Slidell Magazine - September 2022

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SLIDELL

WE SAY KEEP IT FRESH KEEP IT POSITIVE

Vol. 143 September 2022

From torn ACL to tearing up the dance floor.

Amanda was enjoying a hip-hop class when she felt a pop in her knee and fell to the floor. After a trip to the emergency room, she was referred to Ochsner’s sports medicine specialists who determined she had a torn ACL. Her team, led by Dr. Benjamin Guevara, performed surgery and ongoing physical therapy to rebuild the strength in Amanda’s leg. Now, she’s back on the dance floor. Whatever your reasons are for doing the things you do, we’ve only got one. YOU. ochsner.org/longliveyouSMH

Amanda P.

KEEP IT COOL

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The City of Slidell’s

Concert Series in Heritage Park

October 1 Amanda Shaw

October 15 Comedy Night with Mike Strecker & Nature Boy

October 29 Halloween Bash with Vince Vance and the Valiants

Renaissance • $5,000 Sponsors:

Plus + Publications

Baroque • $2,500 Sponsors: Silver Slipper Casino

Neoclassical • $1,000 Sponsors: Councilman Bill & Laura Borchert

Lori’s Art Depot • Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien Insurance Agency

Impressionism • $500 Sponsors: CiCi’s Pizza • Mayor Greg Cromer

State Representative Mary DuBuisson, District 90

Old School Eats Food Truck

Roberta’s Cleaners • Slidell Historic Antique Association

COVER: “HOWLIN’ WOLF”

ARTIST: becca johnson

This month’s cover art has an interesting story. It’s a riddle, and I’m hoping the Slidell Magazine readers can help me solve it.

“Howlin’ Wolf” is an acrylic collage on board painting that has hung beautifully in the City of Slidell’s Cultural Arts office for years. It was shown at a mixed media art exhibit in the City gallery over 10 years ago. The painting was never reclaimed after the show, so it remained at the Cultural Arts office. I’ve stared longingly at it for all these years, yearning to carry it on my cover.

There is no artist’s signature or name on the painting anywhere. Searching through the city records, we found the artist’s name, Becca Johnson. I looked her up on the internet and found a Flickr account with BREATHTAKING art. Her posts on Flickr are from 2009 and earlier and her bio states the following:

“Originally from Memphis, TN. Currently in Savannah, GA. Illustration BFA Candidate at Savannah College of Art + Design. Things that are good: vinegar, ethology, texture, word play, being young and in love. Things that are not good: mean streaks, factory farms, bills, bills, bills.”

If you know Becca Johnson or how to contact her, please contact Slidell Magazine

CORRECTION: Last month’s Extraordinary Slidell Neighbor story was incorrectly credited to Kendra Maness. The author was Charlotte Collins. Our apologies to Charlotte for this error.

MAGAZINE STAFF

Kendra Maness Editor / Publisher Editor@slidellmag.com

Michael Bell Graphic Designer Graphics@slidellmag.com

Krista Gregory Administrative Assistant Krista@slidellmag.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

John Case

“The Storyteller”

Charlotte Collins

Extraordinary Slidell Neighbors

Mike Rich

Making Cents of Your Money

Donna Bush Dutch Harbor

Mike Bell

September 2022 Business Spotlight: Rhino Web Studios

Ronda M. Gabb Legal-Ease

J.R. “Bill” Bailey

Louisiana Maneuvers

If you think you’re having a case of déjà vu as you’re reading this, let me assure you that you’re not. I’ve written two previous Editor’s Letters with the same topic, and I hope to write many, many more!

OUR STORYTELLER WON “BEST COLUMN” FROM THE PRESS CLUB OF NEW ORLEANS...AGAIN!

This was John Case’s fourth time as a finalist, and his THIRD time winning the “Best Column” award for “The Storyteller” that was created right here, in Slidell Magazine

It’s pretty obvious that I’m bursting with pride! John is more than my writer - he’s my surrogate father, my mentor, and my friend. This magazine would not exist if not for him and his unbelievable talent. There just aren’t enough superlatives to describe how much he means to me.

Just when I think I may have some bias about John’s talents, he wins another award from the region’s most prestigious press club, voted on by a dozen professional writers around the country whom he’s never met. See, it’s not just me!

I recently met with some potential advertisers as they were considering different options to market their organization. Making my sales pitch, I opened with, “Slidell Magazine has ‘The Storyteller.’” I mean, seriously, if you’re going for the win, why not start strong? They agreed. I got the contract. I continued, not as a publisher or a sales person, but as a reader. “John is a unicorn. He is an anomaly, and we are lucky enough to have him right here in Slidell.” It was honest and from the heart, and I’m sure I spoke for thousands of his readers who feel the same.

Before “The Storyteller”, how often did you read a fictional short story each month? I know I never did. Now, I can’t wait for the next edition and the next adventure or mystery. If you’re like me and have had the opportunity to hear John read a story, you can’t help but HEAR his voice as you read them from that point on. That’s unique. That’s special. John has breathed life into a lost art form, the short story. I’ll never know how he’s able to come up with a different story each and every month, and write it in such a way as to entrance all of us, but I’m sure grateful that he does.

Congratulations and thank you John!

We all have our journeys in life. That is one big lesson I learn and relearn by interviewing our fascinating Slidell neighbors. I truly search to find the neighbors we can all learn from; and, often, it is from both the joys and the woes they experience. My hope is to help all of us, myself included, to be more philosophical about our own paths. This month, I bring you someone who has learned to deal with adversity from his very first breath. But, rest assured, the adversity has also brought appreciation for the joy in life. I knew I was going to hear about Nicholas and his plight to find a new heart, so I determined to arrive with a smile and, hopefully, some cheer to spread. I focused on my path at that very moment. Walking Nathan Restaurant’s parking lot is a nautical experience. I usually take my time, reading the names on the big boats docked along the shore of Bayou Bonfouca. There are always a few that give me a chuckle, and a few that

make me dream of being onboard with a glass of wine. It is tough to tarry long, however, as the smell of culinary concoctions waft my way. I can’t single out a specific dish, but my brain has sounded the pleasure alert, and my feet oblige. At the top of the stairs, the evening specials are handwritten on a blackboard. My eyes fix on the hand-crafted cocktail for tonight’s happy hour, Blood Orange Margaritas! It sounded like the perfect thing to sip on this hot afternoon.

Ross greeted me with a smile to ask if I wanted to try it. YES. I hardly think I need to introduce Ross and Gena Eirich, owners of Nathan’s, as this is one of Slidell’s top fine dining restaurants. Chef Ross hails from the famous New Orleans restaurant, Galatoire’s. Gena is the manager, and the face you see while Ross is in the kitchen. We chose a moment when there would be down time and met in the bar. We sat at a table with an excellent view of the bayou as it hugs the property.

I will, however, need to introduce their son, Nicholas, for whom the bar is named. If he were working here, he would be in the kitchen, so most of you have probably not met him. He will be represented through his parents, as he is not able to be here in person. You see, one of the reasons I selected Nicholas as an Extraordinary Slidell Neighbor is that he is an inspiration for any of you, young or old, that are going through health issues. He may be only 17 years old, but he has bravely endured all of those years by fighting the good fight, and without complaint.

As I sipped the beautiful peach-colored margarita, with hand squeezed blood orange pulp, I prepared my iPad for this interview. Gena sat with me first, while Ross went to set things in motion for the kitchen. She started at the beginning, with his birth on December 9, 2004. Nicholas was her second born, and the pregnancy seemed as normal as with her first son, Nathan. But, as she related, “The doctor knew immediately

“Being brave isn’t the absence of fear. It’s having the fear and finding a way through it” - Bear Grylls

A biography by Charlotte Collins

Nicholas Ryan Eirich

as he was born that something was wrong. His breathing pattern wasn’t good and he was breathing very hard. He was then transferred to Children’s Hospital, as he would need open heart surgery very soon. They operated when he was just nine days old. Nicholas stayed in the hospital until the end of February. But, thankfully, this amazing child proved to be a resilient fighter!”

Gena smiled as she recalled, “We were all so happy the day he came home to join our family. His checkups went well, and we were having fun doing family things. Soon after, our third son, Christopher, was born. During this time, Nicholas underwent minor hospital visits at Children’s Hospital now and then, but nothing major.”

In 2019, when Nicholas was just 14, things began to unravel. The cardiologist at Children’s Hospital found that his heart was enlarged and moved him to Ochsner to be put on the list for a heart transplant. In the meantime, Nicholas was transferred to Ochsner’s main campus. He came home on a Friday evening to wait for a new heart. Because he would have to be in New Orleans at Ochsner within two hours of receiving the call, their life would be on hold until the call came.

Gena’s eyes lit up as she said, “The very next night, Saturday at midnight, we got the call! I was laying in bed because I was just so tired. The doctor is explaining everything, and I remember looking at the phone… wondering if I was dreaming. It happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to process anything. Meanwhile, Ross was waking Nicholas up and told him that we got the call. Nicholas was in disbelief and responded, ‘Dad, don’t be messing with me.’” She laughed and held her palm up, “So, we flew into action. It was just so fast, almost unheard of. But we were all excited.”

