The Jambalaya News - 07/11/13, Vol. 5, No. 8

VOL. 5, NO. 8 / JULY 11, 2013

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JULY 11, 2013

Volume 5 • Issue 8

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

NEWS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren@thejambalayanews.com GENERAL MANAGER Monica Hebert CONTRIBUTORS Nicole Arabie Rhonda Babin George Cline Angie Dilmore Drew Drummond Dan Ellender Julie Fay Braylin Jenkins Jen Kober Mike Louviere Mike McHugh Roger Miller Mary Louise Ruehr Brandon Shoumaker Karla Tullos

ADVERTISING sales@thejambalayanews.com SALES ASSOCIATES Mitsi Brown Michele Clack Faye Drake

GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Burn Rourk ART ASSISTANT Sarah Bercier

contents

On Cover: Lutcher Theater: 2013-2014 Season

July 11, 2013 • Volume 5 • Issue 8

COVER STORY 15 Lutcher Theater: 2013-2014 Season REGULARS 6 The Dang Yankee 7 Tips from Tip 9 Adoption Corner 10 Fish Tales 11 Soul Matters 18 Sports Report

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FEATURES 5 The Season of Summer 8 The First Mayor of Lake Charles 12 From Palate to Palette 28 Laten Miller: A Musical Life ENTERTAINMENT 9 Jen Kober’s Big Fat Food Column 22 Red Hot Books 24 HeART of SWLA 26 Acting Up! 27 Lake City Beat!

30 Family Night at the Movies 32 Society Spice 34 Jambalaya Jam 36 Local Jam 38 Funbolaya

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Danley Romero

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BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Kay Andrews 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.

Volume 5 • Issue 8

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We accept credit cards!

JULY 11, 2013

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A Note From Lauren

Summer Food I love summer food.

Wintertime brings us hearty soups, root vegetables and roasts-hot, heavy foods that line your stomach and add fat to keep you warmer.

That’s what we crave and therefore need at that time of year.

But when the warm weather comes, we don’t seem to be as hungry, and the food we crave is definitely lighter.

When I remember the summer food we had growing up, I think of picnic food, first and foremost: hot dogs and hamburgers, cold baked chicken, potato salad, corn on the cob dripping with butter. Bowls of chips and Fritos. Ice-cold lemonade.

And the accompanying hand-waving over all the food set out on the picnic tables—vain attempts to keep the flies away.

These feasts were also accompanied by the scent of OFF! or some other mosquito repellent. And Absorbine Jr for the bug bites, which stunk to high heaven. It was green and had a spongy applicator and I used to love to mash it on my cousin Richard’s bites. He seemed to get more than anyone else. And his legs

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were always streaked orange with mercurochrome due to the various cuts and scrapes he got from running around.

Living on the top floor of a three-decker with no air-conditioning and no insulation was a challenge in the summer, especially in the kitchen.

You turn on that oven and the whole room became one. So there wouldn’t be much baking in July or August. I can still hear my mother saying, “I just can’t turn on the stove tonight!”

So she’d either cook in the cooler hours of the day—late morning—or prepare cold dishes like chicken or tuna salad. There was always fresh fruit—cherries and nectarines and watermelon. And a refreshing summertime drink was sliced peaches in red wine. We had wine with every meal (even me, as young as I was.

We’re Italian.), and we’d remove the wine-soaked peach slices with toothpicks and savor the flavor. Instant sangria.

Of course, all of our meals would be consumed to the roar of the win-

dow fan. But it never did much good, so when I’d get up from the table, my sweaty legs would be stuck to the plastic-covered kitchen chairs.

Another joy of summer was the abundance of cold slushy things. To this day, I still love popsicles and snow cones and Italian Ice. There is always a box of popsicles in my refrigerator, year round. Not sugarfree, either. Please.

The Ice Cream Man would come to the corner of Saratoga Street and St. Edward Road every evening.

There was Mister Softee and later, Mister Frosty. We’d hear that tinny music in the distance, and like moths

to a flame, we’d run to the corner with our coins to purchase a popsicle or an Italian Ice for seven cents. They came in all kinds of flavors and it was a big decision to decide which one to choose. Banana? Lime?

Root Beer? And it was a really big deal when the Ice Cream Man would scoop one of us up and allow us to stand next to him in the truck while he dispensed his wares. I always felt so honored whenever I was chosen.

Poor Phil, who was one of six children, said they were never allowed to buy ice cream from a truck. His mom would have treats for them at home, but come on, it wasn’t the same. And they had to break the popsicle in half and share. Phil always looks at me with annoyance whenever I’m eating my double popsicle all by myself. “We were never allowed a whole one!” he says, shaking his head.

Hey, I was an only child. It has its perks.

–Lauren de Albuquerque TJN

Volume 5 • Issue 8

Every other week, I send Executive Editor Lauren de Albuquerque an email asking if she has an assignment for me for the next issue of The Jambalaya News. The June 25th email I sent read in part: “Any assignment for July 11th Jam? Think it might be interesting to interview a lifeguard or someone who teaches swimming lessons, or maybe a diver.”

Her response, in part: “You grew up here. How about an article on summer memories? What you did as a child? Be specific about an ice cream place or amusement park. Of course, photos would be fabulous!’”

My mind immediately went to crabbing trips and the old black and white photographs that my mom has.

My response was something like: “I can do that. Have some old black and white pictures.”

Summer Memories! They include waking up before the crack of dawn to go crabbing in Little Chenier, our yearly family excursion to Houston to go to Astroworld and the zoo, and going to, and eventually teaching, Vacation Bible School at Boulevard Baptist Church. My summers always included trips to our camp on the Calcasieu River, going to the I-10 and 2-10 beaches, and Gatorette (my high school drill team) practice.

All of these summer activities involved cousins and friends. The cousins lived locally and included outof-state visitors. My cousins from Port Arthur started their summer travels to the Lake Area before I was born.

Cousin George Dugas and his wife Mary Lou would drive over with their first two daughters Barbara and Debra to visit his mom, who is my dad’s sister. These trips happened in the mid1950s. My parents had one child, my sister Paula, at the time.

The cousins would picnic and play along the banks of the Calcasieu River at Old Town Bay. My mom, Marie Cormier Babin, says, “We probably brought fried chicken, potato salad, and sandwiches for the girls. We didn’t barbecue then because there were Volume 5 • Issue 8

too many little kids.” I know that fried chicken was a staple in our summertime ice chest, no matter where we visited.

The Crabbin’ Babins Chicken also played a big role in our crabbing trips. It was raw and used as bait. Chicken necks and the occasional chicken leg helped catch many a crab for our family.

Early in the morning on the day we were going crabbing, the trunk of the car would be loaded with metal tubs, dip nets, crabbing line (either string or thin rope), and an ice chest that usually had bologna, cheese, salad dressing, and mustard. Shasta sodas would sometimes be included right alongside those chicken necks.

The trunk also carried our version of bottled water—plastic gallon milk containers filled with water that came right from the faucet.

My dad drove us to Perkins Ferry Road, Little Chenier, or Grand Chenier. We have crabbed throughout Southwest Louisiana. Once you found your road side or wharf side spot, you put out your baited crab lines.

To bait a crab line, you tied a chicken neck to one end of the line and then secured the other end to a stick or stake that was pounded into the ground. You throw the line out and wait for the crabs to nibble the meat.

When you have a crab on the line, you slowly drag it through the water and scoop the crab into the waiting dip net that is submerged underneath the crab’s body. There is an art to this maneuver. On a really good day, you filled tubs and ice chests with dozens of crabs.

The men in my family would clean the crabs right there. This involved pulling the claws off the crab and putting them in a separate container. The top shell of the crab and its legs would then be removed and thrown away, leaving a crab body that would be put in a pot of thick gravy that afternoon.

Everyone who went crabbing would eat that afternoon or night at

our house. The table would be covered with newspaper so we could peel the crabs right there. If the crabbing trip was really successful, crabs were frozen in milk cartons for future preparation. What if the crabbing was slow or unsuccessful? My mom says, “It didn’t matter how many crabs you caught. The main thing was getting together as a family.”

To VBS We’ll Always Go Another summer activity that brought families together was Vacation Bible School, which was a weeklong program. You would be awarded a certificate for enrollment, attendance, participation, and cooperation at the ceremony on Friday night.

There were also ribbons awarded for speed and accuracy with Bible drills at those ceremonies.

After a week full of Bible stories, art projects, singing, and outdoor activities for children (toddler through sixth grade) a celebratory picnic would be held at a local park.

Many were held at Drew Park on South Ryan Street (as it was called then). The ceremony took place at the church and you would take your parents to the classroom where your projects and art work were displayed.

The gilded gold praying hand sculpture, a fifth grade VBS project of mine, is still on the shelf in my parent’s kitchen.

Frozen Treats At the conclusion of the VBS ceremony, if it wasn’t too late, or on any other day or night during the summer, you might be lucky to go to Borden’s Dairy on Ryan Street for ice cream.

When you entered the building, there were ladies in white uniforms waiting to scoop up a variety of flavors.

Behind the counter were the stainless steel mixers and blenders that would be used to make shakes and frappes.

High above the counter was a mural that featured Elsie the Cow and her little cow children. One of my favorites had Elsie water skiing with her daisy neck garland blowing in the wind behind her.

“Watson’s Ice Cream was on Enterprise Boulevard and many peo-

ple went there too,” Mom recalls. “We also would get ice cream cones from Brousse’s. It was on 171 before they moved to Prien Lake Road and Warren Street.”

An ice cream bar or popsicle of some kind would be a welcome break from the heat when my family visited Astroworld. Regardless of what else we did in the summer, we always went to the Houston Zoo and the amusement park that featured all types of rides and entertainment.

The first time we went to Astroworld was in 1972, and I returned every summer until 1985.

Some Astroworld trips were made with my entire immediate family that includes Johnnie, my dad, Mom Marie, and siblings Paula, Ralph “Buddy,” and Tina. All of the early trips included my Uncle Herman Cormier, his wife Jo Ann, and my cousins Shawn and Dawn.

On the ride over, we would stop at a Texas park that included a “comfort station” (that meant there were restrooms) and have a picnic lunch of, you guessed it, fried chicken and potato salad. My cousins and I would plot how we were going to maneuver through the park and ride everything at least twice!

Later trips to Astroworld would be made with visiting cousins from Missouri and with my church Youth Group. Those later trips would include a stop at Water World, the first large-scale water park I’d ever seen.

For Everything There is a Season A lot of the places, people, and activities that made up my 46 summers are gone now. Parks close, relatives and friends move in and out of our lives, and the seasons change.

One of my favorite Bible verses, learned in VBS many years ago, is Ecclesiastes 3:1. It reads, “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” For me, the season of summer is about relaxing and enjoying the people, places, and things that make a life full of happy memories. TJN JULY 11, 2013

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A Day in the After-Life

I remember talking to a coworker shortly before I retired earlier this year. He said that several retirees he knew told him they seem to have less time now than they did when they were working full-time.

