50th Edition - September 2014

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Editor’s Letter “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.” ~ Napoleon I have a hard time viewing Slidell Magazine as a “media” outlet. Sure, the content within these pages serves the purpose of information, so it can be considered “news.” But, more than an information or news source, I view Slidell Magazine as a literary journey through the community we call home. We are very fortunate in Slidell to have excellent newspaper coverage through The Advocate, The TimesPic, and our locally owned Slidell Independent – all of which are great publications, with local interests. I feel bad for the newspapers, though.

Because of their obligation to be reliable news sources, they can’t always print GOOD news.

Unfortunately, sometimes the news is more bad than it is good – and they HAVE to cover it.

When I started Slidell Magazine, I had to make a decision – did I want to be a news magazine or an entertainment source? I chose entertainment, and the motto, “Keep It Fresh, Keep It Positive.” I’ve held fast to the ideal that happiness can be catching; and my hope is to bring joy to everyone who reads Slidell Magazine.

I’m spoiled - I publish happy things and people react with happiness. That being said, I had my first encounter with some REALLY negative reader feedback this past month. It was regarding our cover story “Who Owns Who Dat”, chronically the ongoing David vs. Goliath legal battle between Ronnie Dunaway vs. Steve and Sal Monistere, the men who claim to own the copyright for the phrase “Who Dat?” The negative comments were posted publicly

by Steve Monistere on the Slidell Magazine facebook page:

“Slidell’s trademark infringer, Ronnie Dunaway uses the old story of “who owns Who Dat” to gain publicity for his t shirt store. In the end, he will lose the fight, because he is, in fact, breaking the law. Supported by New Orleans favorite wacko attorney, Mark Andrews, who works for free, Dunaway has been hoodwinked into believing he has rights. Follow the follies by reading this newspaper, who will use this story to gain readership.”

I was hurt at first. Then mad. Then, honestly, I was delighted. I want to thank Steve Monistere for his character-revealing comments and for giving me a platform to speak publicly about this. Instead of the negativity of his insulting remarks, I was given an opportunity to garner support for this community cause by reminding all of the Slidell Magazine and Facebook viewers of the happiness behind the words “Who Dat?” My Facebook response: “Steve Monistere, we appreciate your feedback, although we typically receive letters to the Editor via private messaging or email. But, since you opened up the opportunity to have this discussion publicly, I will be happy to oblige. The story of ‘Who Owns Who Dat’ was conceived by, and written by, Slidell Magazine. The story was not written to promote Ronnie Dunaway’s “t-shirt store” as you stated (although I highly recommend you visit his shop, as it is a true testimonial to the ardent Saints fans of Slidell and the New Orleans area). Ronnie is not a law breaker - his court case is a valid one, and one that we feel needed public attention and support. Thus, the hearing this January that you will be attending, along with hundreds, if not thousands, of Saints fans who represent and support the Who Dat Nation. Slidell Magazine (which is a free publication that benefits the Slidell community - not a “newspaper, who will use this story to gain readership”) stands behind

Ronnie Dunaway & Kendra proudly displaying their “Who Dat” hats Ronnie Dunaway and the rights of all Saints fans - to chant, proclaim, and proudly display the Who Dat terminolgy. Mr. Monistere, we believe that Who Dat is a colloquial expression, akin to asking “Wassup” or “How you doin?” But, within the letters of that simple two word question, lies the embodiment of decades of loyalty in the face of disappointment, the devastation of our homes and city, the displacement of our families, and the rebuilding and rebirth of our lives through the success of our Saints. To place a copyright stamp or registration mark on the Who Dat expression is like a stab in the heart to all of us who have endured this journey. For many of us, whose family members and friends were displaced from Katrina, it’s the ice-breaker-phone-conversationopener every Sunday during football season, and inevitably gains a response of “Who Dat! How’s your Mama and dem?” Mr. Monistere, I don’t know what the courts will decide in this sickening battle between Public Pride vs. Corporate Greed.

But I do assure you this --- as long as there are people like Ronnie Dunaway to stand up for the rights of the fans, the decision will weigh in favor of the court of public opinion. ~ Kendra Maness, Editor & Publisher of Slidell Magazine and faithful member of the Who Dat Nation.”

I hope that, indeed, the Pen is Mightier than the Sword, and that our Who Dat Nation prevails.

Slidell Magazine now available at

PO Box 4147 • Slidell, LA 70459

www.SlidellMag.com • 985-789-0687 Kendra Maness - Editor/Publisher Editor@SlidellMag.com

Brian Friel - Graphic Designer Graphics@SlidellMag.com Contributing Writers Hollywood South, Donna Bush Sli-Ku, Lee Kreil The Storyteller, John Case Jockularity, Corey Hogue Pet Points, Jeff Perret, DVM Slidellicacies, John Maracich III Crimmi-Mommly Insane, Leslie Gates Once Upon A Time...In Slidell, Ronnie Dunaway EFOP, Charlotte Lowry-Collins Lori Gomez www.LoriGomezArt.com Mike Rich MikeRich@mypontchartrain.com Rose Marie Sand Rose@RoseMarieSand.com

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SEPTEMBER 2014

Extraordinarily Fascinating “Ordinary” People

ALLEN LITTLE

Sponsored by MIA SORELLA

By Charlotte Lowry Collins

This month, it’s all about the good times. As summer draws to a close, we tend to look back over our happy moments, savoring them one more time.

Chances are, some of these memories include the distinct thrill of planning something special for someone else. If you remember the joy it brought you, now imagine waking up every morning focused on your next surprise. September’s Extraordinarily Fascinating Ordinary Person has made a career of delighting guests. My meeting with this fascinatingly entertaining person was held in his home, “stage” and business, which is all one and the same. It was almost like coming home for a visit.

We sat down in the wrap-around sunroom and it felt like we were out in the beautiful gardens surrounding the wall-to-wall picture windows. The only difference was the glorious air conditioning. My stress began to slip away as I gazed out into the cool, shaded back yard, then up into the majestic Magnolia that stretched above us. Then my gaze danced over the multicolored flowers scattered throughout, finally resting at the water spilling over in the fountain. What brought me back to the present was the laughter back inside, and the tales I am going to share with you.

1354 Corporate Square Blvd • Slidell (Located in the Hobby Lobby Shopping Center)

This virtuoso is synonymous with his haven, and alongside his wife, has hosted many of you in their vintage house onside the railroad tracks.

This historic dwelling was meant to be their home for three compelling reasons - reasons filled with coincidences that I could not have known until this interview. The couple named the business after their home, Chateau Bleu. Slidell Magazine is proud to have chosen Allen Little for September’s EFOP spotlight.

Now, for the reasons Allen and Kathy Little were destined for Chateau Bleu... First, as an entrepreneur, Allen needed a venue for his dream career. He held his first job at age twelve, working a paper route from 2am until school started. Then he started “picking” with discarded treasures found along the paper route that he could re-sell. Within a few years, the industrious teen managed to pay his tuition at Holy Cross and purchase two cars by the time he was 15. But the job that brought him fulfillment was helping people have fun... “especially if there was food involved,” Allen added. “My mentor in the catering business was Oliver Patton. I landed a job helping his family cater on weekends in his Delery Street Grocery Store in the lower 9th Ward

985.781.3909

in the late 1950’s. I loved the parties, and especially liked to work the wedding receptions for the Pattons.

They were such happy occasions,” he reminisced.

“That joy is what led me to start my own catering business, and this place would turn out to be the perfect setting for my guests. Then we started the private dining.”

Remember I said there would be coincidences?

Well, Oliver’s family has continued Patton’s, and moved it to Slidell in the Salmen-Fritchie house just down Front Street from Allen. “I still keep up with the daughters who became good friends and moved here after Katrina, Gail Hines and Pat Bacharach,” he explained.

Add to this the fact that Allen and many of his lower 9th Ward friends spent blissful summers here in Slidell and, thus, the second reason he was destined to call Slidell home. “We had a camp out on Rat’s Nest Road, and I loved it. As a young teen, I spent a lot of time at The Roof, on Carr Drive, and knew a lot of people there. I took Drenda Charbonnet to my Holy Cross Junior Prom. Her parents, Roy and Shirley, had purchased this very house in 1957, almost twenty years before us. Her aunt, Virginia Suarez and her husband Lacy bought the house next door that used to be the Chamber.”

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“Finally, Kathy and I decided to look for an older house as our home. When my mom heard about our dream house, she said, ‘You know, Drenda’s mom’s place is for sale in Slidell.’ On a whim, Kathy and I drove over, walked in, and immediately knew that this floor plan was the perfect home for us. It is called a raised dog-trot. A center hallway went from the front to the rear door, with rooms on either side. We bought the residence in 1970 and decided to start our business in 1974. We purchased the 1880’s grand staircase from the Salmen-Fritchie office on Front Street. So those stairs didn’t move very far. After it was installed, we built our residence in the attic.”

Allen concluded the sales saga with another great tale. “South Savings couldn’t lend me the money because the entry stairs were not safe, and the house needed painting. Mrs. Charbonnet said I could fix up her house before the sale. You know, my friends thought I was crazy putting money into someone else’s building. But I had a connection to the Charbonnets and I trusted them. Plus, we just loved Slidell and wanted to move to the country after three years in Gretna. Mrs. Suarez prepared lunch for us while we worked on the house, which took three months.“ “The location turned out to be great,” Allen added.

“But back then, there was no Gause Blvd. There was East Hall, and West Hall was the main highway, which the house faced. They were both gravel roads, even up until the sixties. Don’t you remember that Highway 190 dead-ended as Front Street at the Fountainbleau Motel?” he asked. I have to admit that it took me a second. “The swimming pool was right where Gause is now.“ Once he reminded me of the little cottages split by the new road named Gause, it all came flooding back. It is almost impossible to picture those quaint little cottages when you see busy Gause Boulevard today. “But Michoud changed all that.” Allen laughed hard now, saying, “ I remember when Slidell Memorial Hospital was built on a former cow pasture. One of our neighbors got hurt, and he came back shocked, telling everyone that he went to the local hospital, ‘and there were cows all out front.’” Now the hospital has expanded to fill a three-block area, and is a major sponsor of our community efforts.

On to the third and most surprising reason they bought this house: You see, it has to do with the railroad, which is why our city was founded. I asked him if the trains passing by drove them crazy. Both he and Kathy chimed in, “We love trains!” and they smiled at each other with a gleam in their eyes. It turns out, there is romance behind this tale. “In 1964, I was in college in Lafayette, and we would all take the train to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I wanted to have a good time, but I didn’t want to drive back. Well, I was feeling no pain Mardi Gras night, and when the train lurched, I tumbled into the lap of a beautiful girl. I met my future wife on a train on Mardi Gras Day.” r

“Alas, I was in no shape to remember her name. I searched

to discover. He asked me where we were going next and if he could go with us, and I said, ‘Sure, let me check with our travel agent.’ Her name was Vickie Carolla. Vickie agreed and added that she had talked to others who wanted to go with us. And that’s how our next entertainment business started.”

and searched for her back at school. Finally, I asked two of my girlfriends to help me find this wonderful sorority girl. They weren’t able to figure it out either.”

Kathy finished the story by explaining, “I saw him one night up on stage singing ‘Old Man River’ at Songfest during Greek Week. I turned to my roommates and told them that this great singer had fallen into my lap on a train one time. As luck would have it, these two roommates were the very friends Allen had previously asked to find me. And that’s when they told me that he had been trying to find me ever since. We met each other coming out of the auditorium... and the rest is history.” Allen looks at Kathy lovingly and says, “That’s why we don’t have a problem with the trains coming by day and night. We actually can’t sleep when they don’t pass, which has only happened twice. Once was after Katrina, and the other was during a railroad strike.

In recent years, we have both noticed fewer trains. But I think the economy is showing signs of getting better. For the last few months, the number of trains is picking up, plus they are heavier, with more consumer goods.” I could clearly sense their passion about trains. Allen continued, “We can sense the weight of the cars inside this house. It shifts with their weight all the time. If you aren’t careful putting things down where they are secure, they’ll slide right off - books, plates, even these pictures,” he says pointing to a wall filled with decades of picture memories. “I have to straighten these frames every time a train passes.” But wait, the connection goes even deeper. Next I learned that Kathy’s parents and her grandparents also met on a train. It can only be thought of as fate!

After a moment to take in this parallel, I turned my attention to where he was pointing.

There was a large grouping of travel photos on the wall. I counted over twenty countries they had traveled together. Allen explained that they sort of fell into the side business of taking groups abroad quite by accident. “I was telling one of our guests about the photos, and all of the adventures we managed

“Machu Picchu was one of my favorite tours. It was truly magical, and the vista was simply surreal.”

He turns to me and says, “As an artist, you have to go to Ireland with us some day. I would describe the country as over 40 shades of green. And the Netherlands were an eye-opener. I don’t know why we aren’t allowed to recapture land, our coast, the way they do. There’s a lesson for Louisiana. We have taken groups with up to 80 people. Finally, we needed to rent our own buses, and we started advertising our group trips.” Allen looks at his arm, pointing to the dialysis shunts. “If I ever get a kidney, we are going to start traveling again, but I’ve been waiting for six years now. The good news is that I have managed to lose 150 pounds.“ I remember Allen as a jolly host with the stature of an opera singer. Every Christmas for our family office party, we would beg him to entertain us with his melodic tenor version of ‘Oh Holy Night’.

