VOL. 1, NO. 24 /MARCH 11, 2010
• Congressman Boustany Visits The Jambalaya News • Kicking it Up with Soccer
• Ireland Forever • Tammy Palmer’s Dance Studio Raises the Barre
If you suffer from excessive Daytime Sleepiness, Snoring, Insomnia, Restless Legs or Shift Workers Sleep Disorder, call today and schedule a comprehensive evaluation at SWLA’s ONLY Nationally Accredited Sleep Center. Our caring staff and Board Certified Sleep Specialists are here to ensure that you receive
“Peaceful Nights and Productive Days”. Jana P. Kaimal, M.D., Phillip Conner, M.D., Michelle Zimmerman, N.P.
(337) 310-REST (7378) 1-877-597-REST (7378) The Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana is an AASM accredited sleep center and is considered a provider for most insurance companies.
217 Sam Houston Jones Parkway, STE 102,Moss Bluff, La. PAGE 2
MARCH 11, 2010
4820 Lake Street Lake Charles, La.
422 Kade Drive STE 2, Jennings, La. Volume 1 • Issue 24
GENERAL 715 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.thejambalayanews.com PUBLISHER Phil de Albuquerque
On Cover: Lynda Hornsby, front left; Dr. Phillip Conner; Michelle Zimmerman, N.P.; Dr. Jana Kaimal; Marci Guidry, back left; Neil Currie; Richard Zimmerman; SheRhonda Floyd; Ginny Brown; Annette Colletta; Johnna Sonnier; Vicki Broussard; Donna Platt; Nancy Billings; Chere Doran; Melinda LeBlue; Ashley LeBleu; Nick Watson; and, Dawn Schlegel. Photo by Michelle LaVoie
contents COVER STORY 28
Meet the Dream Team at the Sleep Disorder Center of Lousiana
publisher@thejambalayanews.com
NEWS MANAGING EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren@thejambalayanews.com
EDITOR Lisa Yates lisa@thejambalayanews.com
CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Berman Sara Blackwell George Cline James Doyle Dan Ellender Maria Alcantara Faul Angela Habetz Mike McHugh Mary Louise Ruehr Brandon Shoumaker Steve Springer, M.D. Karla Tullos ADVERTISING SALES CONSULTANT Patricia Prudhomme SALES ASSOCIATES Katy Corbello Faye Drake Sarah Puckett Karla Tullos GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Darrell Buck ART/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Michelle LaVoie 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, 826 Ford 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 2009 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. Volume 1 • Issue 24
REGULARS 6 13 14 16 18 21 23 24 38
March 11, 2010 • Volume 1 • Issue 24
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The Boiling Pot Tip’s Tips The Dang Yankee The Zestful Life Doyle’s Place What’s Cookin’ House Call Greener World Sports Report
FEATURES 5 11 26 36
Kicking it up With Soccer Congressman Boustany Visits The Jambalaya News Bayou Biz: Tammy Palmer Dance Studio Ireland Forever
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ENTERTAINMENT 40 42 43 44 45 49 52 54
Red Hot Books Funbolaya Family Night at the Movies Killin’ Time Crossword Society Spice Jambalaya Jam The Local Jam Eclectic Company
Clarification: Leo Luke Marcello’s poem, "Tablecloth" was published in the 1997 edition of Italian Americana, an anthology of Italian-American literature and culture.
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A Note From Lauren Sweet Dreams Reading our cover story about sleep disorders got me thinking about how much I love to sleep. And with sleep come dreams. The average person has about 1,460 dreams a year. That’s about four per night. By the time we die, most of us will have spent a quarter of a century asleep, of which six years or more will have been spent dreaming—and almost all of those dreams are forgotten upon waking. Shortly after my father passed away in 1987, I decided to keep a dream journal. I felt that he would visit me in my dreams, and I wanted to make sure I remembered his messages to me. So, as soon as I woke up in the morning, I would reach for the pen and paper on the night table and record the dream or dreams that I could recall. I learned that when you force yourself to remember them, you do. This went on for several years, and I think I must have filled 10 or 12 thick notebooks full of my dreams. I still have them, somewhere up in the attic. Within a short time, I started dreaming about my father. In the very first dream, I’m holding both his hands. He’s still very sick, but he’s supporting me, not the other way around. When I awakened, I could still feel the pressure of his hands in mine. It was so comforting.
The most vivid dream I had about him was on the first Easter Sunday after his death. I’m sitting on this beautiful terrace, overlooking an old city that shines like gold. My father is sitting next to me, in a bathrobe and slippers, but he looks wonderful. I ask him how he’s feeling, and he says he’s getting much better. Then he says, “Listen, tell Mom that it’s going to be a long time before we’re together again, so I want her to meet a nice man.” I relayed this message back to my mother, but I knew what her response would be. “Never!” As far as she was concerned, my father was the love of her life, and that was it. Fifteen years later, they were reunited. Now I dream about both of them. Some dreams are strange and make no sense; others are visitations where I wake up and still feel their presence around me and remember their words. They will always be my parents. They’ve just moved on, but they’re with me always. And that’s not a dream; that’s the truth.
– Lauren de Albuquerque
The Jambalaya News is proud to welcome Sara Puckett as the newest member of their professional sales team. Born and raised in Sulphur, Sarah is a graduate of McNeese State University. She recently moved back from The Woodlands, TX, where her previous occupations include chief news reporter for Houston Community Newspapers and content licensing manager for Wrights Reprints. Sarah is excited to have the opportunity to develop business opportunities here in her hometown. She is a member of Fusion Five and has two great kids; Ethan Puckett, 8, and Abbey Puckett, 6.
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Sarah Puckett
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Volume 1 • Issue 24
Soccer kids (l-r) Ben, Katherine, Grace, Matthew and Andrew Jester proudly show off St. Louis HS Soccer Pride.
The youngest Ieyoub, Luke, kicking it up.
By Maria Alcantara Faul What the rest of the world calls football is known as soccer in our neck of the woods. Once slow to attract fans in our country, where baseball, basketball, and American football are more popular, the United States now has more official soccer players than any other country in the world—almost 18 million. No other sport crosses so many cultural boundaries, and it’s no surprise that it’s the fastest growing team sport in the United States—as well as the most popular team sport in the world. There are an increasing number of kids getting involved in the game. The sport offers a great opportunity for everyone—no matter how tall, short, skinny, plump, or whatever— to gain the benefits of being part of a team. Soccer is a pure team sport. No one player, no matter how talented, can win a game on his or her own. Winning requires the participation of everyone on the team, allowing teammates to contribute to making plays, no matter the skill level. Soccer helps young people develop, interact with others, and just plain enjoy themselves. Basic skills in dribbling, passing, and shooting a ball can be learned with minimal time and effort. Soccer is a simple game. From a child’s eyes, the team is either on the attack trying to score goals, or defending, trying to prevent goals. We’ve all heard of “soccer moms.” This group is so important that it has
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been recognized as an informal political interest group to be reckoned with in elections. Kidding aside, soccer moms and soccer dads are the soul of youth soccer. Soccer is a family activity for Mark and Gretchen Jester and Mark and Ginger Ieyoub, who shuttle their kids back and forth to games and watch them compete. Gretchen Jester said that their family had a slight predisposition to the sport. Husband Mark lettered in soccer during his high school days and was more than happy to get his kids involved. “When the kids were younger, their hand-eye coordination wasn’t very good, but they could run, and they can kick the ball,” she said. “That’s the great thing about soccer… there are no special talents required and everyone can play.” Aside from the their kids’ involvement, Mark Ieyoub has coached and Ginger has either been a team mom or a manager for the past 15 years. Ginger has also served on the local soccer club’s board of directors for seven years. “We’ve traveled to many soccer games together as a family,” Ginger said. “It’s also a social activity. We’ve met many new friends by being involved with the local soccer program.” The Jester children, Mathew, 15; Andrew, 13; Ben, 11; and Katherine, 8; as well as the Ieyoub children, Natalie, 18; Jacob, 16; and Luke, 10; all began
playing soccer when they were four years old. Natalie Ieyoub now plays for LSU on a partial scholarship; Jacob Ieyoub and Matthew Jester are currently playing for St. Louis High School, the 2010 Louisiana State Champions; Ben Jester and Luke Ieyoub are both playing for the local club’s tournament teams; Katherine Jester is playing recreational soccer; and the youngest Jester, Grace, 2 ½; is patiently waiting for her turn to play. Interested in getting your kids involved? The Calcasieu Soccer Club, founded in 2004, offers a variety of opportunities for both kids and adults. Funded primarily through private sponsorships and donations, the club offers a recreational league, as well as tournament teams that travel and compete with other teams in and outside of the state. “We currently have seven teams participating in the adult
league, 36 teams in the recreational league, and 12 division teams,” said Jason Holder, director of coaching and player development. The club currently has around 600 kids and 150 adults participating in its programs every year. It also offers free clinics for players for different age groups and skill levels. Eleven-year-old T-Beau Faul, who has also been playing since he was four, is currently involved in tournament soccer. He loves it. “Its fun! I’m having fun and everyone seems to be having fun!” he said. For more information about the Calcasieu Soccer Club, contact Jason Holder at csc.holder@gmail.com.
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T-Beau Faul handling the ball.
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Please submit press releases to lauren@thejambalayanews.com
BRETT CASCIO, MD, HELPS DEVELOP NEW ARTHRITIS PREVENTION TREATMENT Brett Cascio, M.D. an orthopedic surgeon on staff at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and Orthopaedic Specialists, Medical Director of Sports Medicine at Memorial and Team Physician for MSU Athletics, was the main experimental surgeon to help test and develop a revolutionary new medical product called Cartilix that helps repair damaged joints to prevent arthritis. A New Orleans native, Dr. Cascio is a graduate of Duke University and Louisiana State University School of Medicine. For more information, or to make an appointment with Dr. Cascio, call Orthopaedic Specialists at (337) 494-4900.
WCCH ANNOUNCES EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital recently named Mary Taylor, materials handler in the materials management department, as its 2010 first quarter Employee of the Quarter. Taylor has been with the hospital for 17 years. Taylor has served in several capacities during her time at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital including working in positions in both the housekeeping and laundry departments. Her co-workers complement her on her willingness to help other employees as well as guests and visitors of the hospital. She is a member of Olivet Baptist Church in Sulphur.
Brett Cascio, M.D.
ANNA CATHERINE VIATOR TO LEAD FUNDRAISING AT CHRISTUS Anna Catherine Viator is the new CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Foundation Annual Events Manager. Viator is responsible for all philanthropic efforts related to the Hospital’s annual events, which includes the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) of Southwest Louisiana fundraising programs. These events and programs support funding needs of the Hospital, pediatric medical care and health-related education opportunities in the Southwestern Louisiana region. Viator has over 15 years of event management experience. A native of Lake Charles and a graduate of LSU, she says that community involvement and volunteering have always been imporAnna Catherine Viator tant to her. For more information, call (337) 430-5353.
L’AUBERGE DU LAC ANNOUNCES JAN. FIVE STAR EMPLOYEES L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort recently announced its January Five Star Employees and Employee of the Month. The January Five Stars are: Shawn Kately, a mail runner; Theresa Duplechin, a table games dealer; Crystal Broussard, a lead security officer; Wendy Thames, a L’Sundries clerk; and Blake Bercegeay, a Jack Daniel’s® Bar & Grill food server. Shawn Kately was also designated as the January Employee of the Month and is now eligible to receive the coveted Employee of the Year award. Five Star employees are recognized monthly for their exceptional service skills. All of these employees went to great lengths to uphold L’Auberge’s quality and image as the most successful and respected entertainment destination in the South.
WOMEN’S COMMISSION DONATES TO MSU The Women’s Commission of SWLA, Inc. donated $15,000 to the McNeese State University Foundation to establish the Women’s Commission of SWLA Inc. Endowed Scholarship. THE JOINT COMMISSION REACCREDITS LAKE CHARLES MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Lake Charles Memorial Hospital has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™. Continuously accredited since 1962, Memorial is recognized for its dedication to complying with The Joint Commission’s standards for continuously improving the safety and quality of healthcare. Larry Graham, FACHE, president and CEO of Memorial, called the accreditation, “proof of an organization-wide commitment to provide quality care on an ongoing basis.” For more information, contact Memorial’s Quality Management at (337) 494-6723.
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From left to right: Wendy Thames, Theresa Duplechin, Blake Bercegeay, Crystal Broussard and Shawn Kately. REDD PROPERTIES TO EXPAND COVERAGE IN LOUISIANA NAI Global, one of the largest real estate services providers worldwide, announced today it is expanding its coverage in Southwest Louisiana with the signing of Redd Properties. The firm will now operate as NAI Lake Charles. Located in Lake Charles and serving parishes of Calcasieu and Cameron, NAI Volume 1 • Issue 24
Lake Charles is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage offering commercial sales and leasing, property management and investment services to its clients. Among its hundreds of clients and current listings, NAI Lake Charles has the largest portfolio of private industrial maritime properties in Southwest Louisiana. “The southwest Louisiana market is primed for growth, and NAI Lake Charles is the perfect firm to deliver NAI Global’s superior products and services to that market,” said NAI Global Executive Vice President David Blanchard. NAI Lake Charles is located at 1424 Ryan Street in Lake Charles.
Loyd Rion, Jr., executive vice president of Cameron State Bank and Ginger Laurent, chief operating officer of Louisiana Bankers Association CAMERON STATE BANK EXEC HONORED FOR YEARS OF SERVICE Loyd Rion, Jr., executive vice president of Cameron State Bank, was recently honored by the Louisiana Bankers Association for his 45 years of service in the banking industry. A surprise reception was held at Cameron State Bank, with a plaque presented to Rion by Ginger Laurent, chief operating officer of LBA. Rion began his banking career at Gulf National Bank and has experience in deposits, loans, operations and administration. He joined Cameron State Bank in 1997 and oversees the operations division of the bank. MEMORIAL EMPLOYEE RECEIVES NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL CERTIFICATION Marla Nichols, LOTR, an occupational therapist at Memorial Hospital’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Center, recently received a certification in NDT Management and Treatment of Adults with Hemiplegia from the Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association. With certification in this specialized treatment approach, Nichols has become a “movement specialist” for patients who have suffered from damage to the central nervous system. The treatment approach focuses on Maria Nichols, LOTR effective and symmetrical movements to increase mobility to the areas of the body that were affected by hemiplegia (the condition in which half of the body is paralyzed) and other forms of paralysis. In addition to treating patients, Nichols also serves as a clinical instructor for occupational therapy students from several universities in the region. WOMEN’S COMMISSION OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, INC. NEW MEMBER INDUCTION At a recent meeting of the Women’s Commission of Southwest Louisiana, Inc., President Angela Pierson swore in 16 new members: Tina Blanchard, Kathy Bourgeois, Judy Brewton, Donna Charlton, Beth Dawdy, Vesta Drake, Carolyn Gilley, Nicole Goodly, Patricia Lore, Nora Mayes, Monica Soileau, Tammy Thibodeaux, Carol Welke, and Debbie Yezic. In addition, two commissioners, Etta Pete and Lois Clement were honored as lifetime members. Lifetime commissioners must have served at least 10 years in an “active” capacity as well as document leadership in various committees and activities that the Women’s Commission supports. TOP OFFICIALS ADDRESS POLICE JURY ASSOCIATION OF LOUISIANA’S 86TH ANNUAL CONVENTION More than 1,000 federal, state and local government officials gathered for the 86th Annual Police Jury Association Convention held at the L’Auberge du Lac Hotel recently. Attendees were given Congressional and state updates Volume 1 • Issue 24
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on a variety of issues. They also visited with over 100 interest groups related to the day-to-day operations of parish government. U.S. Senator David Vitter, U.S. Representative Charlie Melancon, Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, NACO President Valerie Brown, Joe Hill from U.S. Representative Charles Boustany’s office, and State Representative Elton Aubert addressed the local government leaders. The convention was a special time for outgoing President Sandy Treme of Calcasieu Parish, as she hosted the successful convention. “It was an honor to serve this past year as state president. It only solidified what I already knew that local government is the closest form of government to those we serve,” said Treme.
For information on 2010 events call (337) 475-5123 or visit www.banners.org
Ann Savoy and Her Sleepless Knights Sat, Mar 20, 2010 Concert at 7:30 p.m. in F.G. Bulber Auditorium, Dance to follow in Parra Ballroom, McNeese Campus
The Jason Bishop Show America’s Hottest Illusionist Fri, Mar 26, 2010 7:30 pm Rosa Hart Theatre Lake Charles Civic Center
Dale Mann presents Patricia Prudhomme with the Harper Clark Award. PATRICIA PRUDHOMME WINS AWARD The Harper Clark “Spirit of Southwest Louisiana” Award was presented to Patricia Prudhomme, Regional Coordinator for Tobacco Free Living at the United Way Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon held on Feb. 25. Presented for the first time in 2001 in loving memory of Harper Clark, this award is presented to someone who, like Harper, has a positive attitude towards life, is enthusiastic, cooperative, happy, an active volunteer, concerned about Southwest Louisiana residents and resourceful in helping others. STEPHEN WRIGHT NAMED PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS HEALTH LOUISIANA Stephen F. Wright has been named president and CEO of CHRISTUS Health Louisiana, announced Russell “Rusty” Stutes, Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors of CHRISTUS Health Southwestern Louisiana. Additionally, he will continue to serve as CEO CHRISTUS Health Northern Louisiana and CHRISTUS Health Central Louisiana. For more than 25 years, Wright has held a variety of leadership roles with the Sisters of Charity (SCH) Health Care System Stephen F. Wright and CHRISTUS Health. On Feb. 1, 2009, Wright assumed leadership of CHRISTUS Health Northern Louisiana, resulting in enhanced coordination of services among the various entities in Central and Northern Louisiana and both regions’ continued growth.
