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LAGNIAPPE MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 • VOLUME 31 NUMBER 17

6 6 LAGNIAPPE’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY Lagniappe celebrates its 30th year in print! Several columnists reminisce about the time they’ve spent writing for the magazine. Russ Bordelon remembers the movers and shakers of the period, and editor Brad Goins presents a special selection of the “very worst” of his columns. Assoc. editor Karla Wall reminisces about the people and places she’s written about in her years with Lagniappe, and we say goodbye to the Lagniappe writers and columnists who’ve passed from this life, but not from the hearts of the Lagniappe staff, or those of our readers. We also review our Top 30 stories of the last 30 years, and give you a behind-the-scenes look at reporting the devastation of Hurricane Rita. We also give you a broad selection of our most interesting covers ... controversial and otherwise. Sit back, relax and enjoy the memories. 22 A ROSE BY MANY NAMES Journalist Todd Elliott expands on his earlier Lagniappe story about the role of Eunice, La., resident Rose Cherami in the assassination of JFK. Elliot’s now published a book on the subject, and he offers Lagniappe readers a set of dramatic selections.

Lagniappe Magazine Serving SWLA Since 1983

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Publishers Bob Hartnett Greg Pavlovich Editor Brad Goins Associate Editor Karla Wall Assistant Laura Landry Layout & Design Mike Manis Advertising Sales Tanya Alsobrook Patty Hebert Chester Rogers Classified Manager Rose Sauls Distribution Manager Edward Frazer Contributing Writers Jeremy Alford Dr. Dale Archer Duane Bergeron Angie Kay Dilmore Todd Elliott Pierre Fontenot Rocke Fournet Arthur Hebert John Maginnis Rick Sarro Chuck Shepherd Vic Wukovits Office Phone (337) 433-8502 Office Fax (337) 433-8964 Mailing Address PO Box 3292 Lake Charles, LA 70602 Shipping Address 2906 Deaton Street Lake Charles, LA 70601 Editorial e-mail edit@thelanyap.com Advertising e-mail ads@thelanyap.com Classified e-mail class@thelanyap.com Lagniappe Magazine is published the first and third Thursday of each month. Manuscripts, photographs, comments and queries are invited. Return postage must accompany all materials submitted if return is requested. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Opinions presented by the columnists in this publication do not necessarily express the views ofLagniappe Magazine.

57 LSU SALUTE Duane Bergeron offers a position-by-position analysis and forecast for the Tigers’ coming year. And Rick Sarro describes the team’s touch-and-go, but extremely important, opening victory against TCU. 66 MCNEESE MAKES HISTORY Rick Sarro explains how McNeese engineered the largest margin of victory ever by an FCS school over a BCS school in its season-opening beat down of South Florida.

departments 7 Up Front 14 Political Notebook 16 Pierre Sez

18 News Roundup 20 Out & About 32 File 13

114 What's Happening 117 Reel Talk 118 Mounted Memories September 5, 2013

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A Note To Our Readers In the 30 years we’ve spent creating Lagniappe for you ... We’ve covered controversy ... from cockfights to dogfights to the KKK. And we’ve started some controversy of our own ... with covers that shocked you, facts and figures that surprised you, and very big April Fools’ jokes. We’ve looked at where we’ve been ... in the downtown of the past, And shown you where we’re going ... in the lakefront, Port and casinos of the future. We brought you the first meeting of area mayors ... and the last writings of Joe Fenton, E.J. Gaspard and Nola Mae Ross. We’ve seen people with visions — healers and treaters and poets, and learned about those who improve vision ... and the amazing artistry behind their work, as well as the heroic struggle of those whose loss of sight is inevitable. We’ve taken you down ... a special stretch of I-10 that’s guarded by "The Highway Angel." ... and the stretch of Highway 90 from Westlake to Texas that was once called "Little Las Vegas." We’ve shown you La. 27 ... covered by the marsh deposited by Rita. We’ve shown you the devastation of Cameron Parish ... and the strength, loyalty, resilience and determination of the people who've refused to budge, even after two hurricanes in three years. We’ve shown you the beauty ... in the form of local fashions and models and pageant winners, and the beast ... in its myriad forms ... from dirty jobs to nasty salesman. We’ve shown those who’ve been gladdened ... by medical miracles and other miracles, and those who’ve been saddened ... by the specter of rare and mysterious diseases. We’ve said hello ... to the first woman Mayor of Lake Charles and the first woman sheriff of Calcasieu Parish, And we’ve said farewell ... to a host of area celebrities and a number of little-known youths whose early departure was tragic.

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We’ve brought you the good news — Louisiana food and culture, And we’ve brought you the bad news — Louisiana politics. We’ve celebrated festivals ... for frogs, fur, mayhaw & a thousand other things. And we’ve celebrated the music ... of the fiddle, the accordion and the scrub board. But most of all, we’ve celebrated you ... the Lagniappe reader ... and the culture you create. We’ve heard your laughter ... taken note of what you valued and appreciated, winced at your occasional complaint, been moved by what’s moved you, and been humbled & gratified when we’ve earned your praise. When we earn it, we know we've done our job. As a small token of our appreciation, we’ve prepared a rich array of the best stories, quotations and photos of Lagniappe’s 30 years of publication. It’s our way of saying thank you and thank you again for your 30 years of unflagging support ... Happy 30th anniversary, Lagniappe readers! And happy reading ... for a long time to come.

front The Very Worst Of Up Front Welcome to this special 30th anniversary selection of the very worst stories that have appeared in the “Up Front” column in the last five years — which are the years that have passed since our 25th anniversary edition. Here you will find the most absurd, ridiculous, foolish, inexcusable, lame, silly, dumb, preposterous, pretentious, grotesque and just plain silly prose and verse ever penned by human journalist. Only the very most appalling pieces have been chosen for your reading pleasure. Any writing that rises above that low water mark — any writing that so much as hints at substance or style — has been excluded. The following selections will leave you shaking your head in disgust, certain of the demise of the press and fearful for the future of civilization. They may shake your confidence in the English language. If this selection doesn’t confirm your worst fears and suspicions about media, you’d better read it again. For the most part, I think the selections are self-explanatory. But, on occasion, I’ll add a note that may make things a little more clear — assuming that clarity is possible in such a mess as this. For instance, I’ll note that in the first selection, the headline — Have You Never Been Mellow? — is the title of a sappy 1970s pop song. It’s also meant to be considered as one of the Hot Toddies that are referred to in the selection.

Have You Never Been Mellow? Here in Lake Charles and environs, people are used to watching the “Hot Button Editorial” on KPLC-TV. I guess all local stations have to have these thought-provoking topical videos and they all have to be called “Hot” something or other. For example, I see that the ones on a nearby station are called “Hot Seat.” Other stations probably have videos called Hot Pocket, Hot Shot, Hot Tub, Hot Tuna, Hot Mess. Some lucky station may even have a video series called Hot Air. If they can do it, I can do it. I’m going to call my version Hot Toddy. Even though I don’t have video capacity, I can still come up with Hot Toddy topics, questions and issues. Here’s my official Hot Toddy archives:

Hot Toddies When you make microwave popcorn, is it OK if you burn a little? Only two kinds of people in the world — true or false? Are hostile houseplants harming our kids? What have the Romans ever done for us? Exile On Main Street: Tons better than Beggars Banquet. If all you need is one mic, one life, one try, one breath, isn’t that still a lot of stuff? Question: What is the greatest danger facing the paper industry? Is man no more than this? NutriGrain: A poor source of beer. Ever go for a week without a rationalization? Pizza On Demand: What’s the hold-up? Way too many: 76 trombones Foghorn Leghorn and identity theft: The hidden connection. Can’t you look where I’m going? Jay Z: Did he really have 99 of them? Ever stop to think I get the feeling I could think up an awful lot of these. — May 17, 2012

Lagniappe Quotes With Impunity Up Front readers may think it’s a little late for one of those summaries of wacky stuff Louisiana political figures said in the previous year [of 2011]. But when The Political Blog, a new Louisiana news site, released a selection of juicy quotations for its New Year’s edition, well, it was hard to resist the temptation to write a little something about it. So here’s the year 2011 as it was: The Context: Edwin Edwards comments on getting out of jail. The Quotation: “They sent me to prison for life, and I came out with a wife.” The Up Fronter’s Take: Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the rhyme. continued

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The Context: State Treasurer John Kennedy (right) tells everybody his opinion about one more thing — in this case, D.C. politicians. The Quotation: “They’re acting like Beavis and Butthead.” The Up Fronter’s Take: At least they don’t look like Charlie Brown. The Context: Terry Brown comments on his first run for the state Legislature. The Quotation: “I never realized what a terrible guy I was until I ran for office.” The Up Fronter’s Take: I realized what a terrible guy I was, so I never ran for office. The Context: Buddy Roemer floats the idea of choosing Joe Lieberman as his running mate. The Quotation: “The senator is grateful for the governor’s gracious bipartisan gesture, but he has been there, done that and has the t-shirt and chad to prove it.” The Up Fronter’s Take: I don’t believe Lieberman has a chad. The Context: State Rep. John Bel Edwards is, perhaps, letting off a little steam. The Quotation: “The governor vetoes anything with impunity.” The Up Fronter’s Take: A veto is the same thing as a veto. The Context: The mother of state Rep. Jeff Arnold expresses her anger at the House’s inability to override Jindal’s cigarette tax veto. The Quotation: “That’s just stupid.” The Up Fronter’s Take: Mothers are more articulate and convincing than politicians. — Jan. 19, 2012

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Lagniappe editor Brad Goins recently announced that he was inspired to undertake a tremendous athletic challenge after the Up Front editorial offices received an email promoting the ideas of the late fitness guru Jack LaLanne. The email read: “For his 60th birthday, [LaLanne] swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, handcuffed, shackled and towing a boat ... I challenge you to live life the Jack LaLanne way. Step out of your comfort zone. Do something new and exciting every 90 days. It will keep you feeling young, vibrant and alive!” “I am going to step out of my comfort zone!” said Goins, at a recent press conference at which he said that in 90 days, he would swim from the Civic Center Seawall to the Isle of Capri Casino. What stunned reporters were the details of how Goins will handicap himself for the swim. continued

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Goins said that after he has both his wrists and ankles wrapped together with two 1,000-feet rolls of duct tape, he “will have both wrists and ankles covered by that stuff CDs are wrapped in.” As for what he will tow in his swim, by means of 15,000 feet of 2.8 inchdiameter stainless steel chain, Goins plans to tow a Hummer H2 (out-fitted with full artillery), a Dimpster Dumpster filled with lead and welded shut, an M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, one Cray Supercomputer, Chicago’s Hancock Building and “an old toaster oven [he] bought at Trey Trey’s Dutch Pornography and Flea Market for $1.50.” Goins was visibly excited by the challenge. “People think I’m nuts, but I’ve really been preparing for this. I’ve really gotten in shape. I’ve been going up and down the staircase in my house and am now able to do it eight times in a row. What’s more, I’ve gotten to the point that I can hold a six-pound medicine ball in a single hand. I’m more than ready. I’m toughed up and buffed up, and so stoked up I’m choked up.” — March 3, 2011 Editor’s note: The following rather long series of stories all appeared in one issue in 2010. They’re all about a local periodical that ran a series of really, really big — and really impressive-looking — headlines about a story of vast significance.

Big Letters Journalism does a lot of things well. Subtlety’s not one of them. That’s why any appearance of subtle journalism in our area should be noted and appreciated. Subtlety was the very essence of the lead headline that ran on the front page of the American Press on Sept. 10. One or more Press writers somehow managed to reduce the headline to a single word:

Captured Press staff stretched that one word all the way across the top of the page. They did that by subtle means — the use of unusually large letters. How big were these letters? The "d" in Captured was almost 1 3/4 inches high, while the "c" that began the word was an inch and a half in width. I don’t want to be critical, but I think as subtle as this headline was, with a little work, it could have been more subtle. To be precise, I think the letters could have been a little bigger. Yes, in my estimation, there was room for slightly larger letters. Still, the headline

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was, as has been stated, a masterwork of subtlety just as it appeared. Now, the Up Fronter doesn’t want to create the impression that the American Press is the only paper making use of this sort of journalistic subtly. The New York Post has managed to span the width of a newspaper page with even shorter terms than

Captured

which, after all, has eight letters in it. The Post has made page-wide banner headlines with such short terms as HO NO! (Spitzer scandal); BAD LAY (Ken Lay); NOW DIE! (Sept. 11 trial); and, most eloquently, A-HOLE (Alex Rodriguez, a tasteful and nuanced cover that featured a photo of Rodriguez swinging a giant syringe instead of a bat). The Post was responsible for what’s probably one of the 10 best-known headlines in history: HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR. The Post’s ability to generate such headlines on a regular basis accounts for its reputation as the only newspaper of consistent journalistic subtlety in the U.S. Why did the American Press marshal its subtlety for this one particular headline that could be read from outer space? Clearly, someone at the paper was trying to send a massage. And the message was simple: a suspect in a quadruple homicide case had been

Captured. That makes sense. A newspaper, or any periodical, has to determine what aspect of the community it wants to highlight. It could make gigantic headlines about such innovative business developments as geothermal and modular parts plants. It could make monster headlines about local arts, music and lectures. Or it could pump out supersized headlines about really gruesome local crime. The Press did a gut check, made the tough call and decided to take the high road.

It Was Just As Well The above is just a plain, old, regular-sized headline. Sorry. It was probably just as well that the Press ran its gargantuan headline about an arrest. The only other story on the front page on Sept. 10 was one about the aftermath of the Superbowl — you know, the Superbowl that took place eight months ago. Well, it was a Friday paper. Sometimes things just don’t happen on Thursdays.

Just As Big Letters Five days passed before the next mammer jammer headline

Charged appeared as the lead headline on the front page of the American Press on Sept. 15. The size of the letters was exactly the same — ranging from 1 and 3/4 inches high for the "d" to 1 1/2 inch wide for the capital "c." I figured the Press got some feedback during the five-day interim. Perhaps Press staff were told, “Hey that headline was really big,” and that comment was interpreted as a positive remark, as it should have been. Anyway, the similarity between the two monster headlines is obvious. Both of the single words start with a big "c" and end with a big "d." There is, in this, an elegant symmetry. The Press reported that Sheriff “Mancuso said that with the arrest of Williams he is confident that authorities have gotten a ‘brutal murderer’ off the street ...” I guess if I had news like that, I’d report it too. It’s good to see that some people don’t give in to the craven fear of taxpayers having to foot the costs of an expensive change of venue due to pre-trial publicity. By Sept. 15, I had the feeling the Press was going to chronicle each step of this suspect’s justice system experience with a Big Boy headline. And, frankly, I think we got cheated out of a few. At the very least, we should have had such huge single-word headlines as

Transported Fingerprinted

Booked

Jailed

Fed

and maybe a few others. I realize that none of those headlines start with a big C and end with a big d. Hey, I’m not saying I’m as talented at writing headlines as the people who wrote Captured and Charged. On the contrary. Maybe this suspect really does deserve the celebrity these massive headlines bestow on him. In that case, perhaps it’s best that the area not be known as the cradle of Cajun culture, but rather, as the center of criminal celebrity. If we’re going to go that route, I think each time a murder suspect is caught, the Press should use its superbig headlines to make sure the suspect is

Celebritied — Oct. 7, 2010

Editor’s note: The fire was in me when I composed the Up Front for Feb. 19, 2009. Two selections from that date made it into this prestigious selection.

Poetry A La Mode The Beauregard Daily News recently ran a story with the immensely satisfying headline “Return of DeRidder Idol Contest.” My pleasure with the subhead — “Planning for History” — was almost too great to be borne. While I’ve stayed true to my vow to remain the only person in Greater Calcasieu who knows nothing about American Idol, I’m happy to learn all Chilling at a poetry festival. about DeRidder Idol. For me, the most tantalizing aspect of this talent contest was the category called “poetry writing.” Poetry writing and reading in DeRidder. There aren’t many things I’m sorry to have missed. But I’m sorry I missed that. continued September 5, 2013

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I know from experience that every day there are several fantastic poems on pages 2 and 3 of the American Press. These poems are fantastic because the people who write them work hard and think long and hard before they put words on paper. I can’t duplicate the heartfelt earnestness of the poetry that was read in DeRidder. But I can do my humble best to pay it an inadequate homage in a style that echoes, albeit weakly, the style of its models.

An Ode To Poetry It is so very clear to me ... My heart and soul love poetry. When the sound of poetry sings ... My heartfelt hearty heart just rings. And also my young heart just beats ... For poetry and all its treats. In bars or on my ATV ... I raise a can for poetry. When I dance in my wedding gown, ... The beer, like poetry, cascades down. It’s sticky, and a little rank, ... But dare we say that poetry stank? Poems take flight, and fly like geese ... And are as lovely as the fleece Of sheep who graze on rice fields green ... And bleat out their poetic spleen. The sheep’s small feet make squishing sounds ... When freely sheep roam through the grounds. And bleat out poems to the cats ... Who jump around like acrobats. My earthly form will only roam ... Until I hit the nursing home, But once you let it out the door ... My poetry roams evermore. Oh how I love my poetry! ... I love it, love it, love it, me. — Feb. 19, 2009

The More Things Change Surely I wasn’t the only one who raised his eyebrows at the news that Leon Panetta, President Obama’s nominee for CIA head, told a U.S. Senate committee that he would only hand over prisoners to prisons in the Middle East and East Europe if he were assured that the prisoners would not be tortured. Now, just how does Panetta get that sort of assurance, I wondered. How exactly does that work? Let’s imagine we’re going behind the scenes in Sednaya Prison in Syria. Here’s how I imagine the assurance thing going down: CIA Agent W.B. Sternly: OK ... I’ll hand over this prisoner to you. But only if you assure me [snicker] ... ASSURE me ... that you will not torture him. [Raucous laughter all around.] Lt. Sadiq Fayyad: Oh, you have it. You have it, Mr. Man. I ASSURE you I will not torture this prisoner. You have my word.

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[Laughter] Agent Sternly: OK. Now that that’s taken care of, how about that coffee? Lt. Fayyad: Coffee? Coffee? You want me to pour the coffee on him or you want to drink the coffee? Agent Sternly: Oh, you’re a card, Fayyad, a real card. [Laughter] To be continued ... — Feb. 19, 2009

Good News, Bad News It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Well, OK, it was just the worst of times. But some good things happened anyway. Let’s take a look at some places where we took one step forward and two steps back in 2010. The good news: We finally quit hearing about Britney Spears. The bad news: We started hearing about Justin Bieber. The good news: Popular music and the big recording companies were more fragmented than ever. The bad news: We couldn’t escape advertisements for recordings by people who used to be on American Idol. The good news: Some books were still being published. The bad news: People who maintained that graphic novels aren’t serious literature went into hiding. The good news: There were novels that weren’t part of the Twilight series. The bad news: All those novels were about vampires. The good news: Bureaucrats were as funny as they ever were. The bad news: Bureaucrats weren’t on the receiving end of budget cuts. You may want to clip out this news summary just in case the good and bad news for 2011 are exactly the same as they were for 2010. — Dec. 16, 2010

Intentionally Humorous Headline? “Guy rows solo 2,950 miles, is exhausted!” — CNN, March 31, 2009 — April 16, 2009

john maginnis Racial Voting Trends Change With important federal and state elections just around the corner, consultants, politicians and pollsters are trying to make sense of Louisiana’s voter registration numbers, which have slowly been morphing into a new kind of southern electorate. White voters remain the dominate force in the state, with a registration of 1.87 million, according to the latest tally from the Secretary of State’s Office. But the growth in this sector is flat, with only 10,000 or so new voters added over the past six years. Black registration has grown more, and steadily, from 802,000 voters in 2000 to nearly 843,000 seven years later to 902,000 today. In addition, voters defined as “other,” meaning neither white nor black, have jumped from 89,600 in the tally 13 years ago to 134,000 today. That’s a 49.5 percent increase in voters such as Hispanic and Asian-American citizens. John M. Couvillon, president of

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JMC Enterprises, a Baton Rouge-based political polling firm, said it’s a notable shift in the numbers, but isn’t uniformly distributed throughout the state. “While it’s true that Republicans nationally need to appeal to Hispanics and Asians, Louisiana isn’t one of those swing states right now,” he said. “But it may be eventually.” Instead, Couvillon said the “other” registration, in regard to race, has seen double digit increases in small pockets around Kenner and Gretna, where they have become strong enough to swing elections for state House seats. Elsewhere, related voter turnout has been dismal at best. “I think it’s a case of those voting groups not being connected enough and candidates ignoring them,” he said, adding the trend should spread more evenly over the next generation of voters.

The “Others” Rise Up Then there’s the issue of party. Democrats have gone from a registration of 1.6 million in 2000 to only 1.3 million

jeremy alford

voters today. While many might assume the Louisiana Republican Party picked up the slack there, the Republicans have only grown by 198,000 registrations over the past 13 years, to its current count of 806,500 members. Still, for every year the Democrats lost numbers, Republicans gained them, resulting in an increase of 32 percent since 2000. But, again, it’s the “other” sector that’s jumped the highest, going from nearly 497,000 registrations in 2000 to 714,000 at present. That’s a growth rate of 43.6 percent for those who’ve forsaken both Republicans and Democrats. It’s also only 92,500 voters shy of what Republicans now boast — an achievement soured only by the fact that many registered Democrats in Louisiana actually vote Republican. Kirby Goidel, director of LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, said there are so many different ideologies in the “other” party sector that it doesn’t often get the opportunity to affect statewide elections. But it’s recent growth certainly

offers an impression of how voters feel about partisan politics. “It’s a big indicator about how some people regard the two biggest parties,” Goidel said. “More and more, people are refusing to buy the brand.”

Record Number Of House Candidates The 14 men who qualified for the Oct. 19 special election to replace Congressman Rodney Alexander, RQuitman, in the 5th District sets a modern record for the number of candidates in any Louisiana congressional race. They include a public service commissioner making his 13th run for office, a state senator, three state reps, a mayor, a former state rep and a former Rand Paul organizer who was injured during an altercation with off-duty policemen at the GOP state convention last year. There are five Republicans, four Democrats, three black candidates, two Libertarians, two independents, a Green Party contender and two entrants from Baton Rouge and New Orleans. A state resident doesn’t have to live in a con-

gressional district to run for it. Only one U.S. Senate race has drawn a larger field. That happened in 1996, when 15 ran, resulting in Sen. Mary Landrieu’s first federal victory. In the 1990 2nd Congressional District race, when former Congressman Bill Jefferson was first elected, 14 qualified but one eventually withdrew. Setting another record is Public Service Commissioner Clyde Holloway, 69, who’s making his tenth run for the U.S. House. Since 1980, he has run in four different districts — the 5th and 6th and the old 7th and 8th. He last won in 1990. He’s lost three times since by only one percentage point each time.

Gang Violence Could Become Legislative Focus The newly appointed Gang Prevention Task Force has begun meeting with officials from the Attorney General’s office in hopes of presenting a comprehensive plan to lawmakers next year. Playing lead on the plan will be the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice and the Senate Committee on Judiciary C, which are expected to have recommendations from the task force by mid-January. The task force is the brainchild of Rep. Jared Brossett, D-New Orleans, who hopes that bringing together diverse law enforcement agencies will help the group combat gang violence in a holistic way. With Louisiana’s levels of criminal violence continuing to outpace the nation’s, he says new methods are needed to address organized activities that spawn serious threats to public safety. “Crime doesn’t stop at parish lines and neither should law enforcement cooperation,” says Brossett. “Experience has shown that robust coordination will make our streets safer by focusing resources on specific, identifiable threats.” Members of the task force include the Dept. of Justice, Louisiana Assoc. of Chiefs of Police, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Sheriffs’ Assoc., Louisiana District Attorneys’ Assoc. and several parish- and local-level authorities.

They Said It “With Mary’s opponents stepping up their fundraising goals, we’re going to have to work harder than a dog trying to bury a bone on a marble floor to stay ahead.” — James Carville, in fundraising letter to Democratic boosters “Alcoholic friends are as easy to make as Sea Monkeys.” — State Sen. Dan Claitor, via Twitter “I’m guilty. I do the Taco Bell $2 meal deal. Note to self: it seems to taste better after midnight.” — Claitor, again from his @DanClaitor account To learn more, visit LaPolitics.com or follow the Notebook on Twitter: @LaPoliticsNow.

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Be Smart. Be Ready. When hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit in 2005, mos’ folks in political power weren’t old enough to remember other big storms of the previous half century — mainly Audrey and Betsy. Old codgers like me remembered both of dose storms and knew what to do. Now dese younger folks have seen firsthand what a powerful force wind and water are at 100-plus miles an hour. Our state an’ Southwest Louisiana are indeed better prepared should another major storm hit our area. We say all dis because we’re approachin’ de height uf hurricane season, and we need to do what’s smart now so dat if a storm heads our way an’ police an’ Homeland Security tell us to get outta Dodge, we’re ready and dar ain’t no foolin’ around. Remember folks … Rita hit us on Sept. 24. Gustav and Ike were late in de season, too. So hurricane season is far from ova, an’ we need to get our act togedder now an’ help dem what needs help to get dar plan in place as well. Uf course, we hope we never have to leave again, but if you live along de Gulf Coast, you know ya gotta be smart and be ready.

Flood Insurance … Big Question Mark For Many When de federal Gubment iz involved in sometin’, you know it ain’t gonna have a quick resolution. An’ dat’s de case wit’ federal flood insurance. Dars talk uf big increases … an’ politicians, uf course, grandstandin’ about it, which is what dar known to do. Nonedeless, houses have to be sold; folks have to move into dem; and new houses have to be built. An’ everyone’s waitin’ to find out what de cos’ will be for flood insurance. Realtors are stuck ‘cause folks wanna know what dar goin’ to have to pay for flood insurance, which can shut down a deal bigtime. Meantime, lenders are waitin’ for de gubment to tell dem what de flood insurance will cost. De Police Jury took up de matter recently at a regular meetin’. A consultant out uf Washington, D.C., by de name uf Bryon Griffith told jurors de Biggertt-Waters act approved by Congress las’ year extends de National Flood Insurance act by five years. De act haz parts in it to make de program self-sufficient in dat time. First, good luck on makin’ any gubment program self-sufficient; and second, you know de only way day can even attempt to do dat iz by raisin’ flood insurance rates. It’s not fair to keep property owners hangin’ like dis, but what do dem bureaucrats in Washington care? After all, day are workin’ for de gubment.

City Tacklin’ Budget De Lake Charles City Council took a first look at de city’s budget for de comin’ year. An’ it’s outta balance by a good bit. But folks from de finance department told council members dat all numbers point to an increase in revenue for de city. An’ Mayor Randy reminded members dat a budget is nothing mo dan a plan uf how de city expects to spend de money it gets from taxpayers. One uf de biggest expenditures is, uf course, benefits for retirees. Folks, we’ve sed dis before an’ we’ll say it again: dis iz a can gubments keep kickin’ down de road, an’ eventually it’s gonna catch up wit’ some public bodies who don’t do what de City uf Lake Charles iz doin’. Mos’ gubments never consider retirement benefits when dar hirin’ a new employee. But de cost is dar, an’ de bottom line keeps growin’. Congrats to Mayor Randy and de Council for puttin’ de subject out dar on de table for Council members to see what dar facin’ an’ for givin’ dem an opportunity to take care uf it.

Fifth District Race Will Be Heated Now dat Congressman Rodney Alexander haz resigned to take a position wit’ de Jindal administration, an’ qualifyin’ for de election to replace him haz ended, we can 16

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look at de field uf candidates. Dars so many runnin’ it looks like de Kentucky Derby. Now dis 5th Congressional District iz one uf de bes’ examples uf jerrymanderin’ you ever gonna see. It starts up in northeast Louisiana at de state line an’ goes all de way south to Opelousas and goes far enough west to include Ruston and portions of Allen Parish. Den it goes east to include de northern portion uf de Florida parishes, includin’ Hammond and Bogolusa. A candidate who wants to cover dat district well can wear out a set uf tires every week. So, needless to say, dar gonna have to rely on TV advertisin’ in Monroe, Alexandria an’ Baton Rouge to get dar message out. De firs’ primary is Oct. 19, and de runoff will be helt Nov. 16. De 14 candidates include Republican Clyde Holloway, who’s now servin’ as public service commissioner; James Mayo, de Democratic mayor of Monroe; Marcus Hunter — a Democrat from Monroe who’s in de state legislature; an’ Robert Johnson, a Democrat from Marksville. Neil Riser, a state rep from Columbia, is expected to lead since he has de support uf de Jindal gang. But you can bet Clyde Holloway ain’t gonna go away. De 5th District is 31 percent black, an’ is one uf de poorest congressional districts in de country. Yet several Washington insider groups who don’t go to de bathroom without takin’ a poll claim de Republicans will hold on to dis seat. Watch dis one folks. It’s gonna get interestin’.

Way To Go, Joey

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De Family and Youth Counselin’ Agency recently helt dar annual Family Day at de Lake Charles Civic Center. Dis event wuz de brainchild uf de group’s executive director, Julio Galan. De event gets bigger every year. One uf de highlights uf dis year’s festival wus a gun safety course conducted by Ward 3 Marshall Joey Alcede. Now, considerin’ de large increase in gun sales in our area in de las’ year, one can tink uf no better effort for de safety uf our children. As Joey explained to de kids, dar responsibility is to tell grownups or law enforcement when day see a gun. An’ de key phrase is DON’T TOUCH! Lots uf folks baught dar firs’ firearms over dis passed year, an’ day may not be takin’ de proper precautions to keep dem away from kids. An’ we all know how curious kids are. So we applaud Joey for doin’ dis good deed.

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De day afta McNeese boorayed South Florida 52-21, I wuz watchin’ Colorado an’ Colorado State on de CBS Sports Network. At halftime, de announcers showed de FCS schools who’d beaten up on bigger BCS schools de day before. Day showed North Dakota State an’ Eastern Washington an’ udders. But NO MCNEESE — who de day befo had set a record wit’ de biggest margin uf victory ever in de history uf NCAA football uf an FBS school ova a BCS school. When I saw dat, I almos’ swallowed my ceegar. How could day leave us out? Sent dem an email but haven’t heard back from dem an’ doubt I will. Here’s McNeese fightin’ for recognition; beatin’ de big school — and nuttin’ from dem cooyons at CBS Sports. Maybe we should invite dem to a tailgate party at Cowboy Stadium so day can see how we have fun befo de game an’ den take dem to de stadium to see jus’ how we play de game down here. Folks, it’s dat time uf year. Wear your blue and gold every Friday an’ show your support for and pride in de Cowboys.

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Deep Taughts About 30 Years Uf Lagniappe While Watchin’ De Tigers Lagniappe Magazine has now been around for 30 years. An’ uf course, when we got started, lots uf folks didn’t give us a chance. But we worked hard and gained de support uf lots uf folks trewout Southwest Louisiana. Me, I am proud to have been allowed to put in my two cents every two weeks for 30 years. An’ I tank you for your support. Once again … here goes. 10) How can de Astros be makin’ all dat money and still be sellin’ full price tickets to see dat poor a team? 9) Iz Tom Benson gonna invite Roger Goodell to his birthday party dis year, or ever again? 8) Oil goes up; gas goes up de next day. Oil goes down; gas goes down a few weeks later. Why? 7) Will I still be waitin’ for dat new shotgun from Sedonia even afta my birthday has come an’ gone? 6) Why does T Claude always come to visit empty-handed and drink all my beer? 5) When will we get cold weather so I can make a good shrimp gumbo? 4) Will you make my fran Max happy, and McNeese too, by wearin’ blue and gold on Fridays? 3) When will ESPN quit talkin’ about RG3 an’ Johnny Football? 2) Will my no good brudda-in-law give me a good birthday present an’ stay home in Alexandria? 1) Ain’t we all proud uf Chuck Kleckley an’ de job he’s done az speaker uf de house? ONCE AGAIN, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR 30 YEARS. ‘Til next time, lache pas la patate.

September 5, 2013

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The article, America’s Most Dangerous Bridges, cited the I-10 bridge’s steep grade as a major concern, particularly when taking into consideration the high volume of trucks which pass over the bridge. State DOTD officials have noted that a low sufficiency rating does not mean a bridge is unsafe, and that if a bridge were unsafe, it would be closed.

