The Jambalaya News - 06/05/14, Vol. 6, No. 5

June 6, 2014 • Volume 6 • Issue 5

715 Kirby St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.louisianajam.com Publisher Phil de Albuquerque phil@louisianajam.com Executive Editor Lauren de Albuquerque lauren@louisianajam.com

Contributors Lisa Addison Nicole Shuff Arabie Dan Ellender Braylin Jenkins Mike McHugh Roger Miller Mary Louise Ruehr Karla Tullos Calvin Tyler David Yantis Sales sales@louisianajam.com New Guy Calvin Tyler Graphics Art/Production Director Burn Rourk Associate Photographer Johnny Owens Cajun Pirate Photgraphy Business Office Manager Jeanie Taggart

On cover: (L-R) Ryan, Jareth, Barrett, Grant, (front) Kaitlyn and Bryce Navarre

COVER STORY 33 Billy Navarre: The Six Lessons I Taught My Children REGULARS 5 We Are SWLA! 7 Hospital Roundup 8

The Dang Yankee

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Adoption Corner

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10 Fishin’ Tales 11 Stir Dat Pot 12 Soul Matters 13 This Functional Family

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FEATURES 4 Blue Dog Concert 14 Fish Bowl vs.

Hurricane Ivan 18

Good Evening, This is Gary Tyler

30 Running Down the Dream

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THE SPICE OF SWLA 38 Event Guide 40 Family Fun Night at the Movies

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4 1 Funbolaya 42 Red Hot Books 44 Nightlife Guide

Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by Louisiana Jam columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Louisiana Jam, its editors or staff.

The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by Jambalaya Media, 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 self-addressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Copyright 2014 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

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47 Lake City Beat!

48 Society Spice

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A Note From Phil to us anytime…even Remembering My Dad available during our college years.

My wife asked me to write five things I remember about my dad. I wonder what each of you reading this would say about your father. I would love to compile a list and share it sometime.

Now that my dad is gone, I have no reason to hope he will put the past aside and call me someday and ask me how I am. Ask me how life is in Louisiana or how my work is going. But I have some great memories of him that I will cherish until we meet again.

My father came home every night after working very hard as a project engineer for General Motors. He was barely in the front door when all of us six kids jumped on him and got him on all fours as he let us all pile on top of him. We never imagined he was tired or stressed and he never let on. He always greeted us with a smile and played along.

Dad was a lector at our church and we always had to go to “his” mass, usually the

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same one where mom played the organ. He felt religion was very important for all of us. Morning and night, we all got together as a family and prayed before a statue of Mother Mary that was on our stereo in the living room. He even taped it once and sent it to his mother in India so she could hear us thanking God for our “Grandma across the ocean.”

Dad was a math wizard. If we didn’t ace math class, it was our own fault. He made math fun and we enjoyed talking about it with him.

He would give us fun math problems to figure out and we would have a contest to see who could get the right answer first. He’d let us leave our math homework on the kitchen table at night and he would check it in the morning. We were encouraged to get up early with him so he could explain what was going on and what mistakes we were making. Dad made himself

When it came time for me to graduate from Michigan State University, he was there and so proud of me. He had visited me many times and would often treat my friends to dinner. He loved hearing what I was learning and what my dreams were for the future. He and my mom encouraged all of us to find our passion and be the best we could be!

Dad also flew to Florida when I graduated from Clown College in Venice, representing the state of Michigan.

He wanted me to become an engineer and follow in his footsteps since I was his eldest son, but he also gave me the freedom to do as I pleased. He threw a huge party for all the graduates that year and they still talk about it! I had told him I knew I wouldn’t be chosen to travel with The Greatest Show On Earth and he told me not to say that. “You never know,” he said. “You’re my son and I’m so proud of

you no matter what the outcome.” That next morning I was the first student called to meet with the owner to sign a one-year contract to travel with the big show! He couldn’t have been happier for me.

Dad, I’ll never know why you stopped being my best friend or why you stopped caring about me. Was it really about religion? In any case, I love you and miss you and thank you very much for all you did to help me be the person I am today. I guess you can explain all this to me someday…when it’s time to meet again.

Happy Father’s Day Dad! I love you.

Your eldest son, Philip

Phil de Albuquerque

June 5, 2014 03

A fundraiser for Foundation for Fairplay (F3) and the George Rodrigue Foundation for the Arts was held recently at the Governor’s Mansion in Lake Charles. The event featured entertainment by Ken Peplowski and the Astral Project.

Also performing was Leif Pedersen, former vocalist with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Just look at the magnificent Steinway piano painted by Rodrigue! His son, Jacques, was on hand to discuss the beautiful pieces of artwork from his late father’s estate, which were auctioned by Hal MacMillan. With food catered by the Blue Dog Café in Lafayette, great music and amazing art, it’s no wonder the evening was a great success!

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The Foundation for Fairplay fund has been established in order to provide a more level playing field in the areas of preventable injury needs such as acquiring quality football helmets, placement of training room equipment needed for the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries, safe physical fitness surroundings, etc.

The Foundation for Fairplay [F3] is a fund established and coordinated by the Foundation at LCMH to assist schools in the acquisition of health-related athletic needs. It is the goal of the Foundation for Fairplay to see that all student athletes are protected against potential injury and, when injuries do occur in school athletic programs, that they receive appropriate medical care.

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Chick-fil-A Founder Selects LC Team member to Receive Top Scholarship Lake Charles resident and Chick-fil-A team member Grace Dalton is one of only 25 students across the country to receive the 2014 S. Truett Cathy Scholar Award, the chain’s highest scholar recognition that continues Chick-fil-A® founder S. Truett Cathy’s legacy of supporting higher education. Dalton received the award from her franchise operator and father Bob Dalton at the Chick-fil-A restaurant located at Prien Lake Mall. The 25 winners are chosen annually from among the chain’s 1,600 Leadership Scholarship winners, all of whom are employed at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country.

Community Foundation Elects Officers and Board Members

Dinah Bradford

Marshall Simien

New board members have been elected to the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. The Foundation helps philanthropists make grants to nonprofits and conducts civic leadership initiatives. The new board members are Dinah Bradford, community volunteer and former principal of ICCS; Marshall Simien, a local attorney; and Rick Richard, president of Empire of the Seed. New directors join Tom Shearman, Susan Blake, Dan Donald, Mary Shaddock Jones, Brent Lumpkin, Jon Manns, Dr. Lehrue Stevens, Jonald Walker, Greg Webb and Mary Leach Werner on the board.

Rick Richard

McNeese’s Leonard Smith to be Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame McNeese’s Leonard Smith has been announced as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014 by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame. Smith was two-time first team All-Southland Conference defensive back, 1982 first team Associate Press All-American, nine-year NFL veteran including a 1986 NFL All-Pro selection, and the highest NFL Draft selection in school and conference history (17th overall pick, 1st round in 1983).

Smith played for the Cowboys from 1980-82 and earned first team allconference honors in 1981 and 1982.

In 1982, he was named the Southland and Louisiana Defensive Player of the Year as well as picking up first team Associated Press All-America honors.

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Bob Dalton and Grace Dalton Walnut Grove Welcomes First Federal Bank of La. Walnut Grove, the new premier Traditional Neighborhood Development located on West Sallier Street in Lake Charles, has announced that First Federal Bank of Louisiana has opened a branch on the first floor of the recently completed Post Office Building, located at 2025 W. Walnut Street. The hours are 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Local Insurance Agents Recognized Sharilyn Fontenot and Pam Thompson with First Federal Insurance Services, LLC, recently received the American Insurance Marketing and Sales Society’s professional designation of Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA). Both women successPam Thompson fully completed three Insur- Sharilyn Fontenot ance Success Seminars. The CPIA designation denotes professionalism, a commitment to sales training and results, and technical knowledge.

The designation does require a bi-annual continuing education update.

Coushatta Donates Decorated Hats to Habitat for Humanity Coushatta Casino Resort recently held its First Annual Easter Hat Decorating Contest. Associates who participated have donated their creations to Habitat for Humanity. The decorated and artistically embellished hats were on display for two weeks inside the casino. Resort guests voted for their favorites among the 32 contest entries. Casino associates Haikey Beaver, Kelley Jo Langley, and Wendy Langley: 1st June 5, 2014 05

place; Myrna Ogea, Tina O’Blanc, and Melanie Marceaux: 2nd place; Angela Hariford, Evelyn Bourque, and Sevetrice Combs: 3rd place.

Haikey Beaver, Kelley Jo Langley, and Wendy Langley’s first place entry went to Habitat homeowner Katrina Joubert, whose new home was built by Habitat staff with the help of hundreds of local church volunteers and residents.

Sam Hebert Financial Sponsors College Oaks Elementary

Entergy Donates to On the Move Campaign As part of Entergy’s ongoing support to the SWLA Alliance Foundation, the company recently donated $62,000 to SWLA’s on the Move five-year campaign. The donation will help the campaign address the critical issues facing our region: workforce development, business recruitment, business retention and expansion, regional marketing, and building a single voice for a true regional partnership.

L to R: George Swift, Chamber SWLA & Foundation President & CEO; Clair Hebert, Entergy; Greg Guilbeau, Entergy; Avon Knowlton, Alliance Executive VP; and Chamber Board Chair Glen Bertrand

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Kierra Walker and Amber Mize

Sam Hebert Financial Group is a Partner in Education with College Oaks Elementary. The school has benefited in numerous areas due to the sponsorship, such as the May Day event, which was a huge success.

Family Foundation Receives Endowment The Family Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, the endowment arm of Family and Youth Counseling Agency Inc. received an endowment for $10,000 by the children of Sylvester Myers in her memo- L to R: Vicki Wicks and John Derby, children of Sylvester Myers, ry. The endowment with Maria Alcantara Faul, VP Development, Family & Youth benefits Family & Youth’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), volunteers who speak in court for a child’s best interests.

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Edward Jones Branch Team Recognized for Outstanding Client Service

ing Arts through the McNeese Foundation. The Nutcracker returned to the Lake Area in December – for the first time since Hurricane Rita - to celebrate its 50th anniversary and to raise funds to support the department.

John Guilbeaux, a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Sulphur, and Paula Saltzman and Dru Stains, L to R: John Guilbeaux, Dru Stains, the branch office adminPaula Saltzman and Jim Weddle istrators, recently were honored by the firm for their performance and client service excellence. Guilbeaux, Saltzman and Stains were selected to attend Edward Jones’ Drucker Conference at the firm’s headquarters in St. Louis. The three-day meeting, which will be held Oct. 13 - 15 in St. Louis, pools Edward Jones’ financial advisors and branch office administrators for discussions with the firm’s management about various issues.

Nutcracker Donation to the McNeese Foundation The Artistic Advisory Committee of Nutcracker 2013 has donated $23,059.30 to the McNeese State University Department of Perform-

L to R: Kristin Draper, Amy Honeycutt Sonnier, Libby McCreedy Richards, Richard Reid, VP for university advancement; Dr. Michael Buckles, head of the performing arts department; Libby Tete Looney and Colleen Cannon Benoit in learning more about the hospital volunteer program, as well as the many benefits of joining Senior Circle. To become a Lake Area Medical Center volunteer, a person must be at least 18 years old and be willing to volunteer at least four hours each week. Senior Circle membership is open to adult men and women age 50 and up. . Call (337) 475-4002 for more information or to RSVP. To learn more about the hospital volunteer and Senior Circle programs, visit www. lakeareamc.com/volunteers and www.lakeareamc.com/seniorcircle.

Memorial’s Cancer Center Receives Achievement Award The Lake Charles Memorial Cancer Center was recently granted the Commission on Cancer (CoC) Outstanding Achievement Award for 2013. Memorial is one of 74 cancer programs in the United States and the only cancer program in Louisiana to receive the award. The 74 award-winning, cancer-care programs represent approximately 14 percent of programs surveyed by the CoC in 2013. Established in 2004, the CoC’s Outstanding Achievement Award is designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. For more information on program standards, visit: www.facs.org/cancer/index.html Kohl’s Donates to CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital The Kohl’s Kids Club Healthy Living Fair event was a featured event during the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation 2014 Dragon Boat Race at the Lake Charles Civic Center Seawall this past April.

The Kohl’s Kids Club Healthy Living Fair was the highlighted feature of the children’s activity area and included educational opportunities for children as they interact with dietitians and fitness trainers in fun ways to learn about their health. The donation of over $11,000 from Kohl’s Department Stores supports children’s health education opportunities such as the Healthy Living Fair. Since 2010, Kohl’s has donated more than $55,126 to CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital.

Kohl’s commitment to CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital is made possible through the Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program..

Lake Area Medical Center Open House June 18 Lake Area Medical Center will host a Volunteer Services and Senior Circle OPEN HOUSE on June 18, from 1-3 p.m. at the Senior Circle Activity Center, located on the campus of Lake Area Medical Center. The event is open to adult men and women interested Vol. 6 • No. 5

Free Educational Screenings June 18, July 24 The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Human Services Department is teaming up with Evangeline Home Health and the Medication Assistance Program to offer free educational health screenings covering a variety of topics once a month, accompanied by a speaker and literature covering that month’s topic. Screenings are open to anyone in Calcasieu Parish and will be held the fourth Thursday of each month from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Allen P. August MultiPurpose Annex at 2000 Moeling Street in Lake Charles. The next few screenings are on June 26 (Blood Pressure, Pulse, Oxygen, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol) and July 24 (Vision and Hearing).

