The Jambalaya News - Vol. 3 No. 18

VOL. 3, NO. 18 / DECEMBER 1, 2011

Solutions for Holiday Depression • The Dang Yankee Takes a Stress Test Smoothie King is the King of Smoothies!

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

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 Leslie Berman George Cline Dan Ellender Maria Alcantara Faul Mike McHugh Candice Pauley Mary Louise Ruehr Brandon Shoumaker Karla Tullos ADVERTISING sales@thejambalayanews.com

SALES ASSOCIATES Katy Corbello Faye Drake Lindy George Karla Tullos GRAPHICS ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Darrell Buck BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Kay Andrews Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff.

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

Copyright 2011 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

contents

December 1, 2011 • Volume 3 • Issue 18

COVER STORY 21 Camelot Brookside: A Grand Opening and a Grand Residence

REGULARS 7 11 13 14 15 16 28

The Boiling Pot The Dang Yankee Tips from Tip Speakeasy Adoption Corner What’s Cookin’ Sports Report

21

FEATURES 5 Lake Area Purple Stride 18 Preventing Family Violence Workshop 24 Christmas Shopping Tips 26 Holiday Safety 27 Holiday Depression

5

ENTERTAINMENT 30 32 34 36 40 44 46 47

Red Hot Books Funbolaya Family Night at the Movies Society Spice Jambalaya Jam Local Jam Eclectic Company Killin’ Time Crossword

16

27 18

24 We accept credit cards!

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

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A Note From Phil The Reason for the Season?

Lauren and I were reading the paper over Thanksgiving, and noticed that some stores opened at midnight on Thursday for special deals. People lined up for hours to save money and get presents. One woman told a reporter, “I’m going to save money by coming early.

That means more gifts for my kids.” Another woman in California pepper-sprayed customers (in front of her child) to make sure she got that must-have gift for her kid.

Growing up, I’m so glad my parents never made a big deal about gifts. As many of you know, I grew up near Detroit in a bluecollar neighborhood with five siblings. Mom had all six of us in eight years, so we were close in age and close as friends. We celebrated Christmas, as did most of the people in our neighborhood. When December came around, Mom and Dad would start talking about the birth of Jesus and what it meant.

(But we never said, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” The season was much bigger than that!)

My friend Noah, whom I met in kindergarten and still keep in touch with, celebrated Hanukah, which is also in December. Mom and Dad would encourage me to go to Noah’s house and celebrate his holiday with him and learn what it was all about. (I do remember that he got a gift every day for a week—so I was real curious about his religion!)

But our holiday was always special. All six of us children played at least one instrument. Growing up, I played the violin and trombone.

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We would all get together and play Christmas carols in the living room.

It would begin with my older sister, Mary, who would start a song on the piano. I would hear it, and then pick up my violin. Frank, who is 11 months younger than me, would grab his tuba and start playing the base line. Then Chuck would get his accordion out.

Before you knew it, Ed was on his saxophone and Joan brought out her flute. Music was in the air!

Mom and Dad would come around and start singing. It was a lot of fun.

For many years, we drove to Detroit and performed for Midnight Mass at a church that still had the Latin mass. In our own church, we played many years at the noon services and people would come specifically to hear us play. Dad would be the lector, so people would call it “the de Albuquerque mass!”

Yes, Christmastime for the de Albuquerques was about playing music together to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and to celebrate with others—whatever they were celebrating.

It was about family, friends, and being thankful for what we had.

Gifts? Well, we received them, but it wasn’t a big deal.

We were allowed to ask Santa for one big present. And I remember one year, my parents told us that Santa would not be able to bring all six of us one big present each (a big pres-

ent was limited to $15) so we could only pick one small one.

I’m not sure it was a decision they made because of their financial position, or if it was to teach us a lesson that we couldn’t always get what we wanted. (My parents were all about teaching us lessons to make it in life.)

My favorite present from Santa was a Lite Brite. I stayed up late many nights playing with the little tubes and creating special effects with light. My next favorite gift was a View Master and I would travel in my dreams to wonderful destinations, or to Hollywood on the Star Trek set. These were wonderful presents, but every year was a wonderful holiday— regardless of what presents we received. We were taught the reason for the season was not gifts. And it wasn’t just Jesus. It was Jesus for us Catholics,

but the season was much bigger than that. We were encouraged to celebrate with others—whatever they were celebrating.

To this day, I love all the holidays and respect every religion’s celebrations.

And to those of you who stand in line at midnight, or fight and pepper spray to get more gifts, well, I guess that’s your reason for the season, and I hope it works for you.

For me, I thank God for what I have. Give me my violin, good friends, a good drink and let’s celebrate with a song!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

– Phil de Albuquerque TJN

Mary, Ed and Phil

Volume 3 • Issue 18

By Maria Alcantara Faul

Suzanne Walker had never heard of pancreatic cancer until her mother, Mary Louise Hanks, was diagnosed in April of 1990. Her symptoms were caught early enough for her to be eligible for a surgical process called a Whipple Procedure: an operation where the head of the pancreas, a portion of the bile duct, the gallbladder and the duodenum is removed.

With the pancreas removed, it was hoped that Hanks would live a longer life. She received chemotherapy after the surgery and fought a courageous battle. On Oct. 14, 1991, 18 months after her diagnosis and ten days before her 49th birthday, she lost her battle with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer, the “silent killer,” proves to be one of the most challenging cancers. Symptoms are not usually present in early stages and early discovery is usually accidental. The symptoms are almost non-existent until the cancer has spread and metastasized Because of non-specific symptoms such as jaundice, weight and appetite loss and back pain, the disease is typically not diagnosed until it is already at Stage 4—too late to operate and with practically no sign of hope. It’s the fourth leading cause of cancer death, but continues to be the least funded among the top 5 cancer killers, which include lung, colon, breast, and prostate.

Sadly, unlike most of the leading cancer killers, there is no screening test for pancreatic cancer. One

can undergo a colonoscopy to detect colon cancer; a mammogram to detect breast cancer; a chest x-ray to detect lung cancer; and a PSA test to detect prostate cancer. But there is no established screening process and no early detection methods for pancreatic cancer. There are few effective treatment options and, currently, there is no cure.

The American Cancer Society estimates that each year in the United States, 44,000 individuals will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer—74 percent of whom will die within the first year. It is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, striking both men and women, and is also the only one of the top 10 cancer killers that still has a five-year survival rate in the single digits.

Conversely, in the same timeframe, the five-year survival rate for all forms of cancer has risen from 50 to 68 percent, and some cancer survival rates are now 90 percent or above.

Wayne Remy’s Story Kristi and Wayne Remy lived the perfect life.

Married for 19 years, they had careers that they loved and a solid marriage blessed with two children.

“I was married to my best friend, my soulmate.

I just knew I’d grow old with him,” Kristi said. In the

Top right: Last year’s Christus St. Patrick Team. Middle right: Wayne Remy and daughter Linsey. Bottom right: Mary Hanks with her daughter Suzanne Walker, mother Thelma Bellard and granddaughter Kim Johnson

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summer of 2003, Wayne went on a mission trip to Tennessee with 25 other young people from their church. During the trip, Wayne’s appetite decreased and he told their priest he wasn’t feeling well. Upon his return, the couple contacted their internist, who immediately admitted Wayne to the hospital.

“Wayne was bleeding internally,” Kristi said. “He had six pints of blood and a CT, MRI, and multiple GI tests.”

A nuclear medicine technician by trade, Wayne diagnosed himself— Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He knew that the diagnosis wasn’t a good one, and sat his wife down to explain its severity.

At Kristi’s insistence, he did agree to go to Houston for a second opinion and on June 30 (Kristi’s birthday) they received the formal diagnosis.

Wayne went through two rounds of chemo and on the second round, the tumor grew by 50 percent. At this point, Wayne decided he was done with treatment. He explained his situation through Scripture to his two children: Linsey, then 16 and Cole, 10. On Dec. 7, 2003, only four months after he was diagnosed, Wayne Remy died.

Wayne’s loss left a void in Kristi’s whole being—a void that that she

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was determined to fill. She began a quest towards providing hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer and their families, meeting many people along the way.

PurpleStride Lake Area Since Kristi couldn’t change the outcome of Wayne’s fight with the disease, she chose to work towards changing the future prognosis of pancreatic cancer -- one step at a time. In 2004, she organized the first PurpleStride Lake Area event at 1-10 Beach. Seventy-five friends and family members attended the event, which raised over $12,000. Since 2004, PurpleStride Lake Area has raised over $200,000 for pancreatic cancer research. “We’ve had the event every year since 2004, except in 2005, when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita came through,” Kristi said.

Research and progress continues daily, but more research is urgently needed. “The goal of PurpleStride is to raise money to find early screening procedures to detect pancreatic cancer,” Kristi said. “It’s essential that we all work together to increase public awareness of this deadly disease and ensure scientific progress is made to increase survival of pancreatic cancer patients.”

PurpleStride Lake Area is an opportunity for the community to come together to raise awareness and support for the fight against this horrible disease.

“It provides an opportunity for families to gather together and share stories of their loved ones and to also encourage those persons currently battling this disease,” Suzanne Walker said.

All of the funds raised go directly to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, a nationwide network of people dedicated to working together to advance research, support patients and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.

Nicole Elliott is one of the event’s many supporters. Her dear friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at only 36 years of age. Nicole was with her during one of her chemotherapy treatments at a local hospital where she saw a flyer for the PurpleStride Lake Area in November 2008.

Her friend wanted to attend the event, but she was too sick the day of the walk. Sadly, she never had the chance to participate in PurpleStride; she died in February 2009. But Nicole and a small group of her friends participate annually in her honor by raising money and collect-

ing and making items for the silent auction at the event. “It’s important to spread the word and hopefully raise awareness of this extremely deadly cancer,” Nicole said.

The deaths of actor Patrick Swayze and Apple founder Steve Jobs has brought attention to the disease, but more needs to be done. Over 700 walkers are expected to participate in this year’s event, set to take place Dec. 3 at Prien Lake Park. It features a silent auction which will offer items such as New Orleans Saints tickets, artwork, baked goods, a barbecue pit, an overnight stay at L’Auberge and more; as well as food, fun and great entertainment. So come support the cause! Make strides in the fight against Pancreatic Cancer.

For more information visit www.purplestride.org, or contact Kristi Remy at wkremy@bellsouth.net.

