VOL. 3, NO. 5 / JUNE 2, 2011
Hurricane Season 2011 • Heroes for Holden Cedar’s Lebanese and Greek Restaurant
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Volume 3 • Issue 5
GENERAL 715 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.thejambalayanews.com PUBLISHER Phil de Albuquerque publisher@thejambalayanews.com
NEWS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren@thejambalayanews.com
CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Addison Leslie Berman George Cline James Doyle Dan Ellender Maria Alcantara Faul Mike McHugh Mary Louise Ruehr Brandon Shoumaker Karla Tullos ADVERTISING
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On Cover: Proud father and grandfather: Billy Navarre and his family. Photo by www.monsoursphotography.com
June 2, 2011 • Volume 3 • Issue 5
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COVER STORY 19 Billy Navarre: A Foundation for Success
REGULARS 7 10 11 12 13 28
The Boiling Pot Adoption Corner Tips from Tip The Dang Yankee Doyle’s Place Sports Report
FEATURES 5 Heroes for Holden 16 Bayou Biz: Cedar’s Lebanese and Greek Restaurant 18 Father Facts 23 Hurricane Season 2011
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sales@thejambalayanews.com
SALES ASSOCIATES Katy Corbello Faye Drake Lindy George Karla Tullos GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Darrell Buck ART/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Michelle LaVoie
ENTERTAINMENT 30 32 33 34 37 40 42 43
Red Hot Books Funbolaya Family Night at the Movies Society Spice Jambalaya Jam Local Jam Eclectic Company Killin’ Time Crossword
BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Kay Andrews
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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 5
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We are now accepting credit cards! JUNE 2, 2011
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A Note From Lauren Why We Need Dad I was born in the 1950s; the Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver 1950s. In my extended family, and in the neighborhood I grew up in, no one was divorced. There were no stepsisters or brothers or stepparents. There were no single mothers. Everyone had two parents, except for my friend Elaine. Her father died while undergoing heart surgery when she was eight years old. She had lived right next door to me all of our lives (she was only two weeks older than me), and suddenly everything changed. Elaine and her mother and sisters were now “alone.” Her mother had to go to work, and less than six months later, the family had to move because the landlord’s wife didn’t like the idea of an attractive widow with three daughters living upstairs. Their situation illustrated how your whole world could turn upside down when there was no longer a father in the house, a man who would protect his family no matter what. At that time, I remember wondering what it would be like to lose my Dad. And feeling terrible for being
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so grateful that it happened to her and not me. My father was the breadwinner. He went to work every day in a suit and tie and put up with irrational bosses and mountains of paperwork so that we could have a roof over our heads and food on the table. My mother was happy to keep house and cook wonderful meals and take care of me. That was the order of life back then. To lose my father would have meant losing the backbone of my existence. It’s not the order of life now. The world has changed. Yes, in many cases, for the better. Women have equal rights in the classroom and in the workplace and have as many life choices as men do. But there have also been changes for the worse. The majority of people I know are divorced, many more than once. There are stepchildren and half brothers and sisters in abundance everywhere. Please don’t think that I’m against divorce. Far from it. I don’t think anyone should remain in a loveless or abusive marriage, and I’m grateful that times have changed where divorce no longer carries a stigma.
We all make mistakes. But when we make them over and over again, then we have to question what, exactly, is going on. Are we marrying for the wrong reasons? Why do we keep marrying the wrong person? And why do we keep bringing more children into the messes that we continue to create? The presence of a responsible father is so important in the life of a child. Research shows that it lowers the likelihood that a child will be physically and/or emotionally abused and neglected. Compared to living with both parents, living in a single parent home doubles the risk that a child will suffer physical, emotional or educational neglect. And a home with a good father is a safe home. A father presence can foster healthy physical, emotional, and social development. Children are healthier when fathers are involved in the daily care of their health and safety. The presence of a responsible father significantly reduces child poverty. According to U.S. Census stats, children in fatherless homes are five times more likely to be poor
than their counterparts. Note that I use the adjectives “responsible” and “good” when describing a father. Those are key words. An irresponsible father can be far worse than not having one at all. A man who isn’t ready to be a father and doesn’t want to be a father can harm a child by his presence more than by his absence. A report on child well-being released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in July of last year ranks Louisiana 49th among states in overall child well-being. The Casey Foundation’s 21st annual KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks states on ten basic measures of child wellbeing, assessing children’s health, economic status, family structure and education. Louisiana ranked among the bottom ten states on every measure included in the report. Every measure. Wake up, Louisiana. TJN
– Lauren de Albuquerque
Volume 3 • Issue 5
By Maria Alcantara Faul
In early 2007, Holden Gothia suffered an incomprehensible tragedy that will affect him for the rest of his life. At five weeks old, he was found on a bed in his mother’s suburban Houston apartment covered in blood, his genitals severed. Along with the mutilation, a major artery on Holden’s left leg was cut, causing him to lose two-thirds of the blood in his 9-pound body. Holden spent a good amount of time in critical condition, but being the fighter that he is, and with the support of his loving family, he survived. It was later proven that the horrific injury was inflicted by his mother— the person who was supposed to love, nurture and protect him. Holden, now 4, lives with his aunt and uncle, Patches and Kent DeShazo. Patches is the sister of Camden Gothia, Holden’s father. The couple is raising Holden as their own, along with their two sons. Holden is a happy boy who enjoys keeping up with his cousins as they
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take part in sports and other activities. According to family friend Hope Wyatt, “Holden is your typical 4-year old who loves to run around,” she said. “He has so much personality for such a small person, he will steal your heart when you meet him.” Holden has undergone several surgeries needed to rectify the physical damage caused by the tragedy. One recent surgery was performed to address the massive blood loss and the lack of blood flow to his affected leg when he was injured. This injury damaged the growth plates in his ankle, causing Holden to develop a condition commonly called “drop foot,” where tendons in the heel are contracted, causing the toes to go down in his foot. For awhile, Holden was walking on his toes, instead of flat on his foot. So, surgery was performed to extend the tendon in his foot so that he could walk properly. The recent surgery is just one of many that Holden will be undergoing in the near and even distant future.
He will be dealing with a variety of challenges that most people will never have to deal with. His left leg will be unable to keep up with the growth of his right leg as he ages. Holden will never have children and will need several reconstructive surgeries to repair his genitals . He will have hormone therapy for the rest of his life once he hits puberty, and most likely, he will need psychological support and counseling as he matures. While the cost for some of the surgeries that Holden will need are covered by Medicaid, a majority of the vital operations are not because they are considered cosmetic. Holden’s family will be responsible for subsidizing the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed for the procedures, which is why the nonprofit organization Heroes for Holden was created.
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Organized by Holden Gothia’s loving family and friends, the group’s primary goal is to raise money to pay for Holden’s genital reconstructive surgery. Southwest Louisiana resident Cindy Vallet, the sister of Holden’s paternal grandfather, and her husband C.O. are some of the many people who are working hard to ensure that Heroes’ goal is met. The Vallets, who own Cowboys and Yesterdays in Lake Charles, asked their good friend Kit Wyatt to help them raise funds for Heroes for Holden. “The group was, at that time, doing small events like BBQ sales, etc. to raise funds,” Wyatt said. “I felt we needed to go for the gusto.” So, she got her husband Robert, daughter Hope, son Zachary and a number of her friends together to work on the Heroes for Holden All-Start Benefit Concert. The first of what is expected to become an annual event is set to take place Sun., June 5, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Burton Coliseum. The event features performers such as Wayne Toups and ZydeCajun, Gene Bourgeois, Zona Jones and Tracy Byrd, who are happy to lend their time and talent to support Holden. Bands will perform throughout the day while attendees can enjoy a barbecue lunch and look over a number of items for silent and live auctions. “The silent auction will take place from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m., and the live auction will take place from 5 - 7 p.m.,” Hope said. The silent auction will feature a collectors’ table and a variety of jewelry and other items. Auctioneer Tommy Carson will be leading off the live auction, which features a signed jersey by Drew Brees; trips to Cozumel and Colorado; a guitar signed by all of the event’s performers and Holden himself; a Texas Rangers jersey signed by Nolan Ryan, and many more. There will also be a drawing for a 2011 Ford F-150. “With only 600 tickets available for $100 each, participants have a good chance of winning this nice truck,” Hope said. A team of expert surgeons has been working with Holden on his future operations. “They have been working with specialists in Virginia and Oklahoma, and they estimate that PAGE 6
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the cost of Holden’s future surgeries would be at least $500,000,” Kit Wyatt said. “We expect that Holden will need surgery within the next five years, so my goal is to raise least $100,000 per year for the next five years.” Sponsorships for the June 5 All Star Event are still available. Sponsorship levels are Silver: $1,500 to $2,499; Gold: $2,500 to $4,999; and Platinum- $5,000 and up. Sponsorships come with a number of tickets for admittance, parking passes, VIP service at dinner and a number of drinks from the VIP bar. While the time frame may still be years away with such an exorbitant amount of money needed, the family is working hard to earn every penny as soon as possible. Heroes for Holden has also received support from people and organizations all over the area. The Lake Charles Gun Club recently raised $20,000 with their event, “Guns a Blazin for Holden!” and the Cops and Jocks Golf Classic raised $10,000 to benefit Heroes as well. The riding group OBOTS is also holding a Poker Run the morning of the event. “The goal for the Poker Run was to have 200 riders in the run, but they are now expecting 600-700 riders,” Wyatt said. Lake Charles Deputy Chief Mark Kraus, who serves on the Heroes executive board, heard about Holden through the Internet. He became deeply involved. “I feel that those who are fortunate can give to those who are less fortunate,” he said. The longer-term secondary goal of Heroes for Holden is to be able to assist as many children as possible with unpaid medical bills and other necessary expenses. “I’m hoping that maybe, Holden can take over the foundation in the future, when he’s an adult,” Wyatt said. “Holden represents many children that have been abused. We would like Heroes for Holden to be a foundation to benefit all child abuse victims in the future.” For information about the Heroes for Holden All Star Benefit Concert, or for more information about Heroes for Holden, visit www.heroesforholden.org or call Kit Wyatt at (337) 802-6111. TJN Volume 3 • Issue 5
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Please submit press releases to lauren@thejambalayanews.com
COLLEEN BENOIT OPENS DANCE ACADEMY Colleen Cannon Benoit, former teacher and dancer with the Lake Charles Ballet Society proudly announces the opening of The Lake Charles Dance Academy in South Lake Charles. The LCDA’s curriculum offers classical ballet, hip-hop, jazz, and tap as well as piano lessons and adult classes in Zumba, Pilates, ballet and hip-hop. Benoit plans on providing numerous performance opportunities within the community for her students. The studio is located at 5028 Cobra Road. For registration information, go to the Web site at www.lakecharlesdanceacademy.com. MEMORIAL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE WINS ROSIE THOMPSON AWARD Lake Charles Memorial Hospital recently bestowed its highest employee honor, the Rosie Thompson Service Excellence Employee of the Year Award, to Haleigh Lyons, a physical therapist at the hospital. Lyons was recognized for her willingness to go above and beyond to accomplish any necessary task at hand, as well as her efficiency, compassion, good communicaHaleigh Lyons tion skills and for simply being a joy to work with to both her patients and coworkers alike. In addition to hospital and community recognition, Lyons also received prizes, including $1,000 cash.
Arts Council board members and staff along with Kaysie and King Bolton of Bolton Ford.
BOLTON FORD SUPPORTS THE ARTS COUNCIL The Arts Council and Humanities Council is annually supported by donations from area corporate sponsors. Bolton Ford donated $3,000 to support this year’s Gold Key Quest and 2nd Annual Arts and Crabs, which spotVolume 3 • Issue 5
lights the local seafood industry as well as local artists and musicians. Arts and Crabs is scheduled for Aug. 20 at the Lake Charles Civic Center.