WCCH Employees Win honors in Statewide Geaux Lite Challenge The Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA) recently recognized Samantha Bynum, RN, of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital as the female state champion and grand prize winner of the statewide Geaux Lite Weight Loss Challenge by percent of body weight lost. During the challenge, Samantha lost 60 pounds and nearly 30 percent of her body weight. Another WCCH employee recognized in the challenge was Sheryl Milanowski, who received the Achievement Award for having lost 40 pounds and 22 percent of her body weight. The Geaux Lite Louisiana Statewide Hospital Weight Loss Challenge was an initiative to address the state’s obesity epidemic.

Samantha Bynum

Sheryl Milanowski June 5, 2014 07

Umpty-Nine Flavors and Counting Here’s a question for you: who has more flavors than BaskinRobbins? If you guessed Coke, it was a nice try. Sure Coke comes in lots of flavors. There’s New Coke, Classic Coke, Ancient Coke, Coke Zero, Coke Infinity, Vanilla Coke, Hot Blazin’ Coke…oh, sorry, now we’re getting into Buffalo wings, which is a whole other story. But you get the point.

Still, there’s one product out there that comes in more flavors than the offerings of all the soda

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companies combined. I’m talking, of course, about vodka.

When I first reached legal age, vodka came in only one flavor—none. That was fine with everybody, except, apparently, the vodka producers. All brands tasted exactly the same, which is to say, like lighter fluid. A producer had no way to distinguish his product, except to put more hard consonants in the name, to the point where only Finnish-speaking people could pronounce it.

This put the vodka makers in desperate need of a new marketing angle. And thus, the flavored varieties were spawned. It began innocently enough, with modest, unimaginative offerings like cherry and citrus. These, they figured, would gain easy acceptance among the world’s hardcore vodka drinkers, and they were right.

But that was just the beginning. Once they got their foot in the door, the floodgates crashed open. Cherry and citrus were

quickly followed with every imaginable fruit flavor, including pineapple, mango, guava (whatever that is), and kumquat. Suddenly, bar owners were forced to allocate more of their limited shelf space to all of these new, wildly popular vodka offerings, at the expense of other potables like Kentucky bourbon and rye.

It was a stroke of genius.

As it turned out, they were not done. It’s become evident that there is no end to the amount of flavors that work in

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vodka, which is understandable given what the stuff tastes like in its natural form. In fact, the most popular flavor these days turns out to be pepper. Yes, that’s the same pepper that my mother used to put on my tongue whenever she caught me saying a bad word.

So now, and this is no lie, you can buy vodka in flavors that run the gamut from bacon to bubble gum, from pickles to peanut butter and jelly. I have not personally sampled any of these; so I can’t vouch for their palatability. (Editor’s note: Lady Yankee has a special affinity for Fruit Loops-flavored vodka.) But I can say that if they’re anything like the king cake vodka, which I did have the misfortune of trying, there’s no need to bother.

King cake vodka is one of those things that might sound good in theory but doesn’t work well in practice. It’s a similar idea to guzzling a bottle of Tabasco to get rid of nasal congestion.

My only good experience with flavored vodkas occurred when I

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visited Russia. That would make sense, as the Russians drink so much vodka that you’d think the Volga River was flowing with the stuff. Where I visited, horseradish-infused vodka was the local specialty. I attended a dinner there one evening where we kept going round and round the table making toasts (apparently, this is what Russians do for fun).

Waiters stood at the ready, flasks in hand, making sure your glass never ran dry.

I thought to myself, “If these guys fight like they drink, it’s no wonder they turned back the German blitzkrieg.” The Germans have great beer, for sure, but that’s no match for horseradish vodka.

Mike McHugh’s column has appeared in “The Jambalaya News” for nearly five years.

He also contributes stories to the “Not Your Mother’s Book” anthology series and makes public speaking appearances. To inquire about having him speak to your group, contact Mike at thedangyankee@mail.com.

Being returned after five years, Ellie, a Boxer/American Bulldog mix, is hoping the second time is a charm.

She does well with other dogs but, seemingly having “been on the road” alone for a while, she does not share her food. She has gained a bit of weight and is now nearly perfect! She has not been “kidtested” but certainly does well with everyone she meets.

Perfectly crate-trained, she loves being outside but is happy to get back to her ken-

nel to sleep at night. Very affectionate, she is great at giving big kisses! For more information, call or email: (337) 478-7294; lapaw@ bellsouth.net. Home visit, vet check, and commitment to heartworm prevention required prior to all adoptions. You are welcome to meet and visit with our pets at PetsMart every Saturday from noon to 3:30 p.m.

Can’t adopt? Consider fostering. Can’t foster? Consider sponsoring! LAPAW dogs (and cats) can be seen at www.lapaw.org.

June 5, 2014 09

King of the Marsh For those of us who have been stranded afloat, sing along to my namesake’s Country and Western hit, Roger Miller’s “King of the Road.”

“Boats for sale or rent, marsh to let 50K, no phones, no knife, no gun, ain’t got no cigars yet, ah but wild hog trails loom, look out impending doom, I’m a man of sense with no sense, whoa King of the Marsh.”

Back when I was the selfproclaimed “King of the Marsh” there was a sign at Lacoste Lodge that stated “Remember Well, The Marsh ALWAYS Wins.” I know because I put it there. It went with the rule that said NEVER go into the marsh in just one boat. Lesson learned from being stranded in the Hackberry Salt Ditch, Big Pasture, Mud Lake, Black Lake, etc. I’d learned my lesson--or so I thought.

Victor Monsour, of photography fame if not fortune, had a fabulous mud boat. It flew, turned easily, and plowed the trails beautifully. The summer after its first hunting season, we headed to Cameron Parish’s Lacoste Lodge. It was time for marsh prep work. The three LaGrange High School football players I brought would do the work at duck blind #8.

They would clean and put brush around the blind. We left them the big ice chest filled with Gatorade and water and took the small Igloo with us.

Victor and I merrily rode about the marsh in the vesselgenerated breeze, letting the mud boat do the work and blow out the trails. Victor drove. I rode in 10 June 5, 2014

the bow and straightened trail markers or placed new ones. The young men slogged, cut Roseau cane and sweated in the late August swelter. Vic and I faux worked.

About noon, Vic and I broke for lunch. It was almost time to pick up the boys. With the cooling breeze off the Gulf where our wives and kids were frolicking, we dined on store-bought sandwiches. Sated and rested from our nonworking, Victor started his trusty, just-tuned up mud boat. Rather, he tried and tried and tried until the battery weakened. Frustrated but undeterred, I told Vic to let it rest. Meanwhile, I’d walk out the five-plus miles down the levee, over the humpback bridge and the two miles back to the lodge.

No biggie. I’d done it eight years before when Rayme’ Boudreaux was still running his cattle in the impoundment. If Vic could start the boat, he was to pick me up along the levee. It was already mid-afternoon.

Grabbing up the end of a broken push pole as a walking stick, down the levee I began my trek in what became known as “The 4-Mile-Square Death March.” I wasn’t a hundred yards down the levee when I reached the beginning of a Roseau cane, scrub brush, and briar jungle.

With the cattle gone, the marsh had reclaimed its own. The easywalking, cattle beaten back and down trail had been replaced by a near-impenetrable maze.

As a Cajun I’d grown up with the axiom “that if something’s not working, work harder.” So I

pushed, pulled, slid around the cane, stumbled through brush and crawled down wild pig trails in the briars. It took some six hours to go 3.5 miles.

Turning back was not an option. Stubbornness and a certain insanity run in the family. The fact that I hadn’t brought any water with me proves that premise.

“Water. Water. The Marsh King Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Water.”

Resting at the turn, I pondered my plight in the fading light. I’d also had all I could take of the flies and mosquitoes.

They would worsen as night was coming. I eased down the embankment. At the canal’s edge, I scooped mud and spread it over my hands, arms, neck, and face.

Vic wasn’t coming. The boys were stranded. Our families were worried by now.

All I had in front of me was what I’d thrashed through for the last five hours. Once I covered the three miles to the hump back bridge, it was just open road for two miles back to the lodge.

Bulling and crawling my way forward in the darkness, bug swarms became buggier than I already was. I stopped at a break in the cane and slid down chestdeep in the canal to escape, using my push-pole end to steady myself.

Welcoming me were two moonlit red eyes about two feet apart. Seems Mr. Gator was already a resident and I

was trespassing.

Summoning up my dehydrated delusional insanity, I proceeded to smack him between the eyes with my pole. He rolled and swirled and I had a moment of lucidity. I was chestdeep in his home, so I exited in a world record, crawfished scramble up the levee.

Then, there was a light coming down the canal. I’d been to The Divine Light once. Seemed it was time to go back. The beam moved up and down the levee searching for this lost soul. Then it engulfed me sitting on the bank, a seeming mud-covered extra from Apocalypse Now. Brad Hardestry was the delivering angel gripping the Q-Beam. The wives had called for our rescue and it had arrived.

He and Donnie Lacoste carried me to the boat, plopped me on the middle seat and handed me the sweetest nectar of the Gods, Gatorade. I mumbled out our plight between gulps. They then rescued Victor. We located the LG students around ten o’clock. They were doing their own version of mud-splattered, bug repellent water ballet. Only their heads could be seen above the knee-deep pond, ice chest bobbing between them. They seemed pleased to see us.

Sing along now: “Third boat, Midnight trails, Destination Home Again, Old and Worn Out too, I’d Paid Those Dues, I’m No King of the Marsh.”

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them up along with some shrimp and hushpuppies, but I had other plans. I decided that I needed to have a nice “go-to” dish for fresh fish that wasn’t fried and that really let you taste the fish. Now, I did this with bass, but I know it would work well with trout or flounder.

What You’ll Need Six bass fillets 1 jalapeno ½ small onion 1 tsp. minced garlic 1 stick of salted butter

For Rub

Bad-Ass Bass As most of you may or may not know, I work out at Grosse Savanne Lodge. We’re located about 20 miles south of Lake Charles in beautiful Cameron Parish where our guests can enjoy 25,000 acres of private marsh and a 484-acre bass pond named Miller’s Lake. It’s fun working in paradise.

Last week, our Eco-Tour manager, Bobby Jorden, was out fishing on the lake and caught some bass for me to play around with in the kitchen. Everyone was on me to fry

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¼ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon Ancho chili powder Juice of half a lime

What You’ll Do Mix rub ingredients together, rub on the fish and set aside.

Seed and dice the jalapeno and dice the onion. Add one teaspoon of minced garlic and sauté them with half a stick of real, salted butter. Add the rest of the butter along with the lime juice. Let it melt but not

brown.

Place the bass on a parchment paperlined sheet pan and spoon on the butter mixture. Make sure you get some of the jalapeno, onion and garlic on the fish.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 7-10 minutes. I served it with some rice pilaf and yellow squash. Oh yeah--I poured the butter out of the sheet pan onto the cooked fish.

There weren’t any leftovers See ya’ll soon and don’t forget to STIR DAT POT!

June 5, 2014 11

Is Procrastination A Good Thing?

Pro-cras-ti-na-tion |prə’krastə’nāSHən, prō-| noun; the action of delaying or postponing something that needs to be done.

Procrastination comes from a Latin verb meaning “to defer until tomorrow.” Anything that implies a tendency toward action right now is a good antonym. The antonym of action is inaction, which is not really a synonym of procrastination.

For example, ice isn’t procrastinating but it is inactive; it just isn’t flowing like water out of your faucet. Although “urgency” isn’t

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too bad, it tends to pertain to a circumstance rather than an individual. That is saying that urgency implies a need to act right now.

Other words that I have discovered that might define procrastination are putting off, indecision, deferring action, lingering, and simply resisting.

So, is procrastination a good thing? Only by accident. If you put off something purposefully because you think it’s a good idea to delay, you’re not procrastinating.

Procrastination is planning to have done something earlier, and

but simply delayed it without good reason. In short, it is putting off despite expecting to be worse off.

I’ve learned from my own personal experiences that this can become quite painful. Don’t linger in areas of your life just because you don’t want to cause others pain or discomfort.

Real procrastination isn’t optional -- it’s something we don’t know how not to do. It’s a bad habit, possibly bordering on compulsion at times. So, why would an otherwise capable person put forth such a pitiful effort again and again?

For the “Have-To-Do’s” in my life, I’ll end up waiting until the last minute, panicking, and then either doing less than my best work or shutting down and not doing anything at all. For the “Want-To-Do’s” in my life, let’s be honest—I’ll either start one and quit or more likely, I just won’t do it at all.

Procrastinators love planning, because planning does not involve doing, and doing is a procrastinator’s poison. Effective planning, on the other hand, sets you up for success. Planning must end with prioritizing and with the item you’re going to make your first priority. And that item should be the one that means the most to you— the item that’s most important for your happiness. If urgent items are involved, they will have to come first and should be knocked out as quickly as possible to make way for the important items. Procrastinators love to use unimportant but urgent items as an excuse to forever put off the important ones.

Procrastination runs deep, and it takes something more than “being more self-disciplined” or just “changing bad habits” to change.

The problem is deeply rooted and becomes your story, and this story is what must change.