It would bring tears across the table. You see, the food and the décor aren’t the only reasons we held so many of our parties at Chateau Bleu. My family has a long history with this historical dwelling, dating back to the first owner, Bill Hursey, who worked with my great-grandfather in the American Creosote Company. My great grandparents lived in another company house that used to exist across the street. My grandmother and my mother told me many a story about the fun times growing up on the vast creosote property.

Little did we know that it would later become a “Superfund Site” while all the creosote was cleaned up. My grandmother’s engagement party was in the home that was to become Chateau Bleu. The best part was that the guests could get up and walk to the train to go home. I continued the tradition when I helped host my son-in-law’s wedding here, but we didn’t get to use the train since we were mostly locals.

I am happy to say that Allen’s fight with blood pressure problems from the age of 14, and his dialysis, have not deterred him from his many passions. Far from it, as he described to me. “When the economy slowed, I got time to do more. I still keep up my responsibilities as the current VicePresident in charge of productions at the Slidell Little Theatre. I’ve been involved in the organization and the plays for over 40 years. The musicals, of course, are my favorite. My profession is actually singing, and I went to USL to study music. I loved playing the Captain in The Sound of Music and King Arthur in Camelot, even the ‘Pickle Man’ in Crossing Delancey. That last one was a really clever play.

It is a fun challenge to adapt when others change their lines since I am also the master of making up lines in a pinch. I’ve directed over twenty plays, and 7

in 1994, was Chairman of the Fundraising Committee for the new SLT building. Now we are in the process of adding a new black box theatre.”

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This entrepreneur, singer, and thespian is also passionate about Olde Towne. He has received the Pearl Williams Leadership Award from the Republican Women and the Rotarian’s Paul Harris William Lowry Award for his many years of service to the community. And that’s saying something, particularly since he isn’t a Rotarian. “I started in the Jaycee’s; it was a young man’s organization, and that really opened me up to the community. But I grew up, and at age 36, they ‘roostered me out’ as was their custom.” From there, he went on to volunteer with the Mayor’s Commission on the Arts, and was a founding member of the Slidell Museum. “I was Chair of the Bicentennial Committee in 1976, then Judge of the Clean City Award.”

With a chuckle he reminded me, “I was even chained to a Sycamore tree on Front Street when I served on the Save Our Trees Committee with your Mom.” Finally, back to his proclivity with Mardi Gras: I want to remind you that he and Kathy met on Mardi Gras in 1964. Perhaps this explains why Allen has been Captain of the Krewe of Perseus since 1982.

With a chuckle, Allen recounted, “This last year, I was hospitalized three times in three months. As I was being discharged from Slidell Memorial Hospital, I was donning my costume and brought straight to the reviewing stand. It was the first time I’ve ever been able to watch the parade since I became Captain. The theme was ‘It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere’, and I loved the Shirley Temple float with all the little old ladies in the kids clothing and those little black shoes. We had Hillbillies with moonshine, and White Russians from Ukraine. The crowds don’t realize how long the costumes and floats take, or how much effort goes into the event. I’ve already started on 2016 since it takes well over a year,” he reminded me. Both he and Kathy were King and Queen in the Krewe of Mona Lisa and MoonPie in 2012.

For me, this visit brought a flood of memories from happy family times and civic events. But this was the first time I heard the story of “Jubal”.

This guest is seen when the house is quiet. “He is a Sea Captain from the 1800’s when the Port of Slidell was near here. He had a bar room on this site before our home was built in 1912.” Always dressed in a dark brown coat and a strange hat, he has been viewed by many who describe him as very friendly and quiet.

My closing question for Allen was about his favorite meal to serve guests. Without hesitation, he perked up and proclaimed, “I prefer cooking seafood, and my specialty is ‘Redfish Allen Louis’ which is stuffed with crabmeat and shrimp, covered with a Newburg sauce.

I love to serve it with local, summer vegetables and a nice Savignon Blanc, followed by my ‘Lemon Raspberry Bombe’. Louis is my middle name, after my maternal grandfather who was a Perez from Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes.” He concluded by disclosing, “But Kathy always does the final tasting. She has a very refined palette.” Suddenly, I realized how hungry I was, and that I had never tried the homemade dessert with raspberry and white chocolate mousse. I assure you - I will order this the next time I am here!

And, forevermore, I will have an appreciation of the sound of the trains ppassing pa ssin ss inng by. ing byy.

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Caron Sharpe is a “natural artist.”

Much of her art is inspired by what she loves and finds in the environment. One of her unique qualities is painting on non-traditional substrates. She salvages antique windows, old cypress doors, ceiling tiles and weathered wood to be used as her canvas for the beauty she sees in nature. Her creativity can be seen throughout her paintings and pottery.

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The ARTbeat of Slidell

SAINTS AT COWBOYS • 7:30PM

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SAINTS AT BROWNS • NOON

“Fiddler on the Roof” Slidell Little Theatre • 2pm

SAINTS AT FALCONS • NOON

Diabetes Support Group SMH Founders Bldg • 6:30PM

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All About Beer Slidell Library • 5:30PM

Grand Opening Sugar Love Cakes 3:30 - 4:30pm

Grand Opening Panera Bread 3:30 - 4:30pm

Lunch & Learn Video Conferencing Tech Chamber Boardroom 11:30am - 2pm

Main Street Art Beat Chamber Marketplace 5 - 7pm

Grand Opening Exhale Unlimited 3:30 - 4:30pm

TUE Story Time • Ages 2 - 5 Slidell Library • 9:30AM

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Business After Hours Felipe’s Taqueria • 5 - 7pm

Slidell Photo Club Exhibit • Slidell City Hall Show runs thru Nov 7

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EYP After Hours Social Restaurant Cote • 5pm

Chamber 101 Chamber Boardroom • 9am Lunch & Learn Time Management Chamber Boardroom • 11:30

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THU Communications Committee Olde Towne Soda Shop Noon

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Friday, October 3 2013 Oak Harbor Golf Course Tee Time: 12:30PM

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Health & Fitness EXPO 5k Race and 1 Mile Fun Run Harbor Center • 8:30AM - 6PM

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Camellia City Farmer’s Market Olde Towne • 8AM - NOON Jazz’n the Vines feat Debbie Davis Pontchartrain Vineyards • 6:30PM

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MISS STATE • TBD “Knuffle Bunny” Jesus Christ: SUPERSTAR Slidell Little Theatre • 7:30pm Cutting Edge Theater • 8pm Godspell • Jubilee Theatre • 8pm

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Jesus Christ: SUPERSTAR • Cutting Edge Theater • 8pm Godspell • Jubilee Theatre • 8pm

“Knuffle Bunny” • Slidell Little Theatre • 7:30pm

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Jesus Christ: SUPERSTAR • Cutting Edge Theater • 8pm

SMH Lunch & Learn COLON CANCER: The Bottom Line Founder’s Building • 11:30am

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“Fiddler on the Roof” • Slidell Little Theatre • 8pm

Health & Fitness EXPO Harbor Center • 2 - 8PM Carey Street Crawl Olde Towne • 5 - 10pm

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Story Time • Ages 2 - 5 Slidell Library • 9:30AM

Grand Opening Finnan’s Family Pharmacy 3:30 - 4:30pm

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Storyteller Praying for Baby June Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.…1 Thessalonians 5:17

acceptance of it in earnest years later, I also found that the youthful religious experiences provided a wealth of stories that I think should be told.

From time to time, people ask me if I had a normal childhood. My brother would say no, my sister would say yes, in some ways; but I don’t truthfully know. My childhood was the only one I knew, so I have nothing to compare it to. The question is usually asked because, based on what I write, they tell me we seemed to have had more experiences than most children.

When we were young, our parents did not intentionally discuss their problems with us.

Sometimes we would eavesdrop, or put pieces of conversations together and get a pretty good idea of what was happening. My mother was the easiest to read. One reason was that she worried more; and the other reason was that she prayed. Her praying was a positive influence on my religious ideas; as since she prayed so much, the Lord must be answering at least some of them or she would have given up by then.

I don’t think that is true. It is because we listened and observed. We enjoyed listening, mainly because that was a simple and cheap form of entertainment. We spent a lot of time in church when we were growing up, and we spent a lot of time absorbing the stories and tales of the older relatives when not in church.

At the time, I did not think I got much out of church, except maybe a ticket to Heaven. The benches were hard, the sermons were long and boring and there was no air conditioning. I loved Jesus and I tried my best to enjoy church but it just did not happen.

I wanted so hard to see a miracle, just one. If I saw a miracle, church would be fun. I think you can surmise that I was alert to my surroundings, just waiting to see if that powdered commodity milk, if prayed over, would really taste good.

It never did. Also, since mowing our two acre yard was my job, I prayed the grass would not

grow. This really caused me to doubt the power of prayer. Even in a July drought, that grass would grow as fast as ever.

None the less, sometime after my tortured elementary education in Christianity and the

Mother said her prayers every night. I am sure she said them in the morning too, but that was while we were still sleeping. When something was greatly troubling her, she would pray during the day and, if the problem was severe, she would pray with her eyes closed while washing dishes or doing other chores. It was a miracle she did not stumble over something.

I only saw her do that a few times and I suppose the first time was when my daddy bought the dog. Dad most always had a job, but his priorities on spending money were not

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his strong suit. One day, he came home with a registered Collie puppy. I don’t know why. There were half a dozen strays that crossed our property every day and we could have taken any one for a pet. For some reason Dad wanted us to have that dog and he paid thirty five dollars for it. That night, Mother prayed about what he had done; and the next day, the utility company cut off our electricity. This caused Mother to pray even harder and she took the Bible literally, praying unceasingly. It must have worked, because the next day the utility was restored.

It was in the fall when the Leonard family moved into the old shack on the hill across the pasture from our house. Maybe they just saw that it was abandoned and was in such deplorable condition that they thought no one would care. They were probably correct about that.

They drove an old car. I have no idea what model it was, but I would assume it was a 1930-something, and it was in about the same condition as the old house. It was a two-door coupe, but the doors were missing. One fender was also missing.

They arrived towing a small green utility trailer with all of their possessions in it. They did not have many possessions but they did have an old white icebox. For some reason, they just left the ice box in the trailer, never moving it into the house.

Twice a week they would put a block of ice in it that they had purchased at Pistol Sasser’s store. The icebox on that trailer is where they kept their few perishable food items.

Her name was Katherine and his name was Luther. She was very pregnant and I, being about eight years old, had never seen any pregnant woman that large. She may have looked that way because of her hunger-induced diminutive frame. She made no effort at all to look attractive. It was obvious from the sun damage to her skin and her hair that she had seen a lot of hard work, most likely field work, such as chopping cotton or picking corn.

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I remember that Luther looked less used up than Katherine and wore decent clothes. I guess you could say he was somewhat dapper and did not show the same signs of hard work as his wife. I later found out that she was nineteen years old and he was a few years older. They had two young boys. One was about four and the other just a toddler that I would guess was less than two. Mother said the children had worms because their stomachs were the biggest part of their body.

That first afternoon, Luther came to the house and asked Dad if he could use our faucet to get water. The old shack had a well but Luther did not have a well bucket. It was a quarter mile from our house to the shack; so after a few days, Dad brought home an old well bucket he had found in a junk pile and replaced the rotten leather flapper in the bottom. He left it beside the faucet. Luther found it and took it home.

I don’t remember seeing Luther at our house but one more time and that is the day he asked to borrow a set of tools from my dad. He said the old car stopped running when they drove up, and he needed to do some work on it. A few days later, Dad saw him coming out of a pawn shop in Brookhaven. When Luther disappeared around the corner, Dad went into the shop to see what he had pawned. It was Dad’s tools. Rather than getting angry, Dad told Mother that maybe Luther needed the money more than we needed the tools, so he would just let it be.

Almost immediately after moving in, Katherine came over. She wanted to borrow some eggs. The next day, some milk, and the next day, some flour, and on and on. She didn’t know what borrow meant, as she never returned anything. Mother gave them to her because she knew Katherine and her family were hungry.

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I began to hear Mother mention Katherine and her children in her prayers. I never heard her pray for Luther. I guess she had written him off as a “no count” or a “good for nothing”.

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One day, Katherine brought the two children with her. They were covered in ringworms. Mother was kind, but firm. They could not come in her house. She ordered them to sit on the patio while she went to the walnut tree. She picked up several green walnuts. They were the type that have a husk around the hard nut casing. She took a knife and cut slices of the husk and the blackish-green liquid oozed out.

Mother was not about to use her good wash rags on these urchins, as she called them, so she went to her rag box. Then, with soap and water, she washed each ringworm. Finally, she coated the area with the walnut juice. She had done it to me once when I had a ringworm. It burned like hell and the kids screamed in pain.

A few days later, they came back and were all cured. Mother took them to the kitchen table and fed them what she had precooked for our evening meal. She always had a tender spot for mothers and children, but she had no tolerance for a man who would not work.

Katherine had not seen a doctor, but she thought she was about seven months pregnant. She did not look well. That night, Mother prayed for Katherine and, the next morning, I heard her discussing it with Dad. He told Mother that sometimes you have to help the Lord. That is what Mother did.

She went to each neighbor. Ms. Suzy agreed to give them a dozen eggs every other day. Ms. Chris gave them a half gallon of milk as often as she could, and Mr. Boone gave them some meat from his smoke house occasionally. Some other neighbors agreed to do what they could and, of course, we continued to do our part.

Katherine’s time came one cold morning in early December.

There was a knock on the door and there she stood, bending in pain, holding her smallest child and leading the other by the hand. Mother knew immediately she was in labor and told Dad to take her to the hospital, while she stayed and watched the two children.