Koby Austin, Kaleb Mouton and Colby Wynn
SW CONTRABAND KIWANIS AWARDS STUDENTS The Kiwanis Club of Southwest Contraband awarded three Calcasieu Parish elementary students with the Golden Rule Finalist Award. The award is given to students who practice the Golden Rule in all relationships of life. The students are nominated by peers such as teachers, principals, and guidance counselors. One student is given the award from each of the 36 Calcasieu Parish elementary schools. Three of the top 36 students are Koby Austin, M.J. Kaufman Elementary; Kaleb Mouton, Western Heights Elementary; and Colby Wynn, R.W. Vincent Elementary. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. SAMARITAN COUNSELING FULLY REACCREDITED In recognition of the high degree of professionalism and commitment of its counselors and staff, Samaritan Counseling Center has been fully reaccredited by the National Samaritan Institute. Samaritan Counseling Center provides professional, affordable faith-based counseling services to the SWLA area. Although the organization is faith-based, clients have the option not to include spirituality in their treatment. It offers its services on a sliding scale fee structure to help reduce the cost of mental health services. The Center welcomes individuals, couples, families and children. It has been affiliated with the National Samaritan Institute since 1987. For more information, contact Lorraine Sanchez at (337) 433-4357.
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KIDS CAN OF SWLA WINS AWARD Kids Can of Southwest Louisiana was recently presented the Regional Champions for Children’s Health Award by the Louisiana Covering Kids & Families Coalition at their statewide meeting held in Pineville. The Louisiana Covering Kids & Families Coalition is a statewide coalition working to ensure that all eligible children and adults are enrolled in LaCHIP or Medicaid, to educate families and communities about health issues through collaborative partnership, and to increase the number of families who have access to health care. Kids Can’s mission is to support and develop efficient resources and partnerships in order to provide for the total well being of all children and families in SWLA. For more information visit www.kidscanswla.org.
337-477-6765 921 Manuel Rd. Lake Charles
337-558-7491 109 HWY 108 Sulphur/Carlyss
Leslie Harless (left), VP & marketing director of First Federal Bank of Louisiana, presents a check for $5,000 to Brett Wicke Bordelon, president of the LC CCA Chapter.
FIRST FEDERAL IS PLATINUM SPONSOR OF CCA First Federal Bank recently donated $5,000 to the Coastal Conservation Association for the 2011 Platinum Banquet Sponsorship. Founded in 1983, CCA Louisiana has been instrumental in banning gill nets in state waters, establishing redfish as a gamefish and ensuring good stewardship of Louisiana’s coastal resources. Proceeds from the banquet will assist with the funding of many CCA projects, including reef restoration, coastal wetlands protection, and educating youth on coastal conservation.
Habetz, center, accepts the scholarship from Theodore H. Thompson, left, LES LC chapter president and board member, and Byron Racca, LES LC chapter president-elect. McNeese Photo
MSU STUDENT AWARDED SCHOLARSHIP The Louisiana Engineering Foundation has awarded Hali Habetz, a McNeese State University civil engineering junior from Vinton, a $500 National Society of Professional Engineers’ 2011 Hurricane Relief Engineering Scholarship. LEF is a nonprofit organization composed of Louisiana Engineering Society members that promotes engineering education in Louisiana. PINNACLE’S NEWEST CASINO NAMED Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. recently announced the name of its newest casino hotel destination — L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge. Set to open in the summer of 2012, L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge will extend the brand of the Company’s flagship property, L’Auberge du Lac Casino PAGE 8
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Resort in Lake Charles. The Baton Rouge location will feature a single-level, 30,000-square-foot gaming floor with 1,500 slot machines and 51 table games, including a poker room; a hotel with 206 guestrooms and a rooftop pool; a multi-purpose event center with concert seating for up to 1,400 people or banquet seating for up to 800 people; a covered parking garage; and unique dining and entertainment venues overlooking the Mississippi River. DR. HOFER COMPLETES FOOT AND ANKLE FELLOWSHIP Scott Hofer, DO, a local orthopaedic surgeon with Orthopaedic Specialists and a physician on staff at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, recently completed an extensive three-month subspecialty training in foot and ankle disorders at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital. Dr. Hofer specializes in a variety of foot and ankle issues and also treats injuries and disorders of the knee, shoulder and upper extremities. For more information, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hofer, call (337) 494-4900.
Dr. Scott Hofer
Left to Right: Felisha Vincent, Chick-fil-A Customer Service; Army Specialist Scott Hay, representing Fort Polk; Vicki Williams, Chick-fil-A Customer Service; and Bob Dalton, owner and operator of Chick-fil-A at Prien Lake Mall.
BUY A CALENDAR FOR A SOLDIER AT CHICK-FIL-A Customers have the opportunity to “Buy a Calendar for a Soldier” at Chickfil-A at Prien Lake Mall. Each calendar contains over $30 of food coupons. Employees Felisha Vincent and Vicki Williams encouraged the most customers to buy over 160 Cow Calendars for the soldiers. Operator Bob Dalton, an Air Force Veteran, developed the program for deployed soldiers who are serving our country.
CITGO employees and E.K. Key Elementary student poster contest winners.
CITGO HOSTS E.K. KEY EARTH DAY POSTER CONTEST CITGO Lake Charles hosted the 5th annual Earth Day Poster recently at E.K. Key Elementary School where winning students were awarded $300 in gift-cards and an ice cream party for the entire school. To promote environmental awareness and to celebrate Earth Day, the CITGO Environmental Protection Department sponsors a poster contest each year for the students at Volume 3 • Issue 5
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E.K. Key (kindergarten through 5th grade) for them to express their knowledge and awareness of the environment through a creative art display. The students were given approximately two weeks to work on their posters. Once completed, the posters were given to a CITGO committee for judging. A 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner for each grade level was chosen. C-GOV STREAMING LIVE 24 HOURS A DAY The Government Channel (C-GOV) for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury has implemented an online streaming video component for the public to access 24 hours a day. This video feature is especially beneficial in emergency situations such as hurricanes. In the event of an emergency, C-GOV will post vital information on the streaming video component. The video duplicates what is being shown live on C-GOV’s television channel. The addition of streaming the channel online now gives the opportunity for anyone with Internet access to watch C-GOV programming worldwide. A link to access this feature can be found on the homepage of the Police Jury Web site (cppj.net.) For more information, contact Tom Hoefer at 721-3574. MSU STUDENT ACCEPTED INTO RAFAEL MÉNDEZ BRASS INSTITUTE Zachary Alcantara, a music education sophomore from Houston at McNeese State University, has been accepted into the 2011 Rafael Méndez Brass Institute July 10-16 at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music. He received a full tuition scholarship and a stipend for housing. Honoring the legendary trumpet virtuoso, Rafael Méndez, the Rafael Méndez Brass Institute is the world’s leading performance and career development seminar for brass musicians and educators. All participants perform in brass ensembles and master classes, coached by some of the foremost brass artists in the nation. At McNeese, Alcantara is a member of The Pride of McNeese Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Honors Brass Quintet and Trumpet Ensemble. Zachary Alcantara TJN
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Meet Zeus! Zeus is a 5-pound Chihuahua whose owner recently passed away. He is now in a foster home with us at 4 Paws Society. He is about 10 years old, is up-to-date on all vaccines and is neutered and housetrained. Zeus is a charming little Chi Chi, and does fine with other small dogs. He loves cuddling up next to his human on the couch and snoozing while you watch TV. Because he is so tiny, his adoptive home should not have toddlers. For more info, call Karen at (337) 533-8212 or e-mail her at careinlc@gmail.com. An application can found online at www.4PawsSocietyInc.com and faxed to (337) 558-6331 or e-mailed to fourpawssociety@aol.com. A vet reference and home visit is included
with each adoption process. If you live outside the general area, a “virtual” home visit can be done. Hurry, Zeus is waiting for you!
TJN
Volume 3 • Issue 5
By George “Tip” Cline
SUPERMARKET ROUNDUP Many readers and friends have commented on my seeming awareness of prices at different stores and have requested that I make some comparison between our local supermarkets. I have decided to check out four of our Lake Charles stores: Albertsons (Country Club Road), Kroger (McNeese Street), Market Basket (Nelson Road) and Walmart (Nelson Road location of the Great Satan). I’ll price the same items on the same day at each of these stores. I’ll report the posted prices on display and where the product is placed in the store, and will make an honest effort to accurately report, but remember, I do not walk on water. On May 23, I discovered the following: Campbell’s Tomato Soup: Albertsons $.79, Kroger $.85, Market Basket $.89, Walmart $.79. Iceberg Lettuce: Albertsons $1.89, Kroger $1.48, Market Basket $1.19, Walmart $1.34. Kidney beans, 1-pound bag: Albertsons $1.99, Kroger $1.29, Market Basket $1.37, Walmart $1.25. I tried to price 80-20 ground beef, but only two of the stores had one-pound chubs while another store had a buy one/get one promotion, which always distorts pricing by charging more per pound so you wind up having to divide and calculate. I want to be fair in presenting prices so I don’t give misleading information. It is always better to Volume 3 • Issue 5
compare apples to apples or in this case, hamburger to hamburger. If you find this of interest and have a suggestion on a particular product you want to check out, then let The Jambalaya News know your desire. The product will have to be widely available, used routinely by many and considered a standard item. It is not our wish or intention to promote any particular store, and are pleased to be able to share the information we find. As we are on the subject of supermarkets, Albertsons has very quietly discontinued their Price Accuracy Guarantee, or so I was informed by one of their customer service reps. It has been their practice to not charge for an item that rung up incorrectly at the register. In other words, if the register price did not match the posted price, the item was free with some limited exceptions. That was a strong selling feature for them and I had been the beneficiary of that policy on more than one occasion. Times are getting tougher with the price of fuel and everything else inflating, so it is no wonder that Albertsons and other merchants will be tightening their policies. As always, keep a close eye on the register screen when checking out.
I was the only male in there at the time, it really didn’t cause any anxiousness on my part. I sat in a space-age-looking chair with a small tub for my feet that was partially filled with swirling, bubbling warm water. Eventually, the attendant took my feet out and trimmed my toenails, worked my cuticles and massaged my feet. The chair had different massage features that worked my back, controlled with a remote that allowed me to vary the chair’s movements. I did not opt for any polish, but I was quite refreshed from the whole experience. I have since returned and am looking forward to another visit. SIN TAXES It seems every time governmental funds are less than the amount the politicos want spend, they always look at raising taxes before they want to reduce spending. One of their favorites is the “sin tax” on things that those who want us to lead a more wholesome, healthy and boring life feel
should be penalized by taxation. The logic is that if you can afford a beer, a glass of wine, soft drinks, candy, a cigarette, etc., you can afford to pay more to the public trough for the good of your fellow citizens. Of course, these taxes will make those do-gooders doubly happy because now they have found funding for their programs and they have interfered with your habits. They should continue to hope that the “sinners” remain in the silent majority rather than crusade for the reverse situation, which would make the taxes rise on health foods, diet drinks, tofu and other items they could now deem worthy of revenge. You see, it’s all in whose ox is being gored. If the party in power doesn’t respect the rights of the minority, when the worm turns, the situation can be quite unsavory for those that exercised judgment upon others. TJN
1805 Azalea Street in Forest Hills Subdivision, Sulphur | $198,000 | 4 bdrm, 2.5 bath HOT TUB, above ground pool, HUGE, beautifully landscaped yard. This older home has been updated to function as newer home and LOOKS GREAT!