Editor’s Note: My brave, beautiful mother died of pancreatic cancer in October of 2002, just eight months after her diagnosis. The statistics are shocking. Early detection methods are desperately needed to fight this dreadful disease. I urge all of my readers to please help support PurpleStride Lake Area if you possibly can. Thank you so much! TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

The

Boiling

P l

Please submit press releases to lauren@thejambalayanews.com

League Coordinator of the year for a growth of 41 percent in 2011. Mary Kaye Eason will receive an award for five years of volunteer service recognition as well as Combo League Coordinator of the year with a growth of 49 percent in 2010.

Pictured from left: Rep. AB Franklin; Pinnacle’s Kerry Andersen; Board Member Alfretta Gauthier; and L’Auberge’s VP and GM Keith W. Henson.

L’AUBERGE DONATES TO ABF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT L’Auberge Casino Resort recently donated more than $2,800 to the ABF Community Development, Inc., for the 2nd Annual Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Meals. L’Auberge is pleased to join State Representative AB Franklin in his efforts to feed people in need this holiday season. Baskets filled with an array of Thanksgiving ingredients were distributed on Nov. 17 at the Pryce-Miller Recreation Complex.

CHRISTUS ST. PATRICK HOSPITAL NAMED CONSUMERS’ CHOICE For the third consecutive year, CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital has been named the region’s most preferred hospital for overall quality and image by the National Research Corporation (NRC), in its Healthcare Market Guide Ticker® study. In addition, CHRISTUS St. Patrick was recognized as having the best doctors and the best nurses. The Ticker® study is widely known as the nation’s most comprehensive consumer assessment of the health care industry.

NRC polled more than 250,000 consumers to determine which hospitals would join the ranks of the 2010/2011 Consumer Choice Award winners.

CHAUMONT AWARDED SENIOR MIXED LEAGUE COORDINATOR OF THE YEAR The Louisiana Tennis Association awarded Jennifer Chaumont, sales manager for the LC/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Senior Mixed League Coordinator of the Year. Chaumont was selected for this award for her assistance in helping grow the Senior Mixed Doubles league by 48 percent in 2011. Jennifer is also a board member for the Lake Area Community Tennis Association and remains committed and dedicated to the growth of tennis in Southwest Louisiana. Two additional coordinators from the Lake Charles area will also be receiving awards. Marcela Lemoine will receive Adult Senior Volume 3 • Issue 18

MSU’s Richard H. Reid, center, accepts the donation from Charles V. Timpa, left, president and CEO of First Federal Bank and Leslie Harless, VP and marketing director of First Federal Bank. McNeese Photo

FIRST FEDERAL DONATES TO MSU First Federal Bank of Louisiana has donated $5,000 to McNeese State University through the McNeese Foundation for the C. Marshall Abadie Memorial Scholarship Fund it established several years ago.

ADVANCED MRI EARNS ACR ACCREDITATION Advanced MRI in Lake Charles has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in breast magnetic resonance imaging as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology. The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 34,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists. For more information about Advanced MRI, call (337) 494-2674.

TERRO NAMED AQUATICS COORDINATOR AT DYNAMIC DIMENSIONS Sheena Terro has been named aquatics coordinator for Dynamic Dimensions Fitness Centers of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. She will be responsible for developing aquatics programming, ensuring quality cusDECEMBER 1, 2011

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tomer service, and implementing proper pool maintenance and safety procedures at both locations of Dynamic Dimensions. A resident of Sulphur, Terro most recently served as an exercise specialist at Dynamic Dimensions in Moss Bluff. She holds a degree in health and human performance from McNeese State University and has been employed by WCCH for five years. For more information on the aquatics programs at Dynamic Dimensions, call (337) 8557708 or (337) 527-5459.

Maria Alcantara Faul, VP/development of Family & Youth; Julio Galan, president and CEO of Family Foundation; and Randy Robb, executive director of Chennault International Airport Authority.

FAMILY FOUNDATION RECEIVES ENDOWMENT FROM CHENNAULT The Family Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, the philanthropic arm of Family & Youth Counseling Agency, accepted a $10,000 endowment from employees of Chennault International Airport Authority. The employees’ endowment will help ensure that Family and Youth programs will be available for future Southwest Louisiana residents.

Well Connected Riderz Motorcycle Club with Oak Park Food Pantry coordinator Don Cline.

WELL CONNECTED RIDERZ DONATE TO OAK PARK FOOD PANTRY On Sat., Nov. 19, Well Connected Riderz Motorcycle Club helped the Lake Charles Community by donating food to the Oak Park Food Pantry.

TROSCLAIR JOINS FIRST NATIONAL BANK IN DERIDDER First National Bank in DeRidder has recently announced the addition of Misti Trosclair to the staff at their Mortgage Loan Production Office in Lake Charles. Trosclair will serve as mortgage loan originator/processor. She has had 16 years of financial and sales experience in the banking industry. Trosclair joins Manette Pecorino, mortgage loan officer, at the Lake Charles office located at 1180 E. McNeese Street, Suite A7. For more information, call 310-0940.

Misti Trosclair

CHAMBER SOUTHWEST ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION The United States Chamber of Commerce awarded the Chamber Southwest Louisiana its highest rating—a 5-Star Accreditation—for its sound PAGE 8

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community. In order to receive Accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, and technology. This extensive self-review can take 6-9 months to complete. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

center. A check was recently presented to Debby Nabours, director of the WCCH Foundation, Paula Koonce, director of the Riding Center, and Sondra Moss, president of the WCCH Foundation, from representatives of the group.

The Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center provides outpatient occupational therapy services to the developmentally disabled in a non-traditional health care setting by utilizing hippotherapy. For more information on the services of the center, please call (337) 625-3972.

THE DESIGN STUDIO CHANGES NAME TO CASEY DROST INTERIORS, LLC The Design Studio – Louisiana, LLC, a Lake Charles business, recently changed its name to Casey Drost Interiors, LLC. The company is an interior design firm specializing in custom draperies, furniture, fabric and trim, and offers design consultation services including paint colors and space planning for residential and commercial spaces. The company’s address and phone numbers have not changed. For more information, call (337) 562-0110 or email casey@caseydrostinteriors.com.

Stephanie Clark, left, assistant director of alumni affairs, accepts the donation from Kyle Clawson, Graywood general manager. McNeese photo

GRAY PLANTATION DONATES TO MSU Gray Plantation has donated $8,211.93 to the McNeese Alumni Association as part of a community partnership program that allowed McNeese alumni to join the Clubs of Graywood with a 50 percent reduction in the initiation fee. The fee was then donated back to the alumni association by Graywood.

ZARTLER RECEIVES CHARLIE TAYLOR MEMORIAL AWARD The SWLA Football Officials Association presented the Charlie Taylor Memorial Award to Eric Zartler, senior sales manager/athletics of the LC/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau. He was honored with this award for his strong work ethic and tremendous dedication to the Louisiana High School Officials Association Football Officials Camp that was held this past August at Westlake High School. This award is given to an official who has shown dedication and commitment to officiating high school football in SWLA. This is the highest honor, besides calling a state championship game, that an official in the association can earn. Zartler is in his 12th year as high school football official with the LHSAA.

Krewe de Karoline donating to Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center of WCCH.

GENESIS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER RECEIVES DONATION Krewe de Karoline recently held their third annual benefit poker run for the Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. Thanks to the support of the community, the event, which consisted of a poker run, barbeque, silent auction and live auction, raised $13,000 for the Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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JODI STICKNEY, RN, NAMED URGENT CARE MANAGER Jodi Stickney, RN, has been named manager of The Clinic Urgent Care. Stickney will coordinate and manage all aspects of patient care and day-to-day operations at both Urgent Care Center locations in Lake Charles and in Moss Bluff. Stickney, a Lake Charles resident, studied at ICCC College, Drake University and the University of Iowa. She has spent over 19 years in the nursing field. Much of her experiJodi Stickney ence has been in the critical and emergency care areas.

The Clinic Urgent Care Centers are a division of the Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group. Urgent Care Center locations include: 4320 Lake Street in Lake Charles and 277 Highway 171 in Moss Bluff.

Extended hours are available and walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call (337) 310-CARE.

Physical Therapy Technician: Starts Dec. 12 • 14 Weeks Phlebotomy Technician: Starts Dec. 12 • 10 Weeks Medical Office Assistant: Starts Dec. 19 • 8 Weeks Dental Assistant: Starts Jan. 2 • 10 Weeks Other Classes Available: EKG Technician, Medical Insurance & Coding Specialist "I chose Academy of Acadiana over the others because of their friendly, helpful staff, positive campus atmosphere, and full hands on experience. This school gave me the confidence and education I needed to achieve my goal of becoming a dental assistant." — Jessica Oldham

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT A UPGRADED Wastewater Treatment Plant A, originally built in 1938 and located on West Railroad Ave., is being upgraded with a more efficient treatment system that will improve treatment of the wastewater in the northern part of the city.

The City of Lake Charles is in the final completion stages of the removal of the old wastewater screen system and the installation of a new mechanical bar screen system, which will help remove unwanted trash and debris and keep it from entering the wastewater plant. Work also included modifications to the aeration treatment basins, including: installing new air diffusers, making piping modifications, and installing new energy efficient air supply blowers. Modifications to the plant to support the new equipment required various electrical, mechanical and structural upgrades. New safety handrails, walkways, and stairways were also part of the needed improvements. The total cost of the project was $3.1 million of which $1.7 million was from an EPA grant received for wastewater plant improvements. TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Dang Yankee

Sponsored by

The

with those isotopes—if right then and there, I’d turn green, split my hospital gown, smash the machine, bust through the wall, and go spend the afternoon vaulting back and forth over the Capital One Building.

Luckily, that didn’t happen.

Instead, they took me out of the machine and hooked me up again with those cybernetic wires, after which they made me run on a treadmill—still without the benefit of so much as a latte. Then it was more isotopes and more pictures.

I’m now waiting to hear the

results. Regardless of the prognosis, I must say that I’m glad I went through it. You can go to L’Auberge every weekend if you so desire, but your health is nothing to gamble with.

Sure, I’m as much afraid of isotopes as the next guy, but I’m even more afraid of leaving my wife without somebody to leave do-lists for. Still, I’m hopeful that the doctor will give me a clean bill of ………….. agggghhhhh!

Just kidding there; y’all aren’t getting rid of me that easy. TJN

By Mike McHugh

The Stress Test A few weeks ago, I began to experience a strange tingling in my chest.

I figured that either some fire ants had built a nest in there, or it was a symptom of a heart condition. Either way, I thought I’d better see the doctor and get it checked out. After all, I do have a few risk factors for the latter. One of these is heredity, and this particularly concerned me, since the feeling started about the same time that my daughter asked for a loan.