This describes my story: I get started on the task, but can’t stay focused, and I keep taking long breaks to play on Facebook or the Internet. I don’t end up finishing the task. If this also describes you, then you might just be a procrastinator. But how do you get on the right path?

You must stop whatever you’re doing when it’s time to begin the task. Put away all distractions and get started. It sounds simple, but

this is the hardest part. Clear your mind of all the clutter that gets in the way.

When you feel a little self-satisfaction, you’re finally on the right path. That urge to seek distractions is diminishing. Then, if you continue along, something amazing begins to happen. Before you know it, the end is in sight. You start to feel great. You are done. Time to celebrate your accomplishment.

Persistence is such an important component for success. Taking each new step is an inner struggle—and in the end, your ability to win this fight and take that step, day after day, is the root of the procrastinator’s struggle to gain control over the distracting world that surrounds them.

If you are like me, you are bright and creative with an amazing gift to work hard under pressure. And as such, you can be dependable in most situations that require lastminute changes or tight deadlines.

The flip side is that you can be frustrating to work with because you may appear to be stalling for long periods. It can be helpful to address friends, family members and coworkers of your natural work style so those around you can adjust their expectations accordingly.

Back to my question: Is procrastination a good thing? It can be, at times. I like to think of it as being still and quiet for a moment, although I know that moment can easily turn into an hour.

There is a reason for every second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year, road block, stop sign, or putting on the breaks, taking a deep breath, stopping to smell the roses, smiling at a stranger, locking your keys in the car, getting lost. It’s all part of your journey.

It’s all part of God’s plan for your life.

My personal definitions for procrastination are protection and care: a place to be still and quiet, a place all my own within my soul to be still, to ponder, to pray and ask God to prepare the path and show favor in the hearts of others and the situations in the path before me.

To book a Soul Matters Session with Nicole Shuff Arabie, call (337) 540-6573. You can also go to her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DeclutteringYourSoul Vol. 6 • No. 5

My Healthy Family Some parents might hate me for saying this, but my kids and I rarely get sick. And when I say rarely, I mean almost never. Yes, it’s bizarre. No, I have no idea how we avoid all of the crazy stuff that goes around or I would patent the solution, sell it to the world, and make a fortune. The flu? None of us get it. How about the latest virus? Nope, it passes us by. It’s as if my little family has been hermetically sealed.

Now, I wish I could tell you that we stay well because we only eat organic (we don’t). I can’t even tell you it’s because we always eat healthy foods. Of course I do my best to make healthy meals often and to ensure that we get plenty of fruits and vegetables, but just like every family, we have days where we don’t eat as many fruits and vegetables as we should or we grab fast food. We do take vitamins, but some days we forget to do that as well.

I think the main reason that we all have such healthy immune systems is because all of us have always experienced life with gusto and I’ve never sheltered my kids or gone overboard protecting them. Yes, that was my little family at Prien Lake Park this winter when it was snowing, the ground was frozen, the temperature was in the 20s, and everyone else was at home making gumbo and sitting in front of their fireplaces. My two kids “skated” on the frozen playground, swung from the monkey bars, slid down the icy slides, made snowballs, had ice in their hair, and all of us laughed our heads off while having the best time.

Lots of parents keep their Vol. 6 • No. 5

kids from going out in public too much when they are babies, make sure that people don’t so much as breathe on them, jump up if they put their mouths on the equipment at playgrounds, and so on. I know they are simply doing their best to make sure their kids stay healthy. But I think that by letting my kids play in the dirt (heck, they even ate some), be exposed to lots of kids while in daycare, (unwittingly) cut their teeth on playground equipment and not miss out on the day-to-day business of living, they have become two of the healthiest kids I know. They both even had “perfect attendance” at their school last year.

Not too long ago, we ended up seated next to a family at a local restaurant with an attached play area. The couple had adorable four-year-old twins. Dad was what I would call highmaintenance and Mom was higher-maintenance. Throughout the hour we were there, I heard Mom and Dad say, “No! We don’t drink soft drinks!”

“No, no, no. We don’t have ketchup!” “Absolutely not! We don’t have sweets!” “You cannot take your shoes off !” “I’d better not see you put your mouth on that playground equipment!” and “Here are some wipes for your hands!”

I don’t know what those particular kids are allowed to do, but I sure got an earful of what they aren’t allowed to do.

Yes, parents should set limits for their children and they should be the ones to decide what their kids should eat, etc. But depriving your children of every possible thing, including the

chance to figure out some things for themselves is just asking for trouble. And in the rush to keep them healthy, some parents might actually be on the road to ensuring that their kids end up being sick all the time, because they haven’t had a chance to beef up their immune systems by being exposed to everyday things.

My daughter is nearly six, and except for an occasional sniffle, hasn’t been sick since she was a baby. If I ever get sick, it’s just a brief sinus flare-up and never slows me down. The last time that my son really got sick was when he was three and that was six years ago. He had a little virus and we both got it. It was before my daughter had come along so it was just the two of us and we ended up staying home for two days. We napped in my bed for the better part of those two days and when we felt well enough, we would sip on Sprite and nibble on saltine crackers.

Then I would check his head for fever before my sweet boy would touch my forehead and tell me that I still had fever, too.

Our sick days from nearly six years ago have become the stuff of legend in my little family. To hear my son tell it now, the two of us were sick for weeks and it was just horrible and we weren’t sure we would ever be able to get out of bed!

Yes, I do realize that by writing this article, all three of us are going to come down with the flu. It’s all right. I think I’m ready for a break. We’ll stay home for a couple of days, take to our beds, drink Sprite, nibble on saltine crackers, check one another often for fever, and have

another great story to tell for years and years to come.

Lisa Addison writes for local, regional and national publications. She has two school-aged children, never gets enough sleep, enjoys trying new recipes, is an avid reader, and loves going on adventures with her kids.

June 5, 2014 13

There’s nothing like a home on the beach. But when the beach is on the Gulf Coast, it can spell disaster. You might as well say that you are looking for trouble.

We bought a home on Dauphin Island, Alabama, as an investment property shortly after we moved to Louisiana.

We were new to the South in general and the natural phenomenon of hurricanes in particular.

We were very concerned about owning property on this little barrier island in

14 June 5, 2014

Mobile Bay. But our Realtor assured us that there hadn’t been any hurricanes in a very long time; that the worst one had been Hurricane Frederic, and that was back in 1979.

“And it’s not like a tornado,” he went on. “You get a threeday warning, at least. That’s plenty of time to secure the house. And your management company will do that for you.”

The house, named Fish Bowl, was a rambling fivebedroom that stood six feet off the ground. It was fairly old; a newer addition had

that was filled with colorful couches and chairs upholbeen added some years after it stered in custom-made fish was built. We got it at a great patterns. The room smelled price, a really great price. of suntan lotion and summer.

We later found out why: the All you could see were sky owner had been arrested for and beach and sand. Sea grass murder and his wife was sell- swaying in the breezes. Crabs ing off their assets to pay for scuttling, waves breaking, his lawyers. We heard a lot of sandpipers running on the stories about this guy from shoreline. Paradise. I was very people on the island once we ill with fibromyalgia at this bought it; luckily none of his time, and the terrible pain “friends” (or worse, enemies) would come and go. I rememcame by looking for him, at ber thinking, “This is a really least while we were there. nice place to die.” Only eight Fish Bowl got its name miles long, with one stoplight from the three walls of winand private beaches, it was a dows in the huge living place of serenity and contentroom overlooking the beach ment, a place to contemplate

Vol. 6 • No. 5

and just be.

We went there a lot, that first summer of 2004. Our Scottie dog Rhiannon loved to run on the beach and chase the crabs and bring enormous quantities of sand into the house. We would get up early in the morning, looking for shells. Once, I found a perfect sand dollar. I brought it back home and showed it to one of our bed and breakfast guests one morning and accidentally put a plate on top of it.

I never found another whole one—just bits and pieces of many.

In early September, my cousins from Arizona came to visit and fell in love with the island and with Fish Bowl. As we walked along the beach, we notice an abundance of blue crabs in the water, very close to the shoreline. “I’ve lived here seven years and I’ve never seen them this close,” a neighbor observed. You could actually just walk into the water and scoop them up with a net. The people renting the house next to ours caught 120

in one day and invited us over for a crab boil that evening.

They were absolutely delicious. All part of the Dauphin Island experience that we had come to love. What we didn’t know at the time was that the crabs heading for the shore was a sign that something was wrong with Mother Nature.

Less than two weeks after we returned home, a hurricane started rumbling and ended up heading for the Gulf. Two days before it actually hit, the target appeared to be New Orleans. Our bed and breakfast was full, and we must have received 100 calls that day from people trying to leave the Crescent City, looking for a place to stay. But on the eve of the storm, it veered east, and instead, Hurricane Ivan came down on Gulf Shores, Alabama, a stone’s throw from Dauphin Island.

Coincidentally, it was also my birthday, September 16.

At that stage of my life I was suffering from severe insomnia anyway, so I basically stayed up all night watching

the Weather Channel and Jim Cantore, in his prime, almost getting blown to pieces. Phil slept through it all. I remember waking him up and asking him what it means when you lose a house on your birthday.

“You get a new house,” he mumbled groggily, visions of insurance claims dancing in his head.

He was right. We did get a new house—built up to code this time. But it can never

compare to Fish Bowl. We miss every wobbly, eccentric corner of it and every piece of mismatched furniture and plates. And our first visit after the hurricane was heartbreaking, as these photos indicate.

The island was practically destroyed. We had never experienced anything like this before. Little did we know that it was only the beginning, and that Katrina and Rita were yet to come.

CalcaShout Emergency Alert System Hurricane season began on June 1, and with the storm activity that has impacted Southwest Louisiana over the past several years, residents are encouraged to get prepared.

The CalcaShout Emergency Alert System is a free service of the Police Jury that puts the latest emergency information in the palm of subscribers hands wherever they may be. CalcaShout is a “reverse 911” system, which utilizes existing emergency communication resources such as email, web, and phone-based alerts. The system will only be activated in an emergency situation when there is a serious risk of harm or threat Vol. 6 • No. 5

to life. When such a threat occurs, a very brief pre-recorded message will be sent to those who subscribe to the system, instructing them to seek information and updates from

other existing university information sources.

The CalcaShout Emergency Alert System is voluntary and

is a free service. The system is powered by FirstCall systems. It allows residents in Calcasieu Parish to designate an alternate email address or telephone number where an email, voice or text message can be quickly sent in an emergency. The emergency contact information stored in the system is not displayed in a public directory, or used for any other purposes.

Residents may sign-up their contact information at: www.calcashout.com. If a resident cannot access the internet, or has trouble entering their information, they may call the Office of Emergency Preparedness at (337) 721-3800.

June 5, 2014 15

Entergy Puts Response and Communication to the Test with Hurricane Scenario In preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, hundreds of Entergy employees across the company’s utility service territory recently engaged in an intensive storm drill, which tracked a fictional hurricane and its potential impact on the Entergy service territory.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Entergy adopted the federal and state Incident Command Structure for disasters that clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the entire storm team. The drill began with a message announcing that a Category 3 hurricane was expected to make landfall that week potentially impacting Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Participants immediately began responding to the message as if it were a real weather threat.

“We approach every drill as a real event,” said Greg Grillo, Entergy’s system storm incident commander.

“We gather people at all command centers to practice our response to a hurricane even in those areas not in the storm’s path as they may serve as critical support to the event. We use this as an opportunity to strengthen restoration protocols and to improve communications with our customers. As always, even in a drill, safety is our top priority.”

Over the last few years, Entergy has been refining and testing new communication processes, particularly those designed to address demands of real-time digital and social media. Customer service teams work with field crews and communications staff to get restoration information from the field into the customer’s hands as quickly as possible.

The storm path outlined in the scenario also required Entergy’s nuclear plants in Louisiana and Mississippi to implement severe weather procedures that involve securing the site and making arrangements for staffing at the plant during and after the storm.

“Continually testing our emergency response and communication plans is a key component to our ‘prepare for the worst and hope for the best’ approach to storm restoration,” Grillo said. “Our customers can be assured we will be doing everything we can to restore their power as safely and quickly as possible. Entergy is recognized in the industry as having one of the best storm restoration teams in the country.”

Even with the swiftest response, a major storm can cripple a community’s infrastructure, delaying access to basic needs such as food, water and electricity.

Entergy strongly encourages customers to make their own plans.

There are several things everyone can do to be storm ready: • Download the free Entergy app for your Smartphone at entergy.com/app.

• Sign up for text alerts. Text R-E-G to 368374.

• Visit the Entergy Storm Center website www.stormcenter.entergy.com and view “Outages” page for the latest information.

• Go to Twitter.com/Entergy or facebook.com/entergy.

16 June 5, 2014

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Vol. 6 • No. 5

June 5, 2014 17

The American dream is usually associated with standing on your own two feet, working hard, and obtaining the kind of life you know you deserve. Some would say this is considered a dream because it’s just impossible; that these opportunities vanished along with black and white televisions and being able to work a job all summer to buy a car.

But looking back on the fortunate lives of people who were born in an era where they could pull themselves up by their bootstraps and become the men they sought out to be, is quite fascinating.

Gender is relevant when talking about this time in history, as women generally weren’t allowed to start businesses or become CEOs. One man’s story, in particular, strikes me as relevant because it’s one of glory and tragedy.