She took a breath, paused, and

described, “After that, it seemed like it was just one thing after another, and he was in and out of the hospital. Somehow, he developed diabetes due to the rejection medications which he will be on the rest of his life and we thought that was terrible. There were so many adjustments to regulate that condition. But then, Nicholas’s body tried to reject the new organ several times. In September of 2020, it was so bad that they didn’t know if he was going to make it. He was put on ECMO. (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO, is an advanced form of life support - targeted at the heart and lungs. It may be indicated in cases of acute severe cardiac or pulmonary failure that is both potentially reversible and unresponsive to conventional management.) He lost circulation in his leg, and then developed a lot of other issues because of that. They even removed veins in his leg, which was another major surgery. Then the worst… he developed transplant coronary artery disease. Usually that happens many years after the transplant, but I think because of the combination with the diabetes and

rejections, it happened more quickly for Nicholas. Transplants are not for the weak.”

She paused and composed herself, then continued describing the chain of events. The doctors tried changing his IV medications and tried to prolong the time for another transplant. But his new heart just wasn’t functioning properly. His whole team at Ochsner agreed that it was time for Nicholas to be re-listed for another heart. So, the wait began again on June 27, 2022. This time, the family is realistic that the rapid response they received the first time was an anomaly. His listing status is good, a 1B, almost to the top of the list. No one knows, but it could easily be a 3-6 month wait, which is the average wait time for that status. Gena admitted, “Every time my phone rings, I’m like a NERVOUS WRECK.” She lifted the giant folder full of her son’s medical paperwork. “I carry this with me always. Nicholas is mostly waiting at home because his energy level is low. Also, we have to be ready to move quickly, so none of us can really be out of pocket. Nicholas has felt bad for so long that he is ready to do it again in order to feel better. Even though he is out of breath, he pushes himself to keep going. He has already missed out on so much, and just wants to feel normal again. The timing is good because school starts this Friday… and we are still waiting for the call. We were hoping to have the transplant before his Senior year in high school, but unfortunately, that didn’t work out... In God’s time… Since eighth grade, he hasn’t really been able to attend in person for a full school year.” Gena added quickly, “His school, Pope John Paul, has been very good about his situation. They really helped him as much as they can.”

Mom described Nicholas as, “not one to talk a lot about his health issues.

Where it all began! Gena and Ross at their 1997 wedding.

But when he wants to talk, he will talk with his closest family members. I think he’s a funny kid, and he likes to make people laugh. He used to work with us preparing salads and desserts. But, right now, he has a PICC line for continuous IV medication and he doesn’t need to work right now. I think everyone who knows him would describe him as a really good kid. He always has been,” she beamed.

You probably want to know more about him, as did I. I learned that he just got a truck and loves to drive around. But, mostly, he spends a lot of time with Christopher, his younger brother, because Nathan is in college. He loves to work with his hands and the two younger brothers have been building crab traps together. He prefers to be busy, and is a young man of few words, especially about himself. Mom also described him as someone who does not like to be in the limelight.

Our conversation drifted to things he is looking forward to in the future. Top on the list is getting back to hunting in the great outdoors. He loves to visit Gena’s sister and brother-in-law, Dana and Chris Gaudet, and his cousins at their property near Brookhaven, Mississippi. Gena’s sister, Aunt Dana, shared that, to her, “Nicholas is like the boy I never had. One exception, I never really get onto him like I do with my own children. I hold a special place in my heart for him, like no one else. We have four girls, and all four are protective of Nicholas, much as they would be if he were their brother. They are like guardians when their friends try to flirt with him. Our whole family looks forward to when Nicholas comes to visit, and we try to spend that time making memories. Whether we are going out to eat, dragging him to the girls’ softball games, listening to music, or singing loudly in the van, there are always enough laughs to fill the air.” For Nicholas, he loves going to visit because he gets a break from his reality.

Uncle Chris is a contractor, and he and Nicholas like to build things together. He and his father even built a rack to display his bow. But his favorite thing to do is hunting with Uncle Chris. Fittingly, Chris is also his godfather, and he shared, “From sitting on the side of a hill in below-freezing temperatures, to dragging his injured leg and cane hundreds of yards through a corn field to get a shot on a nice buck, this kid is as hardcore as it gets. I wouldn’t want to share my addiction to the outdoors with anyone else.”

But, for now, Nicholas and his parents need to stay closer to home.

Ross came out at this point, so I asked him how his son

was handling all of this. Without hesitation, Dad described, “The hard part for me is that Nicholas has not been able to just be a teenager. Because of everything he’s been through, he was forced to grow up at a young age. I’m so proud of his willpower and the way he continues to fight. His motivation helps us, as parents, keep going; but it also keeps people in our community that are sick going. He inspires people that he doesn’t even know. But he doesn’t want to be that person. He just wants to be normal.”

And that is part of Nicholas’s motivation to proceed with the second transplant. Ross added, “He doesn’t worry like we do, and he doesn’t complain. He tells the doctors, ‘Hey, just do what you got to do.’ When I asked him if he wanted a heart transplant, his answer was, ‘Yeah, because I have to go to the Garth Brooks concert.’ He was able to go and enjoy it! He’s just a tough kid, very resilient. I think, in some ways, he may be too young to understand how lucky he is in some aspects. But, of course, he wonders why it happened to him. If I had to sum it up in one word, I would describe him as resilient, as tough as nails as they come.”

Turning to his wife with a dashing smile, Ross announced, “Right here is the best mom ever! Through everything that Nicholas has been through, she’s right there with him. Every second of every day that he is in the hospital, she is his teammate. Unfortunately, we both still have to work, so she continues to work whenever she can. She does everything for the boys, plus, takes care of me.” He laughed at himself, then remarked, “You know, I believe that her work ethic and drive is what helps Nicholas. And I think he sees how hard we both work. And both of his brothers do, too. They really help rally around him. It has actually made all three of them function on an adult level and grow up so fast. As a family, we work as a team. When one hurts, we all hurt.”

Gena described his braveness during treatment. “It helps that he really likes both of his two cardiologists, Dr. Young and Dr. Jake. Nicholas really is a very good patient. It’s unbelievable, but he just doesn’t complain. He also really likes the nurses, staff, and his physical therapist at the hospital. They all got him to smile and joke around. I really do think they all like him. They all know that he doesn’t eat the hospital food, so we bring him meals from his favorite restaurants, whatever he feels like eating.”

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and certainly for our community. As restaurant owners, we do a lot in the community, and are made aware of so many needs, even just here within Slidell.”

As with artists, restaurant owners are also often asked to donate for causes. They graciously donated for my Slidell Artists for Ukraine Auction. And the Eirich’s do a lot for Pope John Paul High School, as all three boys have been there. They also donate to the Boys and Girls Club and Knights of Columbus. Also, Ross is a member of The Men of Steel, donating $100 every quarter to a charity in need.

Once again, Ross looked at the upside. “And it all comes full circle, because the way the community rallied around us during the first transplant was

unbelievable! Our customers mean everything when they support our business. Family, friends, and folks from Pope John Paul would even go visit Nicholas and bring things to make him smile, even people that we didn’t know. Honestly, I feel like after everything that the community has done for us, that I could never give that back.”

If you want to know more about Nicholas’s journey, you can join the Facebook page “Nicholas’s Journey Hunting for a Heart Again” that Gena updates regularly. (The “Hunting” for a Heart title is a nod to Nicholas’s love for the outdoors and hunting.)There, you’ll find pictures and videos from Nicholas’s doctor’s appointments, updates on his status, fundraisers from

friends to help defer a bit of the huge financial implications of this journey, and hundreds of well-wishes from people across the country. The page is closely monitored by Gena and Ross. Although they may be busy at work in the restaurant or at a doctor’s appointment, you’ll see a heart emoji appear next to nearly every entry, letting you know that the Eirich’s are reading every message; and appreciating them even more. Flipping through the current and former Facebook pages, Gena exclaimed, “You should see the pictures of him when he was so little the first time, compared to how big he is now. It’s like, all of a sudden, he’s a man now!”

As I scrolled though the photos on Facebook from the first two-year

Left: Prior to age 14, Nicholas led a typical life. He enjoyed games, outdoors time (especially hunting) and family time. Middle: The young Eirich family: Ross and Gena with sons Nathan, Christopher and Nicholas. Right: Nicholas on his 14th birthday, just weeks before he would get the news that he needed a heart transplant.

Nathan’s Restaurant is not only one of Slidell’s premier dining establishments, it’s also a family business. Right: Being the son of one of Slidell’s most famous chefs has its perks! Here’s Nicholas with TV and film star, John Goodman, at Nathan’s Restaurant.

journey with his first medical endeavor, I realized the extent of it. Gena tries to be positive, but those images were daunting.