“That’s understandable,” I said.

“They all drive those big cars of theirs at about seven miles an hour.

It takes them longer to pick up their prescriptions at Walgreen’s than it does to evacuate to Arkansas for a hurricane.”

I swore that wasn’t going to be the case with me. I planned for an active retirement, and by “active,” I

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mean more than just learning some new hobby like scuba diving—one that’s quite popular among retirees these days, if only so they can recover their lost golf balls. No, I intended to keep a full schedule, doing some part-time consulting while spending the rest of my hours writing humor. This latter activity primarily consists of finding new and inventive ways of constructing sentences that include the words “road kill.”

I swore that I would do all of this without the aid of an alarm clock. I was going to keep a full schedule, all right, but it was going

to be my schedule. If I wanted to sleep until the crack of noon and work into the wee hours, I should be able to. Why should jazz musicians, bartenders, and hookers be the only ones who get to do that?

Once retired, however, I found that I just couldn’t sleep to the crack of noon.

Rising early had become hardwired into my psyche. So had depending on others to make more coffee after I’d drained the pot. To that end, it disturbed me to learn that things didn’t quite work the same way at home as they did back in the office. I would spend hours pacing back and forth to the kitchen, wondering why the pot was still empty. This wasted precious time that could have otherwise been put to good use writing more sentences about road kill.

Some habits were easier to break. Mornings used to be so hectic that I’d barely had time to scan the headlines in the newspaper. Once retired, however, I took pleasure in having time to read full newspaper stories. And not only that. I could do the crossword and

the Sudoku puzzles, follow “Rex Morgan, M.D.” in the comics, check the obituaries (a section that bears increasing significance as one ages), and dig into the bridge column. Now, I haven’t played a game of bridge since Bruce Springsteen made a decent record.

But now that I’m retired, all of a sudden I’m strangely fascinated by the subject. Many a morning, I’d ponder over questions such as whether to ruff a low spade or discard a singleton diamond to get to the dummy.

These activities would generally keep me occupied until lunch, after which comes time to flick on the TV, this to satisfy my newfound appreciation for the clever humor in Ellen DeGeneres’ monologues. I wouldn’t watch past the monologue, however, as I somehow never developed the same level of appreciation for male underwear models.

By then, it’s mid-afternoon. It gets pretty hot here in Louisiana by that time of day, and so I’d conclude that a cold beer sure would taste good. One benefit of retirement is that you are not constrained, as are the working stiffs, to have to wait until five to enjoy a cold one. I can do it any time I like, and I’m determined to use that benefit to full advantage.

All this time, I’m aware that I need to get my brain in gear and start thinking about road kill. And I figure that a few beers are just the ticket for some much-needed inspiration. The going is slow at the keyboard, however, as by late afternoon my fingers are finding it quite difficult to follow my brain’s command. After a few months of this, I’d all but worn out the lettering on the backspace key.

Suppertime comes, after which my wife has the audacity to ask me to clean the dishes. This is a request that I can’t refuse, however, if I want to keep my Cal Ripken, Jr., autographed baseball from becoming a dog toy. So I do the dishes. This, of course, transfers all of the blame for not getting any writing done squarely onto her shoulders.

She has big shoulders for responsibility, though, and it’s a good thing. Mine would be overburdened just remembering what time the baseball game starts that night on ESPN. TJN Volume 5 • Issue 8

JAM FIELD TRIP TO CIRCUS A BIG SUCCESS! We recently had the privilege of accompanying a number of young people from both the Martin Luther King and the Goosport Recreation Centers to Lafayette where the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus was preparing for a series of shows at the Cajundome.

We (two busloads!) were given the opportunity to get up close and personal with the elephants, a young camel and some circus performers, as well as visit with a clown in a question and answer segment. The Jambalaya News sponsored this event for these middle school-aged youngsters, and lunches for all were provided by Doug Gehrig and McDonald’s of SWLA. We found these young folks to be the most polite, cooperative, wellmannered and respectful traveling companions you could imagine.

They were a complete credit to their parents, teachers and Recreation Center personnel. Their behavior was exemplary. I would gladly travel again with these kids and heartily recommend others to give their time, money and energy volunteering to enhance the lives of those who will eventually take over the reigns from us.

CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS! After checking a credit card account of ours (a practice that I highly recommend) I found that a restaurant had changed the amount charged from what was totaled on my ticket. I had added a 15 percent tip (the service was not good, but I always tip at least that much) and they took the liberty of rounding the total amount up to the next dollar.

Restaurant charge slips have the amount of the bill, a place for you to write in the tip and a line for you to add up the total charge above the signature line. The restaurant then Volume 5 • Issue 8

reactivates the credit card machine, pulls up your original bill and adds the tip to complete the transaction.

In this case, I was charged additionally, without my approval.

Although the amount was less than a dollar, it was wrong.

This restaurant, which had been a favorite of friends and family, has recently been sold and is under new management. For many other reasons we will discontinue patronage, but padding the completed tab is a major no-no in my book. Had I not made the practice of reviewing my accounts online, this unethical practice would have gone unnoticed. It only takes a few minutes to review your account, and there are programs that will perform this function for you automatically.

There have also been instances of wait staff and store clerks making copies of patrons’ credit card information or scanning the cards with a reader. An example of this occurred in Lake Charles a while back with a waiter at a local eating establishment. Always be wary when someone takes your card out of your sight. It is not always possible to observe the card being processed but try to make every effort to protect your credit information. Some restaurants here have their waitstaff carry portable card processors so the card never leaves your sight. It is certainly more reassuring to have the transaction done tableside, but always remember that your charge is once again accessible after being initially processed. Check your accounts regularly and religiously.

Street and Walmart, Nelson Road.

Rotisserie chicken, whole: Albertsons, $6.99; Market Basket, $7.19; Kroger, $7.99; Walmart, $5.98.

Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, 10 ¾-ounce can: Albertsons, $1.39; Market Basket, $1.25; Kroger, $1.35; Walmart, $1.

Birds Eye Steam Fresh Mixed Vegetables, 12-ounce package: Albertsons, $1.50; Market Basket, $2.25; Kroger, $1.67 (3 for $5); Walmart, $1.25.

Pillsbury Grands Jr., flaky, refrigerated, 12-ounce tube: Albertsons, $1.38; Market Basket, $1.25; Kroger, $1.45; Walmart, $1.38. TJN

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SUPERMARKET ROUNDUP Our shopping survey for this issue is based on a recipe from the Art Associates of Lake Charles new cookbook From Palate to Palette.

The recipe, on page 61, is “Chicken Pot Pie - Quick,” and was presented at a recent tasting and was an immediate hit. To get the recipe, go to page 12 in this issue. You can purchase the book at kempap@suddenlink.net or www.artassociates.org and the book will be hand delivered to your address.

Some of the ingredients are: rotisserie chicken, cream of mushroom soup, frozen mixed vegetables and refrigerated tube biscuits. The prices of these products were gathered on Wednesday, July 3 and reflect the posted prices on the shelf where the items were placed for sale.

Stores surveyed were: Albertsons, Country Club Road; Market Basket, Nelson Road, Kroger, McNeese JULY 11, 2013

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By Mike Louviere Upon the death of James Wesley Bryan, the following obituary was published in the June 17, 1897 edition of the Daily American Press: “Captain James W. Bryan, an honored citizen, died at his home after a long illness. The funeral will take place from the Baptist Church and the remains will be interred in Orange Grove Cemetery.

He came from good old Irish ancestry, his grandfather (O’Brien) moved to Virginia when a boy, married and raised a family there.

Luke Bryan moved to Louisiana and married Miss Rebecca Berwick.

John Bryan, their son, was the father of Capt. Bryan.

Captain J.W. Bryan was born in this parish on Dec 28, 1834. He taught school and studied alternately until he was 28 years old.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, he organized the Calcasieu Militia for home protection and organized four volunteer companies in 1862.

His command belonged to the famous 28th La. Infantry. He married Miss Delia K. Singleton and they have three sons and five daughters.

He has served as mayor and president of the police jury and has done much to give Calcasieu the splendid schools she has today.”

This obituary hit the high spots in the life of a man who contributed much to his town, fellow citizens, and his state.

Bryan’s parents John and Nancy Lyons moved to Texas in 1839, but Nancy moved back to Calcasieu Parish in 1844 after the death of John Bryan. Nancy later married Jacob E. Harmon.

Even though educational opportunities were very limited at the time, James decided to do everything he could to school himself. He was quite successful and through his efforts developed a life-long love of education, becoming a teacher. His first position was at the first schoolhouse in Lake Charles.

Bryan also had natural leadership qualities. When the War Between the States broke out in 1861, he organized a militia unit for home defense. Later, he was asked to organize four companies of infantry for

Original gate to the Orange Grove Cemetery.

James W. Bryan’s gravesite.

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general defense of the South. He became commander of Company 1 (known as the Calcasieu Tigers) of the 28th Louisiana Infantry.

His company saw extensive combat in the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi. On December 28, 1862, the regiment was compared to the Spartans at the Battle of Thermoplye in Ancient Greece where they fought off an enemy force that greatly outnumbered them. The unit later saw service in the defense of Vicksburg. They were there from the first attack by the Union fleet commanded by Admiral Farragut until the final siege by General Ulysses S. Grant. At one point in the siege, Bryan served as commander of the regiment with the temporary rank of Major.

There’s an interesting story that came to light many years after the event occurred. Bryan reportedly had a duel with the captain of another volunteer company in Opelousas that was on its way to New Orleans to be mustered into service for the war. The un-named captain was killed in the duel. A member of Bryan’s company related the story and it was published in the local newspaper, but evidently, no action was ever taken against Bryan.

In Civil War Journal, Arthur W. Bergeron wrote that Bryan enlisted a “free man of color” in his unit. It was one of the best instances of a free black man being enlisted in the Confederate Army and fighting as a combat soldier. The soldier, Private Auguste, fought and was wounded at Vicksburg. Auguste later applied for and received a Confederate Pension from the State of Louisiana.

At the end of the war, Bryan returned to Lake Charles and resumed his life as a teacher. He was elected as Lake Charles’ first mayor in 1868 and served until 1870. In 1869, he opened the first general merchandise store in town that stood at the corner of Ryan Street and the public square. Stephen D. Clements later joined him in the business and the store became known as J.W. Bryan and Co. Later, Bryan purchased the old frame courthouse for $465 and had it moved to the corner of Ryan and Kirby streets. He used it for offices and for a short time it was the printing office for the Weekly Echo, a newspaper, where Bryan served as the first editor. From 1871 until 1890, he was the editor and publisher of the Lake Charles Echo.