REAL MEN LIKE PEDICURES Pedicures have long been a favorite of the fairer sex, with guys having limited exposure to getting their toenails worked on in public. I received a gift certificate for a spa pedicure and with much mental debate, I nervously went in to try it out. I must admit that it was a very pleasant experience and although JUNE 2, 2011
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Dang Yankee The
By Mike McHugh
The Oracle of Yankee Land
I was on Facebook last weekend and someone posted that The Rapture was supposed to occur that very day. This was news to me. Apparently, it was not news to everybody else in the world, for as I read further, just about everybody on Facebook was talking about it. It is always that way for me, being the last to find out about things. I’ll give you an example. Just a few weeks ago, I was surfing through
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the channels on TV when my wife asked me what I was looking for. It wasn’t until I told her that I was trying to find M*A*S*H that I learned from her the series had been cancelled. So, you see the issue with me. The Rapture, of course, is this event where all of the really devout Christians get taken up into heaven all at once, thus greatly reducing the after-church Sunday brunch crowd at area eating establishments. This is
why the restaurant industry has always been strongly opposed to The Rapture, and their trade association has successfully lobbied to hold off its coming up until now. Lately, though, the restaurant trade’s political clout has significantly weakened. This is evident from their recent failures to prevent the bans against smoking and trans-fats. It’s actually gotten so bad that the City of San Francisco has enacted a ban on McDonald’s Happy Meals (no lie). One guy apparently picked up on this trend and so predicted that The Rapture was going to happen this past weekend. Not only did this create quite a stir on Facebook, but apparently a whole bunch of people sent money to this guy and he became an overnight millionaire. It doesn’t even matter that The Rapture never happened when he said it was. At least, I don’t think it happened, but then I don’t often go out to Sunday brunch, so it may have just happened without me noticing. Anyhow, whether it really happened or not is immaterial, because
this guy wasn’t offering any moneyback guarantee on his prediction. In this way, he was able to accomplish something that only weather forecasters have been able to do: namely, make a living off of false predictions. This whole thing has got me thinking. Why can’t I, too, cash in on this phenomenon? All it takes is to come up with a prediction, put it on Facebook, and get everybody there talking about it. They will all send me money in the mail, and then I, too, can finally retire and move to Florida, where I can wear clothing that went out of style in the 1930s and drive a large Buick at a top speed of nearly 15 miles an hour. For this to work, though, I realize I can’t just make any old prediction. It’s got to be a bold prediction. And it’s got to be at least somewhat credible, so people would actually believe it could happen. So, to predict that, say, the federal government would produce a balanced budget sometime before the next Ice Age would simply not work. Predictions of natural disaster are also totally out of the question. These include such scenarios as California Falling Into The Sea, or An Asteroid Hitting The Eastern Seaboard. Hollywood has already beaten these ideas so much to death that most people now think they have already happened. I thought very carefully about my prediction. As the self-proclaimed Oracle of Yankee Land, I have to use my powers wisely. So, I immersed myself for many hours in a trancelike state, with the aid of some tequila, whereby I successfully connected with that Great Cosmic Intellect, and it delivered through me this stunning prognostication: That, on March 23, 2012, at precisely 4:24 PM Eastern Standard Time, someone will call his cable TV company and actually get through to a live human being. Now, I know that this prediction is so bold and incredible that you just won’t be able to resist sending me a check for whatever amount you can spare. And whether it actually comes true or not, if you find yourself in Florida sometime following me in traffic, I hope you’re not in any kind of hurry to get somewhere. TJN
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oyle By Jim D
We live in a complicated world. There are few rulebooks, other than family traditions of religion and behavior. What we do in our lives creates the pattern for our children, the template, if you will. I know families whose children believe they have to live down their parents’ reputations, and parents who are ashamed of their children’s behavior, for one reason or another. But the oldest wisdom is still the best. He that troubleth his own
house, says the book of Proverbs, shall inherit the wind. Graduation ceremonies, and events like them, are opportunities to carry out the best of family traditions, to make each child King or Queen for a day. Hold those events close, and your children closer. They’ll be gone before you know it, like a candle in the wind. Send a graduate some money today. And I’ll see you guys on the flip. TJN
Rite of Passage It was a little bit of a surprise, but knowing me, knowing the situation, it really shouldn’t have been, and it’s an emotion I share with many of you this spring season of 2011. As I looked down from my seat high in the Civic Center Coliseum, to the floor decorated for a Swashbucklers game, I saw a tousle-haired blond kid, taller than he should have been, in a blue robe and a red, loose-is-cool tie that he borrowed from me, wearing a hat with a tassel. And I cried like a baby. Yes, my youngest young’n, Harrison Buckner Doyle, is now a high school graduate thanks to the patience and divine inspiration of Brother Randall Chesson and the faculty of Parkview Baptist Academy. My last one. Deed is done. Assignment finished. College, of course, notwithstanding. This emotion was nothing new for me, though. I cried at the other five graduations, too, probably the most when my oldest son Jamey graduated from Barbe in 1989 and left two weeks later for summer school at my alma mater the University of Southern Mississippi. I guess it’s a parent thing. You spend so much time worrying whether you’re doing the right thing, alternating between being sure you are and certain you’re not, that the signal accomplishment of their young lives is as hard to take as their lowest failure. My primary self-identification is Dad, now also Granddaddy to my young ones. Being a parent is the most gratifying thing I’ve ever Volume 3 • Issue 5
done, the reason I’ve gotten up every morning for the last 37 years and practiced law. One of these days I may get it right. But it’s been far more than work. Some of my favorite fun memories include the cross-country trip in the van when Jamey talked his younger brother Callen into blowing a mouthful of chocolate milkshake through his straw and into the hair of my only daughter Brittany. She was about 10 at the time and didn’t think it was a bit funny. As in many modern families there have been problems along the way; multiple marriages on both sides; split holidays; competition, real and imagined. But through it all, I have to say we’ve found a way to muddle through. And each graduation, including Brittany’s from the University of Louisiana, has led to a big party around a big table in some place big enough to hold all our extended clan. Graduation is an accomplishment, no doubt, and a rite of passage. But for those of us on the other side of the parent-child relationship, no such passage happens. We remain, and always will remain, responsible for those achingly young kids who think they’re grownups but always need a little guidance along the way. My mother died 11 years ago, almost to the day. I was nearly 50 years old at the time. But it still felt like I had lost a guidepost along the road of life. Because my parents were that to me, I suppose I feel an extra responsibility, particularly these days, to be the same to my children and grandchildren. JUNE 2, 2011
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h of all area yout eese State r fo d e r re offe e McN ths on th ctivities a Several a the summer mon erg ffers num sso e ic ages durin campus. ff o s—cla y arning Universit Neese Leisure Le children of all age o game c e r The M his summer fo phy, vid photogra forensic science, st l e a s s it la ig c d s , g ou lf, n about ar, cookin anish, go es in guit ative writing, Sp r more informatio o re design, c so much more. F . d 0 dates, math an ll (337) 475-513 ing ages, ws: d lu c in a s c m llo classes, er progra umbers are as fo m m u s r Othe ontact n sts and c o c , s e m ti INIC DING CL A E R R E • SUMM -6 Grades 1 (Mon-Thurs.) June 6-30 . .m n 9-11:30 a Educatio 5 7 1 Teacher $ f o t n Cost: e Departm Contact: 5471 5 (337) 47 CAMPS Major R BAND rship and Drum E M M U AR S e ade • ALL-ST e, Colorguard, L n li m u Dr 3 June 19-2 ol Students t o 04 0 residen h c S High uter; $30 tor (337) 475-50 m m o c , c 0 e 0 s 2 ir r $ d ta , s t: s cob Cos ol-all Dr. Jay Ja igh-scho Contact: eesebands.com/h n www.mc
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JUNE 2, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 5
• FOURTH ANNUAL COWBOY CAMP Incoming freshmen and transfer students July 8 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cost: $20 Contact: Student Union Office (337) 475-5609 www.mcneese.edu/campuslife • KICKER KUTIE SUMMER DANCE CAMP Ages 5-12 July 25-29 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Contact: Paige Caldwell (337) 475-5604
SPORTS CAMPS
www.mcneesesports.com • BROOKS DONALD WILLIAMS BASKETBALL CAMPS • Fundamental: June 1-3 Grades K-8 9 a.m.-noon Cost: $125 • Position: June 12 Grades 7-12 2-6 p.m. Cost: $45 • Elite: June 13-14 Grades 9-12 Cost: $65 • Team Camp: June 16-18 or July 28-30 • Varsity or Junior Varsity Cost: one day, $180; two days, $300; three days, $450 Contact: Women’s Basketball (337) 475-5473 • DAVE SIMMONS BASKETBALL CAMP Ages 7-17 Session I: June 6-9 Session II: June 20-23 Cost: $175 • Dave Simmons Team Camp Divisions: Large Schools, 3A-5A; Small Schools, C-2A June 25 Cost: $225 per team Contact: Coach Patrick Haynes (337) 475-5481 or (337) 263-1619 • TERRY BURROWS BASEBALL CAMPS • Youth All-Skills Camp Grades K-8 June 6-8 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: $125 • Youth Pitching Camp Grades K-8 Volume 3 • Issue 5
June 13-14 9 a.m.-noon Cost: $100 • High School Showcase Camp Grades 9-12 June 15 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: $110 • Youth All-Skills Camp Grades K-8 June 20-22 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: $125 Contact: Coach Bubbs Merrill (337) 475-5903, or Coach Clay Van Hook (337) 475-5904 • SUMMER SOFTBALL CAMP June 12-15 Ages 7 to incoming high school seniors Cost: $200, commuter; $300, resident Contact: Women’s Softball (337) 475-5475 • TERRY GAMBLE VOLLEYBALL CAMPS • General Skills Camp Grades 6-12 July 7-9 1:30-4:30 p.m. for grades 6-8 6-9 p.m. for grades 9-12 Cost: $95 • Team Camp July 16 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Cost: $100 per team Contact: Nicole Wilson, camp director (337) 475-5109 or (337) 802-0263 • COWBOY FOOTBALL CAMP 10 years old – 11th grade this past year July 10-12 Cost: $125, commuter; $250, resident Contact: Coach Lark Hebert (337) 475-5211 • GIRLS ELITE SOCCER CAMP Ages 13-18 July 17-20 Cost: $225, commuter; $400, resident • YOUTH SOCCER CAMP/BOYS AND GIRLS Ages 6-14 July 18-21 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cost: $75 Contact: Women’s Soccer (337) 475-5368 TJN
June 24 & 25 | Burton Coliseum | 7:30 Nightly Tickets @ www.mikewhitepbr.com Cotten's Boots and Clothes, Meaux's Western Wear, Patton's Western Wear. Discount coupons at Billy Navarre and Bubba Oustlet.
Come see fan favorites J.B. Mauney, Chris Shivers, Mike White and Bounty Bull "Bushwacker!”
JUNE 2, 2011
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By Lauren de Albuquerque
Cedars
Lebanese and Greek Restaurant If you’re looking for a delicious but very different kind of meal, look no further: Cedars Restaurant, specializing in fabulous Lebanese food, is the place to go to satisfy your taste buds. It’s the real deal. Owner Azzam Sobh was born and raised in Tripoli, Lebanon, a city located in the nation’s northern region close to Syria. An impulse brought him to America with a friend. After living in the Northeast for a few years, he relocated to the Lafayette area in 1987. “The Southern hospitality in Lafayette reminded me of the Lebanon culture, so I decided this is where I wanted to make my home,” Sobh said. While working as a district manager for Burger King, Sobh noticed that there were no Lebanese restaurants in Lake Charles. “I researched the area for the ideal location to open my restaurant,” he said. Sobh has been in the restaurant
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JUNE 2, 2011
business for 23 years, ever since he was 17, which makes him well qualified for such an undertaking. It took him awhile to find the right place, but Cedars opened on June 14, 2010 at 3905 Ryan Street, offering Lebanese dishes homemade from old family recipes by a Lebanese chef. “I’m cooking food from my homeland,” he said. “I am the real thing. Every dish tastes just like at home in Tripoli….same flavor, same ingredients.” Sobh is very happy with the response his food has received from the people in Lake Charles and surrounding areas. “I’ve found that many people that had never tried Lebanese and Greek , after being exposed to Middle Eastern cuisine, have become regulars, ordering their favorite dishes and trying out new ones,” he said. “Lamb chops are our signature dish. So much so that when a large party comes in, they order it as an
Assam Sobh, owner appetizer so everyone at the table can taste,” he said. In addition, you’ll find a variety of traditional dishes like hummus, chicken schwarma, grape leaves, spinach pie, kibbi, kabobs and vegetarian dishes, among others. Everything is made fresh, and there’s something for everyone’s taste at Cedar’s. The hummus is absolutely delicious. Try the one that has feta cheese in it. As a cheese-lover, it just sent me to the moon. And the warm pita bread (plain or wheat) that accompanies it is so satisfying that you could eat just that and be happy. Cedars has a good wine list and drink specials, Mon-Fri. from 5-7 p.m. that includes 2 for 1 on house wines, margaritas, and Bloody Marys. I love the Lebanese iced tea. It’s fresh brewed and ice-cold, with a hint of lemon and rosewater—the perfect drink to refresh you on a hot summer day. Sobh employs a cheerful, knowledgeable staff of 20 who make sure your dining experience is everything you could wish for. If you’ve
never dined here before and have questions about the various dishes, your friendly server will explain it all to you. If you’d like to be entertained while having dinner, Cedars has belly dancing on Friday nights. Saturday nights are reserved for a quieter dining experience. Why the name Cedars? “The cedar tree is on the Lebanese flag and is known for its durability,” Sobh explained. “The cedar tree lives in the upper mountains in Lebanon, where it lives in snow most of the time. I wanted a name that would indicate that I am here for the duration.” Looks like that’s going to happen—not only is the Ryan St. restaurant thriving, Sobh has now opened a second location in the Prien Lake Mall. There’s also a convenient, drivethru window for those rainy or busy days; just call ahead to place your order, and they’ll let you know when it will be ready for pick-up. Sobh has made a special effort to become involved in the community, donating to numerous non-profit functions. “It has been a privilege and I will continue to do so,” he said.