Once at the doctor’s office, the nurse gave me an EKG. This is a kind of test where they hook a bunch of wires up to your chest, making you look like one of those science fiction movie characters who pilots his spaceship via cybernetic connections.

The wires are attached to your chest by suction cups. This is a real challenge with guys like me, who, without a shirt, could easily pass for Chewbacca. The nurse was prepared for this challenge, however, as she produced a razor the size of a lawnmower blade. She easily dispatched the offending hair while, at the same time, seemingly doubling the size of my resident fire ant colony.

The EKG machine produced a bunch of squiggly lines, the likes of which I have only seen spray-painted on subway cars back in Yankee Land.

The doctor, after examining them, told me that he didn’t notice anything abnormal. Still, as a precaution (presumably against the cancellation of his malpractice insurance), he ordered a stress test.

The “stress” component of the test became apparent when the clinic called with instructions on how to prepare. I was to have no food—or worse, caffeine—for 12 hours beforehand. I was also advised to bring all of my prescription medications, which, with my various ailments--not to mention my doctor’s golf outings with drug company reps--I had to Volume 3 • Issue 18

cart in with a wheelbarrow. This seemed too much to ask of someone who hadn’t had his morning coffee.

After arriving at the clinic, I was ushered into an examining room, complete with an examining table (a handy thing for examinations), a chair, and a stack of National Geographic magazines dating back to May of 1965. Waiting there, I did some examining of my own, browsing the National Geographics for pictures of topless native women. (There weren’t any.)

Then, a technician came in carrying a lead tube that looked like the main fuse for AC/DC’s sound system, except it had these radiation stickers all over it. In it was a tracer consisting of radioactive isotopes that they needed to inject into my blood system. They said it was so they could trace what was going on inside my heart during the test. I suspected the purpose for it was that if I should I try to escape during the procedure, they could track me using a Geiger counter. He then stuck an IV the size of a whale harpoon into my hand, through which he added the tracer.

Thusly injected, I was made to wait some more for the isotopes to do their work. Waiting, it seems, is a key element in the conducting of stress tests. Sitting there thinking, I wondered how they’d react if I just dropped myself onto the examining table with a loud thud and then lay there in a lifeless manner. I rejected this thought immediately, however, considering that one possible reaction might be for them to walk in and start harvesting internal organs.

The technician returned (presumably following a round of golf with my doctor and the drug company reps), and put me in this machine to take pictures of my now-radioactive heart. I spent another long time in there, all the while wondering—what DECEMBER 1, 2011

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Fourth Annual Vision/Verse Seeking Artists and Poets Vision/Verse, the annual art and poetry exhibition, is currently seeking submissions from visual artists and poets to participate in the fourth edition of the exhibit. Vision/Verse reinforces the bond between the literary and visual arts by examining the role of inspiration in art, particularly how poetry can inspire art and how art can influence poetry. The exhibit will open on June 2.

There are a total of 20 available spots for ten poets and ten visual artists. The deadline to submit poetry and artwork is Mon., Dec. 5 via e-mail. After the poets and artists are selected, each poet chooses one of the ten artists’ pieces of art to use as inspiration for a second poem.

Simultaneously, each artist will choose one of the submitted poems to use as a springboard for a new piece of art.

Once all participants have chosen their inspiration, they have from January to May to produce the new piece. At the end of the process, 20 new pieces of art and poetry will be created. By submitting to this juried show, all poets and artists are agreeing to produce a second piece of work for the exhibit by May 2012.

Yellow Flag Press, the exhibit coordinator which specializes in publishing and producing broadsides and chapbooks, will create limited edition broadsides, or visual pieces of poetry.

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These broadsides will be hung with their complementary art pieces in the gallery. During the opening reception, the poets will give a reading of the exhibit’s work.

Last year Julie Kane, current Louisiana Poet Laureate, and Darrell Bourque, previous Louisiana Poet Laureate, participated in the exhibit along with several other award winning and widely published poets and artists including Heather Ryan Kelley, Ava Leavell Haymon, and Tony Forrest.

To submit to Vision/Verse, email three to five poems or digital images of artwork to ejmccreedy@yahoo.com with full contact information and details about each piece. In order to be considered, all submissions must be received by Mon., Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. A notification of accepted works will be announced by Jan. 1, 2012. For more information, contact Yellow Flag Press at (337) 304-1798.

TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

By George “Tip” Cline

THANK YOU, CITY MARSHAL’S OFFICE! Since we’re now in the midst of the Christmas shopping season, great care must be taken to prevent any unpleasantness from evildoers that prey upon the innocent shopper. A wary eye is a paramount means to help ensure safety. Always remember the advice given to all of us as children to “Look both ways,” not only as you cross the street, but as you exit from any building to your vehicle.

We are most fortunate that our law enforcement agencies give extra attention to our various shopping centers. In a recent visit with our Lake Charles City Marshal Joey Alcede and his chief deputy Karl Gillard, I was well pleased to learn that off-duty deputy city marshals volunteer to man the mobile substation located in the Target Shopping Center on West Prien Lake Road.

They also patrol the Sam’s Club and Walmart, Nelson Road parking lots.

These deputy marshals donate their time and services to help keep shopping as pleasant as reasonably possible. City Marshal Alcede has at least three vehicles stationed in that area for these deputies to perform their patrolling from the substation.

There are at least two deputies and as many as six in the evening hours ensuring safety and security at no extra cost to the taxpayers. A heartfelt thank you to our City Marshal’s office is more than due.

CASH BANNED AT YARD SALES A regular reader brought to my attention a recently past and signed Louisiana Law. Act 389 of the 2011 Session, has banned the use of cash Volume 3 • Issue 18

Heinz Ketchup, 20 ounce bottle: Albertsons $1.89; Kroger $1.99; Market Basket $1.99; Walmart $1.78.

Broccoli crowns, fresh per pound: Albertsons $.79; Kroger $1; Market Basket $1.50; Walmart $1.68.

Gold Medal Flour-All Purpose, 2-pound package: Albertsons $2.09, Kroger $1.79, Market Basket $1.99, Walmart $1.48.

Crawfish Tails, frozen per 16ounce package: Albertsons $6.99, Market Basket $9.49.

Crawfish Tails, frozen per 12ounce package: Kroger $6.99; Walmart $8.28.

Note on a per ounce basis: Albertsons $.44; Market Basket $.59; Kroger $.58; Walmart $.69.

These were all imported “wild caught” crawfish tails from China and Spain.

Editor’s note: Please don’t buy imported crawfish!

TJN

by anyone buying, selling or disposing of “junk” or used secondhand property more than twice a month.

This law, in its great wisdom, demands the use of checks, electronic transfers or money orders to be used in those transactions.

The intent of the law was to crack down on thieves and locate stolen items by being able to more easily trace these types of transactions. A liberal reading of this law seems to indicate that a person could not go to more than one yard sale a month and pay with cash. Bank of America and other card issuers must have loved hearing that this little jewel was being polished. Interesting that the folding money in my wallet says that it is legal tender for all debts, public and private, and it does not rule out debt obligations in Louisiana in any way, shape or form.

I suspect that the ACLU will happily intervene at the first opportunity to jump in on this one. Makes me want to go to two garage sales this weekend, just to be a bad boy.

SUPERMARKET ROUNDUP In the previous issue, we reported on a few traditional Thanksgiving menu items. Market Basket did not have any turkeys in stock for us to compare prices with when we checked prices on Nov. 9. So to be fair, I will add that they featured their turkeys at $.29 per pound with the purchase of an additional $20 of products. Without the additional purchase, the price rose to $.95 per pound.

Our shopping report this issue is for Tues., Nov. 22 at Albertsons, Country Club Road; Kroger, McNeese Street; Market Basket, Nelson Road and Walmart, Nelson Road. These are the posted prices on the shelves.

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 13

By Lauren de Albuquerque When I was a kid, I used to love watching the Roller Derby on television. It was fast and exciting and those ladies were tough. I forgot all about the Roller Derby until I heard that some teams were forming in Lake Charles. And I finally got to see a game for the first time recently.

What fun! It was fast and exciting and those ladies are tough.

Lafitte’s Ladies of the Gulf Coast Roller Girls’ League make their headquarters The Grindhouse at 932

Enterprise St. in Lake Charles. A few weeks ago, they played the Kung Pow Kitties from Texas in a bout titled “Fishnets of Fury,” and the action never stopped.

Admission is $10. You bring your own chair, and you can BYOB if you’d like. Snacks (hot dogs, nachos, sodas, etc.) are available for purchase, along with Lafitte’s Ladies T-shirts and other fun merchandise. Their space is huge and comfortable and they get a good crowd.

If you’ve never been to a game, make plans to go in the near future.

Tickets are on sale now at The Grindhouse for “Season’s Beatings,” a mashup of skaters from Northside Fury, Rock ‘n Rollergirls, South Side Roller Derby, Pearl River Roller Derby, and of course Lafitte’s Ladies. It will be held on Sat., Dec. 10. You can also purchase tickets at the door. Let me know how you like it!

The SWLA Heart Walk was a big success. Held on the McNeese State University Campus, it was a beautiful day for a three-mile walk, and crowds of participants gathered early. And so did The Jam—Phil and I were there to judge the jambalaya cook-off. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it.

Congrats to winner Brian Abshire of First National Bank, whose jambalaya was absolutely delicious. The crowd thought so, too. I think the jambalaya was gone in 15 minutes!

And congratulations to Janice Ackley and her team for another successful Heart Walk!

Speaking of jambalaya, Phil made his first jambalaya last week, probably inspired by Brian’s dish. It was wonderful! And it’s not personal bias—he brought it to The Jam office and it was praised by folks who’ve lived in SWLA all of their lives. Good for him—and good for me, because

he’s on a cooking kick now.

He loves how the men down here cook the gumbo and jambalaya and fry the turkeys and grill the fish and barbecue whatever they can get their hands on. Phil’s gumbo is amazing— he made some last month, which we promptly froze since it was so warm.

We defrosted some this past weekend when the temperature dropped. I had some for lunch today and it was perfect.

Like a true cook, Phil has no real recipe; he just throws everything together and keeps tasting until it’s right. And so far, it’s all been right.

Looking forward to some good meals this winter! TJN

Lauren and Phil with Joseph and jambalaya cook-off winner Brian.

