VOL. 3, NO. 2 / APRIL 21, 2011
: ALSO
Buffet p u o c u Le Bea ’s e g r be ! • L’Au ake Area 1 1 0 2 Lafitte lub of the L n a e J Meet wcomers C e The N
Dru Ellender, Broker/Owner 274-1320
Kerry Ellender 274-9073
Dana Turpin 485-0244
Anja Richard 274-2520
Kathy Gardner 499-4955
Kathy Ware 337-250-8085
Brian Bimle 802-5315
Jessica Ware 842-5900
Marietta House 513-9205
Clara Colvin 526-4814
OFFICES LOCATED AT: Marjorie Baca 540-3983
3709 Maplewood Drive, Sulphur 337-625-3150 office 337-625-7164 fax
823 University Drive, Lake Charles 337-474-8877 office 337-474-1055 fax
Dominick Valenti 884-2818
Carolyn Cummings 764-9646
4200 Maidstone
129 Breaker
Beverly Trahan 368-1103
Smith Washington 240-1515
David Goodly 496-7296
6181 Oak
3234 Paul White
Rita Gobert 540-3705
3796 Graymarket
Betty Jordan 794-4888
Rose Holland 794-0744
1421 Days
59 East End
Delores Boudreaux 794-7142 PAGE 2
APRIL 21, 2011
Linda Ellender 485-0626
JD Hankins 274-9892
1475 Jamie Renee
Tammy Arnold 309-9581
Eric Blood 540-8061
VISIT US AT WWW.COLDWELLBANKER.COM TO VIEW ALL THE SWLA LISTINGS!
Stephenie Vital 912-9247
Jason Price 302-8447
Darlene Nortman 274-2466
Carolyn Guillory 912-5374
Rockey Keeley 540-2614
Norma Taber 244-2290
Bob Holland 540-3094
Kris Kolluri 526-4257 Volume 3 • Issue 2
GENERAL 715 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.thejambalayanews.com PUBLISHER Phil de Albuquerque
contents
lauren@thejambalayanews.com
CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Berman George Cline James Doyle Dan Ellender Maria Alcantara Faul Mike McHugh Mary Louise Ruehr Brandon Shoumaker Karla Tullos ADVERTISING sales@thejambalayanews.com
SALES ASSOCIATES Katy Corbello Faye Drake Karla Tullos GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Darrell Buck ART/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Michelle LaVoie BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Kay Andrews
April 21, 2011 • Volume 3 • Issue 2
COVER STORY 23
publisher@thejambalayanews.com
NEWS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque
On Cover: Photos courtesy of The Children’s Museum.
The Children’s Museum of Lake Charles: Celebrating 23 Years of Fun!
REGULARS 7 9 10 11 13 14 32
The Boiling Pot Adoption Corner The Dang Yankee Tips from Tip Doyle’s Place What’s Cookin’ Sports Report
FEATURES 5 17 18 22
The Newcomers Club of the Lake Area Meet the 2011 Jean Lafitte! Newcomers Guide The Real Estate Market in SWLA
23 30
ENTERTAINMENT 34 36 37 38 41 44 46 47
Red Hot Books Funbolaya Family Night at the Movies Society Spice Jambalaya Jam Local Jam Eclectic Company Killin’ Time Crossword
5
18
14
Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff. The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by The Jambalaya News, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The Jambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a selfaddressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Copyright 2011 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. Volume 3 • Issue 2
17 We are now accepting credit cards! APRIL 21, 2011
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A Note From Lauren Home In a few days, one of my dearest friends from Boston will be coming to Lake Charles for the weekend. I haven’t seen her in five years, because I haven’t been very good about going back up there to visit. I don’t know why. Well, maybe I do. The last two times we visited, we stayed in my mother’s apartment on the third floor of the threedecker that had been owned by my aunt Jeannette; the apartment that I grew up in, the apartment where my mother died. I don’t know any other home but that one. At that time, Aunt Jeannette was still alive but in assisted living. She had given the house to my cousins, who were planning on renting out the top and bottom floors to tenants—the first time someone other than an Abate would be living in that house in over 50 years. On my last visit, we spent the weekend cleaning the apartment out—a lifetime of furniture, old letters and papers jammed in boxes, crystal wine glasses from Italy, cook-
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APRIL 21, 2011
books, my grade school drawings. We sold the furniture. I kept some of my mother’s clothes and the rest were given to a women’s shelter. We packed and shipped close to 40 boxes of things I just couldn’t part with to Lake Charles. The rest we gave away or just threw out. It was a very emotional time, and I don’t know how I could have handled this without Phil, who understood what I was going through and helped me every step of the way. After we returned to Louisiana, my cousins cleaned and painted, ripped out rugs, put in new appliances and a new bathroom, and eventually rented out the apartment. So if and when I ever visit Boston, it’s going to be very sad and very strange to return to the city where I spent most of my life and now, just be a mere visitor. I no longer have a home. So I keep making excuses, and I just go somewhere else. Of course, I have family and friends there that I’d love to see, but the overwhelming emotion of displacement seems to supersede
the desire to see them. I can’t get a handle on it yet, and until I do, I don’t think I should go back. My home still lives in my memories, and it’s a funny thing: the house that was the bane of my existence (built in 1918, cold in the winter, hot in the summer, too small, too outdated) is now what I conjure up to lull me to sleep. I remember the smell of roast chicken on Sunday, watching Bruins games in the den with my father and my cousin Richard, having a cup of tea with my mother at the kitchen table, opening presents on Christmas Eve in my aunt Gloria and Uncle Ricky’s first-floor apartment; all these remembrances of things past together weave a quilt of comfort that covers my soul. And it also makes me realize that it doesn’t matter what your house looks like; it’s what happens inside that matters. We all know that some of the most beautiful homes have the unhappiest occupants. The East Boston house was never much to look at, but we had something special inside.
There’s an old poem that my mother used to love. Written in 1916 by Edgar Guest, it starts out, “It take a heap o’ livin’, to call a house a home.” We all did a heap of living in that house. I guess now, it’s someone else’s turn.
TJN
– Lauren de Albuquerque
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Left to right: Judi Weinfurtner, Shirley Maurer and Rachel Claret, holding a scrapbook of the club.
By Maria Alcantara Faul
Modern American families are typically described as mobile. It is not uncommon for them to move from one city to another, or even from one state to another, at least once in their lifetime. It’s not easy moving to a new area where you don’t know anyone. You’ll find yourself asking, “What is there to do?” or “Whom can I call?” Your family and friends are hundreds of miles away in another state, and you realize that you have to make new friends and enjoy new experiences. Then again, you may be a Lake Area native who’s looking to meet new people. No matter where you’re from, the good news is that new friends and loads of activities await you at the Newcomers Club of the Lake Area. Formed in 1964 The Newcomers Club was formed in Lake Charles in 1964 as the YMCA Newcomers Club. Helen Pleogsma and her husband Charles, then director of the Lake Charles YMCA, began the Volume 3 • Issue 2
club as a YMCA program. Then primarily geared toward newcomers, the purpose of the club was to provide pleasant social contacts and the opportunity for new friendships. As the years progressed, club membership grew and its community involvement expanded. The club was a vital participant in Lake Charles’ Centennial Celebration in 1967. In 1974, under the leadership of May Gray, the club established a community relations committee to inform residents of area happenings. The committee was comprised of an educational chair that handled educational events; a volunteer chair who reported on community needs to members; and a recreation chair who organized fishing and crabbing trips and other fun excursions. By then, the club’s name had been changed to The Newcomers Club of Lake Charles. But in 1982, President Trudy Glackin was instrumental in changing the club’s name yet again.
Glackin, a resident of Sulphur, had found out about the club from a poster she saw at a local store. She felt the name of the group needed to include members outside of Lake Charles. So it became The Newcomers Club of the Lake Area. Members Feel Welcome Many members of the club describe it as their “salvation.” Club member Rachel Claret and her husband Tom first moved to the Lake Area in 1998. “I was pregnant with my first child at that time and I didn’t have a clue,” Claret said. “The club helped me tremendously in finding my way around.” In 2004, the family left the Lake Area to move to Houston, and then beyond, returning four years later. “Our family moved to Houston, to France, back to Houston, then back to the Lake Area in a span of four years,” Claret said. “It’s nice to see familiar faces when we go back.”
Judi Weinfurtner and her husband Dave moved to Lake Charles from New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. “I was feeling lonely and displaced when we first moved here,” Weinfurtner said. Her husband saw an ad in the paper about a club luncheon and suggested that they attend the event. The rest is history. “The Newcomers Club made us feel welcome and at home,” she said. Shirley Maurer, and her husband Steve, came to Lake Charles from Houston. “We didn’t know anyone in the area except for people in our church,” Maurer said. “Joining The Newcomer’s Club expanded our circle of friends.” While a majority of the club’s members are newcomers, some are natives of the area. “We have a member who lives in Orange and drives into Lake Charles for luncheons,” Maurer said.
APRIL 21, 2011
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New Opportunities The mission of the Newcomer’s Club is to assist members in adjusting to the Lake Area by providing them with opportunities for new friendships, activities and pleasant social contact. Through the years, the club had an average membership of 100 people, hitting a high of 200 during the early 70s. Club membership slumped, however, after the 2005 hurricanes. “The club currently has approximately 60 members, and we’re working hard to get more,” Maurer said. “Past President May Gray has spearheaded a rejuvenation initiative for the club.”
The club has also partnered with Chamber/SWLA to reach out to potential newcomers to the area. All events and activities of The Newcomer’s Club are open to anyone who would like to attend—newcomer or native. The club holds a luncheon every second Monday of the month, from September through May, at the Pioneer Club. The luncheon runs from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and typically features a speaker or a fashion show. The club does not have luncheons from June through August, but there’s still plenty going on, according to Weinfurtner. “We still have other activities scheduled for everyone to
enjoy,” she said. The club has a Ladies Night Out event once a month, where members meet a local restaurant. There’s also a Book Club, a Coffee Group and an Opera Club. The next Ladies Night Out is set for April 21, at A-Mazen’s restaurant; the Coffee Group is scheduled for April 28 and May 26 at Stellar Beans; and the Book Club has a May 4 reading date set for the group to discuss The Glass Castle. The club is always looking to add more activities, depending on member interest. “We usually put together activities that our members like,” Maurer said. “If the members don’t like it, we don’t do it.”
The club will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2014 and is looking forward to celebrating the big event by looking back at how the club has evolved. But the true measure of the Newcomer’s Club’s success are the long-lasting friendships made among its members. “The Newcomers Club is like family to us,” Weinfurtner said. “We know we can rely on club members to support us at all times.” For more information about The Newcomers Club of the Lake Area, contact lakecharlesnewcomers@yahoo.com.
TJN
Computer Repair/ Sales • Network Management Home and Business Security Camera • Professionally Installed Gerrit Lawrence
1306 A Sampson St., Westlake • (337)721-1969
photo by www.monsoursphotography.com PAGE 6
APRIL 21, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 2
The
Boiling
P l
Please submit press releases to lauren@thejambalayanews.com
AMY ROGERS JOINS BBBS Amy Rogers of Sulphur has joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana (BBBS) as the site-based caseworker and will be over the High School Mentoring and Lunch Buddy programs. Rogers is a 2005 McNeese State University graduate with a BS in psychology. She comes to BBBS with five years experience in the non-profit sector. During this time, she developed a close working relationship with local school officials and staff, while implementing several youth leadership development programs. For Amy Rogers more information on mentoring opportunities offered by the United Way agency of Big Brothers Big Sisters, please call 478-KIDS (5437) or visit www.bbbs-swla.net.
ST. PATRICK HOSPITAL RECEIVES “GIFT OF SIGHT” AWARD FROM SOUTHERN EYE BANK CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital received the 2010 Gift of Sight Hospital of the Year Award from the Southern Eye Bank at an award Ceremony at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Garber Auditorium recently. The award is presented by Southern Eye Bank to a partner hospital that has facilitated their mission of saving and restoring eyesight. The hospital chosen extends exemplary support and care to grieving families as they make end of life decisions for their loved ones. Southern Eye Bank (SEB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of sight. SEB processes and distributes donor tissue for ocular surgery and research-based need. SEB’s service area extends from the New Orleans area through Southwest Louisiana.
NEW DIRECTOR OF BLACK HERITAGE FESTIVAL Judith Warren Washington is the newly appointed executive director of Black Heritage Festival of Louisiana. Formerly a speech pathologist with Calcasieu Parish Schools, she brings many years of non-profit experience to the organization. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., Sister’s Surviving Cancer Support Group, and the SWLA Sickle Cell Advisory Board. In her new role, she will be responsible for fundraising, Judith Washington marketing and overseeing the development, design and delivery of program initiatives. Washington and her husband Roosevelt have two children and two grandchildren. RAJESH JOSEPH, MD, JOINS DIGESTIVE HEALTH CENTER Rajesh Joseph, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist and internist, has recently joined Frank Marrero, MD, at the Digestive Health Center, located at 2770 3rd Avenue, Suite 345. Prior to joining the staff of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, Dr. Joseph practiced gastroenterology and hepatology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland. Dr. Joseph provides comprehensive care in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call the Digestive Health Center at (337) 494-4785.