LOCAL NEWS STORIES OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS Aeroframe Lease Terminated; AAR Corp. To Take Over Space Aeroframe’s lease with Chennault International Airport has been terminated. Termination of the lease was requested by Aeroframe, which has been at Chennault since 2005. Aeroframe’s facility will be taken over by Illinois-based AAR Corp., an aircraft maintenance company which has been ranked in the Top 100 defense contractors in the world. The company’s workforce numbers about 7,000. AAR will move into approximately 520,000 sq. ft. of service and administrative space, and will use 118,000 sq. ft. of Hangar H when it is complete.

Sowela Receives Grants To Train Aviation Workers The State of Louisiana will give Sowela Technical Community College $3.7 million to train workers for AAR, Chennault’s newest tenant, and other aviation companies. Sowela also received a $200,000 Rapid Response Grant from the Louisiana Community and Technical

College System to create training opportunities in the aviation maintenance field. These grants come on the heels of a $20 million investment, announced earlier this year, from the state for a new training center at Sowela.

CPSB To Offer Universal Pre-K Calcasieu Parish schools is moving to a universal pre-kindergarten setup that will include every applicant on the current waiting list. The program will be tuition-free. The $75-per-week fee will be eliminated, and there will no longer be a distinction between free and reduced-price lunches.

Moss Memorial Clinic Expanding Services W.O. Moss Memorial Health Clinic will expand its services by adding a breast health clinic and a cardiology clinic. Moss Memorial has also re-established its surgery and gynecology clinics, adding three physicians and a nurse prac-

titioner to its gynecology clinic. Memorial also plans to open orthopedic and pulmonology clinics, as well as provide hepatology and outpatient dialysis services.

LCFD Has New Fire Truck The Lake Charles Fire Dept. has added a new engine fire truck at Station 7 on Tybee Lane. The new truck replaces an older model, which will be used as a reserve truck.

I-10 Bridge Named One Of Nation’s Most Dangerous Travel and Leisure Magazine recently named the Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge as one of the nation’s most dangerous bridges. The bridge was ranked no. 7 out of 19 on the list. It was the only bridge in the South listed. The rankings were compiled using 2012 Federal Highway Administration sufficiency ratings, which judge “structural adequacy, safety, serviceability for modern use, and essentiality to the public.”

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LC Airport Gets Improvement Grant The Lake Charles Regional Airport recently received a $1.8 million federal grant to be used for taxiway and apron pavement improvements.The project will cost more than $2 million, with the state funding 10 percent of the federal grant. Construction on the 300-day project is expected to start in Fall 2013.

Ryan St. Ramp Project Moving Forward All right of way acquisition and utility agreements for the $5-$6-million Ryan Street exit ramp project will be completed by late September, according to an official with the State Dept. of Transportation and Development. The project will provide a modified westbound exit ramp to Ryan Street, connect the westbound ramp to the north frontage road, and extend the south frontage road from Lakeshore Drive to Ryan Street. The project is scheduled to go to bid in late 2013 or early 2014, and construction is expected to begin next summer. The project should be completed by fiscal year 2014-2015.

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OUT & ABOUT

arthur hebert

Culinary Journey Here I sit again, composing a look back at the food scene of Southwest Louisiana. While the chains and the larger independents seem to have flourished, the mom and pops wither on the vine. It depresses me, because I love these hole-inthe-wall places. I’m afraid we’re losing our food traditions. A few, like Sha Sha’s, Mama Faye’s, Good Times Cafe, and Sonnier’s Meat, carry the torch forward and stick to their roots. However some “meat and three” places are phoning it in, going the prefabricated route. On the other hand, we have acquired some small chain restaurants featuring ethnic cuisines such as Mexican, Sushi, Italian, etc. I think Rosita’s is the best Mexican around. Romano’s seems to be another Southeast Texas Italian foray. The surge in sushi grills reflects the Chinese invasion of the area several years back. If I’d been told even five years ago that eight of these would be in the Lake Area, I would have called the person crazy. Of the new crop, I consider Wasabi the best for sushi. We have a few places around that offer Indian subcontinent food. However, that’s on a limited basis. I have yet to see even a counter service place devoted to just this. It seems that we never see a Thai and will never get another Vietnamese either. I do see a ray of hope for some artisan establishments in the opening of Botsky’s. Here is a venue with a person who believes in his concept and is ready to put it on the line. He’s not the only one out there — just the latest; and I hope to see more of this. My publisher asked me to tell again the story of how I came to write this column. I was working shift work at the hazardous waste site in Carlyss. On the monthly rotation, I got a week off. I took to going on expeditions to eat at various restaurants in the area. I would then come back and wax lyrical to my friends. That usually elicited the comment “you should write about it.” I seriously considered it when I came upon a little monthly magazine out of Vinton called Sunseeker. It seemed like a good opportunity. I wrote a piece and sent it to them.

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One thing about computers — once something is in them, you can print all the copies you want. Thus, I also sent my piece to the American Press and Lagniappe. After about three months, my sister called me to tell me Lagniappe had printed my latest effort. I sent another in and they printed that. Up to this point, they were gratis. I then set up a meeting with Bob Hartnett that led to the establishment of our long relationship, plus some money for the articles. You may notice I do not call them reviews and I do not call myself a critic. I decided a long time ago that I didn’t want

I’m a food lover, and I want a restaurant to succeed if it can. I visit a venue at least three times, and maybe more. I also go at various times of the day. Both of these methods are used to make sure the food and service are consistent and that the review isn’t based on a bad day at the restaurant. to follow the path of the large city writers. I do not see myself as the end-all and be-all arbitrator of taste. I am not a god making pronouncements from on high. I like what I like, and I dislike what I don’t like. That's my taste. Everybody has his or her own taste. My columns are about what I like and why and what I don’t like and why. I leave it up

to my readers to make their own decision and not follow me like sheep. I’m a food lover, and I want a restaurant to succeed if it can. However, many things can bring down an establishment: things like money problems, family problems, consistency problems, etc. My procedure for a column is to visit a venue at least three times, and maybe more, over a period. I also go at various times of the day. Both of these methods are used to make sure the food and service are consistent and that the review isn’t based on a bad day at the restaurant. Sometimes circumstances and deadlines shorten the process. I sometimes use friends to expand my experience of the restaurant. I report on a dish only if I get a taste of it. If I don’t, and my friend makes a comment, I report it as such. Sometimes I’m recognized. (I’ve been doing this for 18 years out in the open.) I assure you I tell you about that. Smart owners don’t make things special for me, as I report that as their standard, and other customers come in expecting that and leave never to come back if they don’t get it. If I get a complementary meal, I say so. When an owner thanks me for writing an excellent review, I repeat my mantra. My writing has nothing to do with it. I merely report on what you put in front of me. It’s your doing. I don’t keep the numbers any more. A quick calculation shows that I’ve reported on at least 500 venues. I suspect I’ve covered more, as sometimes I put two or three establishments in one column, especially if they have limited menus. I’m also sure the published failure rates still hold true. A total of 33 percent of area venues will fail the first year, and 66 percent in five years. As for me, I will continue this for as long as I can.

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Lagniappe Story Leads To Book Deal BY TODD C. ELLIOTT

t’s good to see that “freedom of the press” is still alive in Southwest Louisiana. Without the freedom to publish my story “A Rose By Many Other Names” in a November, 2010, issue of Lagniappe, I would never have been able to secure a book deal and worldwide distribution of my first book “A Rose By Many Other Names: Rose Cherami and The JFK Assassination” in 2013. However, it was my November 22, 2012, feature story in The Eunice News that caught a publisher’s eye. The Eunice paper’s website, www.eunicetoday.com, garnered over 22,000 hits, or views, in less than a month’s time. At the time of this writing, the view count was nearly 30,000 hits in less than a year. Clearly, there was some interest, with global appeal, in the enigmatic tale of Rose Cherami. It should be noted that between the 2010 Lagniappe story and the 2012 Eunice News story, I

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did a stint at Lake Charles’ very own American Press — which did not feel that the tale of Rose Cherami warranted a feature story for it’s readers. Passing on my thoughts of doing an American Press version of the story, one of the four editors at the newspaper squashed my idea and told me flatly: “There is no conspiracy.” Not wanting to live in a world without conspiracy, I hiked my career over to the small town of Eunice — which I have now deemed “the birthplace of the JFK Assassination conspiracy” or “the birthplace of the JFK conspiracy theorist: Rose Cherami.” In less than a year, I had secured the book deal. I still commute to Eunice every day during the work week. And I never forget my first time. Rose Cherami led me to Eunice in the Summer of 2010. I just thought her story would be an interesting one for Lagniappe readers. It

was one that I wanted to read. And if I learned something about this mysterious JFK footnote in history, then maybe the readers would learn something too, I reasoned. During my 2010 research, I frantically looked for a book on Rose Cherami. I found none. As I referenced her work in my 2010 Lagniappe article, published author and professor Joan Mellen stated in an email to me that summer that I would never have enough information for a book on Rose Cherami. In a sense, Mellen seemed to tell me not to even waste my time and that I should focus on other aspects of events that transpired in Louisiana concerning the JFK assassination conspiracy. In October, Mellen and I will be featured side-by-side, as colleagues and published authors of TrineDay publishing at an event to be held in New Orleans at The Garden District Book Shop. I hope to get a signed copy of her amazing book, “Farewell To Justice,” in which she mentions Rose Cherami and her foreknowledge of the JFK assassination plot. Before my book was completed and released, I was still learning more about Rose Cherami than I had ever thought to know. Certainly, I know more now than I did in the 2010 Lagniappe article. And the great thing is that I am still learning about Rose Cherami.

Researching Cherami’s life and death still provides more questions than answers. Instead of being a “buff” when it came to the JFK assassination and conspiracy, I wanted to do my part in help bringing the truth to light. I wanted to bring readers one step closer to the truth. I am not the first person to believe Rose Cherami and what she said on Nov. 20, 1963. And, hopefully, I won’t be the last. But maybe the rest of the world is now ready to listen to Rose Cherami as we near the 50th anniversary of the greatest unsolved crime of the 20th century: the murder of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. While the credits roll at the beginning of Oliver Stone’s 1991 film JFK, there is a glimpse of Rose Cherami. In between the edited, historic film footage, Rose Cherami is immortalized in the first dramatized sequence of the film, as the stunt double for actress Sally Kirkland is thrown from a moving vehicle. In the dust, a screaming and crying woman is on the side of a rural highway cursing at the car speeding away ahead of her. The film then cuts to the woman, hysterical in a hospital bed, telling law enforcement and medical staff that “They’re going to Dallas Friday‚ they’re going to kill Kennedy.” The characters in the film, much as in life, paid her no mind. This was Rose Cherami. She predicted the future. She did it in a small Louisiana town named Eunice. Eunice, Louisiana is the birthplace of JFK “conspiracy theory,” a statement that’s given no more credence than the widely accepted “magic bullet theory,” simply because the first public revelation of a plot to kill the 35th President of the United States resounded from the lips of one Melba Marcades, also known as Rose Cherami, in that small town. Ruling out conspiracy, then certainly the woman was clairvoyant. Ruling out clairvoyance, one must talk of foreknowledge, and then again back to conspiracy. A tip from Rose, two days before the assassination, would forever link the city of Eunice to the JFK assassination plot. Some people of Eunice, mainly members of law enforcement and medical officials, were the first to hear talk of a conspiracy involving shooters in Dallas, two days before John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in what is still, legally and officially, an unsolved crime for the Dallas Police Department. If Orleans Parish District Attorney Jim Garrison was “On The Trail of the Assassins,” as his book title suggested, it’s quite possible that the Acadiana Trail was the very trail that lead to the murder of JFK in Dallas. Today, the video poker machines are relegated to their own domains in the form of truckstop casinos or the small, offchance casinos open day and night in modern Eunice. Today, however, when the house wins, the government for the State of Louisiana also wins. At the end of any day, wherever a resident or visitor might decide to lay their head for the night in Eunice, the chugging, horn blast of a train or the ringing of a church bell is always within earshot. The streets of Eunice near the quaint town square are windswept with rice hulls in the late summer under the watchful gaze of a towering, rusted rice mill that has seen better days.

The old, aluminum building that is the rice mill stands as the tallest structure in the city. At nearly four stories high, like some “Cajun skyscraper,” it seemingly oversees all business and living transacted in Eunice: relegated to a height not to exceed two stories. Before Interstate 10, connecting Houston with New Orleans to the south, siphoned off the traffic and much of the commerce to Eunice, U.S. Hwy. 190 was the 1963 equivalent. With the advent of I-10, Eunice remained much as it did then, with only sparse and sporadic growth over the decades.

It was here where a momentous fragment of American history was born. And as with all birthing processes, there is an element of pain before delivery. Even a legend must cling to something before it breathes to life and manifests out of the ether. However, a legend would insinuate a myth. But it is not by any mythos, but by way of history, that Eunice has been linked to the crime of the 20th century: the murder of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

It’s not a stretch of the imagination to say that many Americans believe that there was a conspiracy to kill JFK — a conclusion reinforced when a determination was reached by the House Select Committee on Assassinations of the 95th Congress in March 1979. The HSCA’s anticlimactic conclusion stated that the President “was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy.” The first evidence of a conspiracy, along with a conspiracy theory itself, appeared in Eunice in the form of Rose Cherami. Cherami, however, was not a citizen of Eunice. She was merely the link between Eunice, La., and a possible conspiracy to kill JFK. All JFK “conspiracy theorists” can tie their conspiratorial lineage back to Cherami, as she was the first in line.

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Movers And Shakers BY RUSS BORDELON

e’ve seen great growth in our area in the last 35 or so years. And there’s no telling what this area will be like in 20 years. Much has been done to lay the groundwork for the coming “boom,” and there are a great many folks who are to be given credit for that. First, let’s take a look back to what things used to be like. I moved here from the Lafayette area in 1976, and I can tell you the image of the area wasn’t a good one. [The labor riot and law enforcement action at] Jupiter had just happened; unions and politicians ruled with an iron fist; and the retail business was nearly nonexistent. But there was a core group of people who were determined to change the image of this great part of the state. If you look back at the history of this area, it had pretty much been regarded as a rough and tumble type of area. The land on either side of the Sabine River, known as “no man’s land,” had long been a safe haven for outlaws from both the North and South. The 16 or so sawmills that operated along the Calcasieu River weren’t exactly staffed by choir boys. So though the area had come a long way by the mid-‘70s, it still had a long way to go. Many blamed the political leaders in our area, namely Sherriff Ham Reid and D.A. Frank Salter, for the poor image of our area. Some blamed the unions and still others blamed the Chamber of Commerce for letting it happen. Now, granted, the Chamber in 1976 wasn’t anything to write home about, since most of the members had a personal agenda rather than a desire for growing the area.

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was the first to make the move to the giant airpark. But projects of that size need state money, and by then we had a good legislative delegation working hard to get dollars for Chennault, McNeese, and road and infrastructure improvements. Legislators such as Sen. Bill McLeod, Conway LeBleu, Vic Stelly, and later Jack Doland, made things happen by going to Baton Rouge and bringing home the money that was needed to make our area strong. We move to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, when the national turmoil in the banking business started. Before it was over, several of the large local banks, including the big blue Calcasieu Marine Bank, had changed hands. When all the takeovers and mergers were finished, the only local banks still standing were Jeff continued

Jim Sudduth

In addition there was constant bickering among politicians … namely police jurors, school board members and city council members. The result of this bickering was poor roads and bridges and students who graduated from high school feeling short-changed by the system. Slowly, the tide began to change. The first steps of change were the election of Lenn Knapp as D.A. and Wayne

McElveen as sheriff. Next came a stronger Chamber of Commerce that did a much better job of selling not only Lake Charles, but all of Southwest Louisiana. Then came a diversity of jobs with Wayne McElveen the revival of the old Chennault air base. That move created thousands of jobs for our area. Boeing

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Willie Mount Randy Roach

Davis, Cameron State and First Federal, which saw the changing times and converted from a savings and loan to a bank. Since that period, several smaller banks have come onto the scene, and Iberia Bank has purchased Cameron State. Talk about a change in the landscape of an industry. The editor of this publication asked me to reflect on the last 30 or so years and point to people who have made a difference in moving this area to where it is today. First of all, one has to think of former Mayor Jim Sudduth. He had the vision to pump sand on the lakefront and build the Lake Charles Civic Center. Now, there were a lot of doubters when he came up with that, but Sudduth never let his critics distract him. He was also responsible for getting a whole bunch of projects funded with state and federal dollars. The story goes that when officials saw Sudduth coming, they knew he had an idea and needed money. It is also said that the only man who came close to him as far as arm twisting was Lyndon Johnson. In the last 20 years, we’ve seen two people who’ve done a whole lot to make this area something we can all be proud of, those being Willie Mount and Randy Roach. Mount was new to politics when she ran for mayor and beat a bunch of seasoned politicians. She later moved on to the State Senate where, like McLeod and others, she battled to get a fair share of state money for Southwest Louisiana. After Mount’s move to the Senate, up stepped Randy Roach as mayor. Now, Roach had served in the Legislature during the Roemer administration, so he knew who to get to to get money for the area. Both these mayors made great things happen in our area by working hard and surrounding themselves with good, honest, hard-working people. Neither administration saw the kind of shenanigans we read about in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Monroe. In short, Mount and Roach did it the right way. During this “Willie-Randy” period, we saw the introduction of the gambling industry to our area. First there was Players, then the Isle of Capri, and then Harrah’s bought Players. And that’s when we knew that the big boys had arrived. Shortly after Harrah’s came to our area, it was announced that Pinnacle would get the 15th and final riverboat gaming license. Now, folks had heard of 26

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Harrah’s, but few knew anything about Pinnacle. That all changed when L’Auberge du Lac opened its doors. In addition, we saw new owners of Delta Downs and the continued expansion of Grand Casino in Kinder. Like gambling or not, it meant more diversity in our job base and it meant a whole lot more local people getting good local jobs. Now, we should mention that all the money needed to make things happen in Southwest Louisiana hasn’t come from taxes and state and federal government. People like Buddy and Laura Leach, the Lawtons, the Shearman Family (and the Shearman Family Foundation) and the late Willis Vic Noland, came forStelly ward with money to get many projects started. Money talks, and they and others made their money talk for Southwest Louisiana Projects. As far as how we’ve gotten to be the natural gas procession capitol of the U.S., one only need look at our Chamber of Commerce, or, as it is now known, Chamber Southwest. George Swift came here from Alabama to work at what was then KLCL-AM and FM. The first time I ever met him, I could tell he was a man of vision. He knew how to deal with key people — both corporate and political

— and he did a whole lot of selling to both groups to get us where we are today. Now, again, Swift has good people working in the Chamber office who are helping to get the job done. One shining example of his all-inclusive policy is the annual LegisGator luncheon the Chamber puts on. Republican and Democratic congressman, senators, legislators and state officials all get together and pledge to continue to work for the good of our state. The fact they do this in Lake Charles hasn’t gone unnoticed by media and political officials from throughout the state, who scratch their heads and wonder why that event isn’t held in their area of the state. As we move ahead to get ready for the huge expansions in our area, we know there will be times of frustration. But when they occur, we need to stop and think of how other areas of our state would love to have these growth problems. And when we reflect on how we got here, let’s just remember the great men and women mentioned in this article who’ve made Southwest Louisiana the shining star of our state.

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In My Rearview Mirror BY DR. MICHAEL KURTH

hen I arrived in Lake Charles in the fall of 1984 to teach at McNeese, the area was in shambles. The price of oil had fallen from its high of $35 a barrel in 1981 to around $20 a barrel, drying up the state’s oil revenue. Locally, two major plants shut down, and most construction activity had come to a halt. When I moved into Our Place Apartments on McNeese Street, I felt like I had the place to myself; only about a third of the apartments were occupied. The most popular bumper sticker at the time was one that read “Last One to Leave Lake Charles, Please Turn Out the Lights.” Being new, there were lots of things to which I had to get accustomed: triple-digit humidity, allergies, cockroaches big enough to turn on your TV and drink your beer, mud bugs served as a delicacy, “Coon Ass” as a term of endearment, love bugs that covered your car in a black goo, drive-thru liquor stores and, of course, the state bird ... the mosquito. One day, at the checkout stand of a convenience store, I picked up a copy of Sports World, the bi-weekly publication that would evolve into Lagniappe. It was free, and I thought it might contain some ball

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scores. It didn’t. It mostly had stories about killing things — ducks, deer, fish, etc. — and pictures of “sportsmen” bursting with pride, holding their hapless victims upside down by their feet. It didn’t appeal to me. But then, as I was constantly being reminded, I was a Yankee. About a year later, one of my students, who sold advertising for Sport World — Clint Hudson, who now teaches and coaches (am I being redundant?) at Westlake High — suggested I contact the publisher of

Sports World, Bob Hartnett, about writing a column for the paper. Bob was trying to broaden his readership, and was about to come out with Today’s World. I enjoy writing and thought it might be fun to try to convey some economic principals in terms the general public could understand. Thus was born my column. Initially, I had some thoughts of trying to create a syndicated column, and a number of my pieces were picked up by other newspapers. The Baton Rouge Advocate ran one

article I wrote on fiscal reform in Louisiana and another piece I did on people leaving the state; and the Beaumont Enterprise reprinted an article I did explaining why the world was not running out of oil and predicting that oil prices would remain low. (I was right.) Also, the Human Studies Institute gave national distribution to a piece I did on the economics of turning 40, in which I advocated a market for body organs for human transplant. Then Cathy and I got married and started having kids ... and more kids. Four in all. Now, I’m not suggesting that we had too many kids; let’s just say we have more kids than we planned on having. So my columns began to focus more on local issues and even on family matters, occasionally going for humor rather than economic content. The only way I know whether people like or dislike what I write, or whether anyone is reading it at all, is when they tell me their opinion. Most often, the people I know tell me fact-to-face when I run into them in the grocery store or the ball field. Occasionally, I get letters or phone calls; and sometimes Bob gets letters or phone calls. But usually when he gets them, they’re from someone irate over something I wrote.

One of my first humor articles that generated considerable response was a piece called “Calcasieu County,” in which I suggested that Louisiana solve its financial woes by selling the Southwest corner of the state to Texas (Why not? The U.S. bought this area

Two articles I wrote actually produced laws. One was about the need for ballot propositions to be written in language voters can understand rather than the legalese, which actually made it into law as the “Plain Language Bill.” The other was about portable signs, which led Ed Watson to break a tie in the City Council and vote to ban them from Lake Charles (Remember what Lake Charles looked like in 1984, with those curb-hugging signs everywhere?)

dumped on me in the campus newspaper. I took the bait and replied. Big mistake. He “owned” the paper, so for the rest of the year I was the butt of jokes in just about every column he wrote. All I can say is that I think history has judged me correct. When it comes to politics, people are likely to be polarized in their opinions. The articles some people like most are the same ones others hate most. Among the more controversial articles

were ones I did about Chennault and the “Black Hangar,” and a six-part series on David Duke’s background, which Duke supporters hated and which resulted in considerable damage to Lagniappe racks in the rural parts of the parish. Two articles I wrote actually produced laws. One was about the need for ballot propositions to be written in language voters can understand rather than the legalese, which actually made it into law as the “Plain Language Bill.” The other was about portable signs, which led Ed Watson to break a tie in the City Council and vote to ban them from Lake Charles. (Remember what Lake Charles looked like in 1984, with those curb-hugging signs everywhere?) Others I particularly recall include one

predicting Buddy Roemer would switch to the Republican Party about six months before he made the decision. (I still think it was a smart move, but he should have talked to state Republicans first, instead of going to the national party.) I remember the many articles I wrote about the petrochemical industry, exploring how lower oil prices in the mid-’80s were going to lay the foundation for a major expansion in this area during the ‘90s. It’s nice to be right. I enjoyed writing my column, and I like to hear what people think, both pro and con. Congratulations, Bob, and I wish you and Lagniappe many, many more years of success. This article originally appeared in the May 20, 1998 issue of Lagniappe.

from France to begin with). At that time, a lot of people thought it was a good idea, and some even started printing T-shirts and researching the legalities. I also heard from many who enjoyed the account of our 3 am trip to the hospital with Cathy deep in labor with our fourth child, when she made me stop to pick up a young lady whose car had broken down, as well as the one about our Christmas trip to Michigan — me, Cathy and four kids packed into the family van, searching for snow that wasn’t there. But not everyone appreciates my humor. When a McNeese professor did a series for the American Press on how students should behave in the college classroom, suggesting things such as dressing neatly and showing up promptly for class with sharpened pencils, I did a parody, suggesting, tongue-in-cheek, behavior closer to that of Beavis and Butthead. That yielded an angry letter from my colleague suggesting I was not fit to teach at a university. Then, to make matters worse, the editor of the campus newspaper decided my article was so hilarious he just had to reprint it. Sometimes you just duck and hide. I learned a lesson a couple of years earlier when I hacked-off a different student editor at McNeese with an article I wrote during the Persian Gulf War. While everyone else was in a frenzy, waving the flag over our glorious victory, I suggested that our high-tech weapons were not nearly as effective as the pentagon claimed, and that we had done little long-term damage to Saddam Hussein. The student editor September 5, 2013

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brad goins

On Writing For Lagniappe I started working at Lagniappe on the second day of 2000. On the first day of 2000, I sat in my Lake Charles apartment listening to the news that George Harrison had been stabbed by someone who broke into his home. That was my first clue that the new millennium was going to be exactly like the old one. I showed up for work in an 11th Street office that still had all the wild wallpaper and carpets from the 1970s. A trip to the bathroom was like an adventure in time travel. Lagniappe operated on the train-yourself approach, which was fine with me, as I’d already been managing editor of a journal for six years. Once I found out where to put the page proofs, I was set. I first made my mark on the magazine (and on Lake Charles, I guess) when I wrote a satire of several letters to the editor we received the first March I worked at the magazine. We’d run a cover that showed part of a plumber’s butt crack. A number of our more prudish readers sent us letters to the effect that our cover was the ultimate in evil and would usher in the apocalypse, at the very least. They were an expression of wacky missionary zeal that was just too excessive for me to resist. For a writer who likes to try to be funny, most human expressions or behaviors that are excessive make easy targets. During my time at Lagniappe, I’ve filled many columns of print by taking potshots at easy targets. At times, I’m ashamed of myself for doing work that’s so easy to do and point out in the writing that I’m taking advantage of an easy target. I parodied the letters to the editor about the sinister butt crack by suggesting that if we ran a photo of a man’s butt crack in the present, it was only a matter of time until we started running photos of women’s ankles and wrists and other such things. Yes, we would get on the proverbial slippery slope, and before it was all over, we’d be nothing more

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or less than minions of the Dark Lord himself. The next few days, people all over the office told me how clever and creative I was. That was enjoyable. With this bit of cleverness — this broad satire that practically wrote itself — I was given my first big gig with the magazine: the Up Front column.

UP FRONT The idea was explained to me by publisher Bob Hartnett. Up Front would include items of interest to the local public that weren’t being publicized by other media. The idea was easy to understand, and I still find it appealing and sensible. And in my mind, the Up Front that’s most successful is the one that’s devoted entirely to local matters.

There are a few challenges when it comes to creating such a column. At any given time in the Lake Area, there are half a dozen or more interesting public activities going on. The thing is, each activity is promoted repeatedly by local media. Perhaps I’m more aware of this than others, as I’m constantly trying to understand what I consider to be a glut of magazines in an area of relatively low population. As for local events, happenings or what-have-you that somehow fly outside the radar of local media, it seems it’s either feast or famine. In one edition of Up Front, I may have the opportunity to review two local CDs, an experimental art exhibit and a local book. Then I might not see another local CD or book for a couple of months. Since there isn’t enough local material to keep Up Front local at all times, I usually find myself rooting around Internet news sites for state material I find humorous. I think one way to keep a publication successful is to see to it that something in the publication makes people laugh. People will always go for the laugh; they’ll always pick up the publication that gives them the laugh. As for material, as long as we have politicians and celebrities and journalists, we never lack humorous material. And as for politicians,

you’re just not going to beat Louisiana politicians. Chicago politicians might make a match for them, but it would be a close call. Anyone looking for a list of pluses for Louisiana would want to put politics on the list. You can’t help but laugh at them — and that’s a good thing; a great thing, I believe. Whenever I’m asked what I do in Up Front, I say that I write satire. The truth is, I write some satire and some irony. I’m not sure of what the ratio between the two is in Up Front; let’s say it’s ? satire and ? irony. Satire is much, much easier to write than irony. Sometimes I just don’t want to do the work of taking an ironic approach to some piece of bureaucratic boneheadedness or political posturing.

SATIRE AND IRONY Before I go any further, I should try my best to explain the difference between satire and irony. Let’s take a look at two paragraphs that ran in an Up Front on Feb. 12 of this year. The first paragraph is satire; the second is irony: Goins is presently a member of the following boards: the International Board of Directors, the Directors’ Board, the Comprehensive Board, the Board of Directors of No Particular Sort, the Board of Boardship, the All-Purpose Board, the Board of Last Resort, the Board Member Search Board, the Board of Game Boards, the Board of Ambitious Young People, the Board of Disappointed Middle-Aged People, the Board of Red Ties and the Board of It’s Not The Heat It’s The Humidity. He stated that his present public service objective was to become a member of more boards. “It’s my way of giving back to the community,” he said. As I mentioned, the first paragraph is satire; and it’s pretty broad satire. I’m obviously poking fun at people who try to advance themselves by serving on lots of boards. I make fun of that enterprise, as well as the whole concept of boards, by making up ridiculous names for boards that don’t exist. In contrast, in the second paragraph, I say word-for-word a slogan that politicians and other local figures often say. It’s certainly one of the most insincere statements in existence in that it’s very often said and very seldom meant. It’s on a par with “Your call is important to us.” Since I’ve been playing the fool in the rest of the Up Front piece, I hope that by including the statement, “It’s my way of giving back to

the community,” I’ll strongly suggest people who use it are insincere; frauds, in fact; and hope that people will get at least a little laugh out of that. I imagine some readers will feel that a lot of people will get the humor in the list of nonexistent board names, but a lot won’t get the humor in the statement “It’s my way of giving back to the community.” I think that’s exactly right. I know why I think the statement “It’s my way of giving back to the community” is funny in this context, but I don’t explain to the reader why I think it’s funny. That’s risky. To sum up, then, satire is making fun of something. It’s taking something I think is funny and exaggerating it and exaggerating it until I’ve blown it as far out of proportion as I can. If it’s silly for one person to serve on 12 boards, surely it will be even sillier for one to serve on 12 nonexistent, sillysounding boards. In irony, I simply state the thing as it is and hope that people will see the humor in it. In irony, the implication is always that people who say or do the think are hypocrites, frauds, buffoons are some other sort of bad actor. But that’s only an implication; it’s never stated in ironic writing. Let’s take another example. Let’s consider two silly statements uttered by a politician — in this case, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who was running for president at the time she said the things. In a speech, Bachmann said to a campaign crowd, “Under President Bachmann, you will see gasoline come down below $2 a gallon again. That will happen.” I think both those statements are absolutely hilarious. But Bachmann was

silly. Direct quotation with no comment: that’s irony at its most pristine. (Now, whether it came off or not is not for me to say.) If it’s not clear to readers why the statements are humorous, will I need to create some satire? It will hardly be difficult to make fun of Bachmann’s statements by writing something such as, “Under President Goins, you will see 39 cent Snickers Bars, 29 cent Chevrolet Aveo 5 hatchbacks, 19 cent Stone Wave Microwave Cookers, and a 2 cent Limited Edition Pez KISS Gift Tin. It will happen.” I might also say, “Under President Goins, you will see the end of traffic, loud noises and glaring lights — both inside and out.” The thing could go on and on. The idea is to exaggerate the thing to the point that it’s unimaginable under any circumstances.

