 16. Pendulum's path 19. Detective Wolfe 22. Money dispenser 23. Stephen of "V for Vendetta" 24. Changing 25. Spinning toy 27. United 28. Cable network 30. Blueprint 31. Managed 32. Whistleblower's cord 37. Substantial 38. Heathen 39. "Monsters, __"

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

46.

Acquire Make do Follow orders Number in nonet J. Edgar Hoover's org.

Go-ahead

© Lovatts Publications Pty Ltd Volume 4 • Issue 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 43