His name was Gary Tyler. He was KPLC’s lead television

18 June 5, 2014

anchor, who, during the 1950s was considered by many to be responsible for the loss of life in Cameron during Hurricane Audrey.

Tyler was born in Selma, Louisiana, a town that no longer exists due to highway and interstate development.

His family moved to Oakdale and it was there that he went to school and later joined the United States Navy. During his time with the Navy, Tyler found his passion for public performing. He was the drummer for a very popular band in the officer’s club, and would perform as a standup comedian during musical intermissions.

From what I’ve been able to gather on the man, not having ever known him personally, he was extremely charismatic.

People were drawn in by the voice, the smile, and the warmth of his presence. But, whereas most people who

posses these same attributes usually stick to the life of a salesman, the one aspect of Tyler’s personality that would lead him to his destiny as a television personality was that he actually craved the attention the same way a junkie craves a fix.

Leaving the Navy as a helicopter mechanic, Tyler found employment with a local helicopter company dealing in the private sector. A funny fact I discovered was the main difference between the helicopter operations of the military sector and private sector (during this time in history, anyway): When aircraft had suffered even minor structural damage, it was military protocol to avoid risk by just dumping them into the ocean. The private sector would repair them to the best of their abilities, or cannibalize them for parts because it was too expensive to simply replace them.

These were standard practices at the time, and after Tyler was asked to make repairs to an aircraft he felt belonged at the bottom of sea collecting barnacles, he decided to leave the security of this well-paying, lifelong job-to the dismay of his young, pregnant wife--to pursue a career where he could use his natural talents.

Landing a job on radio as a disc jockey before being approached by KPLC News Radio was the stepping stone to his career in television. When KPLC News launched their television broadcast division, the powers-that-be hired Tyler as their lead anchor.

Shortly after the first airing, it was obvious Tyler had the charisma to carry the new show into success. He was instantly famous and beloved by his community.

He was also a deeply troubled man. The scars from an abusive childhood hid deep wounds that never healed. He was unfaithful to his wife and drank to excess, but his charm Vol. 6 • No. 5

always got him out of tight spots. It was Tyler’s World.

During his early years as a television personality, Tyler would supplement his income--which was not very high, even by today’s standards--by trading his image for goods. He found that his celebrity could afford him the finer things in life so, as the story goes, he began selling himself. Eight commercials with Tyler telling the city of Lake Charles how honest and professional a local car dealer was got him a free car. Five commercials for a furniture store that sold “top brands” in the area equaled Tyler’s entire house being furnished.

A small caption at the end of every broadcast that read “Gary Tyler’s wardrobe provided by *insert store name here*” resulted in never having to pay for the finest clothes in town. While this is frowned upon in today’s broadcast field, back when televisions were a new commodity, this was standard practice.

These were also the years when what a man said on television was the unquestioned truth. Keep in mind that not long before this, Orson Welles read The War of the Worlds over the radio (1938) and some listeners actually attempted suicide because of it.

Tyler now had this prestigious power tightly in his hands, and this new broadcast format was fresh from the mint for the growing city of Lake Charles.

In late June of 1957, a hurricane developed so quickly from a tropical wave that moved into the Bay of Campeche that it was never recorded at tropical depression status. Situated within favorable conditions, Audrey became a hurricane just a few hours after being classified as a tropical cyclone. On June 27, it reached peak sustained winds of 145 mph, making Vol. 6 • No. 5

it a major hurricane. And it was heading for Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes. Given the task of informing the residents, Tyler received the storm’s trajectory and reported its progression as it drew nearer to making landfall.

The day before Audrey hit, the National Weather Bureau predicted that the storm wouldn’t reach land until later in the afternoon on June 27, which Tyler dutifully reported to his viewing audience.

Based on this information, the residents of Cameron went to bed believing there was plenty of time for a good night’s rest and an early breakfast before evacuating.

But tragedy struck overnight. Audrey intensified rapidly and more than doubled forward in speed. When the people of Cameron awoke on the morning of June 27, their escape routes were already flooded by the storm surge, and their small town was minutes away from being faceto-face with a hurricane now packing winds of up to 150 miles per hour. The residents of Cameron who didn’t leave the day before were trapped, fighting for their lives as their small coastal town was destroyed.

After Audrey passed, the smell of death clogged the area. Bodies initially were left were they were found to insure that assistance could reach the living. The final death toll of Hurricane Audrey will never be known, but it is thought that nearly 550 people, including more than 100 children, perished.

Being the trusted man on the screen, Tyler received a lot of heat for what was considered “faulty” reporting.

Many believed that he wasn’t just a voice for the National Weather Bureau, but that he was actually allknowing—

which could not have been further from the truth. Tyler, a fundamental people-pleaser, was devastated by the accusations. Over 100 families filed lawsuits against the Weather Bureau. The fundamental question at issue was simple: Did the Weather Bureau use reasonable care in evaluating the evidence upon which its forecasts were based?

The case of Whitney Bartie v. United States of America was filed in 1964, and was the first of its kind in the history of the United States Federal Court. The judge ruled in favor of the Weather Bureau, citing the weather expert’s testimony that the warnings issued were as accurate as could be expected at the time.

He based his decision on the very specific, required duties of the Weather Bureau at that time. The appeal was lost as well, and as a result, all of the other suits were withdrawn.

Time went by, and wounds eventually healed. Tyler remained at the station until 1972. He later went into politics and on to run for State Senate, losing by only a few votes to Edwin Edwards. But

his career was suddenly halted when he suffered a debilitating stroke, disabling him permanently. He died at the age of 72, mostly separated from reality and living with his exwife who had divorced him after the stroke but continued caring for him—in spite of all that he had put her through.

The personal stories I’ve heard from his sons indicate that Tyler, in his prime, lived two lives. The life many would like to remember is the image he portrayed while on screen. His personal life was riddled with temptation and debauchery. But, as for the purposes of this article, I will keep it clean and neat. After all…he was my grandfather.

June 5, 2014 19

JD Bank Insurance Offers Financial Preparedness Tips for Hurricane Season As hurricane season begins, JD Bank Insurance recommends taking the following steps to ensure storm preparedness and ease of recovery: • Secure property insurance coverage. Insurance providers cannot legally offer insurance coverage when an active storm has been reported. In addition, many policies require a waiting period before accepting damage claims.

• Conduct a home inventory. Should you incur any storm damage, a written and photographic record of your valuables will assist your insurance adjuster with processing your claims quickly and correctly. Include details such as model numbers and purchase price.

• Set up online banking and bill pay. Establish online banking accounts, direct deposit and online bill pay to receive remote access to funds and automate payments. Doing so in advance of a storm will reduce the risk of additional fees caused by disruptions in paying bills or emergency purchases. All financial information and personal identification should be compiled in a safe place.

• Prepare your property.

Purchase materials to protect your home well in advance of a storm warning and tie down any outdoor items not secured to the ground before evacuating to prevent liability of damage to a neighbor’s property.

• Review your current flood and hazard insurance policies. Contact your insurance provider to familiarize yourself with all aspects of your insurance policies to understand exactly what types of damages are covered and to avoid unexpected fees following home damage.

“The most important thing area residents can do right 20 June 5, 2014

now is verify the deductibles on their current policies,” JD Bank Insurance Provider Murray Reed said. “One challenge we faced during Hurricanes Rita and Katrina was that a lot of people weren’t aware of the deductibles in their policies.

Few companies today require a standard deductible, but rather 2 to 5 percent of the

covered value of the home which can be up to $15,000.”

In addition to financial preparation, families should take additional steps to prepare for a hurricane, including developing an evacuation plan and securing necessities in the event of a power outage. For more information, visit the Governor’s Office of Home-

land Security and Emergency Preparedness online.

JD Bank Insurance providers have more than 100 years combined experience offering home, auto, life, health and commercial insurance. For more information, visit www. jdbank.com/jd-bank-insurance.html or call (337) 4740720. Member FDIC.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Community Foundation Donates to Hurricane Museum The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana announced a $75,000 donation to the National Hurricane Museum & Science Center (NHMSC), dedicated to developing a first-of-its-kind national education initiative focusing on weather, water, and wetlands. This educational initiative will fully utilize new learning and communication technologies to reach learners across the country.

The NHMSC is dedicated to understanding hurricanes, investigating their scientific character, and demonstrating their impact on the lives and living systems and coastal resources at risk in their path. In addition to being a world-class educational facility located in Lake Charles, the NHMSC aspires to be a national educational force using severe weather and coastal restoration and protection as powerful motivational themes to teach math and science. The relevance and functional, real-world applications of this science and education content will motivate students to want to learn.

Weather, water and wetlands are subjects that will dominate national headlines and impact every Gulf and East coast community for decades to come.

The themes of weather, water and wetlands have far-reaching relevance to scientific disciplines ranging from biology, meteorology, engineering, physics, and geography to medicine and sociology, and therefore can provide wideranging content and learning experiences.

“The Board of the community Foundation is pleased to provide this grant from the Fund for the Future of the Gulf,” said Sara Judson, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. “Hurricane education enables adults and children to make informed decisions about critical social, scientific, and economic issues Vol. 6 • No. 5

and set the groundwork for permanent, positive change,” she continued. “This certainly supports our mission of connecting human and financial resources to effect permanent, positive culture change,” she added.

The NHMSC will be a hub in a national digital learning network, informing the public about the weather, water and wetlands issues that impact their lives every day. Through exhibitions, programs, symposia, webinars, mobile device applications, web sites, and social media, the NHMSC will be a forum bringing together scientists, technologists, and engineers with the public, creating a scientifically literate, engaged and activated citizenry.

“This gift from the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana is really an investment in a new way of digital learning, and will enable the NHMSC to reach millions of students all across the nation even before the physical doors open to the center,” said Gray Stream, NHMSC Board Chairman. “In addition, having the support of our local community foundation and their parent organization, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, underscores the value of the NHMSC to this region and the nation.”

The gift from the Community Foundation matches $75,000 awarded by the Pinnacle Entertainment Foundation in 2012, also earmarked for the national educational initiative.

The NHMSC is expected to attract 220,000 visitors to Southwest Louisiana each year and have a $63-million total annual economic impact. Visitors to www.nhmsc.com can learn more about the $68-million facility and preview exhibits planned for the museum and science center. The website also features information on the origins and background of the project and videos of the iconic building design.

June 5, 2014 21

An Important Message From Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach “The hurricane season begins June 1 and we encourage everyone to begin their plans now regarding what they would do in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane. Planning should include stocking your home with non-perishable food, water and emergency supplies; a plan for evacuation (including pets) if called upon to evacuate by officials; and an action plan for those individuals with special needs.

“In the event of a tropical storm or hurricane threat, the public should listen to local emergency officials and following their instructions and listen to local media. They can visit the City of Lake Charles website www.cityoflakecharles. com and click the Emer-

22 June 5, 2014

gency Preparedness icon for links to related information, including the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the National Weather Service Forecast Office (NOAA).

“The main message is be prepared!”

Maintain Your A/C System!

It’s that time of the year when we start realizing that spring is over and hot weather is around the corner and here to stay for the next four or five months. By the time the first heat wave hits, we start to remember last summer when it was hot outside and not so comfortable inside. And, you knew that sometime soon, the bill from the utility company would arrive and drain our banking account of money we would rather use for something else.

Therefore, maintaining your air conditioning system is very important, says Randy Trouth of Trouth Air Conditioning in Sulphur. “The first and easiest thing to do is replace the air filter regularly. The filter is your first line of defense when

trying to operate the system at its highest efficiency. Some filters say you can go longer than monthly, but remember that when it’s hot, your system is getting a lot of run time and you may want to accelerate your filter changing schedule to more than just monthly.”

In addition to replacing or cleaning the filter, you should get regular preventive maintenance by cleaning the outdoor coil, indoor coil and blower, as these are the parts that collect dust the fastest. “Make sure it’s a cleaning and not just an inspection,” he advises. “You want to do more than just kick the tires on the system. All of the air conditioning manufacturers recommend preventive maintenance to make sure the warranty is intact.”

Trouth says this will help keep our homes more comfortable, keep our utility bill as low as possible and can also help to avoid an unexpected and costly air conditioning system repairs.

With hurricane season coming up, you may have to evacuate. If so, it is best to turn the system off. Fluctuations of the electrical service, spikes and low current can burn up electrical components in the system. “If your outdoor unit is flooded with fresh water, it can be allowed to dry out and still run for a long time depending on which components were wet and how long,” Trouth says. “If the outdoor condenser is subjected to salt or brackish water, that part of the system will have to be replaced. The air conditioning manufacturers will back that up when dealing with insurance adjusters.”

Trouth Air Conditioning & Sheet Metal Inc.,1212 Whitaker Street, Sulphur. Office 5278683, Cell 884-7810 Vol. 6 • No. 5

Hurricane Names for 2014 Hurricane names are selected by the World Meteorological Organization. Every six years, the list of names begins again. The names of especially destructive hurricanes are usually retired.

Katrina, Rita and Ike are just three of the recently retired names.

Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gonzalo Hanna Isaias Josephine Kyle Laura Marco Nana Omar Paulette Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred Vol. 6 • No. 5

June 5, 2014 23

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit—Have It Ready!