In those days, when you delivered a child, the hospitals kept you for about a week. Finally, Dad brought Katherine and her newborn to our house. Combined with the nourishment the neighbors had provided and the hospital care, she looked healthier than we had ever seen her. Her long red hair had been washed and brushed. The split ends appeared to have vanished and her skin had been treated for the sores and calluses of the cotton field. Most amazingly, she was wearing something we had never seen on her - makeup. Katherine was a pretty woman.

I never have thought that babies were pretty, except my own; but that little baby was beautiful. Her skin was like a china doll and it seems she was born with a head full of red hair. She was perfect. Katherine named her June. My mother’s name was Eunice, but her closest friends called her June.

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Katherine, June and the two other children stayed with us for a few days and then moved to the shack on the hill. We saw Katherine from time to time, but with the neighbors chipping in, she was not so dependent on us. The purpose of her visits now was to let us get to know June, my mother’s namesake.

She succeeded. Not only did we get to know her, but we all fell in love with the beautiful little girl.

After about a year and a half, the neighbors felt that the situation in the shack was not going to improve. They resented working hard to provide food for that family when Luther refused to work. Without formally announcing it, they began to

cut back on the donations. After awhile, we were one of only a few families contributing - and that was not much.

Katherine regressed. Whatever beauty and health she had acquired disappeared, and now she looked much like she did the first day we saw her. What Mother could not afford to give in food, she made up in prayers. I think she knew that it would take a miracle from Jesus for the Leonard family to survive.

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On another cold December morning almost two years to the day after June was born, there was a predawn knock on the door. A predawn knock is never a good thing. There stood Katherine with June in her arms. Mother turned on the light and immediately knew something was wrong with the baby.

Even after having been in the cold night air, she was sweating.

Her face was as red as her hair and a rattle could be heard in her chest as she struggled to breath.

At the hospital, x-rays were made, some blood drawn, and it was soon determined that June had double pneumonia. She had been sick for some time.

Back in those days, there was no privacy act, or HIPPA regulations. Since Dr. Savage knew my mother well, he chose to discuss June’s condition with her rather than with Katherine.

The doctor had no more patience for child neglect than Mother did for the “no count” Luther. Mother was left to relate the information to Katherine.

According to Dr. Savage, the child most likely would not live. Not only did she have pneumonia, but she was severely malnourished and had every intestinal parasite common to our region. There was one other thing; she had trichinosis.

Dr. Savage said he had to contact child welfare, and it would be his recommendation that the child never be left in her mother’s care again. He said he would also contact the health department and the agricultural county agent to see where the trichinosis came from.

Mother thought she knew the answer to the trichinosis. She remembered Katherine telling her that Luther had shot a wild hog and they had roasted it over an open fire. She related this to the doctor, but he did not appear to be interested.

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Mother also knew that if the county started testing all the farmer’s hogs, that would create more resentment for the family. She feared that the few who were still contributing food would stop, and many did.

Let me credit Mother’s prayers; after three weeks in the hospital, June recovered and was sent home with her mother.

The child welfare department would make frequent inspections over the next few months. Mother knew it would take lots of prayers for this to have a good ending.

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No one ever visited the shack. No cars were ever seen there except the one the Leonards had arrived in, and a black sedan the welfare workers used. On this particular day, from the front window of our house, Mother saw that large sedan pull into their yard. Two men wearing hats and a lady departed the car and went to the door. About that time, a sheriff’s deputy drove up and joined the group.

Mother knew why they were there. I watched her that day as she prayed harder than I had ever seen her pray before. She closed her eyes and clinched her fists. She did not know what she wanted the Lord to do and she told him so. She said, “Lord, your will, not mine, be done.” But somehow, I think she felt that whatever the Lord did would be wrong.

In a few minutes, the three well-dressed state agency officers made their way to the car with little June in their arms. The

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deputy positioned himself between them and the crying mother. From a quarter of a mile away we could hear Katherine crying. I will never forget her screams.

“Please don’t take my baby.”

For hours Mother continued to sob and pray.

Within a week, Luther somehow got the old car running. After all Mother had done for them, they did not even say goodbye. With no door on the car, we could see Katherine plainly as the car headed north. She saw us, but she didn’t even wave.

They left behind the utility trailer with the icebox in it. In a few years, we salvaged it, put tires on it, and made a camping and fishing trailer out of it. In the icebox we kept our food, drinks, bait and the few fish we occasionally caught. I mention this because it was probably the only useful legacy the family ever left anywhere.

Only once over the next few years was there anything said about that family and it wasn’t by my mother. It was as if she did not want to remember what happened. I was a teenager by then, and occasionally, I would sneak into the pool hall. It was a forbidden place to be but I slipped in. Two boisterous men I vaguely knew were teasing each other about Katherine the Red. From things they said, I knew which Katherine they were talking about.

Even as a teenager, I thought bragging about your sexual conquests was trashy, if you could call Katherine a conquest. I had some doubts about the truth in their bragging and dismissed it as pool room talk.

I have always liked to research things. My grandmother once said that, if I had been alive when the Lindberg baby was kidnapped, I would have found him before noon. I enjoy the search, and people have long sought me out to find information they were curious about. I am sure that is why Mother directed Katherine to me.

In the mid 1970’s, I was working for a mortgage banking firm in Jackson, Mississippi. One day, the receptionist buzzed my cubical and told me that I had someone from my hometown that wanted to see me.

In those days, I was self conscious, especially in the work place where I was working hard to make a good impression. I was not pleased when a very hard, shabbily dressed woman approached my desk. She stuck out her hand, and announced loudly that she was Katherine Leonard, and she called me Johnny. As an adult, I preferred to be called John.

I would not have recognized her in a million years. There was nothing left of any beauty that once tried to emerge. The physical beauty was gone, and you could tell there was emotional damage as well. She looked sad.

She did not waste time. She told me that she had visited my mother and was looking for her daughter that was taken away from her seventeen years ago. She told me that she thought my mother had been responsible, maybe even arranged for that happening. After visiting with Mother, just that very morning, she realized that was not the case. She said she apologized to Mother for the years of hard feelings. She told me that she and Mother prayed together and Mother asked God to help me find her child.

This was before the internet, and in Mississippi, as in most states, adoption and child welfare records are held close to the vest. I told her that I would try; but not to expect much.

She told me how hard she tried to save her baby and feed herself and her other two children. I did not mention it, but she even told me about the prostitution arrangement and named the men from the pool hall. She said maybe the Lord had taken her baby away because of that, but she was just trying to put food on the table.

She did not want them to go hungry.

She told me she still lived with Luther and without saying it, I could tell he was still a “no count”. She then put the back of my hand to her lips, kissed it, and thanked me. When she looked up, tears were streaming down her face.

Maybe there was some beauty left. Something in her eyes looked beautiful, hopeful.

Finally she wrote her address on a piece of paper and left. I lost the paper that same day, but I remembered she lived in Lamar County. I never saw or heard from her again.

16

Last month, I had a call from someone who said she wanted to talk to me.

She had read some of my stories and she had one to tell me. She told me it might be my best yet; but in return, she needed my

help. The caller only gave her name as Rebecca and said she lived in Memphis, but could drive to Slidell by 6 o’clock that night. She gave no other hint as to what she wanted to reveal, but I am always in search of a good story. We agreed to meet at Christopher’s on Carey in Slidell, that very evening. I could tell she had a sense of urgency.

Some women, regardless of age, are stunningly beautiful. She was. Most red-headed women lose the luster in their hair when they age.

She had not. She was immaculately and expensively dressed and her greeting was soft and cultured.

“Mr. Case, I am Rebecca Stribling. If you knew me, you knew me as June. I don’t know what my last name was.” She then paused, waiting for my response.

It seemed like thirty minutes of silence, but it took some time to put it together. Then I said, “Sit down. It has been a long time. What can I do for you Rebecca?”

“Will you help me find my birth family please?

Can you tell me anything about who I was?”

I did not answer her question, but came back with one of my own.

“How did you find me?”

“My adoptive mother never hid from me the fact that I was adopted. She even told me I came from Lincoln County, my name had been June, but she did not know my birth parents’ names. Some six months ago, she passed away.

Just before she died, she told me that the only clue that she had as to who I was would be in a box in her attic.

“I am not sure what she thought I would find, but all I found was a baby blanket. There was a note in my adoptive mother’s handwriting attached to it.

“It said, ‘This blanket was the one you were wrapped in when we picked you up at the courthouse in Brookhaven.’

“On the blanket was a laundry tag. It said, ‘Quality Cleaners, Brookhaven Ms.’ and under that, a name, Eunice Case.

“I was searching for this Eunice Case, when I read her obituary on the internet, as she died last month. The obituary is where I got your name and that you live in Slidell. The obit said you were her son. I looked you up and found that you also write stories. I guessed if you had ever known me or my family, that you had considered it a story and would know something. Here I am. Do you know who I was?”

I told her much of what I knew about her birth parents. I told her most all of the good and some of the bad. I made a point to tell her of the incident some 40 years ago, when her mother came to me looking for her. I told her that I would help her and that her name was June Leonard, named after my mother.

Rebecca was an educated, intelligent woman. She could have done it herself, except that I had some information that she did not. I knew that her parents’ names were Katherine and Luther Leonard and their last known address was Lamar County, Mississippi.

I told her that they would be easier to find if they were dead than if they were alive.

We would first assume they were dead.

We walked around the corner to my office and I pulled up Find A Grave on the internet, selected Mississippi, and typed in Luther Leonard. There were no results.

I then went to a paid subscription site that I belong to, and looked for cemeteries in Lamar County. There I found a Luther Leonard, born in 1933 and died in 1982. The birth year was about right, but I could not be sure if he was the right one. There could be a number of Luther Leonards. We found no Katherine listed.

Counting on a long shot of it being the Luther we wanted, we agreed to drive to Sebastopol, in Lamar County, the next day. After all, it was more or less on her way back to Memphis.

We went back to the restaurant for dinner and I told her the fine points of her childhood as I remembered them. She seemed to like the fact that she had been named after my mother. I could tell she was hanging to the hope of her mother being alive, as we did not find her on the cemetery list.

The next morning, I followed her and, after about an hour drive, we located the small cemetery. Most of the markers were very plain, but one stood out. It was Luther Leonard’s.

Next to him was Katherine’s but her marker was a small, funeral home type. It was one of the temporary ones they use that are made out of cheap metal. She had been dead ten years.

I could see the disappointment in Rebecca and she nervously began to clean the weeds from the graves. Her actions appeared to be emotional impulse and I retreated to the car to give her some time alone. She must have stayed at the graves for half an hour.

As the sun went down, she walked back to where I was waiting and said, “I guess I was too late.”

I reminded her that she had two brothers, but told her the names had slipped my mind.

him. He got everything and left her nothing, just a worthless funeral home marker. I started to tell Rebecca that, but I didn’t. In a few minutes, we said our goodbyes.

The next week I received a thank you card: Mr. Case, thank you for fitting a piece of my life’s puzzle together. If there is anything else I need to know, please contact me. I probably did not tell you, but my adoptive parents were wonderful to me. They loved me very much. I am proud of them and I am proud I was named after your mother.

Sincerely and Many Thanks Again, Rebecca, aka June On the drive back to Slidell, I thought about my mother’s prayers. Maybe I had seen a miracle.

Sometimes God does things at His own pace.

What happened to Baby June, was the work of the Lord.

“Well, that is another story. You have been too kind already.”



Reflecting on Luther’s tombstone, I could not help but think that it would have been just like

September 2014

John Case

17

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I was teaching Sunday school to some 5th graders in my church a couple of years ago and, as I so often do, I had waited until the last minute to prepare the lesson. I mean, like Sunday morning.

The lesson required reading the book, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein; which worked out well because I already owned a copy of it.

Being one of my favorite childhood books, I was interested to see how it would fit into the lesson.

Well, in the hustle of trying to find matching shoes for my kids, a clean coffee cup, and my keys, I forgot the book at home.

I hurried to church, ran my three kids to their classes, and then headed off to teach the lesson I had NOT prepared for, 10 minutes late, to 5 innocent faces eager to learn a positive message for the week.

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I started reading the script that would eventually introduce the story, at which point I was supposed to pull out “The Giving Tree”, read it, then read the moral pertaining to the book, say a prayer, and send them on their way.

I was just going to give them a summary, from what I could remember, but the 5th graders suggested pulling it up on my phone and reading it that way.

“Oh yeah! Duh!” I thought, as I quickly searched for it.

I don’t know what it was that led me to pull it up on YouTube, but alas, I did. And I can NEVER take it back. EVER. I found a digital video of the book, with narration, moving characters and everything! Woo Hoo! Man I love technology!

The 6 of us laid on our tummies, all cozy on the carpet, and huddled around my

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cell phone screen as I proudly displayed one of my favorite stories. I didn’t even have to read it. It read itself! Things were really working out, even though I had procrastinated.

The story began just as I remembered, although the voice that was narrating seemed a little off. I just went with it.

It is a very simple, beautiful story.

But this version was cut short. Very abruptly. It went a little something like this…

When the boy wanted to play, the tree would let him climb its trunk and swing from its branches. When the boy was tired, the tree let him rest and sleep in its shade.

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I know.

I wasn’t expecting it either.

Probably should have said the prayer FIRST. The children were holding their ears tightly, even closing their eyes, afraid of what they might see next.

It was the NIGHTMARE Sunday school scenario, and leave it to me to live it!

After all was said and done, I began my walk of shame to tell their parents.

Even GRANDPARENTS. I felt HORRIBLE. It’s crazy, the things we have to deal with in this technological age that could never have been imagined when we were kids.