Irony is both harder to create and to get than satire. But there are many people who don’t get either one. It was only after I’d been writing Up Front for some time that I realized how many people there are who don’t have a sense of humor. Now, in American culture, it’s a very, very bad thing to say that someone doesn’t have a sense of humor. So, to try to avoid the problem, let’s look for just a second at what’s going continued

perfectly serious when she said them. That’s a situation that’s ideal for irony. Of course, the price of gas is determined by the crude oil market, which the president is powerless to control. When Bachmann is talking about gas going “down below $2 a gallon,” she’s talking about something that might or might not happen. Yet she says, “That will happen.” Funny, huh? Bachmann’s reference to herself as “president” is arrogant, since she has no assurance she’ll be elected. But the use of the term “president” also emphasizes the fact that the president doesn’t control the price of gas. Again, pretty funny, right? So I know why I think the statements are funny. But will it be clear enough to readers why the statements are funny? If it is, I can just quote them. As an example of this technique, at the beginning of a recent File 13 column I quoted this statement by the foolishly named singer Ke$ha: “I actually don’t read anything, because I feel like the haters really like to hate out loud and that people who love sometimes love quietly. So I don’t really listen or look at anything.” I figured the statement was so silly that people wouldn’t need any commentary about what made it September 5, 2013

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continued

on with somebody we’d say that about. A person who doesn’t have a sense of humor takes every statement he or she reads at face value; he or she takes every statement literally. For instance, such a person believes I have literally received the dozens of awards I’ve given myself over the years in the Person In The News section of Up Front. Person In The News was started as a way to poke fun at the flood of emails I received from locals who want to get news coverage for doing trivial things. Some wanted to be in the news for going to a convention; some for an award their own companies had given them; some for getting awards from organizations they’d given money to or bought advertising from. These people were vain enough to want press coverage for doing nothing. And there’s nothing funnier than human vanity. I learned that many of the people who take every statement at face value believed that I had, in cold, hard fact, received each of the awards I said I had. They believed, for example, that I was a member of all the boards I listed above and that the boards all existed; they believed I’d gotten awards for Best Use of Journalistic Non-sequitur and for the Journalist Who Most Resembles Brad Goins; that I’d created a journalistic technique called Journalizmo; that I’d been briefly married to Kim Kardashian (as I claimed I had in one Person In The News). Not only do many readers believe I’ve won all these things and done all these things, they’re very proud of me for all the awards. They think I’ve done well for

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myself and brought honor to the community. Who am I to say otherwise? Of course, it would be arrogant for me to assume that I’m always humorous. I know I’m not. When I read old Up Front columns, I do more cringing than enjoying. Jokes I must have once thought were funny now seem broad or obvious or silly or too easy. As for the people who don’t get either satire or irony yet read my column nevertheless — and I know there are such people — I’m guessing they think the column is quirky or off in some way, but aren’t quite sure in what way. They know that Up Front is different in some way from the other things they read in the area. If all that works for them, it’s fine with me. They’re like me. As a rule, I’m more interested in a narrative about the unusual than about the everyday.

FEATURE STORIES Feature stories are fairly long stories — usually at least two pages long — about a given topic. A feature story can be about anything: a new petrochemical operation; a rare disease that affects Cajuns; an athlete who comes back from a devastating injury that should have stopped his career. At times, I’m asked to write a humorous feature story for Lagniappe. For instance, I’ve been asked to write stories in which I have fun with such things as real estate terminology, graduation speeches and banking history. It’s very helpful for a magazine to be able to introduce a little humor into a subject that’s usually considered dry and tedious. But for the most part, feature stories aren’t designed to be humorous. They turn out the way they turn out. A story about a

natural or manmade disaster is probably not going to have much humor in it. The kind of feature I think is most popular in the Lake Area is what I’d call a “human interest” story — a story about a local individual or a group, such as a family or club. The Lake Area’s culture is, I think, especially geared to the social aspects of life. Tremendous amounts of time and energy are devoted to socializing with family, friends, groups and neighbors. People here like the idea that they either know or know about the person they’re reading about. They want to see stories about people who live or lived here. Human interest features aren’t usually hard to write. I find that the big secret to writing a human interest feature is to get the person I’m interviewing to start talking about something he or she is interested in. If I can get the person to talk, the story will usually take care of itself. What I’m looking for in particular is three or four good quotations from the interview subject. These quotations may be statements one doesn’t hear every day, or they may be ordinary statements the subject believes in with extraordinary enthusiasm. They may express the subject’s strong emotions or sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. The wording of the quotations is dramatic, or, at the very least, the context of the quotations is dramatic. Once I have my quotations, I’ll build my story around them and emphasize them as much as possible. If I can put the story in a chronological order, I’m close to being finished. It’s just a matter of polishing the

language a little and trying to make sure the writing’s not too bland or repetitive. Assuming I’ve written two feature stories per issue, I’ve written more than 700 feature stories for Lagniappe. I have a hard time remembering what I’ve written about. A couple of months ago, a staffer assured me I had written a story about a particular real estate development in 2012. I assured him repeatedly I had done no such thing. Finally, I came in one morning to find a copy of the story — with my byline — sitting on my desk. The evidence could not be disputed. I’d written the story. It was a pleasure to become acquainted with my work. What feature stories do I remember writing? Not a great many. The ones I’m most likely to remember are ones I did a great deal of research for. I especially enjoy feature stories that give me a chance to research a subject I know nothing about. I don’t care what the subject is. The feature story that made the strongest impression on me was one I wrote about the notion of moving the Lake Charles Regional Airport to Chennault after the Regional Airport was damaged during Hurricane Rita. I got to research FAA regulations — both for moving and building airports. (Just for starters, does the FAA provide reimbursement for the cost of moving airports? Answer: it doesn’t.) FAA regulations were the most complex thing I ever researched for Lagniappe. And I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that some of the political figures who were the most ardent supporters of the airport

move were blissfully unaware of what the FAA did and did not require in such cases. When I mentioned to one that many, many FAA requirements would have to be addressed, he said something to the affect that he was sure some interns would have to be hired to look into the matter. I didn’t bother to mention to him that he’d also need to hire a fleet of engineers to do the tests and fill out the hundreds of pages of FAA forms required. I learned again that there are some ideas that sound wonderfully sensible but just aren’t feasible.

FILE 13 After I demonstrated (I think) that I could handle the Up Front column, I thought I might be able to start including an essay in the magazine. I’d been keen on reading essays in the few years before, reading my favorite essay writer, Montaigne — the father of the modern essay — almost daily. In an essay, the writer simply expresses a series of his meditations. He may begin by writing about one topic — usually the topic in the title — but can then take the essay in whatever direction he likes. It’s probably the major genre of writing that gives the writer the most freedom. You can easily see how it works in this essay. The main topic is the experience of writing for Lagniappe. But apparently, what’s interested me the most about that experience is the writing methods I use. As a result, that’s what gets emphasized in the essay. When I read old Files 13s, my reaction is the opposite of what I experience with old Up Fronts. With File 13, I’m always astonished that I had so much wisdom at one time. “How did all those great ideas get into my head?” I wonder. As with feature stories, so it is with File 13: My faulty memory doesn’t enable me to recall what I’ve written about. I’m sure I wrote a series of columns on the paranormal; I must have written several on experimental music. Only one File 13 stands out in my memory. It was titled The Love Song Of The Criminal. It was composed entirely of statements that had been uttered or written by serial killers down through the years. I never did a better job of creating a single essay that so precisely described the human experiences of rejection, betrayal, abandonment, loss, grief and mourning. Edgar Allan Poe once wrote that writing isn’t about creativity; it’s about assembling. In the case of The Love Song Of The Criminal, at least, I think I proved him right.

What does File 13 mean, by the way? Well, file 13 is journalists’ slang for the garbage can. I didn’t really name the column File 13 because I think all my writing is garbage. When my father was editor of the Cleveland Daily Banner way back in the 1960s, he wrote a regular column. He called it File 13.

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Unforgettable A LOOK BACK AT YEARS OF WRITING FOR LAGNIAPPE • BY KARLA WALL

riting for a small biweekly publication has its advantages and its disadvantages. Advantage: You’re not likely to have to attend and cover police jury meetings until 9 or 10 pm. Disadvantage: As part of a very small employee base, you have to be willing do a bit of everything. As an associate editor, most of my time is spent doing the tedious stuff: putting yet another calendar piece into journalistically correct (and understandable) language and format (and, honestly — how do you get overly enthused about yet another announcement of a medical seminar or 5K run?); searching for and compiling information into the Newcomer’s Guide — practically everything from utility company contact info to lists of area recreational parks — or the Fall Festival Guide (checking, rechecking and confirming festival dates and locations); and poring over finished copy for misspelled words and other mistakes. That sort of boring desk work is more than balanced out, however, by the people, places and stories I’ve had the pleasure of encountering over the years and sharing with our readers through feature stories.

Unforgettable People I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the most interesting people in the Lake Area, both local celebrities and people you would never had heard of otherwise. The celebrities, politicians and just plain VIPs stand out, of course. I had the opportunity to

Karla has written hundreds of memorable features for Lagniappe since 1997.

talk to former Lake Charles American Press editor Jim Beam not too long after his retirement. Beam, who of course still writes columns and covers the state legislature for the paper, and I spent quite some time discussing his years at the Press, and how much had changed in the field of journalism and the running of a newspaper in his long career. Case in point: Shortly after I entered the room and we got the initial small talk out of the way, Beam reached over to a computer keyboard, hit a few keys and printed out a biography sheet so we could avoid a half-hour of “where

were you born?” type questions. I marveled that when he had first started at the Press, Beam had worked on an old-fashioned nonelectric typewriter, and “printing” meant a complex process involving presses, rollers and typesetting trays. I profiled Beth Lundy shortly before her election as Calcasieu Parish sheriff. Lundy discussed her vision for the sheriff’s office, what she saw as the biggest law enforcement issues facing SWLA at that time, and why she had decided to run. I had the great pleasure of meeting former Children’s Miracle Network director Poddy Champeaux and talking with her for a profile piece for our Mother’s Day 2012 issue. While Champeaux would certainly shrug off the label of “celebrity,” she’s well-known enough in this area and is well-regarded enough to be so labeled. I got a chance to see exactly why she’s so well-regarded. Champeaux’s humility, kindness, spirituality and love of family shone through in the interview as we talked of her family, her work with the Children’s Miracle Network, and the amazing mothers she met and was inspired by during her years with CMN. I also had the opportunity several years ago to sit down with comedian, actress and Lake Charles native Jen Kober, who’s

made a name for herself in film, television and stand-up comedy. Kober discussed the joys and hardships of life in front of the cameras and live audiences, the often difficult road to success in show business, how much she loved SWLA and considered it home, and her plans for the future. I just recently interviewed Cajun music legend Jo-El Sonnier about his vision for a Cajun culture center complete with museum, live entertainment stages and restaurant. Sonnier and his wife, Bobbie, talked of his early days as a musician, when there was an abundance of venues offering live continued

Top: Jim Beam; Frank Pryce; Frank Thompson; beekeeping. Right: David Park.

Mama Rubit

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Cajun music, and lamented the lack of such venues in today’s Lake Charles. Sonnier is humble, a simple Cajun man despite his success, and he’s sincere in his love for the Cajun culture he grew up in and his desire to preserve it. I talked at length with Jerome Ringo, former chair of the National Wildlife Federation. At that time only the second Louisianan and the first African American to be elected to the position, Ringo talked of the emotional induction ceremony; his philosophy that industry is not the enemy — that they just need incentives to keep on the straight and narrow where environmental issues are concerned; and what he saw as the biggest issues facing SWLA. I interviewed Frank Pryce, whose family has lived in north Lake Charles for generations. As a resident, activist and longtime family business owner, Pryce talked about the history of north Lake Charles and what the area needed as far as development and infrastructure. I met with Elton and Pat Louviere at a Catholic church in Grand Cheniere, where they were painting the mural at the altar of the church, just being rebuilt after Hurricane Rita. But some of the articles I’ve most enjoyed doing have introduced you to some very interesting people you’d probably never had heard of otherwise. There was Greg Kerr, an Opelousas faith healer who talked at great length about how he’d come to have the power to heal, about his faith, and about his apocalyptic vision for the future of the U.S. By turns amusing and disquieting, the interview developed an article that the Lagniappe office was still getting calls about more than a year after it was published.

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I profiled area triathlete David Park, who at age 60 was preparing to compete in the difficult Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii — the race that started the sport of triathlon and is still the toughest and hardest to qualify for races. Park discussed his training regimen, which included swimming 7.5 miles per week, strength training, running and biking 250 miles per week. He discussed preparation and nutrition for such a tough race, the Ironman logo tattoo he got on his calf when he qualified for the race, and why he had “Grampy” printed on the back of his race jersey. “That’s what my grandchildren call me,” he explained. “I had it put on the back of my race jersey so everyone I pass will know they’ve been passed up by a grandfather.” I met with Park again in July of this year, this time for a feature on his coaching of former U.S. Olympic Softball star Jenny Finch Daigle, of Sulphur, who was looking to “Coach Grampy” for expert advice and coaching in preparation for her first triathlon, in New York City. Finch talked of Park’s help, how she came to take up training for such a demanding sport, the upcoming race in New York City, and her plans for future races. The late Laura “Mama” Rubit was another unforgettable interview. 109 years old when I interviewed her for a Mother’s Day feature in 2006, Rubit, astoundingly strong and lucid for her age, talked of raising her six children and passing on her rock-solid faith to her (at the time the arti-

cle was published) 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and seven great-greatgrandchildren; her long marriage; the secrets to a happy family and marriage; and her childhood as a sharecropper’s daughter in Cankton, La. The interview, a wonderful hour or so with a woman who’d witnessed so much of our country’s modern history, concluded with an impromptu concert by Mama Rubit at the urging of one of her daughters, who was with us for the interview. I had been told Mama Rubit had a wonderful voice, and she did. Eyes closed, her unshakable faith evident on her face and in her voice (still dead-onkey and surprisingly strong after almost 110 years of use), Rubit belted out an old Mahalia Jackson gospel song, a beautiful song about finding joy in serving the Lord. It was an interview that has definitely stayed with me. Another — perhaps my most — memorable interview was with then-83-year-old Mary Savoie for a November, 2002, feature. Savoie showed up to the interview, conducted on Halloween, wearing a costume she’d worn to an office party (she worked at that time as a medical transcriptionist). That sense of fun would color the entire conversation. I’d been told that Savoie had led an interesting life, and that turned out to be an understatement. Savoie could drop names with the best of them. We talked of her work at the Moffett Field airpark in California, where she frequently saw a

young Jimmy Stewart, who’d just been inducted into the service for WWII. She found herself below the White House balcony during the Christmas lighting ceremony in 1941, and saw President Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill appear together on the balcony. She worked as a technical librarian for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, the precursor to NASA, just before the war broke out — a position that brought her into frequent contact with none other than Orville Wright, who was a committee member at that time. But the name that stood out most for Savoie was that of actress Carole Lombard, whom she sat right behind on the first leg of a TWA flight to California on Jan. 16, 1942. Though she never got an opportunity to speak to the actress, Savoie said she and her seatmate were awestruck. “We were so excited,” Savoie said. “(Lombard) was even more beautiful in person than she was on the screen. And my seatmate and I couldn’t wait to get to Los Angeles, because we knew we’d get to see (Lombard’s husband) Clark Gable.” Savoie never got that much-anticipated glimpse of Gable. At a layover in Albuquerque, N.M., she and three fellow passengers were bumped from the flight to help make room for four soldiers. A short while later, the flight Savoie had been on crashed in Nevada, killing Lombard and the other 23 passengers on board. “I’ve always been lucky,” said Savoie, who lamented that if the crash had happened in today’s world, “I would have been on all of the talk shows.” Savoie’s story continued as she told of marrying a man from Crowley and moving to SWLA; having to learn French to join in

her husband’s family’s conversations, which began in English but always wound up switching to French; and being turned down for jobs in her field (as a chemist) because there were no restroom facilities for females at that time at the plants. She told me she wasn’t afraid at all to fly — that the crash hadn’t made her the least bit wary of being on a plane. She ended the interview by encouraging me to give up my airplane seat whenever asked, not because it might save my life, she said, but because of all of the perks you get when you give up your seat. “They put you up in a first-class hotel, give you a free breakfast, and give you a first-class seat on the first plane out the next morning,” she said.

Fun, Education And Adventure I’ve learned an awful lot, as well, researching and interviewing for features over the years. I interviewed master woodworker Frank Thompson for two or three articles for Lagniappe. Thompson, while showing me around the beautiful and serene property he’d built his cypress house and workshop on, showed me how he shaped wood into the beautiful doors

Mary Savoie

and windows he created for area homes, businesses and churches. Also an accomplished stained glass artist, Thompson showed me how he fashioned bits of colored glass into the popular crosses he sells. (Thompson’s main focus, as of a couple of years ago, is now on the crosses). And he showed me the process of ironworking, which, at the time of the interview, he had just gotten into. Thompson and his family were a delight to visit with and to learn from. I learned about beekeeping, and the importance of honeybees, during an interview with a Welsh area beekeeper. He brought me out to his beehives, suited up, grabbed his smoke can (smoke calms the bees and keeps them from attacking) and lifted several trays out of a hive. He beckoned me closer (I had been standing several yards away), telling me he wanted me to see the queen bee of the hive. Unsuited, in short sleeves, I gulped, wondered if Lagniappe would kick in for hazard pay, and went closer. I was able to see the amazing colony up close, get a close look at the queen, and learn just why it’s so important to the world’s food supply to keep a healthy population of honeybees (bees pollinate almost all of the nation’s food crops). If you haven’t read up on the issue, do so. And, no, in case you were wondering, I wasn’t stung once. I got a lesson in how Mardi Gras costumes are made, and how Mardi Gras krewes operate, when I interviewed nationally renowned designer and Krewe of Illusions officer Kevin Hodge for a 2013 Mardi Gras piece. Hodge took me through the process of costume production — from idea to finished product — talked about some of the “working parties” the krewe puts in before each of their famous Mardi Gras shows, talked of the grueling schedule the krewe keeps as Mardi Gras and the show draw near, and gave me a look at how the krewe decides on themes and royalty. I was also able to tour the incredible SWLA Mardi Gras Museum for a close look at some of the most elaborate costumes from the area and learn some of the continued

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history behind them. I learned much about strength training and nutrition from Paul Cormier, who talked with me at length for a senior health issue profile. Cormier, a former Mr. Louisiana, talked of the importance of strength training for seniors, telling me — and Lagniappe readers — that “the fountain of youth is in a gym.” I also interviewed Cormier for a feature on childhood obesity, in which he talked about his strong belief that children should be introduced to exercise and good nutrition early in life. I also learned much about exercise and nutrition from Rich Gutierrez, who, at the time of his September, 2005, profile in Lagniappe, owned Fitness City on Common Street. A former Mr. Louisiana himself, Gutierrez talked about competitive bodybuilding and the importanace of exercise. I’ve even learned a bit about auto restoration through interviews with Dusty Briley, owner of Briley’s Paint and Body in Lake Charles, for a feature on his new show truck; and former race car driver Jude Kilchrist, who now rebuilds vintage vehicles in his shop in North Lake Charles. I talked about the process of wrought iron production and design with local ironworker Josh Guidry, of Custom Iron by Josh, for a 2012 feature. Guidry created the wrought iron work you see as you walk along the newly renovated seawall and the new downtown streetscape area. Guidry talked about some of his favorite projects,

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Greg Kerr

Josh Guidry

and showed me a bit I had the extreme pleasure of taking a about how wrought Scuba class with the wonderful crew at iron is produced and True Blue Watersports. Under the tuteshaped. lage of owners Darrell and Cher Walker, And some of my my husband and I got a terrific refresher interviews have been course (we’d been certified many years just plain fun. One that before, but hadn’t been diving in ages), and stands out for me is an were able to introduce our two oldest interview with Moss Bluff granddaughters to the sport while we were resident Alan Van Weele for a fea- at it. The lessons were chronicled in two ture on his incredible car collection, which issues of Lagniappe in 2010. at that time included two or three Dodge As an avid outdoorsperson and Vipers. Van Weele took me for a short but wildlife lover, I was thrilled to spend a few memorable ride in one of the Vipers. It def- hours at Suzy Heck’s Heckhaven Wildlife initely beat a day at the desk. Rehabilitation Center. Heck showed me And some interviews have let me com- the many animals she had on the property. (I bine work and hobbies. was lucky enough to get to play with baby A dog lover and owner of show dogs, I raccoons, see majestic hawks up close and was glad to be able to do a couple of fea- personal, pet a baby deer, and see days-old tures on the “pit bull problem” — one on opossums). Numerous pelicans, ducks and Sulphur’s proposed pit bull ban, and anoth- geese whiled away the hot day in Heck’s er on pit bulls being used in dog fighting frontyard pond as Heck and I watched them (see a summary of both in the Top Story and talked about the importance of saving section). I also did features on Lake Charles the world’s wildlife populations. It was a Pit Bull Rescue, and the organization’s wildlife lover’s dream come true. Patriot Dog Program, in which rescued pit I’m also a canoe enthusiast, and interbulls are rehabilitated and trained as service viewing local aesthetic surgeon Dr. Harold dogs for returning soldiers suffering from Bienvenu, who is known for building gorPost Traumatic Stress Disorder. geous pirogues, was a nice way to spend an

hour or so. Bienvenu and I talked paddling and canoes, how he built his beautiful boats, and the area’s best canoeing hotspots. And I’ve gotten to see the fantastic natural scenery and unique small towns this area is rightly famous for. Shortly after I joined the Lagniappe staff in 1997, I was asked to do a feature on the Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway, which winds through some of the best of SWLA and Acadiana, including Abbeville, Kaplan, Delcambre, Gueydan and beautiful Jefferson Island. While I enjoyed the drive through Acadiana, certainly, for a wildlife enthusiast like me, a feature on the Creole Nature Trail — and I did a couple of CNT features over the last 15 years — was an even better assignment. It’s great when “work” consists of driving through incredible coastal marshes, scoping out the local wildlife and talking with colorful local residents to get a historical view of the area. Unforgettable people, amazing stories, and a bit of adventure here and there — it’s been a great 15 years, and I hope to spend a few more helping Lagniappe introduce you to some of the people, places and stories that make SWLA so interesting.

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The Louvieres A 30TH ANNIVERSARY UPDATE

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During Lagniappe’s first year, Elton Louviere provided 15 covers for the magazine.

benefit charity. Proceeds originally went to relief efforts in Cameron, and now go to the Children’s Miracle Network. “These are people who have never painted anything,” Pat told Lagniappe in 2008. “We auction the works off for the proceeds. That first year, we had every

Photo By Peter O'Carroll

enowned SWLA artist Elton Louviere provided 15 covers for Lagniappe during its first year alone. His work was an integral part of the magazine’s 30-year run. Elton and his wife, Pat, need no introduction to SWLA residents. Elton’s Louisiana landscape and wildlife paintings earned him an international following. Across the country, including Phoenix, Washington state and Texas, observers have enjoyed Elton’s work. Elton and Pat published several books, with Pat, a writer and artist, providing the copy to accompany Elton’s art. In 1990, Elton won the Louisiana Duck Stamp competition in a rare, unanimous decision by judges. After Elton was commissioned to create the official painting of Contraband Days in 2004 (the Gulf Coast schooner scene “Winds of Fortune”), Pat and Elton continued their Shoppes at Bridgepoint project based at their studio in Moss Bluff. In 2006, Elton was commissioned to create a painting of the old Muller’s store building to celebrate the renovation project. Also in ‘06, the Louvieres hosted the first “Battle of the Red Berets,” a competition for celebrities and VIPs to

law enforcement officer around, senators and some congressmen. It’s amateur work of course, but every now and then we’ll see someone who has some real talent.” In 2007, another commission led to a mural restoration in Grand Chenier’s

St. Eugene Catholic Church, which suffered massive damage from Hurricane Rita. The Louvieres created a 3D crucifixion scene with a mountain background gathered from researching Jerusalem landscapes. In 2008, Elton and Pat began selling ceramic tiles for bookcase or mantel displays. And the Louvieres were also working in sculpture, beginning in 1995. At that time, Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church was considering the addition of a sculpture to its church grounds. Elton was given the job. The result was the sculpture “The Family,” which still graces the OLQH’s lawn. On Dec. 31, 2011, after 35 years in business, Elton and Pat closed Louviere Fine Arts Gallery and retired. Elton, at age 81, felt he had done everything he had wanted to do professionally, and at age 81, he felt ready to retire. Elton and Pat are enjoying retirement on a 15-acre property in Gillis. Elton still paints for himself and his family. This story contains some copy written by the late Robert Hankins, a former Lagniappe associate editor .

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First Impressions BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MAKING OF LAGNIAPPE COVERS They can stop you dead in your tracks, whether you’re in the grocery store checkout line or a local restaurant. They intrigue you. They sometimes annoy you. Every now and then, they shock you. Whether they feature the cherubic face of Leonardo DiCaprio, the promise of a new diet that will take pounds off in days, or the promise of the low-down-and-dirty on some scandal or other, magazine covers are designed for two things only: to grab readers’ interest; to stop readers short and give them an overwhelming urge to delve into the contents behind the cover. Lagniappe has, over the last 30 years, featured hundreds of covers that have kept its loyal readers coming back for more and inspired thousands of new readers to give the magazine at least a cursory leaf-through. Here are the stories behind two especially eye-catching covers.

he April 5, 2007 cover of Lagniappe featured a spectacular photo of a cock fight — two chickens locked in mortal combat, wings spread, intensity evident even in the eyes of the birds. Although the fight was staged and the chickens’ deadly spurs covered, the photo is powerful enough that you almost hear the sounds of the birds as they fight and the crowd as it encourages one or the other of them. Photographer Mike Fruge says that the photo was not an easy one to get. “Cockfights are like tornadoes,” he says. “There’s no way to predict what will happen.” Fruge photographed the mock fight at the home of a local owner and fighter. He says the lighting was one of the trickiest aspects of the session. He had the owner’s wife hold the flash and move with the birds as they fought, he says, in order to keep them in the correct light for a good shot. A board was set up behind the birds, partitioning a small section of the owner’s shop so that the birds would be confined to one small area. Fruge backlit the board with a strobe light and treated it with a theatrical warming gel to soften the light on the board and create an amber glow. This created the impression of a cockfight arena and a crowd in the background. Fruge says that creating interesting light situations is what he’s known for in the photography world. “I’m kind of known for changing light temperature — that’s kind of my trademark,” he says. The real trick was to catch the birds in the right positions at the right moment in the right lighting situation, and Fruge says he realizes that luck played a large role in the resulting cover photo. “I was extremely fortunate to get the birds in focus – plus get that diagonal composition so that you can see the birds totally.” Fruge, understandably enough, is extremely pleased with the result, and this photo holds a place of prominence in his studio, where it elicits a good deal of comcontinued September 5, 2013

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mentary from guests and customers. “I have to keep telling people that, no, those birds weren’t stuffed,” he says. Fruge says that the important thing that delineates cover photos from regular portraits or pictures is that the cover photo must tell a story or reveal something about its subjects. “In a simple portrait, you must want to make the subject look good,” says Fruge. “In a cover photo, you have to combine the elements of the photo to tell a story or bring out personality traits of the subjects.” Fruge definitely feels that all the elements came together in this one photo for a great result. “That’s one of my favorite photos,” he says. “If I ever do a book, which I’d like to, that photo will definitely be in it.”

or personality, technical difficulty and a just plain interesting story behind the picture, it would be hard to beat the March 18, 1998, cover photo of District Judge Patricia Minaldi. The photo, which features Minaldi with gavel in hand and a look of determination on her face, with the dome of the Parish Courthouse in the background, wasn’t an easy one to get, especially in the days before Photoshop. When first approached with the project, photographer Victor Monsour envisioned Minaldi “eyeto-eye with the courthouse — something more than the ordinary portrait on the courthouse steps. “I wanted to get a different view than you see in the average picture like this,” says Monsour. “I wanted a good image of Judge Minaldi, with a bird’s -eye view of the courthouse.” When Monsour first approached Minaldi with the idea, she found it interesting, though, she says, “I had no idea it was going to be such a production.” It was decided that in order to capture this image, cranes would be needed to lift Monsour and Minaldi high enough (60-70 feet) to get the dome of the courthouse in the background. Plans called for Minaldi to be lifted in an open personnel basket suspended from cables, according to Mike Regan of Crane Ceaux, in order to keep her as unobstructed from the photographer’s view as possible. Monsour was lifted via an enclosed personnel bucket to give him added stability for the camera equipment. It took a lot of doing, according to Monsour and publisher Bob Hartnett, to make this vision a reality. First, says Hartnett, the city had to be contacted in order to get the necessary permits and licenses in order to stop traffic long enough to get the cranes in pace and get the photo. The city required an occupational license, which, Hartnett says, required getting permits from the fire and police departments. The day of the shoot was a cold, windy, early Spring day, and Monsour says that the wind definitely made getting the photo more difficult when he and Minaldi were suspended. “The wind was blowing real hard, and everything was 46

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“It took some nerve,” Minaldi admits. “You would think that, after going up 70 feet, four or five more inches wouldn’t make that much difference, but it does.”

SKY HIGH Monsour and Minaldi

moving around,” recalls Monsour. “We just kept having to wait for the wind to die down.” To help alleviate that problem, says Regan, ropes, called tag lines, were suspended from two corners of Minaldi’s basket and held tight by men on the ground. This prevented any turning or excessive movement of the basket in the strong March wind. The trip up in the basket wasn’t the only frightening thing Minaldi had to deal with during the shoot. In order to get the

“The wind was blowing real hard, and everything was moving around,” recalls Monsour. “We just kept having to wait for the wind to die down.”

judge as high above the rails of the basket as possible in order to minimize touch-up artwork on the photo to eliminate rails and cables, says Monsour, Minaldi was required to step on a stack of freight pallets placed in the basket. “It took some nerve,” Minaldi admits. “You would think that, after going up 70 feet, four or five more inches wouldn’t make that much difference, but it does.” All in all, though, Minaldi says, once she was up there and in place, she wasn’t fearful at all. “It was actually OK,” she recalls. “The view was great.” “She did great,” Monsour remembers. “I told her afterwards most men wouldn’t have done what you just did.” The session, according to Monsour, took only about 15 minutes from the time the lifts were raised. Those 15 minutes resulted in one of the most interesting covers ever to grace an issue of Lagniappe.

he cover for the Dec. 6, 2007, issue highlighted the 2007 Best Of SWLA poll results with a “Bond Girl” cover featuring model, Lady Of L’Auberge Jennifer Roberts wearing gold body make-

up highlighting a gold minidress. Roberts is standing along the lakefront in front of a 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder owned by David Hinds. The photo (and Roberts’ gold makeup) are highlighted by the reddish glow of a sunset. Behind Roberts, the sun is sinking into the lake. When photographer Victor Monsour arrived, work on the photo had been underway for quite some time. It took five hours for makeup artist Terri Bergeron and hairstylist Tara Hebert to prepare Roberts for the photo. Timing was of the essence. The sun had to be in just the right position for the photo to work. Hind picked Roberts, in full makeup, up in his Lamborghini from L’Auberge and drove her to the lakefront. The car was put in place, Roberts was positioned, the cameras were readied, and everyone waited for the sun to reach that perfect position. “There was a five-minute window to get the shot,” says Lagniappe associate copublisher Greg Pavlovich. “Once the sun reached the right position, it was either get the shot in that time frame or forget it. Once that window passed, it was over.” Monsour timed it perfectly, and the shot was stunning — the sun is in perfect position in the background, with a flash of sunlight appearing across the water.

Congratulations To Lagniappe Magazine For 30 Great Years!

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Foolin' Around A GOOD LAUGH IS ALWAYS WORTH AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK • BY BRAD GOINS

ver the years, Lagniappe’s been lucky enough to publish three times on April Fool’s Day. Readers may differ about whether this lucky streak has been one of good luck or bad luck. Good or bad, each April Fool’s Day has given the magazine an opportunity to publish an April Fool’s Day story — in other words, a humorous story that’s absolutely false down to the last detail. It’s an opportunity of which the magazine has always taken full advantage. In addition to these three stories, the magazine ran a bogus story on Sept. 1, 1995 — one that depicted a non-existent Lakefront Boardwalk development plan. This was really a fantasy story; not a story that was meant to deceive. But none of that made any difference to people who were steamed because the story simply ... was … not … true. With each story, public reaction has become more positive — or perhaps it would be more accurate to say less negative. There are some readers who just aren’t naturally inclined to the spoof story — even when it falls on April 1. They seem to think the press is obliged to report the facts and just the facts. Satire — or any kind of humor — is no excuse for the slightest divergence from the cold hard data of reality. Still, the reaction to our most recent spoof story — the one declaring that Jean Lafitte’s treasure has been found — was, as far as I can tell, universally positive. It may be that people are open to an April Fool’s story if they feel it doesn’t relate to anything they may have a personal investment in. Apparently, no one in Southwest Louisiana expected to find Lafitte’s treasure. It’s a good thing that Lagniappe staff has always taken great pleasure in creating the spoof story — or any other funny story. The spoof story is more work than the regular feature story. After all, with the feature story, we’re just reporting the facts. With the spoof story, we have to make up the facts — and make sure they’re convincing to boot. But it seems to work out. A good laugh is worth an awful lot of work.