Volume 3 • Issue 5
Cedars is celebrating its one-year anniversary on June 14. “In appreciation for the overwhelming support the people of Lake Charles have shown me and my family at Cedars Lebanese and Greek Restaurant, I am offering specials every day, all day, for the next year,” Sobh said. MONDAY $3 off any $10 food purchase TUESDAY Kids 10 years and under eat free when accompanied by parents WEDNESDAY 4 p.m. to close – complimentary
glass of house wine with entrée purchase THURSDAY Lite Day: Azzam’s Specialty Chicken Zuccini only 300 calories FRIDAY Greek Chicken $9. SATURDAY Chicken Kabob $9.99 SUNDAY Combination Plate $9.99 Open seven days a week on Ryan St. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri. – Sat., 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. ; Sun., 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 477-7701
TJN
2770 Third Avenue, Suite 125 • Lake Charles, LA 70601 Located in the Medical Office Building on the Lake Charles Memorial Hospital campus.
Phone (337) 494-AMRI Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 2011
PAGE 17
Limited Time Offers!
Father Facts The estimated number of fathers across the nation is 67.8 million. In 2009, there were 25.8 million fathers who were part of marriedcouple families with children younger than 18. • 22 percent were raising three or more children younger than 18 (among married-couple family households only). • 3 percent lived in someone else’s home. There were 1.7 million single fathers in 2009; 15 percent of single parents were men. • 8 percent were raising three or more children younger than 18. • About 47 percent were divorced, 29 percent were never married, 18 percent were separated, and 5 percent were widowed. • 44 percent had an annual family income of $50,000 or more.
MR. MOM The number of estimated stay-athome dads in 2009 was 158,000. These married fathers with children younger than 15 have remained out of the labor force for at least one year primarily so they can care for the family while their wives work outside the home. They cared for 290,000 children. Among these stay-at-home dads, 59 percent had two or more children, and 57 percent had an annual family income of $50,000 or more. CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS The amount of child support received by custodial fathers in 2007 was $2.8 billion; they were due $4.3 billion. In contrast, custodial mothers received $18.6 billion of the $29.8 billion in support that was due. Sixty-seven percent of custodial fathers received noncash support, such as gifts or coverage of expenses, on behalf of their children. The corresponding proportion for mothers was 56 percent. Source: US Census Bureau TJN
• Full Service Boarding Facility • English & Western • Private & Group Lessons
LAKE CHARLES
WELSH
520 Pamco Road (337) 436-4366
211 Service Road West (337) 734-2166
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JUNE 2, 2011
Call 337-764-9523 or visit www.vinsonstables.com 6061 Tom Hebert Rd., Lake Charles Volume 3 • Issue 5
Proud father and grandfather: Billy Navarre and his family.
By Lisa Addison Besides the fancy cars on display, the first thing that one notices when walking into the spacious main showroom of Billy Navarre Chevrolet is that the phones never stop ringing. A receptionist juggles one call after another as a steady stream of people go in and out of the showroom. Navarre’s office isn’t hidden in the back of the dealership or tucked away upstairs. His office is right in the thick of things at the front of the showroom and that’s how he likes it. A successful businessman who is active in the community, Navarre has distinguished looks and an air about him that may make you think he’s had things handed to him all his life, but like the old adage goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Indeed, he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth, lost his father at a young age, and all he’s ever known is hard work.
Volume 3 • Issue 5
Role Models Paved Road to Success Navarre has been in business for close to 30 years and has enjoyed success beyond measure, but he believes in giving credit where credit is due. “I know for a fact that I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for my mother and my stepfather,” he said. “My father died when I was five years old and my mom married my stepfather when I was 12. He was military and he expected things to be done a certain way. It was great for me to have a role model and to also learn from a
young age that there are consequences for your actions. He was one of the best things to ever happen to me and I was blessed to have him in my life.” Spend any time at all around Navarre and you will hear him talk about what he believes is the main reason for his success. “I’ve had a tremendous partner in my business – God,” he said. “God is the reason for everything I am and everything I have.” Something else Navarre has is a very strong work ethic. He jokes with his friends and business associ-
JUNE 2, 2011
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ates that he’s never owned a set of golf clubs because “golf is a rich man’s game.” In truth, he’d simply rather be working. “Seriously, I’ve never just taken a day and gone and played golf,” he said. “I just don’t have the time for it and I’m too busy working.”
Making Hay While the Sun Shines That’s despite the fact that his four oldest children, Ryan, Jareth, Barrett and Grant all work in the business and could probably take on even more responsibilities. Pressed for what he believes is the secret to his success, Navarre boils it down to this: “What happens is that desire in life comes from lack of having,” he said. “Watching my mother struggle after my father died at 35 years old, with five children to support, no insurance, and seeing that we didn’t have much, gave me the desire to be the best that I could be. I knew I wanted to work hard and that I wanted to make hay while the sun shines.” Navarre started his first dealership with just 12 employees and the rest, as they say, is history. He now has close to 300 employees, several locations, and continues to expand the business. “We’re building two new Chevy showroom facilities as well as a new Hyundai facility and a new, huge used car operation,” he said. Along with the new Hyundai showroom, Navarre said the dealership will be adding an all new line which will include five luxury models: the Equus, Genesis, Genesis Coupe, a new luxury sport utility vehicle, and a new small high volume car. “I’ll tell you another reason for our success,” he said. “People trust us.
We have an ethical business and we will not do anything that’s not 100 percent right for the customer. It’s all about the customer.” And Billy Navarre just signed a buy-sell agreement to bring Cadillac to duel with his Chevrolet brand on his Chevrolet showroom floor. When discussing his business, Navarre gets a certain look in his eyes as he leans forward and talks about being focused and driven. But mention family and his features soften and he even appears to be more relaxed. He has four grown sons, and a set of nearly 6-year old twins, Bryce and Kaitlyn. And he says “My wife is the most wonderful person, she’s as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside and that’s something that is almost impossible to find. She is just an amazing, phenomenal woman and a wonderful mother and great wife. I’m so incredibly blessed.”
Family Is Everything A serious person when talking about his work, he beams when discussing his children. This is the side of Navarre that people may not often get a chance to observe. Yes, he’s successful and driven, but he doesn’t live for the money or the fruits of his hard work; he lives for his family. Besides having close relationships with his sons, he coaches the T-ball and soccer teams of his two youngest children. “I’ve passed up trips to Hawaii and all kinds of other things because I didn’t want to miss a T-ball game,” he said. But Navarre does regret one thing. “I wish I could go back in time and be a parent to my older sons all over again because I’d be a better parent the second time around,” he said. “I’d do a better job this time.” But he
must have done something right considering his four oldest want to work with him and spend their days crossing paths with their dad. Walk around a little while at the main dealership and you are bound to run into one of the Navarre sons. Successful, polite, and with that Navarre confidence about them, they each are carving out their own niches within the business. But don’t think for a second that anything has ever been handed to them. They each started at the bottom of the business and worked their way up. Currently, Jareth is general sales manager of Billy Navarre Chevrolet in Lake Charles; Barrett is sales manager of the Honda store; Ryan is general manager at the Sulphur location; and Grant is a freshman at McNeese and works in sales at Billy Navarre Chevrolet. When asked if they could recall a favorite piece of advice that their father had given them over the years, they each said that he had taught many life lessons to them and given them advice they use on a daily basis. “For me, there is one particular thing he said to me that I think about quite often,” Grant said. “He told me, ‘Don’t compete against others; compete against your own best self.’”
Accountability Is Key Ryan said that the best advice his father had given him was to be accountable. “If you are accountable, you can grow, get better, and become successful,” he said. “If you don’t take full accountability for where you are in life and you blame others for where you are, you’ll never be successful. He taught me at a young age not to blame others and no matter what, find what you could have done better in that sit-
uation. From my years in business of interviewing, hiring and training people, I feel if you teach your children at a young age about accountability, it is the one thing that will take them the farthest in life. Thanks Dad!” His son Barrett recalled one piece of advice from his father that he says has stuck with him all these years: “He told me that there are two types of pains in this world – the pain of discipline or the pain of regret,” he said. “He said the pain of discipline will hurt for a while but the pain goes away as you succeed. But he said the pain of regret will harm you and hurt you for the rest of your life because you’ll always regret not doing everything you could to do it right the first time.” Jareth said he has received “many great inspirational thoughts and ideas from my father.” He said one of the most important things he would like people to know about his dad is that he leads by example. “Some people quote from the Bible, others preach the word of God. But my dad actually lives it.” He also said his father is fond of the saying “Feed a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” Jareth recalls times in his life when, if he wanted something, he had to earn it because he wasn’t going to just have it given to him. “Even to this day my dad will say to people, ‘If I give those boys too much they won’t appreciate it.’ The people he cares for the most are probably the ones he is toughest on. He tells us all the time that it is not what happens to you but what you do with what happens to you. Something else that my dad loves to say is, ‘In this world the only security you have is how good you are at what you do.’ “
Billy Navarre, center and sons (L-R) Grant, Ryan (general manager at the Sulphur Store), Jareth & Barrett Navarre PAGE 20
JUNE 2, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 5
Bryce, Carrie and Kaitlyn Navarre
Long-time Employees Work at Navarre He should know, because he’s one of the best at what he does. And Navarre has surrounded himself with people who are also good at what they do. Many of his employees have been with him for years including several of his managers: Jerry Peloquin, 29 years; Howard Davis, 21; Shawn Davis, 21; Burel Sonnier, 21; Ryan Navarre, 20; Jeffrey Jackson, 15; David Begnaud, 14; Jareth Navarre, 14; Adrian Brittain, 14; and Patrick Booth, 11. Vicki Saxby, who is comptroller for Billy Navarre Chevrolet and has been with the company for 26 years, says she loves working for her boss. “He’s very respectful and treats his employees well,” she said. “Not only does he give to the community, but he goes over and above for his employees. One thing that he does every year is he takes his top performers in the company on an all-expenses paid trip to Mexico. That’s pretty great.”
Upbringing is Key to His Success
cess has served him well. Asked if there is anything else he’d like to do if he weren’t in this business, he smiled. “I’d be a coach,” he said. “My passion is coaching kids in all sports and I’ve coached on the side for about 20 years. So, that’s what I’d be doing if I wasn’t running my business. I like to see others do well and succeed. I like to pass on the things that I’ve learned and try to help other people when I can.” Responding to a comment that his mother must be proud of him, he quickly said, “Not as proud as I am of her and of being her son.” His mother, Agnes Navarre Broussard, is nearing 90 years old and the two of them are very close. This is what he wrote about her on FaceBook on Mother’s Day: “Mom, Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for giving me life and helping me become the man I am today! I tell people often everything that I am, and that I have, I owe to my wonderful mother! Who showed me what true love, sacrifice, dedication, integrity, accountability, and faith in God really means, not by words, but, by your great example of how you lived your life.