Ross announced that he was heading home to check on things. Winking at his wife, he said, “But I will be back to have a drink at the bar and flirt with the most beautiful bartender later.” The couple hugged goodbye, and Gena was called to duty behind the bar.

I found myself suddenly thrown back to when my own son, Lowry, was to undergo open skull surgery for an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). He underwent a three-year Gamma Knife radiation treatment and was considered critical during the entire phase. It changed his life and his career path. Today, he is 36, a Bio-

Med Engineer and CEO. He works to help save lives every day. Everything he went through at age 19 is now of benefit to those of us needing new cures. I wonder where Nicholas’s path will take him some day?

I wanted to know how my readers and I could help in some small way. Gena and Ross spoke at the same time, “We would never ask that of anyone! Last time people were really so helpful.” They suggested we could stay in touch through Facebook and frequent Nathan’s Restaurant. I know fundraisers are being offered by their friends, so we can help there.

I have met so many fascinating neighbors, and it seems that the bravest and kindest people are often those who have endured a hardship. The things

that bother most people are minor compared to caring for one another. At the very least, we can help those around us by sharing a simple smile or doing something nice for someone else, even a stranger. Remember, you just never know what someone else is going through. In our world today, that is more important than ever.

Gena encourages each of you to sign up to be an organ donor. It is really easy to do! Look at your driver’s license. It is a checkbox! And remember to follow Nicholas on Facebook to keep up with his progress as he continues to hunt for his new heart! Nicholas sends a giant thank you to all of his followers, friends, and family. See you at Nathan’s for their next Chef Ross’ Daily Special!

1.) Nicholas listens to his donor heart for the first time.2.) The daily medication regimen. 3.) Nicholas with his godfather and hunting partner, Uncle Chris Gaudet. 4.) Nicholas now, at age 17, with his family at a fundraiser held last month as he begins his second journey through a heart transplant. The call can come any day now. ALL OF SLIDELL IS PRAYING FOR YOU! God bless you Nicholas!

Left: Through everything, Pope John Paul High School has been a source of comfort & support for the entire Eirich family. Middle: Nicholas at 14 with his cardiologist, Dr. Jake Kleinmahon, as he begins his first heart transplant journey.

Right: Gena gives her son one last kiss before Nicholas is wheeled in for his heart transplant.

2022 Winner "Best Column," Press Club of New Orleans The Storyteller

THE BANK ROBBER

Journalists have a code. It is called the five W’s: Who, What, When, Where and Why.

I am not a journalist; I am a Storyteller and I am not confined by such rules of order. I have found that, by not following such protocol, I can tell you stories that a journalist would never be able to acquire. The following is such a story.

This is a true story. Only one name is accurate, all others have been changed. Not one location is precise; but, rest assured, it happened nearby. I think when you finish the story, you will understand why I chose the liberties I have rather than follow the W’s imposed on journalists.

More often than not, one story leads to another. I have a Facebook friend who was a journalist. She feeds me stories and I do the same for her. We are from the same hometown, but we have never met. She is considerably younger than me. That gives her a different perspective on things. Her name is Molly. That is the only real name I will use. Not long ago, she told me a true story about a peddler who disappeared in the backwoods of Mississippi in the 1870’s.

A couple of years after his disappearance, a dam that had been built to prevent flooding was breached and a body was discovered in the scattered ruins of the embankment. There were no forensics in those days, but it was assumed it was the peddler.

Coincidentally, the dam was on my great-great uncle’s property. I will call him Uncle John. He was not suspected in

the disappearance, as I understand it, but a neighbor was. That neighbor disappeared during the night and was never heard of again.

I have an uncle who is in his 90’s now. That would make him one generation closer to Uncle John than I am. I contacted him to verify the story, but he had never heard it discussed. He did, however, have another story about a peddler.

This uncle was an official with the highway department in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He told me that they were acquiring right of way to widen a state highway when it was pointed out to him that there was a grave under a tree in the path to be acquired. The community demanded that it be respectfully removed.

It seems that some peddler back in the 1800’s was standing under a tree and dropped dead. His name was not known. He was buried under the tree where he had taken his last breath. My uncle arranged for the state to hire a funeral home to disinter the body and move it to a cemetery.

Of course, funds were limited; but a resting spot was found and, sometime during the early 1960’s, the body (or what remained of it) was placed in a small wooden box. That box was then placed in a fancy black hearse and reburied with the pomp and splendor of a dignitary.

I thought this would be an interesting story; so, based on my uncle’s memory of an event that happened fifty plus years ago, I went in search of the story of the “twice-buried peddler.”

I found the cemetery, but it was not exactly like my uncle described. I found no clues as to a peddler being buried there. After all, what was I expecting? An Italian marble monument?

Across the street from the cemetery was an abandoned country store. There was a gentleman in front, whom I assumed to be the owner of the property. I was correct. I introduced myself to him and, for the purpose of this story, I will call him Bill Maddox. I told him that my reason for being there was the search for the peddler. He said he was not familiar with the story, and assumed it had happened in some other area. It was probable that he was too young to remember. That would have been a great topic of conversation back then; after all, his parent’s country store was the hub of activity in this rural community. The store had been there since 1948, when this highway was still a country gravel road. Well, it turns out my new friend Bill was a storyteller extraordinaire and, before long, we were exchanging tales we had been told through the years. Soon, he asked me if I had ever heard of William B. Kingston. I told him I had not; and, for the next fifteen minutes, he related a story to me that kept me spellbound.

I could not wait to get home and Google the name. When I did, I found that every word he told me was true - but there was more. What I am going to relate to you is a combination of what he told me and what I discovered in my research. Make sure you stay tuned until you read the last paragraph.

Country stores were the meeting place for locals before other forms of entertainment, such as TV, came along. Also, good and dependable transportation to take you to more interesting places was limited. It was mostly a male thing, but hanging out and gossiping at the local store was a favorite pastime for many. The practice still exists in rural communities today. Usually, a bench was provided by the owner of the establishment and, usually, it was placed under some type of canopy. Such was the case of the store owned by Bill Maddox’s father. Bill was about twelve years old in those days.

William B. Kingston worked at a nearby paper mill. He probably worked as a laborer but it was evident, even in the eyes of young Bill, that Kingston often had an unusual amount of extra money to spend. He liked to visit the store and would come by almost every afternoon after he got off from work. He would arrive about five o’clock in the afternoon and not leave until the store closed around 8pm. Often, it would be just William B. and the Maddox family that would sit on the bench and enjoy the evening. The Maddox family became very fond of the young man who, in 1964, would have been 32 years old.

W. B. would only purchase items that came from the Maddox family store. If they did not have it, he would request that they order it for him. He did not mind the wait; it gave him more reason to sit on the bench at the store and visit with the family with whom he had developed a genuine friendship. Once, he came in and asked them to order $100 worth of candy for his wife. That was a lot of candy in the 1960’s. It took some doing, but Mr. Maddox filled the order.

One day in 1968, he came in and wanted some very special, expensive tires. Of course, this was not an item carried in the Maddox store inventory. They told W.B. they would have to make a trip to the warehouse, which was some distance away. That was okay with Kingston, he was willing to pay the extra cost.

Mr. Maddox made the trip to pick up the tires and the wholesaler questioned his need for such an expensive type and brand. He informed the wholesaler that it was for a very special customer, W. B. Kingston.

Shocked was the best way to describe the look on the wholesaler’s face.

“W.B. Kingston? He is a crook. Watch out for him, he is a bad sort.”

Mr. Maddox replied, “Must be some mistake, this is a nice fellow. Almost like one of my family.”

The subject was dropped and Mr. Maddox returned to the delight of W.B. Kingston who, as always, paid in cash.

A few days later, there was a bank robbery in a nearby community. The robber left enough clues that allowed the authorities to easily track him to New Orleans where he was holed up in an apartment with a female accomplice. They found almost $23,000 in the apartment, along with the bags that the teller had described putting the money in. W. B. Kingston was arrested, then returned and jailed in the community near the scene of the crime.

The robbery occurred in September. In late December, W. B. carved a pistol out of a bar of soap and, with the help of three fellow inmates, kidnapped the sheriff, the jailer, and the radio operator. They released their hostages unharmed and fled in the sheriff’s car. They were able to avoid capture for some time, as they could monitor all the radio transmissions. Finally, they abandoned the car in the vicinity of the Maddox store. The story has it that W. B. was barefoot and it was extremely cold

A manhunt, one of the largest in state history, commenced. Soon, three of the escapees were captured. W.B. remained in the woods for several days in the freezing cold weather. Finally, he approached the home of someone he probably knew. He asked them to call the local sheriff. He felt the state police

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would shoot him on sight for kidnapping a law enforcement officer, but he trusted the local authorities.

Escaping from jail and kidnapping the sheriff was big news and, the night it happened, the local television station interrupted its regular broadcast to cover the event. This prompted an angry letter to the newspaper from a local resident who was very displeased at not being able to see her favorite program.