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ENTERGY GULF STATES LOUISIANA ADDS NEW SUBSTATION TO LAKE CHARLES To help meet the energy needs of a growing Lake Charles, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. is in the process of building a new substation in the southwestern part of the city. The new substation is part of Entergy Gulf States Louisiana’s on-going efforts to provide reliable power to the Lake Charles area. Work on the new substation and on surrounding power lines began in mid February and is expected to last through June. Work began at the existing Contraband Substation on the corner of Lake Street and Sale Road in February and has continued north on Lake Street to 18th Street. Work began on Prien Lake Road in late January. TJN
109 W. LaGrange, Lake Charles • (337) 477-6868 PAGE 8
MARCH 11, 2010
Volume 1 • Issue 24
Special Needs Children Invited to Lions Camp The Maplewood/Hollywood Lions Club of Sulphur will sponsor local special needs children to a week of camping at the Louisiana Lions Crippled Children’s Camp, located six miles north of Leesville (www.lionscamp.org). There is no cost to the families. Each camping session can handle a maximum of 80 children. Dorms are air-conditioned, and activities include games, sports, arts and crafts, movies, carnivals and bonfires. The camp maintains a staff of 60, plus two nurses and a doctor on call for each week of camp. Campers are covered by the Lions Group medical insurance. Transportation to the camp, if necessary, will be provided.
Here’s the weekly camping schedule:
• May 30- June 5: Children ages 5 to 15 with pulmonary disorders • June 13 - June 19; June 20 - June 26: Mentally challenged children ages 8 to 19 • June 27 - July 3; July 4 – 10: physically challenged children ages 7 to 19 • July 11 - July 17: diabetic children ages 6 to 11 • July 18 - July 24: diabetic children ages 11 to 14 Applicants are taken on a firstcome, first-served basis and are available at www.lionscamp.org and www.lalions@lionscamp.org. For more information, contact Lion Bill Levy at (337) 625-5755. TJN
Junior League, Inc. Seeking Nominations for Voluntarism Award The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. is seeking nominations for the Della Krause Theilen Voluntarism Award. Della Krause Thielen was an individual whose life exemplified the spirit of voluntarism and leadership. This community award, in her memory, will honor an individual, group or organization that has made an exceptional and sustained contribution to the community, thereby achieving impact through excellence in one or all of the following: Variety of community service, outstanding leadership, effectiveness of community service, tenure of community service, perseverance in accomplishing an outstanding project. Nominations
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may be made by any individual or group. Contact the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. Headquarters at (337) 436-4025 for a nomination form. Please include as much information as you can on your nominee and mail the completed form to the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc., 1019 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601, no later than April 1. A gift will be given to the recipient’s charity of choice and they are invited to attend the annual meeting in May to receive the award. For more information about the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc., visit the Web site at www.jllc.net. TJN
Hart Eye Center Announces Photo Contest Hart Eye Center is pleased to announce the “Your Life in Focus” photo contest. Entrants will have the opportunity to win: • First Place: LASIK eye surgery • Second Place: Maui Jim sun glasses All participants will be entered in a drawing for a red Canon PowerShot A480 10 MP digital camera. If the first-place winner is not an eligible candidate for LASIK eye surgery, the winner will have the option to donate the service to someone in need or to an immediate family member; or access equal credit for other Hart Eye Center services. Entries will be accepted from March 15 to June 15. Twelve finalists will then be chosen and a public vote will commence to decide the winners. Hart Eye Center will display the finalists’ photos on local digital billboards. Participants will also have the opportunity to help a worthy cause. Hart Eye Center will donate $10 to the American Heart Association for every photo entered
during the first 30 days of the contest from March 15 to April 16. Contestants can submit their photos at www.harteyecenter.com and can follow the contest and view all contestants’ photos on Hart Eye Center’s Facebook page. Anyone interested in becoming a contestant can visit www.harteyecenter.com for contest details, rules and registration. For more information, contact Jen Breen at jbreen@ocarroll.com or 478-7396.
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Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Unveils Project KNØW The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury recently unveiled Project KNOW, a new parish-wide effort to combat underage drinking. The central goal of Project KNOW is to create awareness within the Calcasieu Parish community of the long-term damaging and possibly deadly effects that alcohol can have on teens. Studies have shown that the brain does not fully mature until the early to mid-20s. During adolescence, the brain develops at an accelerated rate and the consumption of alcohol can have damaging effects, causing memory loss or learning disabilities as well as exposure to a variety of other health conditions, legal issues and a lifetime of addiction problems. The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury is creating this awareness through enforcement and education. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff ’s Office and all other parish law enforcement agencies are heightening enforcement by increasing the amount of DUI checkpoints, compliance checks with bars and businesses that distribute alcohol, and “party
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patrols.” The “party patrols” have shut down a number of underage drinking parties throughout the parish. The Office of Juvenile Justice Service, a department of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, is approaching community education by speaking directly to students in parish schools; sponsoring community events and through launching an extensive media campaign. Project KNOW recently sponsored “Mardi Gras in the Zone,” an alcohol and tobacco free event for teens and kids during the Mardi Gras Day festivities. It included a variety of teen-centered activities, such as a Guitar Hero Contest, a bungee run and jousting; performances by popular local bands; free food, and Mardi Gras throws. There was also an activity area for younger children. Kevin Guidry, president of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, said, “Underage drinking is a serious problem in Calcasieu Parish. Not only is this a legal issue, but it also endangers the health and safety of
our young people. The police jury is committed to this issue, and we will keep fighting this problem until we see a significant change in our youth.” The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury created Project KNOW after receiving a Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG). The Federal organization Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) provides SPF SIGs to states to create needed programs to prevent the onset and reduce the progression of substance abuse in underage drinkers. The grant
was given to the Louisiana Governors Office, Drug Policy Board and the Office of Addictive Disorders, who distributed it to 10 parishes, including Calcasieu Parish. For more information, visit www.knowitall.com or contact Mary Kaye Allemond at mallemond@cppj.net or 721-3990.
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Volume 1 • Issue 24
Just a week before attending President Obama’s bipartisan heath care summit, U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., R-Lafayette, visited with The Jambalaya News to discuss a wide range of issues – including health care. Boustany, a retired heart surgeon, said he believes Congress must do more to affordable health-insurance coverage; however, he believes it will take more time than the president is advocating. “Health care is too important to simply rush through a glossy 2,000-plus page bill,” he said. Boustany said he is working on a bipartisan solution to this problem with his colleagues. He said helping small businesses is the correct approach. His idea is to help small business employees by permitting them to band together to negotiate high-volume discounts from insurers just as companies and unions do now. The congressman said current bills will raise taxes on small businesses, killing jobs in this lagging economy. As a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, Boustany is in a position to help rural hospitals in his district which depend on these programs. He welcomes your feedback on this issue. TJN
You can reach the congressman through his offices at any of the following locations: WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE 1117 Longworth House Office Bldg Washington, DC 20515-1807 Phone: (202) 225-2031 Fax: (202) 225-5724 LAFAYETTE OFFICE 800 Lafayette Street, Suite 1400 Lafayette, LA 70501 Phone: (337) 235-6322 Fax: (337) 235-6072 LAKE CHARLES OFFICE Capital One Tower One Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1135 Lake Charles, LA 70629 Phone: (337) 433-1747 Fax: (337) 433-0974
Kay Andrews, left, Phil and Lauren de Albuquerque, Congressman Charles Boustany, Faye Drake, Sarah Puckett, Katy Corbello and Lisa Yates discuss health care. Volume 1 • Issue 24
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Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Cultural Grant Recipients Announced This year, 17 deserving parish organizations will receive project assistance funding as a result of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s Cultural Grant. In 2009, the Police Jury Grant was proposed and ultimately passed by the Jury. The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana administers funding. This grant provides up to $5,000 to non-profits for projects/events staged in the parish each year. The grant was made available on-line late last year, with the final submission date of Friday, January 8. Eleven non-profit groups submitted grant applications by that date, with all being accepted. Upon review, each was awarded funding based upon the cumulative totals of the scores each received. “The number of applicants almost doubled this year! This is indicative of the direct hit that non-profit cultural organizations are taking now with state budget
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cuts,” said Grants Administrator Jackie Dowden. “The selection panel really struggled with these decisions. We know that interest and participation in this great cultural investment by the Police Jury will continue to grow.” Events funded include “Museums to Go” by Imperial Calcasieu Museum; “Memories are Made of This,” a DeQuincy mural project; a Lakeside performance at Black Heritage Festival; Art on Wheels; and, a summer music program with Dr. F.G. Bulber Youth Orchestra. The Louisiana Choral Foundation’s “Fabulous Folk and Fable,” the Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and the Lake Charles Community Band also were awarded funding in the 2010 grant cycle. The students at five Calcasieu Parish schools will benefit from this grant. “Dancing Classrooms” for ballroom dance instruction will
be provided for fifth grade students at A.A. Nelson Elementary, J.I. Watson Middle School, Dolby Elementary, Ralph Wilson Elementary and College Oaks Elementary. Children’s Theatre Company and Lake Charles Little Theatre both received awards for their planned season. The Kossa Heritage dancers will use their funding to produce three seasonal performances, which showcase the dances practiced by the Native American peoples. Girl Scouts of Louisiana will receive art education workshops, and Associated Louisiana Artists will provide hands-on crafts outreach program benefitting Calcasieu’s elderly and handicapped citizens. The Council Executive Director, Matt Young, gives credit to the Police Jury. “The Calcasieu Parish
Police Jury’s commitment to cultural programming in our area is sound and effective,” he said. “Our police jurors recognize the impact that the arts and cultural programming make on the economy of our parish, by both strengthening Calcasieu’s financial health and improving our quality of life.” The council also administers grant funding for the Louisiana Division of the Arts, City of Lake Charles, and Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. For more information, please call (337) 439-2787 or e-mail cdc@artsandhumanitiesswla.org. TJN
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital To Use ThermoSuit® System Cardiac arrest patients are now met with an icy, yet life- saving reception at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital with the award winning ThermoSuit® from Life Recovery Systems. The ThermoSuit® administers Therapeutic Hypothermia, which lowers the body’s core temperature to a target range of 32 to 34 degrees Celsius. Recent findings have shown Therapeutic Hypothermia to be beneficial to patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest. For most cardiac arrest victims, survival and quality of life after recovery depend on the amount of brain damage that occurs, says Cardiologist Michael Turner, M.D. with the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Regional Heart Center. Statistically, only two out of ten cardiac arrest victims are able to return to normal lives. “The quicker you get the patient to the target temperature, the quicker you stop brain damage,” Dr. Turner said. While other external cooling methods, such as ice packs and cooling blankets and pads take hours to drop the body temperature, the ThermoSuit® reaches the temperature target range in thirty minutes or less. With this intervention outcomes for cardiac arrest
victims improve dramatically. The ThermoSuit® resembles a plastic raft that inflates tightly around a patient. Once the patient is in the ThermoSuit®, a film of cold liquid is pumped continuously around the patient’s body. All the while, medical staff has the ability to easily access the patient to perform any necessary treatments and interventions. As the latest technical innovation for patients at the St. Patrick Regional Heart Center, Dr. Turner predicts that the ThermoSuit® will rapidly become the standard of care for all cardiac arrest victims. The ThermoSuit® System was the recipient of a 2009 Medical Design Excellence Award, and is FDA cleared for rapid patient cooling. According to the suit’s maker, Life-Recovery Systems HD, LLC, of Waldwick, N.J., CHRISTUS St. Patrick hospital is among the 20 percent of all hospitals in the country currently use cooling methods for their cardiac arrest patients. St. Patrick Hospital is the first hospital in the area to use this system. This $36,000 equipment at St. Patrick Hospital is made possible by a grant from the William T. Ethel Lewis Burton Foundation.
TJN
Volume 1 • Issue 24
By George “Tip” Cline
Time to Spray the House It’s almost time for the Annual Rite of Spring Cleaning, for both inside and outside the house. That nasty algae build-up stuff that grows on the siding and looks like you have bad taste in paint color really is a pain. A lot of people use spray washers to take care of that job. I have found that a hose end sprayer bottle (mine is an Ortho brand with a numbered dial on the top) works a heck of a lot easier and does the same job. I just fill the bottle with Clorox (Clorox seems to have more punch than other brands), turn the dial to the maximum setting of 10 and start spraying the house. I have a two-story house and the spray will reach the peaks with little trouble. I find that the ambient temperature must be above 75 to 80 degrees to get the best results. Below that temperature, it takes longer and a lot more product is needed. Just spray the area and let the bleach solution do its job. Keep refilling the bottle as needed until you get to an obvious break point, such as the side of the house. Replace the spray bottle with a regular hose end sprayer and return to where you started and begin rinsing. There may be spots that require an additional do-over, but on a good warm day, the mixture and the rinsing does the trick. Just continue alternating the mixture and the rinsing until your house looks fresh and you feel like you’ve done a good thing. THE LITTLE GAMES CONTINUE Now you might think that I have a thing for Clorox because of my house-cleaning project. Let me remind you of their little game to get a price increase. Remember when they came out with Clorox Ultra? It was touted as being stronger than the regular, so you didn’t need a gallon to Volume 1 • Issue 24
do a gallon’s work. It was brought out in the handy 96-ounce bottle at the same price as a gallon of the original product. Now, go out and try to find Clorox Ultra. I can’t seem to find it where I shop, but I can find bottle after bottle of regular old faithful Clorox—but it is no longer in the gallon size. All of the bottles are now 96-ounce, same as the Clorox Ultra size that would do the work of a gallon… My, oh my, we just got a blindsided price increase with that smooth move changeover. No need to be honest and up front with your loyal customers.