Following his term as mayor, he was elected as a State Representative to the Louisiana Legislature. He also served Lake Charles as a member of the Board of Aldermen, president of the Calcasieu Parish Volume 5 • Issue 8

Police Jury, and member of the Calcasieu Parish School Board, and was also one of Lake Charles’ first policemen.

One of his many business ventures was ownership of the schooner, “Nettie.” His company shipped rice from the Bryan and Sons Rice Mill to Galveston. Rice at that time was selling for five and a half to six and one-fourth cents per pound.

Around 1876, Bryan served on a committee that was to make recommendations for improving living conditions in Lake Charles. It appears that the committee was not very effective since the following article appeared in the local paper: “There is a hole in the gutter in front of the Echo office that would put to shame an artesian well borer. After rains stagnant water stands for days in this place and is used by the numerous hogs, which roam our streets at will, as a place to wallow.”

A Mason and a member of the Baptist Church, Bryan was a charter member of both the United Confederate Veterans and the American Legion of Honor.

He also became a charter officer of the Calcasieu Bank and was the treasurer of Fire Company No.1.

His son, James W. Bryan, Jr. continued his legacy by being elected to the U.S. Congress from the State of Washington. The eldest of his three daughters married J.C.F. Kyger, who served as president of the Commercial College of Baylor University, Waco, Texas.

At one time, Bryan was honored by having a post office, a street, and a creek named after him. The post office in Westlake was known as Bryan, Louisiana, but it no longer carries that name. A three-block street lying north of Railroad Avenue and between what is now North Kirkman and North Bank streets was called Bryan Street, but it no longer exists. And Bryan Creek, in an area just south of Sallier Street, can no longer be found on any map.

But Bryan’s final resting place is located just inside the original gate to Orange Grove Cemetery. It is just past the statue of the soldier, on the left side of the road.

TJN

Volume 5 • Issue 8

The Ladies Who Lunch rinse it in the sink and sit down to

Lunch is my favorite meal of the day.

I know a lot of people are on the breakfast-is-the-most-important-meal team, but I never ate breakfast as a kid. I drank milk when I woke up and then spent the morning imagining the ravenous feast I would inhale at lunch. Lunch was what my day was about.

I remember in first grade, I made friends with the lunch ladies, Thelma and Louise. I'm not making this up. Thelma was tall and skinny and reminded me of JJ from Good Times. Louise was stocky and had a huge gray bun swirled on top of her head like ice cream. I befriended them by making up silly little songs about the day's menu:

get to work at my computer. But the whole while, the thought of lunch is always in the back of my mind. I keep telling myself that if I get a lot done I will reward myself with a yummy lunch. I start feeling out what I'm hungry for - a salad, or sandwich and soup combo? Nah I'm in the mood for a plate lunch.

Some good home cooking that will bring me back to that first grade cafeteria feeling. The knowledge that meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas (swirled together of course) could cure anything.

In Lake Charles, my go-to place for the yummy comfort food plate

The meatballs are so spicy and you'll love the fettuccini.

Have some yams and carrots or delicious green beanies.

Miss Marie puts the yumminess in everything she makes, And you'll love it even better when you eat that piece of cake!

TJN Featuring

It's so delicious, never phony, Miss Thelma makes good macaroni.

And then we thank you, Miss Louise, For adding all that cheesy cheese!

Being loved by a lunch lady is a splendid feeling. I would get an extra spoonful of corn with my spaghetti, and extra roll with my beef stew and the biggest corner slice of cake with my fruit cocktail. And they would smile at me when I went through the line and say things like, "This baby likes to eat!" and "I think Miss Jennifer might be coming back for seconds." It was delicious food prepared by fine Christian women within the confines of the state school system budget.

And I washed it all down with cold chocolate milk in a bag.

Delicious.

Today, lunch still holds a special place in my heart. I have learned to eat breakfast, but it's usually a bowl of corn pops I eat while standing at the sink. I slurp the milk outta the bowl,

lunch is The Kitchen. Nestled in the heart of downtown Lake Charles on Prewitt Street, this little lunch gem is run by Marie and Arthur White.

Every day holds a new menu, a new chance to try another one of your home cooked favorites and every plate comes with cornbread or white roll and a piece of cake. I'm in love with Meatloaf on Mondays, Fried Pork Chop on Tuesdays, Fried Chicken on Wednesdays, Hot Links on Thursday and Catfish on Fridays.

Their week makes me weak!

You will catch me there often, enjoying a grape soda and some extra rolls Miss Marie sends out for me. And you should know that they make a mean carryout lunch as well, so call early and often. The Kitchen is bringing lunch back in a big way.

So I wrote Miss Marie and Mr. Arthur a song:

LAPAW Rescue

Did we ever find a chocolate boy we didn't love? This sweet guy has been with us awhile waiting to put on weight (no longer a problem-now on to dieting!) to be able to go through heartworm treatment. All done!

Boone, aka Booney Tunes, is our senior guy. He was abandoned by his person but is happily ready to move on!

Being 8-9 years old, he still has lots of good years left and

is hoping they are truly golden. He is healthy and happy! Boone loves being outside and will settle in his crate inside if necessary. He loves to run and must have a securely fenced yard. If you would like to add this hunk of love choco boy to your life, call (337) 478-7294, or email us at lapaw@bellouth.net for more details. He is sure to steal your heart! Vet check and home visit required prior to all adoptions.

We are searching for additional foster homes so that we can help save more pets.

Crates, food and bedding are provided-- you provide the TLC! TJN JULY 11, 2013

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Chumming For Specs Retired Major George Kuffel and I stood quietly on the dock in the just dawn, a mute Mutt & Jeff. We had been invited speckled trout fishing by Elmer Roach, husband of Jackie, a teaching mate of mine at LaGrange HS. Elmer had told us to meet him before daybreak at

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Herbert’s Landing on Big Lake.

George and I were on military Kuffel time and on time as we watched Elmer launch his Boston Whaler. Sean, his near 6 foot tall 12-year-old son, guided the vessel’s entry with all the precision of a French traffic cop wearing a Barbe HS T-shirt.

Elmer is that rare specie of fisherman that not only tells a good tale but casts one as well.

The first true test of a fisherman is how well he backs a trailered boat down a launch ramp while steering backasswards.

He launched with barely a suppressed splash.

Sean hauled the vessel down the wharf and we clamored aboard just prior to casting off and we eased down the boat slip. The lake was calm, so Elmer opened her up and she purred rather than roared past the channel markers, the Cameron Ferry, the jetties and into the Gulf. Elmer eased off the throttle as we slid out into the 2’ to 4’ swells and turned left toward a sunken structure not too far out of the channel.

George, being retired military, absolutely adores attention to detail and preparation. Sean scurried about to drop anchor to let us drift to just beyond the structure so we could cast back on it. Next, he handed us our rods and popped open the live well so we could see the LIVE shrimp scrambling about.

George truly loved that one. He knew Elmer would have had to troll or cast nets for them or be REALLY good friends with someone with bait shrimp. He had told us to pre-rig our rods and popping corks about the length of my arm deep, with appropriate lead weight and hook.

So, as the light began its dance across the water and the sun rose over our red-topped popping corks, our baits bobbled. Even before they settled I had one. Then George did. Sean quickly reeled in to give us room as we boated two medium sized specs that shimmered and

flopped on the floor. Elmer barely had time to cast his shrimp-teasered white grub before Sean hooked one and hauled him in. Yet it ended as spectacularly as it had begun.

Not even a hardhead nibble.

What had begun as a bang ended before our “Got One’s” echoed out.

Elmer knew what to do next, as he had planned to fish the close in rigs, depending of course, on the seas. We had only rolling swells to deal with so we picked up anchor and upped and downed and upped and downed and plied our way within casting range. This time, Elmer told us to remove our popping corks and cast just off the rig and let the bait settle on it’s own. We KNEW the specs were there. Even before my bait was half way down I had one.

“Hot damn!” I screamed “Got one!” Sean shouted.

George just smiled as he fought his, putting our exclamations to shame.

And that’s the way it went all morning. One fish after another.

After another. Until it hurt.

Literally. I’d had a car wreck as a youth and cracked all but one of my ribs and they were playing payback as we rolled up and down, and rocked side to side on the waves. George has 20 plus pieces of shrapnel from Korea and Vietnam and they were achingly reminding him of his tours of duty.

“George, my ribs are killing me,” I whined.

“I’m hurting a little myself,” he replied, knowing I needed just a tad of encouragement to stop and just sit the rest out. He would have never said anything but I knew he hurt, too.

And Sean. Well, he’d been chumming about every other fish, almost as seasick as Judge Hood without an inner ear nausea patch. So George and I and Elmer observed Sean haul in spec after spec between spewing spells, us exalting in Sean‘s joy and youthful exuberance. That was better than any boatload of specs. And more memorable.

TJN Volume 5 • Issue 8

by Nicole Shuff Arabie

What Stirs Your Soul?

"Find your passion. Your passion is what stirs your soul and makes you feel like you're totally in harmony with why you showed up here in the first place." Dr. Wayne Dyer So...what is your passion? What stirs your soul?

I don’t want to just go through the motions in life. I want to do something that I’m passionate about. I’m sure you want the same.

The beauty of love is all around us. Sometimes we don’t see it.

Volume 5 • Issue 8

Sometimes, we forget it is always there, deep inside of us. Every time you smile, love was there first--just remember that.

We are very hungry people.

Our hunger is a soul hunger. Part of the challenge of transformation is connecting with the hunger of our souls, listening to and honoring our deepest essence, and responding with integrity.

“Soul” is a church word where I come from. I had to get to a point where I felt bold enough to

make it more than that.

This is about change. It’s about looking into your heart. Think of your heart as a place where your soul lives. When we come home, we encounter something very sacred. Our innermost essence – that realm I call my sacred space.

Recovering a sense of the sacred in our lives is, in my opinion, critical to reclaiming well-being. People don’t talk about sacredness very much. I hope all of you can change that, because we need that essence of deeper truth and mystery in our lives in order for us to align with a sense of integrity.

I most enjoy empowering people to transform their lives. I love the “A-ha!” moments that we all have--those moments that signal the opening of a new inner landscape. Suddenly, we get it, whatever the “it” is that we are seeking.

These are the moments that signal changes.

I watch people struggle with sadness, pain, wounded hearts, confusion and exhaustion, questioning why they cannot seem to

find peace in their lives. I watch people beat themselves up. I see the look in their eyes. I see and feel the sadness within their hearts and souls.

In order for our lives and our children’s lives to be changed, and in order for us to reclaim a sense of well-being, we need to come home to our body. We need to live IN our body. Feel and listen to what is stirring in our soul. We have lost touch with how to do this.

Follow what stirs your soul. It’s the voice and yearning inside that itches at you and won’t leave you alone. Listen to it. Listen deeply, with patience, and then follow it.

Follow it and stay with it. You will know when you are on the right path when your creative energy is flowing and you feel vibrant and alive.

What stirs your soul?