Now that we have moved into hurricane season, it’s a good idea to have a basic emergency supply kit ready. Most of us here went through Rita, and we can still remember all the things we should and should not have done. Having an evacuation plan in place, and a basic emergency kit ready will ease your mind.

Your disaster kit could include the following items: • One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation • At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both • Flashlight and extra batteries • First aid kit • Whistle to signal for help • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities • Manual can opener for food • Local maps • Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger • Prescription medications and glasses • Infant formula and diapers • Pet food and extra water and anything else necessary for your pet (s).

• Cash or traveler’s checks and change • Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.

• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person.

• Complete change of clothing for each person.

• Fire extinguisher • Matches in a waterproof container • Personal hygiene items • Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils • Paper and pencil • Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

24 June 5, 2014

Prepping Your Vehicle for Hurricane Evacuation Road trip or hurricane evacuation...in either event, vehicle preparation is virtually the same, says Ron Fogal of Pumpelly Tires in Lake Charles.

“If your auto needs major repairs, get them done a month ahead of time,” he advises.

“Today’s autos are very complex machines and you want to give yourself time to remedy any problems that may arise.”

Check your oil change service sticker and if you are anywhere near the recommended interval, get it done at least week ahead of departure time so you can react to anything you discover in the process. “While performing an engine oil and filter change, most service facilities will check the important elements of your vehicle,” he says. “However, I would make my own checklist and get clear, written answers as to the conditions found.”

In addition to changing the oil, filter and lubricating applicable chassis parts, make sure you do the following:

• Check and fill all fluids • Check condition of belts and hoses • Load test battery • Check and replace (as needed), the engine air filter and cabin air filter.

• Check tire condition and adjust air pressure to factory recommended specifications (usually found on placard in driver’s door jamb). Do not forget the spare tire in this process.

• Check windshield wipers, and all lights, including the oftenoverlooked license plate light.

• Inspect shocks, struts, steering and chassis parts.

• Inspect brake pad/shoe material for adequate thickness and the entire hydraulic brake system.

Keep in mind, anything you can do on your home turf and on your timeline is to your advantage, and is a lot better than trying to get things done on the road and during vacation or hurricane evacuation.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Slow Hurricane Season Expected for 2014 Federal forecasters are expecting a slower-thanusual Atlantic hurricane season, with eight to 13 tropical storms and three to six hurricanes predicted.

Of course, there’s no way to tell whether any of these potential storms will strike the U.S. coastline during

the six-month season.

Scientists believe that the weather phenomenon known as El Nino, which warms part of the Pacific every few years and changes rain and temperature patterns around the world, is on its way. If so, it is expected to suppress

the number and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes this year. Cooler temperatures on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean compared with recent years will also lower the probability of hurricane formation, which is great news for all of us.

If a storm does hit, meteorologists warn that the strongest storms typically occur during the months of August, September and October. That’s because conditions are ripe for budding storms forming offshore of Africa, near the Cape Verde Islands.

HURRICANE SEASON 2014 Take Action

The 2014 hurricane season begins June 1 and continues through November 30. Unfortunately, many of us don’t begin preparing for a hurricane until we know a storm is brewing, but now is the time to prepare yourself, your family and your community.

Take action today.

Ask yourself the following questions: • Do you have a plan in place to survive a disaster?

• Do you have an emergency supply kit for your home and car?

• Are your homeowner’s & flood insurance policies in order?

• Have you planned your evacuation?

• Do you have a plan for turning off your utilities?

• Do you have a plan to secure the house/outdoor items/boat?

• Do you have copies of your insurance policies, important documents and other valuables in a safe place?

• Do you have an inventory Vol. 6 • No. 5

and detailed description of your property?

• Has your roof been inspected within the last six months?

• Have you had routine maintenance on your trees and shrubs around the house?

• Have you had routine maintenance on your car and are the tires, including the spare, in good condition?

• Is your emergency phone list up-to-date?

• Have you made arrangements for your out-of-state communication contact?

• Do you have a plan to address the “special needs” family members?

• Have you decided what you will do with your animals?

• Do you have a recovery plan?

• Are you involved with community preparedness planning and education?

• Have you budgeted for the additional expenses to prepare your home, buy supplies, and evacuate?

Be prepared for the 2013 hurricane season!

June 5, 2014 25

Essentials of Managing Water in an Emergency We never realize how important the things we take for granted are. Think what would happen if we were without water for an extended period of time. That’s why we need to make sure that we have plenty in caste of an emergency. The following information will help: Allow people to drink according to their needs. Many people need even more than the average of one gallon per day. The individual amount needed depends on age, physical activity, physical condition and time of year.

Never ration drinking water unless ordered to do so by authorities. Drink the amount you need today and try to find more for tomorrow. Under no circumstances should a person drink less than one quart

(four cups) of water each day.

You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

Drink water that you know is not contaminated first.

If necessary, suspicious water, such as cloudy water from regular faucets or water from streams or ponds, can be used after it has been treated. If water treatment is not possible, put off drinking suspicious water as long as possible, but do not become dehydrated.

Do not drink carbonated beverages instead of drinking water.

Carbonated beverages do not meet drinking-water requirements. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol dehydrate the body, which increases the need for drinking water.

You will need to protect the water sources already in your home from contamination if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines or if local officials advise you of a problem. To close the incoming water source, locate the incoming valve and turn it to the closed position. Be sure you and your family members know how to perform this important procedure.

Safe Sources of Drinking Water • Melted ice cubes.

• Liquids from canned goods such as fruit or vegetables.

• Water drained from pipes.

To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your home at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the home.

• Water drained from the water heater. To use water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve at the tank and turning on the hot-water faucet. After you are notified that clean water has been restored, you will need to refill the tank before turning the gas or electricity back on. If the gas is turned off, a professional will be needed to turn it back on.

Unsafe Sources • Radiators or Hot water boilers (home heating systems).

• Water from the toilet bowl or flush tank.

• Water beds. Fungicides added to the water or chemicals in the vinyl may make 26 June 5, 2014

water unsafe to use.

• Swimming pools and spas.

Chemicals used to kill germs are too concentrated for safe drinking but can be used for personal hygiene, cleaning and related uses.

Water Treatment If you have used all of your stored water and there are no other reliable clean water sources, it may become necessary in an emergency situation to treat suspicious water. Treat all water of uncertain quality before using it for drinking, food washing or preparation, washing dishes, brushing teeth or making ice. In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms (germs) that cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis.

There are many ways to treat water. None is perfect.

Often the best solution is a combination of methods.

Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom or strain them through coffee filters or layers of clean cloth. Make sure you have the necessary materials in your disaster supplies kit for the chosen water treatment method.

Boiling Boiling is the safest method of treating water. In a large pot or kettle, bring water to a rolling boil for one full minute, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This also will improve the taste of stored water.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Chlorination You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms.

Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners.

Because the potency of bleach diminishes with time, use bleach from a newly opened or unopened bottle.

Add 16 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, then repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water.

Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 or 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.

Preparing

Makes Sense for Pet Owners If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an important member of your household. Unfortunately, animals are also affected by disaster.

The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency such as a hurricane depends largely on emergency planning done today. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an animal emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system, are the same for any emergency. Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make plans in advance for your pets.

Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals.

If you evacuate your home,

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.

If you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that animals may not be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets; consider loved ones or friends outside of your immediate area who would be willing to host you and your pets in an emergency.

Make a back-up emergency

plan in case you can’t care for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer.

Make sure you have enough food for your pets, along with bedding, leashes, toys, litter and litter boxes, necessary medicine, etc. Rabies tags and immunization history are also important.

Distillation While boiling and chlorination will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes (germs) that resist these methods, as well as heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Distillation involves boiling water and then collection of only the vapor that condenses. The condensed vapor will not include salt or most other impurities.

To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right side up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

June 5, 2014 27

Do You Need Flood Insurance?

Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding. It’s important to have protection from the floods associated with hurricanes, tropical storms, heavy rains and other conditions that can impact us.

The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act was signed into law by the President March 21.

It amends some provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance

28 June 5, 2014

Reform Act of 2012.

Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from the date of purchase before your policy goes into effect. So, you’d better look into this quickly if you feel you may need it and you haven’t already.

For more information on flood insurance, please visit the National Flood Insurance Program Web site at www.FloodSmart.gov.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Pre- and Post-storm Tips from CenterPoint Energy CenterPoint Energy strongly advises customers not to turn off their gas at the meter before a storm. The gas meter should be left on to maintain proper pressure in the gas piping within the house and to prevent water from entering the lines should flooding occur.

If a customer wishes to discontinue gas service, the gas can be turned off at each appliance. Later, to restore gas service to an appliance, it is only necessary to follow the written instructions located on the appliance for re-lighting. If unable to locate instructions, call a qualified plumber.

After the Storm As you return to your home or business, be alert for leaking gas. If you smell gas, leave the area immediately, and tell others to leave.

Do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator. Also, do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off. Once safely away from the area, call CenterPoint Energy, who will send a trained service technician immediately.

Know where their natural gas meter is located. As you are putting out debris for heavy trash pick-up, make sure it is placed away from the meter. In some areas, the meter may be located near the curb. Trash collectors are using mechanized equipment to pick up heavy debris, and if the debris is near a gas meter, the equipment could pull up the meter, damaging it and causing a potentially hazardous situation. If this does Vol. 6 • No. 5

happen, leave the area immediately and call CenterPoint Energy.

If your home was flooded, call a licensed plumber or a gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances prior to requesting a service reconnection. Don’t forget to check outdoor appliances, such as pool heaters and gas grills.

And while conducting cleanup, call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on your property.

Emergency Numbers CenterPoint Energy Customer Service ELECTRIC (800) 332-7143 NATURAL GAS (800) 752-8036 For more information, visit www.centerpointenergy. com/stormcenter

June 5, 2014 29

We often see our fictional heroes depicted as men who are prone to destructive behavior, rebel against authority, and drive fast, cool cars.

There has to be something to this archetype that drives the mass public to care for such a character when, in real life, somebody with these tendencies is often avoided and considered a troublemaker.

But, life is boring enough living and playing it safe all of the time, and it’s a breath of fresh air to find someone who, without even knowing it, lived the kind of life that lends itself to cinematic qualities. The man I met last week has lived his life in the fast lane, openly claiming to have won his wife in a card game (it’s actually a very romantic story), and never letting his passion for thrillseeking ever die. His name is Van Rembert. He is 70 years old. He was a street racer during the times of greasers and pre-muscle cars.

It was a weird week for me. I originally set off to write a piece on antique automobiles for this issue. I was raised by a single mother who had absolutely no interest in being an auto mechanic, so I grew up with

30 June 5, 2014

very little exposure to the manly arts of geardom. But, as my week on, I felt that fathers out there might want something cooler. Considering that most dads, myself included, currently drive mpg-efficient emasculation mobiles, why not slam this issue into the 6th gear that our cars don’t have, and launch into the quarter mile with a little gusto!

After making what felt like a hundred phone calls (really just three), I finally stumbled across a fellow who happened to have a bit of history with a car that is almost as American as the American flag itself: the classic Chevrolet Corvette. Just thinking about that car makes me also think about the Bonneville Salt Flats. Keying the ignition, revving the engine twice, and staring down a barren stretch of land made perfect by the gods for testing this almighty steel roaring confidently beneath my feet. Not many things can drive an adult male to the intense exhilaration of childhood excitement like the sound and feel of a classic hot rod.

Rembert was a young man with a car during the ‘50s.

By young, I mean 5th grade, which is approximately 10-11 years old. By this age Rembert already owned his first car, a King Midget. This form of transportation was considered a microcar, but with a powerful rear motor, this little car was impressive.

Rembert recalls fondly driving around town, picking up his friends, and cruising the streets. After asking how the police felt about him doing this, he said, “It wasn’t a problem. Times were different back then. It wasn’t until the next year, when me and all my friends picked up motorscooters that the cops started having a problem.”

He laughs. “We were playing tag on our scooters at night.

I guess they thought that was a bit too dangerous.”

By his senior year in high school, Rembert had no money and no tools. But he discovered that he could attend high school the first half of the day, and continue the rest of the day at SOWELA Tech. By doing this, he had SOWELA’s machine shop at his disposal, giving him access to all the tools needed to begin his dream of building the fastest car in town and cementing his legacy as a street racer. “It was a dangerous life, and I’ve seen friends die doing it, but street-racing was the most excitement a thrill-seeker like myself could find,” he remembers.

Rembert proudly walks me through his workshop filled with a lifetime of projects and memories.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Model airplanes he flew as a small child drape the walls, recalling a time in his adolescence before cars. A contraption he built for the purpose of mounting a “shaker” (a can of spray paint) to a reciprocating saw sits atop his workbench. “I got tired of shakin’ ‘em by hand,” Rembert says.

If all of this wasn’t proof to me that this is a man of passion, he walks me over to his second workspace. “My back got bad on me and I couldn’t climb under my cars anymore, so I built this area and installed a professional lift bay,” he says. Here resides a yellow 1972 Chevrolet Corvette--the last of the chrome bumper models--and it is in the middle of a full restoration.

I notice a covered travel trailer adjacent to this project car. “Wanna see what’s in there?” he asks. He opens the door, revealing one of the most beautiful things I have been blessed enough to see with my own two eyes. A black 1962 Corvette…in mint condition. I ask to see more of the car, as it resides in such a tight enclosure. “Go ahead,” he tells me. “Just keep your belt buckle off my car.”