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Navarre’s plans for the foreseeable future are to continue doing what he’s doing now. His formula for suc-
Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 2011
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Agnes Navarre Broussard
“We started getting phone calls from our ad as soon as The Jambalaya News hit the stands, and enrolled students from those calls. Our ads work. Thanks Jambalaya News for making that happen!” – Rhonda Babin, Admissions
Most of all, thank you for your belief in me, and how you always encouraged me! You are one of the most positive people I know, I've never heard you once gripe, complain or blame, and Lord knows over your almost 90 yrs you've had many reasons! You just fought through and worked it out, wow! You are my hero!!!!! Super Mom!!! You must be proud of the great job you've done as a mother! I love you! I love you! I love you! God blessed me when he allowed me to be the son of Agnes Navarre Broussard! Happy Mother’s Day!!! Love you! Love you! Love you! Billy” Billy Navarre is an example of the American Dream: how you can start with absolutely nothing and become the third largest locally owned business in Calcasieu Parish with total commitment, dedication and hard work, and a wonderful staff and family. He knows that people may be surprised to hear about that gentler side of him, but this is the core of Billy Navarre and the part of him that many people never get to see. Life may be grand now, but there was once a little boy of only 5 years old who lost his father and saw how hard his mother worked to provide for him and his four siblings. He saw her suffer and watched the family often go without. Those tough days, and that young mother and his late stepfather helped to create the man he is today. And, as Navarre will tell you, he never forgets that or his humble beginnings. Lisa Addison has been a writer for more than 30 years. She writes for local, regional and national publications. TJN
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Volume 3 • Issue 5
T
he President declared last week (May 22-28) National Hurricane Preparedness Week. It highlighted the importance of planning ahead to protect our families and secure our communities and homes in advance of the upcoming hurricane season. According to the seasonal outlook issued by forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, the Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year. Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the sixmonth season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year: • 12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which: • 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including: • 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher) • Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood, and indicates that activity will exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. Climate factors considered for this outlook are: • The continuing high activity era. Since 1995, the tropical multi-decadal signal has brought ocean and atmospheric conditions conducive for development in sync, leading to more active Atlantic hurricane seasons. • Warm Atlantic Ocean water. Sea surface temperatures where storms often develop and move across the Atlantic are up to two degrees Fahrenheit warmer-thanaverage. Volume 3 • Issue 5
• La Niña, which continues to weaken in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, is expected to dissipate later this month or in June, but its impacts, such as reduced wind shear, are expected to continue into the hurricane season. NOAA’s seasonal hurricane outlook does not predict where and when any of these storms may hit. Landfall is dictated by weather patterns in place at the time the storm approaches. For each storm, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center forecasts how these weather patterns affect the storm track, intensity and landfall potential. The National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. It operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy. Visit them online at www.weather.gov and on Facebook. TJN
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JUNE 2, 2011
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JUNE 2, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 5
10°N
15°N
20°N
25°N
30°N
35°N
40°N
0
0
100°W
500 km
95°W
500 mi
Veracruz •
Tampico •
Brownsville •
Corpus Christi •
Galveston •
Lake Charles •
Ophelia Philippe Rina Sean Tammy Vince Whitney
TEXAS
Harvey Irene Jose Katia Lee Maria Nate
MEXICO
Arlene Bret Cindy Don Emily Franklin Gert
2011 STORM NAMES
95°W
90°W
Baton Rouge •
EL SALVADOR
90°W
BELIZE
• Cancun
85°W
COSTA RICA
NICARAGUA
B A H A A
S
HAITI
75°W
COLOMBIA
CARIBBEAN SEA
Port-au-Prince Kingston
M
Cape Hatteras
• Ocean City
DEL. E
CONN.
70°W
Santo Domingo
65°W
60°W
55°W
VENEZUELA
San Juan •
65°W
GRENADA
ST. VINCENT and THE GRENADINES
60°W
GUYANA
TOBAGO
BARBADOS
MARTINIQUE
DOMINICA
GUADELOUPE
ANTIGUA
ST. LUCIA
ST. KITTS and NEVIS
ST. BARTHELEMY
ANGUILLA ST. MARTIN
BERMUDA
ATLANTIC OCEAN
55°W
HURRICANE WARNING: hurricane expected to strike within 24 hours • Leave beachfront and low-lying areas. • Leave mobile homes for more substantial shelter. • Stay in your home if it is sturdy, on high ground, and not near the beach, but if you are asked to leave by authorities, GO! • Stay tuned to radio, NOAA Weather Radio, or television for hurricane advisories and safety information.
HURRICANE WATCH: hurricane may threaten withing 36 hours • Be prepared to take action if a warning is issued by the National Weather Service. • Keep informed of the storm’s progress.
MAINE
70°W
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
R.I.
N.H. MASS.
VT.
• Atlantic City
N.J.
NEW YORK
75°W
Guantanamo •
JAMAICA
CUBA
80°W
PANAMA
CAYMAN IS.
Havana
Nassau
• Ft. Lauderdale • Miami
• Palm Beach
• Daytona Beach
• Jacksonville
Key West •
Fort Myers •
Tampa •
• Charleston
Wilmington •
N.C.
Norfolk •
VIRGINIA
• Savannah
S.C.
MD.
PA.
Washington, D.C.
80°W
W. VA.
FLA.
Tallahassee •
• Apalachicola
HONDURAS
YUCATAN PENINSULA
• Merida
GUATEMALA
ALA.
Gulf Mobile Port • • Pensacola •
GULF OF MEXICO
New Orleans •
LA.
MISS.
KY.
GEORGIA
85°W
ATLANTIC HURRICANE TRACKING CHART
100°W
50°W
10°N
15°N
20°N
25°N
30°N
35°N
40°N
50°W
N
atural disasters can destroy your personal property and severely impair your ability to conduct financial transactions. If you had only a few minutes to evacuate your home, and had to be away for several days or weeks, would you have access to cash, banking services and the personal identification documents you would need to support your family? The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation offer tips on what to have ready if a disaster should strike without warning: Forms of Identification: These include driver’s licenses, medical insurance cards, Social Security cards, passports and birth certificates. While it is best to have originals, it is also important to have copies, in case originals are misplaced or destroyed. Checks and Deposit Slips: Even if you rarely write checks, consider having your checking account number handy. That way, you can authorize an important payment over the phone. If you do rely on checks, have enough blank checks and deposit slips to last a month or so. ATM Cards, Debit Cards and Credit Cards: These cards give you access to cash and the ability to make payments on outstanding bills. Make sure you know your PIN numbers; do not write them down or carry them with the cards! Cash: ATMs in affected areas may not be functioning, so it is a good idea to have cash available for necessary purchases. The amount will depend on the size of your family, your expected financial needs and your ability to use debit or credit cards to make purchases.
Phone Numbers for Financial Service Providers: Make a list of the local and toll-free numbers for your bank, credit card companies, mortgage lender, brokerage firms and insurance companies. You may need to contact these providers to defer a payment, replace lost cards or open a new account. Account Numbers: These would include bank and brokerage account numbers, credit card numbers and auto and homeowner’s insurance policy numbers. Copy the front and back of your credit cards. Safe Deposit Box Key: You cannot get into your safe deposit box without your key, no matter what forms of identification you present. After you have gathered this information, store it in a safe, protected place. Do not leave it out in the open or in an unlocked drawer. Some identity theft victims have been “robbed” by family members or workers within their homes. Contact your Better Business Bureau if you need additional information at (337) 478-6253. TJN Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 2011
PAGE 25
T
he damage caused by a natural disaster often brings out the best in people, as strangers reach out to help others in need. Unfortunately, the aftermath of a crisis also brings out those who take advantage of people who have already been victimized. Some of the most common “after-disaster” scams involve home repairs, clean-up efforts, heating and cooling equipment, and flood-damaged cars. The Better Business Bureau offers the following advice for consumers: 1. Check with your insurance company about your coverage and their specific filing requirements. 2. Although anxious to get things back to
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normal, avoid acting in haste. Don’t be pressured into signing a long-term contract. Make temporary repairs if necessary. 3. For major repairs, shop around for contractors, get competitive bids, and check references. 4. Be wary of door-to-door workers. Check with your city or parish to find out about doorto-door rules and company licensing. 5. If possible, get more than one bid. Bids should be in writing and should detail the work to be done, the materials to be used, and the price breakdown for labor and materials. 6. Review any written agreement carefully before signing and keep a copy. 7. Never pay in full until all supplies and subcontractors are paid, eliminating a possible lien on your property. 8. For additional information or to check a company’s record, call the Better Business
Volume 3 • Issue 5
Bureau at (337) 478-6253 or (800) 542-7085. For permit or licensing information in a particular area, contact: Local City Halls Lake Charles City — 491-1442 Sulphur City — 527-4500 DeQuincy City — 786-8241 DeRidder City — 462-8900 Iowa City — 582-3535 Jennings City — 821-5500 Kinder City — 738-2637 Leesville City — 239-2444 Rosepine City — 463-8908 Vinton City — 589-7453 Welsh City — 734-2231 Westlake City — 433-0691 Cameron City — 775-7511 Local Parish Government Calcasieu Parish — 721-3640 Allen Parish — 639-4396 Beauregard Parish — 786-3311 Cameron Parish — 775-5718 Jeff Davis Parish — 824-4792 Vernon Parish — 238-0324
TJN
SAVE THE DATE!
T
hree hurricane preparedness workshops for business owners will be offered in Lake Charles, Cameron and Jennings in June by the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese State University. Presentations at these workshops will offer information about preparing for business interruption during a hurricane. Discussion will include assistance programs to protect the physical structures of a business, support services available during a storm and how a continuity plan can help protect businesses and get their doors open soon after
the storm passes. Those interested can attend one of these workshop sessions: • Mon., June 13—8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Chamber Southwest Louisiana building in downtown Lake Charles • Mon., June 13—2-5 p.m. at the library at 501 Marshall St. in Cameron • Tues., June 14—8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Conference Centre in Jennings The workshops are free but preregistration is requested. For more information or to preregister contact the LSBDC at McNeese at (337) 475-5529 or by e-mail at lsbdc.msu@lsbdc.org. TJN
League of Women Voters presents Legislative Wrap Up 2011 June 28 • 11:30 a.m. JOIN UP AND JOIN IN! P.O. Box 180 Lake Charles, LA 70602 www.lwv-lc.org or call (337)474-1864
When bad weather causes the power to go out, you can be safe and comfortable with a quality generator from Kossen Equipment. Running on natural gas or propane, your generator will run AC, lights, refrigerator and more. And when you buy from Kossen Equipment, you will get the best service, parts, and preventative maintenance available. Don’t wait for bad weather — call today and enjoy...