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Meet Tiny Chi! “’Aaayy, Mate!’ That’s my pirate voice because now that I have only one eye, I like to talk like a pirate! The vet tried really hard to save my eye, but he finally decided to get that thing out of my head so I could be free of pain and get back to giving love to my humans.”

If you want a Chihuahua that is well socialized and gets along with both people and other dogs, then Tiny Chi is just the dog for you. This guy is so nice and just fits right in anywhere.

He isn’t nervous; he’s just a calm and nice little dog that wants a home of his own. He’s ready to snuggle with you while you watch TV or even sleep in

Volume 3 • Issue 18

your bed. He is so well potty trained he will even tell you when he wants to go outside! Tiny is great in the car and just loves everyone. Please give this boy the love he so deserves. Come out to meet our Tiny Chi....you will be glad you did, and he will too. An application can found online at www.4PawsSocietyInc.com and faxed to (337) 558-6331 or emailed to fourpawssociety@aol.com. A vet reference and home visit is included with each adoption process. If you live outside the general area a “virtual” home visit can be done. TJN

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 15

What’s Cookin’ Happy Holidays From

Carl Smith, Chyna Mouton, Heather Armentor, Russell Norwood and David Sonnier

PAGE 16

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Charles Lacoste’s motivation to buy a Smoothie King franchise was based on his desire to live a healthier lifestyle—and to encourage others to do the same. That was 25 years ago.

Smoothie King’s mission is to become the healthy alternative to unhealthy food choices by providing a consistent, outstanding guest experience, great-tasting nutritional smoothies and the highest quality nutritional products in a healthy, energetic environment.

Smoothie King Lake Charles has done just that, with loyal guests that come in every day for their delicious and nutritious Smoothies, supplements, enhancers, and snacks. There’s something for everyone.

Want to lose weight? Come in and try their newest addition to the Smoothie line, the Lean 1 Protein Smoothie (comes in strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate).

Lean 1 was formulated by former NFL player Bill Romanowski and wife Julie. They have worked with the top doctors, nutritionists and scientists to formulate the world’s best tasting, most functional of all weight loss shakes ever.

“Now I’m sharing what I‘ve found and created with you,” said Romanowski. “Whoever you are and whatever your goals, Lean 1 will perform for you – guaranteed!”

Romanowski said that Lean 1 is an extremely healthy and highly effective weight loss protein powder with a proven track record to help you lose weight fast without ever feeling hungry. “That’s why so many men and women have opted for these tasty and easy to prepare protein shakes and had such success to lose pounds of unwanted body fat Volume 3 • Issue 18

they have struggled to lose on fad and gimmick diets,” he said.

Remember, you are what you drink. Add an enhancer to any Smoothie King Smoothie and customize it to meet your specific needs or goals. Want to increase bone and joint health? Need energy? Need more fiber? Would you like a good pre-workout, immune system or vitamin boost? There are enhancers for all that, and more.

Man does not live by Smoothie alone. The healthy snacks at Smoothie King are full of nutrition and are always delicious. Selections include: • Energy bars and protein drinks • Vegan cookies • Protein bars Smoothie King also has Private Label Snacks that include: • Veggie chips • Smoothie King Hi-Protein Muffins and Fruity Breads • Smoothie King Snack Bags Don’t miss out on their weekly specials, including:

Friday All Day Special A Medium Smoothie with an enhancer for only $7 Breakfast Special 7-10 a.m. Mon-Friday only A 20-oz. Smoothie with bread/muffin for only $6 Lunch Special 11p.m.-2 p.m. Tues-Thurs only A 20-oz. Smoothie with a bag of Kettle Chips for only $6

Monday All Day Special Large Muscle Punch with an enhancer for only $8.

*Gift Cards are also available!!!

What makes Smoothie King better than its competitors? The Name and Taste says it all! “We are The KING of Smoothies!” Try It For Yourself!

Smoothie King 4300 Ryan St. Lake Charles Mon-Fri,7 a.m.- 9 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun.,10 a.m.-8 p.m.

(337) 478-4080, www.smoothieking.com, Like our Smoothie King of Lake Charles Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @SmoothieKingLC to receive special offers and discounts.

Strawberry Lean I Smoothie Want to look good and feel great during and after the holidays? Try Smoothie King’s Delicious Strawberry Lean 1 Smoothie!

INGREDIENTS • 2-scoops of Lean 1 powder supplement (purchased at Smoothie King) • 1-scoop of non-fat or low fat yogurt (plain vanilla frozen) • 1-3 oz. ladle of pineapples • 1-cup crushed ice

Lean 1 Smoothie supplements may be purchased at Smoothie King. Try their other delicious flavors to create your own smoothie: vanilla, chocolate, cookies n cream, banana cream and vanilla raspberry. TJN

Blend and enjoy!

Be Good To Yourself and Others at Smoothie King! TJN

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE! FREE CONSULTATIONS! WE SPECIALIZE IN LASER REMOVAL OF: Hair • Wrinkles • Scars • Birthmarks • Rosacea Spider Veins • Warts • Acne Scarring • Tattoos Brown Spots • Stretch Marks • Acne • Cellulite

Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 17

By Candice Pauley On Nov. 5, The People’s Advocate hosted its third-annual “Preventing Family Violence Workshop” with one goal in mind: to “Make the Link – Break the Cycle.” The workshop is aimed at bringing together all of the agencies involved in responding to family violence, including law enforcement, lawyers, judges, mental health professionals, women’s shelters, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and animal cruelty investigators to collaborate and engage in making the link between animal and child neglect, and breaking the cycle of family violence. A crucial step in achieving this end is recognizing the warning signs in a home by acknowledging the health and state of its animals.

With a list of participants like The People’s Advocate, ASPCA, Louisiana Bar Foundation, Oasis (Women’s Shelter), the District Attorney, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff ’s office, Lake Charles Police Department, DCFS, Calcasieu Parish Animal Services and national leaders, the workshop is well on its way to creating the link, or at least the dialogue.

Beth Zilbert is the founder of The People’s Advocate, an organization founded, among other things, to represent and advocate for children caught in the juvenile justice system. Part of the organization’s mission is to work toward ending the cycle of family violence and violence toward animals.

In their efforts, they have created a domestic violence task force made up of The People’s Advocate, the Women’s Shelter and the Southwest Louisiana Law Center. However, Representatives from law enforcement, the judicial system, and DCFS regularly attend the task force’s quarterly meetings. The goal of the task force is to create communication and cooperation among all of the agencies that play a part in responding to domestic violence. To that end, the Preventing Family Violence Workshop gives all of those players a voice, and helps to educate everyone on the seriousness and reality of the link.

Zilbert was inspired to create the workshop by her own experiences in the juvenile justice system.

“The first time I was in court as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, I remember hearing the DCFS investigator testify regarding the reasons the children should be removed from the home,” she said. “She mentioned that the dogs in the home looked like they had not been fed and there did not seem to be dog food in the home, and that there was dog feces all over the home. This sounded like neglect to me, and later I asked if the investigator had contacted anyone at Calcasieu Parish Animal Services and the answer was no.”

The connection made by the DCFS officer is a step in the right direction, but Zilbert believes that a more holistic approach and earlier intervention is necessary to really take strides in ending family and animal violence.

“All of the partners, colleagues, and players that make up the set of agencies, organizations, and advocates that focus on specific areas of family violence need to get together to help both educate each other and brainstorm solutions,” Zilbert said.

While animal cruelty has been linked to sociopathic tendencies in cases like that of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who started his violent path by killing animals, not everyone makes the link between aniPAGE 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

mal cruelty and child and family violence.

“I thought about animal cruelty and the connection with serial killers, but I never really brought the connection to family pets and children,” said former DCFS investigator Jessie McInnis. “As an investigator, we would see the children first outside of the home at a school or daycare if possible. When in the home, we were looking more specifically for the things the children were exposed to and living with. If I were still investigating, [questions about animals in the home] would be something I would begin asking on intake.”

A reoccurring theme among conference attendees was the shock at the overwhelming evidence linking animal abuse and child abuse, and the shocking number of those cases still happening in 2011.

Brenna Thomas, a former foster care worker present at the workshop, said that if there is anything she took away from the workshop, it is the prominent link between animal and human cruelty.

“The workshop opened my eyes to the fact that animal abuse is a warning sign of child abuse,” Thomas said. “I would not have put the two together without this training.”

Kathy Brown, director of Jeff Davis Community Against Domestic Abuse (CADA) in Jennings said that the similarities between child abuse and animal abuse were shocking to her. Because of the training, CADA will incorporate a questionnaire for children entering the shelter that discusses their pets and treatment of the pets in the household.

“The workshop was informative on both sides (law enforcement and social services),” Brown said. “I would like to see even more involvement of law enforcement with (social services) to create a complete understanding of each other’s roll and an open dialog to better serve our victims.”

Included in the workshop handouts were shocking statistics and studies. The People’s Advocate fact sheet reported the alarming statistic that 60 percent of battered women in domestic violence shelters reported violence towards their animals.

Eighty-seven percent of these incidents occurred in the presence of the women, and 75 percent in the presence of the children.

“The thing I found most informative is that in 70 percent of families Volume 3 • Issue 18

seeking protection in a women’s shelter, the animals were either abused first or as a way of keeping those others who were being abused or witnessing abuse from telling anyone about it or leaving,” Zilbert said.

“The animals are often the first victims, and [their injuries] don’t lie.”

Zilbert has a lofty goal for the outcome of the workshop.

“I want to see an end to our area being number [one] for violence and abuse in our state, because our state is number three in the nation,” she said. “We need to reverse those statistics – finally be last in the bad

things and in the top 10 for the good.”

She points out that what we have to realize is that even if and when the abuser/molester goes to jail, they do get out eventually – and what then? “We need programs in place in which no one organization, agency or advocate is trying to heal the whole family alone,” she said. “By working together, we make each other’s work more effective.”

Domestic violence is not likely to disappear, but the ongoing dialog is a huge step in the right direction.

There’s an old saying that “with

knowledge comes power.” By learning, collaborating and communicating, SWLA has the power to lower domestic violence rates, and become an example for the state and the country in how to fight domestic violence and animal cruelty.

For more information about making the link and breaking the cycle, and how you or your agency can become part of the solution, contact Beth Zilbert at The People’s Advocate at (337) 436-3475, or visit www.thepeoplesadvocateswla.com.

TJN

A special greeting at Christmas to express our sincere appreciation for your confidence and loyalty.