Jean Lafitte’s Treasure Recovered The April Fool’s story that appeared on April 1, 2010, is the one that many still believe to be true. (“Jean Lafitte’s Treasure Recovered! The Blockbuster Story Brad Goins Never Imagined He’d Write.”) Readers loved it; many believed it was true; and those who found out it wasn’t didn’t get mad. We found out once more how many people read part of a story but stop short of reading all the way to the end — which is where, of course, the read48

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er is always told he’s been reading an April Fool’s story. For weeks, readers who’d read part of the story went about town, enthusiastically proclaiming that Lafitte’s treasure had been found in English Bayou. In fact, this story probably started an urban myth, in that there’s still a fairly significant number of people spreading the word around

Southwest Louisiana that the pirate’s treasure has been discovered. After all, Lagniappe ran a story on it. One thing that made the story convincing was its abundance of petty detail — all of it concocted out of thin air. The story featured impressive quotations from David M. Buss, head of the New Orleans Numismatic Museum, and E.D. Adrian of the Louisiana Institute of Tempering — people and places that don’t exist. We also heard from the nonexistent Tulane history professor Joyce Monsour, who clued us in on a nonexistent handwrit-

ten diary of Lafitte that had not been sitting around unnoticed in the Rare Book Room of the New Orleans Public Library. We explained in detail how Monsour had managed to decipher Lafitte’s cryptic script and found clues that pointed directly to English Bayou as the hiding place. Local coin dealer Malcolm Self was kind enough to allow us to attribute quotations about the newly discovered treasure to him. He provided real treasure from the time, such as Spanish pieces of eight, so that we could create convincing photographs of the haul.

To this day, Self is asked about the whereabouts of the treasure by several people a month. "They still believe the story to be true," he chuckles. Then there was the nonexistent English Bayou fisherman Alfred F. Dupuis — portrayed in our story by Vic Wukovits — who was said to have found the location of the treasure while fishing. It was especially fun to come up with little details about how Dupuis went about hunting for the treasure. Before he started diving for it, he said, he “went straight to Shop A Lot and got two large Community Coffees and a box of Ho Hos.” When he failed to recover all the treasure in one day’s diving, Dupuis “marked the spot [in the bayou] by driving a long branch from a bamboo tree into the muck.” Then there was the immediate fame and fortune that came to Dupuis after the find. “Oh, it’s worth the effort, believe me,” he was quoted as saying. “Everybody’s my friend now. I want a loan, I get it — cash up, on the spot, no interest. I eat a $50 steak and I don’t pay 50 cents. Life is being very good to me right now. I figure if I hang around here, I’ll always be treated like a king.” But it turns out the initials of Alfred F. Dupuis are the same as those of April Fool’s Day. And inevitably, there came the end of the story: the one that inspired many readers to say “You got me!” The announcement read like this: “If you’ve been reading along, assuming everything you’re reading is true, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But bear it I must. You’ve been reading an April Fool’s story. Not one word is true.”

2004: Another April Fool’s Debacle On April 1, 2004, the entire Calcasieu Parish government was fired by an act of the Louisiana Legislature. Lagniappe ran a story about it on the very day it happened. The headlines on the front cover read: POLICE JURY • MAYOR • CITY COUNCIL – FIRED! IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE, STATE LEGISLATURE ABOLISHES PARISH, CITY GOVERNMENT; REPLACED BY CITIZENS’ COUNCIL The obviously fake story began with these paragraphs: “In a bill passed in the early hours of April 1 in an emergency session, the Louisiana Legislature ordered the Mayor of Lake Charles, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and the Lake Charles City Council to cease and desist all governmental operations effective midnight April 1, 2004. “In layman’s terms: The legislature fired the primary bodies of the parish government for reasons that are only now becoming clear.” Notice the two mentions of April 1 in the very first paragraph. As if that weren’t enough, the present writer also stated that the whole operation was being carried out by unidentified men in black. Lagniappe staff were naively optimistic in simply taking it for granted that no reader could believe anything so farfetched. But, as it happened, dozens of panicky people called, convinced the story was perfectly real, and that they were, for reasons they didn’t state, in great peril. It was useless to point out to them that continued

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if the story were true, it would also have been reported on the television and in the American Press. There was no point in reading to them the line at the end of the story that went “On the off-chance that someone reading this believes all this stuff (or any of this stuff) really did happen, this is your official notification that you have been reading an April Fool’s story.” Apparently, the folks who called in were, again, the types who did not read a story all the way to the end. A few complained the story was “in bad taste.” No one bothered to explain why. Although we can’t find the bad taste in the story, we can still find the humor. Here are some representative passages: • “Well, as far as we can tell, the government never did anything anyway, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” said Rep. Manny Levinas (R-Plaisance). “But in the event that a citizen does have a problem ... I invite him to come into the House chamber and walk right up to me and tell me about it. I’ll take care of it — and my parish is on the other side of the state.” • “Read the state Constitution,” said Rep Leanora Carrington (D-Lemoine). “In Louisiana, the governmental body that makes the law is the Legislature. We made a law that effectively cuts the head off the snake of parish government. If anybody is unhappy about that law, they can appeal to the state Supreme Court. And if the court finds against us, we’ll pass a law eliminating the court.” To be on the safe side, we’d better point out now that the names of the legislators were made up. In the unlikely event that any journalism students are reading this, make a point

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of asking your professors whether there are people who believe that if a thing — anything — is in print, it must be true. For what it’s worth, we were told that many reacted to the headlines on the front cover by saying, “Thank goodness!” Sadly, we had to gently inform them that the story wasn’t true.

1998 April Fool’s Joke: No Laughing Matter To Some “Kids of all ages roam the pirate haunts of old. They even get a chance to see Lafitte and other swashbucklers in a liveaction show that recreates the excitement of those bygone days. Later, they explore the natural beauty of Louisiana’s marshes and swamplands, observing the indigenous wildlife in a realistic setting. “Throughout the day, the air is filled with the laughter and spirited screams of children, mixing with the busy, dizzy clatter and hum of thrill-a-minute rides. “Imagine experiencing all of this — without even leaving Lake Charles!” So read a passage from one of Lagniappe’s most controversial articles, “Bayouworld Is Coming!” from 1998. Readers may have wished to take particular note of the date on which the issue appeared: April 1. In the April Fools’ story, Lagniappe asked readers to imagine a mammoth amusement complex — complete with rides, zoo, nature tour and water park — that was soon to take shape in the Lake Area. Only after whetting readers’ appetites for new family amusement possibilities, job opportunities and tourist dollars did the magazine divulge the fact that the article was an April Fool’s joke the staff had spent

a few happy days conjuring up. The story even included an elaborate fake blueprint of the park. The three-page story ended with this paragraph: “A familiar expression warns if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Happy April Fools’ Day, Southwest Louisiana.” Soon after the article was published, it became clear that some readers had gotten mighty high expectations before they got to that last paragraph and didn’t appreciate having those expectations dashed. The staff fielded numerous calls from readers asserting that the story was in bad taste. One or two readers went so far as to tell us that due to their dislike of the joke, they were now ex-Lagniappe readers. “I just want you to know that (the joke) was cruel ... it was just cruel,” said one reader. Another reader cursed out a Lagniappe staffer, claiming his daughter was devastated because she would be unable to get a job at Bayouworld. Of course, the feedback wasn’t all negative. A good many of the phone calls we received were from readers who simply wanted verification that the story indeed was a joke. And there were a few goodnatured souls out there who called to tell us they appreciated this bit of whimsy.

The response to the article, however, clearly told Lagniappe one thing — Lake Charles residents wanted this type of facility in the area and wanted it badly. So, in a follow-up article, in the April 15, 1998, issue, we spoke with Ernie Broussard, then director of planning and development for the city, and Ann Knapp of the mayor’s office, in order to find out just what the chances were for a major theme park in the area. They revealed that some of the aspects of Lagniappe’s imaginary complex were projects the city was exploring; these included a water park and shopping and accommodations development in downtown Lake Charles, all of which were part of what was then called the “Shape the Lake” plan. As for a high-tech amusement park, however, Broussard explained that the hard realities about the area’s market share would likely render that dream impossible — for the present. While the April Fools’ joke angered some, it excited others. And it seems to have gotten Lake Area residents to think about just how far Lake Charles can go as a tourist attraction.

Taking A Trip Back To The Future A big spoof story that didn’t take place on April 1 — “Have You Been To The New Boardwalk?” Nov. 1, 1995 — wasn’t really a spoof story. The story did make it clear just how many people judge a magazine by its cover. The cover depicted a brand new, bustling Lake Charles Lakefront strip of shops and restaurants, complete with a large crowd of diners and window shoppers. The new development shown on the cover bore the large sign “LAKESHORE PLAZA.” Among its smaller signs was one for Bilbo’s Café. When Lagniappe learned that some readers were furious that the development didn’t really exist, there must have been some discussion about the observational skills of those who were complaining. Either they hadn’t seen the Lakefront in a long, long time, or they had driven by it and somehow missed the many months of massive construction work that would have preceded such a development. Perhaps some thought the development had sprung up like a sort of super-fast-growing concrete kudzu the day before the Lagniappe cover appeared on the stands. Those who bothered to read the story in the magazine learned that the cover was designed to depict a Lake Charles Lakefront of the future — the year 2015, in fact. Lagniappe writer Annella Flowers was especially creative in describing the imagined crisis that had brought the Lakefront to revolutionary change: an elaborate crisis that involved a major hurricane, ecological degradation, widespread crime, economic and cultural decline, fierce civic unrest and riots. It was all described as something that may happen in the future. Flowers noted that area leaders were already working on the Lakefront development she saw as coming into being in 2015. In 1995, the year 2015 must have seemed awfully far away. At this time, we’re about 15 months away from it.

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Lagniappe Spoofs WE'VE DONE DOZENS OF THEM OVER THE YEARS ... HERE'S A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES FOR YOU TO ENJOY.

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After A String Of Bad Breaks In 2012, LSU Goes In Search Of A Little Good Luck ... And Some Huge Wins STORY BY DUANE BERGERON • IMAGES LSU SPORTS INFORMATION

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he LSU Tigers are hoping to put the memories of the past couple of seasons behind them. After a total collapse in their last national championship appearance, and a loss to Clemson in the 2012 Chic-Fil-A Bowl by one point, LSU football is looking for some redemption. Last year, LSU went 10-3 for the season and 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference. LSU finished the season ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll and No. 8 in the last Bowl Championship Series poll. LSU has more to deal with now than just the usual non-conference foes and SEC opponents. The Tigers have to find a way to get past defending national champion Alabama if they are to have any chance to reach the title game. Alabama has won the BCS title twice in a row and predictions are that the Crimson Tide will take it again next January. A Tiger Stadium record was set last November when the regular season clash between LSU and Alabama took place; a total of 93,374 crowded into the stadium to see a thriller that Alabama took in the end, 21-17. The Tigers will face Alabama once again in the regular season on Nov. 9 in a game in Bryant-Denny stadium. LSU will face Nick Saban and his team in enemy territory.

Other than the dominating (but not mistake-free) 37-27 victory over TCU Aug. 31, other away games for LSU include Georgia on Sept. 8, Mississippi State on Oct. 5 and Ole Miss on Oct. 19. Home games include UAB on Sept. 7, Kent State on Sept. 14, Auburn on Sept. 21, Florida on Oct. 12, Furman on Oct. 26, Texas A&M on Nov. 23 and Arkansas on Nov. 29.

With the basics covered for the season, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how LSU looks on offense, special teams and defense.

QUARTERBACK Starter Zach Mettenberger will be under center again. In 2012, he threw for 2,609 yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior signal caller is the only quarterback head coach Les Miles has on

the team who has any game experience. In the event Mettenberger canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play, back-ups are sophomore Stephen Rivers, redshirt junior Rob Bolden, freshmen Anthony Jennings and Hayden Rettig. Mettenberger has been practicing extensively in the offseason to improve his game. This will be his final chance to take the Tigers to victory in a champicontinued

Despite several drops by would-be receivers, Mettenberger completed 16 of 32 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown against TCU's vaunted defense.

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onship game. If he’s successful, Mettenberger will have boldly gone past the track records of Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee.

RUNNING BACKS If running back Jeremy Hill is cleared to play, he’ll make a difference on the field from the offensive backfield. Hill made an impression in his freshman year by coming in midway in 2012 and notching 755 rushing yards with a dozen touchdowns. He has four 100-yard games so far. Along with Hill will be junior Kenny Hilliard, senior Alfred Blue, and junior Terrence Magee. These players are considered some of the most talented backfields in college football. Magee is versatile in that he can also line up at the wide receiver position. LSU will have a wide-open offense courtesy of fullback seniors J.C. Copeland and Connor Neighbors. Copeland and Neighbors are effective in blocking and in running the ball for large gains. LSU will be counting on them to accumulate large amounts of yardage in every game.

WIDE RECEIVERS Juniors Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry have been reliable targets for Mettenberger to throw to when it comes to scoring or making the big play. Both wide-outs combined for 99 catches

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and 1,286 yards. Landry has developed a tendency to pull in the ball for a catch even when it looks like a catch is impossible. Seniors Kadron Boone and James

Wright give the wide receiver corps more experience on the field. Boone is best remembered from last year’s contest against Texas A&M, when he caught a 29-yard pass that gave the Tigers the go-

ahead score that eventually turned into a victory. Wright is also accustomed to big plays. In the games against Ole Miss in 2012, he caught a 48-yard pass that set

After Jordan Allen's early disruptions in the TCU backfield, TCU steered away from him.

up a score a few minutes later. There will be a tremendous amount of depth in the wide receiver corps thanks to redshirt freshman Travin Dural, freshman John Diarse and junior Quantavius Leslie.

TIGHT ENDS Junior Travis Dickson and sophomore Dillon Gordon come into the season with plenty of experience at tight end. These two are expected to contribute more to LSU’s potent offense as the season goes on. An advantage of Gordon is that he’s the size of an offensive tackle and can carry the ball from the running back position. Miles and his staff beefed up the tight end position in the off-season with the additions of junior college transfer Logan Stokles and freshman DeSean Smith. Smith has been touted as one of the best high school tight ends in the country. His addition should help to bolster the position.

OFFENSIVE LINE Last season, the offensive line for LSU was suspect due to a large number of injuries in the first two months of the season. Sophomore guard Trai Turner and sophomore Vadal Alexander made their presence felt to compensate for the loss of the injured players. In 2013, they will anchor the right side of the line. Senior guard Josh Williford will move to the left side. Junior tackle La’el Collins will be in that position instead of guard. He made the switch during spring practice. Williford has 20 game starts and Collins has 13. The only senior player lost was center P.J. Lonergan. Junior Elliott Porter is expected to replace Lonergan. But he’ll have competition, as true freshman Ethan Pocic is hoping to have a chance at taking over center instead of Porter. Miles is hoping the injury bug won’t plague the offensive line again, since it

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must protect Mettenberger so he can get the ball downfield to his receivers.

SPECIAL TEAMS Since Miles took over the program, special teams have really made a difference for LSU. The unit has scored 19 touchdowns since 2005. The Tigers have ranked almost continually among the SEC’s best when it comes to special teams performance. In 2012, LSU was ranked eighth in net punting, kickoff return defense and punt return defense. Punter Brad Wing and placekicker Drew Alleman are gone, but their replacements should fill the void left by their departure. Vying for the kicker’s job are junior James Hairston, freshman Trent Domingue and Colby Delahoussaye. Though none of them have had solid playing experience at the collegiate level, it’s hoped that one of them will come through and keep the quality of the kicking game high. The player taking over as punter is Jamie Keehn. A sophomore from Australia, he’s played in two games. Keehn has averaged 43.7 yards on 12 punts, six of those punts have traveled 50 yards or more and three landed inside the 20-yard line. Juniors Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry will most likely handle punt returns. In 2012, Beckham estab-

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lished himself as one of the best punt return players in the country. Before going into the defense, it should be noted that LSU has 37 letterwinners returning. That’s 18 on offense, 16 on defense, and three on special teams. The Tigers lost 25 players, nine from the offense, 14 from the defense 14 and 2 from special teams. There are 14 starters returning, while 13 bid farewell to the program last year.

DEFENSE The biggest name in the defense for the season is John Chavis, the former defensive coordinator who’s returning to the program. Chavis has been credited for producing many All-Americans and sending a generous number of players to the NFL. He’s also kept LSU among the national leaders in the major statistical defense categories. He’ll be expected to revamp the defense, which is returning just four starters from last year.

DEFENSIVE ENDS LSU lost two very productive ends with the departure of Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. One of the replacements will be junior Jermauria Rasco. Rasco has played in 21 games with 27 tackles and a pair of sacks. Junior Ronnie Feist shifted from linebacker to end during the spring and

looks to be a major contributor. Juniors Jordan Allen and Justin Maclin have dealt with injuries throughout their collegiate careers, but if they stay healthy, they can be versatile playmakers.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES AND LINEBACKERS Two seasons ago, Michael Brockers made quite the impact on defense, and his successor Bernie Logan followed suit. Both players made it into the NFL. Junior Anthony Johnson is now being called on to be the leader of the defensive line. He’ll be joined up front by junior Ego Ferguson and freshman Christian LaCouture. LaCouture impressed the coaches during spring practice. Other freshman players on the line include Maquedius Bain and Greg Gilmore. Linebackers on the defensive squad will have plenty of depth for Miles and his staff to work with. Seniors Tahj Jones and Lamin Barrow return as the starters in the outside linebacker positions. Barrow can also play as the middle linebacker. He had a breakout season last year with 104 tackles and 75 tackles for a loss. Junior D.J. Welter and sophomore Lamar Louis will take care of the middle area, while sophomores Kwon Alexander and Deion Jones will play the outside linebacker positions.

CORNERBACKS AND SAFETIES Sophomores Jalen Mills and Jalen Collins will start as the cornerbacks for LSU. Mills started all 13 games in 2012; he had 57 tackles plus a pair of interceptions. Sophomore Dwayne Thomas and freshman Derrick Raymond will serve as backups. Senior Craig Loston will start for the second time as strong safety. Loston is considered to be one of the top five players in his position. He has the most experience of any LSU player on the defensive side of the ball. In 2012, Loston had the best season of his career, with 55 tackles and three interceptions. Junior Ronald Martin will probably be starting at the free safety position. Sophomores Micah Eugene and Corey Thompson will be the back-up safeties unless they’re called on to start. Based on several sources, the prediction for 2013 is the Tigers will have a winning season and play in a bowl game. But even while some feel LSU will be hard-pressed to qualify for a BCS bowl, LSU is a team that’s been known to beat the odds. After watching LSU dominate TCU, it would be easy to believe this year's team has their sights set on nothing less than a trip to Pasadena and the BCS Title Game. @@@@@@@@e? @@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e? @@@@@@@@e? @@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@?e@@@@@@@@e?@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@h? @@ @@h? @@ @@h? @@ @@h? @@ @@h? @@ @@h? @@

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McNEESE MAKES HISTORY McNeese Destroys South Florida With Record-Setting Performance STORY BY RICK SARRO • IMAGES MSU SPORTS INFORMATION

labeled McNeese’s 2012 season opening victory at FBS Middle Tennessee State as the biggest non conference, non playoff win in the program’s history. One year later I am revising that just a touch. The Cowboys one upped themselves with a jaw dropping 53-21 bulldozing of South Florida last Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to open what will be a compelling 2013 season. There is no doubt in my mind this was the most impressive, historic and feather in the cap victory in the Cowboys long football legacy. The upset of South Florida not only came against a much larger FBS school but a first against an automatic BCS qualifying team and the Cowboys first FBS win outside of the Sun Belt Conference. (South Florida plays in the new American Athletic Conference, formerly known as the Big East)

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Everett Ellefsen with a big sack.

The Cowboys eye popping 53 points and 32 point margin of victory were not only the most points scored by a smaller FCS (1-AA) school over a BCS program but was also the widest winning spread ever posted in a matchup between these David and Goliath type teams. Shocking in the matter by which McNeese dominated and the final tally but not totally surprising that the Cowboys won. Especially not on an opening college football weekend that saw six other FCS teams knock off their bigger breathen from the FBS division. The Pokes’ unexpected runaway win landed them some valuable air time and highlights on ESPN’s Sunday SportsCenter. The Cowboys have pushed the likes of Texas A & M to the brink in the distant past. They forced LSU, North Carolina, Kansas and Tulane to wake up and play ball in the 4th quarters or risk

Nic Jacobs scoring one of his TDs.

losing what they believed to be a guaranteed win. 8th year head coach Matt Viator has now notched victories over ULLouisiana, Middle Tennessee and South Florida along with that thrilling 40-35 road upset of then #2 Appalachian State back when they were still 1-AA but has since moved up to the FBS. In post game comments Viator kept his emotions in check and did not let the hysteria get the best of him calling the South Florida game “a big time win”. I am not bound by the same shackles. Running over the Bulls inside that NFL stadium is by far the biggest triumph in McNeese’s history and propels Viator atop the Cowboys coaching hierarchy despite his 0-3 record in the playoffs. Viator said he did not see the South Florida game “playing out like this” but

had to like what he saw from pretty much start to finish. Two and a half minutes into the game the Bulls posted their only lead on an 80 yard touchdown burst from Marcus Shaw on South Florida’s first offensive play. From then on the Bulls were dehorned, derailed and defeated by an inspired McNeese team who were conditioned and coached to believe in themselves. The Cowboys reeled off 40 unanswered points for a 40 to 7 lead before South Florida’s dormant offense scored again in the 3rd quarter. McNeese simply dominated every facet of the game, nearly every play and at times could do no wrong. There are many accolades in a win such as this but the praise and pathway to success begins and ends with the offensive line which controlled the front continued

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seven believed to be the strength of South Florida’s team. A defense which included much hyped former defensive freshman All American and Notre Dame transfer defensive end Aaron Lynch. This win needed seven game balls handed out in that Tampa locker room. One for each offensive linemen and OLine coach Rob Sale for the job and effort turned in. The Cowboys front six, including star tight end Nic Jacobs, did not give up one sack or allow Lynch and his large, rangy rushers anywhere near quarterbacks Cody Stroud or Tyler Bolfing. The Blue and Gold blockers led the offense to 424 total yards, that included game changing positive plays on first down, won the war on 3rd down conversions and controlled the ball for nearly 36 minutes of game clock. McNeese snatched three critical turnovers, with the biggest being a 77 yard pick six from cornerback Guy Morgan that put the game away 33-7 by the half. Season opening games don’t usually tell you what a team possesses (see LSU and Alabama) for the long haul but I believe this one does for the Cowboys. The game film will show an offensive line that came together much quicker than many thought and one that played the second half without it’s best line mate in All SLC guard Arinze Agada. Stroud was calm and efficient going through his reads and options in the passing game. The senior quarterback was in control with accuracy and good decisions putting his play makers in mismatches best illustrated with his two touchdown passes to new tight end Nic Jacobs. I said the LSU transfer would be the offense’s new go to weapon and he

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proved that case not only in the endzone twice but his solid blocking as well. Jacobs will set new tight end scoring records this season and will become even more prominent in Viator’s play calling. The running game, which totaled an impressive 180 yards, was spread among three divergent talents. The strong, shifty running of senior Marcus Wiltz (a game high 79 yards), to the speed and slashing of sophomore Kelvin Bennett (33 yards) and the emergence of converted fullback Dylan Long (56 yards and two touchdowns) whose 225 pounds from the tailback position will challenge defenses with strength and inside running. Imagine what these three can do when Viator works them into the short passing game. New/old defensive coordinator Lance Guidry’s August camp tactics of “defense with attitude” and the “poodles and pits” tracking definitely put some pep in the step and swagger back into this defense in their 2013 debut. The secondary, with two interceptions and numerous passes defended, displayed closing speed on receivers, tackled fairly well and allowed Guidry to play man defense. Single coverage on the outside meant Guidry flooded the box which limited U.S.F.’S running game to a mere 133 yards; 80 of which came on that first play touchdown run by Shaw. That’s 53 yards on 20 carries for a 2.5 yard average. That will help win some games. Guidry won’t let his defenders think too highly of themselves after just one outing. He knows this Bulls’ offense is in transition to Taggart’s new west coast schemes and they obviously chose the wrong starting quarterback in Matt Floyd who was god awful.

Guy Morgan returning an interception for a back-breaking TD.

McNeese will undoubtedly face better quarterbacks and offense the rest of the way in particular against nearly every SLC rival. But it was an impressive showing for Guidry who won the internal battle of schemes against his former head coach at Western Kentucky in Mr. Taggart. Maybe Taggart chose the wrong defensive coordinator to follow him to South Florida as well. His loss was McNeese’s gain in more ways than one.

Viator has had some nightmarish special teams play the last couple of seasons but that turned the corner as well with nearly flawless kick and punt coverage. Jean Breaux lived up to his pre season All SLC selection putting nearly every kickoff deep into the endzone for no return yardage. He added a career long 47 yard field goal. Tulane transfer Ryan Rome chipped in a 32 yard field goal. Gone are the days of keeping your

fingers crossed whenever the kicker and his mates trotted on the field. You knew things were going the Cowboys way when one of Rome’s point after kicks bounced off the upright only to ricochet through for the PAT. It was a benchmark setting victory but one that may or may not affect the rest of the season. Confidence and momentum are a quirky intangible in sports. They come and they go. The trick is to latch on and ride it as long as you can. After Clemson season opening upset of 5th ranked Georgia the victorious Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney said it was a great win but the season starts again tomorrow. That’s college football. It can change from week to week and whose medical report stays free of injured players. In 2012 McNeese ran out to a 3-0 start with huge road wins over Middle Tennessee and Weber State but promptly fell short to conference rival Southeastern Louisiana losing 25-24 in the fourth week. To avoid that kind of history repeating itself the Cowboys need to heed Dabo’s advice and get ready to start the season all over again against Arkansas Pine Bluff on Sept. 7 at Cowboy Stadium.

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LSU IN JERRY WORLD ... AGAIN The Robertson Clan From Duck Dynasty Aren't The Only Ones Who Love To Chase Down Frogs STORY BY RICK SARRO • IMAGES LSU SPORTS INFORMATION

Odell Beckham, Jr. leaving some Horned Frogs in his wake.

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he LSU Tigers got their fill of those Horned Frogs in purple and boot scooted out of North Texas with a solid but not overwhelming 37 -27 win over 20TH ranked TCU. It was LSU’s second season opening win over the last three years at ATT Stadium, aka Cowboys Stadium, aka JerryWorld up in Arlington. This one was much tougher than that hyped up romp over then 3rd ranked Oregon back in 2011. The Tigers unveiled a retooled defense that lost 8 starters to the NFL Draft last spring but held up surprisingly well. They didn’t erase the memories of Minter, Mingo and Montgomery but did establish something to build on.

MAYBE ALL THOSE LSU FANS WHO MADE THE HOLIDAY TREK TO DALLAS BEGAN TO FORGET ABOUT ALL THOSE THREE DOWNS AND OUT SERIES FROM LAST SEASON. New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron doesn’t have a magic wand but he surely coached up Zach Mettenberger the last 5 or so weeks. The 6’5” senior quarterback bounced back from that uninspiring bowl loss to Clemson to throw for 251 yards and a game clinching touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry. There has been loads of rumors and speculation of Cameron’s offensive wizardy and how he would reinvent LSU’s offense in a single bound. You really didn’t expect to see remnants of a red cape under Mettenberger’s jersey did you? What you saw was a more accurate, polished, calm and clever quarterback who guided the Tigers to 448 offensive yards and was an astounding 13 of 19 on third down conversions which resulted in 13 more minutes of possession time.

Maybe all those LSU fans who made the holiday trek to Dallas began to forget about all those three downs and out series from last season. The Mettenberger/Cameron combo spread the ball around between two and three receivers and the same sharing among the running backs of Alfred Blue, Terrence MaGee and J.C. Copeland. It was an offense that showed off a high number of weapons but one that failed to pull the trigger in the red zone. Shades of 2012 reappeared when three long first half drives inside TCU’s 10 yardline ended with three short field goals. In the second half the red zone was LSU’s personal playground as they scored three touchdowns. It was a game of ups and downs. Fumbles (Blue), a 100 yard TCU kickoff return for a score, an Odell Beckham 75 yard kickoff return for LSU and numerous big plays by the aforementioned Beckham and Landry. As Miles would say…this was a “quality” TCU team and a total team effort was needed to win and extend the coach’s season opening winning streak to 9-0. LSU did not answer all the questions circling this team in one opening game. No one, much else Miles, expected that to happen. He has a couple of weeks against UAB and Kent State to do that. The Tigers aren’t alone in this department. The other powers in the SEC have the same issues and questions after their openers. Top ranked Alabama struggled offensively, South Carolina has some holes to fill, Georgia played hard but lost a dog fight with Clemson, Florida underwhelmed against Toledo and Texas A & M ….well they have to get Heisman winner, Johnny Football under control before he ends up with his own reality TV show to rival those Duck Commanders up in West Monroe.

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Here's Our Top 30 THE EDITORIAL BOARD'S SUMMARIES OF THE 30 LAGNIAPPE STORIES THAT HAVE HAD THE MOST IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

s a rule, the impact has been extremely positive. Overall, we here at Lagniappe get a lot more positive feedback than negative. But when we do get negative feedback, it tends to come in droves. We sometimes learn that something in Lagniappe has had a powerful impact when we get clusters of phone calls from very unhappy people. The data strongly suggests that those who complain loud and long are more fond of looking at the pictures than reading; hence the fact that some of Lagniappe’s biggest moments have centered around controversial covers. One problem with this is that it is impossible to know in advance just which covers will upset people. The fact that most reaction — to both cover and contents — is positive, reflects the nature of the periodical. Lagniappe tends to have an upbeat tone that is indicative of a positive view of area life. The magazine aims to strike a balance between Southwest Louisiana's urban and rural cultures, and to note, and sometimes celebrate, the area’s distinctive allegiance to tradition. Lagniappe’s focus has always been on

“the story behind the story.” A magazine that comes out twice a month isn’t in a position to break big news. What Lagniappe does is find the human element in the newsmaker, or uncover the moving human interest story that has gone unnoticed in the endless succession of headlines. Readers have come to count on the periodical for long personal profiles of remarkable local individuals (both well-known and unknown). Columnists have provided a rich mix that includes serious commentary on economics and politics as well as generous servings of local color and humor. All of these emphases will be evident somewhere in the list of Lagniappe moments that follows. As you will see in these summaries of major Lagniappe articles, several put before the public the hidden story that had managed to escape the attention of the rest of the local media. And, as readers will see, a few even brought about some concrete change

more down-to-earth culture of Southwest Louisiana allows for a more down-to-earth focus on the little details of the human experience: the colorful details that sometimes get lost in the big story. That is the broader context. Now, for the stories themselves.

in local culture or economics. Taken as a whole, the stories provide a rough overview of the area’s culture in the last 30 years. One discovers a culture that is not as flashy as that of New Orleans or the country as a whole. But the September 5, 2013

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CRIME WAVE April 4, 2013 This past April, Lagniappe became the first local media venue to report that members of a Houston gang — the 103s — had conducted a string of daytime home burglaries in the Lake Charles Country Club area, starting in December 2012. (“Crime Wave: Gang Sign Of The Times?” by Todd Elliott.) A quarter of a million dollars worth of goods were stolen from houses in a five-block area in less than a month. In mid-January, on a Wednesday afternoon, residents spotted a group of men in a black Impala going from door to door in the area, ringing doorbells. Later, police found the car parked near

Prien Lake Park. All four of the car’s inhabitants had 103s tattoos. Also found in the car was a GPS set to locations of Lake Charles golf courses — locations that would tend to be the sites of upscale homes. When police raided the Houston home of one of the four arrested — Derrick Brooks — they found a gun that had been stolen from a Portrush Drive home in Lake Charles. Police believe that the Houston criminals took their Lake Charles loot to Houston jewelers who were willing and able to do smelting of jewelry on site. Two Houston men were also arrested by Sulphur Police who were investigating a series of robberies of Radio

Shacks. In late January, the thieves engaged the Sulphur police in a shootout outside the back door of a local Radio Shack. One of the Houstonians was hit. He was later found at a hospital in Baytown, a suburb of Houston, where he’d gone to stem the bleeding from his wound. It remained to be seen whether Houston gangsters would continue to see Southwest Louisiana as an attractive target.