The red interior shines just like it did the day it rolled onto the showroom. Knowing absolutely nothing about engines, I can neither confirm nor deny its condition or performance. But it was so shiny!

Rembert takes me to yet another shop area on his

Vol. 6 • No. 5

property dedicated to what he refers to as his toys. I get to see way more than I ever expected, included a silver 2001 Corvette he bought for his wife as an anniversary present. She laughed and told me, “For me? Sure it is.”

Something draped under a cloak catches my eye. He uncovers a beast never meant to coexist alongside such cars as the Prius. I’ll go as far as to say that this road demon sits in its garage asking itself, what’s wrong with cars today?

This 1934 Chevrolet is coated in a rose-colored paint and armed with a 3.8 Buick V-6.

Rembert refers to her as his “cruisin’ car”.

When I interview, there is less formal questioning than you would expect. I believe in creating conversations and getting to know a person as a person and not as a subject. During the course of this interview, I opened up about never having worked on engines before, but how I’d love to do it with my sons someday. Rembert smiled and told me to swing by anytime, bring the kids along, and that he would show us how the master does it. Following Rembert around his property and coveting his ‘62 Corvette made me realize that it wasn’t too late to work on a classic car of my own. This old man taught me, without ever saying it, that having a passion for something is as timeless as a classic car.

June 5, 2014 31

McNeese State Cowgirls Basketball Camp June 19, 20, 21 Competitive camp! First class facilities! CERTIFIED officials!

Come ONE day ($160, 3 games), TWO days ($275, 5 games) or THREE days ($420, 8 games)!

Fees do not include housing and meals. Varsity and JV teams are separate entries.

Call 475-5473 for more information.

McNeese Cowgirl Kicker Kutie Summer Dance Camp July 28-Aug.1 Registration is now underway for the McNeese Cowgirl Kicker Kutie Summer Dance Camp to be held July 28-Aug. 1 for girls in grades K-6 grade at McNeese State University. The dance camp will be offered from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

32 June 5, 2014

in the McNeese Recreational Complex. Participants will learn about jazz, hip-hop and pom dance as well as instruction in tumbling, fashion and pageant modeling, cheerleading and etiquette.

Camp cost is $175.

For more information, call Paige HarkinsCaldwell, Cowgirl Kicker adviser, at 540-6392. To register, go online to https://campscui. active.com/orgs/CowgirlKickers#/selectSessions/661901.

Cowboy Camp Aug. 23-24 Incoming freshmen and transfer students at McNeese State University have an opportunity to receive a crash course on what it means to be a Cowboy at the seventh annual Cowboy Camp Aug. 23-24. This new two-day format will be held the weekend prior to the beginning of fall classes, with students learning all about McNeese history and Cowboy traditions before entering a classroom.

“We expanded the format to include so much more,” said Kedrick Nicholas, director of Holbrook Student Union and Activities. This includes providing students information about different resources available to them on campus, a pep rally in the Quad, a pop culture game show with a chance to win over $1,000 in scholarships and cash prizes, a meeting with Greek organizations and Watermania.

Also, participants get to move in early to the residence halls. The cost is $40 per student, which includes the two-day Cowboy Camp experience, four meals, two T-shirts and entry into drawings for McNeese gear and scholarships.

For more information, contact the Student Union and Activities Office at 475-5609 or by email at studentlife@mcneese. edu.

Vol. 6 • No. 5

At times as young parents, we may often feel that raising children can be the hardest and most thankless job on earth, but in a short time, we’ve come to realize what a huge blessing our children are and that they are truly God’s greatest gift to us.

Most people in Southwest Louisiana are familiar with the successful businessman, but they may not know Mr. Billy Navarre is the proud father of six children; Ryan, 41; Jareth, 36; Barrett, 32; Grant, 24 and his 8-year-old twins Bryce and Kaitlyn. Plus, Navarre has nine amazing grandchildren with two additional grandchildren arriving within the next several months. Navarre’s five sons and four grandsons are all named after him. “I am so proud that their moms and dads wanted my grandsons to be named with my first name,” he said.

“What an honor.”

Navarre said it was very difficult figuring out how to raise children. “I’m still working on it daily. Especially when I was raised by a single mom from age 5 to 12 after my father had passed, and then I had a stepfather come in who taught me a lot about work ethic and success.”

In almost 40 years in business, Navarre said he learned by watching very suc-

Vol. 6 • No. 5

cessful people. “They all have these six amazing qualities: number one, a huge faith in God; two, an outstanding work ethic; three, unwavering integrity; four, smart with self-discipline; five, total accountability; and six, they are good learners. These are the qualities and skills that I had learned from my amazing mother and stepfather, and I wanted my children to have these six qualities and skills to so that they would have the best chance for success in life.

“Even though in my young years, at times, like many young parents, I was totally unconsciously incompetent and made many mistakes, I can honestly say I am very proud of how my children turned out (in spite of their dad’s shortcomings and many mistakes.)”

The Six Lessons

Number 1: The Lesson of Having Faith in God Not long ago, a friend of mine in his mid-40s shared with me that he didn’t find God till he was in his 30s, and he wanted his children to find God much sooner than he did. As he told me that, I thought how blessed I was that I had such an amazing mother that introduced me to my Lord and Savior at the age of 5.

After losing my dad, she was so scared of all the burdens laid upon her and knew the only way she could survive was

by turning to our God. By doing this, she allowed me to follow in her footsteps and have an amazing relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In my testimonial at Profit and Loss Club, or when I speak with my employees, they have no doubt in their minds that without God as my partner, Billy Navarre Automotive would have never survived or maybe even ever have started. I have really been blessed.

I have tried to instill this faith into my children. We never start a Little League game without prayer. Every Sunday, we give thanks and praise to our Lord, and that example has paid off. In June of 2012, I was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in my left kidney. My children prayed with me and for me often, and they still do today. Jareth, my second son, showed up at the house one night after work around 8:30 p.m. and asked me to ride with him. He drove me to the adoration chapel at Our Lady Queen of Heaven where we knelt together and prayed. Barrett would come over many times and pray with me and read Scripture. I can’t tell you how happy I was to know that all six of my children knew my health was in the hands of our Lord.

Thank God for all those prayers from my children, my 300 business children, and thousands of friends. My cancer went into remission with the help of MD Anderson giving me 30 days of chemotherapy and 20 days of radiation. I am two years cancer free! Thank you, Jesus.

June 5, 2014 33

that he bought into the same concept, and it helped him so much that he was willing to share that little lesson with Number 2: The Lesson his son.

Ryan’s work ethic is amazing! He of Good Work Ethic graduated from McNeese with a degree My stepfather taught me my work in business and with honors. He was ethic. He would give me a small fee to one of our best salespeople in our comdo yard work, paint the house, wash pany while working his way through and wax the car, clean the house, wash the dishes, whatever needed to be done. school. He was a top finance manager, sales manager and then I promoted Seemed like every day he would find him to general manager of our Sulphur more things for me to do. I’d wash and dealership. He was one of the youngest wax the car that I didn’t feel needed men to ever earn a general manager’s washing or waxing, and he expected it to be done with excellence or I got to do position and was named one of the Up and Coming Young Men Under 40 in it all over again. Those habits and that work ethic that he taught me helped me Lagniappe magazine.

And last year, in an 80-year-old become the man I am today. I am so facility, at the old location, Ryan won thankful to have had Sidney Broussard General Motors Mark of Excellence in my life for all of those years and I award, ranking him as one of the best miss him every single day. general managers in America. Ryan is I started my oldest son Ryan with a an amazing Christian father, coach, and plan for good work ethic and tried to husband. He donates his free time to six teach him the value of a dollar. When different community civic boards that he was 12 years old, I bought him a he serves on to help our community. No small push mower and would pay him man could ask for a better number one $20 to cut the grass. He occasionally son to set the example for his younger asked me about a self-propelled riding siblings and grandchildren. mower like many of his friends had. I told him I had to give him the cash for mowing the grass, and if I put that into Number 3: The Lesson a lawn mower, he wouldn’t have any spending money. of Integrity Many times I have thought back and When I think of integrity, I think asked myself, “Was that too much?” of how I was working with teaching But about a month ago, Ryan gave me my fourth son about honesty and how the answer. He said, “Hey Dad, last important it is that when we make a Saturday, Gage (Ryan’s oldest son, who mistake, to stand up and tell the truth is an Eagle Scout and honor student) and take the consequences for those was supposed to be cutting the grass, actions, versus being weak and hiding but he had to pitch at a St. Louis game.” under a lie. I often wondered if he was So Ryan volunteered to cut the grass getting it. for him. Ryan said, “Dad I can’t tell you Well, when Grant was 12, I bought how much harder it is to push a little him the same type of push mower his mower at the age 41 years old versus older brothers had. On his first day cutwhen you are 12 years old.” It gave ting grass, I heard the lawn mower quit my heart a little excitement running. I didn’t run out for about 20 and peace to know minutes, but when I did finally come outside, I found Grant laying on his back on the grass in the hot sun. I said “Hey! Why aren’t you

34 June 5, 2014

cutting the grass?” He said “Dad, the lawn mower won’t start.” I asked him if he had put gas in it. He said, “Gas?” So he put gas in the lawn mower and finished the yard.

I wanted to show him how to take care of the lawn mower investment by cleaning it. When we began washing it together, I found that the air breather was broken. I asked Grant what happened. “Did you hit something?” He dropped his little head and said “No, sir.” I said, “Did you put your foot on it when trying to crank it and it broke?”

He said, “No, sir.” I said, “Grant, you didn’t kick the lawn mower because it didn’t start, did you?” And with a very sad face, not knowing the consequences, he said “Yes, sir.” I said, “Well, that part probably cost close to 20 dollars, so you are going to have to use your grass-cutting money so we can get it fixed.”

Then I dropped to one knee and put my arms around him, hugged him and told him how proud I was of him. I said, “I gave you two chances to lie but you told the truth not knowing the consequences.” I told him I was so proud of him, and I would pay for half of the part so he could still get the 10 dollar reward for his integrity.

Grant was salesman of the month and of the quarter, working only half a day while going to school and was one of our top performers. Only the top 20 of our sales staff reach top performer, and he did it with only working half a day.

As a finance manager, he broke a 31year company record his second month as a manager and he has broken that record again three additional times.

Grant has turned out to be an amazing young man.

Number 4: The Lesson of Self-Discipline When I think of smart people with self-discipline, I think of my second son, Jareth. He is such a hardwork-

Vol. 6 • No. 5

ing, self-disciplined, smart young man. In fact, in junior high he won the Leo Key award, which is given to the student who has the highest grade point average and is the best athlete in school. I was so thrilled for him. Over the years, he won many high school district awards for his academic and athletic skills.

Jareth is an amazing Christian and works hard in the Catholic Church. He also has an amazing family, and has worked his way through college like his brother, Ryan. In the company, he has become one of our top salespeople, finance manager and now sales manager in our Lake Charles Chevy store, and he’s soon to be general manager. He is a great coach and helps kids in baseball, basketball and other activities. Jareth tries to teach young athletes the secret about life that he has learned. Even if the odds are against you, but if you are willing to outwork others, you can do amazing things.

Number 5: The Lesson of Accountability When I think of the lesson of accountability, I think of Barrett. He was my smallest son, and when he was a young athlete, he wasn’t always happy because sometimes, he got less playing time in basketball. I came home from work one day and heard him whining about his coach not playing him enough. I turned to him and said “Hey, before you start blaming this coach, have you done everything in your power to prevent the pain that you are having in your heart today?” He said, “Dad, I have outworked the other guys.”

I said, “I didn’t ask you that. All those other guys are much larger than you. I asked you if you have done everything in your power because those other boys are bigger and faster, and if all you do is outwork those other guys a little, you better put some padding in your shorts, because you are going to be on

Vol. 6 • No. 5

the bench a lot the next up and coming years. How many hours after practice have you shot in the driveway on Saturdays and Sundays?”

I put the burden of accountability on him so he couldn’t blame the outside world, but instead, had to blame himself. I read a smart quote that says “Don’t wish for things to be easy, because it won’t happen. Wish you to be better because that can happen.”

By the time Barrett was a freshman in high school, the number one complaint in the neighborhood was, “Can you get the boy to stop dribbling his basketball at least by 11 o’clock at night? We are trying to sleep!”

In Barrett’s senior year, in one of the largest 5A high schools in the parish, he was awarded the Most Valuable Player Award on the Sulphur High basketball team. I was so proud of him because I knew how hard he had to work because of his smaller size. I can’t tell you how my heart felt watching him leave with a trophy almost as big as he was. Barrett’s faith, integrity and accountability have really paid off for him.

He has the unique title of being the absolute very best sales manager ever in the Billy Navarre Automotive company history. Even though he is the youngest sales manager and has only been manager for 7 years, 5 of those 7 years, he has been the number one team with the most sales in our company. But even more important, in 2011, Barrett broke the all-time company record for sales for any team. In March of 2013, he broke his own record again and in March of 2014 he broke it again.

What an incredible young man! He has an amazing wife and a baby on the way and he is going to be one super dad. He is also a man of faith. Barrett has an associate’s degree in Biblical studies from Life Christian University, a bachelor’s degree from Wisdom Ministries University and has been ordained.