an adult at 18 years of age, then you should be allowed all adult privileges and responsibilities. If there is a problem with that, then let us change the age of adulthood. MUDBUG PRICES ARE SKYROCKETING Years ago, my grandmother remarked that she had seen a sign along the road that advertised live crabs for $4.95 per dozen. She stated that she would never pay that much for a dozen crabs, as we would catch washtubs full off the wharf with chicken necks, a heavy nail and a stout line when I was a boy. Well, those days are long past, and you can’t find crabs for twice the price that shocked my grandmother. Today, the price of crawfish has risen to heights that I have a hard time believing. When a small tray of crawfish costs more than a good steak dinner with all the trimmings, I will opt for the A-1 and not the cocktail sauce. I don’t use cocktail sauce with crawfish or A-1, but you get what I’m saying. I have no idea what my grandmother would say about the price of crawfish, but I’m sure she would agree never to pay $5.99 per pound. I enjoy those mudbugs as much as anyone
but, as a matter of principle, I’ll wait until the price comes back to earth. Don’t worry, it will. LET’S HEAR IT FOR CAPITALISM It seems that revenues to government coffers continue to fall as the economy has plummeted. The politicos are ringing their hands at the lack of our money to spend. You and I have to make hard decisions when we have revenue shortfalls—that I, when we try to have reserves for emergencies. The overuse of credit is basically the reason for our current situation. We can only hope that prudent minds control what needs to be spent and what programs need to be cut back. Too many of the earmarks and pork barrel projects will not help recovery. There are many differing ideas on what needs to be funded and what can be let go. The hard choice is to decide which are the most necessary items and what would be nice to have when times are good. Our economy is based on capitalism and will only recover when economic opportunity is allowed to presents itself to the entrepreneurs of this world. Higher taxes and more regulation will only keep us in the hole longer. TJN
YOU’RE EITHER AN ADULT, OR YOU’RE NOT You become an adult, by law, when you reach the age of 18. At that age, you are allowed to vote for the President of the United States, you can sign legal documents and make contracts, you can join the military and fight for your country, and you may not buy a beer after work. Gee, I guess drinking a beer is a more important right than electing the President. Now, I don’t believe that 18 is the proper age to be a legal adult. There are individual exceptions to that rule, but in general, no. At that age, you haven’t entered the real world and haven’t accomplished any productivity to society on your own. You are still under the mantle of the parental structure. The age of 21 was at one time the magic number. That’s an age that is better suited for reality—but I am not in charge of when a person becomes an adult. Being an adult should be like being dead or pregnant. There is no little bit dead or pregnant. You are or you aren’t. Legal adulthood should be a consistent, not a variable obtainment. If we are to declare that you’re MARCH 11, 2010
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Dang Yankee The
By Mike McHugh
This Yankee’s Name is ‘Mud’ The record snows up in Yankee Land this winter have made national headlines, and this has caused me to swell with pride about how we Yankees cope with driving in such conditions. Here, on the other hand, it seems that the slightest suggestion of a frost by the weatherman brings normal life to a screeching halt even to the point of slowing business to a trickle at the local watering holes. That’s when my wife and I promptly don our gloves and ski caps and go out to enjoy some great personal
service at our favorite hangouts. Well, one night last month, this Yankee’s foolish pride was completely dashed by a close encounter with a natural hazard totally unique to this part of the country, one that makes driving through a Vermont mountain blizzard seem like a walk in the park on a Sunday in spring. Of course, I am referring here to Louisiana mud. I now know what inspired the invention of gumbo. It all happened one evening at a Mardi Gras ball. Our hostess had
informed us ahead of time that they would have wine at the table, so, I, in my Yankee-think, fully expected there to be an ample supply of 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for my drinking pleasure. Upon our arrival, I was completely aghast to find that the wine list was limited to three boxes of white Zinfandel, a varietal that doesn’t go well on my particular palate. Luckily, however, I just happened to have a bottle of the ’97 Napa Cab back at home, so I made a quick exit to retrieve said bottle and thus ensure myself a thoroughly pleasant evening. It all went south (no pun intended) when I returned with my precious parcel. My original parking space was gone, and the rest of the paved lot was completely full. Past the end of the paved area I noticed several pickup trucks parked on the grass. I happened to be in my brand new pickup. It is the first I have ever owned. I had already mastered eating crawfish, and I could even listen to a swamp pop band for ten minutes before wondering if they had any Led Zeppelin in their repertoire. So now, with the pickup, I felt like my transition from Dang Yankee to good ‘ole Louisiana boy was complete. I was in for a rude awakening. I
had barely cleared the paving before I was stopped dead in my tracks. The wheels spun, but I felt like I was in one of those dreams I have from time to time when my feet run and run but I don’t move forward. I was clueless at this point, so I did the only thing I could think of. I walked into the ballroom to find my wife and see if she had any ideas. I didn’t seriously believe she’d have any, but at least consulting with her in this time of trouble was sure to be good for the marriage. Well, wouldn’t you know it—she actually came up with the suggestion that saved the day. “Why don’t we ask those guys for help?” she suggested, pointing towards a group of young men. I protested, asking why she believed they could be of any help. “Well, they’re wearing camouflage,” she offered. That meant little to me. After all, two-thirds of the local population wears camouflage. “True,” she replied, “but how many wear it to a Mardi Gras ball?” I had to concede to her that point. So, I did what any other prideful man would do in such a situation. I let her go up and ask them for help. Sure enough, these boys quickly succumbed to the irresistible force of a pleading, helpless, little lady. (This, I find, is the Achilles heel of all selfrespecting Southern men.) And they immediately sprang to action. “We need a ball for your hitch. We need a towing strap. You got those, of course,” they asked me. A meek “no” and “no” was all I could manage in reply. “No problem!” replied one of them. “I got you covered,” and within minutes, with very pointed instructions as to exactly how and when to give it the gas, I was rigged up to one of their pickups and dragged out onto the safety of firm, dry pavement. Following this, I expressed puzzlement about how those other trucks managed to get parked on the grass without the same problem. “It’s no wonder,” said one of the angels in camouflage. “That there Yankee pickup truck just ain’t built to drive through this mud.” “But it’s not a Yankee pickup,” I replied. “I bought it in Houston.” “Well, there you go,” he answered. “Texas mud ain’t nothing like this here Louisiana mud.” I don’t know if that’s really true, but I do know one thing. This Yankee is never again going to put the tires of his pickup truck on anything that you can’t crack an egg on.
TJN
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MARCH 11, 2010
Volume 1 • Issue 24
February marked the 90th birthday of the League of Women Voters. The Lake Charles League celebrated that milestone at Reeves Uptown Catering. Lawrence J. Narcisse, president of the League of Women Voters of Louisiana, was the guest speaker. Kay Andrews, president of the Lake Charles LWV, received a proclamation from Mayor Randy Roach declaring February 26 as League of Women Voters Day in celebration of “90 Years of Making Democracy Work.” Mayor Roach also presented an honorary citizenship and a key to the City of Lake Charles to Narcisse. Elected in 2009, Narcisse is the first male president of the Louisiana LWV. He highlighted
the achievements and successes of the League, citing how members of the National American Woman Suffrage Association first met to form the League of Women Voters, how Carrie Chapman Catt first proposed the creation of a League to “finish the fight,” and to work to end all discrimination against women. “Over the last 90 years, the League of Women Voters has left its footprint on American history, and our democracy is stronger for it. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our democracy over the next 90 years,” Andrews said. For additional information about the League, go to www.lwv-lc.org, e-mail info@lwv-lc.org or call (337) 474-1864. TJN
Mayor Randy Roach, left, presents a Proclamation to LWV President Kay Andrews and a key to the city and certificate of Honorary Citizenship to LWV Louisiana President Lawrence Narcisse, III. Also pictured is LWV Program Chair, Molly Morgan. Volume 1 • Issue 24
MARCH 11, 2010
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The
Life
Children and Ear Piercings: My Experience By Sara Blackwell Deciding whether to pierce your child’s ears is one of those selfinflicted dilemmas parents put upon themselves. Many have the procedure done when their baby is newly home from the hospital, while others make their children wait until they are much older. A few weeks ago, my four-yearold, Anna, told me that she was ready to have her ears pierced. I told her that it was a shot in her ear, and that it would hurt very badly. This didn’t diminish her desire for the piercing. My two-year-old, Catalina, who parrots my oldest in everything, joined the bandwagon. I finally agreed, but asked my not-
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much-older but much-more-fashionable sister to be a part of this endeavor. I left the details up to her. My sister assured me that Accessory Zone on Ryan Street was very reputable place that offered piercing. Of course, there are other locations that provide the same service, such as Claire’s in the mall, and some Wal-Marts. So one Saturday morning, we made the drive to the store. Anna pretended to be asleep because she was so nervous. I felt almost sick with anxiety. I kept thinking, “Why am I taking my daughters to get needles shoved into their ears?” My sister and my husband didn’t say much; apparently, they were a bit nervous themselves. Upon arrival, I was quickly distracted by the beautiful clothes and items in Accessory Zone. The store also contains anything imaginable with initials on it: mugs, purses, shoes. And don’t get me started on the bridesmaid’s section! After I refocused myself to the task at hand, and located my two children who were running rampant in the store, I asked an employee if we could pierce Anna’s ears. The plan was to only pierce her ears. I
Volume 1 • Issue 24
assumed that she would scream and cry, which would, in effect, scare her little sister into not wanting to do it. My daughter was lifted onto a chair, and a very nice woman put purple dots on her earlobes to mark the location of the new holes in her ears. Anna then picked out pink star earrings from the selection of earpiercing earrings. Another employee joined the first one. They each held a gun-type device to the ear closest to them and they started to count. My daughter had a look of pure fear on her face. I started to feel nauseous, and my nine-year-old niece’s face turned apple red. No one made a sound except for the two employees who began to count: “one, two,” then “POP!”— the sound of the earring being shot through Anna’s ears. I rushed to her side, waiting for the inevitable yelling and tears. But there wasn’t even a whimper. She was elated over her new girly accessories. She looked at herself in the mirror and she was a happy girl. Catalina was now ready for her turn. Anna had not kept up her unspoken end of the bargain, which was to totally freak out. So, the out-
Volume 1 • Issue 24
come was a lot different. She reacted badly after the “pop” of the piercing device. As I lifted her from the chair to comfort her, she gave me a look of betrayal. I could feel the question in her mind, “Why would you let me get hurt like that?” And although she was content with her earrings within ten minutes, those were a long and nagging ten minutes for me as a mother. Regardless of where you go to pierce your child’s ears, my experience taught me several things: First, choose somewhere clean and reputable. I would not take my two-year-old to a tattoo parlor, or to a friend who may know a thing or two about needles. Second, I would go somewhere that will do both ears at the same time. Otherwise, your daughter may end up with only one ear pierced, or she will know how painful the second “pop” is going to be. Third, it helps if the procedure is done in a store full of wonderful items to distract you after the experience is over. And finally, bring a good friend along to offer support to both you and your child. TJN
KYKZ 96 will proudly hold our 22nd Annual Easter EggHunt at Bor du Lac Park on the Lake CharlesCivic Center grounds. The hunt will take off at 10am Friday, April 2nd, 2010. This Mega-Sized Easter Egg hunt is open to all children between the ages of 2 and 12 years old. There will be thousands of eggs and lots of prizes. So get your baskets ready and come join us for the KYKZ 96 Easter Egg hunt!!!
MARCH 11, 2010
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oyle By Jim D
Good Karma There is ample evidence, I am convinced, that all things in your life are connected by some kind of magic, invisible spiritual glue, and that events have a way of either repeating themselves or showing those connections, sometimes at very distant points from each other. If it’s a bad result, we chalk it up to karma coming back to bite you on your derriere. But there are good results, too. This story is one of those. I have a lot of friends in Lake Charles I knew before I came here, but Terry Thibodeaux is the guy I’ve known the longest after I got here. Back before the Civil War, we were two young lawyers working for the Woodley firm during the day and doing our best to entertain ourselves by night. Usually, we succeeded on both fronts. Terry had a nickname for me then that he still uses today: Wally. The reasons for it are obscure, but rooted in one of those stories that come back to the surface from time to time. The “Wally” reference is to Wally English, coach at Tulane in 1983-4, who, during his tenure, was accused of sending an assistant coach and a civilian to Mississippi State for the purpose of spying on the Bulldogs’ practice before the two schools played football. I know, I know, the very idea of Tulane trying to get an edge by spying on Mississippi State is kind of funny. It was also pretty funny when it happened. I was “Wally” to my friend Terry because of a case we were working on together, which is still one of the damnedest stories you ever heard. It started with a fire in Alexandria. A commercial establishment, which had previously been used as the Greyhound Bus garage, burned to the ground one spring night without any obvious means of natural ignition and a suspiciously large new insurance policy in place. In fact, the notice of PAGE 18
MARCH 11, 2010
loss reached the company a day before the application. That raised a few eyebrows. The Woodley firm had been retained to handle the defense of this case before I came along, and Terry had been working on it awhile, along with Ed Woodley. My contribution was to hire Huey Littleton to help us with what became a wide-ranging investigation. Huey sub-contracted some of the gumshoe work to two of those unforgettable characters in life, Harvey Boyd and Ray Gillard, both of whom had worked for Sheriff Ham Reid. Both men are gone now, unfortunately; Ray about five years ago and “Uncle Harvey” just in the last couple of weeks. Because of their connections with the Sheriffs’ Association, we had golden access to the law enforcement community in Alexandria which, considering our status as “foreigners,” really came in handy. As the case developed, Harvey, Ray, and Huey discovered how the fire actually happened. It seems the building owner had, through his lawyer of all damn things, contracted with several members of a Dixie Mafia splinter group, which had expertise in more than one criminal enterprise. Their connection with the lawyer was in creating fake accidents. See, the head of the gang owned a wrecker yard with a lot of cars that had, conveniently, been through an accident. So some of the “boys” would swear they had been in the wrecks, hurt their necks, and therein lay a lawsuit. Knowing the Gang had many tentacles, the lawyer, who at that time represented the business owner (the insurance claim was handled by a different guy), set up a meeting with the Gang and arranged for the torch job, which in the pictures looks just like the fires in Goodfellas or The Sopranos. Turns out it bore more Volume 1 • Issue 24
than a passing resemblance. Through the great work of our investigators, we were able to run down one James Lester Barron and take a videotaped statement from him. The second question asked of him, by Ray I believe, was his occupation. “Arson for hire,” he said. Hey, everybody’s gotta make a living. Mr. Barron ultimately testified in court that he had mixed gasoline and diesel fuel, put it in balloons (so it wouldn’t show up on the floor as a “pour pattern” after the fire), and set off the building. He did a great job. There was nothing left but ashes and metal parts. I wish I could tell you we won the case. I wish I could say that. But I can’t. For reasons I’ll leave buried with this old case, we lost, and the business owner was able to get his fire-based refinancing plan in place. It’s still one of my biggest regrets as a lawyer. Now, along the way, Harvey, Ray, and their photographer were in surveillance of some of these Gang members in backwoods LaSalle Parish. A curious sheriff ’s deputy came along and asked my investigator what he was photographing. “Birds,” he said. No dice. Deputy arrested him for trespassing. Although he got out fairly soon, since I was the guy who sent him there, Terry got his nickname for me. He called me “Wally” last time we talked. Some things never go away, I guess. Here’s the magic spiritual glue connection to a good karma kind of thing. The lawyer who set up the arson through the Gang was charged with a criminal offense (faking accidents for money) and had the great good sense to retain Mike Small to represent him. I had to visit with Mike several times then about the case due to his representation, and as a result, I was one of the few lawyers
Mike knew with any expertise in arson. In the fall of 2002, Mike called me for a recommendation of expert witnesses in a case he was handling for a young woman who had been charged with three counts of capital murder in the death of her children. The authorities in Rapides Parish believed she had set fire to her house to kill her children. Take my word for it, she did no such thing. In fact, the fire wasn’t even arson, but I’ll save that story for another column. Notwithstanding the facts, this impossibly frail and innocent young woman faced our state’s death chamber, and Mike said, if she went to trial, she had at least a 70 percent chance of being found guilty and sentenced to death, innocent or not. That kept me up more than a few nights. In the end, I like to think through my intervention, the so-called “expert” for the State changed his mind and said the fire wasn’t arson, which meant our client wasn’t a murderer. Last week, she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, was sentenced to time served, and was freed to return home to West Virginia with her family. Okay. The point is, if I had never directed the investigation in that first arson case, I’d have never met Mike. And even though that case turned out badly for my client, it opened the door for justice to be done for another client nearly 30 years later. All things work together for good. So let this be a lesson for you. Karma doesn’t always bite you in the butt. Sometimes it opens a door for you to do good. Sometimes, in unexpected ways. Be on the lookout for those things. Let me know if you find some. See you on the flip.
TJN
The Best Sitter is a Safe Sitter®! Girls and boys ages 11 to 13 can learn the fundamentals of babysitting at Safe Sitter®, a medically accurate babysitting preparation program available through Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women on Sat., March 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm. During the one-day Safe Sitter class, participants learn how to have fun with their charges with age-appropriate activities. They will also learn: • Safety tips: How to recognize a medical emergency and what the appropriate action should be during an emerVolume 1 • Issue 24
gency, such as when a child or infant is choking. • Security techniques: What to do if a stranger comes to the door, and when and how to call for help. • The business aspects of babysitting. The cost is $35, which includes all learning materials. Participants will need to bring their lunch. Enrollment is limited, and reservations are required by calling (337) 480-7243. Reservations are also being taken for summer classes for Wed., June 16, June 23, July 7 and July 14.
TJN
MARCH 11, 2010
PAGE 19
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and Acadian Ambulance recently announced that they have introduced “Cardiac Alert” to the region. Cardiac Alert is designed to provide rapid lifesaving emergency treatment for people who suffer certain heart attack. With the new technology, Acadian transports heart attack patients by ambulance directly to CHRISTUS St. Patrick. While en route, highly trained EMS paramedics connect the patient to a sophisticated 12-lead electrocardiogram and transmits a copy to the emergency department. Tressy Bergeron, RN, BSN, director of the emergency department, says that if the emergency department physician determines the patient is having a heart attack, the St. Patrick heart team is alerted and they begin preparation for rapid intervention in the cardiac catheterization lab. This is done even before the patient arrives to the Emergency Department. “The time saved by this process could be the difference between a good outcome and a bad outcome,” Bergeron said. “We know the sooner a blockage in the heart is opened, the better the chances are for a good outcome.” Jerry Romero, vice president of operations for Acadian Ambulance, agrees that an important benefit of Cardiac Alert is that it begins in the field where paramedics connect the patient to a 12-lead ECG. The ECG information is interpreted by the paramedic and transmitted to the emergency room physician who then
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initiates a Cardiac Alert, if appropriate. This sets off a chain of events that prepares physicians and staff to receive the patient. “The strategy is to identify the acute myocardial infarction in the field so we can alert the hospital to be ready when the ambulance arrives,” Romero said. Bergeron added, “Now that we are able to receive the EKG prior to patient arrival, we can give the same quality heart care as always, only faster.” The standard treatment for a heart attack is angioplasty. This is performed in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab by inserting a tiny, specialized catheter that can be inflated at the point of the blockage in order to reopen the artery. Cardiac Alert will help save critical time in the patient’s treatment, thereby promoting healthy heart muscle and improving patient outcomes. Studies show that the ability to prepare a patient for intervention prior to arrival to the hospital decreases the amount of time the heart goes without oxygen. “Time is critical,” Dr. Turner said. “The sooner we can open a blocked artery, the better off the patient will be.” Dr. Turner said that in order for Cardiac Alert to be effective, several things need to be in place: Sophisticated equipment, a high level of paramedic expertise, streamlined processes and advanced preparation, and a commitment to quick response from cardiologists and catheterization staff.