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888-349-4410 www.KossenEquipment.com Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 2011
PAGE 27
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Bellator Makes Big Strides Consider it a big change for the better. Bellator Fighting Championships brought its tournament-style mixed martial arts promotion back to the Lake Area and the L’Auberge du Lac Casino a couple of weeks back. And while from the outside, things with Bellator 45 looked very similar to the
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Bellator 31 event held in Lake Charles, deep down there was something different, a feeling that this was a bigtime championship event. And that’s not to denigrate the Bellator 31 event or the promotion at all; it was a big deal for the Lake Area. Until the Bellator 31 event, Lake Charles hadn’t hosted any brand of mixed martial arts outside of glorified toughman contests since UFC 24 was fought in 2000, and hadn’t seen an MMA championship fight since Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz fought for the heavyweight belt in 1999 at UFC 21. (Technically, UFC 24 was supposed to feature a Kevin Randleman-Pedro
Rizzo championship bout, but Randleman was defeated, via TKO, by the concrete Civic Center floor in warm-ups and the match had to be postponed.) It’s just that Bellator 31, for all of its novelty in and exposure for Lake Charles, was lacking that spark. To start, the event’s live broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest was preempted by a meaningless Houston AstrosWashington Nationals “baseball” game. Ricco Rodriguez, a star from the old-school UFC days when they would visit places like Lake Charles, was injured and had to withdraw from his Bellator debut. Had Rodriguez fought, he would have brought that star factor
to the card. Without Rodriguez, all that was left was a pair of women’s tournament semifinals and a fading Yoshiyuki Yoshida being pounded into mush. It didn’t help that one women’s bout was ruined by god-awful judging and, on a personal note; the Scott Stapp fighting on the card was not the lead singer of Creed and thus killed any interest I had in seeing him get knocked out. But, in the eight months since Bellator 31, the promotion made some huge strides. The company signed a new television deal with MTV2, thereby gaining exposure to a critical audience—men 18-35—while at the same time avoiding the preemption problems plaguing the promotion’s time
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with Fox. No more competing with terrible Astros baseball and mehinspiring Dallas Stars hockey for Bellator. That’s why I had a good feeling walking into the L’Auberge ballroom for Bellator 45. That spark was there. Things were different and, as expected, Bellator 45 provided everything its predecessor did not. There were fans: Lots of them, in attendance and at home. Most of the ballroom seating was filled by a raucous crowd that, like most any MMA crowd, roared in approval anytime a fighter caught one on the chin and ooh-ed at every whip-cracking leg kick. Some of the loudest cheers came during an undercard bout between Tim Ruberg and Mike “The Crazii Cajun” Fleniken. Fleniken, a Kaplan native, was the clear fan favorite and, though he ended up losing a decision, lasted all three rounds and drilled Ruberg with some big shots that ignited the local crowd. On the other hand, like most any MMA crowd, there were the drunken, ignorant few (sadly, I recognized a few from my hometown…represent?) who only came to see a toughman brawl and jeered things like “Refund!” and “I paid for this!” throughout a couple of the more technical bouts. The final TV ratings saw 264,000 people watch the event; the second-highest rating for Bellator this season, and the event set the highest-ever rating for men 18-34 in MTV2 history. There was gold: Missing from the last event, there was one championship fight and one tournament final contest on the card for Bellator 45 with gold and $100,000 on the line in the title fight and the cash in the other bout. And with so much at stake, it was hard not to be excited. In the featherweight tournament final, Patricio “Pitbull” Friere took a decision from Daniel Straus in a slow, methodical style that irritated the rowdy crowd. He advanced to face Joe Warren for the featherweight belt, which Warren conveniently brought with him to Lake Charles. In the light-heavyweight championship fight, Christian M’Pumbu quieted the majority of the crowd, knocking out fan-favorite Rich Hale with a devastating right hand and some follow-up hammerfists to win the gold. There was blood: The middleweight bout between Karl “Psycho” Amoussou and “Smilin’” Sam Alvey turned into a gorefest early on as an Amoussou elbow smash opened a massive head wound on Alvey in the first round. Alvey’s blood, pouring from the gash on his scalp, coated both fighters as Amoussou attempted
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to work Alvey into a submission. Eventually, Amoussou locked in an armbar, however, slick with Alvey’s blood; he could not maintain the hold. Alvey went on to win a split decision and the hearts of the local fans, which crowded Alvey in the ballroom lobby after the fight seeking pictures and autographs. There were stars: Maybe not in the ring, but certainly in attendance. One of the famous Nogueira twins (none of us at the media table were sure off hand which one it was… they’re identical twins, you know), worked the corner for Black House/Team
Nogueira fighters Patricio “Pitbull” Friere and Luis Santos. Turns out, upon later inspection, it was Rodrigo (a.k.a. Big Nog) playing cornerman in advance of his UFC 134 fight at the end of August. There was redemption: As poorly as his last fight in Lake Charles went, Shawn Jordan could only improve this time around. He did not disappoint, pummeling John Hill into a firstround TKO. It was a far cry from the highlight-reel knockout he suffered in Lake Charles at Bellator 31. Of course, he was without the pink Mohawk he sported at Bellator 31, mostly uncon-
scious, last year. But the biggest comeback story was Bellator itself. Coming back from a terrible TV deal, coming back to Lake Charles with a terrific Brandon Shoumaker card. And the Bellator folks are coming back again in October for Bellator 52. I’ll be coming back to watch. TJN
JUNE 2, 2011
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By Mary Louise Ruehr
Kids Will Flip Over These Animal Stories Animal books are a natural to entice children to read. Young Bindi Irwin, the daughter of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, is carrying on the wildlife conservation work of her father. She’s the star of a new series of Bindi Wildlife Adventures, each set in a different location. The chapter books are “inspired and co-created” by Bindi, as well. The first book, Trouble at the Zoo by Chris Kunz, is set at the big party for Bindi’s 11th birthday. The party is set at the Australia Zoo, where her
father had based his work to help save animals. The partygoers are dressed up as underwater creatures to raise money to prevent whaling in Antarctica. Everybody’s having a great time until one of the guests tries to steal an animal. But Bindi saves the day. The book addresses the family’s loss: “After Bindi’s dad had passed away, Bindi had made a promise to continue her dad’s work alongside her family. She planned to keep that promise for the rest of her life.” Book two is even better. Rescue! by
Jess Black is set in Africa, where Bindi and her mom and brother are visiting friends at an animal sanctuary. Bindi and her friend overhear some men talking about poaching antelope. But when they follow the men, the girls find themselves in hot water — facing both human and wildlife threats. Besides the story, each book features an “Animal Fact File” about a couple of the featured creatures, with details about each animal’s habitat, diet, physical attributes and unique features. These two books came out in April; Bushfire! and Camouflage come out in June; and A Whale of a Time and Roar! will be published in the fall. A portion of the proceeds will go to Australia Zoo conservation projects. These are great fun for both girls and boys. Ages 7 to 12. Sylvan Dell continues to publish high quality, entertaining educational material. Big Cat, Little Kitty is written by Scotti Cohn and has colorful PAGE 30
JUNE 2, 2011
illustrations by Susan Detwiler. The book suggests what a big, wild cat might do one day of the week and then compares that with what its domestic, city kitty counterpart might do at the same time. For example, on Monday, a huge striped tiger in the jungle chases a gibbon. Meanwhile, back in civilization, a tiger-striped kitty named Tiggy chases a spider on the porch. This is very nice — but of course, I’m a cat lover myself. The big, close-up illustrations use a soft medium that suggests fur. The educational section provides facts about cats and their global habitats, how their senses are heightened by the adaptation of their eyes, ears, whiskers, etc., and the different classifications of the cats. Ages 4 to 9. Habitat Spy is written in rhyme by Cynthia Kieber-King with absolutely gorgeous, brightly colored, detailed illustrations by Christina Wald. In 13 habitat settings — including a desert, forest, swamp, ocean and mountain — Volume 3 • Issue 5
children can find plants, birds and all kinds of animals. They can count, identify and compare the creatures they find. The educational section features facts on habitats, food chains and more. Visit www.SylvanDellPublishing.com, find the book title, and click on “Teaching Activities” to find a PDF file that lists the names of all the animals in each habitat. It offers pages to color, a word search and much more. Ages 4 to 9. Now, it’s time to get silly. And there is nothing sillier than The Underpants Zoo. One can’t help but wonder how author-illustrator Brian Sendelbach came up with the idea of picturing animals in underwear — “They all
wear underpants — it’s crazy but true. Let’s take a look at the pants in the zoo!” — but no one can help but laugh at some of these colorful comic images and funny rhymes: “Octopus likes to wear four pairs at a time. Dolphins in long johns? It boggles the mind!” The images are hilarious, and the whole book is fun. It also gets kids to think “outside the boxers.” Oh dear — did I say that? Ages 3 to 8. Gold-medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi’s Dream Big, Little Pig! offers a little inspiration along with a bit of fun. Poppy the Pig has plenty of dreams, but fulfilling them isn’t easy. She wants to be a star, so she tries sev-
eral things — ballet, singing, being a supermodel — but none of those activities fits her. Her mother tells her “Just follow your heart,” and Poppy has plenty of support from her friends. When she decides to try figure skating, she falls down, picks herself up and keeps at it — and with persistence and practice, she becomes a skating star. And she keeps on dreaming big. A surprisingly good story from a celebrity. The illustrations by Tim Bowers are mostly in soft pastel colors that make the characters huggable. Ages 4 to 8. LaRue Across America: Postcards from the Vacation is the fourth book in the award-winning Dear Mrs. LaRue series. This time, she goes on a
road trip across the country with her dog, Ike, and her neighbor’s two cats. From each stop, Ike writes sidesplitting postcards, brimming with sarcasm, to the cats’ owner back home in Snort City, N.Y. Kids can follow the group’s travels on the map, which has towns with silly names such as Nostril Creek and Bumbletub. The comic illustrations of the dog and his cat adversaries are a mix of colors and shades of gray. Ages 6 to 11. Copyright 2011 by Mary Louise Ruehr.
TJN
15% Senior Discount All Doctors’ Prescriptions Accepted Experienced Professional Staff • Most Insurance Accepted
Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 2011
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U A B A F N OLY
Brought to you by Melanie Perry, Agent 108A Executive Drive, Moss Bluff, LA 70611 BUS: 337-855-7768 www.melanieperry.net State Farm, Bloomington, IL
FATHER’S DAY - WORD SEARCH W E N E E
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Celebrate
Grandfather
Paw Paw
Daddy
Hero
Role Model
The Dot Game
Family
June Nineteen
Special Day
box and take another turn. When all dots are connected, the player with the most boxes wins.
Fathers Day
Love
Strength
Good Guy
Paternal Bond
Support
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Players take turns connecting two dots. When you make a square, put your initials in the
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Volume 3 • Issue 5
der useum n e l l n E dren's M a D By e Chil f th o r o ct Dire
Thor
(2011, Paramount) Most people have never heard of Thor, a Marvel Superhero and god from Norse mythology. In any case, his character makes for an interesting movie. Proud to be son of the head god, Odin, Thor soon finds himself exiled to earth for being a little too proud. Once there, he finds out that he’s
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been stripped of his powers and left to fend for himself. Along comes Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) a scientist who is out in New Mexico studying strange things in the sky. Okay, I know it’s New Mexico, but she’s looking for meteorological vortexes, not spacemen. Thor materializes in one of the vortexes. She hits him in her SUV and the kind soul that she is, takes him to the hospital. Meanwhile, back up in the home of the gods, Thor’s brother Loki is plotting to take over the heavens. For pretty much the entire movie, we have two plots going on in two very different places, with Thor and Loki at the center of them.
Remarkably, the story holds together. However, seeing this back and forth for two hours made me remember why I never liked the comic book very much: Earth is just very bleak compared to the multicolor special effects world of the gods. Here, the remedy is simple: all of the interesting people are on earth. Loki and the other gods up in the heavens, called Asgard, are a bit dull to watch. So what we really get is a sort of immature type love romance going on down on Earth, and all the serious stuff going on in Asgard. Eventually, much too late in my opinion, the two plots begin to collide. If you are a fan of the comic, I would suggest seeing the movie in 3D. I didn’t, mainly so I could pay attention to the story, but here I think the movie probably needs it, especially all the computer graphic special effects up in Asgard. I thought the movie was too long, but there are some really humorous parts and some stellar acting coming from Portman as a love-struck earth woman. Or maybe she’s just embarrassed by the fact that Thor with his shirt off makes for some serious female eye candy. Jane’s assistant, Darcy (Kat Dennings) is also very entertaining as a hipsterish, spacy intern. She always
has the perfect comeback for every situation. Thor is played by Chris Hemsworth, who also played James Kirk’s father in the latest Star Trek movie. He does a fine comic book overacting part as the headstrong Thor. Thor also has some buddies who come down to rescue him from earth, reminding me of the Capital One commercials. And let’s not forget the great Anthony Hopkins who plays Odin, the king of the gods. (He sleeps through a good part of the movie, so maybe that helped on the budget.) One of my favorite scenes involves another old man, driving a truck during a Roswell-type party scene on earth. He just happens to be Stan Lee, the original editor of Marvel Comics, who makes a cameo in just about every Marvel movie these days. It’s a good thing that this movie can poke fun at itself, because everything else sort of lumbers along. By the time the tenth vortex came down out of the sky, I was a little tired of them. In the comics, these big stories were always divided up into several issues. The director could have made this one a 90-minute cliffhanger and it would have been much better. Rated PG for lots of special effects and male hip huggers—the kind you wear if you’re a hunk in a Levi’s commercial. TJN
JUNE 2, 2011
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LOUISIANA SPORTS FESTIVAL AND GAME DAY No flab here! Kids and adults lined up for the 5k and one-mile run, kayak demos, fitness competitions and more at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Project Fit with partner Anytime Fitness, Francis with Massage Therapy, Cross Fit and other dedicated health and fitness enthusiasts demonstrated the various programs offered in our community to create a healthier, happier lifestyle. All in all, this event was fit and fabulous!