I am so proud of Barrett.

Number 6: The Lesson of Learning When my boys went to college I gave them a scholarship program. I gave them a minimum-wage job, or commission, a company car, and they had to sell to pay their books, tuition, and clothes and gas. If they moved out of the house ,they had to pay their own rent and expenses. When they finished college and brought me a diploma, I would give them a $50,000 check and a Rolex to reimburse them for their expenses. As they finished school, none of them had a huge student loan debt. As a matter of fact, all of them had a nice savings account.

My twins, Bryce and Kaitlyn are truly amazing. Both of them are Banner Roll students at EDS. Kaitlyn loves to dance, play basketball, softball and soccer.

Bryce is the same. His true love is baseball. They are just like their brothers, they pray with me every day for healing and for God to continuously bless our family and business. They have both experienced God’s amazing love.

Blessings In closing, I want to thank my amazing God for my wonderful six children and for allowing me to survive these last two years and be cancer free. I’m so blessed to be here so I can watch my six children continue to grow. And when the time comes and the Lord decides to call me, I assure all our customers that your business will be left in great hands. My boys are great Christians, honest, hard workers and as good as you will find anywhere. In closing, I want to wish all the dads and grandfathers a very Happy Father’s Day!

June 5, 2014 35

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Vol. 6 • No. 5

Party By the Pool June 5, 12, 19 It’s time to Party By the Pool at L’Auberge Casino Resort! On June 5, it’s local favorites Ashes of Babylon.

On June 12, it’s cover band Velcro Pygmies. And don’t miss Counting Crows and Toad the Wet Sprocket on June 19! Purchase your tickets at www.ticketmaster.com, the L’Auberge Business Center, or Legends at L’Auberge the night of the show. Must be 21 to attend.

Avenue. Visit www.actstheatre.com to purchase tickets.

Youth Fishing Derby June 7

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Youth/D.A.R.E. Division will be holding their Annual Youth Fishing Derby Saturday, June 7, from 6-9 a.m. at the CPSO Farm Pond behind the Calcasieu Correctional Center at 5400 E. Broad Street. Participants (15 years of age or younger), are asked to bring their own fishing gear (only one per person), bait, and a cooler to bring their fish Downtown at home. Refreshments will be Sundown June 6 furnished. Event is free. Youth Downtown at Sundown will take place within the 700-800 groups are welcome. Call 491blocks of Ryan Street (between 3621 or 491-3851.

Division and Pujo Streets) from Calcasieu Kennel 6-9 p.m. on June 6. There Club Dog Shows will be food and beverages, tabletop galleries, merchanJune 7-8 dise vendors, and activities The Kennel Club will host two for kids as well as a variety conformation dog shows June of entertainment and music.

7-8 at the Lake Charles Civic Main Stage headliners will be Center. For more information, go Boomerang. Beverage sales to ckcevents@calcasieukc.com. benefit the Literacy Council of SWLA. For more information, Catch-A-Concert call 494-9159.

June 9, 16, 23, 30 Head over to the Lake Hairspray Charles Civic Center (front June 6, 7, 8 lawn) every Monday in June!

The 1950s are over and Bring your blanket, lawn chair change is in the air. It’s 1962 and friends and enjoy a free Baltimore and Tracy Turnblad concert as the sun sets over has only one desire, to dance shimmering Lake Charles. on the Corny Collins show!

Composed of volunteers, the Hairspray, ACTS’ final show Community Band will take the of the season, is a family stage from 7–8:30 p.m. Every friendly musical and winner of week, the line-up has a new 8 Tony Awards including Best theme, so you won’t see the Musical. Performances are same show twice. For informaJune 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m. and tion on the Community Band, June 8 at 3 p.m. at LaGrange visit www.lakecharlescommuHigh School, 3420 Louisiana nityband.teamr.com.

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Lake Arthur Regatta June 13-14 Louisiana’s newest festival is the Lake Arthur Regatta! Cast your sails and find a shady seat under the majestic oak trees in our beautiful park for the weekend! Tempt your taste buds with some good ole’ Cajun favorites and see some of the hottest regional bands playing your favorite music. Will be held June 13-14 at 102 Arthur Ave. Come have a toe tapping, wind-sailing good time with us! info@lakearthurfestivals.com

LC Men’s City Golf Championship June 20-22 Mallard Cove Golf Course will host the 37th Annual Lake Charles Men’s City Golf Championship sponsored by IBERIABANK June 20-22. Entry fee is $125 and entry forms can be picked up at all IBERIABANK branch locations in Calcasieu Parish and at Mallard Cove Golf Course. The entry deadline is June 13 or after the first 160 paid entries have been received.

For more information, contact Derek Smith at 491-1204.

Wounded Warrior Battle of the Bayou June 20-21 The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, a nationally recognized team comprised of amputee active duty military personnel and veterans, will return to Southwest Louisiana and play against Olympic Gold medalist Jennie Finch-Daigle and a team of all-stars June 20-21 in the “Battle on the Bayou II” softball tournament.

The tournament will be held Vol. 6 • No. 5

at McMurry Park in Sulphur, with game events beginning each night at 5 p.m. For more information, please call (337) 528-4735.

Juneteenth Celebration June 21 Celebrate Juneteenth at the Lake Charles Civic Center!

There will be live music on the Center Stage with the best sounds at Zydeco, R&B and Southern soul. Enjoy contests, domino championships and the Celebrity Bar-B-Q Cook-Off! Music and fun for the entire family in a day-long celebration, which commemorates the anniversary of the emancipation of the Southern slaves. For more information, call 491-9955.

BayouCon June 20-22 BayouCon is a celebration

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of all things fandom, combining the very best in anime, sci-fi, comics, and gaming jam-packed in a fan-produced event. This three-day event will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center. See BayouCon.net for admission prices and advance purchase discounts. Call 513-8927 for more information.

Big Trout Bonanza Tournament June 21 Chick-fil-A of Lake Charles will host the first annual Big Trout Bonanza fishing tournament on Sat., June 21 at Calcasieu Point Landing, 3955 Henry Pugh Rd. Proceeds from this tournament will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. Registration is $150 until June 19 at Cajun Tackle, 2640 Country Club Road. Late registration is $165 and will

be at Calcasieu Point Landing on the day before and the day of the event. Contestants must have a valid Louisiana fishing license. For more information, email bigtroutbonanza@ gmail.com or like the event on Facebook.

Celebrity Charity Golf Event June 28 The Nate Livings Foundation/SWLA Junior Golf Association is holding a celebrity charity golf tournament Saturday, June 28 at Mallard Cove Golf Course. Their mission is to expose every youth in the community to the game of golf. Registration is $500 for a four person team and $100 for a single sponsor. All entries and payments must be dropped off or mailed to Mallard Cove Golf Course, PO Box 900, Lake Charles, La. 70602.

The deadline is June 13. For more information, contact Chase White at 274-2127.

SWLA Patriot’s Ball June 28 The City of Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission will host the Eighth Annual Southwest Louisiana Patriot’s Ball on Sat., June 28, at the Lake Charles Civic Center Contraband Room. A social half-hour will kick off the event at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m. The ball will honor three individuals and one corporation with the annual Patriot of the Year award, followed by DJ and dancing. Tickets can be purchased at the Civic Center or at the USS Orleck Museum, 604 N. Enterprise Blvd., 2147447. For more information, call 491-1256.

June 5, 2014 39

This is a great story and welldirected. Its flaw is the way it’s been marketed.

In fact, if you plan on seeing the movie, don’t expect a hilarious comedy. Don’t even see the preview trailer if you can help it, because it might spoil the movie for you, and it’s a good movie.

(Disney, 2014) The trouble is, Disney’s new movie, Million Dolthe story has a few comical moments, lar Arm, sometimes seems more like a but basically it’s the story of a guy with true-life documentary than the offbeat a dream and two guys (well, three) who comedy it tries to be. But as long as you place their hopes in him. accept that, you’re in for a good time.

J.B., who prefers the rich bachelor J.B. Bernstein (John Hamm) is a Ma- life, has a tenant in his pool house, jor League sports agent with a mission: Brenda Fenwick, who is a medical to stay in business. When his one big student. When he goes on the road to contract with football superstar “Popo” India, she watches his house and they goes sour, J.B. and his business partner develop a friendship over the phone.

Ash are desperate to find a new talent Meanwhile, the hunt for the Million to stay alive. Ash, who is Indian, comDollar Arm takes the form of a conments on a Cricket game on TV and J.B. test, with J.B. and scout Ray Pointevent gets an inspiration: to recruit a Cricket (Alan Arkin) going from Indian village player from India to play baseball and to town to village with a pitcher’s cage become the next superstar. and a radar gun. Trouble The idea seems ridiculous, but when is, most of the enyou’re at the end of your rope, try anytrants clock a fast ball thing, right? Ash is leery of the project, around 35 miles an but, J.B. gets a backer and travels to hour, and they need Mumbai to begin a contest for the Milsomeone who can lion Dollar Arm. pitch in the 80’s.

Million Dollar Arm

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Filmed on location, Million Dollar Arm succeeds in showing us the underside of India, where poverty is rampant and families stick together for support.

As soon as he gets to his hotel, J.B. happens upon an enthusiastic baseball fan, Amit. He’s so excited to meet J.B. that he offers to work for him as an interpreter, for free.

Amit is probably the most likeable character in the movie, typically clueless but always willing to do whatever is asked. J.B. has him video the project so that he can market it later to other backers. But first, he has to find a pitcher.

Million Dollar Arm strikes me as a movie that was crafted with a mission.

Though it moves slowly, it builds on the point that history is being made. And I’m not talking about baseball; I’m talking about national pride for the country of India as it attempts to break into Major League baseball.

To keep the movie moving, J.B. goes through challenges and emerges a better man, but the international scope of this movie is what makes it fascinating to watch. We tend to forget that movies are big business overseas, with American films finding significant audiences in other countries. Million Dollar Arm plays to that audience as well as our own.

Million Dollar Arm is rated PG for romance. Smaller children may find it too slow, but everyone else should have no problem with it. Stay for the credits to see some of the video shot by the real-life Amit. Enjoy!

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Dad Discipline June Fifteen Fathers Day Grandfather

Hero Honor Love Memories Paw Paw

Role Model Security Special Day Strength Wisdom

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Players take turns connecting two dots.

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

Vol. 6 • No. 5

June 5, 2014 41

Short but Sweet Beloved Irish author Maeve Binchy died in 2012. But she had squirreled away quite a few stories, written at different times, and 36 of them are gathered in Chestnut Street. The title indicates a street in Dublin. Though some of the characters show up more than once, each story is a standalone.

A “dumpy” girl’s popular mother makes plans for the girl’s 16th birthday party, but the girl tells her “It will be a disappointment, mother. Everything is.”

Three teen girls speculate about the future and we follow them into adulthood. Tired of being everyone’s problem-solver, a young teacher tries to get herself in trouble and can’t even

42 June 5, 2014

do that. A single, self-confident aunt gives advice to an impressionable young girl. A window cleaner helps his delinquent son.

Two women set out to avenge the wrongs committed against them.

The tales are really characterdriven, with realistic relationships and consequences. Some stories are set in one day, some flash through nearly a whole lifetime. Some are poignant (“He thought about how life never turns out like you think and hope it will”), others funny.

All have that wonderful Binchy stamp on them.

Let’s check out some other current short story collections.

Snow in May by Kseniya Melnik has nine stories, many set in Magadan (the author’s hometown) in Siberia, with its dreary landscape, biting cold, and earthquakes.

There are few supplies in the town. People must go to Moscow for provisions, “where the grocery stores weren’t empty but also had no variety,” “and maybe something exotic and a little magical to jolt their life, if only for a moment, out of its breadand-potatoes doldrums.”

Reading this is like entering another world, a world of long lines for groceries with nothing left at the end to buy, and

collective farms and communal kitchens. The reader even gets brief glimpses of Soviet/Russian history.

In one story, a mother takes her daughter to a witch to heal the girl’s headaches: “It was a disappointingly ordinary home for a witch.” In another, a young woman spurned by the man she loves decides to marry another man she doesn’t love at all and moves with him to the uncomfortable existence in Magadan.

The writing is often lovely: “Some romantic essence of her separated and floated above her tired body like those happy lovers in Chagall’s paintings.”

Most of the 10 stories in Acts of God by Ellen Gilchrist are about the South. The author lives in Fayetteville, Ark., and sets several of her characters there (with some home-

made scruppernong jelly), or in New Orleans or along the bayou in Mississippi. Her acts of God include tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, illness and terrorist activity. A couple stories are about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. “I could not tell it all if I wrote all night,” says one character about the horror in the city.

Several stories are about people helping people after natural disasters. In one, old friends and strangers are stranded in an airport lounge.

“I’m not interesting. I’m a cliché inside a self-fulfilling Vol. 6 • No. 5

prophecy inside a stereotype,” says one. In another, a family takes in a boy whose family was drowned in a flood, and we follow him through his long life with that family. The characters wax philosophical: “There is much we know that we forget ... so much goodness we must strive to remember.” Adult situations and language.