PIECE BY PIECE Feb. 21, 2013 This past February, Lagniappe published a profile of Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach that described Roach’s unusually long tenure as mayor — a tenure that was extended by at least a term a few days after the story appeared. (Piece By Piece: In Spite Of Repeated Adversity, Mayor Randy Roach Has Stuck To A Development Plan That Reflects The Community’s Personality.) Roach noted that one thing that’s made his tenure pass faster than it might have is the string of adversities the city has faced during the time. These down-

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turns have included Hurricanes Rita and Ike, the Great Recession and the way in which the recession abruptly knocked the bottom out of the local tourist and real estate industries. Roach said these “major events” had had a “substantial influence” on the city and his time in office. One of Roach’s responses to these downturns has been a plan of development that unites the area’s strengths — its blending of the rural and the urban; its distinctive culture — with a sense of how these strengths can be used to boost the local economy. “What gives a city its personality is its arts and culture,” said Roach. Some concrete measures Roach has taken to blend the arts, culture and economy include his work to make the 1911 Historic City Hall a new arts center and bring new buildings, streetscapes and gardens downtown. “Look either way,” he says. “You see a difference downtown.” Roach hasn’t allowed the monster business and housing expansion south of town to distract him from the central importance of the downtown. “Our downtown becomes our living room,” he said. “If you want to get a feel for a city, you go to the downtown. It’s the center of activity.” Roach admitted that “the missing link” in Lakefront development has been “commercial improvement.” He said, “Those types of projects are what we [hope for] — It’s all about economics.” Two viable options Roach saw in February were the “proposed mixed use for the old Sears building and hotel at the

Civic Center.” Roach sees even more clearly than others the potential impact of the economic boom everyone says is coming to the area. He calls it “the epicenter of $30 billion in expansion” and says some are now jokingly referring to it as “Hurricane Sasol.” He sees the change as a generational economic benefit — one that may benefit children and grandchildren even more than present-day adults. Roach offered Lagniappe an unusually candid assessment of his experience and performance as mayor, telling the magazine “I have enjoyed very much doing what I do — I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied [with what I’ve done so far]. I don’t think I’m ever satisfied. Twenty/twenty hindsight can be a painful thing. You have to keep moving forward. This was brought home to me during hurricane recovery. You can’t let mistakes define you.”

his story to local historian and writer Nola Mae Ross, who, in turn, related it to Lagniappe’s readers.

LOST AT SEA

Roy explained that Noland had been adding large structures, such as rooms and extra ballast, to his 50-foot-long boat Pas Terre. In fact, he eventually added three stories to the top of the boat. Noland wasn’t trained in boat-building, and many felt he’d created a boat that was top-heavy. Roy relates that he, his friend Tom Pucci and Noland were sailing the Pas Terre on Caribbean waters near St. Martin Island on Dec. 14, 1990. Waves were up to six feet, and Roy sensed the boat, which was being captained by Noland, was moving at up to 10 knots, which Roy felt was too fast for the conditions.

June 21, 2012 On June 21, 2012, Lagniappe published what may have been its biggest scoop ever: the story “Lost At Sea: The Lone Survivor Of The Willis Noland Tragedy Tells Lagniappe What Happened.” For more than 20 years, Lake Area residents had wondered how prominent local figure Willis Noland had been lost at sea. The only survivor who’d been present at the incident, Jerry Roy, had long kept the story to himself as the emotions connected with the incidents remained extremely strong for him. Finally, in 2012, he decided to tell

As the ocean conditions worsened, a big wave hit the boat, and it rapidly rolled over. Roy tried but failed to rescue Pucci, who floated away — very likely already dead. Roy managed to hoist Noland up on to the hull of the boat (which now protruded up out of the water). He assumed at this point that Noland was alive. But by the time Roy had made his final preparations to escape the massive suction that he knew would occur as the boat sank, he realized Noland was no longer among the living. He lost sight of Noland when the boat went down. Roy made a hellish 33-hour swim to the Port of St. Martin. Along the way, he was stung by a school of sea wasps — creatures resembling jelly fish. He had already been badly cut by the barnacles on the hull of the Pas Terre. After he spent two weeks in the ICU at St. Martin’s hospital, he developed pneumonia. His full recovery took months. "The reason I’m telling this story now is because I know it needed to be told,” said Roy. “In May, 2012, as I sat in a hospital clinic in Lake Charles, I happened to talk to retired principal Odell Dyer. He remembered the tragedy and said he’s always wondered what really happened to Will Noland. “His statement made [a great] impact on me — I didn’t put it off any longer. I’m just sorry it took me so long before I was able to set aside the Pas Terre and the tragedy.”

continued

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I AM IRONMAN Jan. 6, 2011 Lagniappe’s Jan. 6, 2011, issue featured an article on David Park, a then60-year-old Moss Bluff resident who was at that time just getting ready for the upcoming Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. Park, who had recently retired from area industry, called training for triathlons “a full time job” in and of itself. He talked about the competitions he’d been in — including an Ironman qualifier in Panama City Beach, Fla.; and the U.S. Championship race in Tuscaloosa, Ala. At that time, he was also getting ready for the International Triathlon Union’s World Championship Race in Beijing, China and the Escape From Alcatraz Tirathlon in San

Francisco. Park outlined his rigorous training regimen, which included swimming 7.5 miles per week, strength training, biking 250 miles per week, and weekly running. Park estimated that he trained roughly 25 hours per week. He joked about the name he had printed on the back of one of his race jerseys. It was Grampy, the name by which his grandchildren call him. Why “Grampy?” “I like to let the people I pass know they’re being passed by a grandfather,” Park explained. How did all of that hard work pay off? Lagniappe featured a follow-up on Park’s races in the Dec. 15, 2011 issue. “This year has been the type of year most triathletes can only dream of,” Park said. He finished the Escape from Alcatraz race in third place in his age group; he placed 14th in his age group in the World Championship in Beijing. And Park did indeed finish the Ironman, with a time of 14 hrs., 28 min. — well under the 17-hr. time limit to qualify as a finisher, but well over his goal of 11 hrs. That was mainly due, he says, to the 130 degree temperature of the black lava fields he had to traverse on the bike segment of the race, as well as the 40-mph head and cross winds on the final climb to the bike turnaround. Another factor: Park went to change from his bike gear to his running gear — only to find he was missing the dry socks he thought he’d packed in his gear bag the day before the race.

“I had to run on wet, sloshy feet, and it was only a couple of miles before the blisters formed on the bottoms of my feet. I had never had a significant blister in years of marathon and triathlon competition.” But he persevered, crossing the finish line and hearing the words “David Park, you are an ironman” called out on the PA speaker as he crossed the line. Another article with Park, this one in July of this year, focused on his coaching of US Olympic Softball Team star Jennie Finch Daigle of Sulphur, who

was preparing to compete in her first full triathlon in New York City. Finch Daigle finished well under her goal time, thanks in no small part, she says, to Coach Grampy.

A ROSE BY MANY OTHER NAMES Nov. 18, 2010 In Oliver Stone’s famous movie on the Kennedy assassination, JFK, Sally Kirkland plays the role of Rose Cherami, a mysterious Louisiana prostitute and drug addict who predicted the assassina-

SUPER SAVINGS!

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tion of Kennedy as she lay in a hospital bed in Eunice, La. Two days after the prediction, Kennedy was shot in Dallas. In his story “A Rose By Many Other Names: Rose Cherami And The Assassination Of President John F. Kennedy,” which appeared in the Nov. 18, 2010, issue of Lagniappe, Todd Elliott revisited the short, tumultuous life of Cherami, focusing in particular on her connections to the town of Eunice, and what, if anything, these rural Louisiana connections had to do with the Kennedy assassination. On Nov. 20, 1963, truck driver Frank Odom struck Cherami on Hwy. 190, outside of Eunice. He took her to the hospital, where she was admitted at 4 pm. Cherami, who was quite bloody, told hospital workers and law enforcement agents that she’d been thrown from a car onto Hwy. 190 by a male car driver and his male passenger. Cherami was so agitated she was taken to jail and then admitted to the Jackson East Louisiana State Hospital for the mentally ill. While patients at the hospital watched the Kennedy motorcade on television, Cherami shouted out, “Watch! This is when it’s going to happen! They’re going to get him! They’re going to get him at the underpass!” When Louisiana State Trooper Lt. Francis Fruge, who’d heard Cherami’s predictions, learned that Kennedy had in fact been shot, he headed straight to the hospital to question Cherami, who claimed the two men who threw her onto Hwy. 190 had been driving from Miami to Dallas, where, they told her, they would assassinate Kennedy. For her part, she’d accompanied them to Houston to pick up $8,000 from a contact in a drug deal. Like so many in the Kennedy assassination story, Cherami had a connection with Dallas strong man Jack Ruby. As Fruge and Cherami flew to Texas, so that Fruge could check out her story, Cherami laughed out loud at a newspaper headline that said Ruby had never met Lee Harvey Oswald before he assassinated him. A chuckling Cherami told the lawman that Ruby and Oswald “had been shacking up for years.” Ruby was rumored to own the lounge The Silver Slipper in Eunice. The spot was also rumored to be connected with prostitution. While Cherami’s rap sheet was longest in New Orleans, she did spend time in The Silver Slipper, and claimed to have recently drunk there with the two mystery men who said they were after Kennedy. In Texas, Fruge found that at least part of Cherami’s story checked out. She said she and the two men were supposed to pick up heroin from a man who was to have docked at the Port of Galveston but never showed up. Port officials verified that the boat and boat owner had been scheduled to arrive. Fruge wanted Dallas police to question Cherami. When they said they weren’t interested, Cherami gave up talking — to them or to anyone else. Fruge called it a day and left Cherami in Texas. Cherami was one of the many connected with the Kennedy case who met continued September 5, 2013

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with an early, violent death. On Sept. 4, 1965, at 2 am, motorist Jerry Don Moore found Cherami lying by the side of a highway near Big Sandy, Texas — 80 miles outside Dallas. Moore said he saw tire treads on Cherami; he felt she’d been run over. He also claimed three or four suitcases were sitting upright on the highway’s center line so that they were parallel to her body. Cherami was pronounced dead at Gladewater Memorial Hospital. Her death certificate listed her time of death as both DOA and 11 am on the morning she was found. When New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison (whose investigation of the Kennedy assassination is chronicled in the movie JFK) asked for Cherami’s autopsy, Clearwater staff said they were unable to locate it.

Was Rose Cherami a small player in a big conspiracy, or was she just a heroin addict with an overactive imagination? We can’t know for sure, and very likely never will. But a story with as many loose ends as hers is bound to attract conspiracy theorists for generations to come. Elliott is presently publishing a book on the Cherami case. A Rose By Many Other Names is available in paperback for $12.95. A Kindle edition is available. Visit trineday.com for more information.

“BETTER, HAPPIER MEMORIES” June 17, 2010 In the weeks leading up to Father’s Day 2010, Lagniappe worked in tandem with local private investigators to reunite a father and his children who had long been separated and were unable to find each other. The dramatic results were reported in the story “‘Better, Happier Memories:’ After 15 Years, Three Local Children Are Reunited With Their Biological Father.” The Lake Area investigators who worked in the project were approached by three local youths: 18-year-old Anthony, and his twin sisters, 16-yearold Megan and Michele. The siblings had been separated from their biological father for 15 years. They were assisted by Cindy, an older half-sister who’d been the primary caregiver of the youths for nine years. The search for the father was conducted by Matthew Hyatt, head of Hyatt Investigations, and Larry DeFries, who runs A+ Investigations with his wife, Mona. When the investigators began, they had nothing more than a name — Carl William Anthony — and a date of birth — August 9; but no year of birth. After using all the free search options available to everyone (Google, Facebook, Zaba Search, and so forth), they turned to a database that they, as investigators, subscribed to, and were able to get information about Anthony Sr.’s vehicle title and driver’s license. Investigators managed to get a street address for Anthony in Aransas Pass, in far south Texas. But they had no idea whether it was current. Nor did they have a phone number for it. Their efforts to contact neighbors living near the address were fruitless. “It was one dead end after another,” said Hyatt. “This is what you run into.” Untrained searchers, said Hyatt, “don’t know how to get past this point. “It was time for a road trip” said DeFries. On May 21, the two made the 10-hour drive to Aransas Pass. The two finally got a break. They went straight to the address they had and knocked on the door. The man they’d been looking for answered. “In this case, it happened to be that easy,” said Hyatt. Had the investigators been charging for the case, the tab at this point would, they said, have been $2,700. Anthony said that he, too, had been searching for his children, and had used Facebook. But the investigators surmised that Anthony’s facility with the Internet was limited. An emotional Anthony feared he might faint during the reunion. After he saw his children, he said, “You turned

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out so beautiful. I waited to see you for so long.” Now, he said, the reunited family had the chance to make “better, happier memories.”

THE SILVER STRIP May 1, 2010 Recalling the days when Hwy. 90 was called “Little Las Vegas,” late local historian Nola Mae Ross said the bulk of the gambling took place along a 35-milelong strip of road that ran from Westlake to Orange. (“The Silver Strip: The Silver Star, The Tip Top, The Groves Club, Bat Gormly’s. Decades Before Delta, Isle And L’Auberge, Hwy. 90 Was ‘Little Las Vegas,’” May 1, 2010.)

dence of the buildings that once made up Hwy. 90’s Little Las Vegas.

GUITAR HERO Oct. 2, 2008 Local figure Briant Smith is primarily known as a member of the renowned 1960s psychedelic garage band The Bad Roads. While Smith has remained a musician, Lagniappe magazine learned (“Guitar Hero,” Oct. 2, 2008) that he’s had a remarkable variety of extremely exotic day jobs. When Lagniappe reporter Brad Goins asked Smith for the specifics on those careers, he said, “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. Most people don’t.” Smith’s education has been almost

as unorthodox as his career path. “I’ve been thrown out of four or five major universities,” he said. Be that as it may, he’s always treasured his knowledge and experience of engineering, and has used it in most of his jobs — although, again, often in unorthodox ways. In the early 1970s, when Smith was studying engineering at McNeese, what he really wanted to do was dive. He got the chance when Lake Charles’ Haymart Ship Yard burned. The hulls of a dozen burned-out boats lay underwater, with sheets of the corrugated metal roof of the building lying on top. In the nearly dark bayou, Smith used a 15-foot-long piece of rebar to gradually work two long ropes under each boat continued

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Each club on that strip, no matter how small or ramshackle, had dozens of slot machines. Among the big spots on the Westlake strip was Bat Gormly’s, which at times was run by former boxer Kid Gormly. The name of Sulphur’s Speedy’s Broken Mirror came from a misadventure owner Speedy Swafford had when he endeavored to buy 400 mirrors for $1 each. His beered-up truck drivers smashed their vehicle into a ditch, breaking most of the 400 mirrors. Swafford had the fragments of the mirrors glued onto the club’s ceiling and walls. Patrons who were able to spot an unbroken mirror got a free drink. The big club near Orange was The Showboat, which could only be entered by means of a gangplank. In the 1930s, gambling, which was illegal in Louisiana, was nevertheless so popular that even drugstores and service stations had slot machines. As the 1950s began, organized gambling in Louisiana was on its way out. After the Huey Long era ended, and Gov. Robert Kennon took office, Col. Francis C. Grevenberg led state police in an anti-gambling crusade. Grevenberg, who did much of his work with a sledge hammer, claimed he and his troopers destroyed more than 800 slot machines in three years. In the Lake Area, gambling opponents joined forces in the People’s Action Group, which was led by Methodist minister Bill Byrd and American Press editor Ken Dixon. When long-time Calcasieu Parish sheriff Ham Reid narrowly defeated an anti-gambling opponent in the race for sheriff, organized gambling in Calcasieu Parish came to a swift end. Today, there is little physical eviSeptember 5, 2013

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hull. After several hours of underwater pushing and pulling, the ropes were attached to a crane and the boat remains pulled up. Smith’s tenacious working style got him a job as a full-time diver. From this position, he segued into a spot with General Oceanographics in San Diego. There he operated and designed “research submersibles:” small subs that enable two people to do research underwater at great depths. After another diving job, Smith found himself working for Rocky Mountain Rescue in Colorado. He learned how to rescue individuals in remote mountains buried under many feet of snow. In searches for downed aircraft, the Air Force flew him in, dropped him and left him to work his way out. When he was sent to recover the body of a hunter who’d fallen into an abandoned mine shaft, he rappelled down the 80-foot shaft. He then dove to the bottom of a 70-foot-deep deposit of water, where he found the body. In the mid-1970s, Smith obtained a pilot’s license and moved, for a time, to Nevada. After he’d flown 150 hours in single-engine airplanes, Smith took a bet from the publisher of the Reno-based Aviation News that he couldn’t control and land a heavy jet in a flight simulator. Smith was put in a flight simulator designed by Flying Tigers Air Freight. If he failed to “land” his jet, the simulator

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would let him know by slamming his head into the windshield of his virtual aircraft and telling him he was “dead.” Smith was placed in a scenario in which he took a DC-8 off automatic pilot at an elevation of 5,000 feet when he was 15 miles out of LAX. “I used every bit of runway,” he said. But he did “land” the plane and win the bet. After that, he played around with the simulator and was repeatedly told he was dead. Then it was back to San Diego for more naval engineering work with the Navy Special Weapons School, which set him the task of neutralizing underwater mines. Smith worked with a company called Hydroproducts to design ROVs: remotecontrolled devices that search for underwater mines. He said that when visitors leave the aquarium in New Orleans, if they look up over the stairs, they’ll see a green and white ROV he designed. The next career Smith took on was that of paramedic. He’d done his EMT training in Colorado. He got a gig working as director of the EMS division of remote Madison Country, Ark. In this locale, his patients were always at least 35 miles from a hospital. Smith tells the story of an Arkansas boy with an infection so severe his throat structure collapsed and he began to suf-

focate. Smith cut a hole into the child’s neck and placed a tube into his trachea. Not only did the boy make it to the hospital, but in a week, he was walking around and talking with Smith. “It did happen” Smith said. Not content with being a paramedic in Arkansas, Smith also worked as a country coroner there. As such, he didn’t perform autopsies but did do inquests. He thinks he solved at least one major case during his tenure. A woman was found in her home, dead from a gunshot. No weapon was on the scene. When Smith turned over the body, he found neither gun nor bullet. He began to think it was a case of murder. After talking with relatives, Smith learned the victim’s stepson had been angry with her because she refused to lend him her truck so he could visit his girlfriend in Texas. Police found the young man at his girlfriend’s house. Today he sits on death row. Smith has worn several hats in SWLA. One is of fishing guide. He has an intense passion for salt-water fly fishing, which he also teaches. In this job, too, he used his engineering skills: this time to create the soft spoon or SOF spoon lure, whose surface adhered to a fish as if it were another fish. Smith started his restaurant career in South Padre Island in Texas. In Lake Charles, he opened The Blue Duck restaurant downtown. It was a New Orleans- and Creole-style restaurant. “We opened Blue Duck because Lake Charles didn’t have a Louisiana restaurant” said Smith. “A lot of places call themselves Cajun, but all that means

is cayenne and fried food. If you’re going to celebrate Louisiana food, you have to include New Orleans Creole.” Smith also wanted to create a local venue for the blues. “Live music, especially blues, is rapidly disappearing and being replaced by karaoke crap and DJs,” he said. The blues venue concept was a natural transition from Smith’s psychedelic and rock work with The Bad Roads. “White kids in America didn’t listen to the blues,” said Smith. “(They learned about it] through the Yardbirds, John Mayall — even Led Zeppelin. [Kids would listen to Led Zeppelin, then say,] ‘Who the hell was Sonny Boy Williamson?’ Blues was the roots of the music we grew up with.” As many day jobs as Smith has had, he’s only had one night job: playing music. When he ran The Blue Duck, he performed there with his band Hot Gritz. And at the same time, he worked with The Bad Roads to bring out a new CD. “I don’t let the grass grow under my feet,” said Smith. “If you have a passion for something, go ahead and do it.”

‘WE LOVE TO RIDE’ Dec. 20, 2007 To try to get a handle on the characteristics of the true biker, Lagniappe interviewed members of three longstanding organized groups of bikers in Southwest Louisiana: Gypsy M.C. (motorcycle club), The Road Barrons

and The Tribe. All three clubs have been around a long time, with Gypsy M.C. tracing its roots to an East Tennessee group founded in 1932; The Road Barrons organizing more than 40 years ago; and the Tribe beginning right here in Lake Charles in 1963 and becoming officially organized in 1972. The story covered topics familiar to all veteran bikers but mysterious to most of the general public. For example, it was noted that different groups allow different types of bikes, ranging from more open standards to standards that lean strongly toward (or require) American-made bikes with big engines. Other factors that can differ are the time commitments and duties of new members serving as an apprentice or “prospect.” Depending on the group, prospect time can be anything from a somewhat demanding socialization period to an arduous initiation process. The status of women in groups can vary markedly, as can the nature and strictness of group rules. (There are women’s biker groups in the area, although Lagniappe didn’t interview rep-

resentatives of any for this story.) And of course, different groups follow different sets of rules. In fact, the variance is so wide that the best thing for interested parties to do is probably just to ask a member of the club in question what it has to offer and what it requires of its members. Among the groups Lagniappe chose to highlight, The Tribe followed what its president, Rev, called “old bike laws.” Some attributes are shared among clubs. One of these is fierce loyalty toward other members. “Day or night, if you need them, they’ll be there, no questions asked,” said Rooster, president of the Jennings Chapter of Gypsy M.C. International, about the club’s vice president, Spider Monkey, and the sergeant at arms, Big Toe. Easy, of The Road Barrons, said, “If my brother calls and needs my help, I will go 24/7/365.” Members insist on respect; on being respected. Rule 16 of the Road Barrons reads, “Do not treat or talk to another member in a disrespectful manner.” The Tribe’s president, Rev, said simply, “I’m used to being respected.” He noted that continued

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when Tribe brothers meet, they exchange the greeting, “I love you and respect you.” Real bikers have an appreciation of the freedom and excitement that come with a riding and biking life. “For me to think of my life without the Tribe ... what a bummer!” said Rev. “It’s been a hell of a ride.” Said the Road Barrons’ Easy, “It’s a different way of life. We love it ... My Road Barrons’ life ... pretty much encompasses my life.” One last common factor: It’s likely that clubs will require members to have mechanical experience and maintain their bikes. The biker life requires commitment and work. But it offers in return absolute escape from the everyday.

PIT BULLS; DOGFIGHTING Feb. 15, 2007, Nov. 1, 2007 In two articles, Lagniappe looked at the issues of pit bull bans, breed-specific legislation and dog fighting in SWLA. In summer, 2007, there were at least three pit bull attacks in the Sulphur area, one involving a small boy attacked by his uncle’s pit bull, which was chained to a log in the family’s backyard. The city of Sulphur explored the possibility of a ban on pit bulls, prompting emotional responses on both sides of the issue. Proponents of a ban said the breed was unpredictable, aggressive, and too dangerous to be allowed in neighborhoods and public places. Opponents said it’s the owners, not the dogs, who are to blame for attacks, and no one breed should be banned because of the actions of a few dogs. It’s an issue that’s being debated

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nationwide with increasing frequency. Lagniappe spoke with the family of Tyler King, the young boy attacked by his uncle’s dog. Family members described the sudden, horrific attack. “(The dog) was just sitting there with no expression, and all of a sudden, he drug the log and I couldn’t see anything of Tyler,” recalls the boy’s grandmother. “My nephew was holding onto the dog’s head and trying to pull him off, but the dog wasn’t letting go. Finally, some men working on a house across the street came over. I was hitting the dog with a pipe on one side, and these men were coming over from the other side, and the dog got distracted and let go.” Tyler’s face caught the brunt of the attack. The cartilage of the boy’s nose was torn away from the bone; his gums were torn loose. He required multiple surgeries. At the time the article was published, he still had to wear a special

mask to aid the recovery process, even at school. The story also described attacks by pit bulls on two animals: a Labrador retriever as well as a horse owned by Gail Smith of Moss Bluff. But do a few attacks by dogs allowed to run free or — much, much worse — chained or cruelly confined to a small backyard with no socialization or attention (chained to a log, for instance) warrant a ban on an entire breed? Lagniappe talked to Marsha Montgomery, pit bull owner, dog rescue activist and, at press time, president of the SWLA chapter of the Humane Society of Louisiana, who gave us a description of the properly raised pit bull’s personality and the breed’s general characteristics. “They’re clowns; they’re goofy; they’re loyal to people; and they love to be social.” Even Smith admitted that the pit bulls which attacked her horse was friendly to the animal control officers who picked the dog up. “Animal control was able to walk right up to them,” Smith told Lagniappe. “The dogs were friendly to my husband. The female was like a puppy.” That type of friendliness is characteristic of the breed, said Montgomery, and most pit bulls are obedient and willing to please the owner who handles them properly and is willing to provide strong positive leadership. The article also quoted nationally

renowned dog trainer and behaviorist Ian Dunbar, who wrote in 1999: “Today a properly-bred pit bull is so exuberantly happy upon meeting her owner’s friends (or even friendly strangers) that new owners sometimes worry that their dog is too sweet and fun-loving to protect their home and family ... In addition, the pit bull’s pleasant nature makes him an ideal candidate for therapy work with people.” The article also quoted David Marcantel of Calcasieu Parish Animal Control as saying that there had been many more attacks by Labrador retrievers and German shepherds than by pit bulls. Family-friendly angels or ferocious and blood-thirsty demons? The article explored the issue and found that the answer seemed to lie somewhere in the middle. While any breed of dog can be made aggressive through neglect or abuse, an aggressive pit bull can cause much more damage than a smaller, less powerful dog. “There’s more to a pit bull attack than there is to an attack by most other dogs,” Marcantel told us. “They can cause some damage when they do bite.” Purchased or obtained from the wrong people for the wrong reasons, and raised in the wrong hands — poorly trained, neglected, abused, cruelly confined on a chain or worse — pit bulls can become problem dogs. But that’s not their nature. The article also looked at breed bans

and why they may not be the best solution to the problem of dog attacks. Opponents of breed bans said bans simply allow the problem to shift. Those with banned breeds will move somewhere where the breed is allowed and continue raising aggressive dogs. Also, owners of a banned breed could move on to another “tough” breed, such as Rottweilers. It’s a “slippery slope” that could result in the banning of numerous, possibly all breeds, because when they are raised in the wrong way, any dog can become aggressive. “Once you ban (pit bulls), what are you going to do when (irresponsible owners) go to the Rottweiler, which used to be the ‘macho’ dog before pit bulls?” asked Marcantel. “So many breeds can be made aggressive through neglect or abuse, you’ll be banning dogs forever.” Breed bans are becoming more and more common. After hearing from victims of attacks, as well as supporters of responsible ownership and training as an alternative, the Sulphur City Council opted against a ban, deciding instead to “punish the deed, not the breed.” In a related story, Lagniappe looked at the prevalence of dog fighting in SWLA in the wake of the Michael Vick arrest and conviction. The magazine found that the problem isn’t confined to large cities and high-profile athletes with large kennels. Rather, Calcasieu Parish Animal Control officer Diana Morales told Lagniappe, there are an alarming number of cases here in SWLA. “We pick up 700-800 pit bulls a year,” Morales said. “And about 50 of those have scars consistent with fighting.” While highly organized dog fights do take place in rural areas in SWLA, Morales said, the major problem is unorganized street fighting involving young people. “We’re seeing a lot of juveniles (fighting dogs),” she told us. “(The juveniles fighting dogs) are getting younger every year. (Fighting dogs) is like a rite of passage.” Young people, Morales said, influenced by older kids, are obtaining pit bulls as status symbols. Fights are usually impromptu affairs that take place when two rival groups come upon each other and let their dogs fight to settle a bet, or for bragging rights. The article looked at what makes a fighting dog, and discussed the fact that the norm for dog behavior around other dogs is low-key. Dogs aren’t naturally inclined to hurt each other, and disagreements are usually settled quickly with nothing more than a bit of posturing and growling. Fighting dogs are bred and trained to be aggressive — kept outdoors on short chains; baited with live chickens or rabbits to encourage “gameness” or the willingness to go after another animal. The article discussed signs of a fighting operation: several dogs kept on short chains; a frequent change of dogs in the yard; dogs with scarring on the chest, face or forelegs; and training apparatus such as spring poles (posts with long arms from which a rope and “bait” dangle) and broken sticks used for prying jaws loose. continued September 5, 2013

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To report suspected dog fighting activity or animal cruelty, call Calcasieu Parish Animal Control at 721-3730.

THEY’VE THROWN DOWN July 5, 2007 In 2006, in the team’s very first season, the Lake Charles Riverkats were champions of the Southern American Football League. What team members, coaches and managers couldn’t figure out was why local media hadn’t noticed the achievement. “Lake Charles needs to know it has a semi-pro football team and champion,” said tight end Clarence Caesar. Another team member, former 49ers wide receiver Reggie Williams, wasn’t too concerned about the snail’s pace of the media response. “It’ll be good,” he

said. “People hear about it. They’ll see us soon enough.” Although football is vitally important to the Riverkats, the team’s top priority, said general manager “Candy” Lewis, is to get players into college eventually. The team is made up mainly of players who had a high school or college football career that was interrupted. “Many of our local star athletes get lost in society on a day-to-day basis,” said Kevin Kirkum, head of the team’s Boosters group. “All they need is some direction.” Lewis said that when a player who was used to the adulation of football crowds suddenly loses that attention, he can easily be swamped by negative influences in his home and environment. The team, says Lewis, offers a positive alter-

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native by “teaching a lot of man skills. We’re giving the players the discipline they once had. We have to instill drive and motivation ... but we don’t take over their responsibilities. There are no free rides here.” This should not be taken to mean that the Riverkats are some sort of rehabilitation operation. It’s a serious football team, as was evidenced by its very serious first-season play. Teams in the Southern American Football League (SAFL) must follow exactly the same rules as NFL teams. “Imagine a first-year team with no money and limited resources becoming the champion. To actually put on a football game — goodness gracious! From the beginning to the end, it’s work,” said Lewis. Forget about finding great players and coaches. How do you find even adequate statisticians, medical aides, photographers, concession stand cooks, PR reps and ask them all to work on a strictly volunteer basis? Finding open venues for games the first year was also a challenge. But when they were found, the public responded. “I had no idea it would be this large,” said Lewis. The Riverkats lucked out in getting Tony Royster, the stand-up comedian called “Spicy Creole” to work as MC. His humorous comments got the crowd energized. Of one unusually large player, Royster said “he’s so big he looks like he’s wearing a halter top.” The “Down goes Frazier” phrase Royster uttered after hard hits became a chant among fans. The team’s Alvin Bartie, a Washington-Marion graduate, was the SAFL MVP in 2007. Williams said he “most definitely planned to play NFL ball again.” “They’ve thrown down,” said Lewis. “We’ve got a program. It’s evident. We’re the champs.”

MOMS BEHIND BARS May 2 2007 For women serving time in correctional facilities, separated from home and family, Mother’s Day is anything but pleasant. For its Mother’s Day 2007 issue, Lagniappe talked to several inmates at the Calcasieu Correctional Facility about what it’s like to spend the holiday without their children. “I think of my daughter every moment, and I think of my husband every moment,” said one inmate. “I just want her to know how much I love her. I miss doing the ordinary, everyday things, with her, like cooking together.” The most difficult part of having a child on the outside, said one inmate, was knowing the effect her incarceration was having on her children. “(My daughter) knows I’m in jail,” the inmate said. “And I can’t be the mom she begs me to be. It’s painful to realize that, because of me, my children have to suffer. My daughter cries herself to sleep every night.” For another inmate, who had teenage children living with their father, the most difficult part of the separation was realizing the milestones she was missing. “I have a 16-year-old and an 18year-old,” the inmate said. “And it’s difficult to realize I’m missing prom and graduation.”