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Wanda Cooper, Willie King, and David Duplechain, Family & Youth Vice President
Rajesh Joseph, MD
WILLIE KING RECEIVES REGIONAL CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH AWARD Willie King was recently presented the Regional Champions for Children’s Health award by the Louisiana Covering Kids & Families Coalition recently. The statewide coalition works to ensure that all eligible children and adults are enrolled in LaCHIP or Medicaid, educates families and communities about health issues through collaborative partnerships, and increases the number of families who have access to health care. King is involved in many organizations benefiting children in Southwest Louisiana, such as Project Build a Future, Salvation Army, MLK Day, Chamber SWLA, Children’s Miracle Network, Kids Can of Southwest Louisiana, 100 Black Men, Partners in Manhood, and Family & Youth. APRIL 21, 2011
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WOUND HEALING CENTER AT WCCH RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION National Healing Corporation, an industry leader in wound healing that accounts for approximately 30 percent of the nation’s managed and outsourced wound healing centers, has named The Wound Healing Center at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital as a national finalist in the Best Overall Wound Outcomes Award, an award that recognizes centers for above average healing rates. The Wound Healing Center at WCCH is one of numerous wound healing programs that reports patient outcomes to National Healing. The Wound Healing Center at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is located at 701 Cypress Street, in Sulphur. For more information, call 528-4708 or visit www.wcch.com. MEADWESTVACO DONATES TO UNITED WAY Members from the MeadWestvaco team presented United Way of Southwest Louisiana over $37,800 for their efforts during the 2010 Campaign.
Carlos Arrambide, plant manager of MeadWestvaco made the presentation to Denise Durel, president & CEO of United Way of SWLA. Also on hand were Jim Parkinson, Ashley Hauser, Sherry Istre, Danny Kyle, Cindy Houghton, Roger Bryson, Carl Slover, Colton Isadore, Greg Paulsen, Roy McKinney, Jeff Bishop, Donald Hair, Brad Wilkins, and Paul Simmons.
SENIOR GAMES DONATE TO MSU The Southwest Louisiana Region Senior Games has donated $4,000 to the McNeese Athletic Foundation to establish the Health and Human Performance Senior Games Scholarship as a way to thank the university for the use of its facilities, along with the help from health and human performance faculty and track staff for over 20 years.
From left to right: Kemuel Morales, assistant track coach, Dr. Mike Soileau, health and human performance department head, Adele Mart, director of SWLA Region Senior Games; and Dr. Philip Williams, McNeese president. McNeese Photo
TWO FROM CVB EARN ‘TRAVEL MARKETING PROFESSIONAL’ CERTIFICATION Megan Hartman, marketing manager, and Katie Harrington, public relations manager, both of the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana PAGE 8
APRIL 21, 2011
Convention & Visitors Bureau, have earned certification as a “Travel Marketing Professional” (TMP) after completing the three-year program of the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) Marketing College. Hartman and Harrington were two of 64 new TMPs recognized at the STS spring meeting in Sandestin, Florida. The STS Marketing College is a professional development program that for one week each summer turns the facilities of North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, Ga., into a laboratory to teach tourism marketing. WOMEN & CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL EARNS GUIDED INFANT FEEDING TECHNIQUES (GIFT) CERTIFICATION Women & Children’s Hospital (WCH) has been designated by the Louisiana Maternal and Child Health Coalition as one of 19 GIFT-certified facilities in Louisiana and the only hospital within Region 5 to be a certified Guided Infant Feeding Techniques hospital for protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding. The GIFT designation is a certification program for Louisiana birthing facilities based on the best practice model to increase breastfeeding initiation, duration and support.
Chief Nursing Officer, Felicia Adams, RN, MSN, Celeste Walsh, RN, BSN, IBCLC, Regina Ledet, RN, BSN, IBCLC and Rebekah E. Gee, M.D., MPH, FACOG, from LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF DISABILITY AFFAIRS 2011 INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS ART CONTEST The 2011 Inclusive Schools Art Contest Ceremony was held recently. This contest afforded students a wonderful opportunity to showcase their artistic talents while also promoting disability awareness and inclusive education. Over 70 students representing 26 schools submitted artwork reflecting this year’s theme: “What does inclusion mean to me?” Students earning 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or Honorable Mention honors received medals and Certificates of Recognition signed by Governor Bobby Jindal. The contest was open to all public, private, charter, parochial, and home school students in grades K12. Winning entries are currently on display at the Louisiana State Archives Building and will be displayed at venues around the state. Best in Show and First Place honors went to Cryslyn Hope Bacon of St. John Elementary. She is the daughter of Rolanda and Scott Latour and Shannon O’Reilly, and the granddaughter of Ann O’Reilly. MARTY BRIGGS AWARDED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Local realtor Marty Briggs was honored at the recent Century 21 Southwest Louisiana Brokers Council Awards Banquet in Eunice. Briggs was named the Century 21 Mike D. Bono & Co.’s Rookie of the Year for 2010, while also picking up honors for quality service and production. Briggs is a former sports and news anchor for KPLC-TV and has been a licensed real estate agent since 2005. For help with your real estate transactions, call Marty at (337) 6614844. His office is located at 4410 Nelson Road in Lake Charles.
Marty Briggs
CPSO CAPTAIN GRADUATES FROM FBI ACADEMY Doug Poole, a captain in the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff ’s Office Enforcement Division, graduated from the 244th Session of the FBI Volume 3 • Issue 2
National Academy at Quantico, Virginia recently. Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy Program offers ten weeks of advanced investigative, management, and fitness training for selected law enforcement officers having proven records as professionals within their agencies. Captain Poole has 27 years of law enforcement experience and has been employed at the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff ’s Office since 1984.
Louisiana Senator Willie Mount and Kerry Andersen, director of community and public relations for L’Auberge.
L’AUBERGE DU LAC SPONSORS FREE TO BREATHE 5K RUN/WALK WITH $5,000 DONATION L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort supported the Free to Breathe 5k Run/Walk as a $5,000 Platinum Sponsor the Lake Charles Civic Center. The event is focused on raising awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer and finding a cure through targeted research. More than 100 employees participated in the event as part of the L’Auberge Cares civic outreach program. TJN
Meet Hunter! My name is Hunter. I was found running loose by some nice people who hooked me up with 4 Paws Society. Now they’re trying to find me a nice home where I’ll have food and cuddles and love. I’m know I can definitely do better than living on the streets. All I need to achieve my dream is YOU! Hunter is a one-year-old handsome guy that we think is a Catahoula Cur/ Lab mix. It’s a good mix because this is a smart, wellsocialized young boy. All Hunter needs now is a forever home where Volume 3 • Issue 2
he will be cherished as a family member. He loves playing with other dogs and needs a secure fenced in yard to play and entertain his family! Call Wanda at (337) 6619132 to inquire about Hunter, or e-mail us at fourpawsociety@aol.com. An application can found online at www.4PawsSocietyInc.com and faxed to (337) 558-6331 or emailed to fourpawssociety@aol.com. A vet reference and home visit are part of the adoption process. If you live outside the general area, a “virtual” home visit can be done by emailing us photos of your home. TJN
“My clinical site was impressed with the hands-on training I received at Academy of Acadiana. Every one of my fellow students received a job offer. My job helps me provide for my family. I am proud of the education I received at Academy of Acadiana. You can do it too!” Ashley LeJeune
“I toured the campus with my mom. 10 weeks later I had a job as a dental assistant. I love my career. Thanks Academy of Acadiana.” Porché Stevens
Tour the campus to learn how you can enroll for the next Dental Assistant program. Class starts May 9, 2011.
APRIL 21, 2011
PAGE 9
Dang Yankee The
By Mike McHugh
Look Dee-eep Into My Fish Eye There are two kinds of people in the world. There are the normal people, the ones who think for themselves and make their own decisions, the ones who don’t allow themselves to be pushed around by anyone or anything. Then, there are people like me who keep tropical fish. Think about it. What would ever possess people to keep tropical fish as pets unless we have become pos-
sessed by the fish themselves? There’s no other explanation. You can’t teach fish to fetch a stick or bring you the newspaper. They won’t keep your house free of mice. You can’t cuddle up with them on the sofa on a cold night in front of the fireplace. Ok, sure, fish tanks are cool to look at. But so is art. If it’s aesthetics you’re after, wouldn’t it be a whole lot easier to just hang a picture on
Relaxing & Therapeutic Facials Chemical Peel Resurfacing • Microdermabrasion LED Photo Rejuvenation • Waxing Lash & Brow Tint • Ear Candling Skin Care & Cosmetic Lines Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics • PCA Skin Gabriel Correctives • Knutek MD
CALL 337-477-1195, for your appointment. Jennifer Lemons, Medical Aesthetician 603 W. College St. | Lake Charles, LA PAGE 10
APRIL 21, 2011
the wall? You don’t have to feed a picture. You don’t have to worry about it dying if you lose power and the filter shuts down. You won’t get 100 gallons of water spilling onto the carpet if your kid swings a baseball bat in the house and puts a hole in your Norman Rockwell limited edition print. I remember well that fateful day when I succumbed to the fishes’ collective hypnotic powers. My wife had dragged me into a pet shop while she went to get some stuff for our cats. I started browsing around the store and, somehow, unconsciously, I found myself standing there in the tropical fish section. I was surrounded by all these tanks full of itty-bitty fish swimming around. It seemed like they were all looking right at me. They cast their spell, and the next thing I knew, I was walking out of there with a 20-gallon starter kit. But that was only the beginning. It wasn’t long before I had emptied several hundred dollars out of my wallet to pay for chemicals, test kits, various types of food, gravel, fancy plants and decorations—all for the well-being of about $5 worth of fish,
Learning to swim requires every reasoning, motor and cognitive skill your child can conjure up. Then why on earth are parents still scrambling to sign up for a “few last minute lessons” during the summer? Because in the past that is all there was! Well, times have changed with the introduction of “Swim Schools” across the country. It gives families the choice to learn in a cheerful, friendly, warm water setting with highly qualified instructors that teach year ‘round, not just 2 weeks a year. Learning to swim takes time; there is no “quick fix”. Imagine how you would feel if you were to lose your child to drowning this year, knowing you could have prevented it by simply enrolling in swim lessons. It’s not too late! Enroll today-- $72 per month!
L-E-A-R-N T-O S-W-I-M!
each about the size of a Cheez-It. It wasn’t long before these fish pretty much took over our home. Their well being is now the number one concern in our household. These little devils have really learned to manipulate me, too. All they need to do is just show a tad less color on their dorsal fins and I’m off checking the water chemistry, researching fish psychology on the Internet, or running off to the fish store to get some daphnia to feed them. Don’t ask me what daphnia is; all I understand is that it’s the fish equivalent to a ribeye steak. Even when I am traveling, I can’t stop wondering about the ammonia level in the tank. I’ll call my wife to check in on them. “What’s that? There was a terrible accident in the kitchen involving a corkscrew and a banana peel? Don’t worry; I’m sure it’ll all sort itself out. What’s more important, ARE THE FISH HAPPY? Tell me they’re not cowering out-ofsight in the treasure chest again!” Unfortunately, I was unable to contain this thing to just our house. Although I tried to prevent it, the obsession with our fish has now gone viral. It started when I posted a few pictures of the fish on Facebook. Now, they have their own Facebook page, and they’ve acquired more friends than Justin Bieber. Heck, they’re even Tweeting; don’t ask me how. It seems that the big question now on everyone’s mind is not “How’s the situation in Japan?” or even, “What’s the latest buzz about Charlie Sheen?” No, the number one thing that people are asking these days is, “ARE THE FISH HAPPY?” So now I am in this so deep there’s no getting out. If I even show the slightest hint of mistreatment, the UN is liable to pass a resolution declaring sanctions on me. Heck, they might even call in air strikes. Al-Qaeda contacted me saying they were interested in using the fish in place of human shields. I don’t dare flush them down the toilet; it’ll probably touch off World War III. Years ago, there was this serial killer named “Son of Sam” who claimed that his dog told him to go out and murder people. I never did believe that story, and I still don’t. I do, however, recall reading somewhere that he also had a fish tank.
TJN
Volume 3 • Issue 2
By George “Tip” Cline
The types of business ownership vary, but in a free economy, they are all owned by individuals, either directly or indirectly. In any form of profit-orientated operation, it is the owners that will enjoy the benefits of whatever return is generated, either through dividends or growth of the operation’s worth. Sales taxes paid on materials that go into the cost of manufacturing goods and services are passed along in the pricing of the goods. The sales tax paid at the time the end user purchases the goods are not a cost to the operation, as
they are levied at the time of transfer of ownership of that product or service and are paid for by the ultimate consumer. They are separate from the taxes on the business operations and licensing fees charged by governmental units as they are an add-on based on the final price and do not come out of any company monies. The sales tax collected is not a part of the business as it is performing only a processing service for the governmental units involved and may receive a small compensation for their participation as a tax collector.