After W. B. was captured, he must have read the newspaper containing the letter to the editor from his jail cell. He responded, in turn, by writing the following letter to the paper:

Dear Editor:

In reference to a letter placed in your newspaper about people breaking out of jail and news of their escape interrupting television programs, let me extend my most profound apologies to the public and especially Mrs. Ruth Day for causing interruptions on the Hal Holbrook Show.

I am sure, however, they will recover from such a devastating blow of not being able to see all of “Mark Twain.”

But, in the future, I will send a special delivery letter to Sheriff Tom Fredricks and have him contact them for their schedules, (and also the weather bureau as it was cold out there those nights) and we will arrange our new breaks as not to interfere with the best programs.

It would be nice if I could watch television. Maybe I would become as interested in myth as you are, and stay in the cozy confines of my cell.

W.B. Kingston

This was not Kingston’s first brush with the law. In 1952, he robbed a bank in Tennessee. He was caught and put into jail – from which he escaped twice. In the 1990’s, a new jail was built in that town and, at the dedication, it was deemed to be “Kingston-proof.” This was a statement to the legend that he had created when he was only twenty years old.

Based on the 1968 bank robbery and his multiple escapes, he was sentenced to 45 years in state prison and 25 years in federal prison. With such time before him, he confessed to bank robberies in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Alabama and Georgia. None of the money except that from the 1968 robbery was ever recovered.

Kingston did not serve his time patiently. During the mid70’s, a rash of livestock mutilations began to appear all over the country. It was believed that the acts were part of satanic cults. The investigation of these crimes was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

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“Mr BoJangles”

At this time, Kingston was being transferred to and from Marion Prison in Illinois and Levenworth. He contacted the prison authorities and told them he had quite a bit of information about the animal killings, but would not talk unless sent to a small, rural jail. He felt his life would be in danger in a large prison population like Marion or Levenworth.

He convinced the authorities to send him to a small jail in Minnesota, as many of the mutilations had occurred in that state. He told of how it was a satanic cult and that, when he last had contact with them, they were moving toward human sacrifice. He related how four teenage campers were killed in a ritual in Colorado and their bodies buried in a gravel pit. He denied having any involvement in the ritual, but assured officials that his story could be collaborated if they would bring a friend of his who was in prison in Texas up to the Minnesota jail.

His testimony included the fact that the mutilators put pieces of cardboard on their shoes so as to leave no recognizable footprints as they performed their occult ritual. Then, prior to leaving, they melted the snow and their imprints with a blowtorch. This would give the appearance the act was done by aliens.

The Federal officers followed his instructions and his friend did confirm his story. The next day, Kingston and his friend escaped the jail. It was believed that there was no truth to his testimony, and that it was only a ruse to make for an easy escape. He was captured again shortly after.

In 1976, a former U.S. Foreign Service Officer (later confirmed to be a spy) murdered his wife, mother and three children. He disappeared and has not been found to this day. Found in Kingston’s belongings was correspondence between him and the murderer. No reason for the correspondence was ever determined.

In the early 1980’s, W. B. was released from prison. Not because he had served his sentence, but because he was dying of cancer. In a few months, he was dead.

Bill Maddox had the privilege of becoming friends with a criminal profiler a few years ago. He told him the story much as he told it to me and I have related it to you.

The profiler smiled and said, “Bill, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I don’t think Kingston liked you and your family as much as you thought he did. No, he just liked to have a reason to be at the store. You see, he was burying his money in fresh graves across the street. He was just keeping an eye on the money. Bet you it is still there.”

John S. Case

September 2022

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by: Mike Rich, CFP® | Pontchartrain Investment Management

High Risks

In late July, my family travelled to sunny Panama City for our annual beach trip. We rented a six-bedroom house, which provided all 14 of us with plenty of room to spread out, enjoy the view, and be together when we wanted. The weather was good, the water was a spectacular blue-green, and, thanks to gallons of sunscreen, no one came back sunburned. It was a great week.

During last year’s trip, my daughter Heather wanted to go parasailing, but the wind conditions kept her grounded. She was determined to do it this year, and the weather

on the day she chose was looking good. However, she needed a partner. No one else in our group was up for the challenge, so I (reluctantly) volunteered. Gulp. Our adventure involved a heartthumping banana boat ride far out into the Gulf (and back to the beach afterward), and then an exciting transfer from the banana boat to the tow boat on a somewhat choppy sea. When I saw the extensive safety equipment onboard, I relaxed a little, but when the tow guy started securing us to the parasail, I began to ask myself what I was thinking when

I agreed to join Heather. “You have circled the sun 70 times, Mike,” I told myself, “aren’t you a bit old for this? What if you die up there? Then what?” My fears were misplaced, however. Once we were hooked up and in the air, the ride was magical, and Heather and I shared an experience that neither of us will forget.

I didn’t need the legal release Heather and I signed to know that parasailing is risky. So are a lot of other things in life, especially when it comes to money. In most cases, it’s best to deal with bad things before they happen. The list of possible risks is long, but the one that keeps me awake at night is longevity. You just might live a lot longer than you think, and your money might have to last a very long time. For sure,

Many more things can go wrong when it comes to money, and my job is to help my clients identify, anticipate, and deal with them. The possible solutions are varied, and everyone’s situation is different. The common denominator, however, is that everyone needs a financial plan to manage risk. If you don’t have one, call me for a free consultation.

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Dutch Harbor, Alaska

I’ve always been enthralled with Alaska – the vast remoteness, the untouched beauty, the pristine scenery, the spectacular wildlife and more. Our 49th state definitely deserves its nickname “The Last Frontier.” Of the 656,000 square miles, there are only 5,676 state highway miles!

This magnificent state has been the subject of numerous TV shows, movies and books. As a young child, I enthusiastically read books written by Jack London set in Alaska and the Yukon. On Sunday afternoons, I would watch John Wayne in “North to Alaska” and, later in life, I was thrilled with the scenes in “Snow Dogs,” “The Proposal,” and Disneynature “Bears.” Of course, with movie magic, most movies set in Alaska are filmed elsewhere, with the exception of “Bears.” It truly was captured in Alaska, in many areas that I have visited.

On a recent trip to “The Land of the Midnight Sun,” I was fortunate to see a special place I’ve always wanted to explore, but never had the opportunity. That place was the Port of Dutch Harbor, in the city and on the island of Unalaska, which is about 800

miles southwest of Anchorage. Nearby Amaknak Island also houses a part of the city. It is located a little past the midpoint of the 1100-mile long Aleutian Chain, which is a string of small islands that separate the Bering Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The last four islands of the chain are owned by Russia, known as the Commander Islands.

Why my fascination with visiting Dutch Harbor? I have always heard how difficult it is to fly out to the Aleutian Islands. Sure, it is remote, but weather can make a huge difference in whether you actually land or turn around and fly somewhere else! They are renown for unpredictable stormy weather – rain, fog and high winds are common; not to mention active volcanoes – often grounding flights. Flights into the airport at Dutch Harbor bring their own set of challenges. It’s a short runway of about 4500 feet with boat traffic, vehicle traffic and mountains all around; not to mention, the numerous birds in flight on take-off and landing. I flew with Ravn Air, which uses 37-seat DASH 8-100 twin turboprop

hybrid jets and now DASH 8-300 for this difficult route. If your flight is full, you might not see your luggage when you land. We were lucky! We had amazing weather and about 10 passengers didn’t show, so our luggage arrived with us! Depending on weather and winds, if you are in the Dash 8-100 you might have to stop en route for fuel at either King Salmon or Cold Bay. Oh! And not to forget, if you’re flying to Dutch Harbor and the weather gets bad, there’s also the matter of scarcity of alternative airports. Our flight from Anchorage took approximately 3-1/2 hours with no stops and no time change. Thanks to a favorable tail wind, we didn’t need to stop for fuel! Many people traveling to Dutch, as it is fondly called, are fishermen. Have you ever watched the adventure reality TV show, “Deadliest Catch”? This port town is the home base for the series about the harshness of crab fishing in the Bering Sea. Is the show realistic? According to several locals I spoke with, “No self-respecting captain would risk their crews’ lives as the drama portrays.”

Story and photos by Donna Bush

TV shows aside, Dutch is a huge fishing community, primarily for the pollock fishing industry. In fact, this international port is the #1 fishing port in the United States and has received this honor for the 23rd year in a row! While some of the data is a bit dated, the latest numbers I found were from 2019, showing Dutch landing 763 million pounds of seafood, valued at $190 million! Trying to figure out what that many pounds of seafood would look like? Think 50,000 large elephants or 1000 Boeing 747 jets. Ninety-three percent of that seafood was pollock, which is used to make fish sticks, fish sandwiches and sushi. Of course, their catch could quickly change with an oil spill or the onset of climate change affecting the fisheries. The seafood industry is their only economic source. While the location is beautiful, their remoteness and travel difficulties keep it from being a high tourist destination.