The CHRISTUS St. Patrick heart and emergency teams already exceed national benchmarks for their ability to rapidly diagnose and treat heart attack patients. The national benchmark is less than 90 minutes, and St. Patrick on average is less than 55 minutes. “The time it takes to diagnose and begin treatment of a heart attack is significantly reduced even more – saving precious time. And that saves heart muscle,” Dr. Turner added. Cardiac Alert represents a change in philosophy nationwide within the medical industry. For many years, the traditional standard of care for heart attack patients was to be treated with clotbusting drugs until a catheterization procedure could be scheduled. In the late 1990s, medical studies found that patients treated immediately by catheterization tend to have fewer complications, less heart damage and were less likely to suffer a related stroke. As a result of the studies, hospitals around the nation have begun to implement procedures to minimize the time it takes for heart attack
patients to receive the life-saving angioplasty procedure. Cardiac Alert is one of those procedures, and CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital is the only facility in the Lake Charles area to offer it, according to officials. Etch Shaheen, M.D., CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital’s emergency department medical director, said, “This is great news for our patients and our community. Cardiac Alert enables us to provide more timely care than would otherwise be available in our community.” Dr. Shaheen added, “Until now, this technological advancement was unavailable to patients in Lake Charles. But through the joint efforts of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and Acadian Ambulance, Cardiac Alert is now a reality and should translate into better care and better outcomes. The emergency physicians and staff at St. Patrick Hospital are excited to be involved with the Cardiac Alert program.”
TJN
Volume 1 • Issue 24
What’s Cookin’ Chipotle Remoulade from Izzo’s Burritos We always get excited when new restaurants come to the Lake Area. We were there the night Izzo’s Illegal Burritos opened, and if you haven’t been to their build-your-own-burrito bar, you’re missing out on a treat. Everything is made fresh daily—one bite and you’ll know it. The first restaurant opened at the gates of LSU in 2001 and has now grown to a total of six restaurants in the state: three in Baton Rouge, one in Lafayette, one in Metairie, and now, one in Lake Charles. It’s locally owned and operated by Kyle Williams. Diana Dorta, catering manager for Izzo’s, wants everyone to know that Izzo’s is more than just burritos. “My favorite entree isn’t even the burrito. I could eat the pork nachos every day! I encourage those who haven’t come by to try our food!” Happy Hour is from 4-7 p.m. every day, and includes 2 for 1 margaritas, $2 beers, and $1 chips and salsa. And from 2-5 p.m., you can enjoy $5 burritos! Located at 625 W. Prien Lake Rd. in Lake Charles. For hours or more information, call 562-7902. Visit Izzo’s online at www.izzos.com and become a fan on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. TJN
Chipotle Remoulade Here’s Izzo’s delicious twist on a favorite Louisiana condiment: INGREDIENTS • ½ cup minced celery • ¼ cup chopped green onions • ¼ cup chopped cilantro • 2 egg yolks • 2 tbs. garlic cloves • 1 tsp. black pepper • 1 tsp. kosher salt • 2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce • 2 tbs. cold water • 1 tbs. Dijon mustard • ½ cup chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce) Volume 1 • Issue 24
Kyle Williams
• 2 cups olive oil • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice PREPARATION Combine all ingredients except for olive oil and lemon juice in food processor with mixing blade. Puree mixture until smooth. With food processor on, slowly stream oil, creating emulsification until oil is gone. Add in lemon juice. Using spatula, transfer mixture to storage container. Chipotle remoulade goes great with any type of fried seafood. Or, use it as a tasty cole slaw mixture. Izzo’s uses it in their Baja Fish Taco Lenten Special. Enjoy! MARCH 11, 2010
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A Growing Problem: Childhood Obesity Healthy children gain weight as they grow, but extra pounds— more than what’s needed to support their growth and development—can lead to childhood obesity, a serious medical condition that often starts kids on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
If you think these issues are weighing down on your family’s health, there is a seminar for you. Join Danette Null, M.D., a family practice physician on staff at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, for “A Growing Problem: Childhood Obesity,” a free seminar that will cover the causes and effects of this alarmingly common problem, as well as offer helpful
tips and suggestions for treatment and prevention. Dr. Null is a graduate of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. As a member of the United States Navy, she completed her residency in family medicine at Naval Hospital Pensacola in Florida. “A Growing Problem: Childhood Obesity” is a free semi-
nar being held at noon on Thurs., March 25, in the Shearman Conference Center at Memorial Hospital on Oak Park Boulevard. Refreshments will be provided, and reservations are required. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.lcmh.com or call (337) 494-2936. TJN
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We Finance Your FUTURE ... Not Your Past! LAKE CHARLES, LA 1200 E. Prien Lake Rd.
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MARCH 11, 2010
479-1021
SULPHUR, LA
2910 E. Napoleon St.
337
625-8714
Volume 1 • Issue 24
By Steve Springer M.D.
Night Night
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, even if you didn’t get enough sleep. This will help train your body to sleep at night. • Develop a bedtime routine. Do the same thing every night before going to sleep. For example, take a warm bath and then read for 10 minutes every night before going to bed. Soon, you’ll connect these activities with sleeping, and doing them will help make you sleepy. • Use the bedroom only for sleeping or “intimate” activities. Don’t eat, talk on the phone or watch TV while you’re in bed. • Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark. If noise is a problem, use a fan to mask the noise or use earplugs. If you must sleep during the day, hang dark blinds over the windows and/or wear an eye mask. • If you’re still awake after trying to fall asleep for 30 minutes, get up and go to another room. Sit quietly for about 20 minutes before going back to bed. Do this as many times as you need until you can fall asleep. If you have felt like dozing off during this article, either I’m a very poor writer, or you may have some sleep issues to discuss with your doctor. Whichever the case, I hope you have learned a few things that may get you through the night. TJN
Here is a question I find myself asking my patients often: “So, do you snore at night?” What follows is the usual shrug of the shoulders. A quick glance at the husband or wife and I know the answer immediately. This issue of The Jambalaya News comes out during National Sleep Awareness Week— so what better time to dream up some random thoughts on sleep? Most of you are aware of sleep apnea, but I doubt many of you know that people who suffer from this disorder stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night. If you have sleep apnea, the periods of not breathing can disturb your sleep (even if they don’t fully wake you up). Here’s the spooky stuff that most people don’t know. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be a risk factor for the development of other medical conditions. High blood pressure, heart failure, heart rhythm disturbances, atherosclerotic heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, insulin resistance, and even death are some of the known complications of untreated obstructive sleep apnea. In our community, sleep disorders are more prevalent than you may think. The level of plant/industry jobs and shift workers is fairly high. It would seem that there is a perpetual “turn around” regardless of the facility. Any physicians reading this are nodding there heads in recognition because we know how these events can lead to long hours, excessive stress, and some loss of sleep as well. Don’t get me wrong; our local industries are the lifeblood of our community and the reason why we are sheltered to some degree from all the turmoil in our economy. But that doesn’t change the fact that folks put in a lot of hours and end up with some shift-worker sleep disorders. One more thought on sleep deals with just good old insomnia. There are people who have a bit of the late nights, but there are others who truly have a bad problem. They’ve been on every hypnotic in the book and still have therapeutic failures. The one point I’ll make here is that a good way to assess the severity of your insomnia is to just take a Benadryl before bedtime and see how you do. It is the “secret” ingredient in most over-the-counter sleep meds and it is obviously not rocket science. We’re shooting for that drowsy side effect that kicks in after about 30 minutes. The stronger meds include Ambien, Ambien CR, Sonata, Lyrica, and Rozerem. The major differences or concerns here include which ones are indicated for long-term use in sleep and some dependence issues that your doctor can cover with you. Most people want the more cost-conscious alternatives. Unfortunately, they are the ones not really indicated for long-term treatment of insomnia. One final thought relates to sleep hygiene. The following may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised how many times people break these rules: Volume 1 • Issue 24
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A Greener
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Raising an Agro-Baby By Angela Habetz “Allison, the cow says Moo!” I tell my daughter in my nasally Midwestern accent as I read her one of her countless farm books. “No,” my husband responds, “A cow says Moooooooo! Yours does not sound very natural.” I guess when you spend most of your days around cattle you can do a pretty great impression of them. Allison just listens when I read her the story about the farm animals; however, when my husband reads to her, she responds with laughter to his imitations of the livestock. I grew up in Indiana, but my childhood was not spent on a farm. I was every inch a city gal, one that did not venture far from home, even for college. During my senior year, I gave graduate school the opportunity to choose where I would go after college. I was accepted into the University of Notre Dame’s service fellowship, the Alliance for Catholic Education. I would serve two years teaching in a Catholic school in the Deep South while earning a master’s degree in education. Before long, I received a letter in the mail telling me to pack my bags for Lake Charles, Louisiana. Ultimately, I believed I would teach, live simply and fly back home at every opportunity. God had other plans for me.
Southern women love matchmaking and challenges, so I learned from fellow teachers and one of my students about a particular Southern gentleman that they thought was perfect for me. His name was Adam Habetz, and he was a farmer from nearby Ragley. How those matchmakers believed a Southern farmer would want to date a Northern city gal is beyond me. I just presumed they saw something that Adam and I would come to see in time, and a blind date was set up. The date was a success! And a farmer took a wife in July of 2008 at my alma mater. I am now married and living a thousand miles from my parents. Being the youngest of five children, I knew the instant I was presented with our daughter Allison, this past June that I was officially a grown up. Although we are 29, married, and educated, we have always felt quite independent, and now a beautiful life was depending on us. Allison was born to a good ole country boy daddy and a Yankee mother, who after five years in Louisiana is still trying to acclimate to living in Dixie, being a farm wife, and of course being a mom. By far, the mom title is the most natural one of them all.
My husband Adam with our daughter Allison.
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I am slowly discovering how to raise a child on the farm. Thank goodness for my husband’s patience with me. I assume Allison and I will learn things together and, often, she will probably have to teach me. Since my roots are in the Midwest, Allison’s childhood experiences will be vastly different from my own. She experienced her first rice harvest in August, complete with a combine and 18-wheelers rolling down the driveway. I find it humorous that she sees cattle when she peers out the window, something I only experienced driving to the airport back home. She possesses the luxury of having a father working close by in the barn, horses in the backyard, and a snake or two in the driveway. Allison understands all this to be normal. Last fall, while strolling down our driveway, a grasshopper decided to land in her stroller, consequently terrifying me to death. Of course, you know how deadly grasshoppers can be! She did not seem even remotely bothered; if she had the opportunity she would have most likely grabbed it and brought it to her mouth. I laugh now,
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but I guess I can be rather prissy towards nature. I am still petrified feeding the horses and bulls or on the lookout for alligators when checking the rice fields—a fact I am sure Allison will make tease me about when it becomes one of her chores. As calving season begins, my husband will take us for a ride on the farm to record the numbers. Although calves are the cutest animals, I still leap into my husband’s lap when they curiously come up to the Gator. I just wonder, what Allison will do? If she is sitting on my lap, she will feel my rapidly beating heart, and if she is on my husband’s, she will enjoy the experience. As a first time mother and a farmer’s wife, I am learning plenty from my daughter and husband; although I may want to know how to operate the tractor and four-wheeler before my daughter has to educate me. I know Adam enjoys educating a city slicker like me about farm life, and he will love teaching his daughter this amazing, yet rare, way of life. Allison has already received her first pair of boots and jeans. Planting season is just around the bend. TJN
A Wedding Tradition Since 1962 1025 Ryan St. • 433-3637 www.navarras.com
MARCH 11, 2010
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By Lisa Yates
Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage Dance Co. Raises the Barre Tammy Palmer-Edwards is thrilled with the new location for her dance studio. The new location at 4710 Common Street, Suite B, in Lake Charles, includes three separate dance rooms, a separated waiting area, and a covered drive thru entrance, a large parking lot, and a new “Marley” dance floor. During the official grand opening on January 27, the public was invited to tour the facility. Palmer-Edwards said she and her husband Billy built it from the ground up beginning in May, 2009, and finished construction in August. Her husband’s business, The Porch Coffee House and Café, is also in the same building, in Suite A. The couple’s goal was to create a warm environment with a contemporary design and state-of-the-art functionality for both businesses. “We wanted the waiting area in the studio to look like home – a family gathering place where kids could relax and feel comfortable,” she said. “After all, the children spend five or six days a week here. It’s like their home away from home.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY Although she is proud of her the new building, Palmer-Edwards said the important thing is the people. “A lot of studios lose that,” she said. “My dad passed away in August and it was the people here who helped me get through that – they were wonderful. We have a support system here like no other. I don’t consider this a job – I consider it family.” Palmer-Edwards said her father always supported and encouraged her in her chosen career. She said he would even attend competitions. “Dad, who was this big gruff man, said one of his greatest thrills, was going to one of our dance competitions and hearing ‘Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage Dance Co.’ being announced over the loud speaker,” she said. One of the last things he did before he died was help his daughter move into her new studio. “He went back home on a Sunday; and, the next Friday he passed,” she said.
Tammy Palmer- Edwards, owner ‘LOVE WHAT YOU DO’ Palmer-Edwards, 37, learned her business philosophy from her father. “My dad told me it’s important to wake up every morning and go to work doing something you want to do,” she said. This philosophy has kept her in business for 14 years running a very successful dance studio. Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage Dance Co. has been listed as a top 50 competitive studio in North America, and, last year, it was listed in the top three studios in the state of Louisiana. As any successful business owner knows, it’s important to stay focused.
For Palmer-Edwards, the focus is always on dance. “It’s more about the art of dance, than the business of dance,” she said. Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage Dance Co. offers a variety of dance classes, including ballet, ballet/jazz, street jazz, tap, dance line, creative movement, pre-ballet, lyrical, pre-competition, turns and progressions, ballet II, advanced ballet, strength and conditioning, and a dance class for adult students. You can find a complete list online at www.tpcsdance.com.
Jaquelyn Newell and Ellie Fetzer at Starpower National Dance competition winning First Overall claiming their prize check! PAGE 26
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A NEW ‘MARLEY’ FLOOR Palmer-Edwards said the new Marley floor will be easier for ballet dancers because it isn’t so hard on the joints. “Our ballet dancers do a lot of leaping and the floor acts like a shock absorber,” she said. What’s a Marley floor? She explained it’s a kind of dance floor comprised of two components: a surface floor and a sub-floor. The surface floor is a type of vinyl floor providing the resistance or the appropriate friction for the style of dance being performed. The sub-floor provides the spring to help protect the dancers’ joints and muscles from injury. Palmer-Edwards said both are necessary to ensure a healthy, safe environment. “It’s very expensive,” she said. “For the size we have here, it’s about $12,000.” She said the new flooring is in the largest dance space. In the second largest dance space, there’s a portion of recycled Marley flooring from PalmerEdwards’ first dance studio. The first studio was located downtown on S. Ryan Street, now Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive. PalmerEdwards said the business was there for almost 10 years until it was damaged by Hurricane Rita.
“We were at my parent’s house in Baton Rouge watching CNN,” she said. “They were filming across the street from our building showing the devastation from Hurricane Rita. You could see the studio on the edge of the TV screen – it was under water from floor to ceiling.” She said they had just installed a new Marley floor. The couple returned as soon as it was safe to salvage what they could. A piece of the flooring that wasn’t damaged is now installed in one of the rooms of the new building. After the hurricane, Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage Dance Co. held classes at F.K. White Middle School while the school was closed. PalmerEdwards said when school resumed, the studio moved classes again. “Kaufman, a K-5 school, let us use it’s after school facility,” she said. “Then in October/November, we moved to our 220 College Street location – in a building next to Guidry’s. We were there until mid-January.” The Dance Company is in its 14th year of operation and works mainly with students aged from preschoolers up to 18. A GREAT STAFF The studio has approximately 350 students enrolled. Palmer-Edwards said the secret of
her success is due to the people she works with every day. “I have a great staff, first and foremost,” she said. “We all have a passion for what we do.” She said there are nine people on staff, including Alison Morris, the office manager. Palmer-Edwards described Morris as her “right-hand and left-hand woman.” “Six of the instructors on staff are Cowgirl Kickers, including the captain,
co-captains and a former co-captain,” she said. “We have dance line classes and we can offer classes to help students audition for their high school dance lines. We have girls on just about every high school dance line in the area, including Barbe, St. Louis and Sulphur.” For more information, call (337) 480-0396, or visit www.tpcsdance.com. TJN
“The staff of Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage Dance Co. consists of Emily Janot, left; Marcie Dougay; Keli Conner; Lauren Morris; Tammy Palmer- Edwards, owner; Alison Morris; Devon Thibodeaux; Samantha Prejean; Jennifer Callahan.
4710 Common St., Suite A • (337) 564-5769 www.theporchcoffeehouse.com
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The ‘Dream Team’ at Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana includes: Lynda Hornsby, front left; Dr. Phillip Conner; Michelle Zimmerman, N.P.; Dr. Jana Kaimal; Marci Guidry, back left; Neil Currie; Richard Zimmerman; SheRhonda Floyd; Ginny Brown; Annette Colletta; Johnna Sonnier; Vicki Broussard; Donna Platt; Nancy Billings; Chere Doran; Melinda LeBlue; Ashley LeBleu; Nick Watson; and, Dawn Schlegel.