TJN
No Guacamole Yet… Winter is gone, thank goodness. The pecans have leafed out and that is suppose to mean we’re out of the woods for freezing weather, according to the old timers. I lost my avocado tree again this year. It was up to over six feet two years ago. I thought that it was gone after that winter, but it came back from the roots and made it up to a little over three feet last year before the killing winter freezes. I see a little shoot coming out again from the rootstock, so I guess I’ll try again this year. It takes about seven years, I’m told, to produce any fruit. I don’t think that means starting the same plant seven years in a row, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens. It would be nice to get a couple of years of continuous growth on the plant, just to see what it will do. We had it for a well over a year in a container when I first bought it, and it made it through that winter (no heavy freezing that year). Since I put it in the ground, Mother Nature seems to be at odds with my attempt to grow a plant that is not suited for our area—imagine that. I just hate to give up on growing the thing, since it tries so hard to come back each year. TRY IT, YOU’LL LIKE IT We’ve historically had a strong Middle Eastern influence in Lake Charles, resulting in a nice proliferation of ethnic restaurants in town. Locally, this new restaurant trend seems to have started with Mazen’s. We can now enjoy Toga’s, Cedar’s and Zeus out of Lafayette. We’ve always really liked this type of food, which is so different from our native Louisiana fare. If you haven’t tried any of these places, I recommend that you do. NO BUSINESS PAYS TAXES Making no claim as to my being an economist or some kind of expert in tax Volume 3 • Issue 2
matters, but having being around for more than a few years and having business experience, I have some thoughts on what ticks and what doesn’t. I was having a conversation recently with a local financial analyst. We were discussing matters relevant to taxes and I offered the position that NO business pays taxes. He agreed with my assertion that established businesses view taxes as a cost of production that must be treated as a factor in expense considerations. When you think beyond the populist notion that businesses should pay their fair share, you can easily understand that any taxes paid by a business, be it a corporation, individual or other form of ownership, must be passed along to their customers. The cost of those taxes and fees represent just as much of a factor as does the cost of the raw materials used in production. All costs of performing a business function go into the price of whatever product or service is being commercially offered. There is no other method of maintaining an ongoing business than to add up all the costs—be it labor, rent, utilities, insurance, interest payments, accounting, taxes or any other expense incurred with the business operation— and passing those on to the ultimate consumer. The end objective of any business is to create a profit. In order to make a profit, all the expenses must be paid for from the sale of the product or service offered. There is no other method to enable a profit to be obtained than to cover and then exceed the costs of doing business. The myth of businesses paying taxes only perpetuates higher prices to the end user. As taxes are part of the cost of operation, doing away with taxes on businesses could result in either lower prices, with the creation of more demand and thereby jobs, along with increasing profits for the owners of the business.
ABRAHAM'S TENT FOOD COLLECTION Bring a non-perishable food item and receive $1 off admission! “WORKING ON THE RAILROAD” WITH PHILLIP LEGER At 10:30 a.m., join Phillip Leger with the Lake Area Model Railroaders for “Working on the Railroad!” They will have an operating session and run multiple trains after the presentation. “CHICO” THE CLOWN Join “Chico” the Clown at 11 a.m. for lots of laughs and giggles! EASTER EGGS PRINTMAKING Gerry Wubben, McNeese Visual Arts instructor, will give a workshop in printmaking. He’ll demonstrate how to carve a linoleum plate and we will print and paint Easter Eggs! Classes begin at 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. and are limited to 15 children each. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUSEUM! Cake and punch will be served at 2 p.m. to celebrate the Children’s Museum 23rd anniversary!!! SAFETY WITH THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE At 2:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office Youth Division will give a short talk on safety and bring I.D. packages to take children’s fingerprints!
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A Letter to the Editor As we all know, Japan is going through the worst disaster in its recent history. Multiple earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis killed probably more than 10,000 people, and the death toll is rising daily. Originally from Japan, my family was saddened by this horrendous news. It was so painful to watch houses, cars, and people swept away with tsunami on TV screen. Scenes of devastations were eerily similar to those after Hurricane Katrina. We saw water all over, people asking for help on the roofs, fishing boats resting a mile inland, automobiles standing upright, and rubbles of what used to be people’s residence. There is no doubt that many south Louisianans can put themselves in the shoe of Japanese people after experiencing the horror of Katrina. Our families live in Tokyo, 200 miles away from the epicenter. Still, my sister-in-law felt the jolt as long as five minutes and it was nothing like what she ever experienced. In our parents’ homes, glassware fell off and the fridge moved by five inches. The parents of my Japanese friend in Baton Rouge lost half of the roof and fence of their house. One of my uncles sustained a head injury being struck by falling roofing slates. Even people in Tokyo are enduring rolling blackouts and having much difficulty purchasing foods and essentials, but it’s nothing compared to the plight of people near the epicenters. Japanese people are trying to help each other. Bakers are handing out breads for free after the
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store closed, people offer the bathroom in their residence for those who walk home, and an employee 6 months short of retirement volunteers to work in the troubled nuclear plant to prevent the meltdown. They, however, can use help from people outside Japan. I wonder what I can do myself. The answer is “not much.” There are, however, two things we can do to help them: prayer and donation. Please pray for those who lost their lives and those who struggle with the damage and devastation. Japan definitely needs your help for more than 400,000 people in shelters/temporary locations and more than 20,000 people still stranded. They need foods, water, clothes, blankets, temporary housing, gasoline, medical supplies, and everything else we currently own ourselves. There are many ways to make donations. American Red Cross and Salvation Army come to my mind. Some airline companies make us donate mileage. Lady Gaga designed a wristband engraved with “We Pray for Japan,” with all proceedings going to Japan relief efforts. I am proud of the resiliency of people in Japan, my home country. I am also proud of the generosity of people in the United States, my adoptive country. Thank you for your support. God bless everyone. Yoshinori Kamo Associate Professor of Sociology, LSU 897 Baird Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70808 225-767-3694 kamo@lsu.edu TJN
Volume 3 • Issue 2
oyle By Jim D
The Power of Prayer Well, Campers, it’s good to be back among the Lake Chuckians after some considerable time away. Before we get back to business, let me just open with an observation. Never say, “I’d give my left kidney for…” Trust me. You don’t want to go there. Now. I’m going to tell you a story that will blow your socks off, about friendship, faith, the power of prayer and the force of pure love. It is all true, and all the more important because of that truth. Sometime late last year, when my physical condition began to deteriorate due to chronic kidney disease, I had several sessions in the hospital. Almost out of nowhere, it seemed, I became the subject of prayer. Prayer from my friends; prayer from people I knew slightly; prayer lists from here to Wales and back. Hundreds. To put this in focus for you, I am a practicing Christian but not, until lately, a steady churchgoer; so the prayers were welcome, but sort of in the same way a phone call from a long-lost friend would be welcome. Much to my surprise, I started feeling the power of all those prayers. It’s hard to describe except to say things started happening to me I couldn’t explain; and then I started my own regular prayers; and more things happened. Little things. If I needed help on a specific work issue, I prayed for it and it happened. If I had minor surgery, I prayed for it to go well, and it went much better than expected. As much as I prayed for a complete healing of my illness, though, it was still there. So I ran headlong into surgery to correct a suspected benign condition that arose in the course of my transplant evaluation, hopefully to clear the decks for that golden ticket. Then on my birthday, I got an unexpected phone call from Ruth. Volume 3 • Issue 2
I had known Ruth slightly for years because she is related to one of my best friends. But I didn’t know her well. So it came as somewhat of a surprise to hear from her, wishing me a Happy Birthday (I was 60 that day). Very welcome surprise. I knew she was single and in my age range. Even better. But there were things in the way, so I really didn’t know what I should do; so I compromised. I texted her a Happy New Year the next night. And we’ve talked every day since then. Personal business brought her to town about the time I was going to Ochsner for my pre-surgical visit. I usually do those things alone. But she persistently said she didn’t want me to go alone, so she came along. And when I got there, without too much gory detail, I found out I was much sicker than I thought. On that day, on the trip back, I needed Ruth. She somehow had seen that before we left Lake Charles. I’m not really sure when the spiritual got introduced into our friendship. But early on, Ruth convinced me that, in order to get better, I had to have a better relationship with God. Not some “higher power” like a mountain or an Indian spirit. God. That was a new concept for me, churchgoing years notwithstanding. But, as they say in “California Dreamin’,” I began to pray. Regularly, this time. And other people started to pray for me. I was on so many prayer lists by the time I had my surgery that God must have needed a switchboard to keep them straight. But it worked. Friends, I was in bad shape when I went to Ochsner for this treatment. In my own mind, I was pretty sure I’d wake up after it was all over. But I wasn’t completely sure. Neither was Ruth, nor my other friends who came down to be with me, and two of my sons, Jamey and Harry. So I had great support, but a lot of worried people.
There came a time the night before the knife when Ruth and I were alone together. She kneeled, held my hands, looked into my eyes, and told me to remember the story of the woman in the village who needed healing one day when Jesus was passing through, but couldn’t get close enough to him. So she reached up and touched the hem of his garment, and was healed. “I want you to do something for me,” Ruth said. “Tomorrow, when they put the mask on you, just before you go to sleep, I want you to reach up and touch the hem of his garment.” I did. And obviously, I woke up. It’s been a long way back; I won’t kid you about that one. But Ruth and I continue to talk every day, usually more than once. Through her, and through my own efforts, I am a different man. I believe God has given me another chance to do what He wants me to do, and that’s why He put Ruth in my life. We’re working on what happens next in our friendship, although complications remain. But as I told her the other night, she’s the best birthday present I ever had. God sent her to me that day because He knew I’d need her love, her spirit, and her help in reach-
• Thurs., April 21 6:30 p.m. - Baseball vs. Stephen F. Austin • Fri., April 22 6:30 p.m. - Baseball vs. Stephen F. Austin • Sat., April 23 1:00 p.m. - Baseball vs. Stephen F. Austin • Wed., April 27 6:30 p.m. - Baseball vs. UL-Monroe
ing Him. She is my own personal angel. And if you needed any better proof of the power of prayer, it has to be a lifetime loser in the romance marketplace like me suddenly finding someone like Ruth. I can guess some of you are, by this time, allowing your skeptical and cynical sides to dismiss all this as superstitious bilge. But don’t. Let me encourage you to try this on for size. Blood, Sweat, and Tears said it best: “I can swear there ain’t no heaven but I pray there ain’t no hell.” Hey, what have you got to lose? Before I go, just a shout-out to some very special friends who have not only prayed for me regularly, but called and checked. Fred and Janet Duhy, of course; Hunter Lundy; Andy McGlathery; my old buddies Blake White and John Bishop from Bolivar; Chris Chesson; Susan Arimura; and Judy Hite and the Princess Prayer Warriors of Counce, Tennessee, who adopted me as a project. Go, Judy! It’s good to be better. It’s good to be back. It’s good to know I have a purpose in life, and someone to go there with me. I hope – no, I pray — that you all have the same thing. See ya in church, okay? TJN
• Thurs., April 28 5:00 p.m. - Softball vs. UL-Monroe • Sat., April 30 1:00 p.m. - Softball vs. UT-Arlington (doubleheader) • Sun., May 1 Noon - Softball vs. UT-Arlington • Wed., May 4 6:30 p.m. - Baseball vs. UNO
Please contact the special services and equality office at least 72 hours before any home event to request accommodations for individuals with disabilities. This includes the need for materials in an alternative format such as large print or Braille, sign language interpreters, accessible seating, and accessible parking information. Ph: (337) 475-5428.
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What’s Cookin’ Enjoy Beaucoup Culinary Delights at
at L’Auberge du Lac Inspired by the courtyards of Louisiana and Texas, large stucco arches define cozy seating areas in this 370-seat, award-winning buffet. Enjoy American, Tex/Mex, local and Asian-style cuisine, along with an extensive selection of pastries and desserts. There are two action stations for special cook-to-order items, as well as a carving station. With décor in rich terracotta and earth tone colors, Le Beaucoup Buffet also features an array of fresh salads, vegetables, fresh Louisiana seafood and poultry; prime steaks and chops; and Cajun and pasta dishes. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the buffet can accommodate large parties. Award-winning crawfish is served in season—which is right now until the end of June. It’s available Tues-Wed. from 3:30-10 p.m. Here are some of the reasons why you PAGE 14
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don’t have to go anywhere else: • Buffet serves 10,000 pounds a week; average diner eats eight pounds • All medium-to-large size crawfish • All come from LOCAL farmers – within 25 miles • All you can eat; unseasoned or seasoned as spicy as you want them • Full service, including hot towel service after you’re done peeling and eating • Children’s pricing: 4 and under eat for free, ages 4 – 10, $12.99 • Includes potatoes, corn, boudin, sausage, cook-to-order fresh fish and grilled shrimp plus hundreds of other delicious buffet offerings • Imported and domestic beers available, plus wine by the glass or bottle • Price includes one non-alcoholic beverage Volume 3 • Issue 2
Fabulous desserts by award-winning pastry chefs are part of the buffet, but are also available to take home and enjoy later; check the display case for daily offerings and your server will box up your favorite sweets “to go.” Don’t miss the Texas Gold cookies, Peanut Butter Pie and mini crème brulees! APRIL SPECIALS • Steak and Crab — Mon. 5 – 10 p.m. • Crawfish Buffet — Tues.- Wed. 3:30 – 10 p.m. • Shrimp Feast — Thurs. 5 – 10 p.m. • Seafood Buffet — Fri. 5 – 11 p.m. • Seafood Buffet — Sat. 4:30 – 11 p.m. Le Beaucoup Buffet, L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort. Open Sun. – Thurs. 8 a.m. –10 p.m., Fri – Sat. 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. (337) 395-7114. Go to www.facebook.com/laubergedulac for specials and giveaways and www.ldlcasino.com for everything you need to know about L’Auberge!