How was my trip to Dutch? Absolutely amazing!! The weather forecast was 60% chance of rain each day of our trip. In my opinion, we had the best weather days probably ever seen there! We arrived at the Anchorage airport early, having been warned that it might be full, and we could get bumped. We checked in, checked our luggage and received seat assignments. All very positive! We hung out in the waiting area, anxiously watching the luggage conveyer belt, hoping to see our bags make it into the cargo area. YES! We are looking good. It just gets better. As I said earlier, there were about 10 no-shows for our flight. I asked our cute flight attendant if we could change seats and he said “Yes.” We moved to the last window seats of the plane, so we could shoot photos en route. Despite some cloud cover, we had occasional views of the various volcanoes along the way and a smooth flight. I have to mention that Ravn Air provides the most delicious in-flight cookies. I had chocolate chip and saved their new pineapple cookie for later. After retrieving our luggage, we headed to the car rental site, a short walk across the parking lot from the terminal.

Welcome to Dutch Harbor! I made it, finally! Our rental vehicle was a Ford Explorer, vintage 1980-something, maybe 1990. At any rate, there was no backup camera. No push-button start or keyfob. It did have power windows and power seats. We didn’t make it a full day before needing to swap out the vehicle. But, more about that later!

I drove to prevent further stress on Cathy’s right ankle injury. First up, hotel check-in at The Grand Aleutian, and some lunch. Afterwards, we organized our camera gear and headed to visit the Unalaska Visitors Bureau to meet Director, Carlin Enlow, who had offered to show us around the island. We started our tour with the Port of Dutch Harbor, stopping along the way for photographs. Bald eagles were everywhere! What a feast for them, living on an island full of fishermen and seafood industries in every direction they could look or fly. I regret now that I didn’t count all the eagles we saw, but I can safely say there must have been 100 or more. They were perched on light poles along the road, crab traps in the harbor, garbage dumpsters, church steeples, fishing boats and occasionally even on a rock or a tree. We saw a couple of nests, but it looked like the young had already fledged. Speaking of young, there were tons of juvenile eagles as well. During the tour, Carlin pointed out signs alerting visitors and locals to the danger of approaching an active eagle nest.

After our drive around Dutch, we took Airport Beach Road over Captain’s Bay to visit the town and island of Unalaska. Locals know this as “the bridge to the other side.”

Contrary to the name, Unalaska does not mean ‘not-Alaska.’ It dates back to various spellings over the years with both Russian and Aleut backgrounds. Dutch Harbor is said to have received its name because a Dutch flagged ship was the first to dock there. During the 1890’s, a dock was erected and those traveling to Unalaska booked passage to Dutch Harbor. With airlines, shipping companies, and the FAA calling it Dutch, the name became synonymous with Unalaska. Residents

refer to it as Unalaska, but most visitors call it Dutch. As you might expect on an island, there are multiple harbors along with many fishing operations.

In 1911, the Navy constructed a radio station on the island. With the threat of Japanese invasion ramping up, the United States military began construction of a Naval Operating Base and Fort Myers Army Base in 1940. A runway was built not far from the dock. After the war ended, private airlines took over the airstrip. While I knew that Dutch Harbor played an integral part during WWII, I learned so much more. Actually, it was the only other location in the U.S. bombed during the War! Just six months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the assault occurred June 3 - 4, 1942 when Japanese aircraft departed their two carriers headed for attack. This was the first step in the Aleutian Island Campaign. In the following days, Japanese forces invaded and occupied Kiska Island and Attu Island, taking many prisoners.

Sadly, the Aleutian WWII Visitors Center was closed for roof repairs during my visit. The hotel in which we stayed was built on the ground that housed Fort Mears,

where 16 bombs were dropped that first day. The second day they took out fuel sources and power supplies.

The S.S. Northwestern, a refurbished 1889 freight and passenger ship, had housed workers during the construction of the military bases and continued to provide electricity to the naval base. The ship was bombed, resulting in a fire that lasted for three days. As a result of the irreparable damage, the ship was towed to Captains Bay, where it can be seen today, partially submerged with plants growing forth. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Many remnants of the military presence still exist today, despite a campaign in recent years to clean up some of the more dangerous items that could be hazardous to hikers or curious visitors. Remains that can be found around the island are various buildings used as bomb shelters (pill boxes), munitions magazines, gun mounts, and an underground hospital. The pill boxes were hexagon-shaped, reinforced concrete structures utilized as emergency shelters during enemy bombing and looked exactly as their name would lead

you to believe, like a woman’s hat! They were also used as machine gun bunkers. Still visible are Panama mounts – a circular track that supported a 155-mm gun and able to rotate 360 degrees. Three men were needed to operate these guns – one to aim, one to set the angle depending on the range of the target and one to fire the gun.

During my visit, I learned something that I would venture to say most Americans are totally unaware of. This was the internment of Unalaska and Amaknak Island Natives after the Japanese bombing. This happened to many Natives throughout the Aleutian Islands. I knew the U.S. interned Japanese residents of our country after Pearl Harbor was bombed. But, prior to my visit, I had no idea local Natives of the islands were confined, even while their family members were enlisted in our military and fighting for our country! Why was this done? The best that I’ve been able to learn was that it was in their best interest to prevent further endangerment from another Japanese attack. Is that true? We will probably never know for sure the answer to that question. What do we know? They were

given 24 hours or less to gather what they could carry in one suitcase per person along with blankets, before they were loaded on a ship. They traveled roughly 1500 miles, and were relocated in unused canneries, dilapidated gold mines, and abandoned herring fisheries throughout the SE Alaskan rainforest. After leaving their homes, precious belongings and memories, their residences were torched to prevent the Japanese from using them. Their “new” homes were less than adequate and completely unsanitary. Many families resided in one small room with no suitable toilet facilities, no heat, no drinkable water, no food or cooking ability. Many of the 800+ relocated residents became ill and/or died. It was roughly 2 ½ years before they were able to return.

Their new location was drastically different from their beloved islands. Out in the Aleutian chain, the landscapes are treeless tundra with beautiful mountain vistas. The rainforest of SE Alaska was a shock – persistent rain, bone-chilling cold temperatures with a dampness that made it feel colder.

Unangax, as the Natives of the Aleutian Islands are known, are a proud and patriotic culture. Despite their deplorable living conditions, they refused to sink into despair. Instead, they constructed an improvised church and named it after their treasured Church of the Holy Ascension. Twenty-five of the men joined the U.S. Armed Forces, with several awarded the Bronze Star.

Memorial Day of 2022, Private George Fox, the only Unangax soldier killed during WWII and any war since, was finally recognized with an official burial marker at Memorial Park in Dutch Harbor. For 80 years, his grave was unmarked. This ceremony was in the works for nearly a decade. There were speeches from friends and officials, a 21-gun salute, followed by the playing of Taps. He joined the Army at 21 years of age and was killed fighting Germans in Ardea, Italy, three days before the American forces took the city on June 4, 1944. Five years later, his body was returned to Unalaska to be buried in an unmarked grave next to his mother.

91-year old Unangax elder, Gertrude Svarny, attended. She was Fox’s neighbor growing up, with he and her brother being friends. Each year, she would make the walk to his grave to place a small American flag on his unmarked plot. Gertrude and her family survived the Japanese bombing and were among the Natives forced into an internment camp. An official burial marker was quite a victory and celebration for the Unangax people. Unveiled by Gertrude, the marker listed Fox’s name, date of birth, his honors (including a Purple Heart), and his recognition as an “Unangax warrior.”

Join me in a future edition as I share more about my adventures in Dutch Harbor.

Dutch Harbor: Ravn Airlines

Started in 1948 as Economy Helicopters, Ravn Airlines serviced offshore oil drilling in Alaska. Eventually, they added twin otters and convair aircraft to assist with building the Alyeska Pipeline. With the completion of the pipeline, they expanded to passenger service, connecting remote communities across Alaska. They experienced a few name changes over the years but became Ravn Connect in 2014.

In April of 2020, the Covid pandemic forced the company to enter bankruptcy protection. This didn’t stop them from coming back stronger. By August of the same year, they had re-emerged bigger, better and streamlined for the future to serve their Alaskan communities. You can think of Ravn Air as the highways of Alaska, like our road-system in the lower 48. They just happen to fly on their highways. They are the conduit for Alaskans, locals and visitors to do business, obtain medical treatment, as well as move cargo, mail, etc.

Servicing 11 different communities including Anchorage, Dutch Harbor is their furthest route and perhaps one of the trickiest due to weather. Safety is Ravn’s #1 core value and they will take no chances with their passengers.

Later this year, Ravn’s parent company, Northern Pacific Airways, plans to launch direct service from cities in New York, Nevada, California and Florida through Anchorage to cities in Korea and Japan, utilizing the northern route.

A Celebration of 20 Years of Art!