For example, as I am writing this (old school, with a pencil and paper), my 6 year old daughter is sitting across from me at the kitchen table. Left thumb in her mouth, right hand on her tablet, playing a game.

When I was 6 years old, I was making forts in the bushes, swimming in ditches after a big rain, and nursing my mosquito bites by making an “X” in them with my fingernail.

Every generation seems tougher than the one after them, and feel each has every right to tell the younger generation all about how it was back in their day! And why not. They earned it!

So here we go.

I will start.

Born: 1977 Back in MY day, times were simpler.

Families seemed more tight-knit because not everyone had a screen in front of their face. And if they did, it was the TV, after dinner, tuned into whatever your PARENTS wanted to watch. For us, it was “MASH”, or “The Golden Girls”. When you were disrespectful, there were punishments.

And I don’t mean your games were taken away. I’m talkin’ if your Dad owned a belt, it resided in one of 3 places: the closet, his waist, or your backside. Those belts usually came with big buckles that

sometimes got in the way. We still knew our parents loved us though. Spanking was just acceptable then. Even the schools had the right to paddle you.

Trust me. I know.

At supper time, you couldn’t get up until all of your food was gone, even if you had to sneak it into your napkin.

In high school, our main concerns were if we should cruise Gause Blvd or hang out at our friend’s house, listening to mix tapes while sneaking cigarettes.

We never missed a football game.

(Go Spartans!) And if we wanted to talk to our friends, we had to actually TALK to our friends. Either at school or over the home phone, if no one else was on the line. We communicated more with the people that REALLY mattered, our lives were private, and we had more time to deal with disappointments.

The world wasn’t constantly flashing in front of our faces in real time; it was on the 5 o’clock news. My chores were empting the dishwasher, cleaning the bathroom, and sweeping the pine straw off the roof. And, if I didn’t want a bald eagle imprinted on my butt, I did them.

My Mom: Born: 1945 “Back in my day, because of the polio epidemic, we had to rest every day so as not to weaken our bodies. I read a lot during those times, usually Nancy Drew mysteries. We had a neighborhood full of kids of all ages, so there was plenty to do. We even had bonfires in the field across the street, cooking potatoes in foil and hot dogs. I rode my bike several blocks away, to friends’ houses, stores, and even to the theater on Saturday mornings; didn’t have to worry about predators. My neighborhood girlfriends and I would play school a lot. We rode a privately owned school bus to school because it was not supplied by the school system.

“We had a patio outside where we would hold teenage neighborhood dances, playing the cool music of the 50’s. We would also perform plays with honestto-goodness costumes and singing, and charge a slight fee. And, yes - we had a bell on the front porch that Mother would ring when it was time to come home, or we had to watch for the front porch light demanding us to return.

“My chores were to make my bed every day and keep my room clean – I shared

a room with one of my sisters. Kitchen duties were rotated each week among my siblings – setting the table (for nine people!), washing dishes (by hand!), drying and putting them away, along with rotation of packing school lunches.

Once in awhile, I’d have to dust. We didn’t have a clothes dryer, so I’d have to hang clothes on the outside line – including the icky, sticky, starched petticoats.

“Treats were popsicles, popcorn, and an occasional Coca-Cola or trip to the ice cream shop. We drank milk at every meal, including school lunches. All of our meals were home cooked.”

My Grandmother: Born: 1912 “Back in my day, there were no TVs. For fun, I would read. I even read encyclopedias! I climbed trees a lot, the big tree in the backyard was perfect – the limbs were wide and safe enough to be comfortable, so I would climb up and read my books, where I wouldn’t be bothered. I played paper dolls with my sister, cutting them from my mother’s magazines.

“We walked to and from school. And after school, my mother was always there with a snack and time to listen.

And my friends were always welcome, playing until it was time for homework.

“I had 5 siblings and we didn’t have a lot of chores. Cleaning the table was one, or setting it. I never felt I was being too busy.

“In high school, the Depression cut down on a lot of things, so our boyfriends had no money. Because of this, we had 19

parties on Friday or Saturday nights and danced. We had radios and all the big bands to listen to. Great music - not the noise of today. To go to the movies was really special, and we couldn’t go very often. Money was needed in other places. We didn’t have alcohol or cigarettes, but we did have cookies and lemonade.

“My mother made most of my clothes and she was great at it. She could make anything you showed her!

“I was very close to my brother. He was always determined I would be Valedictorian, so he would coach me, especially in Algebra. But he died when I was in the ninth grade. I was very sad.

Because of that, I worked even harder.

And, like he had known I would, I became Valedictorian of my high school. I always wanted to do my best for him.”

20

All kids should be taught them. And the only way to do that is to LIVE them.

Be the example. And for God’s sake, DON’T teach them on YouTube.

Can you imagine me walking up to my Grandmother back then, as she sits in her tree, quietly reading, and asking her to take a selfie with me? Or if she knows the WIFI password?

When life gets overwhelming and busy, look around you, and see what things are hindering a peaceful life.

And when it is even too hard to do that, do this…

Imagine that little girl sitting high up on the branch, reading her book quietly, the wind blowing gently, the sun breaking though the leaves - hiding from the world, in HER OWN giving tree.

One without apples, of course.

When I read these, I become mindful of 4 basic values we were all taught, even though we lived in such different times.

We don’t have to live “back in the day” to imagine that. Or to even DO that.

Discipline. Hard work. Respect. Love.

Sometimes it just takes a gentle reminder from simpler times.

I am proud to say that I am still teaching the same kids at church, although the first few Sundays after the YouTube incident were awkward. I’m pretty sure they got over it. At least they haven’t turned into serial killers or anything.

So that’s good.

BUT. I’ll tell you one thing… if I ever come face to face with that guy in the video… I am taking him out worse than a clothesline hit in a game of Red Rover!

Because, well, that’s how we did it, BACK IN MY DAY.

21

TEMPTING THE

Palette Story and Art

by Lori Gomez

S

eptember is upon us. That means not only are we getting our Saints football fix every weekend, but it’s also Friday night high school football season. For most of the summer, kids have been preparing for Friday nights. Football players have been conditioning themselves and band members have been working to put halftime shows together. There’s nothing like getting together on a Friday night with your community to root on your favorite high school. It’s a special time for our kids that will make lasting memories.

As for the adults, not only do we get to enjoy seeing all of the effort from our kids, but it also brings us right back to our own high school experiences.

My daughter Kaitlin played in the Pearl River High School band for 7 years. Because Pearl River’s band was so small, they went to Creekside Middle School’s band for help. If you’ve met my daughter, you know that she’s pretty short (5 foot tall) by most standards. So, imagine the first time she was lined up on the field with the high school kids. Let’s just say, it was easy to pick her out, as she came up to the shoulders of the other band members.

My husband Mike played in the East Jefferson High School Band as a teenager. In fact, Kaitlin played his trumpet throughout her years in the band. I graduated from Bonnabel High School and was on the Drill team and sang in the choir. Bonnabel and East Jeff were (and still are) rivals. This makes for a lot of taunting in

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the Gomez household. I have to remind my husband, when he starts talking trash about my school, that he chose me to marry - so how bad could it be? I’ll never forget the first time we went to a game of Pearl River vs. East Jeff.

Poor Mike had to make the decision who he was going to root for - his Alma mater or his daughter’s school. In the end, he chose Pearl River, but it was tough for him.

Having your kids involved in any school group is one of the best things for them. When they participate in school organizations, it helps them on so many levels. They learn important life skills, like how to work with others to achieve specific goals, and it helps them form lifelong friendships. It really does help them feel like they are part of something and not feel so isolated. Let’s face it - high school can be tough. It’s a lot different today than it was when

I went to school. Kids are under a different kind of pressure, especially with social media and cell phones that give everyone instant access to them. Everyone wants immediate responses. I liked it better back in the day when kids had to call the family house phone to ask a question.

Chances were it might be busy or our parents would limit our time on the phone, in case an important call needed to come through. And if it was dinner time, kids were not allowed to answer the phone. They probably were not allowed to even use the phone until the dinner dishes and all homework was done. Oooh, remember party lines? Ha ha, I’m ranting back to present day.

I reached out on Facebook this month to see if there were any specific recipes that you wanted me to share. There seemed to be a general consensus for more recipes for football foods,

It’s Tailgating Time!

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as we will be focused on that for the next 5 - 6 months. So here we go. The first recipe is Tamale Meatballs. These are great for football games or any get together.

Tamale Meatballs 1 lb. Lean ground meat 1 lb. ground hot sausage (or whatever is your favorite)

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1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal 1 cup V-8 juice 1/2 cup flour 2 tbsp. cumin powder 2 tsp. cayenne pepper 4 cloves garlic 1. Mix all of the ingredients together, roll into small meatballs and place in a large pot with an oven-safe cover. (A foil cover will also work.) Now for the sauce: The Sauce 1 sm. can tomato sauce 2 cups water 2 tbsp. cumin 2 1/2 cups V-8 juice 2 tbsp. chili powder 1. Mix all of the sauce ingredients together and pour on top of the meatballs. Bake at 350 DEGREES for one hour. You can put the meatballs and sauce in a crock pot on low if you would like.

The sauce will thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add a little water.

If you are unsure, call us today!

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Jay Badeaux

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Finally I came up with a new recipe last month that will make your mouth happy! They are wickedly addictive. You won’t be able to have just one.

Chocolate Martinis (by the pitcher) 4 cups Baileys Mudslide 3 cups Whipped Cream Vodka 6 cups unsweetened almond milk, you can use 2 % milk if you want Sugar Free chocolate syrup 1. Fill a pitcher with Baileys, Whipped Cream Vodka and almond milk.

2. Fill a shaker with ice.

3. You will need to put individual servings in a shaker and shake vigorously to get cold.

4. Drizzle a little chocolate syrup around the inside of a Martini glass.

5. Strain the Martini through the ice and enjoy.

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Of Your Money

By Mike Rich

Pontchartrain Investment Management

When it comes to investing your money for the future, the best thing you can do is...NOTHING. Yes, you read that right. When it comes to investing your hard-earned money so you can pursue your financial dreams and goals, one of the best things you can do is nothing. You have to get started, of course, but once your investment plan is in motion, it might be best to keep your hands off. Go and do something fun, like fishing, working in your yard, or taking the family on a beach vacation. Do anything except worry about your money.

Skeptical? I can’t blame you. Personally, I have a tough time doing nothing – with my money, my time, or most anything. Look below and you’ll see a picture of me with my granddaughters at the beach this past summer. It took me three days to get relaxed because I felt like I should be doing something all the time. The girls finally prevailed on me, but they had to work hard at it.

Open House Chamber Business After Hours

Anyway, back to my article. After more than six years of helping people with their money, I’ve noticed that a lot of folks make investing way more complicated than it actually is. “Is this a good time to be in the market? How much cash should I hold? What will the Fed do next and how will it affect interest rates? Should I buy gold?” The self-guessing goes on and on. I even do it myself.

However, it’s not all our fault. The financial media – TV, the Internet, blogs, magazines – constantly bombard us with information, much of which is designed solely to entertain us, increase TV ratings, or attract us to websites. The central message seems to be that, if you are not doing something with your money every day – like checking your balances or making trades or moving from one investment to another or getting into or out of cash – you’re not a real American and you’re going to miss out on something big.

Geez, Louise, when does it end?

Well, if you want, it can end now. The so-called experts will want you to think you’re out of the action, but the results could be worth it.

Here’s how:

1. Make a plan.

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I write about this first step in many of my articles, and for good reason. When you have a plan in place, it’s easier to do nothing. Why? Because, much of the time, all you have to do is set your plan in motion. Let’s say you are 37 years old and your plan is to wind down from work at age 67 with an income from your investments of $60,000 per year. You want to have your house paid off and enough money saved somewhere to fund a big retirement vacation trip for you and your spouse.

Heck, you might as well invite the grandkids to go along, as well. Although I can’t make any guarantees, it’s easy to make a plan to achieve those goals. Making the plan work is up to you, and one of the best ways is to simply invest regularly (make it automatic; every month is good) and then do nothing unless your circumstances change. Are you ready to get started? Call me.

2. Spend less, save more.

If you spend less than you earn and save the rest, you are way ahead in the do-nothing game. I don’t care where you put your money – 401(k) plan, IRA, regular investment account, or even cash value life insurance – just as long as you put it

somewhere that can get a decent rate of return, and that you are saving at least 10% to 15% of your gross income, year in and year out. That might sound like a lot, but it’s easier than you think, if you make smart choices with your money. I can show you how.

3. Protect, protect, protect.

I’ll be brief because insurance is boring to most people (not to me, but I’m weird). If you want the luxury of not worrying about your money, you have to protect it in case something bad happens.

Long illnesses during which you can’t work, premature deaths that destroy income, traffic accidents, lawsuits, and hurricanes happen all the time. The really big unknown will be the cost of long term care for many of us when we’re old. If you have to pay out-of-pocket because you haven’t taken care of these risks, your savings and investments might never recover. Insurance premiums are a small price to pay for the peace of mind that lets you do nothing. I can help you figure out where your risks are and how to deal with them.

4. Do nothing.

I do ask that you meet with me a couple of times a year so we can review our progress, rebalance your account if needed, and finetune; but, except for that, you can pretty much do nothing. With all that time on your hands, you can enjoy life. You know those recipes that tell you to cover the pot, let it simmer for an hour, and not peek? That’s good advice when it comes to your investment plan, too. And, for sure, don’t pay attention to the nut jobs on TV who tell you why you absolutely must have an on-line trading account so you can buy and sell from your smart phone while you’re on the treadmill at the fitness center. Can you imagine what a relief it would be to be free of that garbage?