CRAWFISH CHOWDER
This delicious chowder is featured in Le Beaucoup Buffet at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort. INGREDIENTS • 3 oz. butter • 4 oz. small diced onions • 2 oz. small diced green bell peppers • 2 oz. diced celery • ½ tsp. minced garlic • ¾ tsp. Spanish paprika • 2 oz. shrimp base** • 8 oz. Louisiana crawfish tails • 3 oz. all-purpose flour • ½ bay leaf • 1 quart of heavy cream • 6 oz. water • ½ tsp minced garlic • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper • ¼ tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Add flour and mix well; incorporate flour for 10 minutes, making a pale roux. • Add heavy cream first and then water. • Whisk until roux is completely dissolved. • Add bay leaf, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and crawfish tails. • Cook Crawfish Chowder for 30 minutes. • Season with salt and pepper to taste. **Chef’s note: You may substitute crawfish base for shrimp base; shrimp base is more readily available. Serves 6. Enjoy! TJN
PREPERATION • Melt butter in a 1 gallon pot; add celery, onions, bell peppers and minced garlic. • Sauté vegetable mix until translucent. • Add paprika and shrimp base; cook until well incorporated.
Thank you to our dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors for helping us provide meaningful services to SWLA for nearly 80 years! Visit www.jllc.net for more information about our projects and grants. Volume 3 • Issue 2
APRIL 21, 2011
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Contraband Days will be here soon, and everyone’s ready for this fun festival celebrating Jean Lafitte and his hidden treasures. This year’s festival will include entertainment by Tracy Lawrence, The Spin Doctors, Confunction, Jars of Clay, Zapp, T.K. Hulin, Jamie Bergeron and many others. The festival starts on April 26 and will continue through May 8. Watch Jean Lafitte and his band of Buccaneers take over the city and make the mayor walk the plank. Enjoy the Live Shark Encounter, Rhino Renovators’ Bike Race, the Boat Parade, the Volleyball Classic,
American Press 5k, and the Kid’s Costume Contest, just to name a few of the many events planned. Contraband Days Festival will be held on the Lake Charles Civic Center Grounds. • Gate charge: $10 • Gate pass (for entire festival): $25 • Students through high school: $5 • Pre-school children: Free
TJN
Preliminaries to be held April 22 & 29 10pm at Luna Bar & Grill. Finals will be held May 6th at 8pm at the Contraband Days Festival. Contact DarQest Tan at 474-0021 for entry information. Applications available at all sponsor locations. Contestants must be 18 or older. Look for our event on Facebook!
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n with w o t n , dow ainment n w o d tert Get n e e v i rill! yl weekl a Bar and G at Lun 1pm 1 m a 11 OPEN ally Owned Loc
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Jean Lafitte and Mayor Randy Roach.
Captain Jean Lafitte, aka Charlie Boudreaux, has been a member of the Buccaneers since 1994. He has chaired membership, raid and publicity, and was float captain for the La Boucan. For many years he traveled with the Tourist Bureau promoting Contraband Days in Baton Rouge, Houston, Alexandria and San Antonio. Charlie was born and raised in Sulphur, graduating from Sulphur High School and attending McNeese University. He retired from Vista Chemical Plant in 1990. He is an active member of the McNeese Petrochem Association, Calcasieu Boat Club, Krewe Du Bon
Coeur, Krewe des Pirates and the Pelican Coast Parrot Heads. He and his wife of 49 years, Margie, live in Sulphur. They have two children, Kathleen Gray and Scott Boudreaux, and three grandchildren, Rikke Leigh McKinney, and Mallory and Mason Boudreaux. Charlie never meets a stranger and always has a smile on his face. He’s ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. His hobbies are collecting Louisiana art, traveling, Cajun music, cooking and just being with family and friends. He says he has heard every Boudreaux joke told and literally lived a few of them himself. When you meet Jean Lafitte at Contraband Days, expect a hug or a handshake. He hopes that everyone will come out and enjoy being a part of Contraband Days 2011. Congratulations, Charlie! TJN
Swimwear for Jr., Missy, Women Separates to E Cup Size DONNA MIER, C.M.F. Over 29 years experience in bra fitting!
(337) 478-8530 Ext. 120 CELL (337) 802-7410 FAX (337) 477-7217 bnavarre@flavinrealty.com www.flavinrealty.com
3221 Ryan St. Lake Charles Volume 3 • Issue 2
APRIL 21, 2011
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When we moved to Lake Charles at the end of 2003, we were lucky. We were buying a bed and breakfast, so the previous owners hooked us up with all the information we could possibly need for a smooth transition. Not to mention, we had a wonderful realtor in Derenda Grubb of Century 21-Bessette, who took us all over Southwest Louisiana and was there to answer our questions, night and day. And being business owners, we joined the Chamber and were able to meet a lot of people right away. But not everyone is as lucky as we were. So, for those of you who’ve just arrived (and for the rest of you who sometimes misplace important contact info), here’s some information that you’ll need to keep on hand. UTILITIES Electricity • Cameron – (800) 368-3749 or (337) 775-5332 • Carlyss, Iowa, Jennings, Kinder, Lake Charles, Starks, Sulphur and Westlake – (800) 368-3749 www.entergy.com • DeRidder – (337) 824-7330 • Moss Bluff – (337) 855-6684 Gas • Carlyss – (337) 625-4171 • Cameron – (337) 775-5049 • DeRidder – (318) 335-1606 • Jennings – (337) 824-1623 • Kinder – (337) 738-2585 • Lake Charles – (337) 477-1307 • Moss Bluff – (337) 433-0691 • Starks – (337) 786-6251 • Sulphur – (337) 625-4171 • Westlake – (337) 433-0691 Water • Carlyss – (337) 583-2777 • DeQuincy – (337) 786-4426 • DeRidder – (337) 821-5523 • Iowa – (337) 582-3535 www.iowala.org • Kinder – (337) 824-4162 • Lake Charles – (337) 491-1307 • Moss Bluff – (337) 855-7250 • Sulphur – (337) 527-4500 www.Sulphur.org. • Westlake – (337) 433-0691 www.cityofwestlake.com City of Lake Charles Water Bill Payments Several options are available for PAGE 18
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water bill payment: • Online Credit/Debit Card Payment at www.cityoflakecharles.com • Mail your payment to P.O. Box 1727, Lake Charles, LA 70602. • Pay in person at the business office located at 326 Pujo St. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mon.- Fri. • Pay through night deposit box located near the back doors of City Hall at 326 Pujo St. • Pay in person at local Kroger grocery stores. • Automatic bank draft. • Pay by phone at (877) 396-3915; a convenience fee will apply for this service. To Restore Service For Non-payment Service will be restored the next business day if payment is received by 2 p.m. If payment is received after 2 p.m., it will take two business days to restore service. Customers who wish same day service must pay an additional $60 fee. Payment must be made in the business office by cash, credit/debit card or money order only—NO CHECKS. Telephone • AT&T Lake Charles, Iowa, Westlake, Carlyss and Sulphur Residential: (800) 288-2020 Business: (866) 620-6000 www.att.com Volume 3 • Issue 2
• Cameron Telephone Co. Carlyss – (337) 583-2111 www.camtel.com • CenturyLink Iowa Residential: (800) 201-4099 Business: (800) 201-4102 Cable Providers • Cameron Communications (800) 737-3900 • Carlyss Cablevision (337) 583-4973 • Suddenlink (Lake Charles) (337) 477-9674
Volume 3 • Issue 2
• Suddenlink (Sulphur) (337) 527-6747 • Suddenlink (DeRidder) (337) 463-7728 AUTOMOBILE INFORMATION Office of Motor Vehicles 951 Main St., Lake Charles (225) 925-6146 www.omv.dps.state.la.us New residents must buy a Louisiana driver’s license after establishing residency in the state. If you have a valid license, you are not required to take a driving test; howev-
er, you must take the visual and other tests. Bring your out-of-state license with you to the OMV. Tags/Registration Vehicles should be registered within 30 days of residency and after you have received your LA driver’s license. After the vehicle is registered, it must be inspected annually at service stations and garages with the large orange sign indicating that it’s an “Official Louisiana Vehicle Inspection Station. For the nearest location, call (337) 491-2011.
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CITY STREET LIGHTS To report street light outage, call the Public Works Department Help Line at (337) 491-1220 or send an email to www.publicworks@cityoflc.us. Lights should be repaired within seven-10 working days. Entergy repairs all city street lights except for the downtown ornamental lights and lights on the Enterprise and Shattuck Street Overpasses. Who trims tree limbs around street lights? If the tree is on private property, it is the responsibility of the property owner to have the tree trimmed. If the tree is located in the public rightof-way, the City will trim. Entergy does not trim tree limbs that interfere with street lights. Who trims limbs around electrical lines? Entergy will trim tree limbs that jeopardize service lines along the street. Entergy does not trim trees that jeopardize service lines from the street to a home. That is the homeowner’s responsibility.
Lake Charles League of Women Voters ELECTS NEW OFFICERS 2011-2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS • Molly Morgan, President • Robin Baudoin, 1st Vice President • Alfred Doucette, Jr., 2nd Vice President • Matilda Miller, Secretary • Leslie Landry, Treasurer
15% Senior Discount All Doctors’ Prescriptions Accepted Experienced Professional Staff • Most Insurance Accepted
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DIRECTORS • Francessca Howard • Sandra Walker For additional information: www.lc-lwv.org info@lc-lwv.org 337-474-1864
My street is dark. How do I get a street light installed? Subdivision developers install street lights at their expense. The City does not install street lights in subdivisions; however, street lights may be installed in older areas of town that are not part of a dedicated subdivision. The standard light spacing for street lights is currently 180200 feet. Street lights are installed for the benefit of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Homeowners wanting security lights installed can contact Entergy at 1-800-ENTERGY. The cost of the security light is the responsibility of the homeowner. SOLID WASTE The Solid Waste Division of Public Works provides garbage and trash collection and wood waste processing services for the City of Lake Charles. Garbage and non-burnable items collected from residences are taken to the Jeff Davis Landfill or the Waste Management Transfer Station. Burnable items are incinerated at the Wood Waste Processing Facility. Solid Waste Division Responsibilities • Furnish once-a-week garbage container collection • Provide container maintenance and repair on all city supplied and owned containers with 24 hours Volume 3 • Issue 2
of reported request. • Provide collection of trash and yard waste from residences a minimum of four times monthly. • Provide a citywide collection of white goods from residences when required. • Operate a wood waste processing facility for the general public. • Enforce the provisions of Chapter Nine of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Lake Charles. STREET & DRAINAGE If you have a complaint concerning drainage, call the Public Works Helpline at 337-491-1220. AREA CHAMBERS Cameron Parish Chamber of Commerce 433 Marshall St. Cameron, LA 70631 (337) 775-5222 DeQuincy Chamber of Commerce 400 Lake Charles Ave. DeQuincy, LA 70633 (337) 786-6451
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce 111 N. Washington St. Deridder, LA 70634 (337) 463-5533 Jeff Davis Parish Business Alliance 246 N. Main St. Jennings, LA 70546 (337) 824-0933 Kinder Chamber of Commerce 414 North Ninth St. Kinder, LA 70648 (337) 738-5945 SWLA Economic Development Alliance 120 Pujo St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 (337) 433-3632 www.allianceswla.com West Calcasieu Association of Commerce 1906 Maplewood Dr. Sulphur, LA 70663 (337) 533-1040
TJN
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By Derenda Grubb, CCPS, CRMS, ABR, GRI, CRS, President of LA Realtors
Interest for 30 Year P&I Payments on 90% of $384,600 Loan. 4.78% = Monthly Payments of $1,832.10 If you wait until it goes back up to 5.78% on 90% of $384,600 Loan. Principal/Interest Monthly Payments of $2,049.18
Our journey to recovery here in Southwest Louisiana has been a long one. Where did we start, how far do we have to go, and where is the finish line? Evaluating the SWLA real estate market and the economy in the last few years is more complex than comparing a few numbers found in our local MLS (Multi Listing Service). We can’t discuss the real estate market, or SWLA economics, without taking into consideration the impact of the five named hurricanes that slammed our shores and created severe damage between 2002-2009. I’ve inserted a table for brevity and to allow you to study the numbers to come to your own conclusions. We are comparing housing prices throughout the entire SWLA association for a typical 3 bedroom/2 bath home in two categories. THE TABLE New construction is a house 0-1 years of age; I’ve picked a house 20-35 years old as a sample mature home range. Our first year is considered our base year of 2004, prior to the heaviest storm activity. Our second year is 2005, the year our region was most impacted by major storms. The last year is the past 12 consecutive months. In 2004, the average size 3 bedroom/2 bath home was 1,904 sq. ft. with the median size 1,900 sq. ft. of
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living space for newer homes; The 20to-35-year-old homes averaged 1,991 sq. ft. with a median of 1,900 sq. ft. How has this changed in the last seven years? In 2011, the newer 3 bedroom/ 2 bath homes actually average 1,922 sq. ft. with a median of 1,912 sq. ft. of living space. The 20-to-35year-old homes are 1,938 sq. ft. on the average, showing a median of 1,942 sq. ft. of living space. This may not appear to be a drastic difference, but it does mean that you are actually buying more home for less money, especially with interest rates down significantly from the 2004 point. If you study the table, you’ll find that prices have not really dropped in SWLA by comparison to where we were in 2004. We are not even back to where we were in 2004, when we took the very unnatural price leap due to housing shortages after two major storms in less than two months. The prices are significantly higher than they were, overall, and are certainly better on the resale homes in the 20to-35-year-old bracket, where many homeowners took full advantage of adding to their insurance funds to update their homes while repairing them, thus making them more saleable in the future. — In the next issue: SWLA: Journey to Recovery
TJN
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Fun with art.