Opening Reception: Sept. 9, 5-7 pm • Sept. 13 - Oct. 21, 2022

George Dunbar Gallery at the Slidell Cultural Center in City Hall

Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Friday, 12-4 pm • Free Admission

The City of Slidell presents

Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic

how to make plans can help alleviate that worry and make a difficult experience a little easier. The Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic at the Slidell Memorial Hospital Regional Cancer Center is here to do just that.

For some patients, receiving the best cancer care may require them to travel far from home. It is common for patients to see several doctors, specialists and nurse navigators during their treatment journey. This can mean traveling to several different locations to receive the care they need, creating a roadblock for starting treatment as soon as possible. The new Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic allows patients to see all key physicians and nurse navigators at one location. What used to take patients 4 to 6 weeks, making various appointments and visiting different locations, now can all be done in just one day. Not only do patients get the convenience of staying local, it also makes it easier for them to have a support system of family and friends nearby.

In April 2021, Slidell taxpayers voted to approve a millage extension for SMH that included creating a comprehensive breast cancer treatment program. This includes the new clinic to help cancer patients receive quicker diagnoses and provide comprehensive care close to home. While construction is currently ongoing, our team at the SMH Regional Cancer Center, led by Dr. Matthew McElveen, Medical Director and Program Coordinator, has already started the program with more than 40 newly diagnosed patients.

The current program, which is focused on breast cancer, brings together the entire team of treating physicians and care providers into one collaborative office space designed specifically for this comprehensive purpose. New cancer patients can expect to be seen by multiple physicians in one day and will typically leave the office with a complete treatment plan in place. Dr. McElveen notes that the length of time from diagnosis to treatment is critical in the success of cancer cure and that this new comprehensive approach can cut this time by more than 50%.

When visiting the new Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic, patients can expect to experience a peaceful, calming and comfortable environment throughout their whole treatment journey. A patient’s case will start the night before they arrive for their appointment. All the patient’s doctors gather to discuss the patient’s case and develop a preliminary idea of how to approach it.

Each patient will leave the clinic with a targeted treatment plan prepared by their care team. This individualized care plan will help them navigate through their cancer diagnosis journey more smoothly and allow them to receive treatment and proceed to surgery much more quickly than before. Our goal is to improve the chance of breast cancer cure while alleviating our patients’ stress and worry, allowing them to focus on self-care and healing.

Louisiana Maneuvers: 1941

The Second World War began on September 1, 1939 when the Germany Wehrmacht invaded Poland. The Germans spearheaded their attack using a Blitzkrieg or “Lightning War” strategy which lasted almost a month. The U.S. Army was still in peace time mode using horse cavalry and a token number of tanks. Colonel George S. Patton arrived at Ft. Benning, Georgia on July 27, 1940 and was promoted to Brigadier General in October, at which time he took command of the 2nd Armored Division.

Patton thought that tankers needed a distinctive uniform to set them apart from the ordinary soldier. He designed a green uniform with black stripes down the sides of the pants and gold buttons that ran diagonally across the jacket. This was topped off with a gold helmet that he had obtained from

the Green Bay Packers football team and a pair of large goggles.

Patton had a propensity for roaring around the training area in his M3 light tank with its siren blaring. The soldiers began calling him the “Green Hornet” after a comic strip character of the time. Soon, generals were visiting Ft. Benning just to see the flamboyant Patton in his “Green Hornet” uniform. However striking this uniform may have been, the U.S. Army would not adopt it.

Patton began the serious business of training the 2nd Armored Division in tank warfare and, by January 1941, the division began intensive range and combat firing, combat exercises and reconnaissance training. The two existing armored divisions, the 1st and 2nd, then provided trained cadres for the activation of the 3rd and 4th Armored Divisions. Patton protested the loss of members of the 2nd Armored Division, but was told that the War Department wanted to expand the Armored Forces as quickly as possible.

By J.R. “Bill” Bailey

With war in Europe, the government leaders in America thought that the United States could become involved in a war. The military was expanding and, after holding small military exercises, decided that they needed a place to hold a large military exercise. Louisiana seemed like a good place.

General Lesley McNair and Colonel Mark Clark, using a Louisiana gasoline station road map, laid out the maneuver area. It comprised 20,000,000 acres secured from 94,000 land owners which covered 3,400 square miles from the Sabine River, east to the Calcasieu River and north to the Red River. (In Colonel Robert S. Allen’s book, Lucky Forward, he calls the area “a 40 by 90 mile sparsely settled, chigger and tick infested bayou and pitch pine section between the Sabine and Red Rivers.”) It would be the largest maneuver ever held at that time and would involve nearly half a million men and 19 divisions. Although the Army was starting to use tanks, some of the cavalry units were still using horses. Maneuvers were

held throughout Louisiana between 1940-1944, but the 1941 maneuvers were the largest. It was called, “The Big One.”

Headquarters for the maneuvers would be at the newly built Camp Polk (later Fort Polk). The camp was named for West Point educated Rev. Leonidas K. Polk, the Episcopal bishop of Louisiana. (At the start of the Civil War, Polk put aside his clergy duties and was commissioned into the Confederate Army. The “Fighting Bishop” was killed by a shell near Marietta, Georgia on June 14, 1864.)

The maneuvers were built around two mythical countries, KOTMK (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Kentucky) was to be the Red invaded nation, while ALMAT (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee) was to be the Blue aggressor nation. Lt. Gen. Ben “Yoo-Hoo” Lear commanded the Second (Red) Army while Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger commanded the Third (Blue) Army.

During the latter part of July 1941, soldiers arrived at nearby camps, with as many as 300-400 army vehicles passing through Alexandria each day. On July 30th, 5,000 troops arrived; July 31st was 10,000; and 5,000 on August 1st.

St. Martinville, but they did not stay. The people of St. Martinville welcomed the soldiers and even held a dance in their honor.

The maneuvers were scheduled for August and September 1941; but, a week before the start of the maneuvers,

a hurricane struck Louisiana. All of the rivers were swollen, causing trucks to become stuck in the mud. This was just the beginning of the hardships for the soldiers. The Second (Red) Army, with 130,000 troops, would be deployed in an “egg-shaped” area north of Alexandria. It would be comprised of the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions with 600 tanks. To denote that they were the Red Army, the men would wear a red armband and their aircraft carried red crosses.

The Third (Blue) Army would be deployed near Lake Charles and Deridder in southwest Louisiana. It would be made up of 215,000 men, with three antitank divisions but fewer tanks during the first stage of the maneuvers. The men would wear blue armbands and their aircraft would carry blue crosses. The umpires wore white armbands and white bands around their campaign hats and observers wore a yellow

The Army would have a total of 350,000 troops and 50,000 vehicles of all types involved in the actual maneuvers plus a large number of observers and umpires. There would also be over 800 Army and Navy dive bombers, pursuit and attack airplanes involved. The opposing forces fired blank ammunition and the airplanes dropped flour sacks for bombs. Umpires were scattered throughout the battle area to determine if trucks or bridges were “destroyed” or men “killed.” Some of the units did not even have weapons and used signs to indicate a weapon. James Bollich of Lafayette was in the 16th Squadron of the 27th Bomb Group (L) which was equipped with the A-24 “Banshee.” In his book, Bataan Death March - A Soldier’s Story, he states that, “Instead of having actual machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, foxholes, etc., there were wooden signs all around to indicate these.”

The Blue Army was to act as a foreign army that had invaded Louisiana from the coast. The maneuvers began in the early morning darkness of Monday

Camp Polk (now Fort Polk) was named for Confederate General Leonidas K. Polk, the Episcopal bishop of Louisiana. He was killed by a Union J" shell near Marietta, Georgia on June 14, 1864. (Bailey Collection)

Confederate General Leonidas K. Polk

September 15, 1941 with the Red Army making the first move. The advance guard of the 2nd Armored Division slipped across the Red River with the peep (later called the jeep), motorcycles and scout cars leading the way. They were followed by M-2 “Stuart” medium tanks, M-3 light tanks, mobile infantry and artillery of Major General George S. Patton’s 2nd Armored Division.

The Blue Army, using Colonel Dwight Eisenhower’s detailed plans, edged north toward the Red Army. As the two armies converged, the rain continued, making the roads slippery and dangerous. The Blue Army launched a powerful counteroffensive to the east, with Blue Army infantry and cavalry moving toward Alexandria. The Blue Army captured Alexandria but the Red Army tanks continued to attack in the west. The Blue Army stopped this attack by rushing in their anti-tank units. There was fighting around Peason Ridge which was described as a stump knobbed sector that had been part of the virgin pitch pine forests. The battles became bitter and finally settled in a

stalemate. There were fist fights and umpires were threatened with physical harm by some soldiers if they did not rule in their favor.

The Blue Army used Esler Field, near Camp Beauregard, and Lake Charles for their airplanes. At Esler Field, they painted a mock orchard on the runways for camouflage, built false houses, dummy airplanes and installed machine gun nests as protection against paratroopers.