To book a Soul Matters session with Nicole Shuff Arabie, call (337) 540-6573. You can also go to her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Declut teringYourSoul TJN

JULY 11, 2013

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The good folks of the Art Associates of Lake Charles, Inc. held their summer social recently and prepared some delectable dishes from their new cookbook, From Palate to Palette. The event was held at the home of board member Adrianne Hunt, and Phil and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone and sampling the delicious food.

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L to R: Bobbi Yancey, Kip Tete, Nancy Hanchey, George “Tip” Cline, Gayle Cline, Brigette Martin, Kempa Pierce, Charles Hunt, Sallie Dondis, Bray Harris, Adrianne Hunt Front: Phil and Lauren Along with recipes, From Palate to Palette includes artwork and a concise history of the group, and would be just as appropriate on a coffee table as it would be in your kitchen.

Art Associates is the oldest art organization in Lake Charles.

Established in 1957, it has a long, rich history. It is responsible for the first formal art exhibits in Lake Charles, the first House Tours and the first public school student exhibits. And they have offered guided tours around the country—and the world—to attend special art events. The Vatican Museum in Italy, the Hermitage in Russia , and the Museo del Prado in Spain are just a few of the museums the group has visited.

“Most of us are art appreciators more than artists,” said President Bobbie Yancey.

Art Associates has sponsored or contributed to various educa-

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tional grants throughout the parish. The proceeds from the cookbook will continue to further these efforts.

To order a cookbook, go to www.artassociates.org and click on the link “From Palate to Palette” at the bottom of the page. Print out an order form and mail your payment in, or go to PayPal and pay online. Regardless of how you order, they deliver!

Chicken Pot Pie – Quick Ingredients 1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables 1 (10 ¾ oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup ¼ tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. black pepper ¾ cup water 1 (10 count) tube of refrigerated biscuits Preparation Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the chicken, vegetables, soup, salt, pepper and water in a large bowl.

Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the foil, cover the filling with biscuits and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through—about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lasagna Ingredients 1 lb. ground beef 1 (26-oz.) jar spaghetti sauce 1 cup water 1 (7 oz.) pkg. 2% milk shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided 1 egg 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 6 lasagna noodles, uncooked Preparation Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 tbsp. parmesan, egg and parsley. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of lasagna noodles, broken to fit, and cheese mixture. Cover with two cups of the remaining meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (broken), cheese mixture, and meat sauce. Cover with lid. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese; let stand covered 10 minutes or until melted. For best results, do not cook on high heat setting. TJN

Cajun Hot Bread Ingredients 1 loaf bread 2 or 2 1/2 sticks of butter Garlic salt to taste Chili powder Preparation Melt butter, add garlic salt and baste bread. Sprinkle with chili powder. Cut into quarters on cookie sheet. Bake at 200 degrees for a full 4 hours. If you like it very hot, sprinkle with hot pepper. Great with cheese, ham, soups and all dips.

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Volume 5 • Issue 8

By Angie Kay Dilmore One evening last December, a quiet man strolled about the plaza in front of the Lutcher Theater, apparently waiting for the show to start. He took a photo of the new marquee with Shoji Tabuchi’s photo displayed prominently. He held the door open for a group of patrons as they entered the theater. When the group, eager to see the show, went to the box office, the attendant asked them, “Do you know who that was?”

Imagine their surprise when they were told the “doorman” was the star of the show, Shoji Tabuchi!

“He’s a real down-to-earth, nice guy and great to work with,” said Lynae Sanford, Lutcher’s marketing manager. “He loves the Lutcher and we have a great relationship with him.” Tabuchi has his own theater and show in Branson, MO, but he’s a beloved regular on the Lutcher stage, holding the record for the most sold out shows. This is the first time he’s appeared in the line-up for back-to back seasons. Sanford can’t make any promises for next year. But she said that, by bringing Tabuchi back this year, “We’re cel-

Disney’s Beauty and Volume 5 • Issue 8

ebrating a holiday tradition.”

This year’s Lutcher schedule promises a wide variety of shows, including a couple of new surprises for their patrons.

“There’s something for everyone,” said Sanford.

As always, there are plenty of Broadway musical productions, world-famous musicians, drama, and dance. In addition, they’ve added two stand-up Shoji Tabuchi comedy shows to the line-up this year and even an edgy Broadway musical for adults who enjoy more unique entertainment. In response to patrons’ requests for afternoon performances, they have added four matinee shows.

The new season opens on September 26 with Louisiana favorite Aaron Neville. This iconic New Orleans rhythm and blues artist recently released a new album called My True Story. Here, he revisits his doo-wop roots, and with his unique vocal style sings such classics as “Tears on My Pillow,” “Work with Me, Annie,” “Money Honey,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “This Magic Moment.”

Bring the whole family to the Broadway production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. This show appeared on Lutcher’s stage three years ago and drew huge crowds. When Lutcher’s managing director heard that Disney is putting this touring production “back in the vault” this year, he decided to bring the show back. “Anything Disney does is going to be magical,” Sanford said.

Award-winning the Beast

playwright and actor Stephen Lang appears onstage in Beyond Glory. In this one-man show, Lang portrays eight veterans from three wars – WWII, Korea, and Vietnam – who all earned the United States Medal of Honor.

The show is scheduled near Veteran’s Day and offers a fitting tribute to our country’s veterans and our men and women currently in the armed forces. Fans of the movie Avatar will recognize Lang as Colonel Quaritch.

To start the holiday season off right, take the family to see Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This show is based on the classic animated movie with the same songs and characters.

Sanford said this huge show will rehearse at the Lutcher for a week and perform for Lutcher patrons before heading to Fort Worth to kick off a major tour. “So we get to see the show before anyone else does!” she said.

Memphis is a newer Broadway show that earned a Tony award in 2010 for best musical. It’s about a DJ in 1950s Memphis who wants to change the world with this new music called rock and roll. There are themes of biracial tensions, acceptance, and learning to celebrate differences.

Sanford said the music and dancing are incredible.

Sanford calls American Idiot a “special to the season” performance. “It’s a little bit different,” she warned. A newer Broadway musical based on Green Day’s album by the same name, the story is about three friends who are forced to

Green Day’s American Idiot JULY 11, 2013

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Aaron Neville choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. It’s controversial, loud, and contains adult content, strong language, and racy situations.

Definitely not a show appropriate for children. “We want patrons to understand what this is before buying their tickets,” Sanford said. “It will appeal to a younger Broadway audience or Green Day fans.”

Forget your troubles for a while and laugh at life. The Four Stand-Up Dads are so funny they bring tears to your eyes.

Comedians Dan St. Paul, Million Dollar Quartet Tim Bedore, Kelly McDonald and Milt Abel turn their wit and nutty observations about family life into a show that keeps the audience laughing almost from beginning to end. Each comic takes about 25 minutes to perform a routine

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JULY 11, 2013

infused with good-spirited humor along with a little tenderness about parents, wives and cherished but maddening children.

Ten Tenors on Broadway bring a mix of rock and classical music together to create their own unique sound. Known as the “Rock Stars of the Opera,” these hot handsome Aussies perform a mix of Broadway favorites.

Million Dollar Quartet is the Tony award-winning Broadway musical, inspired by the electrifying true story of the famed recording session where Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll” brought together icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for an unforgettable night of recording at Sun Records.

There is a story line, but it’s the music that will take you down nostalgia lane.

The Miracle Worker is an inspiring show about Helen Keller and her tutor Anne Sullivan performed by the Montana Repertory Theater, a combination of college students and professional actors.

Contemporary dance company Parsons Dance returns to the Lutcher next March. Sanford describes their choreography as an art form all audiences can enjoy.

Sally Struthers stars in Hello Dolly! This Broadway musical has won ten Tony Awards and has been wowing audiences around the world for nearly 50 years.

The music and dance of the riveting revival of West Side Story takes the Lutcher stage in April 2014. Don’t miss this show!

Award-winning comedienne Jeanne Robertson is heard daily on Sirius/XM Radio’s Family Comedy Channel. This former beauty queen, now in her 70s, delivers clean comedy with class and captivates audiences with her stories of friends, family, and life with her husband.

Buy a Season Subscription The Lutcher Theater offers various packages for season subscriptions including two Premiere Package options offering ten to 15 shows. The Spotlight Package is also available allowing patrons the opportunity to create their own combination package of four or more shows. This package ranges in price from only $70 to $260 per person, depending on seat location and show selection. The Lutcher is also offering a Broadway Package of four to seven shows for the 2013-14 Season as six of this year’s shows are National Broadway tours and are scheduled for multiple performances, with four of them scheduled for matinees.

There are many benefits to buying a season subscription. Your entertainment plans are set for the season. You’ll be the first to learn about upcoming shows. And, having the same great seats show after show is definitely a perk. Premiere Package subscribers (10-15 shows) get the best seats in the A section--center orchestra. They also receive ticket exchange privileges. Spotlight Packages (4-9 shows) give subscribers discounted seats in the side orchestra and balcony. Shows with multiple performances allow premiere seating for Broadway Package subscribers (4-7 shows).

If you need a gift idea, season tickets make great birthday or Christmas gifts. Why travel to Houston, New Orleans, or Shreveport to see high-quality shows? Lutcher Theater books the same shows you would see in a larger city, but it’s close to home.

To reserve your season tickets, for more information, or to receive a season brochure, please contact the Lutcher Theater box office at (409) 886-5535. For additional show information, visit the Lutcher Theater website at www.lutcher.org The Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts is located at 707 Main, Orange, Texas and is a Stark Cultural Venue.

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Aaron Neville Thursday, September 26, 2013 - 7:30 PM Disney's Beauty and the Beast Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 7:30 PM Wednesday, October 23 - 6:30 PM Beyond Glory Tuesday, November 5, 2013 - 7:30PM How The Grinch Stole Christmas Saturday, November 16, 2013 – 2 and 7:30 PM Memphis Friday, November 22, 2013 - 7:30PM Saturday, November 23 - 2 and 7:30 PM Christmas with Shoji Tabuchi Saturday, December 14, 2013 - 7:30 PM Green Day's American Idiot Monday, December 16, 2013 - 7:30 PM

Four Stand-Up Dads Friday, January 3, 2014 - 7:30 PM The Ten Tenors Thursday, January 30, 2014 7:30 PM Million Dollar Quartet Friday, February 14, 2014 - 7:30 PM Saturday, February 15 - 2 and 7:30 PM The Miracle Worker Friday, March 7, 2014 - 7:30 PM Parsons Dance Friday, March 14, 2014 - 7:30 PM Hello Dolly Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - 7:30 PM Thursday, March 27 - 7:30 PM

Sanford is proud of Lutcher’s Kid’s Series. “It is the largest children’s series in a four-state area comprising Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma,” she said. “It meets Texas and Louisiana state learning criteria, so a lot of what we present is perfect for field trips. Often, kids will read and study a book and then come to Lutcher to see it ‘from page to stage.’”