By Lauren de Albuquerque In an area as kid-friendly as Southwest Louisiana, it’s only natural that we should have a wonderful children’s museum. Through the years, the children of Southwest Louisiana have created art, music and food; celebrated birthdays; and expanded their minds and learned new skills with the interactive exhibits. The excitement and wonder on children’s faces as they explore the museum are worth the price of admission. With the nearest children’s museum in Lafayette, families from the five parishes and East Texas have come to rely on The Children’s Museum of Lake Charles as the place to go for fun and learning. “On many occasions, our young visitors ask questions and have comments about the museum,” said Dan Ellender, museum director. “My
Volume 3 • Issue 2
favorite was a young kindergartner from a local school who was running around looking at everything on his first visit here. Obviously beside himself with excitement, he looked at me and said ‘Mister, how did all this get here?’” How, indeed?
Climbing the walls.
Museum History In 1985, a committee was established by the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc., to explore the possibility of establishing a “hands-on” museum for the children of Southwest Louisiana. The committee worked for two years. Operational children’s museums were visited; surveys were sent to 60 local professionals in the fields of education, arts and youth; possible sites were investigated; and the executive director of the Children’s Museum of Houston was brought in for a two-day, how-to workshop. Based on its investigations, the committee determined that there was definitely a need to develop a children’s museum for the area. The Children’s Museum of Lake Charles officially opened on April 15, 1988 in the basement of Central School, featuring a homegrown exhibit, “All in a Day’s Work.” The exhibit featured 10 career centers, and parts of it are still incorporated in the museum today.
What’s cookin’?
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Hanging around.
When funding from the Junior League of Lake Charles ended in the spring of 1991, the museum began a variety of fundraising activities to supplement its budget. Fifty percent of the budget came from admissions, sales and memberships. The remainder came from contributions, grants, and sponsorships. Dana Frye was a member of the museum staff at that time. She volunteered for two years until she was hired as the program director and the assistant to the museum director. She said that some of the best times of her life were spent at The Children’s Museum. “I remember we created this Jungle Impressions exhibit that just brought the house down,” she said. “I think I had kids from every school in the area help make flowers for the ‘jungle.’” Her favorite memory recalls a bit of a disaster, however. “We were doing a Hanukah celebration one night,” Frye remembered. “Just before it started, this little boy came Little Firefighters.
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Poddy Champeaux helps out at “A Day in the Operating Room.”
over holding a fire extinguisher from our fireman exhibit and asked me if he could play with it. Of course, I told him he could. The next thing I know, there was water everywhere, and we had to evacuate the building!” Frye failed to notice that the little guy had brought over a real fire extinguisher—not the toy from the exhibit! After almost four years, Central School closed in January 1992, forcing the museum to look elsewhere for a home. A portion of its equipment was moved to the Prien Lake Mall until a permanent facility could be located. That August, the museum board signed papers to purchase a building at 925 Enterprise Boulevard, and began undertaking major renovations on that property. After extensive work, the Children’s Museum reopened its doors to the public in March 1993, the start of a 10-year stay at the Enterprise location. There, it housed approximately 10 exhibits,
Learning to use the cash register.
supplemented by numerous temporary and traveling exhibits. In October 1996, the museum became a member of the United Way, which helped significantly with finances. But ten years later, the museum had outgrown its space and needed to find larger quarters. A three-story building in downtown Lake Charles fit the bill. Its grand opening was held Jan. 10, 2004 at 327 Broad Street, where it remains today. The museum opened with 16 exhibits, all on one floor, along with two party areas. With ample space on the second and third floors, there was room to grow. The first annual fundraiser, “Imagination Celebration,” was held that summer. With the proceeds from this event and from other supporters, the museum expanded to two floors of fun in April 2005. A gift shop opened the following year. Various permanent exhibits were added thereafter, including Mr. Bones, SWLA WaterWorks and the World Around Us. Jeff Davis
A fine-feathered friend.
Bank sponsored the Bernoulli Cannon exhibit, and the “Big Mouth” giant dental arch was sponsored by the Children’s Miracle Network and the Southwest District Dental Association. In April 2008, the museum celebrated its 20th anniversary, opening the third floor with a large program area and a third party room, and adding more exhibits. By its 21st anniversary on April 18, 2009, the museum was in great shape. It was hosting eight birthday parties every Saturday, and the new ArtSpace had opened on the third floor. The future looked bright.
The Fire But just four days after this happy celebration, the Children’s Museum experienced a devastating fire in the wee hours of April 22. Sixteen exhibit areas and two party rooms on the first floor were destroyed, along with all the inventory for birthday parties, all merchandise in the gift shop and cleanShopping day.
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ing supplies. The second and third floors suffered smoke damage. Sadly, some much-loved residents of the museum, including a large iguana named Twiggy, three box turtles, three cockatiels and two parakeets succumbed to smoke inhalation. Iggy the iguana was rushed to the Pet Emergency Clinic and survived. He was lovingly fostered by Kayla Griffin and her family while the museum went through the arduous task of recovery.
Recovery Ellender, his staff and the board members were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support as the museum began to rebuild. The plants sent over volunteers to clean out the building, with local restaurants donating lunches every day for the exhausted workers. Cameron State Bank set up a “Save the Children’s Museum” fund, students organized fundraisers at their schools, and local business owners placed donation jars on their counters. Que Pasa restaurant hosted a “Family Night for the Children’s Museum” donating a percentage of the night’s proceeds to
the museum. The Jambalaya News printed 1,000 posters of our inaugural issue featuring the Buccaneers, donating the money raised from sales towards the recovery process. The museum was able to reopen its doors to the public that December. While sections of the building were still closed with a lot more work to be done, there was satisfaction in knowing that the children of the Lake Area could once again play within its familiar walls. The museum celebrated its grand reopening and its 22nd anniversary in April 2010. It also opened the northwest side of the first floor featuring compound pulleys, a horizontal rock wall, the Lake Charles Fire Station and a new habitat for Iggy Iguana, who had recovered nicely with the help of his foster family and was happy to be back home.
Museum director Dan Ellender and friends in the jungle.
The Museum Today Today, the museum is home to nearly 45 hands-on exhibits that provide children and their parents the opportunity to interact in a familyfriendly atmosphere. It offers field
Face painting.
— Wendy Curphy Aguillard, CLA Calcasieu Parish Assessor
Q: Why do my property taxes change from year to year? A: More than likely, it’s because the millage rate changed or there have been improvements to your property. Several factors can influence your actual tax dollars. One thing that can change the dollar amount of your taxes is the individual taxing districts. If the taxpayers vote in a new millage or bond for a taxing district, or if a taxing district rolls it’s millage forward, then the amount of your taxes can increase. If a taxing district pays off a bond or rolls a millage back then the amount of your taxes can decrease. If you make improvements to your property such as additions, swimming pools, storage buildings, etc your assessed value will increase and therefore your tax dollars may increase. Also, state mandated reassessments which occur every four years may increase the value of your property and therefore may increase your tax amounts.
To ask your question, E-mail: asktheassessor@yahoo.com or visit us on Facebook
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Contact our office at (337) 721-3000 for: • Homestead Exemption • Senior/disability/veteran assessment freezes • Business reporting forms • Tax estimates before you build or buy
APRIL 21, 2011
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Iggy goes grocery shopping.
The old Children’s Museum on Enterprise Blvd.
trips, birthday parties and special events all year long. The museum has truly become an ideal place to explore, create and learn. “Many other children have told me, ‘I wish I could live here!’” Ellender said. “I’ve asked hundreds of kids what they liked best at the museum. A frequent answer: ‘Everything!’” Kids especially love the animal habitat. “They always want to know what the animals eat, and if Iggy bites,” he said. The classic phrase at the museum is “customer satisfaction,” according to Ellender. “More than once, we’ve witnessed parents having to carry their toddlers out, kicking and screaming at having to leave. Our comment: ‘Another satisfied customer,’” he said. “The issue of leaving the museum is sometimes caused by parents telling their children ‘We have to go. They’re about to close.’” When we moved to Lake Charles, my husband Phil wanted to get involved in the community. As a former Ringling Brothers clown, children are near and dear to him. The Children’s Museum was the perfect
place for him to volunteer his services. “I’m one of a few people I’ve met who would go back and do their childhood again—the same way—if they could,” he said. ”I had wonderful parents, teachers, friends, and mentors. Children need this support and leadership, especially today.” When he heard there was a Children’s Museum here in Lake Charles, Phil immediately introduced himself and volunteered to help in any way that would benefit the museum. He soon joined the board of directors. He is now its president. “I get much satisfaction knowing I have made a difference in many children’s lives by helping out the museum,” he said. “How many people can say that? Children are our future. They depend on us to prepare them for their adult life.” Ellender said that one of the most rewarding things about having the museum has been seeing children grow up in it. “One of our previous board presidents, Joanna Viccellio, has two sets of twin grandchildren, all boys, and has brought them to visit for
“The response from our ad has been unbelievable! We are getting 6-8 new clients a week. Thank you Faye Drake… you’re the best ever!” — Tasha Evans Dubus Owner, Salon Evans
www.thejambalayanews.com • (337) 436-7800 PAGE 26
APRIL 21, 2011
109 W. LAGRANGE LAKE CHARLES, LA (337) 477-6868 Volume 3 • Issue 2
years,” he said. “We’ve hired floor workers and have had volunteers who remembered visiting the museum years ago. No one has grown up to be President yet, but it’ll happen someday!” One of the museum’s biggest fans is Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach. “For 22 years, The Children’s Museum has provided a wonderful, one-of-a-kind setting for our children to engage in fun and educational activities geared to the enrichment of their lives, and the City has been
Volume 3 • Issue 2
very pleased to partner with the museum for the benefit of our children,” he said. “Several exciting future exhibits through that partnership are on the horizon — one that will be about our coastal vegetated wetland areas of Southwest Louisiana and another, a hurricane exhibit that will relate to the loss of wetlands due to hurricanes. We are confident that these future exhibits will provide a whole new learning experience for our children about two subjects that are
interrelated and so important for our children to learn about. We are very excited about the future of the Children’s Museum.” The museum staff is thrilled that the three floors are finally filled with exhibits. “One young lady, all of seven or eight years old, told me, ‘I wish you had a fourth floor,’” Ellender said. “Many kids question the mysterious set of stairs going up past the third floor landing. This leads to the roof, and is off-limits, but someday I envi-
sion an outdoor rooftop agricultural exhibit. After all, the sky’s the limit.” The Children’s Museum, 327 Broad St., Lake Charles, LA 70601,433-9420. Regular museum hours Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Admission: Children and Adults - $7.25, Senior Citizens (55 and Older) - $5.50, Infants (23 months and under) - Free. Active Duty Military - $6.50. For more information, go to www.swlakids.org. TJN
APRIL 21, 2011
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ed to 20 children. This workshop is recommended for children 4 and up. TUESDAY, APRIL 26: Stories and Snack with Tommie Townsley At 11 a.m., Tommie Townsley will read her new book, “Sabine’s First Family Reunion!” Popcorn and pretzels will be served. Japanese Fish Windsock Workshop Children can learn different watercolor diffusing techniques and decorate a carp windsock. These windsocks are traditionally hung during the Boy’s Festival, Koinobori, which is celebrated in Japan during spring. Classes begin at 12 and 1 p.m. and are limited to 15 children. MONDAY, APRIL 25: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27: Kids in the Garden by Greengate Do you have a green thumb? Join Daniel Chimeno of Greengate at 11 a.m. to celebrate Earth Day and learn all about plants. Children will have the chance to participate hands-on! Mexican Flowers Workshop Learn how to make beautiful, colorful tissue paper flowers! Classes begin at 12 and 1 p.m. and are limit-
Gyotaku Fish Printing Workshop Learn how to make impressions with fish replicas. This Japanese art developed in the 19th century from the need to record the exact size of a trophy catch. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are limited to 15 children. This workshop is recommended for children 5 and up.
WE SPECIALIZE IN LASER REMOVAL OF: Hair • Wrinkles • Scars • Birthmarks Rosacea • Spider Veins • Warts Acne Scarring • Tattoos • Brown Spots Stretch Marks • Acne • Cellulite PAGE 28
APRIL 21, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Tae Kwon Do Grand Master Choi will give a Tae Kwon Do demonstration at 2 p.m. This martial art from Korea develops not only physical skills but mental discipline. THURSDAY, APRIL 28: Fan and Lantern Workshop Paint a fan or lantern with your favorite design. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are limited to 15 children. Zumba Reagan Ferrington will get us all in shape at 2 p.m.! She will teach us how to Zumba, a fitness program inspired by Latin dance! FRIDAY, APRIL 29: Angel Fish Workshop Paint a colorful angel fish using paper plates! Classes begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are limited to 15 children. Stories and Snack Join us at 12 p.m. for stories, popcorn and pretzels! You can pick a book or bring your favorite!