Visits, the inmates said, are short and infrequent — one hour-long visit per week, conducted through glass partitions, something the inmates said made a bad situation worse. “(My daughter) never wants to miss a visit, but she never wants to be here,” said an inmate. “She wants me home. It’s so hard not being able to get to her and hold her.” Another inmate said she wouldn’t allow her children to visit her in the facility. “(My daughter) doesn’t know I’m here,” she said. “I refuse to allow her to come here. She only knows I’m in a place where I can get better, and that when I get better I’ll come home.” The holiday, said the inmates, was a time to reflect on the mistakes they’ve made and, more importantly, how to keep their children from walking the same path. “I’ve seen what the lifestyle I’ve lived can lead to,” one inmate said. “I don’t want my child to experience this.” “I tell my children not to make the choices I’ve made,” said another. “I tell them prison is not where you want to be. I think my children have learned from my mistakes.” The women also discussed their plans for life after being released. One said she wanted to take computer courses, another planned to go to school for massage therapy. No matter what course their lives took after release, however, all vowed never again to take for granted the trivial, everyday occurrences of everyday life. And all said they’d never miss an

opportunity to let their families know how much they love them. “I’m going to let everyone know how precious they are to me,” said one inmate. “I want to let my family know how much I love them.”

COCKFIGHTING BAN April 5, 2007 Lagniappe explored the “sport” of cockfighting and the State Legislature’s latest (and ultimately successful) attempt to ban the practice in Louisiana. The article described a typical cockfight: “The handlers hold the roosters — which have either razorsharp knives or icepick-like gaffes attached to their legs with rubber bands — within inches of each other, to allow each bird to become enraged at the other for intruding on its territory. “After allowing the birds a few pecks at each other, the handlers retreat to their corners and release them, and the ‘fun’ begins. “The roosters fly at each other. In a whirlwind of feathers, with the noise of flapping wings and a cheering crowd as a background, the birds struggle to gain the upper hand. The battle can last for several minutes, with the birds sometimes vomiting and defecating as they’re injured. Finally, one bird manages to sink his gaffe into the other’s breast, or perhaps his head. As the fatally injured

bird slowly dies, the victorious rooster is picked up, having lived to fight another day.” The article also explored the associated illegal activity that sometimes accompanied cockfights, citing a raid by State Police on two cockfighting pits, one in Tickfaw and one in Logansport. Owners of both clubs were charged with gambling, racketeering, money laundering and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The owners of the Tickfaw pit were also charged with possession of methamphetamines. Proponents of the sport say it has a long and distinguished history and deep roots in Louisiana culture. The article explored this angle, briefly describing the history of the sport from its ancient Greek and Roman origins to its introduction to the U.S. and its popularity with early U.S. Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln. The legislature revisited the issue of cockfighting in the summer of 2007, but with a major difference: Louisiana was the only state in the U.S. still allowing the activity. New Mexico, the other longtime holdout, had banned the practice. According to some legislators, that made all the difference in 2007’s successful attempt. “I’ve not been supportive of a ban in the past, even though I haven’t supported

the sport of cockfighting,” House Speaker Joe Salter (D-Florien) told Lagniappe. “But we’ve reached the point where we’re the only state left where (cockfighting) is legal.” “I hate to see Louisiana be the only state that continues this cruel practice,” said Sen. Art Lentini (R-Metairie) in 2006. “It’s harmful to the state’s image, and it’s harmful to the animals. In light of what’s happening in New Mexico, I’m hopeful that some bill will get passed this session.” Three bills were introduced in the summer 2007 session, two proposing an immediate ban, and one proposing a three-year phaseout. All three sought to close a loophole in the animal cruelty laws that allowed cockfighting participants to escape the fines and penalties for animal cruelty: Fowl were not considered animals at that time. The legislature voted to ban the sport, effective August, 2008 — a compromise one-year phase-out. The bill was signed into law by then-Gov. Blanco.

A LIFE OF FAITH May 3, 2006 In another Mother’s Day article, this one in 2006, Lagniappe spoke with 109year-old Laura “Mama” Rubit of Lake Charles. Rubit, born May 17, 1896, in Cankton, La., passed away a few years ago at 114. During the interview, Rubit’s singing voice was mentioned, and after the interview, she acquiesced to a request for an impromptu concert. Rocking slightly in a dining room chair, smiling, continued

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eyes closed, Rubit sang an old Mahalia Jackson gospel song, a beautiful song about finding strength in serving God. Her rock-solid faith was evident in her reverent, joyful delivery of the lyrics and the emotion in her full, rich alto voice, still surprisingly strong after nearly 110 years of use. It was that faith that had seen her through a life that witnessed the dawning of two different centuries, six major wars, Prohibition, the Civil Rights Movement and the Depression. It’s a faith she had passed down to, at press time in 2006, six children, 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren. Rubit was born into a large family, one of 10 children. Her mother, a devout Catholic, and her father, a staunch Baptist, agreed to raise their children in the Catholic faith. In 1917, Rubit married “the love of her life,” Oneazifor Rubit. The couple moved to Lake Charles in 1984, shortly before Oneazifor’s death, at the urging of two daughters and a son who lived here. Still able to get around with the aid of a walker, still able to sing her heart out, Rubit was quick to attribute her long life and relatively good health to “serving Jesus and the Blessed Mother.” She still attended Mass when the article was published, going to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Long life seems to be a family trait. Rubit’s father died at 104; her mother passed away at 100. A sibling lived to 103. Raising her children to be strong in

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their faith, Rubit told us, was the most important thing she did as a mother. She also said she and her husband strove to set a good example of what a strong and healthy marriage should be. “My mother’s love for my father, and his for her, impressed all of us as children,” said Sister Charlotte Rubit, one of her daughters. “I never saw my parents have a serious disagreement.” Sitting before a woman who’d lived nearly 110 years, seen five generations come into the world, been a mother to six children as well as a grandmother and great-grandmother — a woman who’d seen changes most of us can’t imagine

— it was impossible not to ask what advice she’d give to today’s young mothers. Her answer was simple, to the point, and as true today as it was 100 years ago. “Love your husband, and love your children,” Rubit said. “Train them in the way of the Lord, and set a good example.” It’s a formula that worked well for Rubit. “She’s a wonderful mother,” said Sister Charlotte. “She was always there for us — spiritually, emotionally and physically. We can never give back what she’s given us.”

COLD CASE FILES Dec. 1, 2005 “The bizarre is normal for us.” A journalist isn’t going to get many quotations as sexy as that one in the course of his career. The statement was uttered by Sgt. Pat Greer, a detective working in the Cold Case Homicide Unit of the Lake Charles Police Dept. Unit Commander Capt. Ronald C. “Candy” Lewis elaborated on Greer’s statement by explaining that after years and years of detailed investigation, the continued

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unit had seen plenty of gore and freakiness — enough, in fact, for detectives to become accustomed to it. “After looking at one or two autopsy reports, it all becomes lagniappe,” said Lewis. That degree of experience produces detectives with calm and objective heads who make sure that especially brutal one-time murderers aren’t pursued more vigorously than other killers. “We look at each victim’s family the same,” said Lewis. Since the unit was established by Police Chief Don Dixon in 2002, it had worked exclusively on 29 unsolved murders. Since the detectives worked only on cold cases, they didn’t have the stressors and time constraints of detectives investigating day-to-day crime. They had time to research and become experts on the evidence for cases. The unit is communityand family-oriented. “Before we begin,” said Lewis, “we meet with the family out of respect ... We will keep the family abreast of the progress — and more importantly, the lack of progress.” Kirkum said that when it comes to putting murderers behind bars, “Nothing takes the place of a good witness.” Lewis backed that up, asserting, “A witness — that’s priority.” Kirkum made the surprising assertion that “Somebody out there knows about every one of these murders.” About some cases, Kirkum was even more emphatic: “I know [the identity of the person who] did it. But I cannot put this person in jail.” Greer agreed, saying that having the knowledge of guilt without having enough evidence to press charges caused him to “lose sleep.” Anyone who’s spent much time in what we call the real world will know quite well the reasons witnesses don’t come forward. They may fear revenge at

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the hands of the alleged perpetrator or his friends or family. They may fear for the safety of their own families. They may dislike the idea that they might be considered a snitch. But there are sometimes incentives for witnesses to come forward (although often long after the fact). Some are wracked by guilt or shame for years. Others just get old and lose the desire to keep the information secret. In these latter cases, of course, there’s always the chance that the perpetrator may die before the witness comes forward. As for DNA evidence, the members of the group said they “love DNA.” Said Kirkum, “We like it. It’s another tool.” But they made it clear that DNA isn’t the magic cure-all it is in the CSI television shows. Lewis cautioned, “Use DNA, don’t let it use you.” What did he mean? Well, for one thing, he knew what any attorney does: in Lewis’ words: “DNA puts a particular person at a particular place.” And a sharp attorney will argue that’s all it does. When I interviewed the unit, I left DNA all over its offices. But I didn’t commit any crimes there that I know of. Community awareness, and the peer pressure that results from it, can raise the stress level of suspects. Cold Cases can ratchet up the pressure by visiting suspects directly at their places of residence. “We’ve gotten a lot of people nervous because we’ve knocked on a lot of doors. [If we knock on a suspect’s door] it won’t be a social call,” said Lewis. This Lagniappe story received national press attention when Greta Van Susteren covered the story of a 60-daydeadline for detectives on the Aruba murder case on her “On the Record” program. A Washington, D.C. detective

held up the Lagniappe Cold Case magazine cover during the national broadcast, applauding the unit for using a community-oriented approach to tracking down murderers. (The Fox News coverage was reported in the Jan. 5, 2006, edition of “Up Front.”)

local environmental conservation. He served on the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, as well. He was named the DuPont Corporation’s Volunteer of the Year in 1985. He began serving on the board of the NWF in 1996, chairing several committees. He also chaired the Calcasieu Estuary Task Force, heading up the agency’s effort to remediate the ethylene dichloride discharge by Conoco into the area’s estuary system. Ringo freely discussed industry’s environmental failures, but emphasized that he wasn’t anti-industry at all. “We need the jobs and the products that industry provides,” he said. “We just need them to produce those jobs and products in an environmentally responsible manner.” One solution, he said, might be stronger penalties for industries for infractions of environmental regulations, and tax incentives and bonuses for those who do follow the regulations. “I believe that industries that don’t

act responsibly where the environment’s concerned are not penalized enough,” Ringo said. “The state gives them a slap on the wrist. For some industries, it’s cheaper to pay the fine and continue environmentally irresponsible practices. We need tax incentives for those who act responsibly and to deny tax incentives for those who do not.” Ringo also spoke about his concern about the safety of railroad transportation of hazardous chemicals, pointing to the “almost continuous” spills from railroad cars, particularly in areas such as Mossville and North Lake Charles. On a national and global basis, Ringo discussed global warming, saying, “It’s debated whether the threat of global warming is real, but there’s no doubt that the North and South Poles are being affected. There’s no doubt that Mt. Kilimanjaro has lost its ice cap for the first time in 10,000 years.” He also discussed coastal erosion as an offshoot of global warming, with water levels in the oceans rising due to

melting ice. Ringo said it was not only an environmental concern, but also a potential security problem. “We’re losing an acre of land every 42 minutes due to rising water levels as well as manmade obstructions, such as the Mississippi River Levee,” he said. “I recently flew over the (Louisiana) coastline with Sen. Landrieu, Gov. Blanco and Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources Scott Angelle, and what we saw was devastating. We saw pipelines that were exposed due to the eroding coastline and vulnerable to attack. And these are pipelines that carry fuel from offshore rigs to the Northeast for heating.” Ringo discussed a few of the major goals he had for his two years as head of the NWF board, including pushing for legislation to force industry to act more responsibly, developing a dialogue and relationship between industry and the environmental movement, finding alternatives to fossil fuel, such as wind-gencontinued

HURRICANE RITA Oct. 20 and Nov. 3, 2005, and Jan. 5, 2006 For detailed information about Lagniappe’s coverage of Hurricane Rita, see the story “Reporting Rita” on page 109 of this issue.

A NATIONAL VOICE FOR SWLA ENVIRONMENT May 19, 2005 Lagniappe talked to Jerome Ringo, local environmentalist and, at that time, the newly-sworn-in chairman of the National Wildlife Federation, just ready to begin his two-year term. The first African-American to chair a major environmental organization, and only the second person from Louisiana to chair the NWF, Ringo said he was well aware of the responsibility he was undertaking when he was sworn in, as well as the historic importance of the moment, admitting that it was all a bit “emotional.” For Ringo, then 50, chairing the NWF was the culmination of 20 years of environmental advocacy. He graduated from Lake Charles High, where he competed in speech and debate, winning a state championship. He attended McNeese and Louisiana Tech. It was while working in the petrochemical industry after leaving college, he told us, that he began to realize industry’s environmental impact in the area. “I became very concerned about the people living outside the (plant’s) fence line,” he said. “Protection is adequate for those working in the plants; workers have gas masks, Nomex and other protective gear; but the residents living right across the street have no protection at all.” Ringo joined the Calcasieu League for Environmental Action Now (CLEAN), and put the public speaking skills he had honed in high school to good use as an outspoken advocate for September 5, 2013

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erated energy, and expanding the NWF’s grassroots conservation programs, such as the Schoolyard and Backyard Habitat programs.

THE HEALER Sept. 19, 2002 The strongest response, perhaps, that Lagniappe has ever gotten on a story in recent years was to the Sept. 19, 2002, feature on Opelousas resident and faith healer Greg Kerr, who claimed to have been anointed by a spiritual power that gives him the ability to heal the sick. In the interview with Lagniappe’s Karla Wall, Kerr kept his comments simple and straightforward. “I’m not a special person. But I love Christ. He’s closer

to me than anyone on this planet,” Kerr said. “He’s with me everywhere I go. And when he tells me to do something, I just do it, because that’s where the power lies.” Although it was not the aspect of the story most commented on, many readers must have been intrigued by the very specific apocalyptic predictions Kerr made in the course of the interview. After the story ran, the office was swamped with phone calls from readers who were ill or concerned about a sick loved one and wanted to know how to get in touch with Kerr. Six years after the article appeared, though the deluge of calls had slowed to a trickle, Lagniappe was still receiving calls about the article.

A CONVERSATION WITH WAYNE MCELVEEN Sept. 1, 1999 One unique facet of Southwest Louisiana is the singular importance it attaches to the position of parish sheriff. While a forthright, plain-spoken politician is not a unique phenomenon, it is a rare one. Such a rare personality was revealed when Lagniappe interviewed then-Sheriff Wayne McElveen for its Sept. 1, 1999, issue. McElveen spoke with a refreshing frankness about the controversies that arose during his administration. One of these was the debate about McElveen’s borrowing of $15 million through state bond issues to build the 600-bed Calcasieu Sheriff’s Prison, which opened in 1997. Said McElveen, “The police jury is responsible for building jails, but they don’t want to pay for them. And the public doesn’t want to pay for more jails, either. But the public does want to get habitual criminals off the street.” McElveen made the choice of accepting the loan in exchange for housing 200 federal inmates in the jail. “The new facility ... created 400 more spots for your local, hard-core, criminals ... “ said McElveen. “People who do understand it praise me for that.” Another major controversy centered around the persistent rumor that one of McElveen’s sons was involved with the KK’s Corner murders. “Let me put it to you this way,” said the sheriff, “I have three sons. Within a week [of the murders] they’d accused one or more of my sons of committing a murder ... [We] had [rumors] all over this parish. ... “You have to understand something: I have 700 full-time employees. Are they all corrupt? Surely they would go to [other] authorities if they had some critical information ... There’ve been five grand juries [convened over the murders]. Are the grand juries all crooked?” McElveen addressed the concerns of some that he had taken too gruff a tone in press conferences about the crime. “I do come across a little rough ... I’m an ex-Marine, a former football player.” When all was said and done, the article showed a career politician who was surprisingly direct, precise and articulate about exactly what he had done in office.

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Marketing and Design in Lake Charles. Ray Valdetero also recounted his days at KPLC. Starting out as sports director in 1967, he became news director in 1973. He returned to the sports department in late 1973, and finished out his career at KPLC in October of 1996 in the sales department. Still residing in Lake Charles when the article was published, Valdetero was still active in Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church and volunteered at local charitable organizations such as Abraham’s Tent. We also talked with on-air personalities from the more recent past, including Jan Hardy, who had anchored the noon and 5 pm news shows for KPLC from 1983-1990 and who was working for a pharmaceutical company

in Houston; Butch Alsandor, a KPLC sportscaster during the early 1980s who was, at the time of the article, working as a sportscaster in Houston; Robin Roberts, who anchored KPLC’s morning show from 1991-1992 and was anchoring the morning show at KTBS, an ABC affiliate in Shreveport; Bill Taylor, who co-hosted the station’s morning show with Roberts and also did weekend weather, and was handling the weekend weather reports and co-hosting a daily magazine show in San Antonio; Allen Tumey, who served in numerous roles at KPLC, including weather forecasts and a travel series, and who at the time was working at WFIE in Evansville, Ind.; and Mark Scirto, who was lead meteorologist at KPLC during the early 1990s and who

was handling the weather forecasts for KLTZ in Tyler, Texas.

EIGHT DECADES OF LOCAL LIFE March 5 and March 19, 1997 In a 1997 two-part series on longtime Lake Charles resident Harper Clark, Scott Raymond related the octogenarian’s account of the city from the Roaring ‘20s all the way up to the Lake Charles of the ‘90s. During his early decades, Clark saw the development of Lake Charles from its timber and agricultural roots to the days of its industrial might. Clark went from a small boy who rode the street cars to a broadcaster for KPLC Radio, then to a young wartime continued

LIFE AFTER KPLC: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Nov. 19, 1997 On-air television personalities become like old friends to regular viewers after a year or two on the air. And, since KPLC has been on the air in SWLA since the 1950s, there are numerous anchors, reporters, sportscasters and meteorologists that have come into the lives of SWLA residents, become a familiar part of each day’s routine, and then moved on. For its Nov. 19, 1997, issue, Lagniappe decided to catch up with some of those familiar faces to fill readers in on where they’d gone and what they were doing after leaving KPLC. Some were with the station in its earliest days, some were popular during the 1980s and early ‘90s. And all were glad to reminisce about their days in SWLA and at KPLC. We talked with Sam Tarleton, who’d been responsible for “just about everything in the field of sports” at the station during the ‘50s. He was host of the Jax World of Sports Show every evening. Tarleton told Lagniappe that the best part of his time at KPLC was interviewing sports figures and getting to know them. He once, he told us, had an opportunity to interview Alvin Dark of the Boston Red Sox. Tarleton left KPLC in 1961. He served on the City Council and worked at the Lake Charles American Press until retiring at the age of 65. We also talked with Gary Tyler, who had been at the station for over 20 years, from the early ‘60s to the early 80s. He covered the Rideaux case as it broke in 1961, as well as Hurricane Carla in 1962. He left the station briefly to run for congress — in 1964 against T.A. Thompson, and again in 1965 against a young politician named Edwin Edwards. He didn’t win either election, but he told us he had “come very close.” At the time the article was published, he was living in Dallas and enjoying charity work. Jeb Roberts, popular host of the afternoon children’s show Kartoon Kapers from 1959-1964, talked fondly of her days at KPLC, saying she especially enjoyed working with the children, and chuckling about the surprises encountered in doing a live television show with children involved. At the time the article was published, Roberts owned Louisiana September 5, 2013

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naval officer. Next, Raymond depicted Clark as a mature adult, eager to contribute to the city with his vast communications knowledge and expertise. Clark was a driving factor in preserving the city’s downtown area. He was also responsible for making Contraband Days — which began as a one-day boat race — the huge festival that it is today. In the ‘70s, Clark was at one time the president of the Lake Charles Theater. The ‘70s, as Clark remembered them, was a time of artistic and economic prosperity for the city. This was due in large part to the fact that oil was booming. While things were good in the ‘70s, Clark also spoke of the recession and hard times that hit the Lake Area in the ‘80s, and the signs of regrowth that were

beginning to be seen during the administration of Willie Mount. What was Clark’s vision for the Lake Area in 1997? “I think that you are going to find that the business and industry of the area are going to increase because of diversification. You know, one of our faults in the past is that we’ve attached our growth to one thing. First, it was the timber industry, then the agricultural industry, then the petrochemical industry. And, at one time, we hung our hat on military. “I think we started to realize with the Chennault Industrial Airpark that we have to look out for things that we can do to bring different activity to the area. I was talking with one plant manager the other day about some of the things that they produce. They produce the raw products for materials that are manufactured elsewhere. And I said, ‘Why aren’t they doing it here?’ And he said, ‘That’s something that we wonder about, too.’” Clark passed away in June, 2001.

sulting company. Makul Venna reported on Ingram’s trip in the story “The Cuban Connection,” which appeared in the Oct. 18, 1995, Lagniappe. Her exclusive story concerned the way in which improved trade relations with Cuba could help Louisiana businessmen and farmers. James Ingram knew opportunity when he saw it. With rumors circulating in 1995 that the then-33-year-old trade embargo with Cuba would be lifted, Ingram knew Louisiana should be ready to jump at its chance.

CUBAN OPPORTUNITY Oct. 18, 1995 James Ingram of Lake Charles returned home from a trip to Cuba in September of 1995 with a mixed report for Louisiana companies. Ingram said that the island nation held great promise for such prominent state businesses as rice, chemicals and sugar. But executives from other states appeared (to Ingram) to have gotten a leg up by establishing relationships with Cuban officials. At that time, few from Louisiana had visited the nation, he said. Ingram was the owner of Rio Rosa, a newly formed trade con-

As key producers of petroleum, food and chemicals, all of which Cuba needed, Louisiana had the potential to benefit immensely from the end of the embargo. In fact, history was in Louisiana’s favor; before the 1963 embargo, Cuba had taken more than half of Louisiana’s rice

exports. If the embargo were to be dissolved, Ingram was ready to act. It was his desire and hope that the rest of the state would be, too. That, the writer argued, would only be accomplished by building better relations with Cuban officials and governments. In subsequent years, port officials visited Cuba on a regular basis. Several large shipments of grain and other items have now been sent from the Port of Lake Charles to Cuba, as portions of the embargo have been rescinded.

GREAT ESCAPE Aug. 3, 1994 Tucked in between the rice fields and sugar cane fields is the Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway. In an Aug. 3, 1994, story, Susan Hare described this route, which takes travelers through some of the most interesting towns in South Louisiana. Starting on La. 14 at Holmwood, it continues east through small Cajun towns until it reaches New Iberia. The byway then turns west on U.S. 90 to Lafayette, and heads south on Highway 167 past Abbeville to Pecan Island. The towns along the way are full of historical landmarks, good Cajun food and friendly people. Every summer for many years, Lagniappe has featured some of the South’s most interesting retreats in its travel series “Weekend Escapes: Getaways Close to Home.” Many of these spectacular getaways are not publicized vacation spots, but rather, hidden treasures that are waiting to be discovered by the adventurous. continued

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In Hare’s 1994 two-part feature, she treated readers to a point-by-point tour of a breathtakingly beautiful, but generally overlooked, corridor in South Louisiana that runs from Lake Arthur through Vermilion, Lafayette, Iberia and St. Landry Parishes. Hare’s painstaking narrative traced the miles of the scenic route while recounting some of the area’s history and pointing out the attractions, towns and landmarks along the way. Although there had been no official designation from the state, Lagniappe, taking off on what was then just a dream of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Bureau, dubbed the route the “Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway.” The following year, the LCVB and the Lafayette Area-wide Planning Commission were successful in securing a grant of nearly $951,000 for development and promotion of the Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway. At the time, LCVB director Gerald Breaux said the funds would “help visitors traveling through our state see more than concrete highways.” When contacted for an update, Breaux said that the bureau was due to receive $267,000 in state grant monies. The funds were slated to be used for a corridor management plan and a promotional campaign, said Breaux. The management plan was being developed by the Evangeline Economic Development Commission, while the advertising agency Sides and Associates were coordinating promotions, he said. Today, the byway carries the name the Lagniappe article proposed and is getting a bit more attention. (A Google

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search on the byway results in five pages of hits.) And the route is still receiving state funds for its development.

THE DEATH OF JEROME BLANCHETTE May 18, 1993 On Wednesday, April 21, 1993, Jerome Blanchette of Lake Charles drove his truck to the top of the Interstate 210 bridge, parked, and climbed onto the railing overlooking the muddy waters below. The next day, his body was recovered at 12:50 pm, following an intensive 15-hour search. The 19-year-old had jumped into the Calcasieu River. It was an abrupt end to a life filled with dreams and goals, but also twisted by bouts of depression. In a 1993 article, Carol Sarro attempted to discover why the suicide occurred and whether it could have been prevented. It seems there were a great many warning signs before Blanchette’s death, most of which went unheeded or were taken too lightly. Blanchette had been battling depression for years, but friends often thought that he was simply a moody person. At other times, he just seemed like a kid going through the customary conflicts involved with growing up. But his reaction to an unfortunate injury pointed to the fact that Blanchette’s depression went beyond

moodiness. Blanchette was an All-State football player for St. Louis High School when a serious knee injury caused him to miss his senior year. This, said the people who knew him, troubled him to an excessive degree. But the warning signs again went unheeded. When times got dark for Blanchette, even when he was at the worst stages of his depression, no one believed he would resort to suicide. One of the main reasons was that his life appeared to be filled with positive events. His sister was about to be married, and he was looking forward to escorting a bridesmaid down the aisle. He was also was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity at McNeese, and he had expressed happiness about the membership. He was heavily involved in the fraternity’s events and was very close to his fraternity brothers. Although one of his fraternity brothers later said he had previously talked Jerome out of suicide three times, this person also said he had never told anyone about the recurring threat. The realization that depression and threats of suicide constitute serious warning signs is something that the people who knew Jerome Blanchette found out too late. Through the article, Sarro hoped to alert readers to the fact that such tragedies can be foreseen and averted if the warning signs are only noticed.

KURTH ON THE ‘RUN-OFF FROM HELL’ Several 1990 Issues Louisiana is no stranger to largerthan-life, ultra-controversial political figures. There are, of course, Huey P. Long and his brother, Earl K Long. And Edwin Edwards will forever warrant a page or two in Louisiana history books. But even with these colorful characters in the state’s historical background, it could be argued that no politician has stirred up more controversy, spurred more arguments or solicited more national attention for the state than David Duke. Duke’s bid for the governor’s post in 1990, and the fact that Duke drew enough support to force a run-off with Edwin Edwards, was Lagniappe columnist Michael Kurth’s favorite topic for months. In each issue, it seemed, Kurth

siphon off enough of the Democratic vote to get into the run-off, Kurth argued. Kurth also reasoned that Duke as governor would not have the impact that the anti-Duke forces claimed he would. He pointed to Georgia’s situation almost 30 years ago, when Lester Maddox was governor of the state. Maddox’s racial views and tactics, Kurth said, had no impact on Georgia’s economy or growth, due to the fact that Georgia had a strong legislature that worked independently of Maddox. “Over the next four years,” Kurth wrote, “Our economy will depend much more on what happens in the Legislature than on who occupies the Governor’s Mansion.” had some new analysis to share on Duke, Kurth also predicted that Duke the white supremacist’s political philoso- would take his style of politics and his phy, and what Kurth termed “the run-off racist philosophy into the national arena, from Hell.” where it would play as well as it had in Kurth used economic reasoning and Louisiana. (Kurth proved to be wrong on figures to explain what Duke’s problem the second half of the prediction.) with the welfare program was and why “America will discover that his polDuke’s position did not reflect economic ished image and racial code words play realities and was tainted by his views on as well in the suburbs of New York, Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles as race. Kurth also looked into Duke’s they do down in Bayouland,” he wrote. claims that he had seen dangerous duty “Duke is not just Louisiana’s problem. during the Vietnam War. Kurth dug a bit He is a national problem.” As it turned out, Duke’s presidential and found some pretty interesting facts behind those claims. For instance, Duke bid did garnish some national support. claimed to have served in Laos during But the final results of the campaign the war. Kurth pointed out, however, that were dismal. a biographer of Duke and some of his In one column, Kurth summed up fellow servicemen claimed that Duke his views on Duke and his politics. In had a plum assignment teaching English this column, he described his son’s exat a school in Laos’ capitol, and that any planation of “Dukin’,” a term some of assertion Duke may have made regard- the son’s friends applied to the act of ing dangerous duty was purely false. picking on their black schoolmates. Kurth also devoted quite a bit of his After expounding on Duke’s particular column’s space to the run-off race. Kurth brand of racism, Kurth ended the column called for an end to the open primary as follows: system, in which all registered voters can “On a more fundamental level, vote for any candidate in a primary Duke is attempting to redefine the regardless of the voter’s party affiliation. American political spectrum. Just as The state’s primary system, he claimed, Hitler’s Nazis destroyed the conservative was one of the main reasons Duke parties in Germany to gain political reached the run-offs. Duke was able to continued

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power, Duke understands that conservatives are the first obstacle blocking a racialist march to power in America. Once the conservatives are eliminated, the electorate can be polarized into racialists and liberals. In Louisiana, that is already happening. The campaign of conservative Republican Ben Bagert (in the 1990 gubernatorial race) has collapsed, and there is no longer a middle ground.” It’s been a while since Duke and his politics have been at the forefront of debate and discussion in the state. Some of Kurth’s predictions may not have become reality, but Lagniappe readers, over the course of several months, certainly came away feeling they understood a lot more about Duke, his philosophy and influence. Things haven’t gone well for Duke in the years following Kurth’s sustained attack. Duke was tried and convicted on charges that he had used his supporters’ contributions to feed his gambling habit. After trying to elude the FBI by taking a trip to Europe, Duke finally wound up in federal court. He served a 15-month sentence at the Big Spring Federal Correctional Facility in Midland, Texas.

CLIFF HANGAR Several 1989 Issues The tale of a 100,000-square-foot aircraft hangar sitting on roughly two and a half acres at Chennault Industrial Airport became the closest thing to a soap opera ever to grace the pages of Lagniappe. The four-bay hangar was designed as an aircraft maintenance facility at the

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former airbase. Built to accommodate wide-body planes, it was known as the “black hangar” (though the actual color of most of the structure was more of a dusty gray). The history of the hangar indicates the building has the unusual characteristic of appearing in different colors to different people. Far from seeing it as black, some have said it has the color of a white elephant or a golden goose. Whatever its true hue, Hangar 1343 (later known as Hangar 1) became a political hot potato that dominated talk of Chennault’s economic impact for years. Brett Reeves covered the controversy that erupted over the marketing of the hangar — and the airpark itself — in several issues of Lagniappe in 1989. The articles explored the problem of consolidating Chennault, which was, at that time, parceled out precariously among various owners and controlling interests. The purpose of consolidation was to present a unified front in the effort to lure court aviation companies to Chennault. The location of the companies to the area would provide desperately needed jobs and diversify the economic base. The real problem with the black hangar was never its looks or potential renovation cost. It was the fact that the hangar and surrounding land were owned

by a private investor, local real estate developer Brent Lumpkin. A group called ChennauIt Investors purchased the property from the government for $400,000 before the former base reopened as an industrial airpark. Lumpkin later bought out his partner’s interests. Lumpkin’s hangar was an island of private property floating in a sea of concrete expanses that had been divvied up among various public agencies. Complicating matters was the fact that the airpark’s major tenant, Boeing Louisiana, controlled most facilities surrounding the hangar site. From the late ‘80s to early ‘90s, Lumpkin attempted to market his hangar to a number of companies, but was repeatedly stymied by the issue of runway access. Among other problems, the land adjacent to the hangar was owned by the Calcasieu Parish School Board, which used it for bus maintenance and storage. And a 7-foot chain-link fence had been erected to separate Lumpkin’s property from that of the Chennault Industrial Airpark Authority. At least three companies were initially attracted by the size of Lumpkin’s hangar. These companies considered locating at Chennault during the time, but later declined. Meanwhile, area daily newspapers ran dueling commentaries focusing on

the merits and problems of the black hangar. At one point, an editorial writer declared that the general public considered the hangar a “white elephant,” and suggested that it should not be considered in negotiations with potential Chennault tenants, even if the companies were interested in its capabilities. Lagniappe took a different approach. In addition to dissecting the political differences and Chennault board disagreements that underscored the controversy, Reeves asked a representative of a company that was using a hangar of the same design as Lumpkin’s at its Waco, Texas, facility about renovation costs and potential value. That company, Elsinore Aerospace Services, later joined the list of firms thinking about locating at Chennault. Elsinore initially had its eye on the Lumpkin hangar, but later negotiated with the CIAA for a package that included two new hangars. The authority hoped to pass a $26 million bond issue to finance the $12 million cost of constructing the hangars and other improvements. The bond issue failed. In the end, Elsinore decided to stay in Waco. Among the reasons for its decision, the company noted that too many different entities were involved in the Lake Charles negotiations. Chennault ultimately acquired the hangar, purchasing it for $675,000 from local businessman G. Russell Chambers, who had taken ownership from Lumpkin. The CIAA renovated the former “white elephant” to the tune of $3 million in 1995.