Bryn Painter and Jessica Fruge
Derik Viator with Kara Anderson
Heather Williams, Cassi Railey and Jamie Coleman
Linzi Lantier and Leslie Harless
Sean Robinson and Shannon Ryan
Ashlyn Crochet, Elizabeth Landry and Kim Vincent
Chase, Clayton and Brenda Hebert
MAC BURNS/ WCCH CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT Sport celebrities Bufford Jordon, Nate Levins and Mike McKenzie teamed up with a range of local sponsors at Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur for the second annual joint Mac Burns and West Cal Cam Hospital Foundation golf tournament. A big high-five is in order for this sunny day of a four-man scramble with a double shotgun of birdies, holes in one, food, drinks, prizes and a good ole time! Roland Moss with celebrity Nate Levins PAGE 34
JUNE 2, 2011
Greg Sonnier with Don Fruge Volume 3 • Issue 5
Dick Kennison and Ronnie Johns
Eric and Neil Brown
Joe Palermo and Josh Dary
LIVE MUSIC FOR LITERACY It was all happening at the amphitheater at the Lake Charles Civic Center as the Literacy Council of SWLA presented a musical fundraiser “Boogie for Books.” The event featured Louisiana bands and cold drinks and delicious food from participating vendors. It was a book swapping, boogieoogie-woogie good time! Tara, Carlos, Maria and Chris Metoyer
Kimberly James and Kayla Simien
Mel Coyle and Kevin Casper with dog Lefty
Emily and Andy Schmitt
Beverly and Jim Martin
Christian and William Bertell
Meredith and Todd Hoffpauir
John Dees, Tara Huber, and Hilda Rothschild
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JUNE 2, 2011
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COPS & JOCKS GOLF CLASSIC Clubs were really swinging at Contraband Bayou Golf Club at L’Auberge during the 9th annual Cops & Jocks Golf Tournament. Forty total teams of four and five-person scrambles played to support McNeese and youth athletics, the needy families of Lake Area police officers, and other worthy causes. Food and drink were served throughout the day on the golf course, and prizes were awarded in both morning and afternoon rounds. A pairings party and auction were held the evening prior to the tournament. This event was a hole in one! (Photos by Summer Richard-Boudreaux) TJN Doug Gherig, Alan Heisser and Don Dixon
Corey and Ethan Manuel
Patty Williamson, Jackie Hebert, Robin Abshire and Kandis Stephens
John Rudd, Bill Belcher and Kevin Guidry
Tony and Mickey Mancuso
Medical Laser Therapy, LLC, announces its ONYKOLAZE ™ Light therapy program to treat toe and fingernail infections. • No dangerous drugs • No invasive procedures • Local Physicians in our service area diagnose and supervise the therapy • Economical payment plans available
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JUNE 2, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 5
on June 4 at Burton Coliseum featuring a silent and live auction with dinner. The fundraiser will help Shane with the mounting costs of expenses to treat this rare, aggressive cancer. Donations from your company or store, and gift certificates/card or baskets of your product will be greatly appreciated. For more information, contact Lori Spears Strahan at (337) 5404704 or lori@strahans.org.
CATCH A CONCERT EVERY MONDAY IN JUNE The Lake Charles Community Band presents the Catch-A-Concert series every Monday in June. The concerts begin at 7 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center Arcade Pavilion, with rainy weather plans for the second floor Civic Center Mezzanine. Bring blankets or lawn chairs and a picnic dinner for a relaxing concert at sunset on the lakefront. Conductors Rod Lauderdale and Leo Murray will have traditional dance tunes from around the world, popular marches and more, all making their way to the stage—so bring your dancing shoes! Each week, there will be a new theme with new songs, so you won’t want to miss a minute! For more information, call 3686817 or visit facebook.com/LakeCharlesCommunityBand. SOLAR ENERGY HOME TOUR IN ORANGE ON JUNE 4 Solar energy has arrived in Orange County, and on Sat., June 4, from 9 a.m. to noon, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center will sponsor a tour of three local homes that have converted to photovoltaic systems, a form of solar-based electricity. All tours will depart by bus from Shangri La, and an entrance ticket must be purchased. Those interested must make a reservation by calling (409) 670-9799. Prior to departure, there will be a presentation on some of Shangri La’s environmentally sound practices, and a book on being eco-friendly will be distributed to participants. Located at 2111 West Park Avenue in Orange, Shangri La is open to the public Tues.- Sat. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sun. from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call (409) 670-9113 or visit www.shangrilagardens.org BENEFIT FOR SHANE SPEARS JUNE 4 Lake Charles native Shane Spears was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer this past winter at the age of 38. Married with a child, Shane is a McNeese graduate and a beloved art teacher known throughout the community. His illness has forced him to take a medical leave indefinitely. Family, friends, and loved ones will be holding a benefit for him
Volume 3 • Issue 5
MAYOR’S FAMILY FITNESS FUN DAY JUNE 4 On Sat., June 4, citizens are encouraged to join Mayor Randy Roach for the Second Annual Mayor’s Progressive Park Family Fitness Fun Day at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum and Civic Center grounds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The purpose of the event is to encourage family fitness activities that will help further a healthy lifestyle. Challenge activities will include: Zydeco workout, chicken run, jogging, sit-ups, jump rope, and push-ups. Participants who complete all of the Mayor’s Family Fitness Challenge activities will receive a completion certificate. Inside the Coliseum and on the Civic Center grounds, there will be family fun activities. All event activities are free. For more information, call Helen Lewis-Dunn at 491-1280. BAAK POKER RUN AND BENEFIT JUNE 4 The Third Annual Battered and Abused Kids Poker Run and Benefit will be held Sat., June 4. It will begin at Micci’s Lounge at 8:30 a.m. at 3606 Ryan St. in Lake Charles. There will be a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, door prizes, live music and more. Registration is $25 for the rider and $15 for the passenger, T-shirt included. All proceeds go to Harbour House ETC, the only emergency shelter for children in need in SWLA. For more information, visit www.baakbenefit.com. VISION/VERSE ART AND POETRY EXHIBITION JUNE 4 For its third edition, the poetry and art exhibition Vision/Verse will bring together critically acclaimed and award-winning poets and artists from across the state as well as across the nation. Initiated in 2009,Vision/Verse has become an annual endeavor to reinforce the bond between the literary and visual arts. The opening reception is Sat., June 4, from 6-9 p.m. at Art Associates Gallery in the Central School Arts and Humanities Center. The exhibit’s poetry reading will be held in the second floor theatre at 7 p.m. The exhibit will feature original artwork and uniquely designed broadsides, which are visual representations of poetry. For more information, visit www.yellowflagpress.blogspot.com, Vision/Verse’s Facebook fan page, or call (337) 304-1798.
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INTERNATIONAL CLUB FUNDRAISER JUNE 9 Join the International Club of SWLA for a fundraiser on Thurs., June 9 from 7-9 p.m. at Cedars Greek & Lebanese Restaurant, 3905 Ryan St., Lake Charles. Enjoy wine-tasting, Lebanese cuisine, music, and belly-dancing. Tickets are $20 per person and are available at 3226 Lake St. (494-7354) or at Cedars Restaurant. AKC DOG SHOW BURTON COLISEUM JUNE 9-12 Tails will be wagging at the Burton Coliseum, Thurs.-Sun., June 9-12, as the Calcasieu Parish Kennel Club teams up with the Acadiana Kennel Club of Lafayette to host a combined American Kennel Club (AKC) sanctioned confirmation dog show. Competitions include conformation, junior showmanship, obedience and best puppy competition. Vendors will be on hand to sell those hard-to-find items, and a CERf and MicroChip clinic will be held on Sat., June 12. A veterinarian will be onsite to MicroChip and give the CERf certification. Show hours are 8:30 a.m.—8 p.m. daily and there is no admission charge for the general public. Strollers and dogs not entered in the competitions are not allowed in the coliseum. For more information, contact Eugene A. Bouquet at (337) 4339900 or (337) 794-3442.
LASER TAG ABOARD THE ORLECK JUNE 10-AUG. 27 The USS ORLECK Naval Museum, in conjunction with Battlefield Houston, is proud to present professional-level Laser Tag gaming aboard the USS ORLECK! Beginning June 10, the USSONM will host Laser Tag gaming Fri.- Sat from 5-11 p.m. Gamers will enjoy live play aboard the Orleck. The interior of the ship will be in blackout mode, with red interior lighting, and possible smoke/fog areas. Add a little heart-thumping music and the games are on! Players must be 10 years and older to participate in the evening games, and they must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Players ages 10-15 are restricted to the 5-8 p.m. time slots. Games are 15 minutes, with three games per hour. Cost is $10 for one 15-minute game, $8 for the second game, and $25 for three games (one hour). Thirty players are allowed per 15-minute game. All games are first come, first served for walk-ups, but players will have the option to preregister for evening games beginning June 6. Check back with the Web site (www.orleck.org) for pre-registration options. For more information, call (337) 433-4083. To book a private event, contact Penny Miller at (337) 438-3038. ‘DELTA BLUES PILGRIMAGE’ AT 1911 CITY HALL JUNE 10 The City of Lake Charles will host a new exhibition entitled ‘Delta Blues Pilgrimage’ at Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street. The exhibition will hang through Aug. 20 with an opening reception Fri., June 10, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The photographs in this exhibition were taken in April 2010, as Scott Ainslie, blues musician, songwriter, author and scholar, was traveling through the Mississippi
4710 Common St., Suite A • (337) 564-5769 www.theporchcoffeehouse.com
CALL TODAY! 337-583-2184
3708 HWY 27 S. • Carlyss (Exit 20, I-10) PAGE 38
JUNE 2, 2011
Volume 3 • Issue 5
Delta. Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is owned and operated by the City of Lake Charles. The gallery is open Mon. through Fri., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information, call (337) 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com. ‘MUHAMMAD ALI: THE MAKING OF AN ICON’ JUNE 10 The City of Lake Charles will host a nationally toured exhibition entitled “Muhammad Ali: The Making of an Icon.” The public is invited to the opening reception Fri., June 10 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street. There is no charge to attend, all ages are welcome and refreshments will be served. The exhibit represents a comprehensive cross-section of Ali’s life and times. This distinctive exhibition features photographs by Annie Leibovitz, Gordon Parks, Steve Schapiro, Thomas Hoepker, Art Shay, and Sonia Katchian among others. For more information, call (337) 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com. MACI’S MAKE-A-WISH FUNDRAISER JUNE 11 The Fontenot family of Lake Charles invites you to have fun while making a difference at “Maci’s Make-A-Wish and Make a Difference Festival Fundraiser” on Sat., June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Coliseum at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Tickets will be available at the door for $10. Proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which works to grant the wishes of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. The event will have fun activities for the entire family, including live music, face painting, a mechanical bull, fun house jump and slide, and so much more. For more information or to make a donation, contact Nikki Fontenot at (337) 802-7932 or nikkifontenot@yahoo.com. CORKS AND FORKS JUNE 12 Come to the Grand Marais Courtyard in Jennings for an amazing event showcasing 20 chefs featuring their signature dishes and 50 wines to sample. The event will be held Sun., June 12 from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are in limited supply and are $60 per person. The Grand Marais is located at 919 North Lake Arthur Avenue in Jennings. Call (337) 824-0376 or (337) 821-5534 for more information. NATIONAL JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SHOW JUNE 15-19 The American Junior Red Brangus Association will be hosting their National Junior Livestock Show on June 15-19 at the Burton Coliseum. During the week, more than 100 juniors and their families well converge on the area to exhibit their cattle and participate in numerous leadership and personal enhancement competitions. Many events scheduled for the week include a crawfish harvesting tour, airboat rides, salesmanship contest, showmanship contest, livestock show, costume contest, Quiz Bowl, Ag Olympics, cattle sale, live and silent auctions and a crawfish boil. All of the livestock competitions and sales will be held at the Burton Coliseum while the business meetings and awards banquet will take place at the Isle of Capri Casino. For more information, contact the bureau at (337) 436-9588 or log onto www.visitlakecharles.org. WENDELL SONNIER BENEFIT JUNE 18 Wendell Sonnier, 39, married and the father of three, just lost his courageous battle with lymphoma. There will be a special benefit on Sat., June 18 to raise money to help his family with his medical costs. The fundraiser will be held from 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. at the Cajun French Music Building at 3481 E. Prien Lake Rd. There will be food, music, live and silent auctions, fun jumps, a water slide for kids and so much more. For more information, go to Wendell’s Warriors on Facebook. TJN
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To list your event e-mail: lauren@thejambalayanews.com
The
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, JUNE 2 • Don Fontenot et Les Cajuns de la Prairie @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • John Cessac @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Sick Puppies @ Party by the Pool, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 8:30 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, JUNE 3 • Howard Noel & Cajun Boogie @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ Aucoin’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m. • Trigger Proof @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Kris Harper @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. SATURDAY, JUNE 4 • Joe Simon & Louisiana Cajun @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.