TJN
Volume 3 • Issue 2
APRIL 21, 2011
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Image/Fashion Stylist/Advisor Karla E. Tullos, CIC
This month, The Jambalaya News presents a Spice Up Your Look Prom Makeover for a very inspiring young woman. Despite a physical handicap, Erin Byrne, a senior at Barbe High School, doesn’t let anything hold her back. The women at the Barbe administration office got together and decided to nominate her for the prom makeover. “Erin is a special young lady. She has overcome many obstacles in her life with her great sense of optimism. Nothing seems to get her down! She has been an athletic trainer at Barbe for several years, giving of her time and talent. She is very deserving of this ‘Prom Makeover’ for her senior prom.”
MAKEOVER SPONSORS Dr. Roy Vaughan, D.D.S.
Rhinestone Runway
“I smile all of the time. Thank God for Dr. Vaughn, whom I have been going to for years. He is awesome! He has my teeth really looking good, and now with the special teeth whitening prior to my prom, I will look my best!
“Oh my gosh! I haven’t put on a dress in years. I had a blast trying on those dresses, though the first one you picked was the winner! I loved Ms. Paula and Ms. Vicky; they both had me laughing! Ms. Paula altered my dress just perfectly, so no tripping on the dance floor!”
Donna’s Lingerie “Miss Donna knows her stuff! She gave me just what I needed—a lifting experience! All of my friends need to come here!
Erin with Rhinestone Runway’s friendly staff. Prom dress and accessories donated by Victoria Huber; alterations donated by master seamstress Paula Richardson. PAGE 30
APRIL 21, 2011
Erin Byrne Barbe High School, senior 4-year athletic trainer Volume 3 • Issue 2
Dermalogix Skin Care “Awesome! Ms. Jennifer had me feeling comfortable and relaxed in no time! I was so relaxed from my facial I could had easily fallen asleep! I loved Ms. Jennifer, she truly blessed me!”
Salon W “I was so excited to have my makeup and hair done for prom. Ms. Sarah had me looking so different, but good with makeup! I didn’t want straight hair, I was hoping for curls and an up-do, and Wesley gave me just what I wanted. I must admit I didn’t want him to use the flower. Well, I got so many compliments on my hair and the flower!” A big thank-you to Slender Solutions and Purse-a-Nai-lities for your generous contributions in making Erin’s prom a special “Night to Remember!”
Overall Experience Comments “You all have made my 2011 Senior Prom a night to remember— something I will cherish forever!” said Erin. “I’m so thankful to The Jambalaya News; to you, Ms. Karla; to the gracious office ladies at Barbe for nominating me; for the support from the faculty; to Ms. Vicky and Ms. Paula; Ms. Jennifer, Dr. Vaughn, Mr. Wesley and Ms. Sarah; Ms. Donna, Ms. Bonnie; Ms. Dana and Dixette; to Ms. Karla and Destini for driving me to my appointments, and to my mom and dad for their support. “ Erin said the makeover was far more than she expected. “The donations blew me out of the water!” she exclaimed. “I had the best prom group and when I walked into the dance, some of the people that know me were shocked, almost moved to tears. I’m so blessed to have gone to my prom—the final farewell. Now it’s Sunday, the day after, and I’m still in awe!” TJN
Erin with family. Volume 3 • Issue 2
Above left: Erin and Salon W makeup artist, Sarah Girot. Above right: Salon W Owner and Master Stylist Wesley White and Erin. Left, Erin with Ms. Shaw, English and yearbook teacher.
Erin with her prom group. Lacy, Michael, Destin, Brooke and Erin APRIL 21, 2011
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Sponsored by
ker n Shouma By Brando
Fast Pitch 56: As Good as it Gets Okay. So you’ve got your taxes filed (whether you like it or not) and most of you got a little tax refund from Uncle Sam.
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Now, what to do with it. Oh sure, you could spend it on a lot of practical things you’ve been putting off for just this sort of occasion. Maybe repave the driveway, add on a nice patio cover, invest in a new riding lawn mower. Nothing wrong with that. I’d do it too if, you know, I actually got a refund this year. But I digress. While all that practical stuff is well and good, it’s not all that fun. And, after scrounging up old receipts, filling out 1040 forms, and cursing the IRS up and down, shouldn’t you treat yourself?
Forgive me for being nosy, but may I make a suggestion as to what kind of fun treat on which you should spend a little money? Hear me out, here: the Fast Pitch 56 state high school softball tournament in Sulphur. Really. Fast Pitch 56, along with the state football championships, is as good as it gets in Louisiana high school postseason sports. There is no other playoff tournament in the state that offers as much action, excitement, drama, tragedy and triumph than Fast Pitch 56.
Period. Over the course of Friday and Saturday, April 29-30 there are 49 softball games (quarterfinals through finals) over seven classifications. All for $10; $16 on Saturday, which includes the championship games. You’re not going to get that anywhere else. I mean, see for yourself. The LHSAA just voted to change the basketball playoff format, combining the boys and girls championships in one location, but moving the 28 semifinal games to regional sites across the state. The state baseball tournaments have been split up for years, with some unfortunate souls trekking through speed trap country to Monroe (they don’t sarcastically call it
Volume 3 • Issue 2
“Funroe” for nothing) to watch their class’ championship tournament. Talk about returning taxes. Half of the folks headed up there will be “returning” the majority of their tax return to such wastes of perfectly good forest land as Woodworth and Georgetown for defective license plate lights or driving 26 mph (GASP!) in a 25-mph zone. And as much as I love bowling, the state tournament just doesn’t yet pack as big a punch as Fast Pitch 56. I covered the tournament every year for seven years, and I can’t count how many memorable moments were experienced and stories told on the fields at Frasch Park. Take, for instance, in 2005, when a Grand Lake team so unheralded among state softball circles that folks literally had no idea where the school was located shut out the umpteentime state champions, Simpson, in the semifinals and beat Glenmora in the title game for the school’s first-ever team state championship in any sport. Or how about a year later when, left without a school, equipment or facilities in the wake of Hurricane Rita, the South Cameron Lady Tarpons won their first softball championship over district rival Merryville. Where did they get a school, equipment and facilities that year? Their friends at Grand Lake, winners of the 2005 Class B championship. This, 2006, was the same year that Starks, also hit hard by Rita, won its first state title after years of reaching the state tournament but falling short. All it took was extra innings, a sixthgrader’s timely hit, and a rare ejection of the opposing pitcher. And no place short of the Superdome is as synonymous with its tournament as Sulphur is with Fast Pitch 56. Softball players around the state go to bed at night with one word, one destination burned into their dreams of high school glory: Sulphur. And there’s a reason Frasch Park and Sulphur continue to win the Fast Pitch 56 hosting bid. These folks do it up right. Facilities, fields, food, everything. Everyone from the media to the players is well taken care of. On a personal note, the tournament offers one of the best hospitality rooms in the state, and that’s including some college press boxes I’ve visited. Alexandria (another “fun” town), the former host and current perennial also-ran, can put together any kind of package it wants, but, from a reporter and fan’s perspective, Sulphur will
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have this tournament for as long as it wants to play host. So, what about this year? W.P. Kinsella once wrote about the “thrill of the grass.” Will there be any thrills on the grass of Frasch Park for our local contingency? The signs look promising. Barbe, behind pitcher Sara Corbello, has lost just two games this season and looks to be the most dominant local team heading into the postseason and a contender for the Class 5A title. Sam Houston is always tough and is a likely FP 56 team in its last season as a
member of Class 4A. Iowa is a surprise in Class 3A this season and could make a deep playoff run. Kinder, DeQuincy and Rosepine, all have a shot at the 2A title this year. Oberlin, Pitkin, Grand Lake and Starks all lead the area’s small schools (1A, B, B, and C respectively) headed into the postseason. The truth is, anything can happen out there. I’ve seen it. But, believe me; it’s worth the money to see Fast Pitch 56 for yourself. It’s quite the tax return.
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
APRIL 21, 2011
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By Mary Louise Ruehr
Good Advice on Handling Your Money “Money makes the world go around” … or it may as well, and understanding it can make a huge difference in how you live and when — and if — you can retire. Now, pay attention, because this may be the most important book I’ve ever recommended: The Investment Answer by Daniel C. Goldie and Gordon S. Murray is a practical guide to saving money that can literally improve your life. The authors — one from Wall Street and the other an independent financial adviser —
VISIT WWW.SALONW.BIZ
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come from opposite ends of the investment business, but both say they’re on your side. “We want to change the way you think about investing,” they write, and they go on to tell you what you need to know in an understandable way. They will make you less afraid of scary terms such as hedge funds, private equity and commodities, and they’ll take you step by step through the five key decisions to make when setting up a portfolio. First, they do not suggest that you
go it alone; get a financial adviser. Next, allocate assets; they walk you through choosing a mix of stocks, bonds and cash while considering the different kinds of risk. Third, don’t put all your eggs in one basket: diversify. They also weigh in on active vs. passive investing and on when to adjust the portfolio. Their advice is simple: “The right time to invest is when you have the money and the right time to sell is when you need the money,” and “A broker is working for his firm. An independent fee-only adviser is working for you.” The book is only 88 pages, but it’s probably the most practical investment advice since The Wealthy Barber, which I also recommend. This would make an excellent graduation — or even wedding — gift. You are never too young to start understanding money and saving it. Lost and Found: Unexpected Revelations about Food and Money by Geneen Roth also offers great advice, but from a more holistic or spiritual aspect. Roth was a victim of Bernard Madoff ’s Ponzi scheme, in which she and her husband lost 30 years of savings.
When she told people that she had lost everything, her spiritual teacher said, “I promise you that nothing of any value is lost.” Roth began to look at what she had that was valuable, at what money means to us, at how people become just as obsessed with money as they are with food. She writes, “I saw that there wasn’t a huge difference between problems with money and problems with food: Most of the world doesn’t have enough of either, but those of us who do seem to always want more.” In fact, she says, “The way we eat is the way we spend.” She looks back at the days when she had problems with her weight. After she got control of her eating habits, she found it wasn’t about dieting, “it was about connecting eating with something bigger than my desires of the moment.” She writes, “When we are obsessed with anything — food, drugs, alcohol, making or spending money — the obsession Volume 3 • Issue 2
takes on a life of its own — and then defines how we spend our time, our energy, our resources.” Our relationships with both food and money may involve secrets, shame, avoiding reality, obsession, and a reluctance to face the truth and talk about it. “We don’t want to feel the feelings at the source of the impulse to spend (or eat) because we believe those feelings would tear us apart. So although our financial situations may be dire, the truth is that we don’t want to think about them,” writes Roth. Food and money are not the problem, she says. They are “the vehicle, the means, the transport for the internal sense of self — of value and worth, of deficiency and scarcity — to express itself.” She looks at the culture of money and how it affected her parents’ relationship and her life at various ages. “We learned by experience that men with money have unlimited power over those who don’t,” she writes, but “Most women … don’t want to think about money.” And she wants to change all that. For Why Chinese Women Are Not Broke, author Giovanna Pang Garcia interviewed 100 Chinese-American women and shares what she learned of their experiences and insight. She writes that “despite adversity, limited
opportunities, modest backgrounds, and gender stereotyping, every single one of these women succeeded by combining their core Chinese values with the freedom and abundance of opportunities here in America.” The women emphasize their values, suggesting that a person should, among other things, adopt a tireless work ethic, see the big picture and work toward the ultimate goal, “do the best you can with whatever job
you’re given,” get a good education, take nothing for granted, appreciate what you have, don’t give up when times are hard, and respect your family and elders. The author explains the “seven proven keys for success” garnered from the wisdom of these successful women. Some of the keys are harnessing your passion, creating a mindset for success and living with integrity. The stories of the women are woven together well in an inter-
esting, inspirational and beneficial presentation. Come Together: The Business Wisdom of The Beatles was written by Richard Courtney and George Cassidy. Now, I’m a big Beatles fan, but I didn’t remember any business wisdom from what I knew of the group. Yet, the authors have been able to find, through anecdotes from the history of the Fab Four, a set of positive criteria anyone can apply to a business scenario. First, find “your passion, your mission, your bliss.” Then, understand where you come from (family, community), establish a unique goal, find like-minded people to help you, work hard, build a distinctive product, be prepared when opportunity comes along, get rid of what doesn’t work, reach one goal and aim higher, seek alternative opportunities, learn from mistakes, keep your product fresh, and plan ahead. Oh, and add a touch of humor. And that’s just the beginning. This is a fun book filled with rock history, perfect for a Beatles fan. And it makes business sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Copyright © 2011 by Mary Louise Ruehr.
TJN
Applications Being Accepted for Governor’s Program Applications are currently being accepted for the 2011 summer session of the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children scheduled June 5-July 23 at McNeese State University in Lake Charles. The program is celebrating its 53rd year this summer. Established in 1959 at McNeese, the program is open to junior high and high school students and emphasizes academics and fine arts. Students participate in instrumental concerts, theatrical and musical productions and interact with one another during the residential program on the McNeese campus. For more information about the program, including application procedures and financial aid assistance, call (800) 291-7840 or visit the Web site at www.gpgc.org.
TJN
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U A B A F N OLY HAPPY EASTER - WORD SEARCH O S W S
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Brought to you by Melanie Perry, Agent 108A Executive Drive, Moss Bluff, LA 70611 BUS: 337-855-7768 www.melanieperry.net
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box and take another turn. When all dots are connected, the player with the most boxes wins.