Former President Bill Clinton admitted that lack of sleep added to his recent health problems. “I didn’t sleep much for a month, that probably accelerated what was already going on,” he said, speaking to a group of young people counseling them to make smart choices for their health. Clinton, who had quadruple bypass surgery more than five years ago, was hospitalized recently to have a clogged artery opened after he felt discomfort in his chest. Tests showed that one of the by passes from the surgery was completely blocked. Heart conditions and sleep Dr. Phillip Conner, a medical doctor with the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, said there is a direct connection among sleep, sleep apnea and heart disease. “If left untreated, sleep apnea can be a factor for strokes, diabetes and heart attacks,” said Dr. Conner, who is certified in Sleep Medicine. “In patients with atrial fibrillation – a very common arrhythmia – the correlation is very high.” He explained that a person’s heart beat, blood pressure and oxygen levels fluctuate wildly during the night if they PAGE 28
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have sleep apnea. Dr. Conner added those fluctuations take a toll on a person’s heart over time. “The brain is a very selfish organ,” he said. “When oxygen levels in the brain drop, it forces the heart to pump harder to take more blood carrying oxygen to the brain.” He said more research is linking sleep apnea to heart disease, particularly atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart arrhythmia and can have serious consequences. What happens is when the upper chambers of the heart quiver rapidly and erratically – as many as 400 times per minute – blood does not move efficiently through the heart. The pooling blood is more likely to clot, leading to heart attacks or strokes. AF also can lead to heart failure by causing the heart’s main pumping chambers, the ventricles, to contract rapidly – often more than 100 beats per minute. Dr. Conner said disorders of sleep and breathing can both cause heart failure and develop as a result of heart failure. “Atrial fibrillation needs to be evaluated,” he said. “In 50 percent of the cases, the underlying cause is sleep apnea.”
By Lisa Yates Photos by Michelle LaVoie
Volume 1 • Issue 24
Donna Platt is the insurance supervisor.
Lynda Hornsby is the practice director.
Annette Colletta, is the marketing director.
“Sleepy” – Another gator hatched in Lake Charles – was hatched, June 2008, at the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, located at 4820 Lake Street in Lake Charles. Designed by Roland Corbello of RC’s Custom Paint and Body, Sleepy sports a set of PJ’s and slippers and carries his much needed pillow looking for a good night’s sleep. Looks like he found the right place!
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What is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur five to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. Sleep apnea is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep three or more nights each week. You often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when your breathing pauses or becomes shallow. This results in poor sleep quality that makes you tired during the day. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This most often means that the airway has collapsed or is blocked during sleep. The blockage may cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses. When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea happens more often in people who are overweight, but it can affect anyone. Symptoms of sleep apnea include feeling bad in general, having daytime tiredness and experiencing memory lapses. Heavier people are predisposed for sleep apnea, Dr. Conner said, but the disorder develops so slowly so some people may mistakenly believe their sleepiness is part of the aging process. “We’re probably treating only a fraction of what’s out there,” he said. What starts for some people as poor
sleeping habits can turn into a sleep disorder. And experts say as many as half of the people in this country are sleep-deprived. The signs include falling asleep while driving, needing to take a nap, sleeping in on the weekends to “catch up” or feeling fatigued even with proper diet and exercise. Dr. Conner said our society has an almost abusive approach to sleep. “Men in particular are dismissive about it,” he said. “They think they can work through feeling tired. For some, acknowledging fatigue is like admitting a weakness. And, they’ll ask ‘Why should I see a doctor because I snore?’” He said disorders like sleep apnea are treatable. In fact, treating sleep apnea may actually decrease a person’s chances of developing certain cardiovascular diseases. Credentials matter Annette Colletta, marketing director for Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, said credentials matter. “We are very proud to be the only nationally accredited sleep center in Southwest Louisiana,” she said. She said the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. If you are considering undergoing testing in a sleep lab, it’s always a good idea to ask about the experience and credentials of the staff performing the tests. Colletta said the clinic provides the regions’ most experienced and credentialed team using the most advanced tools available for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. “Our physicians, Dr. Jana Kaimal and Dr. Phillip Conner, are the only Board Certified Sleep Specialists in the area,” she said. Dr. Kaimal founded the Lake Charles-based Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, in March of 2000, and then MARCH 11, 2010
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Nancy Billings, RPSGT, pays close attention to the activity of a sleeping patient.
expanded the full-service sleep medicine clinic with a presence in Moss Bluff and Jennings. The doctor is not only certified in Sleep Medicine and Sleep Disorders, but also certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonology. “Dr. Kaimal is a pioneer,” Colletta said. “He was the first pulmonologist – lung specialist – in Lake Charles. “And, he was the first Sleep Disorder Specialist here. He brought Sleep Medicine to Lake Charles more than 20 years ago. I call him the grandfather of sleep.” Meet the ‘dream team’ You are invited to meet the “dream team” of sleep specialists when the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana hosts its open house.
The open house is from 2 to 7 p.m., March 11, at 4820 Lake Street in Lake Charles. Colletta said this is an annual event to educate the public about the benefits of eight hours of sleep a night, and about the consequences of sleep problems and disorders. She said some of the activities and materials you will receive include: • Free, non-diagnostic consultations with sleep specialists. • The latest information on sleep, sleep hygiene and sleep disorders. • The “eye-opening” Epworth Sleepiness Test to assess daytime sleepiness levels. • The popular 12-question National Sleep Foundation Sleep IQ Test. • Free Sleep Diary to keep track of sleep habits and identify potential
ShaRhonda Floyd is the receptionist.
problems or disorders. • Inquiries regarding insurance benefits. • Drawings for door prizes and refreshments. This timely event is part of National Sleep Awareness Week, which is March 7-13, just before the clocks “spring forward” to Daylight Savings Time (March 14) - when we all lose a precious hour of sleep. Get your Zs for good health Dr. Jana P. Kaimal, Founder and Medical Director of Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, said sleep more than just “time out” from daily life. It is an active state important for renewing your mental and physical health
By Chris Hughes, Master Jeweler
– NEVER attempt to clean your diamond ring with toothpaste! The abrasive toothpaste will damage your stones and leave a film. Instead, soak your ring in a 50/50 solution of Lemon Ammonia and hot water for 5-10 minutes, then scrub with a soft toothbrush. Rinse with warm water. There’s no substitute for a professional cleaning and polishing or for checking your stones. Benchworks provides this service at no charge.
238 W. Prien Lake Rd. (337) 478-0477 PAGE 30
MARCH 11, 2010
Volume 1 • Issue 24
Dawn Schlegel, RPSGT, demonstrates how she prepares a patient for a sleep study.
each day – just as important as diet and exercise – but easier! “It is important to remember that sleep is a necessity, not a luxury,” he said. “You are how you sleep. Nighttime sleep affects your daily life … your mood, your behavior and your performance. So don’t cheat on your sleep.” The doctor said sleep affects various aspects of your health including: • Cognitive performance – Sleep helps organize memories, solidify learning and improves concentration. Lack of sleep impairs alertness and affects judgment, reaction time and recall. • Mood and mental well-being – Lack of sleep has been linked to anger, anxiety, sadness and mental exhaustion. • Hormones and metabolism – Important hormones affect growth, regulate energy and control metabolic and endocrine functions. Dr. Conner said inadequate sleep may also contribute to the development of obesity. He said
lack of sleep can cause a decline in your body’s supply of growth hormone, allowing more fat than muscle to develop. “It’s a little bit like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg,” he said. “When it comes to obesity, we’re not at all clear what comes first.” Research shows that a neck circumference greater than 15 inches in a woman and 17 inches in a man correlates with an increased risk for the disorder, he said. While being overweight is a big contributor to obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Conner said, it’s not always the case. “Post bariatric, 20 percent still require treatment for sleep apnea,” he said. Colletta, who worked as a certified respiratory therapist for more than 25 years, said patients treated for sleep apnea often lose weight as a result of treatment. “I have found that people who get treated for sleep apnea and get fitted for a mask lose an average of about 15 pounds a year – and, that’s without changing their diets or adding exercise,” she said.
Center of Louisiana toll free at (877) 597-REST (7378), or (337) 310-REST (7378) to set up an appointment. You do not need to have your family physician make a referral, although he or she may do so on your behalf. Colletta said the doctors at the sleep center can help determine not only the origin and severity of a sleep problem, but can also recommend therapies that may help you obtain better sleep. “We’re a comprehensive sleep disorder clinic,” she said. “We treat more than sleep apnea.” According to the National Sleep Foundation, some of the more common sleep disorders include:
Some common sleep disorders If you think you may have a sleep problem, call the Sleep Disorder
HOPE THERAPY CENTER Hope Therapy Center is pleased to announce the completion of the following certification programs for Speech Therapy: Post-Laryngectomy Voice Restoration Following laryngectomy, many patients find themselves with very limited options for communication. At Hope Therapy Center, we are pleased to announce the completion of a comprehensive training program in Post-Laryngectomy Voice Restoration with Tracheoesophageal Puncture and Prosthesis. If you or your family member has had a laryngectomy and would like more information on the programs we offer, please contact our clinic. Advanced VitalStim for Swallowing Disorder Dysphagia, or swallowing disorder, affects many patients following stroke, brain injury or surgery. It may also be associated with various diseases. One of the most advanced and non-invasive treatment approaches for dysphagia is Vital Stim. VitalStim combines the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation along with functional swallowing techniques to re-educate the swallowing musculature for a safer swallow. At Hope Therapy,
our goal is to provide the most effective, evidence based approaches for our patients. If you would like more information on this technique, please contact our clinic. Voice and Physiotherapy for Professional Singers and patients with Voice Disorders At Hope Therapy, we offer a comprehensive voice program that is tailored to the specific needs of each patient. We understand that voice disorder is debilitating for any patient. Loss of voice impacts one’s ability to communicate face to face, talk on the phone, sing, etc. For professional singers, we assess both the speaking voice and singing voice. Many factors contribute to the development of voice disorder and part of our evaluation is to determine the cause in order to construct an individualized program that targets the singer’s specific style of performance. If you have suffered from loss of voice for longer than 2 weeks, contact your physician for evaluation. If you or your family member may benefit from any of the above programs, please contact Sonya Brooks at (337) 478-5880.
Sonya M. Brooks, Owner, MA, CCC-SLP
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Neil Currie is one of the technicians.
Join us at the Lake Charles Civic Center on March 25 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, for over 100 booths showcasing the best in Southwest Louisiana industries, small business, and non-profit organizations!
Come to the Chamber of SWLA Business EXPO! WANT A FREE BOOTH? Name the four Southwest Louisiana business signs represented above. Clues: All but one represent the first letter of their company name and all are Chamber SWLA member businesses. The first is owned and operated by a young and very professional volunteer of the Chamber SWLA. The second is from a long-term member who is the jewel of her community. The third is an anchor business in his locale who provides sustenance with style. The forth is a Quality award winning member who joined the Chamber SWLA in May 2009. For $30, participants can attend the pre-EXPO luncheon (featuring Jeff Kleinpeter of Kleinpeter Dairy) and a full slate of seminars covering Guerilla Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and How to Get Business Loans with Frm. Governor Buddy Roemer, President/CEO of Business First Bank.
To sign up for a booth, contact Dianne Dronet at ddronet@allianceswla.org or call (337) 433-3632.
• Circadian Rhythm Disorders— The complex biological “clock” in humans sometimes breaks down. In delayed sleep phase syndrome, the “clock” runs later than normal. The sufferer often cannot fall asleep before 3 or 4 a.m. and cannot “wake” before noon. In advanced sleep phase syndrome, a person falls asleep early, for example at 7 or 8 p.m. and wakes at 3 or 4 a.m., and is unable to fall back asleep. • Insomnia is a sleep problem experienced by over 50 percent of Americans, according to the 2002 NSF Sleep in America poll, who report difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking too early and having trouble getting back to sleep, and waking un-refreshed. Insomnia can be short or long-term and may be due to stress, an underlying medical or psychiatric problem such as depression, a loss or poor sleep/health habits. • Sleep apnea sufferers actually stop breathing for several seconds, waking up hundreds of times per night, snorting and gasping for air. Sleep apnea is most common in men and overweight people. Untreated, it’s linked to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. • Persons with narcolepsy experience “sleep attacks” that can occur at any time. Strong
emotions sometimes bring on a sudden loss of muscle control called “cataplexy.” When falling asleep or waking up, sufferers also may experience brief paralysis and/or vivid images and sounds. • Those with restless legs syndrome (RLS) have unusual sensations in the legs (and sometimes arms) that disturb sleep. Only movement brings relief. Individuals may also experience periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) – a jerking of the legs during sleep. • Sleepwalking, a tendency to get up and wander about while asleep, is most common in children and tends to run in families. Protect the sleepwalker by keeping doors and windows locked. • Sufferers of sleep terrors often scream or fight but have no memory of the event the next day.
1570 Maplewood Dr., Sulphur, LA 70663
(337) 528-6843 Mon-Thurs: 8am-9pm • Fri & Sat: 8am-10pm • Sun: 12pm-8pm PAGE 32
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Sara Chapman, receptionist. Volume 1 • Issue 24
Kristi Captain, receptionist.
Sleep study or polysomnogram (PSG) If the doctor prescribes a sleep study or polysomnogram (PSG), what can you expect? Colletta said you will need to pack a small bag with your pajamas, toothbrush and any other items you will need the next morning. “You can bring your own pillow and blanket, or whatever you want to make it feel like home,” she said. She said the set up for the sleep study can take 30-45 minutes or more, so you need to arrive an hour before your regular bedtime. During a sleep study, you are hooked up to wires that your brain activity and rapid eve movement, while breathing belts measure respiratory movements and nasal oral air flow. Also, your heart is monitored with electrodes, and a small probe on the finger measures oxygen during sleep. Once you are hooked up and the preparation is over, you may have some time to relax before dropping off to sleep. The rooms at the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana feel more like hotel rooms than sterile, hospitallooking rooms. Colletta said this is to make sleep studies more comfortable and less intimidating.
“Our suites are equipped with therapeutic mattresses and pillows, flat screen televisions and private bathrooms,” she said. “We want it to feel like home in order to get as true to your natural sleep pattern as possible.” Colletta said the only eye in the room is an infrared camera mounted high on the wall, where a technician monitors your progress. She said things have changed since she was a technician more than 20 years ago. “I use to have to stay in the room with patients and watch them sleep,” she said. “Now we have cameras. It’s a lot more sophisticated now.” She said during sleep, your brain and body cycle between NREM and REM sleep approximately every 90 minutes.
Dr. Wayne A. McClure, Optometrist and his wife Sissie
15% Senior Discount All Doctors’ Prescriptions Accepted Experienced Professional Staff • Most Insurance Accepted
Chere Doran shows how a nasal mask is fitted to a patient during a titration study.
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MARCH 11, 2010
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REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement, and is the biological phenomenon that occurs when people dream, and therefore are in a very deep sleep. Colletta said REM is very important and you need it to be healthy. “REM sleep is restorative sleep,” she said. “In REM sleep, your kidneys stop working and your digestion stops. Your body is recouping. If you don’t get enough REM sleep, your metabolism is sluggish – and you get indigestion and heartburn. When we treat sleep apnea, your heartburn goes away.” CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the first line of treatment for sleep apnea. That’s where you wear a snugly fitting nasal mask attached to a tube that blows air into your nostrils to keep the airway open during sleep. Dr. Conner said getting used to the CPAP machine can take awhile. “The worse the apnea, the easier it is to get used to it,” he said. “Most patients see the benefit after about three
or four days when they have paid down their sleep debt.” But there are things that can be done to make patients feel more comfortable, he said, since there is no “one size fits all” solution. “We have about 15 different kinds of masks, so if you don’t like one you can try another,” he said. “Also, the correct air pressure setting must be determined by titration. That number is different for each patient.” Shift worker syndrome Dr. Conner said coping with shift work can be challenging to your health because your body is sensitive to changes in circadian rhythms. “Shift worker syndrome occurs due to a work schedule that takes place during the normal sleep period,” he said. “The timing of when you sleep and wake is much different than what your internal body clock expects.” Some examples of shift workers in Southwest Louisiana include, doctors and nurses, pilots, industrial workers, police officers, commercial drivers, and others. If you are a shift worker, you may not realize how much sleepiness can affect your mental ability, motor skills
and moods. Consequences of sleepiness can be hazardous to your health and may cause decreased work performance. For example: • Near-crashes when driving after night shifts are common. • Shift workers are at increased risk for a variety of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. • Shift workers often complain of insomnia, disrupted sleep schedules, reduced performance, difficulties with personal relationships, and irritability/depressed mood. • Several disasters such as the Three Mile Island nuclear power accident and the Exxon Valdez grounding have been attributed to poor performance related to shift work. • Sleepiness effects are similar to that of moderate alcohol consumption. Dr. Conner said numerous laboratory and field studies show how sleepiness can affect you, including one in which two groups of people were tested to test the effects of sleep deprivation. “The groups were given the same repetitive tasks,” he said. “One group was given eight hours of sleep – the other was forced to stay awake. In the group of people forced to stay awake,
there was a dramatic drop in job performance. The problem was their perception didn’t change. They didn’t see the difference.” He said several treatments appear to help with shift workers’ problems, but the approach likely to help you best depends on your individual needs and circumstances. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana toll free at 1 (877) 597- REST (7378), or (337) 310-REST (7378); or, visit 4820 Lake St. in Lake Charles; 217 Sam Houston Jones Pkwy., Ste. 102, in Moss Bluff; or, 422 Kade Drive, Suite 2, in Jennings.