We are deeply thankful and extend to you our best wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas Day! — The Staff of Advanced MRI —

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

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 19

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

J

ennings Guest House has been at its current location on South Louise Street for more than 50 years, offering nursing and retirement services to the people of Jennings and beyond. But its residents will be moving soon— and that’s a good thing. Jennings Guest House has almost finished construction on a new facility called Camelot Brookside, a 15-acre site on the north side of Interstate 10 adjacent to the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park. Residents will be ready to move into the brand new, state-of-theart building in early January.

“The residents are so excited about moving in,” said Administrator James “Lan” Richardson II. “They have been going to the construction site periodically in the facility van to check on the progress, and they can’t wait. There is lots of excitement in the air right now.”

The new facility will ease overcrowding and provide a more modern facility for residents and staff.

Camelot Brookside is proud to have Dr. Brian Wilder as its medical director, whose leadership Volume 3 • Issue 18

and daily guidance inspire the staff to excel.

Jennifer Leger, an advanced practice nurse, will be in the facility every weekday to offer additional expertise in the clinical care provided to the residents.

“This is a dream come true for us,” said Activities Coordinator Julie Pete. “We have some very excited residents who can’t wait for their new home.”

Alison Dietz, director of nursing services, said the residents are eagerly awaiting their private rooms. “They will be able to sit on the covered porches with extended overhangs in any type of weather. The close proximity to the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park makes it very inviting for them to use the park, because we will have a ‘golf-cart’type vehicle to transport them back and forth.”

Sidewalks curve through the beautifully landscaped courtyards, which are completely enclosed so residents can enjoy the outdoors as often as they desire and be safe at all times. “The courtyards make me want to go sit in a rocker,

Nicole LaBorde ADON; Lan Richardson, administrator and Alison Dietz DON DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 21

Memory Unit Courtyard and watch the world go by,” Dietz said with a chuckle in her voice.

Entering the grounds, visitors are drawn to the lovely environment. The berms, the bridge and the front porch makes you want to browse the paths and sit and take in the beauty. There is a spout in the middle of the pond that shoots water 15 feet, and a very large covered portico for ease of entering and exiting the building in inclement weather.

The massive lobby has a soothing color palette with plenty of seating options to either watch people come and go or quietly read a book.

Through the lobby you can see the beautiful four-tiered fountain in the courtyard. The soothing sound of water dripping from the fountain creates a relaxing place to sit and watch the birds or visit with family and friends. Porches with large overhangs and plenty of seating

PAGE 22

DECEMBER 1, 2011

arrangements surround this courtyard.

The grand dining room has enough space to hold holiday parties and themed dances for the families and friends of all the residents.

Just down the hallway from the dining room is the indoor swimming pool, which is a wonderful alternative to working the joints and relaxing the body in a therapeutic, advantageous way.

“Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy are all active components of maintaining and strengthening our residents for a better quality of life,” said Niki LaBorde, assistant director of nursing. “We will have all of these therapy disciplines here with a spacious gym to encourage participation and create an appealing atmosphere to make us all want to exercise.”

Nurse's Station Assistant Administrator Lauren Lopez loves the spacious beauty/barber shop down the hall.

“It will prove to be a social gathering spot for our residents to catch up on the latest hair styles and visit with friends before attending one of the many activities of choice,” she said.

Resident rooms are approximately 180 square feet with closets and individual heating and cooling units. Each room has a flat screen television with remote control, complimentary Direct TV, and a built-in shelving unit for personal belongings.

Camelot Brookside also has a 20-bed ventilator unit with a localized gathering area in the unit for visiting and watching television.

The ventilator unit has its own nurse’s station, a nourishment center,

and flat screen TVs in each resident room.

The Memory Unit has 20 beds and is designed to keep the residents comfortable, safe, and secure.

They have access to their own enclosed courtyard, which is delightful for walking and enjoying the out-of-doors or for visiting family in a safe environment. Each resident in the Memory Unit will have a “Memory Box” located outside their room to display memorabilia and pictures of their choosing.

“Camelot Brookside is truly a dream come true!” said Regional Administrator Paula Richardson.

“Central Control has built three homes in the last six years, and every home seems to get better.

Lots of planning, praying, and preparation went into this project to make it

Volume 3 • Issue 18

the very best for our residents.”

Richardson said they listened to their residents, and tried to build a home that is truly theirs—one where they will be comfortable and safe and proud to live in.

The Grand Opening is Jan. 3, 2012, and everyone is invited to come out and take a tour of Camelot Brookside. “The building is beautiful, but you know, it’s not the building that makes a home —-it’s the staff and our residents,” Lan Richardson said. “We are family here, and we know we have something special. With a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and

Medicaid, a zero deficiency survey from the Department of Health and Hospitals in 2010, and only three minor deficiencies this year, we have earned these high ratings that say we have something to be proud of.”

Richardson said their staff is the best in the state. ‘They serve our residents well and I’m very proud of each of them,” he said. “This is what our residents deserve—-nothing less.”

Join the staff of Camelot Brookside as they celebrate moving into their new home.

“If you can’t make the Grand Opening, call us at (337)-824-2466,

Memory Unit Hallway

and we will be glad to give you a personal tour,” Richardson said.

“We have a waiting list already for rooms in the new building. If you are interested in becoming a part of our family, give us a call or drop by, and you can try out one of our rocking chairs on the porch and see if it’s a fit for you!”

Camelot Brookside accepts longterm care insurance, private pay, Medicare, or Medicaid for admis-

sion.

For admission information, please contact Lauren Lopez, or Lan Richardson at (337) 824-2466. TJN

Dining Room-Gathering Room

South Lake Charles Location 1601 Country Club Road

Midtown Location 650 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive

(337) 439-7778 www.swlaimaging.com Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 23

Whether shopping at a local store or online to avoid the crowds, Carmen Million, Better Business Bureau president, urges consumers to take precautions to insure a great holiday shopping experience.

The BBB offers consumers the following tips to help save time, stress and money this holiday season: • Create a realistic budget. Know whom you are buying gifts for and how much you are willing to spend. As you buy gifts, keep track of the cost and avoid impulse purchases to prevent over-spending.

• Watch out for tricky advertising.

Read the fine print on all advertised sales to make sure you are truly saving money, and

bring the ad with you. Watch for discrepancies in advertised prices and the prices on the shelf.

Verify the real price before checking out.

• Read the fine print on gift cards. These can be found on the back of the card and will let you know the terms and conditions for using the card. There could be limitations to instore purchases or exclusions on certain items.

• Ask about return policies. While many stores offer a 30-day return policy, it is important to read the terms and conditions associated with each purchase. And remember that the refund policy usually applies to the day you purchase the item, not when you give the item as a gift.

• Ask for gift receipts. Gift receipts generally include a description of the item purchased but do not disclose the price paid. Without

LAKE CHARLES 3113 Ryan St, #1 (337) 491-0925 4435 Nelson Rd. (337) 477-5014

SULPHUR 190 N. Cities Service Hwy. (337) 626-0925

www.ASTtanning.com PAGE 24

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

proof-of-purchase, the recipient may be turned down for returning or exchanging the item or risk receiving an exchange for the current selling price of the item.

• Shop locally – Save your gas money and your time when you stay close to home. The BBB is encouraging consumers to support small businesses in their community.

BBB offers the following online shopping tips: • Shop on trustworthy websites – Shoppers should start with the BBB to check on the seller’s Business Review for customer satisfaction at www.bbb.org Always look for the BBB seal and other widely recognized “trustmarks” on retailer websites, and click on the seals to confirm that they are valid.

• Protect your personal information – Take time to read the site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn’t one posted, it should be taken as a red flag that personal information may be sold to others without permission.

• Beware of deals that sound too good to be true – Offers on websites and in unsolicited e-mails can often sound too good to be true, especially extremely low prices on hard-to-get items. Consumers should always go with their instincts and not be afraid to pass up a “deal” that

might cost them dearly in the end.

• Confirm your online purchase is secure – Shoppers should always look in the address box for the “s” in https:// and in the lowerright corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. If there are any doubts about a site, the BBB recommends right-clicking anywhere on the page and select “Properties.” This will let you see the real URL (website address) and the dialog box will reveal if the site is not encrypted.

• Pay with a credit card – It’s best to use a credit card, because under Federal law, the shopper can dispute the charges if he or she doesn’t receive the item. Shoppers also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on their credit card, and many card issuers have “zero liability“ policies under which the cardholder pays nothing if someone steals the credit card number and uses it.

• Keep documentation of your order – After completing the online order process, there may be a final confirmation page or the shopper might receive confirmation by email. The BBB recommends saving a copy of the Web page and any emails for future reference and as a record of the purchase.

If you have questions or need additional information, contact your BBB at (337) 478-6253 or by visiting www.bbb.org. TJN

Care Help of Sulphur asks you to share your HEART for others and HELP with Care Help’s “A Caring Christmas” as they bless those in need in Sulphur for Christmas. They are currently in need of certain canned and boxed food, and also accept monetary donations that will go toward purchasing food, toiletries and gift cards. (Gift cards are for school-age children ages 3-18 and the elderly 55+.) Donation deadline is Dec. 8. If you would like to donate or volunteer to help fill the food boxes, please contact call 528-CARE (2273). Application days are Dec. 19 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Dec. 20 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for qualifying Sulphur and Carlyss residents. Applications can be picked up ahead of time in Care Help’s thrift store. For more information, go to www.carehelp.org and find them on Facebook. TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 25

The holiday season is a time when busy people can become careless and vulnerable to theft and other holiday crime. The following tips from the Lake Charles Police Department can help you be more careful, prepared and aware during the holiday season: • Stay alert and be aware of what’s going on around you.

• Park in a well-lighted space, and be sure to lock the car, close the windows, and hide shopping bags and gifts in the trunk.

• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card whenever possible.

• Deter pickpockets and pursesnatchers. Don’t overburden yourself with packages. Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.

• Shopping with kids? Teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard if you get separated.

• Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, bring someone with you.

• Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas.

• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, ask a security guard for an escort.

Shopping during the holiday season can present unique danger.

Taking a few prevention measures can help keep your holiday season joyous.