1
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APRIL 21, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 2
der useum n e l l n E dren's M a D By e Chil f th o r o ct Dire
Source Code (2011, Summit Entertainment) Boy meets girl. Boy and girl get blown up. Boy meets girl again. And so on... If you liked the classic Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, then you just may enjoy Source Code, the latest action thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Personally I didn’t look forward to watching a train wreck every eight minutes. But in the wake of Inception, the runaway hit movie of 2010, trains are back. Gyllenhaal plays Colter Stevens, an Army helicopter pilot who finds himself on a train sitting across
Volume 3 • Issue 2
from an engaging woman who seems to know him. Just moments ago, he was in Afghanistan, on a helicopter flight. Not only is he disoriented about his location, he’s not even sure of who he is, as the girl keeps calling him Sean. Just as his confusion comes to a head, the train blows up, killing everyone aboard, including him. Colter slowly awakes again, this time strapped in a harness, and a voice is asking him to identify playing cards on a screen. A seriouslooking woman in a uniform, calling him Captain Colter, is trying to get him to remember the train wreck. After a few minutes of confusing orientation, she instructs him to find out who blew up the train. With a crackle of special effects Colter is bounced back onto the train across from the girl who insisted he was Sean, and the sequence begins again.
Well! Finally we have a movie where the hero is not having to save the world, only the city of Chicago (which is the next target for whoever bombed the train). And Colter has to find the bomber with detective work, and he only has eight minutes before the train blows up all over again. But who is the girl riding with him, why does she call him Sean, and just what the heck is going on? And how the heck am I going to convince you to see this singular movie without giving the whole thing away? First of all, consider Source Code to be that perfect episode of The Twilight Zone that never got made. Using the immediacy and intimacy of two people on a train, Director Duncan Jones puts his actors through fascinating interactions, using their facial expressions to imply hidden meanings that bring everything to a personal level. Colter’s traveling companion, Christina (Michelle Monaghan), obviously knows him only as a fellow commuter named Sean. But her smiles and attitude betray more than a passing interest in him. Coulter in turn seems taken by her, even though he finds that his reflection in the window is indeed not his own.
Eight minutes go by, and our clueless Captain and companion Christina get blown up again. Most of the train scenes in Source Code are first-rate action footage, just as you’d see in a good suspense movie. We, along with Colter, gradually find out more of what’s going on. But, to me, the real intrigue comes with the interaction between Colter and the officer who is instructing him on his mission in between train blowups. Officer Colleen Goodwin is played by actress Vera Farmiga, and for much of the film she remains a talking head on a computer screen. But she’s obviously uncomfortable with her role as Colter’s guide, and as things get more and more complex, we see her developing a morality crisis, which is the real theme in Source Code. Or was there ever a crisis? That’s all the time we have today, boys and girls. I have a train to catch. Go see Source Code while you can. Leave the young kids at home on this one, although teens will think it’s pretty cool. Rated PG-13 for a single four-letter word and one persistent train wreck. TJN
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ANNUAL BLACK TIE AFFAIR FUNDRAISER Each volunteer, sponsor, board and committee member of The Calcasieu Medical Society Foundation may take a bow for the success of this year’s Black Tie Affair fundraiser! The evening began with a silent auction, cash bar, and hors d’oeuvres followed by a wonderful dinner and Community Service Awards given to Doctors John Noble, Jr. and Van Snider. Cajun Humorist Kent Gonsoulin had guests busting a gut prior to the live auction by auctioneer Hal McMillin followed by the high-energy band Fried Ice Cream. A great evening!
Dr. John Noble, Jr., Laura Moss, Nicole Duplechin and Cinda Noble
Allison and Scott Hancock
Billy and Tammy Edwards
Dr. Eric and Sheila Sanders
Sally Abate with Lisa Snider
Barbara and Richard Miller
Dr. Van Snider, Herman Manuel and Frank Abate
CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS The “Soaring Above Abuse” balloon release marked the beginning of Child Abuse Awareness Month. The Department of Children and Family Services, A Life Brand New, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) along with supporters, gathered at the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse to take a stand for the rights of children. Mayor Randy Roach addressed the crowd, and stated that it’s time for action. Protect our children! Samona Lastrapes and Erica Lewis PAGE 38
APRIL 21, 2011
Tameka Monroe, Nancy Roach and Susan Bowling Volume 3 • Issue 2
Kathy Hodges and Cindy Salter Surles
Katy Corbello, Bob Redmon and Julie Babineaux with Mayor Randy Roach
Lisa Ivey with Vanessa Istre
LUNG CANCER 5K RUN/WALK FUNDRAISER Taking their marks, over 1,000 lung cancer survivors and supporters gathered at the Lake Charles Civic Center grounds recently. Walkers made their way down Bord du Lac Drive as runners followed the winding path through Margaret Place Historic District along Shell Beach Drive to find spectators cheering them on to the finish line! All net proceed will benefit the national Lung Cancer partnership’s research, education and awareness programs. Way to go…with your participation, this disease can be defeated! See you next year! Anaise Doucet with Paula Ward Savoy
Amanda and Brett Partin
Rhonda Ory with Angela Turton
Eleanor and John Moffet with Erin Thompson Smith and James Greeson
Kelly Allain with Andrea and Cookie White
Beth Neeley with Denise and Hannah Wilkinson
Presley and Crawford Courville
Carl and Vickie White
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APRIL 21, 2011
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS The League of Women Voters has 90 years of rich history of making democracy work. Board members and supporters of the LWV gathered recently at Reeves Uptown Catering for the 2011 Annual Banquet. A social kicked off the evening, followed by a scrumptious dinner, dessert and a program featuring guest speaker Dr. Philip C. Williams, president of McNeese State University. Several past and newly elected board members were recognized and deservingly applauded for their hard work and dedication to influence public policy through education and advocacy. All votes are in--this evening was a winner!
TJN
Leslie Landry with Meg Lovejoy
Katelynn McCartney and Davante Lewis
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APRIL 21, 2011
John Dupre and Megan Landry
Reed Mendelson, Dr. Philip C. Williams and Mark Hebert
Otis Walker and Francessca Howard
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‘A BLUE AFFAIR’ BANQUET APRIL 28 State Senator Willie L. Mount will be the guest speaker at “A Blue Affair” fundraiser banquet honoring exceptional foster children and foster parents at Treasures of Marilyn’s on April 28. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and $550 for table of eight. There will also be a silent auction. All proceeds go to the non-profit organization “A Life Brand New.” For more information, call 222-1346. LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL APRIL 23 Legally Blonde The Musical performs at the Lutcher Theater in Orange, TX on April 23 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. As on Broadway, Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell is the director and choreographer. Music and lyrics are by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and the book is by Heather Hach. Legally Blonde The Musical will take you from the sorority house to the halls of justice with Broadway’s brightest new heroine (and of course, her chihuahua, Bruiser). The verdict? This much fun shouldn’t be legal! In honor of Elle, the Lutcher is asking patrons to “PINK OUT” and wear pink to the show! Tickets can be purchased at www.lutcher.org, or call the Lutcher Theater box office at (409) 886-5535. The Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts is located at 707 Main, Orange, Texas. ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS LUNCHEON APRIL 26 The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) would like to invite all office professionals, their bosses, friends and family to the 16th Annual Dutch Treat Community Luncheon on Tues., April 26 from 11:30 a.m.– 1 p.m. at the McNeese State University Parra Ballroom. There will be a vendor exposition from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., along with entertainment and door prizes. Mayor Randy Roach will be the guest speaker. The cost is $25 per person, and vendor cost is $30 per table. To register, or for more information, go to at www.iaapmagnolia.org/apw11.html or call Nancy Borel at 475-5083.
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BAYOUCON APRIL 29-MAY 1 Calling all Sci-Fi fans, BayouCon—Southwest Louisiana’s original Comic Book and Pop Culture Convention—will be held April 29 – May 1, 2011. Tickets are on sale now for this third annual event that will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Star Trek Enterprise’s Vaughn Armstrong, Star Trek Deep Space Nine’s Max Grodenchik, and voice actor Dino Andrade will be present as the Media Guests of Honor. There will be live performances from “The Consortium of Genius” mad scientist band, the Enterprise Blues Band featuring Vaughn Armstrong, and Max Grodenchik. A film festival will round out the event as well as an all-new artist alley featuring comic artists from across the South. For complete information on ticket prices, hotel rates and event details, log onto www.bayoucon.net. JOINING HANDS FOR AUTISM 5K APRIL 30 Three groups who offer support to persons with autism and their families are “Joining Hands.” On April 30, a 5K walk/run will be held to educate the public about the three organizations (Autism Services of SWLA, St. Nicholas Center, and Southwest LA Autism Chapter) and how they support persons with autism and their families. A French band will entertain you while a personal fitness trainer warms you up. There will be local musical talent, and refreshments as you cross the finish line. The event will be held at Drew Park. Registration and participant check-in opens at 7 a.m., and the event begins at 8:15 a.m. For early registration, go to www.autismservicesswla.com. Attendance is $20 ($25 the day of the event) for the 5K, $15 ($18 the day of the event) for the 1 mile, and no charge for persons with autism.
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TENTH ANNUAL WILD BEAST FEAST APRIL 30 The annual Wild Beast Feast to Benefit the Lake Charles Symphony will be held from 5 – 8 p.m. on April 30 at the Cash & Carry on the Southeast corner of Enterprise Blvd. and Broad St. in Lake Charles. Sample culinary creations from local sportsmen, featuring savory dishes of game, pork, poultry and seafood. Advanced purchase tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children 7-14. Gator Bite is $100 for one reserved seat; Gator Chomper Package is $300, which includes three reserved seats. Tickets may be purchased at the door and are $30 for adults and $15 for children. Contact the Symphony office at 433-1611 for more information. LAFITTE’S LADIES ROLLER DERBY APRIL 30 Lafitte’s Ladies will compete against the Brass Knuckles Brawlers of Corpus Christi at Wheelers on 1130 Highway 171 in Moss Bluff on April 20. Doors open at 5 p.m., game begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $6 for children under ten. Don’t forget to bring your own chairs. For more information, go to the website at www.gulfcoastrollergirls.com. ZOOZOO! AT LUTCHER THEATER MAY 1 Need a great Easter basket goodie? One that leaves a memory long after the candy is gone? Treat your family to springtime fun with ZooZoo! Polar bears parade, bugs buzz and penguins play in a magical menagerie of giggle inducing fun! The Lutcher Theater in Orange, Texas presents ZooZoo, Imago Theatre’s “don’t miss” greatest hits collection of acrobatics, dance, and theatrical imagination that will delight young audiences. Appropriate for all ages, the
family can experience the two-hour show Sun., May 1, at 6 p.m. Tickets for the Sunday performance of ZooZoo are $15 for students and $20 for adults and may be purchased online at www.lutcher.org. ‘PETER PAN’ SCHOOL PERFORMANCE MAY 5 “Peter Pan,” directed by Kerry A. Onxley, will play for area schools on Thurs., May 5 at 10 a.m. at the Central School Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby Street) located in downtown Lake Charles. A soaring and magical adventure of escape, J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan” reveals a universal fear of death and the quest for eternal youth. Join Peter, Wendy, John, Michael and Tinker Bell, who along with the Lost Boys, do battle with the sinister Captain Hook and his pirate crew. Tickets are $7 per person. Seating is limited. Schools interested in booking should contact the theatre at (337) 433-7323 or visit www.childrenstheatre.cc. MSU GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER AT L’AUBERGE MAY 6 The McNeese State University College of Business is hosting its first golf tournament fundraiser May 6 at the Contraband Bayou Golf Club at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort.
Tickets available through membership, website and at the door.
For information on 2011 events call (337) 475-5123 or visit www.banners.org
McNeese Jazz Festival with Scott Whitfield SPECIAL GUESTS: The United States Air Force Brass Quintet Sat, May 7, at 7:30 pm F.G. Bulber Auditorium, McNeese Campus Scott Whitfield (trombonist, composer, arranger and vocalist) is internationally recognized for his work with many contemporary big bands, including the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra and the new edition of Johnny Griffin’s Big Soul Band, as well as his own Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra.