The Red Army tanks sprang a trap when they charged the Blue Army from camouflaged positions underneath the trees. U.S. Army Signal Corps sound trucks began blaring out the sounds of whining bullets, diving airplanes, booming artillery and tank sirens, adding realism to the battle. The Blue Army met them with 75mm cannon and 37mm anti-tank guns, putting four Red Army tanks out of commission. The Red Army was outnumbered and began a retreat covered by Red Army airplanes strafing and bombing the Blue Army. The umpires gave the battle to the Blue Army.

The Blue Army positioned itself in front of the Red Army near Provencal, south of Natchitoches. On September 17, the Blue Army dropped 127 paratroopers behind the Red Army lines where they fought toward a pontoon bridge across the Red River. They captured truck drivers, rolled a smoke bomb into a Red Army command post and disrupted Red Army supply and communications. One paratrooper captured a Red Army headquarters where a general scolded the paratrooper for being foolish and ordered him to lay down his gun. The paratrooper refused and replied, “Nuts to you, General! This is war.” Eventually, the Red Army captured all of the Blue Army paratroopers.

In one instance, a bridge was “destroyed” and a company commander went charging across the bridge. An umpire shouted, “You can’t cross that bridge, can’t you see that it has been blown up?” The company commander shouted back, “Yes, I know it, but can’t you see

Each army began the exercises with more than 400 airplanes. As the skies cleared, more surveillance airplanes were seen. The bombers found more

Due to the shortage of some infantry weapons, soldiers were armed with guns made of wood along with a sign stating what type of weapon was being used.

targets and the fighter aircraft engaged in dogfights. The Blue Army had air supremacy by flying more missions and using more airplanes on each mission.

Red Army tanks were pinned down in swamps or destroyed by anti-tank guns. In 24 hours, General Patton’s 2nd Armored Division lost 20% of its tanks. The Red Army began to retreat in the Horse’s Head Maneuver Area near Natchitoches which led to the entire Red Army retreating along the 100-mile front. The Blue Army aircraft began dropping propaganda leaflets on the retreating troops which stated,

- This picture, taken during the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers, shows horse cavalry on the march with a modern MJ light tank. This is probably the last time that horse cavalry was used as the U.S. Army was rapidly moving into the modern age of armored divisions. By April 1941, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions had already been activated.

an officer appeared at the father’s side and said, “Do you mind calling off your boys, you’re holding up our war.” This incident would be dubbed “The Popgun War.”

Meanwhile, General Patton’s 2nd Armored Division crossed the Sabine River into Texas at Orange and on to Beaumont before turning north. The tanks went through Woodville, skirting Nacogdoches and into Henderson,

The Red Army stiffened its defenses in Louisiana with a battle erupting at Mansfield. The Blue Army’s 1st Cavalry crossed the Sabine River at Logansport,

Louisiana and Carthage, Texas and attacked Shreveport from the south. Patton’s forces then crossed into Louisiana and attacked Shreveport from the north. The Red Army was caught in a vice and General Lesley McNair realized that the Red Army was surrounded. He called a halt to the second and final stage of the maneuvers on September 28, 1941, after only four days.

The 1941 Louisiana maneuvers, the largest ever held in the United States until that time, was considered a great success, accomplishing a great deal. All of the umpires agreed that the Louisiana weather was unpleasant, with the American soldier struggling through rain, mud, dust and heat. They also went without sleep, baths and sometimes food. We hope that the maneuvers did accomplish a great deal, for a little over two months after the end of the maneuvers, the United States was thrust into World War II when Imperial Japanese Naval Air Forces attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941.

General George Marshall stated before the end of the maneuvers, “I want the mistakes made in Louisiana, not made in Europe. If it doesn’t work, find out what we need to do to make it work.”

An interesting addition to the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers was that NativeAmerican code talkers were involved. The 4th Infantry Division used the Comanche code talkers and continued to use them throughout the war in Europe. The U.S. Marine Corps used Navajo code talkers in their island hopping campaign in the Pacific. The first known use of Native-American code talkers was by the U.S. Army’s 30th Infantry Division when they used Cherokee code talkers at the 2nd battle of the Somme in September 1918. During the maneuvers, my uncle, Willard Terry Harp, was in the Second (Red) Army and I recently donated his red armband to the Fort Polk Museum. He was assigned to the 77th Field Artillery and was in “Operation

Torch,” the invasion of North Africa on November 8, 1942 and then saw combat in Sicily and Italy. He was in “Operation Dragoon,” the invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944 and then into Germany. When the war ended, he and the 77th Field Artillery were at Bad Tolz, Germany, which was the training area for officers of the Waffen-SS. He picked up a Hitler Youth Ski Leader’s Badge in a nearby Hitler Youth Camp and, in 1952, gave me a ditty bag full of German military items, including the badge. Some of the officers that were involved in the maneuvers went on to fame during World War II. General George C. Marshall served as Chief of Staff of the Army; Dwight D. Eisenhower became Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and Mark Clark commanded the 5th U.S. Army in Italy. J. Lawton “Lightning Joe” Collins, who was from New Orleans, commanded the 25th Infantry Division on Guadalcanal before going to England to command VIII Corps.

General Omar Bradley, known as the “Soldier’s General,” served as an observer during the maneuvers. He relieved General Patton as commander of the II Corps in North Africa, commanded the 1st Army during the D-day landings and then became commander of 12th Army Group.

The flamboyant George Patton, known by his men as “Blood and Guts,” developed armored tactics during the Louisiana maneuvers

and made the statement at that time, “If you could take these tanks through Louisiana, you could take them through hell.” He then commanded II Corps in North Africa and the 7th Army in Sicily. After the D-day invasion, he commanded the 3rd Army which fought across Europe. He was injured in a car wreck near Mannheim, Germany on December 9, 1945 and died on December 12th.

Lieutenant General Lesley J. McNair was killed on July 25, 1944 during Operation Cobra, the U.S. Army breakout from Normandy toward St. Lo, France, when bombs fell short of their targets and onto U.S. positions. He was the second highest ranking U.S. Army officer killed in action during World War II. (General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., killed June 18, 1945 in Okinawa, became the highest ranking U.S. Army officer killed during World

Lieutenant General Walter Krueger went on to command the 6th Army in the Pacific, serving under General Douglas MacArthur.

Lieutenant General Ben Lear became commander of European Ground Forces in 1944 after General Lesley McNair was killed. In the closing phases of WWII, he became Deputy Commander of the European Theater of Operations.

In December 1944, Generals Marshall and Eisenhower were promoted to 5-star general (General of the Army). General Bradley was promoted to 5-star general in 1950.

The 4th Infantry Division's Comanche Code Talkers are shown during the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers. These Comanche Code Talkers would be part of the 4th Infantry Division throughout the war in Europe.

It’s Hard to stop A Rhino.

Brett Thomas, owner of RHINO WEB STUDIOS, has modeled his life and business on an animal that is known for having thick skin, forward focus, and a seriously stubborn nature.

You’ve probably seen Brett’s videos on social media or heard his radio ads during your morning commute. It may seem like “The Rhino” is everywhere, but Brett’s journey as a businessman in the marketing industry has humble origins.

“When I got out of the military, I started college at Southeastern,” he explains. “I started a side hustle, going around campus selling coupon cards for 2-for-1 daiquiris, and I started to have some success and make pretty good money for a young guy.”

“I realized that I was making, or had the potential to make, more than the professors I was taking classes from,” Brett said. “And to the complete horror of my parents, I left school to pursue my own business.”

Continuing his door-to-door sales, Brett took notice of all the other door-to-door salespeople working the same neighborhoods. He would often stop them and ask them questions. Upon meeting another coupon salesman, and learning that they had a local sales office, Brett got a job selling coupon certificates for them too.

“That decision was important, because it was the birth of the ‘RHINO’ persona that I am today,” Brett explains. “I was a boxer when I was younger and my nickname

was ‘Rhino,’ so when I started my doorto-door sales company, I called it ‘Rhino Promotional Marketing.’ The new coupon company that I started freelancing for also used a Rhino as its mascot. On my first day selling for them, they gave me a sales-motivation book entitled Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander. I read it cover to cover in just a few hours. It seemed like the Rhinoceros was everywhere”.

Then came a day that wasn’t momentous or noteworthy; a day that others wouldn’t notice or even remember; but it would alter Brett’s life trajectory forever.

“I went over to a friend’s house and he told me he couldn’t come out that night because he had to finish a website for someone,” Brett explains. “I was shocked because I didn’t know that he did websites, so I asked him how much he was getting paid. He said $2,000 for only a couple days’ work.

“I couldn’t believe it! I asked him how he did that and what programs he used,” Brett said. “I went out and immediately bought a computer and set it up on a table next to my bed. My wife, who I was dating at the time, will tell you that I sat up till 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning some nights, learning how to build websites. She’d fuss, ‘Quit playing on the computer and come to bed!’”