TJN

The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. is proud to bring their Holiday Joy Drive to the community of Southwest Louisiana. They are collecting gifts for children ages 2 to 18 that will be delivered to local shelters and families in need on Dec. 17. They ask that the community participate by donating new, unwrapped toys and other items at the following locations: • Stines on Nelson Road • Starbucks on Nelson Road and Ryan Street • Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Gauthier Campus • Books-a-Million on Ryan Street • Junior League of Lake Charles Headquarters on Lakeshore Drive Donations will be accepted until Dec. 15. Please visit www.jllc.net for more information and to learn more about their community projects. TJN PAGE 26

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

The holidays are considered the time to reconnect with family and friends and enjoy the spirit of the season. Unfortunately, for many, they can also be a period of depression and stress—resulting from personal, economic, physical and emotional situations that are exacerbated at this time of year. Causes include: Absence of a loved one The absence of a loved one is always felt strongest during the holidays. Remembering the good times with a parent, spouse or sibling who is no longer with us can be devastating, and seeing others having a wonderful time makes the situation even worse. A recent divorce or the breakup of a relationship can be just as difficult.

Solution: Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died, realize that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season. But do try to surround yourself with those who can help ease the pain. Don’t go it alone, and don’t make the mistake of neglecting those who are still with you.

Family misunderstandings There are a lot of family blowups around the holidays. Tensions that have been brewing throughout the year often boil over due to the stress that comes with the season. And although family gatherings can be wonderful, some of us need to take some time for ourselves or for close family only— and extended family may not understand that.

Solution: Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don’t live up to all of your expectations. And be understanding if others get upset or stressed when something goes wrong.

Chances are they’re feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.

decorating and keeping up with the expectations of children who’ve been spoiled in years past and are still expecting expensive presents will send you further into debt.

Solution: Stick to a budget Before you go shopping for your food and gifts, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Look for bargains and shop wisely. Don’t try to buy your children happiness with gifts. Perhaps they’re old enough to understand that money is tight this year and that things will be different.

If you and your family exchange presents, perhaps this is the year to start a family gift exchange.

Stress/exhaustion There’s so much to do in such a short period of time that even when the activities are basically enjoyable, they are a change from our daily routine—which pushes us to do more things than we normally do.

Shopping (especially for specific gifts), social obligations, Christmas cards, decorating and all the extra cooking and party planning can be stressful and exhausting.

Solutions: Plan ahead and learn to say no. Set aside specific

days for shopping, baking, visiting friends, etc. Plan menus and make lists. And remember that saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Everyone needs to understand that you can’t make every event. Make sure you prioritize—it will save your sanity!

Loneliness Some people live far from family and miss seeing their loved ones this time of year; others dread going to holiday parties and New Year’s Eve celebrations without a partner and end up staying home. It’s also common for people to feel emotional distance from those they’re with, thus feeling lonely even if they’re in a room full of people. And for many of the elderly, living alone or in healthcare facilities, this time of year is filled with sadness.

Solution: Reach out. If you feel lonely, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship.

Volunteering your time to help others, especially the elderly and infirm, is also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.

TJN

Economic difficulties In a struggling economy, the holidays add an extra burden to families that are already on a tight budget. Entertaining,

Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 27

Sponsored by

ker n Shouma

By Brando

A Hunting We Will Go This might make me sound a bit like a Yankee, but, last week, at almost 30 years old, I went hunting for the first time.

My father-in-law, a friend, and I all rode down to Creole and

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

hunted ducks on the second Sunday of the season. The ducks weren’t flying in our area and the group came away with just a mottled duck and a gadwall (I winged the gadwall, which I’m pretty sure was dead already, and singed the tail feathers of another but didn’t score a kill).

I had a great time.

Still, it feels a little weird to be this old, having grown up in Sportsman’s Paradise, and having never been hunting before now.

The Alabama writer Tom

Franklin wrote in an introductory essay to his excellent short story collection Poachers about how hunting is a rite of passage into manhood for Southern boys and, if you didn’t hunt, the other kids looked at you as if you were a green-haired alien.

This wasn’t true for me because unlike being skinny or having flaming orange hair, you can’t really tell a hunter from a nonhunter by the way he looks. It’s not like I was advertising that I didn’t hunt.

And it’s not as if I consciously said, “I don’t want to hunt.” It was a combination of things that kept me away from hunting. Number one was that, as a kid and to a large extent as an adult, I hated loud noises and thus guns were a bit scary. But the most important thing was that I just enjoyed going fishing with Dad, getting up before sunrise to go out to Big Lake or LNG to fish for speckled trout and flounder. (We went so often that Big Lake now holds a small toy box worth of my toys; as

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a toddler, I apparently liked to throw my toys in the water.)

I never showed an interest, so I never missed hunting. I never knew what I was missing until now.

I was anxiously awaiting the hunt as the day got closer and I happened to pick up a local paper featuring an article on duck hunting. The article talked about how hunting has become a big business and how all of these “elite hunting clubs” have sprung up to cater to well-heeled clients.

After reading the article, the whole thing with these camps sounds a bit ridiculous. This can’t be hunting, can it?

I mean, listen to this: One of the camps mentioned has its own bartender. Now, compared to my idea of the average hunting camp, where the person sitting on the ice chest is the bartender, this is fairly luxurious.

Add to that a pool table, stocked bass pond and cushy blind locations and you’ve got quite the getaway.

Unless you compare it to some of the other private camps mentioned in the article.

Some places have private planes to take you out to the blind while others can boast of celebrity guests eating food cooked by celebrity chefs. Yet another place can claim former Vice President Dick Chaney as a guest. I’m guessing he gets a blind all to himself as he tends to be a little lax on gun safety.

One place (I almost fell out of my chair when I read this) has an honest-to-gosh, full-time, tuxedowearing house staff that will serve you drinks in the evening and coffee and weather updates the morning of the hunt.

It’s almost like the Hemingway story “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.” I mean, what’s next? A native boy to accompany you into the blind and reload your shotgun for you while pouring you gimlets out of a gilded flask?

This, to me, doesn’t seem much like hunting.

To me, hunting is getting up hours before sunlight to gather the gear, load up the truck and drive an hour or more out to the put-in.

If you’re lucky, you’ve got a small camp building, maybe a doubleVolume 3 • Issue 18

wide trailer with a kitchen, bedroom, and a couple of futons where you can stay the night, drink and play bourre and you don’t have to drive.

It’s navigating the winding trails of the bayous and marshes by spotlight with the boat engine at full bore, white-knuckling through the early-morning dark.

Your blind might not be directly under “known duck fly zones” (as if they file a flight plan with Wildlife & Fisheries like it were

the FAA) and that means you might have to wait for the small groups of ducks that come in sporadically. While you wait, you drink coffee out of your own thermos and iced honey buns you bought at Chesson’s or Gaspard’s Fast Stop on the way out to the put-in. And you talk, shoot the bull, learn, bond.

This is what I think hunting is about. Not French country dining halls and flat-screen TVs. And I love every bit of it.

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

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

TJN

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 29

By Mary Louise Ruehr

Hey, Book Lovers: Listen to This!

I’ve been listening to audiobooks for years — especially while driving, walking or relaxing. I’ve even listened to a few books I’d already read in print, and I’ve come away with an entirely new reaction. Good professional readers are actors who can bring characters to life, and their performance adds an extra dimension to a book’s impact.

And let me tell you, these four audiobooks, which offer completely dissimilar reading experiences, are performed by excellent actors.

Jill Abramson, executive editor of the New York Times, wrote The

Puppy Diaries: Raising a Dog Named Scout, based on her popular Times blog about her true-life adventures during her golden retriever’s first year of life. She begins, in some very sad passages, by describing how she lost her previous dog. She also recalls a serious car accident that left her severely injured. Getting a new puppy was supposed to help her overcome both those traumas. And, in many ways, it did.

Abramson discusses dog training methods, pack leaders, vets, pet adoption, the dog’s health, diet and environ-

ment. She also does not hide the fact that she and her husband have almost unlimited funds to spend on a dog — demonstrating just how expensive it can be to own a pet. No really great dog adventure stories emerge — the pup does not save Timmy from the well, for example. But part of the book is a personal memoir that shows how a dog can truly become a supportive companion and a member of the family.

The audiobook is read by Beth Macdonald, whose voice helped me picture the puppy as it reacted to its surroundings.

The novella Train Dreams by Denis Johnson is a rather eerie episodic tale of one man’s struggles in the American West — sort of Western noir. It is the saga of Robert Grainer, a wandering loner in the early 1900s who has some unusual experiences.

The book contains unforgettable, haunting — and even ugly — images of people he encounters, including a ghostly visitation — or two. Through Grainer, we get a glimpse of the primitive nature of man vs. the nobility of his spirit.

The writing is magnificent. It seems simple, then suddenly turns lyrical. Johnson is a superb storyteller with the soul of a poet.

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Will Patton infuses his reading of the book with a kind of gritty reality and gives the story even more layers of meaning.

My favorite of this batch of books is Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer. This is the first of five planned novels to make up the Clifton Chronicles — as Archer explains in an interview at the end of the audiobook

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the soul, Leonard the mind, and Madeleine … well, not the body so much as the romantic. She’s a bit twodimensional; I see Madeleine as a visitor to this book from a romance novel set in a parallel universe.

The plot, ostensibly about a love triangle, is all over the place. Here’s how it made me feel: Rather than taking a dip in a cool literary pool, this immersed me in a hot, murky ocean filled with beds of entangling kelp, dragging me down, and I was surrounded by fish of all sizes. Why? Because the author threw in so many people, so many ideas, so much extra-

neous material that the copy editor in me wanted to take a blue pencil to it and “X” out at least a third of the excess verbiage. My problem may be that I just didn’t like any of the three main characters.

The book disappointed me. I thought what he started out with was engaging, and I liked it. But I felt he moved away from his original premise; other reviewers seem to think he fulfilled it magnificently. The text is alternately highly intellectual and unnecessarily crude, with some really ugly images. (Adult language and situations.) There was no joy, no

warmth, no insight, no fun.

But, with all that said, David Pittu did an excellent job reading the book, and I couldn’t stop listening. He was able to bring life to all the different characters — even females — and I always knew who was talking. If you want a highly charged discussion in your book club, pick this one.

You can hear excerpts from these and other Macmillan audiobooks online. Go to http://us.macmillan.com and type in the book title.

Copyright © 2011 by Mary Louise Ruehr. TJN

— that will take place during Harry Clifton’s long life, across continents and spanning 100 years.

In the beginning, young Harry is being brought up by his mother in Bristol, England, in the 1920s. He’s always been told that his father was killed in the Great War, but the truth proves to be a mystery to be solved as the book unfolds. At first destined for a life of poverty and hard work, Harry lucks out: His beautiful singing voice earns him a scholarship to a better school and sets him on a higher path.

I loved this book, because it’s plotdriven as well as character-driven.