Can’t and Won’t by Lydia Davis is very different. Some of its 122 stories are a standard length, but a few are miniature — only one sentence, even. For example: “Now that I have been here for a little while, I can say with confidence that I have never been here before.” That’s it! Most are not really stories, but observations. There are even letters of complaint.

Some are funny; some are heartbreaking; some didn’t affect me; others are like poetry.

Several are labeled as dreams; about a dozen are taken from letters written by Gustave Flaubert. (The author has translated Flaubert and Proust, among other French authors). In fact, some of her writing has the ring of being a translation, even if it isn’t.

One might call this collection odd. She gives a whole discourse on fish dishes and another on the behavior of cows. A couple of my favorites: “Under all this dirt the floor is really very clean.”

“Judgment: Into how small a space the word judgment can be compressed: it must fit inside the brain of a ladybug

Vol. 6 • No. 5

as she, before my eyes, makes a decision.” She makes the reader think, and often, laugh. I’m treating these like bonbons, taking out just one or two at a time to savor.

Black Vodka by Deborah Levy will be published June 10.

There are 10 tales in this slim book of 125 pages, and they are of a high literary quality, often with beautiful phrasing: “The moon is oily, the trees swollen with black blossom against the chemical sky.”

Here’s one interesting exchange: “She said she wants a sex change. ‘What, into a man?’

‘No, into a woman.’ ‘But you are a woman.’ ‘I want to be another kind of woman.’ ” For me, it isn’t so much the plots or the characters, but the ideas Levy gives us that shine: “It is usual for people attracted to each other to pretend they have full and busy lives but I have an incredible facility to wade through human shame with no shoes on.” “I have always thought of myself as lost property, someone waiting to be claimed.”

Reading it is a little like being in a foreign country. I was often quite unsure of what was happening. Very much like poetry, you can read them again and again to scrape out a new meaning from her words each time.

Copyright © 2014 by Mary Louise Ruehr.

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Thursday, June 5 Thursday Dollar Night @ Cowboys Night Club $1 Beer and Bar all night Free cover until 10 p.m. w/College ID 5329 Common St., Lake Charles

Saturday, June 7

Kenny Spears 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s 3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

David Locklear 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St., Lake Charles

George Poe 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

John Guidroz @ Kevin Lambert No cover, 10 p.m. @ Micci’s Piano Bar, 3606 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Jim Hoehn 6 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House 3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

George Poe 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Street Side Jazz Band 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St., Lake Charles Louisiana Crossroads 7 p.m. “Block Party” @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder Ashes of Babylon 7 p.m. @ Party by the Pool’s Liquid Society L’Auberge Casino Resort Pool 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles The Will Wesley Band 8 p.m.-midnight @Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave.,Westlake Karaoke Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystals 112 Broad St., Lake Charles Korey Fontenot No cover 8 p.m. @ Micci’s Piano Bar 3606 Ryan St., Lake Charles

44 June 5, 2014

Friday, June 6

Horace Trahan & Ossun Express 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder

The RKW Acoustic Show 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles George Poe 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles Street Side Jazz Band $3 cover, 10 p.m. @ Micci’s Piano Bar, 3606 Ryan St., Lake Charles

The Kadillacs 8 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake

Joe Harmon and the Harmonics 8 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake

The Chee-Weez 9 p.m. @ Yesterdays 5313 Common St., Lake Charles

Brad Brinkley, Comfort Zone, and Greg Blanchard 8:30 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House 3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Louisiana Express 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Dr., Vinton Karaoke with $3 Cover 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles Paul Gonsoulin 9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club 1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles Slim Harper 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Linda’s Lounge 4338 Lake St., Lake Charles

Todd O’Neill Band 9 p.m. @ Yesterdays 5313 Common St., Lake Charles Leroy Thomas & Zydeco Roadrunners 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder Flashback & Eric Scott 9 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Hazy Ray 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Stoop Kids 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Saturday Night Party Time 9 p.m. @ Cowboys Night Club $1 Beer and Bar until Midnight Free Cowboys Kool-aid 5329 Common St., Lake Charles

Eric Scott 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Eric Scott 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Karaoke with $3 Cover 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles Vol. 6 • No. 5

Luke Cooper Band 9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club 1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles Choctaw Wildfire 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Sunday, June 8 Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill 719 Ryan St., Lake Charles LA Bayou Band 5 - 8 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles SWLA Health Education Center Benefit Drag Show 11:30 p.m. @ Crystals 112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Monday, June 9 Karaoke Night 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ My Place 630 W Prien Lake Rd # G Lake Charles

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Tuesday, June 10 Kevin Lambert No cover, 8 p.m. @ Micci’s Piano Bar, 3606 Ryan St., Lake Charles Street Side Jazz Band 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles Karaoke Night 7 p.m. - Midnight @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles DJ Verrett 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Wednesday, June 11 Ladies Night 5 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake Kris Harper No cover, 8 p.m. @ Micci’s Piano Bar, 3606 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Mic Night 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark Nightclub L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

The Southern Goods Band 8 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake

Velcro Pygmies 7 p.m. @ Party by the Pool’s Liquid Society L’Auberge Casino Resort Pool 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles Admission: $10

Joe Ecker 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. @ The Cigar Club 1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House 3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Willie Tee, Warren Storm & Cypress 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder

Thursday, June 12

The Prime Time Band 8 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake

Thursday Dollar Night @ Cowboys Night Club $1 Beer and Bar all night Free cover until 10 p.m. w/College ID 5329 Common St., Lake Charles John Autin 6 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Karaoke Night 9 p.m. - 2 p.m. @ Crystals 112 Broad St., Lake Charles DJ CaGe 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

June 5, 2014 45

Friday, June 13 Live Music 6 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House 3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles John Autin 6 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles Perfectly Good Airplanes 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Linda’s Lounge 4338 Lake St., Lake Charles Area Code 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder The Todd O’Neill Band 9 p.m. @ Yesterdays 5313 Common St., Lake Charles

Paul Gonsoulin 7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles

Horrace Trahan & The Ossun Express 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Dr, Vinton

The Pookie Marceaux Band 8 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake

Karaoke with $3 Cover 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles

Karaoke Night 8 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House

Ryan Bunch 9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club 1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

Josh Garrett Band 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 719 Ryan St, Lake Charles DJ San-D 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles Athena Campbell Benefit 11:30 p.m. @ Crystals 112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Saturday, June 14 Live Music 6 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House 3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles Paul Gonsoulin 7 p.m. @ Luna Live 719 Ryan St, Lake Charles John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles Geoff Baker 7 p.m. @ Stellar Beans Coffee 319 Broad St, Lake Charles Ryan Harris & the Killin Time Band 8 p.m. - Midnight @ Caribbean Cove Isle of Capri Casino 100 Westlake Ave, Westlake Sean Ardoin-N-Zydekool 9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Dr, Vinton Karaoke with $3 Cover 9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory 4688 Common St., Lake Charles Area Code 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder Kory Fontenot 9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club 1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles BB&CO 9 p.m. @ Yesterdays 5313 Common St., Lake Charles

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Vol. 6 • No. 5

Downtown and Midtown

It’s been a while since I highlighted downtown specifically, so I thought I would begin with this area first. If you have not attended one of the “Downtown at Sundown” concerts, then you have missed out on an incredible time. The music alone has been great and as far as the crowds go, this has to be a recordsetting year! Louisiana Express kicked off the first week, followed by City Heat and Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars. Boomerang is set to top off the series on June 6. The food, arts and other vendors were excellent additions.

The City of Lake Charles puts on this event and in June, they will present the “Catch a Concert” series, which features the Lake Charles Community Band.

In July, the City will sponsor the main event of the summer, “Red, White, Blue and You.” I’m looking forward to these exciting, free events and the many other awesome festivals throughout Southwest Louisiana.

Let me introduce you to what will be the newest establishment opening downtown. Say it with me: Pint-House Pizzeria. That’s correct, pizza is returning downtown, and if you’ve followed the local eatery scene, you might be able to guess where it will be located. The spacious building at 329 Broad Street will once again be home to pizza, but this time, it will be different than Sylvia’s, Happy Hippie Pizza and Dharma.

The owners of MacFarlane’s Celtic Pub are expanding their entrepreneurial base with a pizzeria that will create specialty pizzas made in-house. There will also be Vol. 6 • No. 5

19 beers on tap, along with wine.

In addition, the pizzeria will offer approximately 50 desserts such as banana splits, sundaes and many other old-fashioned sweets. What I’m most excited about is the Italian ice cream known as gelato, which they will make onsite. The space will also host a 1940s-style soda fountain and they will re-introduce some soda flavors from the past that have disappeared. Beginning June 9, you can apply for work there by submitting your application from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information on the jobs available, call 433-3108.

Midtown Another area of Lake Charles that I have my eye on is midtown. I am sure that you’re wondering what I’m referring to. I pulled out a map to outline what I believe should be considered midtown and referencing only Ryan Street to keep this brief, it begins just south of 12th Street/Sallier Street all the way past McNeese State University. I believe this part of Lake Charles deserves special attention and I hope we begin to see a true district develop that would mean a better atmosphere overall and more of the banners, greenery and attractive additions that make an area pop.

Midtown is slowly beginning to fill out more. Max Fit, DarQest Tan and Planet Nutrition have moved in one strip together. During most of the week, venues like Micci’s and The Center Stage proudly host local music, and the others have great DJs who are becoming well-known.

If you like karaoke, there are options, such as Cornbread aka Ryan Domingue and William Lynch, who have been doing well throughout the Midtown area with Front Row LC Productions,

along with our bud Jerrett Overmyer aka MRDJ. Cajun’s Wharf, Bourbonz and Dakota’s each hold their own. The Center Stage has an ongoing karaoke competition called “Spotlight” which occurs each Thursday. Visit them on Facebook for more details and a look at all the prizes.

Speaking of music, if you have not listened to KBYS 88.3 FM, check it out.

The station will soon be open to volunteers and eventually visitors.

The growth in our area is undoubtedly a great thing, but we must continue to support the businesses that have been with us for years. Let’s not forget what they have done for our community. It seems that once a new eatery or shop opens there is sometimes a mass shift and patrons abandon or unintentionally forget about the older established businesses.

The importance of shopping local and supporting what we have is truly the core of economics. If you still travel to our neighboring cities or states to shop and rarely buy local, don’t complain when businesses are forced to close their doors.

As a side note, I would like to thank everyone who celebrated my birthday with me. Phil and Lauren de Albuquerque always bring the fun and humor and I greatly appreciate them for attending. Special thanks to Coyote Blues, The Center Stage, DJ TySki and Christi Dronet.

If you have a new trendy business or big event you think I should know about, email me at laonairwithbrayj@gmail.com.

June 5, 2014 47

SUMMER READING CELEBRATION The Calcasieu Parish Library kicked off its Annual Summer Reading Program with entertainment for the whole family at Prien Park Harbor’s Edge Pavilion. Outdoor and indoor activities included face painting, cookie decorating, dress-up, games, crafts and more. And everyone signed up to get some good reading in this summer!

A perfect combination!

Lowen and Lorelai Hodges with Waymond Jones

Michael, Micaela, Malachi and John Michael Carroll

Tallulah and Creek Morley with AJ Burnham

Caroline and Ryan Hooks with Meredith McCall

Clifford with Lilly and Kerri Rabalais

DOWNTOWN AT SUNDOWN Ryan Street between Division and Pujo was the place to be for another fabulous Downtown at Sundown concert! Main stage headliners this week were Grammy-nominated Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars. It was an energetic and soulful show that had everyone tapping their toes and dancing in the streets! There’s one more concert on June 6—don’t miss it!

Delillah Goodly, Angela Cole, Danita Steve and Roconda Hilstock

Heather Ryan Kelley and Greg Stratton 48 June 5, 2014

Haki Vincent and Demario Bailey

Justin Coreil and Meghan Penn

Teressa Sosa with Kristina, Kendra, William Housden and Milo Vol. 6 • No. 5

LOUISIANA JUNIOR HIGH & HIGH SCHOOL RODEO FINALS Over 250 contestants from across the state in grades 6-12 competed in team roping, calf tying, goat tying, breakaway and more, all striving to be named champion and qualify for the national finals at the LA Jr. High and High School Rodeo Finals at the Burton Coliseum Complex. The event included a crawfish boil, cowboy church and fashion show.

Ride ‘em cowboys and cowgirls!

Kayli Meaux, Cassie Bellard and Raeleigh Witfield

Mark, Ashley and Julie Austin

Macie Montie with Jeanalee, Halle and Lani Martin Vol. 6 • No. 5

Kim Medicis and Alli Murphy

Keri and Jason Granger

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HAIRSPRAY DRESS REHEARSAL Ready, set, action! Judging by this evening’s dress rehearsal, you won’t want to miss Hairspray, this fabulous ACTS final show of the season set for the weekend of June 6-8 at the LaGrange High School Auditorium. Lots of local talent will take to the stage to bring you this family-friendly musical filled with toe-tapping music, laughter and romance galore! Don’t miss it!

Joseph Boyette and Shauna Temple

Abrahm Conner, Shane Harris, Bailey George and Lilly Guilbeau

50 June 5, 2014

Hailey Coburns and Kristen Harrell

Evan Seago and Lillian Broussard

Corey Doucet, Zanie Spikes and Angela Thomas

Vol. 6 • No. 5

Vol. 6 • No. 5

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