I read an article recently that quoted a well-known Wall Street market guru. He said that, because the market has been achieving such high levels, investors needed to be “cautious this week.” This week??!! If you are a long-term investor saving for retirement or something else in the distant future, what in the world does one week have to do with anything? Nothing! Whether the market is up or down this week, or any other week, is irrelevant to the investor who has a time horizon of years and years. Leave the “this week” stuff to day traders and oil speculators.

Now, you might be thinking, “Mike, if the best thing to do with my investments is nothing, why do I need you to advise me?” Good question, and I have a great answer. You need me because my job is to help you make a financial plan that’s designed for you, and no one else. My job is to help you figure out how much you need to save and invest for your goals. My job is to make sure we are managing risk so some unexpected life event doesn’t unravel things for you and your family.

Frankly, my biggest job is to keep you from doing something when you should be doing nothing.

If this sounds cool to you, call me for an appointment.

I’m the king of doing nothing.

Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC

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The City of Slidell presents its 2014-2015 Cultural Season Calendar Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall Exhibits Located at 2055 Second Street in Olde Towne Slidell. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Friday, 12 - 4 ÖÃ. Free admission.

Slidell Art League Exhibit ƵŐ͘ ϮϮ Ͳ ^ĞƉƚ͘ ϭϵ͕ ϮϬϭϰ ͻ KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ ƵŐ͘ ϮϮ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà The Slidell Cultural Center is honored to host the works the Slidell Art League’s ƌƟ ƐƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ zĞĂƌ͘ &ĞĂƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌŬƐ ŽĨ DĂƐƚĞƌ ƌƟ Ɛƚ ůĂŝŶĞ DĞƌĐĞƌ͕ ƉƉƌĞŶƟ ĐĞ ƌƟ Ɛƚ ĂƌĞLJ tŝŶďĞƌƌLJ ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƉŝƌĂƟ ŽŶĂů ƌƟ Ɛƚ <ĂƚŚůĞĞŶ ĞƐ,ŽƚĞů͘

Slidell Photo Club Exhibit KĐƚ͘ ϯ Ͳ EŽǀ͘ ϳ͕ ϮϬϭϰ ͻ KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJ͕ KĐƚ͘ ϯ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà dŚĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů ƵůƚƵƌĂů ĞŶƚĞƌ ŝƐ ŚŽŶŽƌĞĚ ƚŽ ŚŽƐƚ ƚŚĞ ƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů WŚŽƚŽ ůƵď͘

Artist to Artist: The Works of Adam Sambola & Kenny Bridges EŽǀ͘ ϭϰ Ͳ ĞĐ͘ ϮϬ͕ ϮϬϭϰ ͻ KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ EŽǀ͘ ϭϰ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà dǁŽ ĂƌƟ ƐƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚǁŽ Ěŝī ĞƌĞŶƚ ďĂĐŬŐƌŽƵŶĚƐ ŚĂǀĞ ĨŽƵŶĚ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐŚŝƉ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ ĂƌƚƐ͘ ŽŶ͛ƚ ŵŝƐƐ ƚŚŝƐ ŝŶƐƉŝƌŝŶŐ ĞdžŚŝďŝƚ ĨĞĂƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌŬƐ ŽĨ ĚĂŵ ^ĂŵďŽůĂ ĂŶĚ <ĞŶŶLJ ƌŝĚŐĞƐ͘

Salad Days 2015: Juried Exhibition of Student Art :ĂŶ͘ Ϯϯ Ͳ &Ğď͘ Ϯϭ͕ ϮϬϭϰ ͻ KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ :ĂŶ͘ Ϯϯ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà :ƵƌŝĞĚ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶ ĨĞĂƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌŬƐ ŽĨ ^ƚ͘ dĂŵŵĂŶLJ͛Ɛ ƚĂůĞŶƚĞĚ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚ ĂƌƟ ƐƚƐ͘

“Zat Hat” by Adam Sambola

Louisiana Masters: From the Vaults of the New Orleans Museum of Art DĂƌĐŚ ϳ Ͳ Ɖƌŝů ϭϴ͕ ϮϬϭϱ ͻ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJ͕ DĂƌĐŚ ϳ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà ŶŽƚŚĞƌ ĞdžƋƵŝƐŝƚĞ ĞdžŚŝďŝƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ǀĂƵůƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ EĞǁ KƌůĞĂŶƐ DƵƐĞƵŵ ŽĨ ƌƚ͘ KƉĞŶƐ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƌƚƐ ǀĞŶŝŶŐ͘

Mixed Media 2015 Juried Exhibition DĂLJ ϴ Ͳ :ƵŶĞ ϭϯ͕ ϮϬϭϱ ͻ KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ DĂLJ ϴ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà dŚŝƐ ĞĐůĞĐƟ Đ ĞdžŚŝďŝƚ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ĂƌƚǁŽƌŬ ĐƌĞĂƚĞĚ ƵƐŝŶŐ ƚǁŽ Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŵĞĚŝĂ͘

Olde Towne Arts Center Exhibit :ƵŶĞ Ϯϲ Ͳ :ƵůLJ ϯϭ͕ ϮϬϭϰ ͻ KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ZĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ :ƵŶĞ Ϯϲ͕ ϳ Ͳ ϵ Öà dŚĞ ŝƚLJ ŽĨ ^ůŝĚĞůů ŝƐ ŚŽŶŽƌĞĚ ƚŽ ŚŽƐƚ ĂŶ ĞdžŚŝďŝƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ KůĚĞ dŽǁŶĞ ƌƚƐ ĞŶƚĞƌ͘

Arts-in-Education programming dŚĞ ŝƚLJ ŽĨ ^ůŝĚĞůů ŝƐ ƉƌŽƵĚ ƚŽ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚ ůŝŶĞƵƉ ŽĨ ĂƌƚƐͲŝŶͲĞĚƵĐĂƟ ŽŶ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŵŝŶŐ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s Early Explorers concert and Rhythm and Soul No Bullies Allowed Program ŝŶ KĐƚŽďĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ LPO Young People’s Concert ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŝŶ :ĂŶƵĂƌLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ůĂƐŬĂ͛Ɛ &ŝĚĚůŝŶŐ WŽĞƚ͕ <ĞŶ tĂůĚŵĂŶ ŝŶ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ͘ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ ƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞƐ ĂƌĞ ĐŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞĚ ŝŶ ĐŽŶũƵŶĐƟ ŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ^ƚ͘ dĂŵŵĂŶLJ WĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĐŚŽŽů ŽĂƌĚ͘

The City of Slidell’s Cultural Explorers Club ƌĞĂƚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ŬŝĚƐ ĂŐĞƐ ϰ ƚŽ ϭϴ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞƐ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ ƚŽ ĞdžƉůŽƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŵĂŶLJ ĨĂĐĞƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂƌƚƐ͘ <ŝĚƐ ǁŚŽ ĂƩ ĞŶĚ ƐLJŵƉŚŽŶLJ͕ ĚĂŶĐĞ͕ ƚŚĞĂƚƌĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ǀŝƐƵĂů ĂƌƚƐ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƉĂƌƟ ĐŝƉĂƚĞ ŝŶ ĂŶLJ ǀŝƐƵĂů Žƌ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ĂƌƚƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ŝŶĚƵĐƚĞĚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĐůƵď ĂŶĚ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ Ă ƉĂƚĐŚ ĂŶĚ ĐĞƌƟ Į ĐĂƚĞ ĨƌŽŵ DĂLJŽƌ ƌĞŶŶĂŶ͘ WĂƌƟ ĐŝƉĂƟ ŽŶ ŝƐ ĨƌĞĞ͘

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Slidell Cultural Events Bayou Jam Fall 2014 Concert Series ^ƵŶĚĂLJƐ͕ ϱ͗ϯϬ Ͳ ϳ͗ϯϬ Öà • Heritage Park • Free Admission 'ƌĂď LJŽƵƌ ďůĂŶŬĞƚƐ ĂŶĚ ůĂǁŶ ĐŚĂŝƌƐ ĂŶĚ ďƌŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ĂŶĚ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ ƚŽ ,ĞƌŝƚĂŐĞ WĂƌŬ ĂŶĚ ũŽŝŶ ƵƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŝƐ ƉŽƉƵůĂƌ ĐŽŶĐĞƌƚ ƐĞƌŝĞƐ͘ KĐƚŽďĞƌ ϱ Ͳ Redline ͻ KĐƚŽďĞƌ ϭϮ Ͳ ŽƌLJ WƌĂƩ ĂŶĚ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ Ϯ Ͳ Vince Vance and the Valiants

Christmas Under the Stars Dec. 5, 6 & 12, 13, 2014 • 6 - 9 Öà ͻ 'ƌŝĸ ƚŚ WĂƌŬ ͻ &ƌĞĞ ĚŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ dŚŝƐ ŵĂŐŝĐĂů ŚŽůŝĚĂLJ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƟ ŽŶ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ǀŝƐŝƚƐ ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ ƚǁŝŶŬŝůŝŶŐ ůŝŐŚƚƐ͕ ĨĞƐƟ ǀĞ ŚŽůŝĚĂLJ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƟ ŽŶƐ͕ ǀŝƐŝƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ^ĂŶƚĂ ĂŶĚ DƌƐ͘ ůĂƵƐ͕ ƐƚŽƌLJƚĞůůŝŶŐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ 'ĂnjĞďŽ͕ ƚŚĞ WĂƌĂĚĞ ŽĨ dƌĞĞƐ ĂŶĚ Ă ůŝĨĞƐŝnjĞ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ sŝůůĂŐĞ͘

Arts Evening Cultural Festival

Bayou Jam Concert ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJ͕ DĂƌĐŚ ϳ͕ ϮϬϭϱ ͻ ϱ Ͳ ϵ Öà • Olde Towne • Free Admission ŽŵĞ ĞŶũŽLJ ĂŶ ĞǀĞŶŝŶŐ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƟ ŶŐ Ăƌƚ͕ ůŝǀĞ ĞŶƚĞƌƚĂŝŶŵĞŶƚ͕ Į ŶĞ ĂŶĚ ĐĂƐƵĂů ĚŝŶŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶƟ ƋƵĞ ĂŶĚ ďŽƵƟ ƋƵĞ ƐŚŽƉƉŝŶŐ͘ ZĂŝŶ ĚĂƚĞ͕ ^ƵŶĚĂLJ͕ DĂƌĐŚ ϴ͘

Bayou Jam Spring 2015 Concert Series ^ƵŶĚĂLJƐ͕ ϱ͗ϯϬ Ͳ ϳ͗ϯϬ ÖÃ • Heritage Park • Free Admission ^ƉƌŝŶŐ ϮϬϭϱ͗ DĂƌĐŚ ϮϮ Ͳ DŝĐŚĂĞů ĂƉƟ ƐƚĞ Θ ZĞĂů ^ŽƵů ͻ Ɖƌŝů ϭϮ Ͳ Band of Brothers • Ɖƌŝů ϭϵ Ͳ The Yat Pack

Some Enchanted Evening with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday, May 3, 2015 • 6 ÖÃ • Heritage Park • Free Admission :ŽŝŶ ƵƐ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ ĂŶŶƵĂů ƚǁŝůŝŐŚƚ ĐŽŶĐĞƌƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌŬ͘ ƌƌŝǀĞ ĞĂƌůLJ ƚŽ ƉĞƌƵƐĞ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌŬƐ ŽĨ Į ŶĞ ĂƌƟ ƐƚƐ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ŶĐŚĂŶƚĞĚ ƌƚ tĂůŬ͕ ƐƚĂƌƟ ŶŐ Ăƚ ϰ Ɖŵ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƌĂŝŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶĐĞƌƚ ǁŝůů ŵŽǀĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů DƵŶŝĐŝƉĂů ƵĚŝƚŽƌŝƵŵ Ăƚ ϮϬϱϲ ^ĞĐŽŶĚ ^ƚ͘ ŽŶ KůĚĞ dŽǁŶĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů͘

Slidell Movie Nights Some Enchanted Evening

:ƵŶĞ ϲ͕ ϮϬ Θ :ƵůLJ ϭϭ͕ Ϯϱ ͻ ϴ͗ϯϬ ÖÃ • Heritage Park • Free Admission 'ƌĂď LJŽƵƌ ůĂǁŶ ĐŚĂŝƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŐĂƚŚĞƌ LJŽƵƌ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ĂŶĚ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ ĂŶĚ ĞŶũŽLJ ĨĂŵŝůLJͲĨƌŝĞŶĚůLJ ŵŽǀŝĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƐƚĂƌƐ͘

ƵůƚƵƌĂů ^ĞĂƐŽŶ ƐƉŽŶƐŽƌƐŚŝƉƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͘ &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐĂůů ůĞdž ĂƌŽůůŽ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŝƚLJ ŽĨ ^ůŝĚĞůů Ăƚ ;ϵϴϱͿ ϲϰϲͲϰϯϳϱ͘

These events are brought to you by the City of Slidell and the city’s 2014 - 2015 Cultural Season Sponsors:

Renaissance, $5,000:

Baroque, $2,500: CLECO Power, LLC • Winn-Dixie

Expressionist, $1,500: ZŽŶŶŝĞ <ŽůĞ &ŽƵŶĚĂƟ ŽŶ Neoclassical, $1,000: >Žƌŝ 'ŽŵĞnj ƌƚ ͻ KůĚĞ dŽǁŶĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů ŶƟ ƋƵĞ ƐƐŽĐŝĂƟ ŽŶ ͻ dŚĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů /ŶĚĞƉĞŶĚĞŶƚ Impressionism, $500: Dr. Nathan Brown, Northlake Oral & Facial Surgery • Chateau Bleu /Ŷ DĞŵŽƌLJ ŽĨ tĂLJŶĞ ƵŶŶĞ ͻ KůĚĞ dŽǁŶĞ ^ůŝĚĞůů DĂŝŶ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ ͻ WƵďůŝĐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ ŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶĞƌ ƌŝĐ ^ŬƌŵĞƩ Ă ZŽďĞƌƚĂ͛Ɛ ůĞĂŶĞƌƐ ͻ ^ŝůǀĞƌ ^ůŝƉƉĞƌ ĂƐŝŶŽ ͻ dĞƌƌLJ >LJŶŶ͛Ɛ ĂĨĞ Θ ƌĞĂƟ ǀĞ ĂƚĞƌŝŶŐ ^ƵƉƉŽƌƚĞĚ ďLJ Ă ŐƌĂŶƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ŝǀŝƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌƚƐ ĂƐ ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ^ƚ͘ dĂŵŵĂŶLJ ŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ ŽŶ ƵůƚƵƌĂů ī ĂŝƌƐ͘

(985) 646-4375

www.slidell.la.us 27

Hollywood

South written and photographed by Donna Bush

My husband and I are sitting on the sofa watching TV when suddenly we hear nearby gunfire!