And the characters are identifiable — some to love and some to hate — without being stereotypes. The best part is that we get one version of events and then the same events from another character’s perspective, so we can see that nothing is all good or all bad. It’s a rollicking good, old-fashioned, can’t-put-it-down story, with a plot worthy of a Greek tragedy. You can see there’s a train wreck coming but you can’t stop it.

The audio version is read alternately by Roger Allam and Emilia Fox. Fox reads the chapters “by” and about the two major female characters. Both performers do an outstanding job, and I let myself listen to some sections several times just to hear their marvelous voices.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides is appearing on many “best books of the year” lists. But if you check online reviews, you’ll see that other people absolutely hate it. I’m in the middle.

The story begins in the 1980s on the day of Madeleine’s college graduation, then takes leaps backward, forward and sideways, introducing us to divinity student Mitchell, the man who loves Madeleine, and bipolar Leonard, the man she loves. In a simple diagram, Mitchell would represent Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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U A B A F N OLY

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

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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r m ende's Museu l l E an en

By D e Childr of th r o t c Dire

Puss In Boots 3D (Dreamworks, 2011) The Shrek franchise left us with a lot of fractured fairy tale characters worthy of spinoffs. Puss In Boots is the first and a real winner.

Meet Puss, a Don Juan sort of kitty who woos the felines and fights with the sword while he runs from the law. One gloomy night, drinking milk in a saloon, Puss hears about the fabled magic beans that grow to the sky, leading to the Goose. You know, the one that lays the golden eggs.

Puss has heard it all before, but this time is convinced that the beans

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

have truly been found. He sets off to steal them, but is foiled by a masked cat on the same mission. Puss chases the mysterious stranger into a cat cabana and they fight. Only this is a dance fight, sort of like an individual Dancing with the Stars.

Sounds silly, right? You have no idea. Like an old Warner Brothers cartoon, the dance fight is a masterful blend of animation and whimsy, with cats playing guitars and drums.

We find that Humpty Dumpty is the mastermind behind the plot to steal the beans. This infuriates Puss, who has dealt with Humpty before.

The whole setting is Latin American, which is a switch as the original Puss In Boots was written and set in France. But with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek voicing the main characters, the tone is per-

Volume 3 • Issue 18

fect. As the film progresses predictably into a heist movie, we learn more about the characters and their relationships. It turns out that everyone is more connected than you would think.

Things slow down when we get Puss’s backstory, but even this journey into his childhood is just tremendous to watch. I’ve never seen better animation. One caveat though: I saw the 3D version and believe it really added to the action.

This may be that rare thing, a movie that actually needs the 3D. My only problem with the film is Humpty Dumpty. This little guy is really creepy. He’s sort of a combination of Chucky and the Clown in the TV Movie Series It. Humpty provides almost all of the tension in the movie, because we’re just waiting for him to crack up, which after all, is the destiny of an egg. At one point he puts on a golden suit, disguising himself in a field of golden eggs. In another scene, he wears a stylish beret. It all reminds me of Jim Carrey in The Mask.

There’s enough humor in Puss In Boots for both adults and kids, with sideways references to such films as King Kong, Cloverfield, Crouching Tiger, and even Avatar.

This method of taking fairy tales and changing them up has been done before, but Dreamworks seems to have made it work better than others. I can see an entire universe of characters coming to us on 3D screens for years to come.

Every scene is wonderful and beautiful, as well as playful and a delight to the child in all of us. Puss in Boots is perfect for the holidays and families. TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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FAMILY AND YOUTH VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BANQUET Family & Youth is a non-profit organization that supports family life and building a stronger community in Southwest Louisiana. To show appreciation to all of the volunteers in their many programs and services, Family & Youth treated everyone to a delicious meal, door prizes and an evening of family gathering at the Lake Charles Racquet Club. With effort and commitment, the family values in our community are growing stronger day by day. Cheers to all of you for making SWLA a better place to live!

Susan Fry, Jules Maust and Maria Faul

Buddy Hamic and Candis Carr

Laura Gardner and Nick Hylton

Marti Lundy and Willie King

Anna Catherine Viator and Richman Reinauer

Kathy Bourgeois and Kim Tugwell

Tiffany Fontenot and Austin O’Conner

MISTLETOE & MOSS This holiday tradition is one you should not have missed! The 19th Annual Mistletoe and Moss Holiday Market was a showcase of 80 merchants from here and around the country, offering a variety of unique gifts for the whole family--from apparel to year-round and seasonal home décor. The Market also teased our taste buds with delicious food from local eateries and stirred up the holiday spirit with entertainment from local schoolchildren. After a peek at the Preview Party Gala, Preferred Shoppers Breakfast, Shopping with the Choirs, Ladies Night, and Donuts with Santa, you all should be in the holiday spirit of gift giving and receiving! Cheers!

Charity Morgan and Gloria Sandoval PAGE 36

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Jeannie and Caroline Weise with Lorraine Lavergne Volume 3 • Issue 18

Julia Reed and Peyton O’Quinn

Summer Rion and Teci Culpepper

Charlie and Thomas Patton

SWLA HEART WALK A crowd of over 1,500 supporters stepped out to participate in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk held at the McNeese State University campus. Walking to improve their heart health and to show support to the families of those who have lost their lives to heart disease and stroke, teams of employees from local companies, and friends and families began the three-mile walk at 8 a.m. along with survivors who chose to walk a shorter distance.

After the jambalaya cook-off (with Phil and Lauren as two of the judges, of course!) these tasty dishes were served to the hungry, happy crowd. No doubt about it, this fundraiser proved to be hands-down match for heart disease, one step at a time!

Kristen Comeaux and Baylie Duhon

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Grace Hernandez and Balei Scarborough

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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Kayleigh Stansel, Brandon Lowry, Jessica Ward Matte and Jill Irons

Kinley and Ginger Johnson

Billy, Carrie, Bryce and Kaitlyn Navarre

A’Yenda Arceneaux and Rechelle Bellard

Kateri DeVille, Ulyssia Simien and Janea Judge-Hemans

Raley, Nicho and Marae Bourque

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

MOSS BLUFF HARVEST FESTIVAL The Moss Bluff Recreation Complex was the place for families to kick-off their Thanksgiving Week by loading up the kiddos for two days of fun at the Moss Bluff Fall Festival directed by the Moss Bluff Recreation District and the Economic Development Board. Without breaking the bank, families enjoyed this festive festival of rides, delicious food from local vendors, craft booths for the early Christmas shoppers, beauty pageants, a look-alike contest, car show, dog show, a blood drive and a variety of activities to keep the little ones well entertained in the Library Kid Zone. A big thumbs pp to this fun festive family event! TJN

Ashley Schexnider and Morgan Heard

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Katie Youngblood and Kylie Cumberland

Laura and Alexis May

Carolee and Mattie Jackson

Mea Lopez and Elizabeth St. Cyr

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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of lights. For more information on the holiday light display at Prien Lake Park, call Jason Barnes at (337) 7213595.

ARTISAN’S GALLERY HOLIDAY BAZAAR DEC. 1-3 The Artisan’s Gallery is currently on exhibition at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street. Their members invite you to join them for a three-day special sale Dec. 1-3. This juried fine arts/fine crafts local group will be offering many items in addition to the present exhibit. Come and enjoy some cider and cookies while browsing for the perfect Christmas gift. Cash, checks or credit cards are welcome. Gallery Hours are Mon.- Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. The Charlestown Farmers Market is open on site every Sat. from 8 a.m.-noon. For more information, call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com MSU FALL SENIOR EXHIBITION DEC. 1-15 The McNeese Department of Visual Arts presents the annual Fall Senior Exhibition at the Abercrombie Gallery. The opening reception is Dec. 1 from 6-8 p.m., and the exhibit will run through Dec. 15. The Gallery is located in the Shearman Fine Arts Center in Room 125. Gallery hours are Mon. –Fri. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT PRIEN LAKE PARK THROUGH JAN. 1 The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s annual Christmas Light Display has returned to Prien Lake Park. Toy soldiers, Santa’s elves and reindeer will illuminate the park for patrons to enjoy this holiday season.

Young and old can walk or drive through the winter wonderland.

Admission is free and the public can enjoy the 30,000+ lights and Christmas tree through Jan. 1. It takes Park crews with the Police Jury approximately six weeks to construct the expansive array

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

POETRY READING BY MSU STUDENTS DEC. 2 On Fri., Dec. 2, the First Friday Reading Series will present a free poetry reading by Kevin Thomason and Nancy Correro at 7 p.m. at the Porch Coffee House & Café at 4710 Common St. In Lake Charles.

Memphis native Kevin Thomason graduated from the University of Memphis in 2008 and is currently pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts at McNeese’s highly sought-after Creative Writing program. Nancy Correro was raised in the Mississippi Delta and Atlanta and is also working to earn her Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at McNeese. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Poets For Living Waters, Swamp Lily Review and Rougarou. For more information, call 439-2787 or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

PURPLESTRIDE FIGHT AGAINST PANCREATIC CANCER DEC. 3 Be part of a day of inspiration and hope, and help support the fight against pancreatic cancer. Join PurpleStride Lake Area 2011, taking place at Prien Lake Park in Lake Charles. This is the perfect event to bring the whole family, meet others and create memories. All proceeds benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Stride with others who are just as passionate about finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. Come enjoy a 5K family walk to honor and remember loved ones. There will be a silent auction, kids’ activities and much more!

Food, including hot dogs and hamburgers, and beverages will be provided for the participants. For more information, go to www.purplestride.org.

ICCS PANTHER RUN DEC. 3 The second annual ICCS Panther Run 10K race and one-mile fun run will take place Sat., Dec. 3, beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Race day registration will open at 6:30 a.m. People of all ages and fitness levels are invited to participate. Registration fee is $35 for the 10K race and $20 for the one-mile fun run. To register on-line, visit www.active.com. Registration forms are available on-line at www.iccschool.org or copies can be picked up at ICCS, located at 1536 Ryan Street; Allie’s Project Fit, Tri-Run and both locations of Gigi’s Fitness Center. Presenting sponsor of the 2011 ICCS Panther Run is AFLAC. For more information, contact Don Clements at (337) 842-4709 or at donclements@me.com.

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Robert Roux

BENEFIT FOR FALLEN SKY DIVERS DEC. 3 The US Army Special Forces Motorcycle Club is holding a benefit for the families of the 2010 fallen skydivers.

It includes a poker run, parachute jump and flyover, and will be held at Bob & Pete’s lounge off Hwy 108 in Sulphur. Registration is 8:30 a.m. for the poker run; the parachute jump is at 4 p.m., flyover at 4:30 p.m. and auction at 5p.m. There will be a cochon de lait and fixings available all day. For more information, call Bob & Pete’s at 882-1757.