TJN
Innovative Billboard Layered with Trash Targets Calcasieu Litter Problem Motorists on Ryan Street can now see a “No Excuses” billboard constructed of about 100 items of litter collected from parish inmate crews. Employees from the parish Public Works West facility bolted litter items to this unusual billboard. Its purpose is to show visually just how bad the litter problem is in Calcasieu Parish. The billboard is located at the intersection of Ryan Street and Oak Street. The community is encouraged to participate in the program by reporting those who choose to litter by calling the Litter Hotline at 493-LITR (5487). Citizens can expect to see the “No Excuse” billboard for at least three months. It was installed in time for the Mardi Gras celebration as a reminder to keep our parish clean throughout the festivities. TJN PAGE 34
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Jana P. Kaimal, M.D., F.C.C.P. Dr. Jana P. Kaimal was born in 1944, in Kerala, India. After completing high school, college and medical education at the Institute of Medical Sciences in India, he came to the United States wanting to see more of the world. By the age of 30, Dr. Kaimal completed his medical residency and training in Pulmonology in Michigan and Ohio. He became an Assistant Professor at Tulane University. Dr. Kaimal knew he wanted to go into practice for himself. Even though had a medical license to practice in Michigan and Ohio, he loved Louisiana so much he decided to stay in Cajun country. Once he accomplished his initial goal of establishing a sub-specialty in Pulmonary Medicine, Dr. Kaimal went on to become a specialist in Hyperbaric Medicine, Critical Care and finally in Sleep Disorders. In March of 2000, he opened the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana. He holds a license to practice in Texas, Louisiana, Michigan, California, Ohio, Georgia and Florida. Although sleep medicine is his main specialty now he is currently certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary, Sleep Disorders and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Kaimal is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Sleep Disorder Association. He is actively involved in establishing a preventative and complimentary health clinic. Volume 1 • Issue 24
Phillip S. Conner, M.D. Dr. Phillip Conner joined the “dream team” at the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, in July 2008. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Zoology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, in 1994, and his Doctorate of Medicine at Louisiana State University Medical School in New Orleans, in 1998. Dr. Conner recently completed his fellowship in Sleep Medicine under the direction of Dr. Kaimal. He is Board Certified in Family Practice and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Conner is a member of the Calcasieu Parish Medical Society and the Louisiana State Medical Society. Dr. Conner is married and the father of three children. Michelle Zimmerman, N.P. Michelle Zimmerman is the sleep clinic’s resident snow bird. In 1992, she completed her Bachelors Degree in Nursing at the University of New Brunswick, in Fredericton, Canada, before migrating to Southwest Louisiana to add a little bit of Cajun spice to her career. She completed her Masters of Science in Nursing at McNeese State University, in December 2000, becoming certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has maintained her focus in Sleep Medicine, recently moving back home from Nashville, Tennessee, where she worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband Richard and daughter Hannah. TJN
www.thejambalayanews.com • (337) 436-7800 “Pure Foods and The Jambalaya News are passionate about reaching the people in our community. Advertising in the Jambalaya gives me the opportunity to promote health and wellness to the entire family. I’m pleased to say the Jambalaya News works for me! The demand for our healthy take-out lunches has sky rocketed, people are loving them! I’ve also noticed an increase in the request for our cancer fighting soup recipes, smoothies and targeted health products. Thank you Jambalaya, we make a great team!”
– Dr. Gene & Shively Lampson, Owners, Pure Foods & Health
MARCH 11, 2010
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By Lauren de Albuquerque
I may be 100 percent Italian, but when you grow up in Boston, you become Irish one day a year—on March 17, of course. There’s a huge Irish population in Beantown, and South Boston is the place to be the Sunday before St. Patrick’s day. Since 1901, there’s been an annual parade in Boston’s most Irish neighborhood, featuring bagpipers and other marching bands from all over the country and as far away as Ireland, plus colorful floats, local politicians, and so much more. Because the crowds are so enormous, you leave your car at home, and everyone takes the subway to the Broadway T-stop (that’s short for MBTA— Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority) in Southie, where the parade begins. It’s quite an experience.
Of course, there’s always been a rivalry between the Italians and the Irish in Boston. I lived in an Italian neighborhood and went to a parochial school run by Italian priests. To annoy the few Irish kids in our school, we would wear orange on St. Patrick’s Day, which is the ultimate insult to an Irishman. Orange stands for the Orange Men, a Protestant society founded in the 18th century, which excluded Catholics—to put it mildly. There have been terrible conflicts in Northern Ireland between the Protestants and Catholics (known as “the Troubles”) over religion and the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. So, wearing orange signified that you sided with the Protestants. Of course, we were all Catholic, so what we were doing really made no
sense—but it got the Irish kids ticked off, and that’s all that mattered! When I was nine, I went to Italy for the first time with my parents— quite an adventure for a child—but that’s another story! On the flight home, we had to stop in Shannon, Ireland to refuel. It was an unscheduled stop and I was so excited to be in another country, even if I never left the airport. I was glued to the window as we flew over the green fields and stone farmhouses, and I remember buying a shamrock charm at the airport for my charm bracelet. Visiting the Emerald Isle Decades later, my mother and I decided to take a trip to the Emerald Isle, and what a wonderful week that was. It was the beginning of October,
so it was chilly and rainy, but that didn’t dampen our enthusiasm. There was so much to see and do. Like kissing the Blarney Stone. The Blarney Stone, also known as the Stone of Eloquence, is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle. It’s one of the most popular tourist sites in Ireland, attracting millions of visitors who tour the castle and kiss the stone. According to legend, whoever kisses the stone is endowed with the gift of gab, eloquence, or skill at flattery. Of course, there are many colorful, differing stories as to where the stone came from, and how this tradition began. Kissing the stone isn’t easy because of where it’s positioned. It’s on the tower of the castle, in the wall below
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the Lake Area We may be far from the shores of Ireland, but that doesn’t stop us from celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! There are some fun events in the area, so put on something green and get ready to party! “St. Paddy’s Come Early” Jameson Irish Whisky Tasting at Cigar Club March 12 There’s whiskey in the jar and it be JAMESON! The famed Irish whiskey is bringing St. Paddy’s day to Cigar Club a little early this year with a six-tier whiskey tasting Fri., March 12 starting at 7 p.m. Come and sample Jameson’s Classic, 12 year, 15 year, Gold, 18 year, and Redbreast in the comfort of the region’s largest smoking lounge. Can’t make it for 7? Don’t worry. Host Wil Fontenot will be starting rounds of tastings every 30-45 minutes until 9 p.m., when SWLA’s own Angie Manning-Istre takes the stage playing some of your favorites and delving into some Irish musical roots, to be sure. As always, admission is FREE! Cigar Club is located at 1700 East Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles.
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Gary Shannon and FUN Radio’s St. Patrick’s Day Party featuring Danny O’Flaherty March 17 The Brickhouse will be the site for Gary Shannon and FUN Radio’s St. Patrick’s Day Party on St. Patrick’s Day, Wed., March 17. This evening of authentic Irish culture, music and food will feature Irish folksinger, Danny O’Flaherty. Brickhouse Catering will offer a scrumptious Irish buffet dinner from 6 – 7 p.m. A cash bar will be available for those wishing to try a pint or some Irish whiskey! The musical portion of the evening will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets for dinner and the concert are $30; concert only is $15. The Brickhouse is located at 110 W. Pine Street, Lake Charles. Advanced tickets are strongly suggested, and can be purchased at Bella’s Bridal/Mr. Formal, 2603 Ryan Street, Lake Charles (cash or check only). For more info, contact 4394888 or 564-4702.
Celtic Nations’ St. Pat’s Party March 20 Southwest Louisiana will get the opportunity to celebrate the ‘‘Wearing of the Green’’ at the St. Patrick’s Day 2010 celebration on Sat., March 20, at the Brick House, 110 Pine St. The event, which will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., is presented by the Celtic Nations Heritage Foundation. Entertainment will be provided by two Celtic bands from Lafayette, Drowsy Maggie and Farouche; balladeer Andy Blanton and the Lone Star Pipe Band. A children’s area will be provided with a petting zoo and games. Food will include such Celtic favorites as Irish stew, shepherd’s pie and Scotch eggs. Admission is $5 per person, with children 10 and under admitted free. Families will pay no more than $20, regardless of family size. For more information, call 439-4888.
TJN Volume 1 • Issue 24
the battlements. Once upon a time, visitors had to be held by the ankles and lowered head first over the edge of the parapet. Unfortunately, one poor man broke from his friends’ grasp and hurtled to his death.
Mom and I with some friendly Irish goats.
Since that time, the stone has been kissed by another method. First, you sit with your back to the stone, and then someone sits on your legs or holds your feet. Next, you lean far back and downward into the abyss while grasping iron rails, lowering yourself until your head is even with the stone. And you kiss it. My mother flatly refused when she saw what it entailed, and didn’t want me to do it, either. If you have a fear of heights, I wouldn’t recommend it. You are literally hanging backwards over an abyss, with nothing holding you but the guy grabbing your ankles, and your own feeble grip on the iron bars. Nonetheless, I didn’t come all this way to chicken out, and if a million people could do it, then so could I. So I kissed the Blarney Stone. I’ve always been quite a talker, so I don’t know if I’ve become more eloquent—but it certainly was an experience! Fit for a king Another wonderful, but much safer experience was the Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle in County Clare. There used to be a place in
Boston called Medieval Manor, but it was in a big warehouse in the city, and no matter how they decorated it, you still knew you were in a big warehouse in the city. To have the same deal in a 15th century castle is a totally different story. The banquet was held in the Upper Great Hall, resplendent with authentic tapestries and furniture. We sat by candlelight at long oak tables, sipping goblets of potent mead while listening to medieval madrigals and the history of Bunratty. A Lord and Lady presided over the banquet, which we had to consume with our hands. Everything was delicious, and we really were transported to another time. By the end of the meal, we were all feeling pretty good from all that mead. At that point, someone was pulled out of the audience and tried for treason. It was up to the rest of us whether he lived or died. Of course, we all wanted him executed on the spot, but the Lord showed him mercy, and he was able to leave the castle with his head still intact. In Dublin’s fair city Another highlight was attending a play at Dublin’s famous Abbey Theatre. We saw Sean O’Casey’s clas-
sic, “The Plough and the Stars,” set against the 1916 Easter Uprising. The acting was superb. And I’ve always had a soft spot for the name, because The Plough and the Stars in Harvard Square, Cambridge, was the first bar to serve me an underage drink when I was still in high school. I think it was a Guinness. If you want to visit Eire, summer is probably the best time to go weatherwise, but I think a lot of people may have the same idea—so you’ll have to deal with crowds. We went at the very end of tourist season and there weren’t a lot of visitors at all. But it rained a lot, and the sun only came out twice: in Donegal and in Dublin. I will never forget that trip into Dublin by motor coach. It had been raining all morning—what a surprise—which was disappointing because I wanted to walk the city. But as we entered the outskirts, the rain subsided and the clouds began to dissipate. Then, slowly, the sun came out—and there, right in front of us, arched over the city of Dublin, was the most perfect rainbow I’ve ever seen. If only I could have found the pot of gold. Maybe on my next visit.
TJN
Straight Razor Cuts Balayage Highlighting Technique Color Correction Scalp Massage
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ker n Shouma o d n a r B y B
But have those corporate suits ever been outside in February? Don’t they realize that it’s still winter for 95 percent of the country, including Southwest Louisiana? I kept looking out my window, hoping to catch a glimpse of sunlight, to see a blade of green grass or leaves on the trees; any indication it might be springtime, baseball time. All I got for a whole month was cold rain and misery. The good news is March is finally here, which means I can stop
Baseball in a Cold Season
The McNeese State Cowboys’ schedule says baseball season began in February. Whose idea was that, anyway? I know it’s not up to McNeese when they play. That decision is made way above their pay grade, up in the NCAA’s fancier office suites in Indianapolis.
began the season with eight straight wins. SLU also boasts a three-game sweep of SEC-power Mississippi State. In Starkville. Against a team that probably didn’t expect any serious competition until a showdown with Oklahoma in the WhataburgerClassic on March 12. Instead, the Lions grilled Mississippi State until well done behind the bat of Chad GoughFortenberry and a pitching staff led by Brandon Efferson. Following the Southeastern series is a two-game home stand against the hard-hitting Arkansas Razorbacks before the Cowboys jump right back into conference
wearing my Snuggie, and McNeese’s baseball season begins to heat up. The Cowboys have just one home game left, against New Orleans on March 10, before they begin Southland Conference play with a three-game series at Northwestern State. Following that, McNeese faces a much taller order when Southeastern Louisiana comes to Cowboy Diamond. The early indication is those cats can play. The Lions, picked to finish fourth in the SLC in both the preseason SID and coaches’ polls,
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At the Lake Charles Civic Center PAGE 38
MARCH 11, 2010
Volume 1 • Issue 24
play at home against Texas A&MCorpus Christi. McNeese closes out the month at home against a middling UL-Monroe team. That kind of schedule will thaw the ice out of your veins. And McNeese’s offense has had no problem heating up so far this season. Senior outfielder Andy Riche is hitting .500 (13-for-26) through seven games and leads the Cowboys in runs batted in with nine. Transfer third baseman Steven Irvine is batting .414 (12-for-29) and is tied with Blake Ellender for the team lead in home runs with four while first baseman Bryn Thompson is hitting .404. In a 19-12 shootout win against Louisiana Tech, Irvine became the first Cowboy in more than a decade to hit three home runs in the same game. None of this should really be a surprise to the Cowboy faithful, who watched the baseball team, with hitting coach Bubbs Merrill at the helm, post a team record batting average of .316 last season. What has been a pleasant surprise so far this season has been McNeese’s pitching, which combined for an abysmal 7.60 earned run average last season. While the Cowboys’ staff is still a work in progress, they have improved greatly since last season, currently holding a 5.16 ERA. Staff ace Jonathan Conrad appears to have worked out some of his control issues from last season (27 walks, 1.67 WHIP, 11 hit batters). Through two starts this season, Conrad is holding opponents to a .205 batting average, striking out seven in 12 2/3 innings pitched. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise on the Cowboys pitching staff has come from reliever Dustin Lloyd. Lloyd, a junior college transfer in his first season at McNeese, has been the team’s go-to closer early in the season, leading the team in ERA (1.02) and strikeouts (11 in just 8 2/3 innings). And, despite some occasionally bone-chilling temperatures, the Cowboys have been outperforming preseason expectations that were, well, hovering around the freezing mark. McNeese was predicted to finish ninth in the preseason SIDs poll and tenth in the coaches’ poll. The Cowboys swept Valparaiso in three games to open the season and, later, took one of three from Louisiana Tech in Ruston. Volume 1 • Issue 24
But, sandwiched in between those two series, McNeese traveled to Baton Rouge to face the topranked LSU Tigers. If there has been one game that has encapsulated all the progress the Cowboys have made from last season to this, it has been the LSU game. McNeese jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, not wanting to risk having to rally from several runs down late in the game. When LSU tried to rally in the bottom of the first, Lloyd, the
Cowboys’ starter, buckled down and kept the Tigers off the board. Essentially, one bad pitch, a home-run ball to Micah Gibbs, cost the Cowboys a monumental upset win against the best team in the nation. That kind of improvement in the Cowboys is encouraging to see. Now, McNeese fans will have to wait and see if that higher level of play continues as a tough March schedule turns up the heat on the Cowboys.
Brandon Shoumaker is a graduate of McNeese State University and has covered sports for more than seven years for various publications. Coaches Brandon Shoumaker or parents with story tips may contact Brandon at bshoumaker@yahoo.com or send him a message on Twitter (@bshoumaker).