What the?? Then I remember the letter in our mailbox warning of intermittent road closures due to a special effects rain scene and simulated gunfire. What is going on? LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!!! Like many places in Louisiana, the Slidell area has found its place in Hollywood South. Yes! Right here, a block from my house is James Marsden from “Enchanted”. Plus, Michelle Monaghan, known for “Source Code” and “Gone Baby Gone,” along with Gerald McRaney, known for TV shows “Simon and Simon” and “Major Dad,” in town to shoot the movie “The Best of Me,” based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. Marsden took photos with neighborhood kids and gave autographs to all who asked.

For three weeks, a home in Pearl River became a movie set involving an old garage from back in the 50’s. Old cars, owned by local antique car enthusiasts, were brought in to make the scene realistic. Nicholas Sparks’ novels are set in small towns in North or South Carolina, but it was decided that this film would be shot entirely in Louisiana, with locations in Slidell, Pearl River, Covington, Thibodaux and more. For a period of time, when crossing north bound over the St. Genevieve Bridge on Bayou Liberty Road, you entered Vandemere, a fictitious town created in the book. And, Mr. Stucke’s home in Pearl River became “Tuck’s house and garage – T. Hostetler Auto Repair” in St. Olivia, LA, another fictitious town and business.

The economic impact on our community was huge, with a base camp established at Jubilee Foods parking lot and a shuttle ferrying production members from base camp to the filming site. Local nurseries provided plants for the yard, sprucing it up, then aging it for later scenes.

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I have a new appreciation for what is involved with making a movie, paying attention to the minutest details. One vacant site in Slidell that had sheetrock cut to steal copper wiring after Katrina required extensive work to make it useable for the movie.

A crew came in, replaced sheetrock, painted, and brought in a period correct refrigerator and furniture. The grounds were spruced up to shoot scenes and then they were weathered for later scenes. Movie Magic! Whatever takes place in the book, takes place in the movie.

In 2002, Louisiana began offering tax incentives for the film industry with the enactment of the Louisiana Motion Picture Tax Incentive Act. The purpose of the act was to entice production companies to shoot their videos and films in Louisiana and this has proven quite successful.

Since the inception of the act, 1188 applications have been submitted to the state-run film office, Louisiana Entertainment.

Over 400 productions have utilized the program. TV shows, independent films, commercials, and documentaries are all racing to Louisiana to film.

The tax incentives are available to all motion picture companies for the purpose of producing nationally or internationally distributed motion pictures. The production company must be headquartered and domiciled in Louisiana, with a minimum expenditure of $300,000 required.

Only work physically performed in Louisiana and only tangible goods acquired from a source within the state qualify for the incentives.

A 30% tax credit is received on qualified direct production Louisiana expenditures with an additional 5% tax credit for payroll expenditures to Louisiana residents and no annual cap. The tax credits can be used to offset personal or corporate tax liability in Louisiana, sold back to the State for 85% face value or brokered on the open market.

Per Chris Stelly, Executive Director of Louisiana Entertainment, “There is a strict application, audit and certification process overseen by our office. Officials certified nearly $810 million in production company spending on 123 projects in 2013 and issued $251 million in tax credits.”

Fifty-seven applications had been received by April of this year.

Academy Award Best Picture winner, “12 Years a Slave,” and nominated “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” were all filmed in Louisiana. And, let’s not forget about TV shows,

The Bayou Liberty bridge welcomes movie watchers to “Vandemere”, a ficticious town in a film shot in Slidell recently.

“Swamp People,” “Duck Dynasty,” award-winning HBO series “Treme”, and the current filming of “NCIS: New Orleans.”

According to FilmL.A., the not-for-profit film office serving the Greater Los Angeles region, in their 2013 Feature Film Production Study, “Louisiana ranked number 1 in total live-action feature projects, total related film jobs and total related production spending.” California ranked fourth. Canada and the United Kingdom ranked second and third, respectively. In 2013, 18 major Hollywood films from the big name studios – Disney, 21st Century Fox and Paramount, were produced in Louisiana. Not to mention all of the independent films, documentaries, commercials and music videos shot here. There are several other states playing a big role in the film industry by offering tax incentives. According to Film Production Capital, a full-service tax brokerage company specializing in state tax incentives for film, TV and more, Louisiana and Georgia are the only states receiving a 5-star rating, meaning they are the best states to film in.

When California loses filming of live-action movies, it also loses the vendor companies that support those movies, i.e. caterers, trucking firms, prop builders, casting companies, etc.

In August of 2013, Mayor Garcetti of LA, declared war (of sorts) on Louisiana and other states that have been luring away the film industry with better tax incentives, calling it a “state of emergency” as more TV and movie production leave California for the promised land of Louisiana. He is urging California legislators to expand their incentive programs to compete with “Hollywood South.”

Louisiana Entertainment states in their 2013 Economic Impact Study on Louisiana’s Entertainment Tax Credit Program, “In 2012, the aggregate film production spend of $717.2 million created over $1 billion in sales at firms in Louisiana, $717.9 million in household earnings for Louisianans and 14,011 total jobs (5,976 direct and 8,036 indirect) for state residents.” For a point of reference, total earnings of all workers in Louisiana’s paper industry in 2011 was $643.6 million and, in December of 2012, there were 13,400 people employed statewide in Louisiana’s transportation equipment manufacturing sector.

I could not have written this article without the assistance of Albert Quaid, the assistant locations manager for “The Best of Me,” who provided numerous contacts and tirelessly answered my many, many questions. Albert, from Covington, has worked in locations for six years, almost exclusively as a locations scout, sometimes as a locations manager and occasionally as an assistant locations manager. From Wikipedia, a locations manager is “responsible for finding and securing locations to be used, obtaining all needed fire, police and other governmental permits, and coordinating the logistics involved for the production to successfully complete its necessary work. They are also the face of the production to the community and responsible for addressing the issues that may arise due to the production’s impact on the community.”

Per Albert, “The scouting aspect is fun, the management/logistics requirements are not as fun. However, the whole challenge of making a film takes a lot of effort and coordination. It is all quite

an adventure. We start with a pile of money and finish with a film.

Whether it makes money or not, time will tell.”

Born and raised in Napoleonville, LA, Andre Champagne, owner of Hollywood Trucks, never watched much TV. He was fascinated by the movies when he learned that the books he read became scripts, which became movies. Andre graduated from LSU with a degree in Kinesiology and immediately moved to LA to pursue his fascination with the movies, landing a job as an executive assistant to a producer and learning the business side of the movie industry. In 2007, while looking at tax incentives in other states as a viable way to make more money, they realized Louisiana had just bumped their incentives from 10% to 20%.

Knowing of Andre’s ties to Louisiana, his boss sent him to meet with government officials to learn more. Andre was asked to stay as a consultant to help the first production through the process.

While consulting, he realized the infrastructure for the movie industry was lacking. It was difficult to find trucks to move equipment, props etc. Seeing the need, Andre purchased five vans and two stake beds, forming Hollywood Trucks, LLC in October of 2007. The business provides a 24/7-rental fleet of any kind of truck or trailer imaginable for anything film or entertainment related, including luxury trailers used by Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck and many others. The local Teamsters Union provides the drivers, thereby hiring local residents. Today, Hollywood Trucks employs 16 full time employees and has grown to a fleet of almost 400 vehicles, with locations in Atlanta, LA, and opening soon a location in London, all overseen by the Louisiana office. Per Andre, “Every lease of every vehicle is positive for the economy.

Local employees spend their money locally.”

Andre’s most humbling experience was providing the 2012 commencement speech to 2000 LSU graduates. There were so many questions about business with the film industry that he could not field them all. “Our industry is extremely thankful to the Louisiana Economic Development Office for establishing the tax incentive program. It is by far the best I have seen in my lifetime. It is truly a success.”

All those trucks need servicing. In comes Sumrall’s Truck and Trailer Service. John Sumrall’s Dad started the business back in 1968 in New Orleans.

In 2006, they started working with the Louisiana Film Industry and in 2008, relocated the business

to Hammond. “We did $600,000 in business last year just from the film industry and over 50% of that was for parts, all of which were purchased locally except for those that must be purchased from the manufacturer. There is a huge trickle down effect from the movie industry to the local economy.” John recalled the first movie set that he went on and a truck driver from California told him, “Don’t worry. They won’t be here long. They never stay more than 3-4 years.” For John, that was 8 years ago and they are still going strong.

MovieSets in Slidell is a partnership between Gran Semmes and Lawrence Barattini. Gran and wife, Billie, own the old Bill Garrett Chevy dealership buildings near I-10 and Old Spanish Trail and have had movies, such as the recently filmed “Devil’s Brake” shot at their spacious home in Slidell on Military Road. Lawrence, owner of Sideshow Props, has been collecting movie props and memorabilia since he was a child. Also owner of Barattini Jewelers and Manufacturing in New Orleans, Lawrence likens himself and his Dad to the “Sanford and Son” TV show, driving the street with “stuff ” strapped to the truck. But, Lawrence’s “stuff ” is in popular demand by the movie industry, providing reality to the look of the film being shot. The break that put him front and center came about 12 years ago when he made a necklace to be used in “Dead Man Walking” and began talking of his collection. After that, his props have been used in “Interview with a Vampire,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” recent Oscar winner “12 Years a Slave” and recently released “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” Going to MovieSets is like being a kid in a candy store. I look around and see all these cool sets, like right out of the movies.

I recognize pieces that I’ve seen on the big screen and wonder how many other small items I’ve seen without really registering in my subconscious.

Lawrence builds many of the objects seen, taking scrap pieces and turning them into works of art.

Ninety percent of his merchandise is recycled, salvaging pieces, such as the radio/tv equipment from a local TV station, which he put in racks on wheels, for easier movement. There is a huge collection of vintage and unusual vehicles, including a small plane and two escape pods from an offshore platform.

Movies can be shot on set at MovieSets, like the recently shot music video by Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Review.

Hired to play the grand opening party, the band declared that they had found the location for their latest movie video upon seeing the circus tent. Lawrence shares that he has no desire to appear in a movie himself, but his little red 2005 Bajaj Auto Rickshaw had been rented

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for the movie “Dallas Buyers Club.” He drove it off the trailer and was immediately asked if he could drive it in the movie. It’s not your average vehicle, like a cross between a scooter and a car, with three wheels. “It’s a lot about hurry up and wait. You wait for hours for a 10 second shot.” Being in the movies is not for everyone!

MovieSets covers approximately seven and a half acres with three different studios. Studio 1 is a fabrication shop where they can build anything needed with local skilled labor. Studio 2 is the Jubilee Entertainment Theater and Studio 3 contains the sets, dressings and props. A sound stage is proposed for future development, with plenty of room to start small and expand as needed. This is only in the planning stages but owners are initiating meetings with studio heads to determine what would be needed.

Slidell City Councilman, Bill Borchert, has been an extra in a few locally filmed movies. But his collector or “picture” cars have probably seen more footage than him. It started back in the 90’s, when one of his Rolls Royce’s was filmed at Longue Vue Gardens for the movie, “Waterfront,” filmed for German TV. His Phantom Rolls Royce was used in Spike Lee’s production of “OldBoy,” and his 1964 Lincoln Continental was used in a LifetimeTV movie based on Nora Roberts book, “Midnight Bayou.” Borchert feels that the film industry has had a huge positive impact on Slidell’s economy, but it is difficult to quantify.

Rumor has it that over 7800 extras (locals only) have been cast for “Jurassic World,” aka “Jurassic Park 4,” aka “Ebb Tide.” Pay is $101.50/12 hours plus you get fed, really good! Not a bad deal. Since these are locals hired, the money goes back into our local economy.

MovieSets isn’t the only local provider of film props. Recently moving family and business from California to Louisiana, Valek Sykes, owner of TechWorks in Mandeville, says, “Louisiana is my home. I am committed to this state and making the film industry a success here.” Valek’s studio builds props for many movies and TV shows, such as body parts for NCIS, CSI, and JAG etc. “If it has initials, I’ve worked on it.” He’s even been hired by the real FBI, CIA, and DOJ. Hmmm! In addition to having a working studio, he also teaches handson classes on how to build the props and get a job.