At the time of the story, it was still vacant; however, Chennault officials were optimistic about the prospects of finding a tenant. But Chuck Johnson, former CIAA aviation advisor, said the task might have become more difficult. “(The acquisition and renovation) should have been done 10 years ago,” said Johnson. He noted that there had been other base closings in recent years, so Chennault now had more competition — a scenario he said he warned the authority about in 1989. “If anything, I think that local politics and personalities were driving the discussions (about the black hangar) more than business realities,” Johnson reflected. Lumpkin, former owner of the hangar, declined to comment on the black hangar controversy, noting only that “Chennault is an important and vital industrial component of SWLA ... Its diversity is paramount in our continued economic growth. “I have nothing to add regarding politics of the past, as I don’t feel that it serves any useful purpose to where we are today,” said Lumpkin.

MAYORS’ CONFERENCE June 1, 1988 When the Roemer Revolution began resculpting the face of the state’s government in 1988, residents of local municipalities felt they faced an uncertain future. Some innovative ideas were being considered; but even if the ideas proved best in the long run, the transition promised to be rough. In May of 1988, Lagniappe took the initiative to host a mayors’ conference to get the mayors of area towns together to address their concerns over fiscal reforms and other issues relating to the towns they served. The event was covered in the June 1, 1988 issue. Attending the function were thenmayors Ed Watson of Lake Charles, Gerard Johnson of DeRidder, Fred Ashy of Kinder, Dudley Dixon of Westlake and Lawrence Toups of Iowa. The events helped foster an open relationship between the area leaders. “We have a good working relationship,” said Dixon. “When we met in 1988, we tried to cover everything that would affect us on a collective basis.” At a time when the future of the area seemed shaky, transportation and continued September 5, 2013

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financial issues were especially pressing topics. “We’re talking about highway systems ...” said Watson. “Which way do they all go? They’re going east and west! What I’m saying is we better get off our duffs and do some thinking ... Somebody better think about what the hell’s going on in this state and what’s going to happen to us if we don’t use good sense.” Mayors faced other hard-pressing issues in 1988, including the prospect of increasing sales taxes, federal and state revenue sharing, and ways of attracting new business and community growth. “By getting together, we were able to get our priorities straight,” said Dixon. Ten years later, the mayors of the cities were still using the same kind of meeting to address issues of local concern. The Mayors’ Conference was the

first of many roundtable discussions hosted and reported by Lagniappe over the years. Other roundtables have focused on health, insurance and banking. Recent roundtables have focused on hurricane recovery and the expected economic expansion in the area.

SUSPICIOUS FINES May 15, 1988 Writer Brett Reeves used this lighthearted, and rather stereotyped, article to describe the issuing of speeding tickets in small Louisiana towns by law enforcement agents. “You’re passing through a rural community on your way to a business meeting, or just sight-seeing on a muchneeded vacation. The wind plays in the oak trees and Elvis is crooning on the

radio: ‘Caught in a trap. I can’t walk out...’ Seemingly out of nowhere, whirling red lights flash in your rear view mirror. You pull over and control your panic as a huge officer walks toward the car window. “Officer, was I breaking the law?” “Now, it’s funny you should ask that,” the officer replies, with what might be a grin. “The last city boy that come flyin’ through here asked the same question ... “ Reeves’ story, “McLeod and Cain Sing ‘Suspicious Fines,’” anticipated by several years a “Dateline” story about allegations of a possible conflict of interest in the relationship between area law enforcement agencies’ operating budgets and their income from fines and forfeitures. The story followed up on separate bills filed by two state senators in the 1988 session of the Louisiana legislature to limit the amount of revenues municipalities could generate from such fines. At the time the bills were introduced, much of the controversy surrounded the small village of Woodworth in central Louisiana, which derived nearly three-fourths of its budget from enforcement revenues, and which, according to Reeves, had reached the status of “a traveler’s no man’s land.”

GATORGATE June 16, 1986 “Sometimes it’s over and we just don’t want to face reality ... You look in those big green eyes. You think back over all those years together ... “I know it is hard to do, but someone has to speak out. Its not like I am knocking Mama on Mother’s Day, or burning the flag on the Fourth of July. It’s just that ... (gulp) .... Gumbeaux, ya gotta go!” Such was the opinion of writer Bill Dixon in a June 15, 1986, column. When Dixon stated that Southwest Louisiana might be ready to end its love affair with the local tourist bureau’s grinnin’ green mascot — Gumbeaux Gator — he opened up a can of worms. It turned out it was Dixon himself who ultimately became gator bait. Dixon’s commentary was intended to suggest the use of more realistic and aesthetic images for the area, specifically, photographs and artwork depicting the area’s natural beauty in brochures and other tourism marketing efforts. His angle, however, was received by some as an unjust attack on a cuddly, lovable guy in a gator suit. In a subsequent issue, Gumbeaux Gator retaliated in a letter touting his years of service as the Lake Area’s “goodwill ambassador,” his countless appearances at various festivals and events, and his popularity with the short set. “I surveyed some of my younger friends in the area, and three to none said, ‘Bill, ya gotta go!’” wrote Gumbeaux. The humorous feature won an award in the Louisiana Sportswriters Association and was lampooned at the Lake Charles Ad and Press Club’s Gridiron Show.

TRACKING HISTORY Oct. 2 and Oct. 16, 1985 “Railroad Avenue: A Look Back Down the Tracks,” a two-part story that 98

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appeared in October of 1985, contained the following passage: “The Southern Pacific line still runs through Lake Charles. The trains carry mostly freight these days, and much of that rumbles through town late at night. “Occasionally, a cluster of passengers can be seen standing near the tracks, waiting for an infrequent passenger train. But for the most part, the rail cars just whisk past. “There is not much reason to stop anymore.” Writer Bill Dixon noted that Railroad Ave. had been a bustling center of enterprise and activity in early Lake Charles. But by the 1980s, it had deteriorated into a rubble-strewn ghost town of decaying, boarded-up buildings and weed-choked vacant lots. Dixon explored the area’s history, interviewing the descendants of families whose lives and businesses once flourished along the then-essential tracks. He posed the question: Is there a future for Lake Charles’ past? The story painted a riveting picture

of not only the Railroad Avenue hub, but also of life in general in Lake Charles in the 1920s and ‘30s. Early in the century, Railroad Ave. and Ryan St. were the centers of Lake Charles life. In its first flush of success, Railroad Ave. was the rough and tumble street that attracted drinkers and lovers of other vices, while Ryan St. was geared more towards quiet shoppers. Railroad Ave. came to have a multiethnic make-up. Its early settlers included African-American, French, Lebanese, Syrian, and, especially, Italian families. Mainstay businesses that some locals might still remember included such cafes as Fran’s, Philip’s and the Pelican (later the Southern); Samuel Monticello’s grocery and the Central Food Market; the theater (called, at various times, the Louisianne, the Dixie, the Strand, the Ebony, and, today, the Artists Civic Theatre and Studio); the Liberty Bakery; the Red Star Drug Store and the circus. Dupuis’ Pelican market (1914-44) was said to be the first establishment in the area to sell boudin. One other piece of trivia: In 1921, Babe Ruth hit several home runs at an exhibition game played in a Railroad Avenue ballpark.

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Reporting Rita BY BRAD GOINS

knew something was wrong the moment I walked into the office at 8 am on Sept. 23, 2005. First, I saw staff hurriedly putting office equipment in boxes. Then I saw what was on the screen of the one computer that hadn’t been packed up. It was the NOLA map, clearly showing Hurricane Rita heading for a direct hit on the Sabine Pass. That took a second to register. We’d heard for days that it was a done deal that the storm would strike Galveston, possibly Houston. (I’d learn that all but a handful of reporters for national media had operated on this assumption. More on that below.) Once I figured out that the forecast was probably dead wrong, I decided pretty quickly that I’d be evacuating. In a couple of hours, I was in a car with a group headed for the small town of Oberlin. It took us eight hours to travel 45 miles. Before the storm hit, we gathered around a small, battery-powered television set up on a table in the Oberlin country house. Correspondents from CNN and the Weather Network had indeed traveled to Houston and Galveston. One especially annoying Weather Channel reporter stood on a dock in Galveston, going on and on about falling branches. Finally, a part of a branch (less than a foot long and looking like something that would most accurately be called a twig) was blown against one of his shoes. He held the little thing up to the camera and said “A branch.” This reportage provided the much-needed distraction of amusement in a house packed with 15 people fleeing the storm. I was the only one of the group who slept right through the hurricane. The next day, I woke up first and made breakfast for everyone. (Like many others, we had our protein foods on ice and wanted to use them ASAP. We’d eventually wind up dumping potentially spoiled meat in a pond.) One day, I hauled around fallen branches. But most days, I just sweated, as did the others. Some in the house were from Cameron Parish. They grew anxious as repeated cell phone calls and viewings of battery-powered televisions brought them no news of their home parish. The Monday after the storm, leading officials from areas hit by Rita addressed the public in a nationally televised press conference. Many of them patted themselves on the back for all the things they’d done. It was Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach who said he was willing to forego a speech about himself and his work to talk

about Cameron Parish. Roach brought the world its first real news about Cameron Parish. And while the news wasn’t good, for most it was better than absolute uncertainty. Roach had flown over the area in a helicopter, photographing much of the rav-

aged area. After a week in Oberlin, I went to Tennessee and air-conditioning. Three or four days after my arrival there, network coverage of Rita dried up, and stories about any sort of hurricane damage anywhere in Louisiana got tagged as “Katrina.”

Walking On Glass When reporters did talk about areas devastated by Rita (including sometimes Lake Charles, but never Cameron), they predictably used the catch phrase “war zone.” continued September 5, 2013

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I’d later learn that Cameron Parish did look like a war zone and would keep looking like one for many months. But when I returned to Lake Charles exactly two weeks after Rita’s landfall, I found not a war zone, but a more or less functional city replete with surreal sights. All the sidewalks in the immediate downtown area were covered with a dusting of minute fragments of glass. Beyond the downtown, most sidewalks were passable, but were consistently cluttered with a mix of roofing debris, leaves and branches. There were exceptions — Gerdsen Street was covered with large fallen trees. A number of enormous tree trunks would protrude several feet into Hodges Street for months. Part of the Charleston Hotel — I couldn’t tell which part — had fallen into a large heap of red brick. The windows in the old downtown Dept. of Motor Vehicles building, with glass 3/8 of an inch thick, had been blown apart. A line of people waiting in the hot sun for something in the old Trinity Baptist Church stretched out for a block and a half. The line of those waiting to pick up their mail at the downtown post office was said to be longer. Meanwhile, at the Civic Center, which was the focal point for hurricane refugees, an enormous wooden sign at one entrance read NO WALK-UPS. The sign was all the more ironic in that abundant debris still on Lakeshore Drive forced what few drivers there were on that street to move at a crawl that must have seemed unnatural in the extreme. Both my apartment and the Lagniappe office had electricity and water by the time of my return. The storm would keep Lagniappe from publishing an issue for more than a month.

RITA When the first post-storm issue appeared on Oct. 20, the headline on the cover was one word — RITA — spelled out in five-inch high capital letters. The very first ad in the magazine began with the copy — all in capitals — ATTENTION HURRICANE RITA VICTIMS. That set the tone for most of what followed. Headlines and ad tags were all about responding to Rita: “The Sportsman’s Healing Process,” “Most High School Teams To Resume Play,” “It’s Great To Be Back.” In the issue, one politician ran an ad that contained the statement “We will all make it through this.” Once more, a politician was put to the lie; we saw the obituary pages of the American Press swell to double, triple and quadruple the usual length. Many were not making it through. As we worked in the office to put our Rita-related magazines together, I felt that, for once, the atmosphere was charged. I actually worked at my writing. For the RITA issue, I wrote two columns and three feature stories. I felt (and still feel) that in terms of content, it was the best issue of Lagniappe I’d seen. One person joked that the stories were so solid because Lake Charles finally had some news to report. In the midst of the upheaval, there was some good news to report. One big story was that competitors in the health care business had worked together to take in and care for Katrina victims right up to the time Rita hit. The U.S. Air Force flew the patients into Chennault on a C-130. Every day for two weeks, officials in Baton Rouge called both Christus St. Patrick’s 110

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and Lake Charles Memorial to tell them how many patients would fly in on the particular day. And every day, the hospitals worked together to make a sufficient number of beds available. Early in the evacuation, most Katrina patients only required general medical attention. Mark Severns, one of the Disaster Coordinators for Region 5 in Louisiana, said that patients who arrived for general treatment were “innumerable.” He said that with each day, the condition of the health of the new arrivals was a little worse. “Towards the end, all the people (who arrived here) were sick.” These were the people who’d experienced a week of dehydration, hunger and heat stress in New Orleans attics and rooftops. Severns, who listened daily to radio transmissions from health workers in New Orleans, began to hear requests for body bags, as well as reports of shots fired.

for the long, densely packed evacuation. Not long after the group’s departure, Lambright got a phone call informing him his mother-in-law had suffered a heart attack and died in the course of the evacuation. His pain worsened. Lambright decided he was in too much pain to drive to Houston. After Rita passed through, Lambright, his great pain not withstanding, resolved to drive all the way to Long Island, where his mother-in-law’s funeral would take place. After 26 consecutive hours of driving, Lambright was met by relatives who took him straight to a Long Island hospital, where he was given massive steroid injections for his pain. As of Oct. 20, he was saying, “I don’t know if it’s totally hit me.” His wife still hadn’t been able to bring herself to look at the Lake Charles apartment where the couple lived before the hurricane ordeal began.

Sheer Determination

So Dark You Couldn’t See

One story was positive only in the sense that it showed what could be accomplished by means of nothing more than sheer determination. On Sept. 23, Lidell Lambright had an appointment with a neurosurgeon in Houston who he hoped could put an end to the excruciating pain Lambright felt from a pinched nerve. Lambright lingered in Lake Charles while his wife, children and mother-in-law set off

I think the brightest moment of our Rita coverage was a roundtable discussion Lagniappe writer Karla Wall conducted with five local leaders who’d been integral to the planning process for Rita from the very beginning (“Taking On Rita: How Calcasieu Parish prepared for and managed the massive destruction of a major hurricane ... and the road to recovery,” Nov. 3). continued

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Of course, it would have been impossible to interview the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of area figures who were integral in the early response to Rita. And there were also the dynamics of the roundtable discussion to contend with. Five or six is the maximum a roundtable discussion will accommodate. If the group is any larger, some simply won’t be able or willing to get a word in, and the reporter will be overwhelmed. After careful deliberation, Lagniappe chose Lake Charles Police Chief Don Dixon, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Hal McMillin, Lake Charles City Administrator Paul Rainwater and Calcasieu Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Dick Gremillion for the roundtable group. After the story appeared, follow-ups of those who complained about being omitted were invariably disappointing. It became clear that those who’d made exceptional personal sacrifices for the sake of aiding the community as a whole weren’t interested in getting press for their efforts. The roundtable participants said they resolved before the storm hit that in the early stages of a hurricane landfall, they’d work together on several core priorities: • keeping lines of communication open, • maintaining access to fuel, • securing transportation to move Katrina evacuees and • evacuating hospitals and nursing homes. After the storm hit, said Rainwater, “the Fire, Police and Public Works Departments diverted some of their assets

to us. They cleared a lane from Broad Street to the Civic Center.” The first broad tasks undertaken after Rita had finished her work were search and rescue. Transportation proved to be as difficult as anticipated, with Dixon saying, “There were 1,200 buses in Houston and we had to scramble to get 90.” Nevertheless, said Mancuso, authorities and workers “were able to evacuate every

For the RITA issue, I wrote two columns and three feature stories. I felt (and still feel) that in terms of content, it was the best issue of Lagniappe I’d seen. One person joked that the stories were so solid because Lake Charles finally had some news to report.

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person in Calcasieu Parish who wanted to leave.” After that immense job was complete, law enforcement and protection of property went into play. Other top tasks in the first few days after Rita included: • keeping evacuated residents informed via the media, • conducting damage assessment and • encouraging people not to return until vital repairs were made, then, later, encouraging people to return so that businesses would have the workers they’d need to reopen. Those were the well-laid plans. But what about the experience? To hear these leaders tell it, it was the experience of having to work without resources. In Gremillion’s words: “A disaster means you don’t have anything to work with.” Take the resource of electric lighting. Said Mancuso, “It was so dark out there ... You couldn’t see ... We had a code word that we used.” How about other resources we take for granted in everyday life but can’t lose without finding ourselves at a standstill? Said Rainwater, “Stores were closed. There was no fuel, no food. The major components of life were not here.” Commonsense preparations that could be made were made. “On the day of the hurricane,” said Gremillion, “at about 1:45 pm, we ordered food and water for 25,000

people ...” Still, in the dark chaos that was the immediate aftermath of the storm, networking was the resource used most. “We existed on friendship for the first 72 hours,” said Dixon. Friendship, as one would assume, included self-sacrifice, trust and open and honest communication. Friendship also meant there was no place for power grabs or status enchancers. Consider this selection of quotes: • McMillin: “We all took a vow to communicate and work together. If we had any differences, we would discuss it one on one, and when we came out of the meeting, we were unified.” • Rainwater: “We had competing interests, sure, but that’s part of the process. Everyone played their positions on the team. Public Works did an unbelievable job ... as did the Fire Department.” • Mancuso: “Everyone put egos aside.” • McMillin: “The key point was that we threw politics aside.” The 72-hour period seems to be the minimum required to re-establish a basic infrastructure after community-wide catastrophe. “You have to be able to hold your own for three days,” said Dixon. In this period, just maintaining oneself and the resources one did have was an arduous thing. There were, for example, the challenges created by the tons of roofing material in parish streets. Dixon spoke of the dilemma that arose for law enforcement agents driving vehicles: “ ... All the flat tires we had to deal with; I think it was 400-500 tires. We had officers plugging tires full-time ... Sam’s sent a guy over, and all he did was plug tires ... "

The roofing debris made parking in the short term a near impossibility. And the loss of usable housing created practical challenges for officers and limited the aid they could get from outside the area. Said Rainwater, “Police were sleeping in their cars, on the ground, just wherever they could find a spot.” There wasn’t any point in putting law enforcement from outside the area in the same situation. “You can bring in all the cavalry in the world,” said Dixon, “and it does you no good if you can’t put them up.” Some problems proved less daunting than one would have expected them to be. Said Rainwater: “We estimated our fuel consumption would be 42,000 gallons per day ... And we had no place to get fuel ... “ But shortly after the storm ended, Glen Pumpelly wound up delivering the fuel, without an escort. Don Bruno of Don’s Car Wash also pitched in, providing 20,000 gallons of fuel. In spite of the inhospitable conditions, some came in from the outside to help. Among these, interestingly enough, was the Lt. Gov. “Mitch Landrieu came in, asked what he could do, and we told him to answer phones,” says Gremillion. While Cameron Parish was rarely mentioned in the roundtable, Gremillion did say, “On every move we made, we checked with Cameron Parish and they checked with us.” There seemed to have been a clear understanding of Cameron’s predicament; said Mancuso, “We knew Cameron was going to just get hammered.” And Calcasieu Parish had no better luck than its neighbor to the South when it came to getting help from FEMA. Rainwater made the understated comment that “some parts of FEMA are extremely frustrating.” McMillin was more blunt: “The expedited assistance [from FEMA] just hasn’t seemed to get here.” [This was stated roughly a month after the storm.] However it all came together, what was done worked and worked well. In Gremillion’s words, “We were hit by a major hurricane and the parish was back in business in two weeks. That says a lot ... “ In statements that might have involved comparisons to Katrina, Dixon said, “We had a crisis, but we didn’t have chaos,” and Mancuso said, “This crisis didn’t manage us, we managed the crisis ... “

ble. The branches of the trees that still stood were covered with brown plastic shopping bags. And wherever there was a fence, it had become what locals called a “Rita clothesline” — a fence draped from one end to the other with three to four layers of clothing. These clothes weren’t put on fences to dry. They were carried about and eventually deposited on fences by the 20-foot water surge that ripped through the town. Some houses looked fine from the

outside. Close examination revealed they’d been moved 30 feet from their foundations. Some citizens were trying to retain items of value to them. Around clusters of equipment or building supplies were such spray-painted signs as “Do not take bricks!” “Do not bulldoze shop!” “Keep out!” There were eerie sights everywhere. A spiral staircase rose to a story that wasn’t there anymore. Wind blew a large fan in what was left of a building that no longer had any walls or roof.

Kirk Barleign’s fire equipment business was still in operation. It just operated without a building around it. Wilkerson Scrap and Salvage did a brisk business, dumping debris into one of several depositories that were 30 feet high and ran for hundreds of yards. Sellers called the scope of wreckage “unbelievable ... I’ll talk with people who go to look at Cameron for the first time since the storm. When they see it, they say, ‘Oh, my God.’” There were a few signs of repair in the downtown area. John Wagoner of Cameron Cable and Cordage was building a shed to hold spools of cable. Someone had put new studs in most of what was left of the first floor of the Cameron Motel. Rebuilding by some of the larger entities, such as Jeff Davis Electric and Halliburton, was very fast and thorough. The courthouse, built to withstand hurricanes, suffered relatively little damage. Right up to the date of this publication, those who owned private residences in Cameron before the storm have had to struggle with ever-changing FEMA regulations, heel-dragging insurance companies and new, demanding state building codes. There would be more demand for the Cameron recovery issue than for any other. I reported on Feb. 16, 2006, that we were still averaging a call a day from readers requesting back issues. No copies were picked up after the distribution period; we were soon down to 20 in-house copies. Within a couple of weeks, we had to tell those requesting an issue to check with their friends and relatives. I eventually came to think of Rita as having an effect like that of a large rock thrown into a large lake. Eventually the ripples reach all parts of the lake. Some, like me, who were mostly just inconvenienced by the initial impact, would find themselves reacting strongly to the ongoing stress of the many who’d been hit hard by the storm. Even today, nearly three years on, I’m still affected by the ripples of Rita. The story is a long way from being over. This story first appeared in the 25th anniversary edition of Lagniappe, published on June 5, 2008.

‘Extreme Devastation’ “Extreme devastation.” That’s what the Cameron Pilot’s Cindi Sellers told me to expect when I saw post-Rita Cameron for the first time late in December, 2005. I reported on what Sellers showed me in the Jan. 6, 2006 Cameron issue. After three months, the parish was still under mandatory evacuation. Between the Blackwater Security checkpoint and the Cameron side of the Gibbstown bridge, everything looked fine. Then the land turned black — black with the conglomeration of rotting, uprooted marsh that spread as far as the eye could see. Thousands of pieces from broken buildings — boards, sheets of siding, hunks of walls — looked as if they were floating on top of an enormous black lake. Busted mobile homes had been pushed off the road. An A-frame sat in a ditch. Vehicles also lay in ditches — one of them having, apparently, been caught in a wind funnel that transformed the metal of its body into two-foot long corkscrews. What had been houses were now peaks of roofs rising up from piles of rubSeptember 5, 2013

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STARS AND STRIPES CLASSIC CAR SHOW The City of Lake Charles will present the 4th annual Stars and Stripes in the Park Classic Car Show to be held Sept. 6, 6-8 pm, and Sept. 7, 9 am-4 pm at Heritage Square, 923 Ruth St., in Sulphur. Both days will feature free food booths, door prizes and live music. On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Stars and Stripes Car Show will take place, with car entries cruising on Ruth Street to follow; and Boudin Wars, 11 am-1 pm. Cost for Boudin Wars is $5. Admission to events, as well as show car entry, is free. For more info, contact Chris at 337-419-5284 or turbocg@yahoo.com. For info on Boudin Wars, contact the Brimstone Museum Historical Society at 527-0357.

MIDNIGHT FANTASIES CAR SHOW The Midnight Fantasies Car, Truck and Bike Show will take place Sept. 21-22, 10 am-8 pm, at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The show will feature 400-plus show vehicles. There will also be vendors, food, a “crank it” contest, dyno pulls, a rock climb, trading card shows, games, music and more. No ice chests or pets allowed. Admission is $10 per day for adults, with children age 10 and under admitted free.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR ARTS AWARDS

ARTS NETWORK SEMINAR

The Arts Council of SWLA and the City of Lake Charles are currently accepting nominations for persons to be honored at the 2013 Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony, scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11, 6 pm, in the Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium at Central School. Nominations must be received by the Arts Council office no later than Monday, Sept. 16. The awards recognize the contributions of Southwest Louisiana’s creative workers, patrons and artists to the region’s culture. Mayor Randy Roach will present the awards to each recipient. Categories include Artist of the Year, Citizen of the Arts, Citizen of the Humanities, Arts Educator of the Year, Arts Organization of the Year, and Patron of the Year. The Keystone Award will also be given to an individual who works diligently behind the scenes, without whom programs and performances would not be possible. To nominate an organization, individual, or group, download a nomination form at artsandhumanitiesswla.org. For more information, call the Arts Council at 439-2787.

The Arts Council will host a free seminar on building a relationship between the arts and businesses Tuesday, Sept. 10, 11:30 am, in room 108 of Central School Arts and Humanities Center as part of the quarterly Regional Arts Network luncheon series. The seminar will examine strategies to create conversations between the arts and business sectors in Southwest Louisiana. A panel of local business leaders will discuss the benefits of partnering with local arts initiatives and events, and offer tips on approaching area businesses for support. Arts Council staff will also present nationwide trends and reports on business support for the arts over the past few years and how they affect the region’s cultural economy. A presentation will also be given on the upcoming Gallery Promenade, an annual Arts Council event that showcases the art spaces and galleries of the Lake Area. An RSVP is required, and lunch is served at 11:30 am for $5 per person. For more information or to RSVP, call the Arts Council office at 439-2787 or visit artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

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STEP UP FOR DOWNS

B-29 Superfortress

The 11th annual Up4Downs walk will take place Saturday, Sept. 28, at the McNeese Quad. Registration will begin at 9 am, and the walk is scheduled for 9:30 am. Activities such as face painting, moon jumps, food, dancing and kids’ games will take place from 10 am to 1 pm. The event is the primary fundraiser for Up4Downs, a non-profit support group committed to raising community awareness and understanding of the special abilities of children and adults with Down syndrome. The group offers education, activities and support for our citizens with Down syndrome and their families. Registration fee is $15. To register or for more info visit up4downswla.org and click on the Step up link, or contact Melanie Sarro at 842-6555 or 540-5992.

MSU FACULTY RECITAL

LA FAMILIA FASHION SHOW La Familia Resource Center will present A Fashion Extravaganza: A New York State Of Mind, a fashion show and silent auction fundraiser, Friday, Oct. 4, at L’Auberge Casino Resort. Guests will experience a New York-style fashion show with clothing provided by Dillard’s, Frankie and Co. and Men’s Wearhouse, hairstyles by Signatures Salon, and make-up by Mac. Reserved ticket holders will receive hors d’ oeuvres, along with a cash bar, swag bag and reserved seating; VIP ticket holders will receive access to the VIP Lounge, with butler-served hors d’oeuvres and a carving station; two complimentary drinks, including beer, wine, soda or water; along with a cash bar, swag bag and VIP seating. Silent auction items will include dinner packages, and trips to Houston, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, as well as items from local companies, boutiques and artists. La Familia Resource Center is a bilingual, multi-service, 501(C)3 nonprofit organization developed to meet the needs of multi-cultural families and individuals of all nations by providing information, resource referrals, and access to services and programs within the Lake Charles community to help them adapt to their new life in Southwest Louisiana. Reserve and VIP tickets are available online at lfrc.eventbrite.com or by calling the agency at 312-2906.

The McNeese Dept. of Performing Arts will present a faculty potpourri recital Friday, Sept. 6, 7:30 pm, in the Shearman Fine Arts Performing Arts Theatre. Part of the Department of Performing Arts’ 2013 Fall Faculty/Guest Artist Series, the program will feature “Two Prayers” by Keith Gates; “The Single Petal of a Rose” by Duke Ellington; “Suite for Flute and Guitar,” by Jay Kacherski; “Notes of Love” of Nicola Ferro; “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” by Charles Gabriel, arranged by William Rose; and “Animal Ditties,” by Anthony Plog, with narration by McNeese President Philip Williams. Scheduled to perform are William Rose, trombone; Anne Rose, piano; Pat Sheng, bari-saxophone; Carol Lines, soprano; Judy Hand, flute; Jay Kacherski, guitar; Lina Morita, piano; Dave Scott, trumpet; and Jan Scott, clarinet. For more information, call the Department of Performing at 475-5028.

WALNUT GROVE 5K, FUN RUN Walnut Grove, the new traditional neighborhood development located at 1575 West Sallier St. in Lake Charles, will host a 5K race and fun run Saturday, Sept. 28, 7:30 am, to celebrate Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School’s 60th anniversary. The 5K and fun run will start on the Walnut Grove property and wind through the Shell Beach Drive area. The event will also include a kids’ obstacle course, mimosas at Walnut Grove’s model home, music, food, a raffle and more. Registration fees are $20 for the 5K race and $15 for the fun run (strollers welcome). All pre-registered participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt. Awards will be given to the overall male and female 5K race finishers, as well as age division winners. Awards will be given to all participating children. For more info or to register, call 497-0137 or visit walnutgrovetnd.com/community.

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LUTCHER PRESENTS FOLK MUSIC CONCERT Lutcher Theatre in Orange will present A Band Called Honalee in concert Saturday, Sept. 7, 7:30 pm. Celebrating the folk movement of the 1960s, the show brings together four artists whose inventive arrangements of Peter Paul and Mary favorites of the past allows today’s audiences to enjoy the same youthful energy that sparked the movement. The show will also include songs by Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkle, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, The Mamas And The Papas, The Weavers, Judy Collins, and other folk and folk/rock artists. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students, and are available at www.lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher Box Office at 409-886-5535.

MEDICARE SEMINAR West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital will present a free seminar on Medicare benefits Tuesday, Sept. 10, 11:30 am, at the Sulphur regional Library, located at 1160 Cypress St. A Senior Health Information Program representative will discuss the difference between various Medicare plans, coverage benefits, programs such as Senior RX, and other help for low income and disabled seniors. Refreshments will be served. For more information or to RSVP, call 527-4282.

DARE TO BE HEALTHY PROGRAM A meet-and-greet informational event to kick off the Dare to be Healthy KISS (Keep It Simple, Sister) project for women will be held Sept. 23, 5:30 pm, at the Iowa Community Center at 207 Hwy. 90 West, next to the Substation in Iowa. The 12-week program will meet three times per week beginning Sept. 30. The free program, a weight loss program geared specifically towards women, focuses on simple steps to achieve health goals. For more information or to register for the Iowa program, contact Sharmita Rideau at lifefitfree@gmail.com or Mayor Carol Ponthieux at carol@iowala.org.

IMPERIAL CALC. MUSEUM EXHIBIT Gibson Barham Gallery/ Imperial Calcasieu Museum will host an exhibit of the works of Vickie Singletary Sept. 6-Oct. 19. Titled “Flying Free,” the exhibit illustrates the artists exuberant sense of freedom, strong spirituality, and unique expression of the hidden beauty in all things.