Lutcher’s website includes study guides and curriculum connections for each of its children’s shows. Most shows are offered in the mornings at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. and are open to the public.

Lightwire Theater’s Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise and the Hare – October 3, 2013. Lightwire Theater was a finalist on the television show America’s Got Talent last year. They have electroluminescent wires that they attach to their bodies and they create bigger than life puppets on stage. “It’s all done in the dark and they glow!” said Sanford. “The kids love it.” Best for grades K-4.

ArcAttack – October 18, 2013. In this unique one-of-a kind show for grades 3-6, ArcAttack teaches students about the science of electricity, Nikola Tesla, and robotics in a fun entertaining performance.

Stuart Little – January 24, 2014. This show tells E.B. White’s classic tale of a special mouse born into a simple New York family.

Join Stuart on his zany adventures as he learns about life, loyalty, and friendship. Grades K-2.

Romeo and Juliet – January 28, 2014. One show only at 10 a.m.

Classical Theater Project presents a true Shakespearean experience with modern-day music that engages a young audience. Their goal Volume 5 • Issue 8

Parsons Dance

West Side Story Friday, April 11, 2014 - 7:30 PM Saturday, April 12 - 2 and 7:30 PM Jeanne Robertson Thursday, April 17, 2014 - 7:30 PM

is to take Shakespeare and perform it in a way that students love and can relate to. Best for grades 7+.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – February 6, 2014. Michael Rosen’s award-winning book is brought to life in this raucous, exciting production. The audience will hear fun music and experience hands-on interaction with the actors. Grades Pre-K-3.

The Great Mountain – February 8, 2014. This eco-adventure story follows Nuna, a young girl who can hear the earth’s spirits of nature as they cry out to her for help. Will Nuna have the courage she needs? The show was nominated for a 2012 Dora Award for Outstanding Performance. For this show, Lutcher has joined with Shangri-La Botanical Gardens and their annual “trash-off.” Each person who participates in the trash-off receives a free ticket to the show. Grades 2-6.

I Am Jack – March 3, 2014. Based on the book by Susanne Gervay, this is a story about a boy who struggles with bullies and how he learns to overcome and conquer through the use of selfexpression and photography. Grades 3-7.

Lightwire Theater returns on March 20, 2014, for its presentation of DiNO-Light, a story about a dinosaur and his discovery of the true meaning of love. Grades 2-6.

The Snail and the Whale – April 1, 2014. In an effort to see the world, a small snail takes a seat on the tail of a humpback whale. When the whale becomes beached, the snail sets off on an adventure in an effort to save her friend. Grades Pre-K-4. TJN JULY 11, 2013

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Small Steps in the Right Direction McNeese State’s athletic department had its work cut out for it at the beginning of June, needing to refill key coaching positions in both football and baseball.

So, what did the Cowboys administration do on its summer vacation?

Thankfully, the most important thing it did was put the brakes on the coaching carousel

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as quickly as it possibly could.

You tend to get dizzy enough from the heat this time of year.

Last month, the Cowboys hired former player and coach Lance Guidry to replace Mike Collins at defensive coordinator on the football team and, less than three weeks later, hired Louisiana-Monroe pitching coach Justin Hill to replace the retiring Terry Burrows as head

baseball coach.

To me, these seem like small steps in the right direction for both programs.

McNeese’s hiring practices, particularly where football is concerned, tend to be a little incestuous with mixed results.

It’s something I argued the athletic department should avoid.

But, though Guidry’s hiring doesn’t buck the Good Ole Boy trend, it does inspire optimism, in my opinion.

Guidry has adapted the Cowboys’ traditional 4-2-5 base defense to his own purposes and to decent success in the hinterlands of the Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A to those of you born in the 20th century). At Miami of Ohio in 2010, Guidry helped turn a terrible Redhawks team from the previous season into a bowl team before leading

the Not Floridas to a subsequent bowl win as interim head coach.

That year, Miami went from eighth in the conference in total defense to fourth.

He spent two years at Western Kentucky, where his defenses finished fourth and first, respectively, in the Sun Belt Conference in total defense.

In 2012, the Hilltoppers earned a bowl bid and, again, Guidry led the team as interim head coach in a close loss to Central Michigan.

Now, having escaped the stink of new WKU head coach Bobby “Skidmarks” Petrino, Guidry comes back to Lake Charles with some quality experience at the next level that should translate well in the Southland Conference. He is a relatively young and highly motivated coach, too. He knows

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the area, knows the recruiting pool, and knows the program, which will make the transition that much smoother.

Additionally, he is YouTube famous for his pregame motivational speeches and his Twitter account oozes “Get ‘em!!” so it’s probable McNeese’s social media presence will see a boost.

The only problems I see are that at times, he tended to get reckless with his play-calling during the Pizza Bowl game loss to Central Michigan. Sure, it’s a crappy bowl game and why not go for the win on fourth-and-2, but that go-go-go attitude might get the Cowboys in trouble unless it’s tempered a little. On a similar note, Guidry is hypermotivational, which is good unless it drives the Cowboys defense to commit overzealous, stupid penalties (something it has had a problem with in the past, anyway). He’ll have to get his players to walk a fine line between motivated and maniacal.

Meanwhile, the baseball team seems to have gotten its hands on an up-and-coming coaching prospect in ULM’s Hill. The former LSU pitcher has been touted by some national baseball writers as someone to keep an eye on, and, for McNeese to make the hire is a big boost to a flagging program.

In 2012, Hill’s pitching staff, led by Randy Zeigler (now of the San Francisco Giants organization), had its lowest combined earned run average in a decade and helped the Warhawks reach the Baton Rouge Regional.

Additionally, at Southeastern Louisiana in 2010, Hill coached one of the best teams in Southland Conference history-a 40-win Lions squad that was ranked as high as 17th nationally before being upset in the conference tournament by Sam Houston State. In 2008, Hill coached current Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley.

Sure, the Warhawks stank to high heaven last season, but in Volume 5 • Issue 8

all fairness, they did play another season with a kid named Logan Fiasco at catcher. In 2012, it was kind of ironic when they made the postseason with Fiasco, but two years of tempting fate was kind of asking for it.

Seriously, though. ULM just couldn’t seem to get it together this past season, but that doesn’t bother me so much.

The good news is Hill is just 33 years old and, having spent 10 years as a successful assistant coach, he is going to be highly motivated to make his first head coaching job go well. Secondly, Hill, like Guidry, is very familiar with the ins and outs of life in the Southland Conference and has been successful in conference play in the past. He knows what it will take to win in the Southland.

He’s got a solid arm in rising sophomore Bryce Kingsley to build a quality pitching rotation around, something that has been sorely lacking at Cowboy Diamond in the past.

The question will be whether Hill can put it all together into a winning unit. Burrows, for all of his success at raising the team’s academic and economic fortunes, wasn’t able to put a consistently winning squad together on the field.

Time will tell how McNeese’s summer hires will pan out, but, hopefully, by the time summer vacation rolls around again next year, the Cowboys will have good things to report.

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

Coaches or parents with story tips or comments may contact Brandon at bshoumaker@yahoo.com or send him a message on Twitter (@bshoumaker). TJN JULY 11, 2013

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Here Come the Brides In recent years, summer has surpassed spring as the most popular season for weddings. So let’s get romantic and read about some blushing brides.

Stop the Wedding! by Stephanie Bond (who has more than 60 published novels to her name) is a modern romantic comedy.

Annabelle is a busy divorce lawyer in Detroit. Her recently widowed mother in Atlanta calls to tell her she’s going to marry the man of her dreams, an aging but legendary movie star. Cynical Annabelle doesn’t know why anybody would get married. But in particular, she doesn’t trust that the movie star, whom she calls “lecherous,” won’t break her mother’s heart. She intends to keep that wedding (his sixth) from happening. The groom’s son, Clay, also wants to stop the wedding; he

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assumes the bride-to-be is a golddigger, and he insults Annabelle with his accusations. Of course, she and Clay hate each other -- for a while.

The action is steamy but not explicit. The author herself calls the story “uncomplicated and fun.” And it is.

The Last Bride in Ballymuir

by Dorien Kelly is a heartwarming Irish love story set in County Kerry in the recent past.

Michael has been “away” for 14 years, spending time locked up as a political prisoner convicted for a crime he didn’t commit, but still “branded a terrorist” by most of the people around him. When he meets the beautiful Kylie O’Shea, a teacher with her own secret past, Kylie looks at him and thinks, “All dark and big with green eyes that seemed to see into the corners of her mind, the man was a medieval

maiden’s fantasy landed in the wrong world.”

He kissed her the day they met and “She was in well over her head.

What better time to learn to swim?” Kylie and the local garda (police officer) share an ugly past, but he’s still jealous when Michael starts seeing her.

Meanwhile, Michael wants revenge against the man who lied and sent him to prison.

It’s a romantic, well-written love story, but I didn’t feel as if I’d been to Ireland -- not like Patrick Taylor’s Irish Country series, for example.

Barbour Publishing has published a whole slew of light romances in the form of collections. All these novellas are Christian faith-based, and some are a bit heavy-handed about it.

Most of the characters are struggling to make a decision that will set them on God’s path for their lives, or one person is attracted to another but is waiting for the other to turn to God before they will marry him/her. Most have plots that make the reader want to keep turning the pages, and all are appropriate for any age.

“The Immigrant Brides Collection” has nine stories by eight authors. The plots all involve someone from another country

settling in America. Here are some examples: In the 1700s, a French nun and two young women leave French Canada for New Orleans. During the Revolutionary War, a family is forced to take in a Hessian (German) soldier. An indentured servant from England has become an American patriot in Philadelphia. A young Scottish widow agrees to marry a widowed businessman she’s never met and move with him to Florida. In 1906, a Chinese girl rescued from slave owner/gangsters survives the great San Francisco earthquake.

Other characters come from Volume 5 • Issue 8

Ireland, Mexico and Sweden and find love in America.

“Farmer’s Bride Collection” has six novellas by six different authors. The stories take place in the 1800s in Louisiana, Wisconsin, Florida, New York, Minnesota and Kansas. In one, a former captain of the Confederate Army who has lost his faith is shot, and a 9-year-old girl takes him home to her widowed mother, who nurses him back to health. In another, a widow thinks about adopting a child on the orphan train coming through town, and a single man wants to adopt a boy to help him on the farm.

“Calico Brides” contains four novellas by Darlene Franklin, all set in and around the town of Calico, Kansas, in 1875. The story lines overlap and the characters are interrelated, with everything centering around members of the local women’s sewing circle.

Each member takes on a special project, lending a hand to someone nearby who needs help.

Gladys is led by the spirit to help cheer up an elderly widower and finds herself drawn to his grandson. Annie knits hats and mittens for the soldiers at the nearby fort but clashes with the army chaplain whose well-deserved nickname is The Bear.