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APRIL 21, 2011
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Registration and lunch begin at 11 a.m. with tee off at noon. The format is a four-man scramble and cost is $125 per person. Price includes 18 holes of golf, riding cart, customized score card, lunch, golf shirt and team photo. Participants also have the opportunity to drive off in a Nissan Altima or on a Harley Davidson for a hole-in-one. All proceeds from this tournament will benefit student organizations as well as endow a scholarship in the business college. For registration information or to become a sponsor, e-mail msu-rhinch@student.mcneese.edu or call (337) 475-5554. MAC BURNS/WCCH FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT MAY 21 The 2011 Mac Burns/West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 21 at Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur. This year’s tournament marks the second year that the Mac Burns tournament and the hospital Foundation golf tournament will be held jointly. The tournament will follow a 4-man scramble format with a double shotgun start at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. This year’s entry fee is $320 per team and covers food, drinks, range balls and mulligans. Various levels of sponsorships, as well as hole sponsorships, are available. For more information or to participate in the tournament, call Ashley Andrepont, tournament chair, at (337) 527-4241 or Debby Nabours, WCCH Foundation executive director, at (337) 527-4144. LOUISIANA SPORTS FESTIVAL AND GAMES MAY 21 The Louisiana Sports Festival and Games is scheduled for Sat., May 21 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Included in the day’s lineup is an adult and kids 5K and 1 mile run at 7:30 am, kayak demonstrations around the lake; standup paddleboarding; competitions; a boat show, a farmer’s market and much more. Vendor booths are currently available for $100. Proceeds benefit Cops and Jocks, a local fundraiser for athletes and the families of Lake Charles police officers. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call (626) 523-1123, visit www.LaSportsFest.com or go to the Louisiana Sports and Fitness Festival on Facebook. LC SAIL & POWER SQUADRON PUBLIC BOATING COURSE MAY 28 The next public boating course from the Lake Charles Sail and Power Squadron has been scheduled for May 28. The course is designed to familiarize students with the fundamentals of safe boating and qualify them for certification before operating a watercraft. The cost of the complete course is $10, which includes lunch. Topics include types of boats and boating terminology, boating regulations and navigation rules, lines and knots, charts and aids to navigation, and much more. The course will be held at 8:30 a.m. at LCSPS Anchorage, Israel LaFleur Park (north side of I-210 beach). To reserve a seat, call (337) 474-0730. To learn more about the Power Squadron’s public boating education, click on www.americasboatingcourse.com. TJN
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APRIL 21, 2011
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To list your event e-mail: lauren@thejambalayanews.com
The
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. • TBA @ The Cigar Club, 9 p.m. THURSDAY, APRIL 21 • TBA @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • John Cessac @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Dog Hill Stompers @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Wild West Show @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • Jake Landry @ The Porch, 9 p.m. • Don Fontenot et les Amis de la Louisiane @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Cam Pyle @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 22 • Felton LeJeune & The Cajun Cowboys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Mark Mestre @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Steel Shot @ Yesterday’s, 8 p.m. • Warren Storm/Willie Tee & Cypress @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m. • Krossfyre @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • The Loaded 44rz @ The Porch, 9 p.m. • Zydecane @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.
• Odyssey @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • DJ Cage @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 23 • Scotty Pousson & The Pointe aux Loups Playboys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Geno Delafosse & French Rockin Boogie @ Yesterday’s, 8 p.m. • War @ Delta Event Center, Delta Downs, 8 p.m. • Warren Storm/Willie Tee & Cypress @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m. • Krossfyre @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Brent Rodgers & Trip Wamsley @ The Porch, 9 p.m. • Porkchop Express @ Bob & Pete’s, Sulphur, 9 p.m. • Big Al @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Odyssey @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • DJ Cage @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. SUNDAY, APRIL 24 • TBA @ Yesterday’s, 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. • Open Mike Night @ Luna Bar & Grill, 8 p.m. • TBA @ The Cigar Club, 9 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 28 • Briggs Brown & The Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Password @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Brad Randell & The Zydeco Ballers @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • Mark Mestre @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Paul Gonsoulin @ The Porch, 9 p.m. • Bernie Alan @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 29 • TBA @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Tim Sonnier @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Granger Smith @ Yesterday’s, 8 p.m. • Forever Falls @ Luna Bar & Grill, 8 p.m. • Sammy Hagar @ The Pavilion, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m. • Password @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Johnny Nicholas @ The Porch, 9 p.m. • No Idea @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Rio Sabine @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 30 • Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ Autism Day, Drew Park, 7 a.m.
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APRIL 21, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 2
• Jamie Berzas & Cajun Tradition @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Cecil’s Band @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Yesterday’s, 8 p.m. • Password @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Slide Effect @ Bob & Pete’s, Sulphur, 9 p.m. • No Idea @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Twangsters Union @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. • Ryan Pelton @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 5 • Don Fontenot et les Cajuns de la Prairie @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • TBA @ Delta Event Center, Delta Downs, 8 p.m. • Lifehouse @ Party by the Pool, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 8:30 p.m. • Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 6 • Travis Benoit & Allons Dancer @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Ryan Pelton & Karma @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Don Fontenot et les Amis de la Louisiane @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m. • TBA @ Delta Event Center, Delta Downs, 8:30 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m.
TJN
MONDAY NIGHTS: Abita Beer Night
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: Mondo Martini Night
THURSDAY NIGHTS: Be Well Night
Puppies and dogs now available for adoption at Downtown Animal Hospital. 113 W. Clarence St. Lake Charles, La. (337) 439-4330
NEW KITCHEN HOURS: Mon. - Tues. 11 am - 10 pm Wed. - Sat.11 am - 11 pm Closed Sunday
LUNA GOODS ON SALE: Luna Classic Tee $15 Luna Guitar Tee $15 Luna Ball Cap $15 Luna Dressings $6 (16oz.) Citrus Vinaigrette Balsamic Vinaigrette Raspberry Vinaigrette Cosmic
Fri., April 22 @ 9 pm MISS TAN CONTRABAND CONTEST W/ MUSIC BY BOBCAT Sat., April 23 @ 9 pm REBIRTH BRASS BAND Wed., April 27 @ 10 pm MIKE BENAVIDEZ Sat., April 30 @ 9 pm BOBCAT W/ PAUL GONSOULIN (acoustic) Wed., May 4 @ 9 pm PAUL GONSOULIN (acoustic) Fri., May 6 @ 9 pm LOSERS' REUNION, FOREVER FALLS & AURA
Volume 3 • Issue 2
APRIL 21, 2011
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Leslie B e four dec rman’s career in ades, an music folksing er, mus d includes stin spans ic teach ts as a booker, e c tival dir oncert promote r, coffeehouse r e notes w ctor, music jou , publicist, fesriter, ar rnalist, trade o album tist ma na rg tainmen anization pre gerwwwww, sid t a the Mu ttorney, and ent, enterp sic Mu seum o resident of Louisian f a . musicall She prefers Southwest y GRAM eclectic, and v all things M Recordin Ys as a mem otes on the g Aca ber o reached at leslie@ demy. 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Plus, sh pace t ghly satisf cting on th t make up n a i u e o l y s d h Lenn nice warm eer’s phra , which, b thoro songs ref motions t rs is roun i r e with a nd a ballad uitar playe d virtue, simpl vents and e ed life (the o believe i a e I t e g r k e d r e g y o c l e a c ical m r in n voi dai rhyth ften overlo waxing lyr guiting m s), I’m will wnup, sha day een si g s b a n l o ’s t r g i t o o e d as lon year very long g , gr s from of lea , is an tics ar on 25 e endurin ork-at-it-e aybe, w how g the hook om the e way y when cri rumentals ans. g o h n t i n k b w m rici nst iall I don’t e hummin st heard fr with those there can ibulations, t this time espec the flashy i oloing mus nes and stu . r a f ju m t l g h o e d n t i ’ d d s i h s l I t n n e y n r s e s ong next mor ble tape joy a nd to hop d it for m y, Dixon a f abou and othe tated bas ised me, cam he new s o s r ra tarists on’s under lessly surp ocals and t lo love, a aybe, I’ll fin City Winer se in front many r woke the g a pleasu at it hapo h n a Dix nies end lead v nd so stage, unes runni do know t the next g just m New York’s rtably at e rested all o o his his band a -half m t o I d r t n f t i . a h d n e v c e d A a h m i i s a m d o L h u c n ek dy ne sa he of s from stood itars a se I’m was o s e in w ast we ntics g n my becau zed stage a ars, Dixon heart of Jones n guitar ca electric gu ish clothin loop i one night l lt love song cky Stars: ce l i e energ In early ye duo at the d, Arrogan pened ng with adu m, from Lu album of d an op coustic and relaxed sty ng rings, . e n i n n i a n s s u a n e , a d a n i u r b , w n d s, ls sho powerho edrock b d ‘80s, th h thei , dressed mor a duet al ble we ach other o d Sou strumental ngl i s i O , b n s rt e v o a r e o ’s e h t s o s a o of t bas odest bu egging e Ster ullabies f arolin y in the ‘70 rly in the N and in ) and My L , C s g n h L d m n t o n r o s a w d s a e s c ye on No an nd Ne bu um ul joking lly. were orman to gig usic a k (Dix lo alb y joyf (they d in 2000 , whose m stic dreams gently non-verba other perf called them quietl he Nu-Loo , earlier so ians and ) e ) n i y r T . ic reunit na Triangle led the art ockers. mostl ticipating a ne reviewe t’s just how from Life (Jones -wife mus arti Jones a r e i d d M l o n h u ’s a e n t f f A r, Caro biz lives unger are , Dixon Hair usband-a ixon and nnie Raitt rt tou hearts, and ing cover o o h D h s k o c o e i c y r t n s ’s B i f n u e d ro et ra d from riters Do rs since blues ross- th p/rock swe their ope nton Woo ow it, m hundreds o gance sepa cing many is k a c w e a y g b e of po son been 22 to ac rodu Arro ., Chr er Br e, from come ou kn After imarily to p ing R.E.M e, James y wer t soul sing le Sign” (y e some It’s filled as released hree e e h t n u r t d ew Lit een clu he epo d pr ive m lus t ng, t turne s others, in , Tommy K ns, just to Shrev it “Gimme are “just g ser, Jones’ exciti Nick of Tim acclaim (p Album of t e r o ) h s u e l e l s g r c c v famo (The dB e Smithe rding his 1967 rus’s lyri album ard critica s includin that this their You All O o t y o ) h o s e c ” d h i l T r b e c s w r r o n ly lo gi wa Stam rtry and the thewhile ing back o g, Fol sign, , MY a xpert’s ana ainstream ture n f e u o o c M s a M f d A t d r c t n e e e i u a u m t k s M k GR c s n r t y m e o d d la he ress e firs and a requ atch t projects an years he’s w ell Red C tive r y c s most orld. Year) marked th o truly exp ebellious b n rea olo ent Ferr t r ritte own s ows. In rec ians “Dip” TJN The W low You, w and UNC C son, record op project the usual f l c l p t p h t l i o a is Fo us im es “A ed in rock/ defiance teens. hat now th s’ pian or Bland S ve affair – l get liv h Beach M s (discuss xon Sings o r t e l d n b i e t Di ford wit e lo ell me I’l Ram g profess love ngs pitch to testify on and rt he Jef g Don ndabl and u t o x and T 7), releasin rs (2010), ars: Writin es an un-e it’ / They ll / My hea love s ll, I’m here deal in Di Does,” “Yo u b a d We rothe ky St ol. 1: e real ouble e,” an descri nds say, ‘Q time you c a - V e Jeffords B leasing Luc ls in ard th le Is As Tr s Of Min o e n i e y f o r r h i o f t e e s a v y h r b re ou T T m ak rm I’v te “Trou Old S n that icted ese A ones, at spe a few t / Bu with J ullabies for tereo, just over i whirl” – th l connectio , too, in the f Jones’ d Me,” “Th [Am I Add as a one- s S a s w n New L nd Living is in a al/emotion ut it work se it’s one o Remi Why, Why k of Time e yearning de a h c B , u c i t , i . y a 8 s N e hy gs ma dle vid toire, bec fore they only 200 ago. p “Wh I know i n d i d g o s n ’t m i , t s n ’s a c e a ry n e r ,” rd weeks ny of Dixo City Wine ality c /Jones repe roduced (b t solo reco You?] ision, refle lizations of ics and tun v r Ma allo the Dixon es Dixon p ones’s debu sided rrowful rea it in the ly who hoped ay int one of my he d J e n e w i o , r u b s s v ) r t l o i s u n f a d e r e s e ( t ) e g h I th an oman le songwrit of willingly really, t ere an item ed Time. 980s, ongly cludin s, “Most of w 1 n i e d , t e h t , e g t r a e t s e w t a histica avorit is tim ong in stly m el so s e poin time f Unsop ring that s I could fe r anyone. of mo ayed, to th lief, that th rue love. r t e Hea , wishing ing o n on and p g her disb escued by sn’t it less anyth ting it agai er g o r n a t n i i e w s d n b n the pe Mee draw (And she’d
ed i r r a M ve , e r u t Ma Songs Li Love
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APRIL 21, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 2
Girls Like to Dance (But Only Some of the Boys Do),” and an incredible Beach Music number that should be a Top 20 hit: “The Night That Otis Died,” sung so soulfully by Dixon and Jones together, their vocal parts almost impossible to separate, that it was hard to remember that Dixon had recorded the original as a solo for The NuLook, released in 2008. Find out more about Don Dixon and
Marti Jones at www.dondixonmusic.com. And in the end, what did the couple say about mature love that was so revealing? It all boiled down to “Love is an ocean/sail through the tempest / wait through the calm / for the freshening wind.” TJN
Black Employee Network Career Training Fair April 30 The Black Employee Network at the ConocoPhillips Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex is sponsoring a Career Training Fair on Sat., April 30 at the Rigmaiden Recreation Center in Mossville, from 9 a.m. - noon. Residents will get information on career options; learn about the educational requirements needed to get a job, and talk with current and retired ConocoPhillips employees about what it’s like to work at a refinery.
SOWELA Tech and Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) School, which train individuals to work in industry, will be there to talk about their programs. Participants will also get advice on how to ace a job interview. The Career Training Fair targets Mossville and Westlake residents, but is open to the entire community. For more information contact, Carol Collins at (337) 491-4443.
TJN
Killin’ Time Crossword
Crossword puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com (www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission. Volume 3 • Issue 2
APRIL 21, 2011
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