Valek is big on building the skills that most of the California producers/directors are looking for in their employees. The only pre-req for his class is an eagerness to learn.

With long hours, hard work, and lots of stress on the set, New Orleans native and owner of MoZaic

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Mobile Massage, Eric June, provides a muchneeded service. Since 2009, Eric has gone on set to provide massage therapy for the big name stars, producers, directors, and sometimes for everyone on set. “These people are working long hours with lots of stress.” He places a bid on how much services would cost per hour and, if hired, moves with each location of the movie. “American Ultra” was one of his more recent films, providing six weeks of services with one overnight for action scenes. Some of his famous clients have included Jonah Hex, Josh Brolin and Sylvester Stallone. Eric raves about the increase to his business from the film industry. “I’ve been getting calls left and right this year.”

During the filming of “The Best of Me,” Jubilee Food Store in Pearl River served as base camp, providing parking space for crew vehicles and the large delivery trucks, space for the large tents and tables where the caterer served meals. Owner Steve Fecke, said it was a huge boom for his business. As well as making money off the lease of his big parking lot that sits empty at one end of his property, fresh items and personal items were purchased daily by the crew.

Movie locations are known for their overwhelming amount of food on set, and rightfully so. Frenchy’s Catering of Covington set up tents and trucks in the Jubilee parking lot, providing breakfast and lunch for “The Best of Me.” Dinner is usually purchased from a local restaurant close to where filming is occurring. Frenchy formed his business after actor, Mel Gibson, told him he would no longer allow him to work on his set if he didn’t open his own business. That was in 1987 and he’s never looked back. He relocated to Louisiana two years ago, bringing his wife and one employee.

The rest of his current employees are local Louisianans, with 10 full-time and 3 backup employees. Last year, they catered 9 movies and so far, 7 for the first half of this year. Last month, they had to turn away two movies due to scheduling conflicts. They cater to all dietary requirements and purchase all food locally. Speaking of local when I went on location with Frenchy’s for “Don’t Mess with Texas,” the hit of the dining hall was a green treefrog on the tent wall. I guess New York and LA don’t have many treefrogs! Big name actors, actresses, and directors snapped photos with their iPhone.

Like treefrogs, we here in Louisiana sometimes take swamp tours for granted. But the film folks haven’t grown up with alligators and wading birds as their next-door neighbors. Local boat captain Eric Dumas runs tours for Cajun Encounters Swamp Tours in Slidell during the day, and

captains movie camera crews at night, with fishing charters in his free time. As a boat captain of seven years, Dumas is a prime choice for handling the boat that houses the camera crew while filming various swamp/water scenes for “Jurassic World” and “NCIS: New Orleans,” and many others. He is a plus to the crew when they need alligators or snakes removed from a film scene. With his extreme experience as an animal wrangler, he will live-capture the alligator or snake until the filming is complete and then release them unharmed to their original location. Recently, Chris Pratt was in town for filming “Jurassic World” and took a fishing boat charter with Dumas, catching redfish.

Afterwards, he took his family on a swamp tour with Dumas and enjoyed it so much that he raved about it to the entire crew of “Jurassic World,” which in turn wanted a swamp tour!

That’s another prime example of the film industry benefiting other businesses in our community.

As moviegoers, we don’t pay much attention to the landscaping in a movie, but it is an integral part of making the scene realistic.

Scott Bivona, a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture and a Louisiana licensed arborist and landscape horticulturist, has owned Bayou Greens on the Southshore for the last 20 years. Ten years ago, he started working with the movie industry and now almost his entire business is devoted to the movies. His most recent movies are “The Best of Me,” “Pitch Perfect 2” in Baton Rouge, and now “NCIS:New Orleans.” Many movies need the grounds to show various degrees of progression, sometimes over decades of age, throughout the shooting. Scott’s crews will make it look new, aged, weathered, overgrown, whatever is needed.

Some movies desire jungle, desert, pristine, manicured, tropical, water, Japanese, urban, etc.

Scott buys all of his plants from local Northshore wholesale nurseries, which have come to depend on the movie industry for much of their income.

As with landscaping, there is much to be done constructing and deconstructing sets. Mario Henderson, fondly known as “King Mario,” owner of Henderson Construction, has provided numerous services on many movie sets – from clean up, re-paint, fix-anything-broken, or anything else.

They’ve been in business for 22 years and have seen increases from year to year from the movie industry. They have been hired to dismantle sets that cost $3.5 million to build, and worked on 7080 movies in the last 8-9 years, primarily in the New Orleans/St. Tammany Parish area. Mario has eight employees plus himself, three of which were hired to support the increase in business from the film industry.

This series of photos, showing a car explosion, was taken on the set of “Killer Joe”, starring Matthew McConaughey.

It was filmed in the parking lot of the former Mudbugs Saloon on Old Spanish Trail in 2010. The preparation for the explosion took most of the night and was overseen by St. Tammany Fire District 1. McConaughey, co-star Emile Hirsch, and the entire crew spent two days in Slidell while filming.

I’ve always been curious why the movies are shot out of sequence and how they could possibly keep track of what happened when and where, and put it all back together. The 1st Assistant Director decides the shooting sequence. This is the job of Eric Hays. “If we shot the film in sequence, we would be in and out of locations all the time and, financially, this would be impractical. Cast availability issues also affect the sequence. The most efficient method is to shoot everything required in one location before moving to the next location.”

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Eric first worked on “Angels Battlefield” in 1993 and got into the Director’s Guild in 1996. He has traveled all over the country, working 10-11 months out of the year, having worked off and on in Louisiana since 1999. In January of 2011, Eric was working out of town when his daughter asked him, “Daddy, can we stop moving?”

He sold his house in LA, moved to New Orleans, and loves it!

Eric says that, even though Georgia has the same tax credit as Louisiana, it is not as convenient. “Atlanta is too big! It takes 1-2 hours to drive across the city. In Louisiana, I can drive from New Orleans to Slidell in under a half hour without traffic. With such diversity of locations, I can simulate New York City on Poydras Street and North Carolina in Slidell and Pearl River. Louisiana has everything except mountains, unless you count Monkey Hill. The biggest plus is that the city embraces the film industry.”

Eric recently finished filming “The Best of Me,” where they shot two different endings and no one knows which one will be used. Catch the movie in October to find out! He recently worked on “Captain Phillips,” “Black and White,” with producer Kevin Costner in New Orleans, and kicked off filming “NCIS: New Orleans” in July.

Jeff Galpin, a local stuntman with over 20 years experience, has been in the film business before it was considered a business in Louisiana. Per Jeff, “In the 90’s, we all struggled, worked hard to get the work.” Working as a New Orleans police officer and with the Jefferson Parish Sherriff ’s Office helped his stunt skills and knowledge, but his break in the movies came from his job as an alligator wrangler for Audubon Zoo when a TV show was looking for an animal trainer. Three hundred and fifty movies later, things have really cranked up in Louisiana. The film industry helped Jeff raise three kids, support his family, and provide homes in River Ridge and lakefront Slidell. Jeff has an impressive five page resume that runs the gamut from World Record high falls, to military technical advisor. Some of his most recent endeavors include “12 Years a Slave,” “Jurassic World,” “Fantastic Four,” and stunt coordinator on the “NCIS: New Orleans” pilot. Jeff related that many of the personnel working on the movies, with a $500 a week per diem, are enjoying what Louisiana has to offer – local restaurants, the D-Day Museum, swamp tours, charter boat trips, and more. This means they are spending their money locally.

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Eric described his job. “You must be a good communicator, willing to share information with the crew, even if it changes. You must be a team player. My job is to create a tone on the set. My tone is happy, smiling, laughing. Setting a good work environment makes all the difference in producing a successful film. I’m known as the ‘Please and Thank You’ director! I believe in treating people the way I want to be treated.”

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“Hey! Remember me?” cried local stuntwoman, Jodi Lyn Brockton, when she played a human sandbag, suspended 150 feet in the air from a crane while doubling for Kelly Preston in “Sky High.”

“During all the filming, they forgot I was up there! Of course, to me they all looked like ants. They finally looked up and got me down. We all laughed like crazy!” Jodi was a fitness competitor when she was discovered by a producer of American Gladiators, and she jumped into acting with both feet. A natural with her athletic abilities and finely tuned skills, she has performed as a double for many beautiful women, as well as a stuntwoman and precision driver.

Some of the Louisiana projects she has worked on include “The Final Girls,” “Pitch Perfect 2,” “Don’t Mess with Texas,” “Jurassic World” and the “Runner.” Per Jodi, “The pay here is equal to California, only the cost of living is much lower.” Jodi also offers workshops on being a stunt person and the basics of fight scenes on camera. Her first workshop with stunt actor, Alvin Chon, took place in August with more to follow. Check out the schedule

Lunch Tuesday - Friday 11:00am - 2:00pm

Dinner Tuesday - Saturday 5:00pm - 10: 00pm

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on Facebook page “HOLLYWOOD SOUTH STUNTS” or call 818-809-6793.

Like myself, Don Krause of Pearl River became interested in the film industry as “The Best of Me” was being filmed in our neighborhood. Don retired from Xerox last November after 30 years in the Information Technology business. He has found his second career, hobby, and source of enjoyment in the film industry. In four months, Don has already been an extra in over eight major movies and a commercial. He is featured in four of those movies, including “Jurassic World” and “Pitch Perfect 2.” To be featured means you are in the frame and in focus. It is just one step down from having a line in the movie. Not bad for someone who started in this business in May! Don has aspirations to go far beyond being an extra, perhaps actor, director or producer. With his keen business sense, he is helping Jodi with orchestrating the classes for up and coming stunt people and anyone hoping to learn more about the movie industry.

Ever wonder how they set the tone of a scene?

It really is smoke and mirrors. Pearl River’s own James Alexander is a special effects technician with Precision Pyrotechnics. A special effects technician handles anything that moves – earth, wind, rain, fire, snow, smoke, dirt, etc. The job involves long, hard, hot days. James has worked with local effect coordinators that have been in the business for 30+ years and have the vision to get the desired effect. Working on “Now You See Me,” “The Bag Man,” “Escape Plan,” and numerous local TV shows and commercials, James says 90% of his jobs involve running a smoke machine

A SAMPLING OF THE MOVIES FILMED IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 32

Get Hard Terminator: Genesis The Lucky One The Best Of Me Beautiful Creatures The Green Lantern Don’t Mess With Texas (working title) Beasts of the Southern Wild Curious Case of Benjamin Button I Love You Phillip Morris Skeleton Key Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters Hateship, Loveship Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter The Baytown Outlaws Killer Joe The Campaign Jonah Hex 2 Guns Contraband 99 Homes Cirque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant True Detective Enders Game Love Liza Live and Let Die Eve’s Bayou Homefront The Mechanic Midnight Special Oldboy The Paperboy

to modify the atmosphere with fog, smoke, and haze; but his favorite part of being in the movies is, “Being on set, the action, the energy.”

I never thought much about the uniforms worn in various movies, but Tim Baudier, of Alternative Tees, explained that the government emblems must look realistically close without being an exact duplicate. Employee Kellie Keller, had local police, NCIS, and various other government overseers watching while she created patches for locally shot shows. Tim’s business of over 28 years offers premier screen-printing and embroidery for all uniform needs. Working with the film industry for the last 2-3 years, Tim has seen a drastic increase in his business, and is known as the go-to guy for a quick turn-around on screenprinting needs.

Slidell’s Jocelyne Crosier’s screenplay “A Twist Among Friends” is a born and bred production being directed by Slidell’s own Jerry Arnold and James Roberts. Sure, this is their first attempt at directing after acting as extras in numerous films, but their enthusiasm and determination to use only local talent make up for the lack of directing experience. They enjoy shooting at Slidell locations such as The Wine Market, Southside Café and Jones Lagarde Attorneys at Law, at no cost, providing in return free advertisement, and offering the location personnel opportunities to be in the movie. Their cameraman, Bill Craft from Violet, got his start by shooting educational and advertising videos for various hotels throughout Mexico. Since 2007, Bill has worked for local advertising companies creating videos for TV and web. He brings a unique set of skills to the table, as he is familiar with all aspects of the filming industry. A lot of the big movies have specialists to handle lighting, filming, sound, and editing; but Bill does it all.

Another big part of ‘Hollywood South’ is how to find out about work, who’s hiring, what they are looking for, when, and where. Enter Bill Rainey, casting liaison and administrator of the Facebook page “THE HOLDING TENT,” where interested parties can read casting calls posted by the casting companies or Rainey. No one else can post on the page, keeping the feed clean and clutter free. There are document files that provide invaluable tips on how to break into the business. Currently, there are over 14,000 members. Also, check out “THE HOLDING TENT – DISCUSSION PAGE” on Facebook to ask questions and make comments about the film industry.

Rainey is also a producer of “The 48 Hour Film Project – New Orleans,” where teams come in on a Friday night, are assigned a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre that must be included in the film. Forty-eight hours later, the team submits the film. The tight time limit forces action instead of talking.

THE SLIDELL SOUNDSTAGE? A soundstage, also called a studio, is a building that is sound proofed with high ceilings that accommodates building sets and shooting films.

Some may have catwalks, rigs and special lighting, making it easier for cameramen to shoot from a variety of angles. Soundstages with lots of property will often have outdoor sets, with water features, lakes, streams, swamps, etc.