Barbour also offers bridal story collections set in quite a few states. “The Texas Brides Collection” has nine novellas by seven Volume 5 • Issue 8

authors. The stories are all set in the Lone Star state in the 1800s.

Many involve Texas Rangers and criminals, gamblers and soldiers who meet widows in need of help running the ranch. The action also takes place in Louisiana, Wyoming and Arizona. These stories are actually more like Christian westerns than just love stories.

Finally, “Arkansas Weddings” is part of another of Barbour’s state series. This book is a three-in-one collection of modern romances by Shannon Vannatter. These stories are related, all set in Romance, Ark., where everybody comes to get married.

Adrea is a florist who often has to work with the young widowed pastor.

The postmistress meets a handsome mail carrier who just moved to town. A woman who is opening a bed and breakfast hires a landscaper with allergies.

(But he isn’t allergic to her.)

All the Barbour collections are light and easy to read and, if you’re looking for inspiration, you’ll find it. If you like one, you’ll like them all.

Copyright © 2013 Mary Louise Ruehr. TJN

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

JULY 11, 2013

PAGE 23

by Monica Hebert

Something about Susan A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting with Sulphur native Susan Serice, who now resides on the West Coast. We chatted about a variety of subjects. I asked many questions because I was eager to learn what motivates her to take pen to paper to create her amazing and wonderful works called “Zentangled.”

A zentangle is an abstract drawing created using repetitive patterns. It is usually structured within a certain shape.

Aha! I figured it out; in her pre-art days, Serice studied chemistry, which is

Susan Serice

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about linear thinking. Subjects are in a straight path, with not very many twists or curves.

Interesting. She can draw exact, straight lines, yet allow the piece to have a few curves here and there to allow the full piece to represent a particular image.

That is where the artistry comes in. She deftly manipulates her lines with a sense of abandonment, yet an exactness. The result is striking. I found myself gazing into the work, wondering what else I might discover.

Serice has a new fascination with photography, which has come into play here. She creates a zentangle on the mattes around a photograph and allows the zentangle to meld with the photo. Again, she managed to satisfy the linear aspect of herself while allowing her creative expression to become bold and beautiful. The photograph becomes more and takes on more presence with the zentangle’s support. These specialized works are a treat to observe.

Serice’s work will be celebrated in a one-woman show presented by Art Interest at 1322 Ryan Street in downtown Lake Charles on Fri., July 12.

Sponsored by the Louisiana Jam, the reception begins at 5:30 p.m., winding down around 8:30. Treats will be provided by Jen Kober.

Originally from Sulphur, Serice lived in Houston for 10 years where she earned a Master of Arts degree in psychology. She has had several of her research papers published, most recently in “Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association” on the effects of expressive arts on anxiety.

She now resides in Los Angeles pursuing her love of photography, creativity and equestrian sports. Her photography has been published in the “Los Angeles Times” and displayed at the Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk, and her photography and pen and ink drawings have been exhibited at The LIBERTY Art Gallery in Long Beach, CA. Susan is spending this summer in her studio in Southwest Louisiana. TJN

Volume 5 • Issue 8

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the following categories: Feature Film, Documentary, Short Film, Foreign Film, Home Grown, Student, Music Video and Animation. And of course, you’re not just competing for the chance to be shown in front of an audience. A film festival wouldn’t be a festival without awards. First place winners in each category will receive a certificate and a “Scallywag” award trophy.

The second and third place winners will receive a trophy and a certificate. In addition to all of that, the first place winner of each category will be entered into the “Best of Show – Feature” and “Best of Show – Short” categories. Bennett affectionately calls them the “Cajun Oscar.”

If you’re new to filmmaking or just want to brush up your skills, there’s more to the festival than just watching films. I’ve noticed quite a few filmmaking seminars and guest speakers.

Bennett says he chose this year’s seminars based on last year’s feedback and on local interest shown throughout the year.

This year’s celebrity guest appearance will be actor and indie filmmaker Jackson Bostwick. Who’s that, you ask?

Why, none other than the star of “Captain Marvel” in the number one CBS Saturday morning TV show, “Shazam!” that ran from 1974-1980. Yes, he’s still around, folks, and Bostick will lead an independent film production and acting workshop called “Keep It Simple…the Indie Filmmakers’ Pit Falls.”

This year, he’s in the marketing phase of his feature film Bloody Mary-Lite (an urban fairy tale) that he produced, wrote, directed and acted in. Whew! I’d like to know what he eats for breakfast!

Every movie begins with a story someone wants to see told on the big screen. Local screenwriter and director of the soon-to-be-released Man in the Chair Ken Henderson will conduct a seminar for beginning screenwriters.

Henderson has produced three independent feature films, and has seven scripts written on contract. So you storytellers out there looking for a new medium to tell your stories through might consider popping into his class at the festival.

If you’ve already got your script and are ready to jump into producing your own film, then you might take heart in Larry Wade Carrell’s success story. Last year’s First Place Winner for “Best Feature” and “Best of Show – Feature” at

the 2012 Lake Charles Film Festival has now gotten his film Jacob into huge distribution places like “Redbox.” Making the film and entering the festival is just half the process. Getting it seen by someone other than your beloved grandma and festival film buffs is a big task.

Carrell will teach you how he did it at his seminar in the 2013 festival.

Actors, listen up! Low-budget, horror filmmaker Jim DeVault will return for another round of low budget filmmaking workshops and he’s holding auditions. DeVault’s written, directed and produced three low-budget horror films in the last four years. His specialty is shooting smart and getting an expensive look on films with little to no budget.

If you’d like more information and a submission form, you can get them at www.lakecharlesfilmfestival.com. The deadline for entries is September 1.

Films from Sowela and McNeese State University students may be submitted for free.

The Lake Charles Film Festival is produced by Louisiana Film & Video Art, Inc., a non-profit organization formed to bring quality independent film festivals, special film screenings, and educational filmmaking workshops to Lake Charles and showcase the artistic talents of Louisiana filmmakers around the world.

Until next month… save me some popcorn!

TJN

Make Your Own Film and Enter the Lake Charles Film Festival

Food on a stick. It seems you can find something yummy on a stick at nearly every festival in Louisiana. Well, I hope you brought your appetite. While there may not be films on a stick at the second annual Lake Charles Film Festival, there will certainly be lots of yummy films for film buffs with a voracious appetite for movies.

The second annual Lake Charles Film Festival will take place October 4-5 at Historic Central School, 809 Kirby St. in Lake Charles. Got a feature, short, or music video of your very own? The festival is currently seeking entries! You work of creative genius just has to have been completed after January 1, 2011 and be no longer than 151 minutes.

I caught up with Festival Director Patrick Bennett at a local coffee shop and he had a lot to say.

Me: So why put on a film festival in Lake Charles?

Bennett: I’ve been to film festivals all over the country and it became clear that Lake Charles was definitely big enough to have one of its own. And besides, no one else was doing one (grin).

Me: With the state tax incentives Louisiana put into place, the state has recently become the third largest hub in the country for Hollywood filmmakers.

Are you seeing more film entries from Louisiana?

Bennett: There are definitely more Louisiana film entries this year. One that really stands out is about a guy whose video game character speaks to him.

Me: Sounds fun! I’ll have to look out for that one. I’ve also noticed you’ve added music videos…

Bennett: Lake Charles has a thriving music community. It’s a big music town.

And computer software makes it easier than ever for folks to do the kinds of special effects you often see in music videos.

Are you intrigued yet? I know I was.

According to the festival’s official information, you can submit your entry in PAGE 26

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Volume 5 • Issue 8

hearing so many negative comments from our residents. They are usually the ones that either rarely leave their home, or travel elsewhere for entertainment, giving their money to support another economy while leaving ours out in the cold.

For those of us who view Southwest Louisiana as a beautiful place to live, then I would say we have vision. If you only knew what new projects are in the works and the many ideas that are s n i k n e J being pumped n i l y

By Bra out daily! It’s comforting to know how much is changing and evolving—slowly, yes-New Additions to the Scene but surely. I have said it before and Downtown Lake City and the rest will continue shouting it from the of the surrounding area are continurooftops; the potential of this city ing to grow thanks to innovative and this area is amazing. We were risk-takers who understand the destined for greatness and the new importance of going out on a limb industry expansion projects are helpevery now and then. I have been able ing us to reach that potential at a to observe the shift our area is expemore rapid rate. riencing and I’m very proud to see it A new addition to our downtown all coming together. that I believe will have a great longWhat intrigues me the most is term impact is Tartan Pedicabs.

Volume 5 • Issue 8

Cities like Austin use these simple bicycle-type vehicles as a quick and enjoyable means of transportation.

Since our downtown area is small, pedicabs are fun solution to the toofar-to walk, too-short-to-drive dilemma. My good friend Daniel Castro is one of the pedicab drivers and allowed me to hop on board for a spin. You will definitely enjoy the ride and see downtown at a different pace than you’ve probably experienced in the past.

Also coming to Southwest Louisiana are the MVox Movie kiosks. Local native and president/part-owner Michael McGowan announced recently that MVox made its way to the Lake City, Moss Bluff, Westlake and Sulphur for the July 4 weekend. He also indicated that MVox will have new movies nearly a month before their competitor--not bad! Michael is also a producer and director and worked on How to Love a Geek. Be on the look out for its official release set for midto-late July.

I love that our area is full of talented and passionate actors, comedians, musicians and artists and always hope that they continue to receive encouragement. I wish more businesses would step up and open their doors after hours to host either a musician or a small music event. I’ve been hearing quite a few musicians talk about the rehearsal space at

Tipitina’s Music Office Co-Op at 2128 Hodges Street. It appears to be going strong and can assist musicians, filmmakers and others in similar fields.

Of course I never want to forget the venues that hold down the fort throughout the week, like Luna, Dharma, and Yesterdays, but seeing new places pop up shows hope for a growing music and nightlife scene. I stopped by The Center Stage at 3426 Ryan Street at the former location of Big Kahuna’s and liked what I saw.

They’ve only been open for a short time, but Darren and Caleb Hyatt are making the most of that gigantic space. The venue is currently open to all ages, features concessions, a game room and a stage that welcomes all genres of music. They even have a large projector on site for Tuesday night movies.

That ball in the sky we call the sun has not been my favorite part of summer. I’m already I’m looking forward to winter. The heat this summer is just unbearable for me and the humidity alone makes me dread having to step outside. For all of you folks who work outdoors, I have truly have admiration for you. Please stay hydrated and take advantage of the cool air when you can.

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. TJN

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By Drew Drummond Laten Miller has always enjoyed building things. Growing up in Holmwood, Louisiana, he learned about woodworking from his father, a carpenter. The first thing he built on his own was a boat. Then, staying in the vein of transportation, he built a camper for his family (wife Betty Miller and their four children) on summer vacations. From there, he turned his attention to household furnishings, building a china hutch, a toy chest, a grandfather clock and custom cabinetry.