FRENCH MARKET BAZAAR DEC. 3 St. Theodore Holy Family Catholic School’s annual French Market Bazaar will be held on Sat., Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Enrichment Center and on the grounds at 785 Sam Houston Parkway. It will feature crafts, holiday décor, religious items, homemade goodies, hot food and more. Admission is free. For more information, call the school at 855-9465.

ROBERT ROUX RECITAL AT MSU DEC. 4 The McNeese State University Department of Performing Arts will present a guest artist recital featuring Robert Roux, professor of piano at Rice University in Houston, at 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 4, in the Shearman Fine Arts Theatre. Roux began his career at age 10 with a performance on the Lawrence Welk Show. Since that time, he has been a winner of several piano competitions in the United States. A Steinway Artist, he’s appeared at the White House, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Library of Congress in Washington,

D.C. and has toured as recitalist and concerto soloist in 16 countries. Roux has been chair of the keyboard department at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music since 1990. His students have been frequent prizewinners and award recipients in the United States and internationally. For more information, call 475-5635.

CENTRAL SCHOOL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE DEC. 8 The City of Lake Charles and the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana invite the public to visit the Central School Arts and Humanities Center on Thurs., Dec. 8, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. for a festive Holiday Open House. From top to bottom, Central School will epitomize the holiday season with extensive Christmas lighting, hors d’oeuvres, music, and holiday ornamentation. All three floors will be filled with live music by local musicians and bands, including performances by Lucy in Disguise and Contraband Brass. Central School’s arts organizations, museums, galleries, and studios, including the Mardi Gras Museum, the Lake Charles Symphony, Art Associates Gallery, and Black Heritage Gallery, will open their doors to showcase the arts initiatives that Central School has helped to incubate. A special performance on stage in

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Strand Theatre, 423 N. Main St., Jennings, La Doors open @ 11 • Competition begins @ 11:30

2012 REGISTRATION

The Squeezebox Shootout is open to Cajun (single-row diatonic) accordion players of all ages and performance level.

There is no registration fee for the 2012 event.

TO REGISTER: Fill out the automated form at www.jeffdavis.org & email it to polly@cityofjennings.com or fax it to (337) 821-5545 or visit the W.H. Tupper Museum located at 311 N. Main St., Jennings and fill out a form. You must REGISTER in order to compete.

The deadline to enter is Tuesday, February 14, 3:00 p.m.

THERE ARE FOUR DIVISIONS: Youth Division: Age 13 and under • Junior Division: Age 14-20 Adult Division: Age 21 and older • Professional Division: All ages Cash Prizes & Trophies will be awarded.

General Admission $5.00, Under 12 FREE For more information call (337) 821-5532 or email: polly@cityofjennings.com Proudly sponsored by the Jeff Davis Parish Tourist Commission, the City of Jennings and the Jennings Festival Association.

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Lake Charles League of Women Voters Annual Christmas Social

YOU ARE INVITED! Thurs., Dec. 8 at 6:30 PM Central School 809 Kirby St., Room 106

Food and drink provided by the LWV LC. Bring unwrapped toys to be donated in the community.

For additional information call 474-1864 or email info@lwv-lc.org DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 41

the auditorium will follow. For more information, contact Central School at 439-2787 or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

‘VILLAGE OF THE NATIVITY’ DEC. 9-10 Begin your Christmas experience this year with “Village of the Nativity.” The entire family is invited to come out on Fri., Dec. 9 and Sat., Dec. 10 from 6-8 p.m. to walk through a live nativity experience at North Orange Baptist Church in North Orange, Texas. The reenactment is complete with animals, music, and structured facades. Many volunteers from the church are dressed in costume to resemble biblical characters. Finish up the evening with a cup of hot cocoa, cookies, and some Christmas carols. North Orange Baptist Church is located just one mile north of I-10 on 16th Street (Highway 87) and is free to the community. More information is available at www.nobcfamily.com or (409) 883-5678.

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LCCC PRESENTS RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER DEC. 10 The Lake Charles Civic Ballet presents Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer—a performance for all ages! With professional costumes and settings, it is more than a ballet; it’s total theatre. Audience members visit Santa’s Toyshop and enjoy this classic story through music and dance. Rudolph even flies through the air in triumph! Performances will be held at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 at Rosa Hart Theatre, Lake Charles Civic Center. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. For more information, call (337) 802-5779.

DERIDDER GEM AND MINERAL SHOW DEC. 10-11 You’ll find gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry and more at the DeRidder Gem and Mineral Show. Featured this year is a display of the “Gems and Minerals of the Bible,” including gold, frankincense and myrrh. Also featured is Louisiana opal, which was mined in Vernon Parish. Door prizes will be awarded and silent auctions held for mineral specimens, uncut rocks and jewelry from around the U.S. Hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Dec. 10; and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on the 11th. Admission is $2; children 12 and under get in free with a paid adult admission. Military personnel are admitted free with a current picture I.D. The event will be held at the Exhibition Hall of the Fair Grounds, off Highway 171 North of DeRidder.

For more information, call (337) 463-9567 or (337) 585-3693 or go to www.lutheransonline.com/gems.

ST. NICHOLAS CENTER 5K RUN DEC. 31 In the spirit of giving, everyone is invited to participate in the 4th Annual St. Nicholas 5 K Run and 1 Mile Resolution Run on Dec. 31. The run begins and ends at the ICCS parking lot at 1536 Ryan Street.

Registration is at 7:15 a.m., and the 5 K begins at 8 a.m. The 1 Mile Resolution Run will immediately follow. Early registration is open until Dec. 1 with a discounted rate. For early registration and more information please contact Chris Jones at (337) 515-3402 or The St. Nicholas Center at (337) 491-0800/ www.stnickcenter.org. All proceeds benefit the St. Nicholas Center for Early Intervention.

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY NEW YEAR’S DANCE DEC. 31 Immaculate Heart of Mary Church’s Christian Mothers will be having a New Year’s Eve dance 9 p.m.-1 a.m. in the Founder’s Hall at 2031 Opelousas Street located behind the church. Music will be provided by

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Road Runners. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information, please call 433-4765 or 4368093.

MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS AT STARK MUSEUM THROUGH FEB. 25 The Stark Museum of Art recently opened “Medieval Manuscripts: From the Stark Collections” to be on view through Feb. 25, 2012. This exhibition features four Books of Hours from the 15th and early 16th centuries. Each is open to a page of glorious hand-painted illuminations on view to the public for the first time. View samples of parchment materials, the tools used for writing in the Middle Ages and see how medieval books were constructed. The exhibit also includes an educational area with hands-on activities especially for children and an interactive viewing station with digital images of additional manuscript pages. Located at 712 Green Avenue in Orange, Texas, the Stark Museum of Art is open to the public Tues.-Sat. from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission is free for all ages.

For more information, call (409) 886-ARTS (2787) or visit www.starkmuseum.org. TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

• Barrel BBQ Pits • Old Smokey 3 Sizes & Replacement Parts • LSU & Saints 3x5 Flags • Pecan Crackers • Picker Uppers Locally Owned & Operated Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm, Sat 8:30am-4:30pm

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 43

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

The

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

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

• Brian Moore @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 • Don Fontenot et Les Cajuns de la Prairie @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Muzic Unlimited @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Tim Norris @ The Porch, 8 p.m.

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

• Kirk Holder @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 • Ellis Vanicor @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ Aucoin’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m.

• Bayou Katz @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Lochness Mobsters/HeadMINE/The Grettas @ The Porch, 8 p.m.

• Zydecane @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

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

• Jacob Cooley @ Cigar Club, 10 p.m.

• Chris LeBlanc @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 • Briggs Brown & The Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ Aucoin’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m.

• Bayou Katz @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• Cold Sweat @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

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

• Kory Fontenot @ Cigar Club, 10 p.m.

• Chris LeBlanc @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 • Lil’ Band O’ Gold Swamp Pop Christmas Pageant @ Central School, 7 p.m.

• Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

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

• William Christian @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 • T-Joe Romero @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Consequence of Silence @ Happy Hippie Pizza, 7 p.m.

• Bernie Alan @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

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

• Triggerproof @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 • Briggs Brown & The Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

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

• Kenny Rogers @ L’Auberge Event Center, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 8:30 p.m.

• Pookie Marceaux @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

• Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Kade Fontenot @ Cigar Club, 10 p.m.

• Triggerproof @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 • Scotty Pousson & The Pointe aux Loups Playboys @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

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

• Lee Johnson & The Texas Squeeze @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

• Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Triggerproof @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

• The Kris Harper Band @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

• Michael Kittling @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15 • Pete Bergeron @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

• Warren Storm/Willie T & Cypress @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

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

• Bourque & Johnson @ The Porch, 9 p.m.

• The Flamethrowers @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16 • Mack Manuel & The Lake Charles Ramblers @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Paul Gonsoulin @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder, 7 p.m.

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

• Angie Manning-Istre @ The Porch, 9 p.m.

• Vince Vance & The Valiants @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

• Gregg Martinez & The Delta Kings @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Street Side Jazz @ Cigar Club, 10 p.m.

• The Flamethrowers @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 • Al Roger & Louisiana Pride @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

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

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

• Vince Vance & The Valiants @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

• Gregg Martinez & The Delta Kings @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Mickey Smith @ Cigar Club, 10 p.m.

• The Flamethrowers @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 • Junior Lacrosse & Sumtin’ Sneaky @ Yesterday’s, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21 • Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

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

• Kory Fontenot @ Cigar Club, 9 p.m.

TJN

Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 45

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.

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ny – n u F are e, too s w e J ar al Music luegrassers and B

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Volume 3 • Issue 18

ing a year off for a well-deserved rest, but on their site and on YouTube, you can see some of their best covers of the past, and iTunes will sell you downloads, or hard copies of their impressive recorded output.

I had to buy “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Queen) and “Stairway to Heaven” (Led Zeppelin) because I just about bust a gut listening to their speedgrass fiddle, mandolin, guitar and upright bass sounds

played in service to those bombastic rock hits. If you’re a hard rock or metal fan, you’ll also like their A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC and Kiss My Grass (Gene Simmons, look out!) cover albums. The band’s album of originals, titled No Covers, proves they’re bona fide and more than a novelty. I hope they get over their hiatus pretty soon.

TJN

Killin’ Time Crossword Sponsored by

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Volume 3 • Issue 18

DECEMBER 1, 2011

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