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• Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ Aucoin’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m. • Trigger Proof @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Cecil’s Band @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Kris Harper @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. • Randy Travis @ Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 • David Locklear @ The Cigar Club, 6 p.m. • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, JUNE 9 • Briggs Brown & The Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Bernie Alan @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • John Cessac @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Coal Train @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Marc Broussard @ Party by the Pool, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 8:30 p.m.
• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, JUNE 10 • Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Bayou Katz @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Reed Planchard @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • Kris Harper @ The Cigar Club, 9 p.m. • Larry the Cable Guy @ The Pavilion, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m. • Lee Johnson & The Texas Squeeze Band @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Bottoms Up @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. SATURDAY, JUNE 11 • Mack Manuel & The Lake Charles Ramblers @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Bayou Katz @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ VFW Post 2130, 7:30 p.m. • Cecil’s Band @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • In Liquid/Flatbed Honeymoon @ The Porch, 9 p.m. • Lochness Mobsters/HeadMINE @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 p.m.
Volume 3 • Issue 5
• TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, JUNE 16 • Pete Bergeron & The Bayou Boys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Frank Comeaux @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • John Cessac @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • O.A.R. @ Party by the Pool, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 8:30 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. FRIDAY, JUNE 17 • Felton LeJeune & The Cajun Cowboys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Chasing Scarlett @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Reed Planchard @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • TBA @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac, 10 p.m. SATURDAY, JUNE 18 • Al Roger & Louisiana Pride @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m. • Chasing Scarlett @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m. • Cecil’s Band @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7:30 p.m. • Mel Waiters/Sir Charles Jones @ Delta Event Center, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8 p.m. • Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners @ Club 1Sixty5, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 8 p.m. • TBA @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 8:30 p.m. • TBA @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m. • Grunge Factory @ Luna Bar & Grill, 10 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
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., June 3 @ 9 pm LARGE MARGE & LO PAN Sat., June 4 @ 9 pm HAY RIDE - HOE DOWN! VON DUKES & IBERVILLE HIGH LIFE Wed., June 8 @ 9 pm KORY FONTENOT (acoustic) Fri., June 10 @ 9 pm THE URGENT YOUNG Sat., June 11 @ 9 pm LOCHNESS MOBSTERS AND HEADMINE Sat., June 17 @ 9 pm GRAHAM WILKINSON
Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 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. She c f the an leslieber man.co be m.
t or cul true f who’d been bels to iise, ualeroes or major la ence surpr er had mot d i h v i d i f n v i d e d t u y e l a tapp eer and a when wh n. It had r high p l w te you e a h e t r much en dropped ad died do ose musica c s of a en’t s to i h k h h t t i n w e e i d k s n h h t ta an tist tha to t eally wer d now the up for ar w n. I like vated been true ty tastes, an ized o k in what hich they r d naïve, so sii s . w an os Bac alway ere minor e minority “made it”? days – were young est of all p d w l h t o s n e b c d l em i d ’t good y, but we in the he big mus time sty -rans joine an they ha some of th th d e a v i l e o w e t t wi als ha we tm any s th hat id tha I told you t ltime living I told ought t seemed t -signed act nd their D h t e w if if ful nds a ewly es – i on What to make a ears? What tists the from le tim allowed n p their sou resources k b e e r y e a l w e , 40 ab d lo try aw stors, ls last were usic? For he big nam ambled on indus ace to deve g effort an but still r e-mai n and inve t f m g g n v f o i p i r n y s o i f d i e r s l e t n e i o s p h in e and ces, spe entati n how a cou n t u that som usic indu sight, with uit the r prom a o g n f e e i s b r d I had king repres e once agai ical stars m o y ee ce au m o, q ss us lowan over usine or, fell fro f those, to bitions ng car see inded m l i b m a s o d t l e s g e i s i b c i u ’s b t a y v o l b it a ar ld eir am ential some and sp s. rom f at rem meticed, eoe wou talent t the time rink expon e 1970s so as fell f And that ed down th dependent and th feel for th d to get no wd, that p r o I y Tha p and sh in th til it w years? ss or stepp lternate in iences folsorry y. It’s so ha from the cr one and an indow n on us un king du e w a fan e ine e y aud t r he a d p h a n u s o t e a t to of e-y ssio en a pec om- bus followed t their loyal s and onto o ard nd o grasp at v e i a r w f t o p s a t r o m t a abou ade little i always be r record c bi- and , and that small club continue t hard t willing to e a step up racts, appe er r o d e ik t l r m n a s o m route them into hey could k e c u l how m . There ha mbitions f eemingly a s o l p t lo abe ws, and s l a t e a s h u t r t e a o o h l s j t g i a lowed tes, where pplause? been a too thin ing of m t TV sho -hou artists, w uld be fam n i f i a ways luence, s l o o a d r r b o h f h n ’s s e e s g o h a y a i s d w s r f h W y or en bra nd ho ng. c indust bles ustry s of in energ dion lat ales, a s to w adlini oor es’ sta i draw music ind ntric circle iers like tra , ances l circuit he e big mus ration of d is- pani decisions a m record s one, two, e e l t h c e r h d u n T e u a t e f y o ft in co tim y trar festiv n though the proli owcasting s h plat ar quietly a s. on of nance, with ss and old- ical i c t a y c e r e d e b r d l r v n i l a d E a fi ss co on a ng and n oads of k n and d disappe lease he favore ls er, of rn cla bluegr t l entati i l w ing re t of pow olk music, usic, mode ing an orbi fragm self record eans that ake their o , at shou disappoint who were r their labe f y m l / m p m a e r t l tion ce ar three could tel treated aft could fro d music it-you on options hance to m hey want to e occu orman and the lik the major n inexplie ey c ce i ou t f r t a h i r Y a l e t s u e d p t a w b e p u e i e a n y r g r t for a rs on yors incom d we cts, ages) ay the as soo r own re’s purve rely registe cept when ent, they the w ped all the . The favore y famous a (of all recordings d find thei t takes, the m a x a l o e s n a r that b ss’s radar, eakout m t ticket and had re record sale or supreme adio station music wn pace, a ow long th ig is bette r r e b f d e r n l b c i o bus an-driven ss of con initia rs opening pushed to otation, an their o matter h tality that f a , d r u s e n e n e m l t r y o e r s l e n v tist o . t cab on t ence opular m . critica an’t be ign s to the ar nt, ords w gers for hea esale discou ter of tha isc a s e t r h p t n c s r e a n c i a e t e a t me ol re na the still ggest is b e propon ntional w les tha ,what happ ge of a mo a m ma at deep wh ities – no m e a a s i r e m g b v n a D o n s o a d r C an er on hen mpti as co hose - p to retailers l opportun riate – wer ng And t plausibly th nly, alone, t? The And t erpetuated poken assu of opportu l i p n a r o o e r f d e f p n o d o m a p s i d o u s u to na , un ny ow th p who i en just as s ight lights g se who and a intless or i preference tists on the untru uy into the small wind ig biz train o r ar b po u in and th hen the b ppens to th t on the dom b ere’s a very board the s fast as yo o- how n at them es to other w e a h , h a h n stage hing that h the limelig pet by ns? T throw pportuniti that t r getting o your luck usically, em. t r lso-ra d the o a y e m o o e f s r s e t h o y t o ’r same shered into a magic ca s, t r h n i n sa you ette to d ady t el. d to a t b r e e b y o a u a e n h d d l ’ t e e n k C e a i r u t e p r l r e i te st sam what hap the Irene ither qu eir we s spread so yo hether o ss-savvy r ty of unre s’ ess in e on to the n i e r , s h w s a n o u y l t e l e l e l i S e b – l n l u o i m ov th g d ic can y, or bus there’re p and fami of Sea Over time, released fro ir g mus udiences m i s s b l ’ k t l s s c e e a n d s o h n l a t F tio eir a frien rles, n the been ment h me Dus? hen th est thing. Lake Cha er Whic acts whose encourage ol audiusker , or, having tepped-dow rofile with w H g n i g d ov i , is)-p ess cre s, s nI and next b here we are d cities all s) busin el contract t low(ered ie or self-d l medio ced praise to America a chance to n e a n d a a So owns f all ag big lab ons and we o-make, in s and digit s mispl rancing on hey’ve had nts and to mall t ith kids (o of e t i s c D t t p e t i l y n a d C e b s a e r , o n m i t a l r o a m e e a ir te ud ef th ly f eams ic orld, w singly to the oyal a and la jillong b at tru the w ing their dr lves in mus increa d records, und their l ernet. tions , to grow in style(s) th we get a ga e o t e s e m o s t l n f a n d e , I a u m e gly e in h- dr the and over the trib seaso the music how com ieber xcitin ssing loads, d of th r ig m ’s expre isitely, so e hat they down ll venues o he vanguar often its h y locate oats. That nd Justin B a or Emine u t l a t a g b so exq ly, so well, in sm y became ement, and as especial their orah Jones y Lady Ga someone t e s v w e h o r e T hon ist m yers. This lion N bes for eve r to imitat opied style nt art a c e a pende t-profile pl wann it’s far easi lse’s easily es e –
or , g i B It g ll n i A k t a A M ot N , e Mayb
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Volume 3 • Issue 5
draw in acolytes and fans in the multi-millions, and attract power and money in the big music industry – an industry that almost doesn’t exist anymore, except for its minor role in partnership with television, Hollywood, and international merchandising businesses. And here I am, bursting bubbles left and right, recommending that the kids (of all ages) make the long-term assessment now: Do they love it so much, are they
so hooked on it, that they want to be playing music at barbecues and Mardi Gras balls, in local Holiday Inn lounges and at house concerts, when they’re in their 60s, or are they just giving superstardom a one-summer shot following high school graduation, planning to quit as soon as school starts in the fall? Well, what’s it gonna be (mostly) boys (and girls)? TJN
Alcoholic & NonAlcoholic Fun for Everyone! Weddings • Holidays • Birthdays We bring the party to you!
3373044652
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Killin’ Time Crossword
Crossword puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com (www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission. Volume 3 • Issue 5
JUNE 2, 2011
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