“He liked the challenge of building something new, but once he built some-

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thing once, he said the challenge was over and he never wanted to build the same thing again. He’d always move on to something else,” said Pam Hymel, Miller’s daughter. That was until he turned his attention to building musical instruments.

“He had a fiddle when he was very young,” said Betty Miller. “When he went into the service, he bought another one, but when he got out, he wasn’t interested in playing anymore. One day, his nephew began having jams at his house and he went and started playing with them. After that I called him my

bedroom fiddler, because he would always sit on the side of the bed and play.”

Beginning in 1981, Miller built four fiddles, one for each of his children.

Made of curly maple and finished to a beautiful sheen, the fiddles were all hand-carved with tools of his own creation.

“He’d start out with a flat board, and he’d cut out the basic shape of it,” Betty explained. “He’d sand it and carve it and even use a piece of old glass to get it into the right shape. He’d sit there and tune them all until they sounded right.”

“It was a lot of work,” Laten Miller added.

Soon after, Miller began playing the fiddle regularly at local nursing homes and schools and joined the Cajun French Music Association, a group that inducted him into their Cajun Music Hall of Fame in 2008 for services to Cajun music.

Miller retired in 1990 at the age of 62 from the city of Lake Charles where he worked as an electrician. He then began to devote his time to developing his craft, only now he turned his interests to another oft-played instrument in Cajun music, the accordion.

“He had a friend in Scott, Louisiana who built accordions who showed him how to do it,” Betty said. “He made nearly 15 trips up there while building that first one. When he was done, his friend gave him some constructive criticism, but told him that it was much better than the first one he had ever made.”

What started out as a hobby eventually blossomed into a full-time job, prompting Miller to turn the workshop located behind his house into an accordion building assembly line with areas specifically carved out for building, painting and perfecting the instruments.

“I spent a lot of time out there,” Miller said.

Cajun musicians such as Homer LeJeune, Bobby Leger, Garret Judice and Beau Jacques were glad that he did and soon began to order accordions custom built to their specifications. Miller’s

accordions came in a rainbow of colors, all with burnished metal hinges, inlaid wooden details and an ingrained emblem proclaiming the instruments to be “Cajun Classics.”

“The first one we ever sold, we got $700 dollars for it. The last one we got $1,500, but if you count all of the hours it took to build each one, you really didn’t make any money off of it,” Betty said. “He built every part of those accordions by hand except the bellows and the reeds, which we had imported from France.”

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease nearly a decade ago, Miller continued building instruments for as long as he could with some help from his wife.

“He had been making accordions for so long that I had learned all the steps in making them,” Betty said. “I painted the keys and sanded them for him.

When he started forgetting the steps of how to build them, I was there to help him.”

All of the accordions he made are signed and numbered. He stopped after finishing accordion number 137.

After falling ill for a number of years, Miller also stopped playing the fiddle until two years ago, when a couple of his musician buddies began playing for the residents of nursing homes.

“He started playing again, and I don’t know much about music, but his friends say that he plays today like he never stopped playing,” Betty said.

He is still playing at nursing homes two to three times a week. His favorite songs are the McNeese fight song, “Jolie Blonde,” and “When I was Poor.”

Miller just celebrated his 85th birthday on July 3 and though it had been years since he had last touched an accordion he built with his own hands, when one was brought into the room, he immediately unhooked the straps restraining its middle section and beaming, began playing it.

“When someone knows how to play, they can really make it sound good.

That’s why I wanted to make these,” he said. TJN Volume 5 • Issue 8

Saturday, July 20th 9:00 am - Doors open, Arts & Crafts open 9:15 am - Opening Ceremonies 9:30 to 11:30 am - Lesa Cormier & Sundown Playboys 11:45 am to 1:30 pm - Ron Granger & Cajun Soul featuring “PT Scrubbers” 1:30 to 1:45 pm - Introduction of Queens Live auction 1:45 to 3:45 pm - Jackie Cailler & Ivy Dugas & The Cajun Cousins

3:00 pm - Dance Troupes’ Recognition 4:00 to 6:15 pm - Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 5:30 - Silent Auction closes 6:30 to 8:15 pm - Lakeview Playboys 8:30 to 10:00 pm - Ron Miller & The Midnight Ramblers 10:15 to 12 midnight - Garrett Judice & Static

Sunday, July 21st 8:00 am - French Mass 9:00 am - Coffee & Donut Social 9:00 am - Arts & Crafts open 9:15 to 11:15 am - Red Saltzman & The Ramblin’ Cajuns 11:15 to 11:45 am - Official Crowning of 2013 Royalty 11:45 am to 1:45 pm - COD Harry Young 1:45 pm - Raffle Ticket Drawing 2:00 to 4:00 pm - Briggs Brown 2:30 pm - Dance Troupes’ Recognition

For more information, visit

www.cfmalakecharles.org or contact Robert Hebert at 496-0374 or Sandra Hebert at 309-5978

Volume 5 • Issue 8

JULY 11, 2013

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Monsters University (Pixar, Disney, 2013)

Pixar had such success with Monsters, Inc. that it decided to produce another movie in this animated franchise. Monsters University is a prequel, which gives us the story of one eyeballed Mike Wazowski and blue-furred James “Sulley” Sullivan, the main characters from the original movie.

As a child, Mike visits Monsters, Inc. in Monstropolis on a field trip. He’s a fan of the monsters that scare children in the world of people to power Monstropolis with their screams.

The joke on human kids is that the monsters themselves are scared to death of humans.

Years later, Mike is inspired by his visit to enroll at Monsters University. The problem with Mike is that he’s not really that scary, being somewhat

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puny. But his enthusiasm is boundless and pushes him to go into the scarer program. Along the way he meets James P. “Sulley” Sullivan, his future friend and son of a famous scarer. (Sort of like the Archie Manning franchise in football.) As a student, Sulley is a slacker, relying on his charm and size to get through the first weeks of school. Meanwhile, Mike hits the books, determined to make the grade.

Did I mention that Sulley and Mike can’t stand each other? Their adversity is natural, because Mike has contempt and jealousy for lazy Sulley, who sees Mike as out of place in the scarer program.

But the real action starts to happen when these two enemies are forced by circumstances to join the nerdiest fraternity on campus, Oozma Kappa (OK). Compared to rival fraternities like Roar Omega Roar (ROR) and Eta Hiss Hiss (HSS), the Oozmas don’t stand a chance in the annual scare games, a fraternity competition to prove you’re the best scarer.

Yes, it all sounds very repetitive on the recurring plot of small town monster makes good, (and it is repetitive on the recurring plot of small

town monster makes good) but Monsters U. is an absolutely perfect movie for kids and adults alike. The plot and side gags are original enough for adults and the monsters are cuter than stuffed animals. When you add in the bonus prequel approach, with characters showing up in their youthful versions, the movie gets even more interesting.

Billy Crystal reprises his voice as Mike, likewise John Goodman as Sulley, but the real treat is Helen Mirren voicing Dean Hardscrabble, a truly cold and scary batlike dragon. The Dean has it in for Mike and Sulley, and makes every tough teacher you ever had look like a Den Mother in comparison. There’s even an old-school student in the Oozma Kappa fraternity, a five-eyed former salesman named Don, complete with his old business cards.

Every step of the way Mike meets challenges, but with Sulley, manages to continue.

This is one film I didn’t think I’d like, because the theme echoes

so many college frat house movies (Revenge of the Nerds, Animal House, etc.) But the message for kids is to never give up, and that friendships are important in every phase of life.

The ending shows us a little bit of the real world, as Mike and Sulley step out of college life into adulthood. (Or is it Monsterhood?) Disclosure: I never was interested in seeing the first movie (Monsters, Inc.) but now I think I’d like it.

Monsters University is rated an unambiguous G. I have to admit, it did give me nightmares, but most children should be fine with it. Enjoy. TJN

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BAYOUCON The Chateau Du Calcasieu Event Center in downtown Lake Charles was the place to be for BayouCon, SWLA’s original and premiere fan-produced annual convention. BayouCon offers the very best in programming stemming from anime, comics, science fiction, gaming, and more. Over 35 creative organizations participated. Crowds of community gaming nerds made this year’s event a big success!

Adrian Blanche, Caitlyn Dehart and Krylon

Haruhi and Alois Trancy

Jenni Moreau and Emmett Plant

Xavier and Jonnie Woddridge

Brady Kyle with Nicole Palombo

Andrea Perez, Heather Browning and Meredith Brunious

Gene Rodenberry and Raoul Duke

Alyne Pustanio and Bernadine LeBlanc

CELEBRATING RED, WHITE AND BLUE WITH LADY HOLLY Lady Holly of the Lake Charles Civic Ballet and her talented dancers brought culture and storytelling to the kids gathered at the Central Library. Dancers performed in costume for a Fourth of July celebration as Lady Holly explained the basics of ballet with interactive movement and grace. Bravo!

Patti McIver and Sarah Lumpkin PAGE 32

JULY 11, 2013

Ella and Sydni Lopez

Shayna and Austin Manuel Volume 5 • Issue 8

Crystal Long, Tara Holland, Rita Petty, Anna Istre and Austin Manuel

Lake Charles Civic Ballet Company Dancers

Addison, Dean and Ella Kay

RED, WHITE, BLUE AND YOU The streets of Downtown Lake Charles and the Civic Center were a sea of red, white and blue as decorated floats, vehicles, and marching units and more paraded the downtown streets. Crowds of big and little kids cheered them on and battled for candy. Then it was on to the front lawn of the Civic Center to enjoy the sounds of Market Blue, the Lake Charles Community Band and a salute to the US Armed Forces as well as a sing-a-long with the Louisiana Choral Foundation. The celebration ended with a loud, explosive array of fireworks. Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue!

Jenni and Diana Newton

Zach, Shanna and Cameron Johnson

Tayler and Gary Trahan Volume 5 • Issue 8

Betty Tucker with Donus Jr. and Donus Edwards

Sharon and Garland Francois

Randy Jones, Payton Keyes and Beverly Jones

Kamiyah Carter, Yazmin Nixon and Caitlyn Carter

Georgene Gibson and Danisha Vizia

Cerenity Harmon, Shaune’ Smith, Iyona Guillory and Allyssa Ardoin JULY 11, 2013

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JEN KOBER AT JACK DANIELS WEDNESDAYS--ALL SUMMER! Local comedian Jen Kober is bringing her funny antics to L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, where she will perform every Wednesday night in July and August at Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill. Dubbed “Jen Kober’s Homegrown Comedy Show,” this hometown girl promises a fresh new act each week with an array of guest entertainers and hilarious audience participation. The shows at Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill cost just $10 and begin at 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com, the L’Auberge Business Center or Legends at L’Auberge. Tickets will be available at the door the night of each show; cash only please. Must be 21 to attend.