TJN
Creedence Clearwater Revisited SATURDAY, MARCH 27 • 8PM TICKETS STARTING AT $35
Randy Travis
FRIDAY, APRIL 9 • 8PM TICKETS STARTING AT $40
*Must be 21 to attend all events. Some events may contain profanity or other content of an adult nature. Subject to change or cancellation without prior notice. Ticket price includes all taxes. Tickets available online at ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets including select Dillard’s, select Kroger’s, Be-Bop Records, Major Video, Peaches, Tower Records and Wherehouse Records & Tapes stores. To charge tickets by phone, call (800) 745-3000. TICKETS AVAILABLE AT LAGNIAPPE GIFTS AND SUNDRIES, DELTADOWNS.COM AND TICKETMASTER.COM • LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE • MUST BE 21 OR OLDER TO ATTEND
MARCH 11, 2010
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By Mary Louise Ruehr
Don’t Worry; Be Happy Has this long, strange winter got you overstressed? Looking for a way to put a smile back on your face? Try a little happiness. “The purpose of life is the expansion of happiness. Happiness is the goal of every other goal,” writes prolific author Deepak Chopra in The Ultimate Happiness Prescription: Seven Keys to Joy and Enlightenment. In this pretty little book — which would make a nice gift — he presents his secret to unlocking joy in seven “keys”: Be aware of your body; find
true self-esteem; detoxify your life (including toxic emotions); give up being right; focus on the present; see the world in yourself; and live for enlightenment. Apparently, researchers in positive psychology have come up with a “happiness formula”: Happiness = set point (how naturally happy you are) + conditions of living + voluntary activities. But Chopra writes that this formula doesn’t “uncover the real secret of happiness.” He encourages you, the reader, to find your true self, through enlightenment. You must test yourself, become more mindful of the present moment, and find “happiness without reasons.” With each key he presents several affirmations — or promises to the self — to help the reader “activate” that key. For example: “I will refrain from qualifying things as right and wrong, good and bad. I will find freedom in a wider perspective that leads to creative solutions rather than judgments and accusations. My happiness lies in the calm stillness that lies beyond all labels.” This is really a sort of primer on New Age spirituality, combining the wisdom of many faiths, with anecdotes. “Almost all the work done on the spiritual path consists of two things: clearing away obstacles, and reaching a deeper level of awareness,” he writes. “The real you is the bliss that exists beyond time.” His friend and fellow prolific author Dr. Wayne W. Dyer has written The Shift: Taking Your Life from Ambition to Meaning. The book is a companion to a movie of the same title, and he rather annoyingly keeps reminding the reader of this fact. Dyer is very easy to read and follow. Where Chopra’s faith comes out of Indian religions, Dyer is a student of the Tao. He says the greatest hunger of all isn’t the search for happiness, but
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for meaning and purpose. We want to find out “Who am I? What is my purpose?” but first we need to ask ourselves, “Where did I come from?” Ambition leads us away from God, he writes, and we need to go back to the “source of being.” To begin with, “everything is energy,” he explains. Through anecdotes, he takes us through two journeys: “from formless pure spirit into form (non-being to being)” and “from a subatomic particle to birth.” He uses physics and metaphysics, and he quotes ancient philosophers, religious figures, American Indians, poets and the Bible for examples of searching for “spiritual connectedness” vs. separation. He talks about nothingness, oneness, surrender: “We can simulate oneness through the part of ourselves that knows the silence where there are no names and no things.” And after all this, he says, the journey really returns you to the perfect place you began. My favorite of the recent books on how to be happy is Pocket Peace: Effective Practices for Enlightened Living by Allan Lokos. Lokos comes out of the Buddhist tradition, and he and his wife are both ordained interfaith ministers. “We want to be happy. We yearn for there to be meaning to our lives, balanced with a sense of inner peace and joy,” he writes. “When life is coming at us like a freight train, we need short, concise practices that Volume 1 • Issue 24
sense of humor. “All things are possible; it’s just a matter of time and will,” says the author. He talks about how people think and about “the mental aspect involved in accomplishing great things.” He writes that, “Your subconscious mind will do everything in its power to do what it believes you want it to do.” James goes on to tell you how to reprogram your subconscious mind, using positive affirmations to become “a person of internal locus of control.” Pamper yourself toward happiness with An Indulgence a Day: 365 Simple Ways to Spoil Yourself by Andrea Norville and Patrick Menton. This
nice little gift book offers simple (and often free) suggestions to relieve stress and embrace the sweet side of life. Ideas include telling someone you love them; laying out under the stars; putting flowers on a stranger’s grave; testdriving a car you can’t afford; eating brownies for breakfast; doing something that scares you; getting a free makeover at a cosmetics counter; and volunteering at a nursing home.
Copyright © 2009 by Mary Louise Ruehr. Write to OneForTheBooks@cheerful.com
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can help us think, speak, and act wisely under pressure. I call these pocket practices — small but effective practices that we develop slowly so that we can call on them quickly, instinctively. They are light, responsive, and powerful.” They are really “just common sense and great spiritual teachings distilled into concentrated dosages.” One pocket practice is simply “Greet folks with a smile.” Another: Before you do anything, ask yourself, “What is my intention?” The book is divided into chapters on generosity, morality, relinquishing, wisdom, joyous effort, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving kindness and equanimity. “Spiritual practice is not about becoming a better person. You are already whole and perfect as you are. (It) is about becoming present to that perfection,” Lokos writes. I really like this lovely book. Its simple, warm, wise anecdotes fit naturally and make the lessons seem easy. They remind me of the short, practical, loving sermons of the Methodist minister from my childhood. Zors’ Guide to Success and Ultimate Happiness by Bryan James is a small, easy-to-read, thought-provoking book. The advice is presented as a series of user-friendly lectures with stories, and it’s offered with a
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their initial in the box. When all dots are connected, the player with the most boxes wins.
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Volume 1 • Issue 24
der useum n e l l n E dren's M a D By e Chil of th r o t c Dire
It Might Get Loud (2008, Sony Pictures Classics, DVD) I don’t usually recommend documentaries. You can pretty much see them on TV. But with the rise of musical video games like Guitar Hero, maybe it’s a good time for parents to reminisce with their kids about the good old days. In fact, there may be some grandparents out there who would sit on this one, too. It Might Get Loud is for everyone who ever entered a music store and heard those longhaired kids picking at guitars amongst piles of amplifiers. It’s for you grandparents who remember John Lennon getting blisters on his fingers on the White Album. Or maybe you’re a creative artist or musician. If so, this movie is for you. Of all those who strum a guitar and dream of making the big time, or even a living, only a handful succeed. This movie captures that dream and its successes in real life. More than that, it shows us how different those paths to success can be.
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But the real fun is when these three guitarists get together and talk about what they are up to. You get to see the location where some vintage Led Zeppelin was recorded (in a house, not a studio), as well the setup for U2’s War album. The dedication of guitarists can be amazing. Jack White grew up in a family of 10 children in old Detroit. He filled his tiny bedroom so full of music equipment that he had to move his bed out and sleep on the floor. Along the way, they talk about their early careers, first guitars, and the things that changed their lives. Jimmy Page is known for popularizing the distortion we hear today in so
many metal bands. The Edge is a fullblown techie, awash in effects pedals and computers. Jack White is a minimalist. His favorite song in the whole world is by Son House, a vintage delta blues musician born in 1902. For those of us who have seen Almost Famous, August Rush, and tons of other movies about musicians, It Might Get Loud is a chance to get a fresh look at what makes creative people so unique. Oh, and be sure to remind your kids that too much loud music definitely affects your hearing. But just this once, turn it up. TJN
This is no ordinary documentary. It’s not biographical. It Might Get Loud brings three talented guitar players together to discuss bands, music, and the creative process. Some of us are old enough to remember Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and for others, there’s The Edge from U2 and Jack White of the Raconteurs. For 90 short minutes, we get to listen as these three musicians play, reminisce, and muse over their lives and art. There is some really good concert footage as well as glimpses into their personal studios and music collections. However, the core of the movie is impromptu guitar playing by the three, separately, and at times, together, as they try to understand and learn from each another. The movie is well named, because you’re going to want to turn the volume up on this one. You may even find out some things you didn’t know. For example, I knew Jimmy Page was with the Yardbirds before Led Zeppelin, but had no idea he was a professional session guitarist before that. The Edge takes us to a bulletin board where he got the phone number to join up with U2. And some may be surprised to find out that Jack White is actually a retro blues guitarist, arguably the most innovative of the three.
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Boating Safety Education Required By New Law
Killin’ Time Crossword
No person born after Jan. 1, 1984, shall operate a motorboat powered by a motor in excess of ten horsepower unless he has successfully completed a boating safety class approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). A person who has completed an approved boating safety class shall be in possession of evidence of such completion when operating such a boat. This law is effective July 1, 2010. The Lake Charles Power Squadron will hold a one-day Safe Boating Class on Sat., March 27 at their clubhouse located just past the I-210 boat launch past Lafleur Park. The class is from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. The class will cover all aspects of safe boating, along with information on the hazards of our local waterways. A light lunch will be provided, or you can bring a sack lunch. There is a $5 charge for each person to cover refreshments and materials. The class is open to boaters ages 10 and up; an adult must accompany anyone under age 13. For more information, call Ship-to-Shore at 474-0730. No preregistration is required. TJN
Crossword puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com (www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission. PAGE 44
MARCH 11, 2010
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BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE Great people, having a great time, for a great cause, that’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake! Balls were rolling, pins were dropping and music was blasting. Over 2,300 people came out to PetroBowl to support the largest one-day fundraiser in Southwest Louisiana benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters. Adding to the excitement were great chances to win great prizes all day long! The theme was “Take Me out to the Ballgame,” which gave participants an excuse show up in a variety of costumes. That Gumbeaux Gator sure put on a show! (Wonder who was hiding inside that big green costume??) The Jambalaya News had two teams raise money for this great cause. This bowl game was a homerun!
Candy Coombes and Chrissy Simpson
Heather and Brandon Richard
Aimy and Blanche Richard
Kayla Boudreaux and Shelley Millet
Brian and Bob Peloquin
Ashley Rondeau, Laina Bryant and MeMe Trahan
Maxito and Max Trost
MCNEESE THEATRE BAYOU PLAYERS PRESENTS ‘A DOLL’S HOUSE’ Let’s just say you could hear a pin drop in the Ralph Squires Auditorium! A captivated audience watched in suspense as the talented Bayou Players acted out the dramatic story of “A Dolls House.” Under the direction of Charles McNeely III, we visit the perfect 1890s European home of Torvald and Nora Helmer, and learn quickly that this marriage is far from perfect. This is one drama that brought down the house. Norman McKnight and Anita Tritico Volume 1 • Issue 24
Megan Anderson and Meghan Guillory MARCH 11, 2010
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Wesley Saucier and Mary Guillory
Megan Bailey and Amy Fruge
Nomica and Eligha Guillory
SWLA RODEO WESTERN HERITAGE DAYS Loud shouts of “Yee Haw!” and “Ride ‘em cowboy!” could be heard at Burton Coliseum. The rodeo was part of the celebration of Western Heritage Days, held in conjunction with the Livestock Show and Rodeo. The spirit of the cowboy and wild outdoors was kept alive! Cowboys and cowgirls came out to kick up some dust, and little buckaroos got in on the action, too! It was a stick horse pony ridin’, bull buckin’, face paintin’, story tellin’, and music makin’ good time! You can bet your bottom dollar they’ll be back for more next year! Marcy Benoit and Alexis Meyers
Dwayne, Parker and Lisa Sonnier
Mila, Rika and Ryu Davis PAGE 46
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Baylor Waggoner, Brennon Nash and Trey Carter
Jack and Kayllee Johnson
Sam and Michelle McDonald
Aubree Pierce and Jessica Landry
Blain Crochet and Mike Williams Volume 1 • Issue 24
BANNER SERIES’ AMIR GWIRTZMAN AT TEMPLE SINAI Actions speak louder than words! Master Israeli musician Amir Gwirtzman played 20-plus exotic instruments during a free concert at Temple Sinai. The large crowd was brought to its feet clapping to the beat of a little Ray Charles (“Oh When the Saints!”), Chick Corea and Cuban jazz. Lots of love was in the house as an offering was given to Friend Ships of Lake Charles to provide relief to Haiti. Following the concert, we all gathered for a delicious sweets and treats reception. Thumbs up! This evening was one you didn’t want to miss! Cynthia and John Bailey
Megan LeBouef and Erin Green
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Vickie Brown and Falicia Coleman
Jerry Seal and Marcia Wiley
Benji Owens and Amir Gwirtzman
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THE KING’S SINGERS What do you get when you combine a fabulous combo of two counter tenors, a tenor, two baritones and a base? You got it--The King’s Singers! Rosa Hart Theatre was packed with people who came to see this group of singers who won a 2009 Grammy for “Simple Gifts,” a combination of folk, spiritual and pop music. The King’s Singers originated at King’s College in Cambridge, England, and have recently performed in London’s Royal Albert Hall, Windsor Castle; Lincoln Center in New York….and now, Lake Charles! This performance earned the Red Carpet roll out!
TJN
John Li and Yan Du
Libby and Charles Timpa
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Paul and Marcia Carlson
Megan Miller, Ariel Jueschk and Nathalie Miller
Kaelyn Guillory and Candace Miller
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JONATHAN BLAKE TRUMPET RECITAL MARCH 11 The McNeese State University Department of Performing Arts will present Jonathan Blake of Westlake in a free junior trumpet recital at 7:30 p.m. on March 11 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Lake Charles. The program includes “Voluntary No. 1” by William Boyce with Fred Sahlmann on organ, “Sonata #1” by Allen Vizzutti, “Dance Boheme” by Georges Bizet and “The Magic Trumpet” by James F. Burke with Zachary Alcantara on trumpet and Stephanie Lacoste on piano. Blake is a 2007 graduate of Westlake High School and is a member of the Pride of McNeese Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Honors Brass Quintet, Trumpet Ensemble and Brass Ensemble. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ANNUAL BANQUET MARCH 11 The League of Women Voters will celebrate 90 years of service at its annual banquet on Thurs., March 11. Guest speaker is District Attorney John F. DeRosier. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a social with cash bar, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the speaker at 7 p.m. The event will be held at Reeves Uptown Catering at 1639 Ryan Street. Cost is $30 for members; $35 for non-members. For reservations, call 474-1864 or go to info@lwv-lc.org. GUMBO FUNDRAISER AT MSU MARCH 12 The McNeese Visual Arts Department will sponsor a gumbo fundraiser from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fri., March 12, in Room 120 of the Shearman Fine Arts Center. The event is to raise funds to help send ceramics students to the 44th Jonathan Annual National Council on Education in the Blake Ceramic Arts Conference in Philadelphia. Seafood gumbo donated by Brickhouse Catering will be served in unique, handcrafted ceramic bowls created by ceramics students and faculty members. A ticket is $10, which includes the bowl, and participants can select from one of 500 bowls created for this event. For more information or tickets, call 475-5060. MSU PRESENTS BARITONE BRET SMITHEY MARCH 12 The McNeese Department of Performing Arts will present a McNeese faculty recital with Dr. Bret Smithey, bass-baritone, at 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 12, at First United Methodist Church in Lake Charles. The program will begin with a lecture on “Unrequited Romantic Love in Robert Schumann’s ‘Dichterliebe’” by musicologist Dr. Bryan Proksch, followed by Smithey singing Schumann’s “Dichterliebe.”
JAM
Dr. Lina Morita will be accompanying Smithey on the piano. Admission is $5 and free for McNeese students with ID. For more information, call 475-5028.
TONY DUPUIS AT ART ASSOCIATES GALLERY MARCH 12 The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana is thrilled to announce the opening of “Tony DuPuis – Leap of Faith 2010” at the Art Associates Gallery at Central School Arts and Humanities Center. The show, which will feature DuPuis’s drawings; never-before-seen sketches and paintings; jewelry, pottery, and other art pieces; will open on Fri., March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. After experiencing debilitating head, neck, and spinal injuries in 2007, DuPuis has been unable to produce any new work. By gathering together all of his remaining original art pieces from his collection, he is using the show to benefit other Lake Area artists by donating proceeds from the show to the Arts Council. All of his paintings will be on sale at very special prices for the opening evening. For more information, call 439-2787 or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org CHRISTUS TAVERN ON THE GREEN EVENT MARCH 13 The CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation will host the 5th annual Tavern on the Green Celebration on Sat., March 13, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Gray Plantation Clubhouse. This evening will commemorate CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital’s 102nd anniversary and will feature Irish-themed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and live bagpipe music. One lucky ticket holder will walk away with a fabulous trip for two to New York City. Must be present to win! Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased online at www.stpatrickfoundation.org or by calling the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation office at (337) 430-5353. Dress is business casual and complimentary valet parking will be provided. Proceeds will benefit the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation. ‘IMATTER’ JR. WOMEN’S CONFERENCE MARCH 13 The Women’s Commission of Southwest Louisiana and McNeese State University are hosting a conference for young women on Sat., March 13 at MSU’s Parra Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The conference is an exciting day of fun designed to help young women, grades 9-11, recognize and build on their own unique potential. It will help them develop goals, self-esteem, and leadership qualities for the future. The theme of this conference is “iMatter.” In addition to workshops, and a unique shopping venue, participants will be entertained with the musical talents of Eleisha Eagle and attend a glamorous fashion show produced by Blane Bourgeois of Synergy Salon. For more info, contact Jenifer Enterante Cummings at (337) 564-4443 or jenec@suddenlink.net.
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MARCH EVENTS AT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Saturday, March 13 – Sasol Second Saturday Science Show Join Rebekah Cole of Sasol at 11 a.m. and learn how chemistry is involved in foods that we eat everyday. See how iron is extracted from breakfast cereal using a magnet! Discover what makes popcorn pop! Wednesday, March 17– St. Patrick’s Day Wear green and get $1 off! Visit our ArtSpace and make a shamrock ornament. Thursday, March 18 – Adventure of the Senses This is an after-hours program from 5-6:30 p.m. for families with children affected by autism spectrum disorders. Take this opportunity to visit and play! LAKE CHARLES COMMUNITY BAND SPRING CONCERT MARCH 14 Join the Lake Charles Community Band at Prien Lake Park for their Sun., March 14 concert. You’ll hear the big band sounds of familiar composers and the brass effect of the entire band as they take the stage. This and all concerts are admission-free. The concert will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Indian Bay Pavilion at Prien Lake Park. In case of rain, the concert will be moved to the Lake Charles-Boston Academy of Learning Auditorium. The band is always looking for new members, with openings for all instruments. For more information, call 368-6817, or become a fan on Facebook.