Website design began to become, in Brett’s words, a “fun and lucrative hobby.” After building a couple of websites in a very short period of time, he had a lightbulb

moment. He noticed a pattern of clients talking about horrible past experiences with web designers, and decided that he was going to fill a need by offering “The BEST customer service in the industry ”

RHINOCEROS’ EVERYWHERE!

“It must be fate, because the Rhinoceros kept showing up in my life,” Brett says with a smile. “I’ve modeled my life and business on three traits of the Rhino:

“First, the Rhino has very thick skin, which you need when you’re starting your own business. You’re going to have more bad days than good days, and that thick skin will help the negatives bounce off you.

“Second, the Rhino has poor peripheral vision, meaning it can only see what’s right in front of its face. As a business owner,

we can’t afford to be distracted by things around us that keep us from focusing on our goals. In this case, tunnel vision is an admirable trait.

“Third, when the Rhino sees something it wants, or a target it wants to hit, it puts its horn down and charges after it, and doesn’t quit for anything or anybody.

“A few years later, a customer who I had quoted for a website called me and said, ‘I’m going to let you build my website because I want to work with someone local, and I really love that you named your company RIGHT HERE IN NEW ORLEANS.” Brett continues, “I said, ‘What?’, and they repeated it, ‘Right Here in New Orleans, isn’t that what RHINO stands for?’ Without missing a beat, I said, ‘It sure does!’ I could have kicked myself for not realizing that sooner, but it was like the Universe was giving me confirmation that RHINO was always meant to be.”

It wasn’t long before website sales eclipsed those from the coupon sales, but those years of experience selling door-to-door weren’t wasted. While a tragedy for many people and businesses, Hurricane Katrina became a golden opportunity for people like Brett.

“A lot of businesses were destroyed, but a lot of new businesses moved in to fill the voids,” Brett explained, “and those new businesses needed websites. I went door-to-door handing out business cards. I got told ‘No’ a lot, but for every 100 that said ‘No’, I got a few that said ‘Yes.’ That’s what most people don’t see. They see a successful guy and they think, oh man, he’s just lucky. It wasn’t luck at all. It was knocking on doors in the rain, the cold, and in the 105-degree summers when I

didn’t have AC in my car. It was not being able to pay the bills and struggling for years. Some people thought I was nuts, but I refused to quit.”

That first year when websites brought in just over $20,000 in sales, Brett celebrated because he was able to do it on his own, without needing a boss or punching a time clock. Over the next 10 years, his perseverance turned Rhino Web Studios into a successful and lucrative business.

“At about year twelve, I was making more than ever imagined, and I was doing alright,” Brett confesses, “but then I hit a plateau. I just couldn’t seem to grow beyond where I was. I knew why, but I was too afraid to do anything about it. I was using fear as my guide. I was afraid to spend money on my business.

“Looking back, I use this experience when consulting with my clients. I tell them, ‘Scared money doesn’t make money.’ Everything began to change when I got an office and stopped working from home. I had always wanted to advertise on the radio, but it was $4,000 a month. I reached a point where I just had to go all in. As scary as it was writing out those checks, I purchased radio ads in December of 2018 through February of 2019. The first month, I sold 3 or 4 websites to people who said they heard me on the radio. In January, we sold 12; and, in February, we sold 18. I let go of the fear, and that’s when everything took off.”

As a 20+ year veteran of designing, hosting and maintaining websites, Brett knows that a truly effective website is foundational to a business’s success. No matter what type of marketing you do, people are going to look you up and your website will be the first experience they have with your company.

“If your website is old, unprofessional, or doesn’t utilize the latest Google protocols, people look at it and think, If this company isn’t taking care of themselves, how are they going to take care of me? If you have a

website that is old, it’s like sending out a salesperson with a ripped t-shirt and jeans. It’s just not professional.”

Having finally reached a level of success that would have been hard to imagine 10 years ago, Brett is now focused on sharing his experience and success with others.

“When I was younger, I thought, Wouldn’t it be great if I could franchise and spread my business all over the country? You know, one of those pipe dreams you have when you’re young and don’t know anything,” Brett explains. “Amazingly, I’m now in the position to do it. I’ve laid all the groundwork, legally and financially, to take Rhino Web Studios nationwide.

“I’m now focused on finding entrepreneurs who want an opportunity to grow a successful business in their city, region or state,” Brett said. “I have everything in place to make those who want it very successful. I will travel anywhere to teach you what I know about the website industry; how to get and keep clients; how to build, host and maintain websites; how to get your clients’ websites to the top of the search engines; and so much more. This is my life’s dream and ambition.”

If you would like to learn more about Rhino Web Studios, about Brett Thomas, about websites, or even franchise opportunities, please visit:

RhinoPM.com

Rhino’s local office is in Slidell at: 112 Village Street | Slidell, LA 70458 504-875-5036

With offices located in: New Orleans | Phoenix, AZ Raleigh, NC | St Petersburg, FL and more to come!

“Your Estate Matters”

By Ronda M. Gabb, NP, JD, RFC

LIFE CHANG ES...

“Life Changes” is not only a great song by Thomas Rhett, it’s also guaranteed! The best way to keep up with those changes is to revisit your estate planning documents (this includes beneficiary forms too) every three years, or whenever life-changing events occur. These events may be births, deaths, divorces, disabilities, lawsuits, etc. When I see some of my long-term clients (20+ years!) for a review of their estate plan, I notice very few of them have followed this advice.

Specific bequests can also affect your estate plan. (A specific bequest in your Will/Trust names a particular asset to be distributed to a particular person/ entity, which is distributed first.) I am not a big fan of most specific bequests in Wills/Trusts because assets/values and circumstances can change so much over time. Imagine what the passing of 20 years can do to these bequests! For example, specific bequests can cease to exist when the condo is sold, or your financial advisor moved to a new brokerage firm, along with your portfolio, or the value of your estate has decreased substantially because you retired, or you were ill and needed to use the money. In these circumstances, we must ask “is the original plan still fair and accurate?”

Legal-ease

It is not uncommon for our clients to leave their children’s inheritance in trust until they reach certain ages or upon a certain event (e.g. half at college graduation, remainder at age 35), then 20 years go by, and those children now have their own children! Maybe “Aunt Sue” was named Trustee, and now the child is a very successful engineer with children of her own, and Aunt Sue has dementia. In this case, it is probably time to leave the children’s assets to them outright and maybe create a grandchildren’s trust. Let’s do a 180 degree turn here and say that “child” is now 40 and still lives at home and can’t hold a job or manage a checkbook, and/or has a drug or alcohol problem. Then it may be wise to make that child’s trust “purely discretionary” to last for his/her lifetime. In that case, a “professional” trustee (like a bank or trust company) that cannot die or be manipulated may be the best choice. In my opinion, you don’t want a sibling or any family member being a trustee under those circumstances.

Now let’s talk about the most overlooked asset we have: beneficiary-driven assets. The biggest is usually our retirement accounts (IRA, 401k, 403b, etc.). It’s also any life insurance and annuities, whether through employment or privately

owned. You are allowed to choose both a primary beneficiary and a secondary (or contingent) beneficiary in case the primary beneficiary predeceases (or dies with) you. Some beneficiary forms even allow for a tertiary (third) beneficiary. Be sure to keep these updated and accurate because your Last Will/Trust does NOT override your chosen beneficiaries. If you want your child’s children to inherit their parent’s share of your IRA or life insurance if they die before (or with) you, then don’t forget to check the “PER STIRPES” box. (If there is no box, just write it in.) Yes, I have talked about this many times, but it is amazing that financial advisors rarely discuss this option when helping clients fill out these forms. And your last LAW-niappe…if you have three beneficiaries, don’t pick one (sorry oldest children) to be the big winner of an extra 1% - simply write “EQUAL” in the box instead of 34-33-33.

Yep, Thomas Rhett nailed it when he sings about Life Changes:

Ain't it funny how life changes; You wake up, ain't nuttin' the same and life changes; You can't stop it, just hop on the train; You never know what's gonna happen; You make your plans and you hear God laughin'…

OUT TAKES

Kendra finally meets her favorite weatherman ever, David Bernard, at the Press Club of New Orleans Excellence in Journalism Awards.

John Case had no idea! The Mayor and First Lady play chaffeur (and decoy) through Olde Towne as a surprise birthday party is being set-up back at John’s house. Also part of the ruse are Brenda Case, Bill Davis & John’s college friend Leslie and her husband Paolo.

Our hearts were broken last month as our Slidell community lost a hero, SPD K-9 Kano, seen here with his partner & dad, Officer Jake Morris. K9 Kano EOW 8/11/2022

OF YOU JOHN!

John Case, “The Storyteller”, wins his THIRD Best Column Award from the Press Club of New Orleans! SO PROUD

White Linen & Lagniappe was back and a HUGE success! Enjoying the perfect evening are Police Chief Randy Fandal, Mark Smith, Carolyn Baringer, Dania Fandal & Bernie Friel.