PARTY BY THE POOL AT L’AUBERGE! JULY 11, 18, 25 Summerland Tour, July 11; Purple Reign, Prince Tribute, July 18; and 311, July 25. Tickets for Liquid Society are $10-$20 at www.ticketmaster.com. (800) 745-3000; at L'Auberge through the Business Center or Legends at L'Auberge. Tickets may also be purchased the night of the show at Legends. Doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 8:30 p.m. Must be 21 years old to enter.

LC SYMPHONY’S SUMMER POPS JULY 13 The summertime favorite is back as the Lake Charles Symphony hosts the annual Summer Pops concert at the LC Civic Center. An informal program given by the symphony orchestra featuring the Madmen Across the Water, an Elton John Tribute Band. Pizza, drinks and ice cream will be available. General admission tickets are $20 and $25 and can be purchased at www.lcsymphony.org as well as local music stores, the Lake Charles Civic Center and the Symphony office. Reserved table seating is available by calling the Lake Charles Symphony office at (337) 433-1611. Visit www.lcsymphony.org or check out the Symphony on Facebook for updates and more concert information.

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CHEWS MULTICULTURAL HAIR AFFAIR JULY 13-15 Don’t miss the Hair Affair! Set-up is Sat., with an official welcome SM party at the Foundation House that evening. For the next two days, there will be beauty, fashion, comedy, entertainment, vendors, and extremely beneficial classes. The event will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Go to www.chewshairaffair.com/ for more information.

RIDERS IN THE SKY AT LUTCHER THEATER JULY 14 For more than 30 years, Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing Western music. And while remaining true to the integrity of the genre, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life "The Cowboy Way!" The event will be held on Sunday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at Lutcher Theater in Orange, TX. Tickets are on sale now at www.lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher Box Office at (409) 886-5535.

COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM JULY 18 Friends of Tuten Park announce the first of a series of community gardening educational programs to be held in the coming months. The first program on Thursday, July 18, will host guest speaker Kurt Unkel, owner and producer of Cajun Grain, whose topic will be, "How to Garden with Less Cost, Less Weeds, and Less Labor." The program will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Tuten Park Education Building, 3801 Nelson Rd. Seating is limited to 25 attendees and reservations are required. For reservations, please contact Golden Tradewell at golden.tradewell@cityoflc.us.

CAJUN MUSIC AND FOOD FESTIVAL JULY 19-21 Burton Coliseum will be jumping with lively Cajun sounds July 19-21 for the 26th Annual Cajun Music and Food Festival, presented by the Lake Charles Chapter of the Cajun French Music Association. Savory Cajun specialties like jambalaya, gumbo, cracklins and more will be in the gumbo pot along with Cajun spices that have pleased taste buds for centuries. Other festival highlights include raffles, arts and crafts booths and games for kids. Raffle prizes include a French accordion, a double wooden rocker, a fiddle and an adult and child scrub board! No ice chests are allowed. Ticket prices are $10 for Fri. night, and $7 on Sat. and Sun. Children under 12 free. For more info, call (337) 496-0374 or (337) 842-4212.

EVENING OF JAZZ FUNDRAISER JULY 20 The Lake Charles Chapter of the Xavier University of Louisiana Alumni will present its 3rd annual fundraiser, an Evening of Jazz, on Saturday, July 20 at the Lake Charles

Volume 5 • Issue 8

Civic Center to support scholarships for Lake Area students and the new St. Katharine Drexel Chapel on the New Orleans campus. The evening will run from 6-10 p.m. and feature local jazz artists, delicious food and a silent auction.

XULA alumnus and U.S. Coast Guard Commander Will E. Watson, along with Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux, Chief Judge of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to community life in SWLA. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Civic Center ticket window or by calling C. White at (337) 240-6303.

MARSHLAND FESTIVAL JULY 26-27 Music isn’t all that goes on during the Marshland Festival at the Lake Charles Civic Center! There will be a business expo, arts and crafts, activities for the kids and more, including…food! Southwest Louisiana is known for flavorful fare and hot music, and this festival will give you a taste of both. Live music begins at 6 p.m. on Fri., July 26, ending at midnight. On Sat., July 27, the music will begin at noon and go through the day, ending at midnight. For a complete schedule, visit www.marshlandfestival.com.

Ritz Carlton in New Orleans, along with special prizes for the People’s Choice winner, voted on by the public with cash tips.

Live music, an extensive Art Market, and interactive cultural activities will also accompany the event. A limited number of $25 tickets are available now at www.artsandcrabsfest.eventbrite.com. No one under 21 years of age will be admitted. TJN

VOLUNTEER CENTER’S CASINO ROYALE JULY 27 The Volunteer Center of Southwest Louisiana, Inc. is hosting their 3rd annual Casino Royale on Saturday, July 27, from 7-11 pm at Reeves Uptown Catering in Lake Charles. The event features games like blackjack, roulette, poker and craps. The evening's top five chip winners will each take home a fabulous door prize. All event proceeds benefit 2-1-1, a program that area residents can use for health and human service information and referrals such as disaster aid, shelters, food banks, child care, counseling, volunteer opportunities and employment support. Individual tickets are $50 each and sponsorship opportunities range from $250 $2,500. Anyone interested in sponsoring Casino Royale or purchasing tickets can call 513-4616.

ANNUAL KREWE DE CAROLINE POKER RUN AUG. 10 The annual Krewe de Karoline Poker Run benefits West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital’s Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center. It begins at 8:30 a.m. – until at Wayne & Layne's Deli & Bar. Plate lunches at 11 a.m., auction at 5 p.m., live music noon – until.

For more information, call (337) 274-9155.

‘TIL DEATH DO US PART: LATE NITE CATECHISM 3 AUG. 11 Coming to the Lake Charles Civic Center-Rosa Hart Theatre on Sun., Aug. 11, ‘Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3 is making its way to Lake Charles. After teaching countless students about the saints, venial sins, limbo and more, Sister is now offering up hilarious lessons on the Sacraments of Marriage and the Blessing of the Sick, including her own wacky version of the Newlywed Game. Classroom participation is a must, so bring along your sweetie and your sense of humor for a session with the country’s feistiest couples counselor!

Performance is at 3 p.m. Ticket prices range from $32 to $52. To purchase tickets, call the Lake Charles Civic Center Box Office at 491-1432 or go to Ticketmaster.com and search St. Martin de Porres Late Nite Catechism 3.

ARTS & CRABS FEST AUG. 17 The fourth annual Arts & Crabs Fest will take place on Sat., Aug. 17 from 5-8 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum. Festival-goers can sample an extensive crab and beer tasting which features 15 local restaurants each offering a unique crab dish representative of their cuisine’s styles. A culinary battle will take place through a panel of mystery judges, with Acadiana Profiles magazine offering the winning Top Crab Chef a two-night stay at the

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Sponsored by

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

The

THURSDAY, JULY 11 • Joe Harmon & The Harmonics @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

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

• Everclear/Live/Filter/Sponge @ Liquid Society, L’Auberge Casino, 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 12 • Belly dancers at Zeus Café, 7 p.m.

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

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

• Herban Cat/Luke Young @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

• Obsidian @ My Place American Pub, 8 p.m.

• Mark Reeves & Twisted X @ Presley’s Restaurant, DeRidder, 8 p.m.

• Chubby Carrier & Bayou Swamp Band @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Second Nature @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

• John Guidroz @ Micci’s Piano Bar, 9 p.m.

• Junior Lacrosse & Sumtin Sneaky @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

• Brian Best @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 13 • Acoustic guitarist Jay Kacherski @ Zeus Café, 6 p.m.

• Billy Ocean @ Delta Event Center, Delta Downs, Vinton, 7 p.m.

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

• AF the Naysayer @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

• Mark Reeves & Twisted X @ He’s Not Here, Sulphur, 8 p.m.

• Johnny Guinn & Rue Louisiane @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Street Side Jazz Band @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

• Leroy Thomas & Zydeco Roadrunners @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

• Brian Best @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 14 • Twangsters Union @ Mary’s Lounge, 5 p.m.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 17 • Jay Ecker @ Cigar Club, 8 p.m.

• Marty Monte Band @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Jen Kober @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 18 • Big J & Zydeco Dogpound @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Classy Nude/Poppy Red @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

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

• Purple Reign @ Liquid Society, L’Auberge Casino, 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 19 • Belly dancers at Zeus Café, 7 p.m.

• Jo-El Sonnier @ Burton Coliseum, 7 p.m.

• Orphan Annie @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• When the Word Was Sound/Young Hedons/Jaylotus @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

• Zach Balch @ Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Orange, Tx., 8 p.m.

• Joe Harmon & The Harmonics @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Wayne Toups & Zydecajun @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

Volume 5 • Issue 8

• Jo Dee Messina @ Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

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

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

• 311 @ Liquid Society, L’Auberge Casino, 8:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 20 • Acoustic guitarist Jay Kacherski @ Zeus Café, 6 p.m.

• Various Artists @ Summer Jam, Lake Charles Civic Center, 3 p.m.

• Wirethrone/Apothesary @ Lethal Arts, 6 p.m.

• Orphan Annie @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Slangston Hughes/Ab Psych @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

• Lochness Mobsters/Fabulous Wonderfuls @ My Place American Pub, 8 p.m.

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

• Alien Tramp @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

• Damon Troy & Final Five @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

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

FRIDAY, JULY 26 • Belly dancers at Zeus Café, 7 p.m.

• Various Artists @ Marshland Festival, Lake Charles Civic Center, 5 p.m.

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

• No Idea @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Hello Chief/We Are Wombats/Certain Satellites @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

• Large Marge/Deadman Circus @ Luna Live, 8 p.m.

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

• Twangsters Union @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.

• Larry Tillery @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Jackson Taylor & The Sinners @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 11 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 •Brad Brinkley & Comfort Zone @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Jen Kober @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 27 • Acoustic guitarist Jay Kacherski @ Zeus Café, 6 p.m.

• Various artists @ Marshland Festival, Lake Charles Civic Center, 11 a.m.

• Before I Hang/Dummy Dumpster @ Lethal Arts, 6 p.m.

• No Idea @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Bujie & The Highrise/The Dubonauts @ Dharma, 8 p.m.

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

• Larry Tillery @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Michael Dolan/Wayne Dylan @ Micci’s Piano Bar, 9:30 p.m.

TJN

THURSDAY, JULY 25 • Leroy Thomas & Zydeco Roadrunners @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

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word search

Summer

Cookin’!

Barbecue Boudin Buffet Catfish Chef

Crabs Dining Out Gumbo Menu Oysters

Poboys Restaurant Spicy Take Out Waiter

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Players take turns connecting two dots.

When you make a square, put your initials in the box and take another turn. When all dots are connected, the player with the most boxes wins.

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Volume 5 • Issue 8

Volume 5 • Issue 8

JULY 11, 2013

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