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TOM SANCTON’S NEW ORLEANS QUINTET MARCH 18 The 2010 Arts Parade spring concert series presented by the City of DeRidder and Impromptu Players continues with an array of concerts. Opening the series on Thurs., March 18 will be Tom Sancton’s New Orleans Quintet. Sancton is the author of Song for My Fathers: A New Orleans Story in Black and White (2006), a personal memoir about growing up in New Orleans in the 1960s. Sancton is also a well-known jazz clarinetist who has toured widely in Europe and the U.S. The concert will be held at the Wooten Theatre in downtown DeRidder at 102 West First Street. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the entertainment will begin promptly at 7. Only 200 season tickets will be sold for $40 each, entitling the purchaser to all three concerts in the series. Tickets are available at DeRidder City Hall and Curious Cargo. For more information, call Misty Rebi r Clanton at (337) 462-8900 or e-mail Betty th, Wate rc Chia mclanton@cityofderidder.org. sson olor by Lang linai s NANCY MELTON AND FRIENDS WATERCOLOR SHOW MARCH 26 Nancy Melton and Friends will open their watercolor show at the McNeese Library on Fri., March 26 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. Twenty-four artists from Louisiana and Texas will exhibit over 100 original watercolor paintings. Featured this year is Lake Charles artist Betty Chiasson Langlinais. The show will be on exhibit through April 21. Call 4776784 or e-mail nmelton@suddenlink.nekt for more information.
Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar
13-14 - Home Show 14 - HAIRSPRAY!! 20 - All the Women I’ve Loved/Play 20 - Swashbuckler Indoor Football/Home Opener 26 - Banners/Jason Bishop/Illusionist
Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr
03 - Pink Floyd Laser Light Show 03 - Spring Bling 09 - Banners/Wine & Alchemy 10-11 - Midnight Fantasies Car & Truck Show 17 - Swashbucklers vs Greenville Force 17-18 - LC Symphony (Free Children’s Performance 4/18) 17-18 - Don-Rich Gun Show 19-20 - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus 23 - Banners/Lily Cai Chinese Dance Co. 24 - Avant in Concert 27-May 9 - CONTRABAND DAYS !!!
Photo by www.monsoursphotography.com
ALEXANDER ART STUDIO CELEBRATES 8-YEAR ANNIVERSARY MARCH 13 Founded in Oct. 2002, Alexander Art Studio is celebrating eight years of creativity, design, and business. Founder, owner, and artist Candice Dawn Alexander recently announced her studio’s expansion at the historic Central School. It now includes an additional room that holds a gallery, retail space, and framing area. Her studio will be open to the public on Sat., March 13 from noon-9 p.m. for an exhibit of painting, prints and mixed media. There will be a special preview on Fri., March 12 from 2-5 p.m. For more information, call 370-9192 or go to www.candicealexander.com.
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BEATS & EATS FUNDRAISER MARCH 26 Volunteers of America will hold its Beats & Eats fundraiser on Fri., March 26, 2010 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Treasures of Marilyn’s in Lake Charles. The casual event will feature a Lenten buffet and cash bar. Dance music will be provided by X-IT-43. Products and services donated by area businesses will be auctioned. Volunteers of America will also be raffling off a signed print of “We Are Marching Again” by George Rodrigue. Raffle tickets are only $10 each for a chance to win the colorful Blue Dog print. Tickets for the event are $40 each, $70 for couples or $300 for reserved tables of ten. Sponsorships and corporate tables are available. For more info, call Volunteers of America at (337) 497-0034. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISITED MARCH 27 On Sat., March 27, Creedence Clearwater Revisited will be bringing their many rock and roll hits to the Delta Event Center for a one-night-only performance, starting at 8 p.m. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rhythm section from the legendary group Creedence Clearwater Revival launched the Creedence Clearwater Revisited project in 1995 to once again perform live Creedence Clearwater Revival hits. Creedence Clearwater Revisited now performs up to 100 shows a year. Tickets start at $35 and are available online at deltadowns.com, at ticketmaster.com, or at the Delta Downs Gift Shop. To charge by phone, call (800) 745-3000. PROPELLER CLUB GOLF TOURNAMENT MARCH 29 The annual Propeller Club of the United States Ports of Southwest Louisiana Golf Tournament will be held on Mon., March 29 at Gray Plantation Golf Course in Lake Charles. Teetime is 10 a.m. and the format is a scramble. This is a purpose is a fundraising for scholarship funds and Chapter projects in
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SW Louisiana. Dress code is collared shirts, soft spike golf shoes, and no denim. For more info, contact David Broussard at 478-2524 or 249-7705 or e-mail him at opps@lngtsi.com. Get your teams ready for a great event! RANDY TRAVIS AT THE DELTA EVENT CENTER APRIL 9 On Fri., April 9, Randy Travis will be bringing his many country hits to the Delta Event Center for a one-night-only performance, starting at 8 p.m. With record sales of over 25 million, 22 number one hits, 6 number one albums, 6 Grammys, 6 CMAs, 9 ACMs, 10 AMAs, 7 Dove Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Randy is the rare man who’s been able to make all of his dreams come true. Tickets start at $40 and are available online at deltadowns.com or ticketmaster.com, or at The Delta Downs Gift Shop. To charge by phone, call (800) 7453000. ICM PRESENTS BOOGALOO 2010 APRIL 17 The Imperial Calcasieu Museum (ICM) invites you “Back to the Future” for Boogaloo 2010 on Sat., April 17. The lively fundraiser for the museum will be held at the newly restored Cash & Carry Grocery. Dress as your favorite personality from the 30s to 2010. While costumes are not mandatory, they sure are fun! Tickets are $40 for members, $50 for non-members. Sponsorships start at $250 and include a bunch of perks! Call the staff at ICM for more information at 439-3793.
Randy Travis
TJN
MARCH 11, 2010
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To list your event e-mail: lauren@thejambalayanews.com
The
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. • Paul Gonsoulin @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Mike LaVergne/Benji Abshire/Wayne Mouille @ Caribbean Hut, 9 p.m. THURSDAY, MARCH 11 • Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Matthew Moss/Kris Harper @ The Porch, 7 p.m. • Tom Brandow @ Jimbo’s The Spot, 7 p.m. • Ka-Nection @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Wild West Show @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • DJ Ezekial/Brad Wells (inside) @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Time Machine @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 12 • The Hotel Cazan Band @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Chris Shearman/James Guilbeaux @ The Porch, 8 p.m. • Jamey Johnson @ Texas Longhorn Club, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Ka-Nection @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Blues Tonic @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 9 p.m.
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• Briant Lloyd Smith and Hot Gritz @ Blue Duck Cafe, 9 p.m. • Thingfish @ Caribbean Hut, 9 p.m. • Danica @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Zydecane @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Losers Reunion/Forever Falls @ AJ’s Bar & Grill, 9:30 p.m. • Twangsters Union @ Yesterday’s, 9:30 p.m. • Robbie Hazen & The Riot/Canvas Red/Barisal Guns @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. • Rockstar Karaoke @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 11 p.m. SATURDAY, MARCH 13 • Brent Rodgers @ The Porch, 9 a.m. • Mack Manuel & The Lake Charles Ramblers @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • The Preservation Hall Jazz Band @ Bulber Auditorium, McNeese State University, 7:30 p.m. • Ka-Nection @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Danica @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Zydecane @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Tyler Read @ AJ’s Bar & Grill, 9:30 p.m. • Colorcast Veteran/Static Parade @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. • Time Machine @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 11 p.m.
SUNDAY, MARCH 14 • Tom Brandow @ Jimbo’s The Spot, 3 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. • Chris Shearman @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Ceth Talbot @ Caribbean Hut, 9 p.m. THURSDAY, MARCH 18 • Blues Tonic @ Molly’s Lamplighter, 6 p.m. • Briggs Brown & The Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Mickey Rybiski & Friends @ The Porch, 7 p.m. • Tom Brandow @ Jimbo’s The Spot, 7 p.m. • Bernie Alan @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Craig Morton & Slingshot @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • DJ Ezekial @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Q-Burns Abstract Message @ The L Bar, Baton Rouge, 9 p.m. • Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Rumor Mill @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 19 • Various Artists @ Iowa Rabbit Festival, Iowa, 5 p.m. • Howard Noel & Cajun Boogie @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Bernie Alan @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Briant Lloyd Smith and Hot Gritz @ Blue Duck Cafe, 9 p.m. • Bronco Jr. @ Caribbean Hut, 9 p.m. • Tom Brandow @ The Cigar Club, 9 p.m. • Band X @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.
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• LA Express @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Parallel the Sky/Everbreath/Anakie @ AJ’s Bar & Grill, 9:30 p.m. • Lingus/The Captain Legendary Band @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. • Furr @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 10:30 p.m. • DJ Faust @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 11 p.m. SATURDAY, MARCH 20 • Brent Rodgers @ The Porch, 9 a.m. • Various Artists @ Iowa Rabbit Festival, Iowa, 10 a.m. • Joe Simon & Louisiana Cajun @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Thingfish @ The Porch, 7 p.m. • Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights @ Bulber Auditorium, McNeese State University, 7:30 p.m. • Bernie Alan @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Band X @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • LA Express @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.
• Judd Bares & Six String Rodeo/The Dippin Spits String Band @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. • Bag of Donuts @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. • DJ Faust @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 11 p.m.
• Matt DelRossi @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Static @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • DJ Ezekial @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Research Turtles @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m.
SUNDAY, MARCH 21 • Various Artists @ Iowa Rabbit Festival, Iowa, 10 a.m. • Tom Brandow @ Jimbo’s The Spot, 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 26 • Al Roger & Louisiana Pride @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • The Lakeside Gamblers @ The Porch, 7 p.m. • Hoobastank/Noyola @ L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 7:30 p.m. • Matt DelRossi @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Fayuca/Truman Holland (inside) @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Twangsters Union @ My Place, 9 p.m. • Thingfish @ Caribbean Hut, 9 p.m. • Briant Lloyd Smith and Hot Gritz @ Blue Duck Cafe, 9 p.m. • Sean Vidrine @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. ISIS @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • When the Word Was Sound @ AJ’s Bar & Grill, 9:30 p.m. • Marianne & The Republic @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 11 p.m. TJN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. • Paul Gonsoulin @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Mike LaVergne/Benji Abshire/Wayne Mouille @ Caribbean Hut, 9 p.m. THURSDAY, MARCH 25 • Nothing More @ McNeese State University, 4 p.m. • Jeff Thibodeaux & Friends @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Mike Zito @ The Porch, 7 p.m. • Tom Brandow @ Jimbo’s The Spot, 7 p.m. • All The Essentials @ Hot Topic, Prien Lake Mall, 7 p.m.
MONDAY NIGHTS: Abita Beer Night
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: Mondo Martini Night
THURSDAY NIGHTS: Be Well Night
Thurs. Mar. 11 @ 9:00 D.J. EZEKIAL Thurs. Mar. 11 @ 10:00 BRAD WELLS (acoustic inside) Fri. Mar. 12 @ 10:00 ROBBIE HAZEN & THE RIOT w/ CANVAS RED Sat. Mar. 13 @ 9:00 STATIC PARADE & TYLER READ Wed. Mar. 17 @ 9:00 CHRIS SHEARMAN Thurs. Mar. 18 @ 9:00 D.J. EZEKIAL Fri. Mar. 19 @ 10:00 THE CAPTAIN LEGENDARY BAND & LINGUS Sat. Mar. 20 @ 8:00 JUD BARES & SIX STRING RODEO w/ THE DIPPIN SPITS STRING BAND Wed. Mar. 24 @ 9:00 PAUL GONSOULIN Thurs. Mar. 25 @ 9:00 D.J. EZEKIAL Thurs. Mar. 25 @ 10:00 TRUMAN HOLLAND (acoustic inside)
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Louisiana Through The Looking Glass By Leslie Berman Even though it’s been at the epicenter of my life since I could reason, there are just some days when I can’t bear to listen to music. Not in a plane, not in the rain, not in the house, not with a souse, not in the mall, or while on hold waiting for some secretary to some bureaucrat to take my call. Some days, I just do not want it Sam-I-Am. Music-less, I get restless, pacing around wherever I am like a tiger in a cage. It isn’t that I don’t want more music, it’s that the sound, no matter how gentle, has grown fingernails, and it’s scratching down my mental chalkboard. When that happens, I like to soothe myself with a good read: like a book about music, especially if the writing is tangy and smart. Today was one of those days. I’m in Los Angeles, here for a funeral of a friend, whose love of music, especially Louisiana music, was profound. For years, we met in New Orleans at the Jazzfest, or at Marc and Ann Savoy’s crawfish boil in Eunice. Mary Herczog and her husband Steve Hochman, who married under an ancient live oak tree in Marc and Ann’s backyard, often brought decorated anniversary cake, and danced to a Cajun tune. There will be music at Mary’s funeral, including a second line, for which I am prepared. But, no music today please, not yet. So, I took myself off to Barnes & Noble in Burbank, and browsed among the music books for comfort. There were copies of Ozzy Osborne’s new what-have-you, the usual mix of music history, music and cultural theory, music business and music lesson books, and then I saw Lousiana Rocks: The True Genesis of Rock & Roll by Denham Springs resident and former DJ and award-winning journalist Tom Aswell. At $29.95 and 500 pages, it is part encyclopedia, part history trail, part homage, and all of it is well researched and extremely interesting. The work is centered around the contemporaries of Baton Rouge native John Fred (nee Gourrier), whose “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses),” had charted at number 1 early in my high school years. That was when I was still caught between the hipsters and the hippies, the doo wop and early Brill Building rock and roll on one hand, and the folk rock, country rock, hard rock, psychedelic and acid rock that followed them on the other. Little did I know it then, but his was going to trouble me for failing to swear allegiance to only one uber-hip rock style forever. Aswell’s book is divided by musical genres, and subdivided within those categories into encyclopedia entries on hundreds of musicians and Louisiana-associated music business folk who Aswell lauds as the champions and originators of rock and roll. It is probably a teensy tiny bit of an exaggeration to claim that rock and roll was born in PAGE 54
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Louisiana, as Memphis and Detroit and Chicago and other cities where African-American musicians had decamped to in the mid-20th century had significant roles to play, and rock pioneers came from all over the geographical and musical genre maps. But it is also clear that few places offered as many varieties of musical styles, and that factor, perhaps more than any other, makes it a fair argument. You can hear most of the styles and others, and the inheritors of those traditions that funneled into Jazz at the new Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, spanning the last weekend of April and first weekend of May. It is almost past time to book hotels and the famous restaurants, because up to 100,000 people per day come to Jazzfest, and they’ve gotta sleep and eat somewhere. You should make your plans now. And let me recommend the midweek between the festival weekends (Monday through Wednesday) pilgrimage from New Orleans back to Eunice and Lafayette, that Festival Tours makes each year. Regular stops include at-home visits with D.L. Menard, the Cajun Hank Williams, for cookies and lemonade; Marc and Ann Savoy and their award-winning musical extended family, for a crawfish boil; and Geno Delafose, at his ranch, for a Zydeco barbecue. A Cajun cooking class with chef Pat Mould usually includes musical accompaniment from Michael Doucet.
eye of mathematician and child nude photographer Lewis Carroll. At Oxford, where Carroll taught under his real name, Reverend Charles Dodgson, I went past the Alice memorabilia shop almost every day, but never thought to collect any Alice. More exciting to me were images of the last dodo, in all its exotic taxidermic glory in the University’s Pitt Rivers Museum, where Dodgson clearly had his imagination fired as well. But the Alice books have been magical and scary and satisfying as only the books of childhood can be, so it was nice to revisit some music created—in many cases, actually— under the influence. Might have to get under the influence myself, and see if that improves my mood. Leslie Berman’s career in music spans four decades, and includes stints as a folksinger, music teacher, coffeehouse booker, concert promoter, publicist, festival director, music journalist, album notes writer, artist manager, trade organization president, entertainment attorney, and president of the Music Museum of Southwest Louisiana. She prefers all things musically eclectic, and votes on the Grammys as a member of the Recording Academy. She can be reached at leslie@leslieberman.com.
TJN
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALICE With Johnny Depp staring at me through red-rimmed eyes in a white zinc paste face from every bus stop bench in Van Nuys, I had Alice in Wonderland on my mind when I hit Barnes & Noble. So it was no surprise that I impulse-purchased the Rhino Records compilation “Under the Influence of Alice: Music Inspired By the Classic Tale,” which was stacked on a display of Alice books, lunchboxes, diaries, etc. The 12-song project starts, natch, with Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane singing “White Rabbit,” ends with The Incredible String Band’s “Mad Hatter’s Song,” and passes through The Cure, Scarlett Johansson, Emilie Simon, The Flaming Lips, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Elvis Costello, The Sisters of Mercy, The Glove, and David Moore. All the tunes were worth rehearing or learning, but only the first and last tunes directly alluded to characters from the stories of Alice Liddell and the girl modeled on her who went through the looking glass under the watchful and inappropriately loving Volume 1 • Issue 24
Volume 1 • Issue 24
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