MSU PERFORMING ARTS SHOWS The Department of Performing Arts at McNeese State University will host the follow recitals and concerts this month. The shows are free to the community. — Sept. 5: Faculty/guest artist recital with Patrick Sheng on saxophone, Ralph Squires Recital Hall — Sept. 6: Faculty Potpourri — Celebrate the Arts, Shearman Fine Arts Performing Arts Theatre — Sept. 20: Faculty/guest artist recital with Dave Scott on trumpet; Jay Kacherski, guitar; Lonny Benoit, percussion; Lina Morita, piano; Shearman Fine Arts Performing Arts Theatre — Sept. 22: Faculty/guest artist recital — “The Music of Bill Rose,” St. Luke Simpson United Methodist Church For more information, call the department at 475-5028.

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REEL TALK

duane bergeron

Time Flies 2013 marks 20 years I have been a writer for Lagniappe. I will always be grateful to publisher Bob Hartnett for allowing me to combine my passion for writing and motion pictures. To celebrate Lagniappe’s 30th anniversary, here’s a list of the five best pictures I have reviewed since Lagniappe’s 25th anniversary in 2008. They are in no particular order.

AVATAR (2009) Only James Cameron could have replaced one top all-time hit directed by him with another he’d directed. Cameron’s Titanic (1997) was history’s top grosser until Avatar took the top spot, grossing over $700 million domestically and way over $1 billion worldwide. I did not like the unabashed “treehugger” message in the film, but its technical wizardry could not be denied. Avatar also ushered in the current 3-D craze in Hollywood. It was not superior science fiction. A wounded soldier participating in a cutting-edge experiment on an alien planet was not my idea of a grand story. However, Cameron was able, with his filmmaking talents, to make it grand and glorious. The message resonated with film audiences all over the planet. In a recent announcement, there will be three sequels to Avatar filmed back-to-back. The first comes to theaters in December 2016.

THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) Why do superhero movies dominate the film industry right now? Because of features like this one. Batman is the most intriguing character in comic book history. The 1960s campy television series sure didn’t give him any respect. The first four pictures treated the character better, though the first one, directed by Tim Burton, came the closest to getting it right. Then director/producer Christopher Nolan came to Warner Brothers. And he got Batman not just right, but perfect. Nolan and his team created a trilogy of masterpieces. But the middle installment was the standout. Based on comics legend Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight” interpretation of Batman, Nolan elevated the character to new heights. The late Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker made Jack Nicholson’s version in the 1989 film look infantile in comparison.

THE AVENGERS (2012) Superhero features also make a lot of money if done right. Batman was not the only example of this. Disney, which now owns Marvel Comics, created an extraordinary marketing tactic to sell their films. Starting with Iron Man in 2008, others followed leading up to the superlative ensemble picture The Avengers. Director

Joss Whedon (Firefly), took an exceptional cast and story and turned it into arguably the best production in this genre. Rival DC/Warner Brothers is hoping to eventually release a Justice League motion picture to compete with The Avengers. Though the Marvel releases are now moving into a “phase 2” stage at this time, they will have to be outstanding in order to keep the edge. A sequel, subtitled The Age of Ultron, is planned for a May 2015 release.

STAR TREK (2009) The venerable science fiction franchise brought to life by the late Gene Roddenberry still draws audiences after over 45 years. However, it hit a period of malaise when Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) bombed at the box office and the fifth television series, Enterprise, failed to make an impact with viewers. Paramount brought in director/producer J.J. Abrams to resurrect the franchise. Right now, Abrams is Hollywood’s hottest producer/director. With the 11th movie, Abrams recast the iconic characters from the original series with younger actors and established an alternate timeline, which is allowing for the infusion of fresh storylines. The result was box office numbers never before seen in the franchise’s history. This year’s Star Trek Into Darkness repeated the formula. And it worked admirably again. Abrams is now two-for-two with this franchise. His next project is directing Episode Seven, the first installment of the sequel trilogy. The release date is scheduled for summer 2015.

SKYFALL (2012) It’s hard to believe that the exploits of British superspy James Bond have been thrilling audiences around the world for over 50 years. By the time Pierce Brosnan came on board to portray 007, the storylines were falling into a highly predictable rut. It was time for a major overhaul. The production team replaced Brosnan with Daniel Craig, who was introduced in Casino Royale (2006). The team also decided to revamp the concept and character radically. Bond was modernized, though still true to Ian Fleming’s basic premise. The revamp was an overwhelming success. Skyfall became the highest grossing Bond feature ever. The action was mixed with a healthy dose of drama to make 007 more three-dimensional. The traditional elements, including the hightech gadgets and Bond’s womanizing, were reduced to bring a more contemporary look and feel to the premise. And yes, Bond will return in a couple of years.

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MOUNTED MEMORIES

rocke "soybean" fournet

Genuine Adventures It is a milestone achieved by a select few. To survive and prosper for 30 years in any business endeavor is an accomplishment that deserves notice. Lagniappe’s bi-monthly publication has thrived and survived as the voice of Southwest Louisiana for an incredible three decades! There have been many who have tested the same journalism market and not fared nearly as well. The life span of most was short-lived before they folded their pages for the last time. Sportsworld, which morphed into Lagniappe, was the brainchild of homeboy Bob Hartnett. Bob was schooled by some legendary teachers at Lake Charles High School who laid the groundwork for a brilliant career in journalism. His paper has surely stood the test of time. His successes can be directly attributed to those same teachers who once ruled the halls of “The High.” From its inception, the “Mounted Memories” section has been a staple in the make-up of this local editorial. It’s been a match made in heaven, with both the paper and the article always making

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the deadline, albeit sometimes just barely under the wire. Together we tested the journalistic waters and basically learned from experience. It’s been a slow but sure learning curve — incredibly surviving for 30 years! Over the years, Bob has backed his writers with the latitude to cover a variety of subjects. Primarily, “Mounted Memories” is concerned with mostly true hunting and fishing stories that local sportsmen find interesting. There’s usually no shortage of the many

great adventures that occur here each season. During peak times for hunting and fishing, there are usually beaucoup stories to choose from. During slow periods, some subject or the other will usually pop up, and the story just begs to be told. The power of the pen is mightier than that of the sword, and writing is a great way to get the story out. It’s a perfect tool for venting and airing some of the gripes we’re all beset with on a daily basis. Armed with pen and paper, it can be a vent fest! Articles over the years have pretty much run the gamut. There’s always room for a few scathing articles on the state of government and self-serving politicians to boot. Everyday problems concerning littering, morons who don’t know how to drive, our country’s involvement in foreign wars, pollution, sagging pants and boat courtesy are just a few that deserve rants and raves. Another favorite is the recognition of

area athletes who undertake the tough task of preparing and practicing in return for our interest. Too many fly under the media radar, but they deserve special recognition. More than a few families have their Lagniappe article posted, laminated and displayed proudly on their wall. It’s an honor to put their names in print. As time has marched on, we’ve lost some outstanding local outdoorsmen and stewards of the wild world. Some have been justly memorialized in our paper. It’s part of the cycle, and hopefully those articles brought a knowing smile from close friends and family. The keys to our successes are genuine tales and adventures that we attempt to describe in a somewhat coherent and understanding story. Keep the stories coming and we will write on. Remember the one about an old Cajun who’s caught by the game warden for possession of several green herons in the trunk of his car? He tried to blame it on his son, but later came clean. The officer asked why he shot them. “Were they even edible?” The Cajun smiled knowingly and blurted, “They taste just like owl!” Happy 30 years, Lagniappe!!!

A Natural In Memory Of Darrell Derouen BY ROCKE FOURNET We lost a good one, and he will be sorely Darrell’s reputation as a cook and missed. Leroy, from next door connoisseur of fine food was second to (Cinnamon’s Bakery), delivered the news none. He never met a piece of meat he our good friend and compadré Darrell couldn’t turn into a delicacy, and the more Derouen had passed away. people that showed up the merrier. His Darrell was a regcookouts were legular, first at Leroy’s endary and a staple of for morning coffee, the good life in and then over to my Louisiana. shop for a good sesHe was in his elesion of b.s. to start the ment and contented as day. Topics of convera pig in slop serving up sation covered a wide a good meal. He was range, and you never what the old Cajun had to guess where cooks called a “naturDarrell was coming al.” He personally saw from on each one. It to the fact you were was refreshing to hear never allowed to leave a person’s viewpoint until you were overly come straight from the stuffed. heart, with plenty of To say Darrell verbs in his sentences. was a family man Most of our politwould be an underical conversations statement. His kids and were x-rated and laced grandkids were his with hardcore profaniabsolute favorite subty. Starting with the ject. They were his Darrell and devoted grandson, federal government, pride and joy; it was Conway LeBleu, after a most we regularly burned easy to discern. Their memorable goose hunt. politicians severely endeavors and accombefore moving on to plishments in life were the state level. In today’s very politically his focus, and a source of great pride and correct world, our conversations were happiness. Ask about them, and you could completely and unabashedly out-of- see the light come on and glow brightly. bounds. It was always a cathartic process, Darrell left an indelible mark on so allowing us to vent our gripes and con- many of his long list of friends and family. cerns in no uncertain terms. Often, unsus- He was a unique person who led a full and pecting customers would waltz in and join successful life with gusto. The brotherhood right into the fray. If you ever had any of outdoorsmen who were acquainted with doubt about where Darrell was coming him shared a special bond that will always from, you would have to have been blind, remain. May he rest in peace. deaf and dumb. His passion was hunting, and he’d light up at the mere mention of it. When he got really excited, he’d hustle out to his truck to retrieve his laptop, and we’d pore over beaucoup pictures of different bucks he’d set his sights on. It was inspiring to watch as Darrell’s intensity level increased with each buck. The only breaks came when he’d lose his 16 ounce cup of coffee and head back to Leroy’s for a fresh cup. Darrell was a pioneer in archery: very successful in scoring whitetail deer with a wooden, recurve bow — long before such archery became the popular sport it is today. His mission carried him from the piney woods of Ragley, La., to the King Ranch in south Texas to the Canadian wilderness, and later to midwestern Kansas. His success rate at all locations was exceptional. His unwavering goal was to score the best buck in the area, and more often than not, he succeeded. His second favorite spot was the tight confines of a pit blind, where he outsmarted ducks and geese right here in sweet home Louisiana. The trick was in keeping up with him as his long strides picked up speed as we approached the blind. He was never happier than when he could turn a friend onto a good hunt. September 5, 2013

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MISC. SERVICES

HAIR SALON

Sell that Junk Car for Cash! I will buy your junk car, truck, van, motor home, or trailer. I also buy ATV’s, motorcycles, and even farm equipment. Even if it’s not running, you can make from $400 to $600. Clean your yard up, and decide what you’ll spend your extra money on! HELP WANTED Experienced mechanic needed. Call now at 526.9533. k1018

COUNTRY CLUB HAIR - Where a haircut still comes with a lollipop and a smile. Over 25 years in business. Walk-ins welcome. Located on 1214 Country Club Rd. Open Tuesday-Friday 8:30-5:30, Saturdays 8am-2pm. Call 4744722 k0816 _________________

CABINET SHOP Custom Countertops Affordable Pricing Professional Custom Woodwork Entire Lake Charles Area

302-6903 PLACE YOUR AD CALL ROSE AT 4338502 TODAY! class@thelanyap.com _________________

services FENCEMAKERS We build chainlink, barbed, privacy, electric, net, wooden, and security fences, free estimates. Call David today at 337-375-4747. k0920 _________________

Buying U.S. Coins & Currency

services PLUMBING RAPHAEL BENOIT CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS - Home improvements, Remodeling & Additions. New Home Construction. Serving SWLA since 1993. Call Raphael Benoit at 337-802-6522 k0816 _________________

SALVAGE

Gold, Silver, Coins & Sets

MAGIC THE GATHERING TOURNAMENTS HELD WEEKLY 478-2143 3941 Ryan Street, Lake Charles

At Cracker Barrel, You Can Get What You Want Now Hiring:

SERVERS ALL SHIFTS

• Flexible Schedules • Medical and Dental • Chance to Grow • Paid Training • No tip sharing STOP BY TODAY! Exit 23, Sulphur

(337) 626-9500 An Equal Opportunity Employer

Larry A. Roach, Inc.

services

A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION

FENCING

Accidents • Wrongful Death Serious Personal Injury Criminal, Domestic Law Cases

FENCEMAKERS We build chainlink, barbed, privacy, electric, net, wooden, and security fences, free estimates. Call David today at 337-375-4747. k0920 _________________

OVERKILL SALVAGE "If it's sunk, we can get it up!"

2917 Ryan St. • Lake Charles (337) 433-8504 • Fax (337) 433-3196 122

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Gold & Silver Coins Currency Mint & Proof Sets All Coins Graded w/Photograde I BUY COLLECTIONS

$37,500 PER ACRE OR MAKE OFFER

KEMBLE GUILLORY CALL 802-5402

SOUTH LAKE CHARLES 478-2386 884-2386

Tree Removal, Stump Grinding, Land Clearing, Bonded. Insured. License AR 1604 337-884-6881 g0502-2012

real estate MOBILE HOME TO BE MOVED. 3/2, BO over $8,000. Camper for rent. All bills paid. 2 acre lot south of Lake Charles. 477-6243 or 564-5859 gpnmr _________________ PLACE YOUR AD HERE AND START GETTING RESULTS! CALL ROSE AT 4338502 TODAY _________________

real estate HUNTING CAMP FOR SALE AT LONGVILLE LAKE, PLUTO LOOP, $22,500 CALL 337-515-9614

Call Today! 337-309-7301

services CONSTRUCTION

BOUCHER & SON'S CONSTRUCTION ~ YOU’VE FOUND THE RIGHT COMPANY! Give us call for all your construction, carpentry, painting, and damage repairs. Licensed, Bonded, and Insured. Member of the Better Business Bureau. Give Tom a call at 337-474-2844 (office) or 337-842-1455 (cell) AND SEE HOW AFFORDABLE UPGRADING YOUR HOME CAN BE! 474.2844. k0313 _________________

real estate

k0920

services

UPHOLSTERY

BOAT & RV STORAGE

BOAT UPHOLSTERY and top repairs, motorcycles, convertible and more. AAA Glass & Upholstery, 1810 E. Prien Lake Road or CALL 337-564-4125

BOAT & RV STORAGE - 6102 COMMON STREET. SECURED STORAGE! Call 337564-5377 cr _________________

k0816

services LAWN & GARDEN S&S LAWN CARE for your mowing and trimming needs call David at 337-884-0342 or 337-588-4000 k0517

Laundry W rld Larry A. Roach (1932-2003) Barry A. Roach • Larry A. Roach, Jr. Fred C. "Bubba" LeBleu • David M. Hudson

RARE COINS

GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD

MOBILE HOMES

stuff 4 sale

PAPER HEROES

DOWN ON THE BAYOU

PLACE YOUR AD CALL ROSE AT 4338502 TODAY! class@thelanyap.com _________________

FENCING

NEW! CUSTOM

3 ACRES ELEVATED LAND

Do Your Laundry in 4 Minutes! 2 minutes to drop off 2 minutes to pick up 4319 Common St. • 474-8748 2501 Hwy 14 • 433-7503

CORPORATE LEASE, WEEKLY, MONTHLY OR YEARLY Approx 3500 sf, 4BR, 3 BA, minutes from beach, L'Auberge and boat launch. Fully furnished, turnkey, large patio, bbq pit, fenced yard,. 713-829-2974, ask for Ron Wiggins. ph

services HOME REPAIR ALL TYPES OF ROOFING, siding, mobile home skirting, licensed and bonded. Call Jimmy today at 337-499-7807. ph _________________

Professional Wash, Dry, Fold/Hang Service Dry Cleaning Available PUT US TO WORK FOR YOU TODAY!

k1220

announcements WE WILL BUY! SELL THAT JUNK CAR FOR CASH! I will buy your junk car, truck, van, motor home, or trailer. I also buy ATV’s, motorcycles, and even farm equipment. Even if it’s not running, you can make from $400 to $600. Clean your yard up, and decide what you’ll spend your extra money on! HELP WANTED Experienced mechanic needed.Call now at 526.9533. k1018 _________________

services AUTO REPAIR

YOUR SOURCE LAWN & GARDEN TIRES 477-9850 478-6565 527-6355 "People you trust, products you depend on"

announcements

services

RETAIL / OFFICE RETAIL OR OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE. "Single or double available. Includes conference room usage, kitchen, 2 handicap accessible bathrooms, parking in front and behind building. 154 W. McNeese. Call Castle Real Estate today for details! 337-480-6555 ph _________________

announcements NEW PRODUCTS NEW PRODUCT OR INVENTION? Have 20 connections in China and Vietnam for manufacture of new products. Let us know what you have or need. Call Bryan or Ron today 1-800-634-5816. ph _________________

KNOX FENCE Tree Removal, Stump Grinding, Land Clearing, Demolition. Bonded. Insured. License AR 1604 337-884-6881 g0502-2012

services DOORS WHY PAY MORE FOR DOORS 800 instock Doors Windows & More. 489-4313 csta15 _________________

Don’t blend in, make your home stand out with a customized fence. Choose your own design or one of ours. We also do chainlink, ornamental, aluminum and iron fencing. Can install electric or solar gate operators. Call for a free estimate. Licensed and insured, 20+ years of experience. Ask for Steve at 337.540.6973 k0621

JUNK CARS SELL THAT JUNK CAR FOR CASH! I will buy your junk car, truck, van, motor home, or trailer. I also buy ATV’s, motorcycles, and even farm equipment. Even if it’s not running, you can make from $400 to $600. Clean your yard up, and decide what you’ll spend your extra money on! Call now at 526.9533. k1018 _________________

classified FULL-TIME SATELLITE TECHNICIANS NEEDED for well-established company. Paid training, paid weekly. Come join our team! Call Antonio @ 888-959-9675 or submit resume to careers@satcountry.com

PLACE YOUR AD HERE! CALL ROSE AT 433-8502 TODAY! _________________

VARIETY MOTORS CLEAN USED CARS

TRACTOR AND FORKLIFT WORK. Bush hogging, box blade, disk. Call today 337-749-2069 or 337802-8182 n0804 _________________ SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT KNOWING YOU ARE SMART! PLACE YOUR AD HERE! CALL ROSE AT 433-8502 TODAY! _________________

Cash for Junk Cars Need Extra Cash? WE ARE NOW BUYING CARS • TRUCKS VANS • ATV’S • MOTORCYCLES

services BOAT & RV STORAGE BOAT & RV STORAGE - 6102 COMMON STREET. SECURED STORAGE! Call 337564-5377 cr _________________

Also Motor Homes, Trailers and Farm Equipment. Not running? You can still make $400 and up! Get your yard cleaned up while deciding how you’ll spend your extra money!

announcements

CALL 526-9533

WE WILL BUY!

classified k0621

‘05 Dodge Neon ...............3,900 ‘00 Nissan Frontier ..........3,900 ‘03 Dodge Durango .........2,550 ‘99 Chevy Tahoe Ltd., .....3,250 ‘96 Mercedes Benz L200 2,900 ‘00 Honda Civic ..............3,900 ‘03 Crown Vic .................4,900 ‘01 Pontiac Grand Prix ....3,900

‘02 Toyota Camry ............4,900 ‘98 Buick Regal ...............3,995 ‘99 Saturn 2-dooR ...........2,500 ‘02 Isuzu Rodeo ...............3,550 ‘02 Dodge Caravan ..........2,900 ‘04 Ford Taurus ...............3,350 ‘07 Chevy Malibu ............5,550 ‘02 Ford Ranger 5-Speed .3,995

All New Car Trade-Ins! 1825 Kirkman St. • 337-912-2713

SELL THAT JUNK CAR FOR CASH! I will buy your junk car, truck, van, motor home, or trailer. I also buy ATV’s, motorcycles, and even farm equipment. Even if it’s not running, you can make from $400 to $600. Clean your yard up, and decide what you’ll spend your extra money on! HELP WANTED Experienced mechanic needed.Call now at 526.9533. k1018 _________________

announcements

HWY 90 CONSIGNMENT STORAGE Cars • Trucks • Boats • RV's Mobile Homes • Vans Safe and Secure Storage forThose Big Items in Your Way! CONSIGNMENT: Your items can be put up for consignment to make that extra money when you decide you no longer need storage for you item. Good prices, and large customer base to purchase any items you store with us.

Call now and make some room OR some cash for your items: 337.526.2533 September 5, 2013

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HOUSE LEVELING

Laundry W rld

LIFTING AND MOVING GUARANTEED 2-YEAR WARRANTY FOR ALL LABOR AND MATERIALS! Foundation Repair • Concrete Slab Stabilization Licensed, Bonded and Insured • References

CALL ONE STOP

337-309-7301 NEW PRODUCTS

RETAIL OR OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE. "Single or double available. Includes conference room usage, kitchen, 2 handicap accessible bathrooms, parking in front and behind building. 154 W. McNeese. Call Castle Real Estate today for details! 337-480-6555 ph _________________

NEW PRODUCT OR INVENTION? Have 20 connections in China and Vietnam for manufacture of new products. Let us know what you have or need. Call Bryan or Ron today 1-800-634-5816. ph _________________

announcements

real estate

SHOP A-LOT DELI Drive-Thru Daiquiri Window Longer Dining Hours M-F 10AM-6PM SAT 10AM-4PM

2707 HAZEL 433-2135

4319 Common St. • 474-8748 2501 Hwy 14 • 433-7503

services

RETAIL / OFFICE

DINING OUT

2 minutes to drop off 2 minutes to pick up

for well-established company. Paid training, paid weekly. Come join our team! Call Antonio @ 888-959-9675 or submit resume to careers@satcountry.com

Professional Wash, Dry, Fold/Hang Service Dry Cleaning Available

www.onestophouseleveling.com

announcements

Do Your Laundry in 4 Minutes!

FULL TIME SATELLITE TECHNICIANS NEEDED

MOBILE HOMES MOBILE HOME TO BE MOVED. 3/2, BO over $8,000. Camper for rent. All bills paid. 2 acre lot south of Lake Charles. 477-6243 or 564-5859 gpnmr _________________

PLACE YOUR AD HERE AND START GETTING RESULTS! A lot of people are paying way too much for classified advertising. Don't be one of them! CALL LAMONT AT 660-8877 TODAY class@thelanyap.com _________________

THE

TRANSMISSION SHOP We work on all transmissions!

5817 Common Street Lake Charles 337-540-3795 337-540-6908

PLACE YOUR AD HERE AND START GETTING RESULTS! Don't pay too much for classified advertising. Unless you like to, of course. Save some money! CALL KENNY AT 433-8502 TODAY class@thelanyap.com _________________

C. Scot LaFargue Owner

classified

Call Samantha @ Rhino Real Estate

337-304-6686 337-433-9434 Our Address: 1027 Enterprise Lake Charles, LA 70601 Charming Home In Sulphur-$55,000. 3 bed/1 bath located on close to a full acre. Go by and have a look at this ideal family home at 1301 Sherwood, call for appointment viewing. 738 Kirkman St.-4 bed/3.5 bath around 3500 sq. feet, Bonus 1000 sq. feet on 3rd floor ready to finish out. Features FOUR fireplaces! Wood floors, updated kitchen and baths, pocket doors, walk-in closets, new paint, electrical and plumbing for $269,500. 2 Acres behind Apostolic Church on Gulf Highway. $35,000 Manufactured homes welcome 715 Magazine St. $179,000 3/2 move in ready, 2300 square feet 7653 Clara Dr $169,000 3/2. On almost an acre. Split floor plan, granite, large master bath and closet 1117 Common St. 3/2.5 $210,000 almost completed new construction Westlake land-14 acres on a canal with dock, utilities run and ready for a new house. 500 square feet building included $350,000. Moss Bluff lot in established neighborhood with storage building, $35,000.

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Bobby Lafleur Auto Sales 2610 Kirkman • 721-7707 ALL VEHICLES ARE NEW CAR DEALER TRADE-INS 2000 Dodge Caravan, white, very clean ...............................$2,900 2001 Mazda 606, leather, ..........................................................2,900 1999 Nissan Altima, very nice, ................................................2,900 2000 Ford F-150 Ext. Cab, bed cover, nice .............................3,900 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan, maroon, nice ............................3,900 2000 Chevy Tahoe, third seat ..................................................3,900 2005 Saturn, only 85,000 miles ................................................4,900 2005 Hyundai Sonata, low miles, ............................................4,900 2005 Dodge Crew Cab, 20-in. rims, .........................................5,900 2005 Dodge Durango, third seat .............................................6,900 2005 Honda Accord, 4-door, automatic, .................................6,900 2005 Pontiac Grand Am, only 56,000 miles ............................6,900 2005 Chevy Suburban LT, maroon .........................................7,900 2005 Chevy Tahoe LS, green ...................................................7,900 2008 Dodge Crew Cab, white ...................................................7,900

LEGEND

LANDSCAPES Licensed & Insured

337-499-4664 Commercial & Residential • Landscape Lawn Care • Hardscape Seasonal Bedding & Clean-Ups • Maintenance September 5, 2013

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Fond Farewells BY BRAD GOINS AND KARLA WALL

Good-Bye, Joe On April 8, 2001, longtime Lagniappe columnist Joe Fenton lost a long, hardfought battle against cancer. Fenton first began writing for Lagniappe in 1986. Over the years, he wrote nearly 400 columns for the magazine. Fenton’s tone was folksy and tended toward the whimsical. He had a penchant for word play. His sometimes light-hearted, sometimes reflective descriptions of rural life in this part of the country made Fenton the most beloved of all of Lagniappe’s writers. And he was beloved. When his collection of columns, Folks and Critters, was published at the time of his death, Lagniappe received repeated calls from local bookstores that said they could not get enough books to meet demand. Fenton spent the last 23 years of his life working at Texas A & M, where he was instrumental in the development of the university’s museum. As staff advisor for the university’s Memorial Student Center Visual Arts Committee and curator of its Corps Center, Fenton befriended many students. At the time of Fenton’s death, the director of the Memorial Student Center, James R. Reynolds, said “his legacy will be, first and foremost, the lives of the literally hundreds of A & M students that his guidance touched.”

Fare Thee Well, Cousin After the death of Joe Fenton, Cameron resident E.J. Gaspard thought he might be able to compose brief tales of Cajun country life in a column format. He succeeded admirably, with prose that was precise, flowing and often funny. Gaspard was fiercely devoted to, and often wrote about, his home and land on Little Chenier Road near the Mermentau River in Cameron Parish. It was the area where his ancestors had lived and where he planned to stay for the duration. In his columns, Gaspard groused at the Army Corps of Engineers for failing to raise Little Chenier Road until the hurricanes had come and gone. After Hurricane Ike, he wrote that the road “just functions as a spillway of sorts. Guess who gets spilled on.” About one parish scheme for Little Chenier Road that hadn’t gone quite as planned, Gaspard wrote, “Any time someone asks me why I live in Louisiana, I say that it’s wonderful to live in a place where you can call any parish official at any time of night and that person will offer assistance (at your expense of course) and where every fisherman knows how to hotwire and operate a 20-ton road compactor.” The last words indicate how comfortable Gaspard was in writing about those who are mechanically inclined. He had worked as an oilfield dispatcher, and in other positions, in the oil industry. He wrote about how oilfield and oil rig workers make barbecue pits with the metal and welding equipment they have. He said he himself had acquired five grills over the years (although this may have been Cajun exaggeration). He wrote about special short-cuts that could be taken to put big loads on 18wheel trucks, and the disastrous consequences of taking short-cuts with those short-cuts. Gaspard related — in loving, and sometimes in annoyed, detail — what went on in his many stays in area hospitals. He used hospitals, local taverns and small, country stores as places for socializing — something for which he seemed to have a strong need. Although not every Gaspard column was humorous, many columns took the form of one sustained joke that ran from the opening to the closing line. The generally light tone, tempered by the occasional serious note, suited readers well. Gaspard’s Rita columns were his most interesting. The series began with Gaspard making an effort to be friendly and break bread with the FEMA reps coming into the area. As the weeks — and then the months — went on, Gaspard’s frustration with FEMA built to a slow boil (and perhaps something even more intense than that). In spite of all his writing about hospital stays, readers were hit hard when Gaspard died unexpectedly when he was just in his mid-50s.

Gaspard loved to write. In fact, he wrote so many columns that Lagniappe had an enormous backlog at the time of his premature death. The magazine was able to continue to publish original columns for more than two more years. Gaspard wrote his columns in the form of emails that were sent to his northern cousins, Shirley and Stuart. He signed each email “Your loving cousin.” It’s time once again to say farewell to this country cousin, who had such a great love for people, Cajun land and ways, and writing.

Good-Bye To The Nice Guy As far as I know, Robert Hankins never wrote a column for Lagniappe. Nevertheless, he was one of the writers who was central to the Lagniappe experience and who’s now gone the way of all flesh. And like E.J. Gaspard, Hankins died long before his time. He shuffled off the mortal coil in August, 2010, when he was only 48. By that time, he’d been assistant editor at Lagniappe for several years. He’d also made a lengthy foray into the Southeast Texas newspaper circuit, in Beaumont, and, especially, Orange. Hankins was always working hard to place a story in the Chronicle. He won several press awards in Texas and was quite proud of them. His big story was his ongoing reportage of a frustrating unsolved murder of a young child in Texas. Hankins was a serious journalist with a firm, rare and admirable sense of journalistic ethics. He taught this writer a great deal about the innumerable complexities of Associated Press style. He was an encyclopedia of information about popular culture. Most important, Hankins tried very hard to be a good friend. He was that rarest of things — a really nice guy.

Aviatrix, Historian, Popular Writer Nola Mae Ross, historian, author of numerous books on SWLA history, and frequent contributor to Lagniappe, died in March of this year at the age of 86. Ross, a Lake Charles native, was a part of SWLA history herself, having been born in 1926 to parents who moved to the area from Nebraska during the “great migration” prompted by the publicity efforts of Jabez Bunting Watkins. She also played a large role in the history of aviation in this area, not only as one of the area’s first female aviators, but as co-owner, with first husband Doug McFillen, of McFillen Air Park, a small air park located on what is now Gauthier Rd., which was the catalyst for the growth of aviation in this area. Ross’ articles in Lagniappe, always a reader favorite, covered the gamut of the area’s history — articles on Jean Lafitte’s ties to SWLA, the devastation of hurricanes Audrey and Rita, famous murder trials and unsolved cases in the area’s history, the founding families of SWLA, the great fire that destroyed Lake Charles around the turn of the 20th Century, and many others. But Ross’ most memorable article for the magazine was a feature on the shipwreck that claimed the life of Lake Charles businessman Willis Noland in 1990 (see coverage of that story, “Lost at Sea,” in the “Top Stories” section of this issue). The article related the story of the tragedy as told by Jerry Roy, the lone survivor of the incident. For years, area residents had wondered what exactly had happened. Roy had kept his story to himself for two decades, and when he finally decided he was ready to talk about the incident, he told it to Nola Mae, and thus to Lagniappe readers. Nola Mae Ross will long be remembered as a chronicler of the area’s rich history, a civic activist and writer, and as one of Lagniappe’s best-loved contributors.

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CONFEDERATE RAILROAD SEPtember 20 • 9:00PM Tickets: $5 with Fan Club® card and $10 without Fan Club card. Purchase tickets online at JestersJam.com or at the Banana Cabana gift shop.

It’s a slot showdown! Thursdays in September • 4:00pm – 7:00pm Join all the action and get to the first floor of the casino for your chance to win. The top 20 winners will win FanPlay® with the first place winner receiving $2,500!

Calling all table players and penny slot players! Saturdays and Sundays in September 2:00pm – 4:00pm Be seated at your favorite table game or penny slot machine for a chance to win $100 in promo chips or FanPlay.

I-10, Exit 27 Lake Charles, LA • 1-800-THE-ISLE (843-4753) www.isleofcapricasinos.com © 2013 Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. FanPlay is a registered trademark of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Tickets are non-refundable. Promotion subject to change/cancellation without notice. Must be 21 or older and a Fan Club® member. Isle of Capri employees and their immediate family members are not eligible. Disregard if prohibited from visiting Louisiana casinos.