There are many benefits to shooting in a soundstage. A soundstage is weather independent.

Sunshine or darkness, it is controlled internally

by the lighting coordinator, giving the director whatever he desires. Since soundstages are sound proofed, there is no worry about someone cutting grass next door, trains, sirens or a boat cruising down the bayou. A soundstage in Slidell would greatly benefit the community with additional jobs for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, lighting and sound techs, etc.

Northshore Harbor Center’s Kathy Lowrey is performing a feasibility study to determine what expansion would best serve Slidell. One of the items being considered is a soundstage. The Center has been used numerous times for crew parking, proving very profitable. Many times they have been contacted to utilize the indoor space.

Unfortunately, dates have had conflicts each time, but they constantly receive site inspections for possible filming.

There is a Hollywood quality movie and sound stage proposed for Slidell on 160 acres of land at Camp Villere, near the NorthShore Square Mall. There is talk of having lakes, streams, big stages, little stages – everything that would attract more movie companies to film their productions here. The location in Slidell is perfect, with lots of land for expansion, and an airport nearby to accommodate private jets for movie personnel.

Unfortunately, the state no longer offers tax credits for infrastructure changes such as building a soundstage. Private investors are needed. Mayor Drennan and local businessman, Reed Ingram, are pursuing the building of a Slidell soundstage.

The boost to the economy of Slidell for such an endeavor has been likened to the building of the NASA space program at Stennis Space Center.

I spoke at length with Kim Bergeron, former Director of Slidell Cultural Arts and Public Affairs.

For many years, Kim was the City’s liaison to the St. Tammany Parish Film Commission. Kim’s ties to the film industry go way back. She was a writer for “Shot in LA” magazine and a Charter Member of the Women in Film Organization (WIF), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women achieve their highest potential in the communication and entertainment industries.

Kim is a huge supporter of the film industry in Louisiana. She says, “The bottom line is that the ‘big picture’ is even bigger than many people realize. While it’s fairly easy to track the number of film industry jobs and the estimated economic

impact, it becomes a little more challenging trying to measure the economic impact of ancillary services and indirect factors. Part of the equation includes expenses for producers, cast and crews, including hotel accommodations, automobile rentals, trucking services, catering, location rentals, materials for set building, electrical supplies, set decorations, local cast speaking and extra roles, and so on. Those who come here from out of state dine in local restaurants, shop at local stores, and even enjoy taking in Louisiana scenery during their downtime. They fall in love with Louisiana and share that newfound love with the world, which is basically free tourism promotion.

“When you take all of these factors into consideration, it’s easy to see why so many people are supportive of the film industry in Louisiana.

It translates to millions of dollars of economic impact. It’s imperative that we do everything we can to continue to grow the industry and that impact.”

“But the even bigger picture includes the tertiary level of economic impact—that of the Louisianabased filmmakers, producers, crews and their families. We’re hearing of more and more local people joining the film industry workforce, and many more moving to Louisiana to take advantage of the growing presence of the industry here. Those who are in relationships bring their partners, many of whom will also seek local employment, adding to the tax base. Those who have children will also add to the impact by way of the many goods and services needed to support their families. If and when the industry pulls out of Louisiana, so do those professionals and their families.

Like the movies, everything is not as it appears. I believe most people do not realize the big picture of the benefits of the film industry. As you can see, everything from grocery stores, to nurseries and swamp tours, are benefitting from the Louisiana film industry. Lets encourage our legislators to continue the tax incentives and keep this boon to our local economy.

“Lastly, there’s the growing need for additional workforce as more and more films come to the area. This paves the way to expanding educational offerings, via trade schools and universities, which can also help us keep our children here, at home, with new employment opportunities, as well as enticing more students to come to Louisiana to

learn the industry. That possibility has opened the door for discussions with local universities as to the potential for such programs.

Recently, Mayor Drennan and Slidell City Council members, Kim Harbison and Bill Borchert, presented film producer Becky Sanderman, of “The Best of Me” with a certificate of appreciation for filming in Slidell - just one more reason why filming is happening in Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, and Louisiana.

THE SETTING: An undisclosed location in a hazy, smoke filled room.

THE CREW: A half dozen people dressed in comfortable summertime attire, wearing headsets with microphones and carrying handheld radios, sitting in director chairs, and huddled behind two large TV monitors.

THE SCENE: I hear a polite voice, “Nice and quiet folks.” Work people pause. “Rolling, ROLLING, ROLLING,” reverberates through the room as it is repeated 3-4 times. Then a loud bell, like a school bell, rings. The slate clapboard snaps, Scene 14, Take B3, and “ACTION!” is bellowed from the front row. The cameras roll. The actors speak.

“AND CUT!” again from the front row.

“One more time! Awful good, folks! Awful good!

One more and we got this!”

As part of this story, I was invited on the set for the filming of.... well, I’d tell you where I was, but then I’d have to kill you! Seriously, I was promised to secrecy. I can tell you this - you will be so jealous! I was as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve. I didn’t sleep the night before.

And I was not in the least little bit disappointed!

Stay tuned to a future edition of Slidell Magazine when I can finally reveal where I was and what I saw. It’s sooooo AWESOME. Shhh! Mum’s the word!

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this scenario: your doctor recommends you start taking a new medication, but then proceeds to go over the list of potential sideeffects. This drug, Doc tells you, has been reported to possibly cause upset stomach, ulcers, liver disease, bruising, bleeding of the intestinal tract, ringing of the ears, hearing loss, nausea, stillbirths, seizures, exhaustion, dizziness, vomiting, rash, difficult breathing, and death. WOW! This must be some dangerous stuff, you think to yourself. An anticancer chemotherapy, or some brand new drug used only in the most dire circumstances, when there’s no other choice. Actually, this is just a partial list of documented side effects of overthe-counter aspirin. Maybe you’ll need to find a different pain medicine – surely Tylenol must be safer, right? Think again. I can rattle off a similar laundry list of horrors associated with acetaminophen. Now, my point here is not to say that these are dangerous drugs. My point is that no drug is free of side effects, even overthe-counter staples like aspirin and Tylenol.

If you want to wait for the perfect medication, one that has only desired therapeutic effects, with no adverse effects, ever, you won’t be taking any medications any time soon. The trick is to understand how to weigh potential risk against expected reward, including a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to reported side effects; and who’s claiming that those adverse effects even exist.

A drug called Trifexis is very popular in veterinary medicine right now. It’s a combination product that actually contains 2 separate drugs; Milbemycin to prevent heartworms (and treat a few intestinal parasites as well), and Spinosad to control fleas.

Spinosad itself is relatively new, available since 2006 under the brand name Comfortis.

In my opinion, Spinosad has been the best flea medicine on the market for the past 8 years.

It’s extremely effective, killing fleas in a matter of minutes after oral administration. While I haven’t tasted it myself, it’s generally agreed that Spinosad doesn’t taste very good, even when put into a beef-flavored chewable. It may

upset the occasional stomach, especially after the first dose. But I can overlook those minor shortcomings, because this stuff can kill fleas like nobody’s business.

So what does the first paragraph have to do with the second? Trifexis has become the latest veterinary medication to come under attack on the internet, and maybe the first one since the explosion of social media. Facebook pages, Twitter rants and all manner of internet rage have combined to convince many consumers that Trifexis is a dangerous drug that must be avoided, or even taken off the market. I don’t know where it started, but one of the biggest contributors was a series of news reports on a TV station in Atlanta, suggesting that Trifexis had killed 3 young Vizsla puppies after their

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first doses. Further investigation, however, including an independent necropsy (animal autopsy) revealed that all 3 of the littermates had died of heart conditions unrelated to any sort of toxicity. But for some people, no amount of evidence will suffice. Accusations flew, that “dangerous drugs,” made by uncaring corporations and dispensed by money-hungry veterinarians, must be at fault.

Rimadyl, a pain medication, went through a similar situation almost 20 years ago. It’s now the most popular anti-inflammatory medicine dispensed for dogs, despite the early smear campaigns. More recently, the 6-month injectable heartworm preventative, ProHeart, was voluntarily pulled off the market by its manufacturer after dubious claims that it had killed hundreds of dogs.

The fact that American veterinarians and pet-owners were denied the use of this excellent drug for years was a real disservice; it has been in continual use all over the world, at even higher doses than we use here in the US, for a full year’s duration of heartworm protection. Since its re-introduction here in the states, as with its on-going use world-wide, there have been no reports of deaths, nor of reactions at a level any different than other widelyused heartworm medications.

Some people just don’t trust medications, the FDA, the drug companies, or doctors. I can’t say much to convince them. But reasonable individuals could look at the Adverse Events (AE’s) associated with a given drug, and think that the numbers are alarmingly high. Part of the problem here is the way these events are reported in the first place. When a pet owner calls in a report, and tells the manufacturer that an adverse event has occurred, the drug company is obliged to pass that report on to the government, no matter how outlandish or unlikely it may be that the drug had any direct causal link to the event. If a 19-year-old dog with a long history of liver disease and failing health dies, and the owner then reports that pet’s death as an “adverse reaction” to some drug, that pet’s death is permanently linked to that drug – even if later evidence proves they were unrelated (remember those Vizsla puppies?). Does that seem fair? Or scientific?

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Let me be clear: an individual, idiosyncratic reaction to any drug, in a given individual patient, is always possible. If a medication seems to disagree with your pet, discuss its use with your veterinarian, and see if there’s a reason to switch to a suitable alternative. No drug is perfect. But medications that have FDA approval are overwhelmingly safe and effective. I’m glad to be able to use proven, effective, safe drugs like ProHeart6, Rimadyl, and Trifexis (which I must mention, in the interest of full disclosure, sponsors this column) to help keep my patients and my personal pets healthy. Lady, my beagle, gets Trifexis every month. If, for some reason, she couldn’t take Trifexis, she’d get ProHeart6 every 6 months for heartworms and Comfortis monthly for fleas. I’m happy to discuss my clients’ legitimate concerns about possible adverse effects of any medication being contemplated for their pets. But I don’t have much patience for hysterical, reactionary internet rants with nothing but anecdotal evidence and anger to back them up.

www.VeterinaryMedicalCenterSlidell.com 35

Go Beyond

“

““Show me your hometown.”

By Rose Marie Sand Sponsored by Ron Newson

“Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” ~ Norman Maclean Slidell Magazine’s Editor, Kendra Maness, and I share many common bonds – we both love to write, eat, and we both love our hometowns.

Recently, I asked Kendra to show me the hidden gems of Slidell, the places in her heart where her memories rest and the future gleams.

So, one bright Wednesday, top-down in my car, we circled Slidell, stopping here and there to explore and share stories. Have you noticed that, around bodies of water,

exists a feeling of communion with all of the places and creatures that water touches? So it was on our adventure – the driving force of nature we find in bodies of water name us, and claim us.

Kendra told me we’d meet Clara, and of course, I assumed that meant a female.

If you know Kendra, you expect a twist, however.

Along Laurent Road, we pulled over to The Bayou Liberty Civic Club, a mostly abandoned site that used to be an active and vibrant part of the Slidell community.

She led me to a contraption that was straight out of a Dr. Suess book – a dilapidated orange and white striped swing set.

“This is the most unique swing in Slidell,” Kendra said, and climbed on the pushthen-pull contraption that she nicknamed Clara when she was 12 years old. “I used to spend hours on that swing,” she said.

Instantly, I was transported to a park in Chalmette we nicknamed “the Ducky Park.” My kids and I spent many a happy

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afternoon feeding ducks that swam in the pond, and occasionally running from their aggressive tendencies.

I was to find that common bond I’d always felt with my friend extended beyond our adult mutual interests.

Kendra next took me to eclectic Bayou Bonfouca Marina.

Driving along a narrow, winding shell road, we saw signs that read “Please do not feed the Alligators,” and “Manatee Area.” We had no idea manatees also lived in Slidell.

They probably don’t know we exist, either.

The boats became more unique as we drove, more like permanent homesteads, with individual fun and funky styles.

“This is a micro-culture within the Slidell community,” Kendra said. Always the writer and photographer, Kendra mused of the stories the boats could tell. Near the Marina, we saw a figure straight out of “The Old Man in the Sea,” and wondered out loud what her story might be.

“This road is a favorite for motorcyclists and used to be the primary roadway leading to Lacombe and Covington before Hwy 190 existed,” she said.

Well, there again my memories surfaced. Riding our motorcycle along these roads was one of our favorite destinations from St. Bernard years ago. The next bend in the road was about as unlike the beautiful church we’d just visited, however, as we happened on the strangest house either of us had ever seen.

A full three stories tall, but only 25 feet across, it looked like something out of a scary movie.

There was a matching windmill structure on the property that had us running for cover as we heard (or imagined) noises emanating. And a large, intimidating cement table stood nearby. While I’m certain it was used for cleaning fish or alligators, Kendra’s active imagination came up with a sacrificing virgins story – I’m not going there.

Providing a contrast to this dark location, we next went to the Elks Lodge.

Turns out she was a snowbird from Montana, enjoying her time in Louisiana and washing clothes in the laundromat on the premises. Perhaps not the funkiest of adventurers, but one all the same.

We saw a boat that resembled a submarine and blue herons posing stiff-legged. The whole place had an artistic feel... from the ropes tied to the dock, to the carved statues by the wrought iron gating; lovely oak trees dripped with Spanish moss.

At a twist in Bayou Liberty Road, we spied the famous Kelly’s Catfish sign; it once stood proudly atop Kelly’s Catfish Corner at the foot of the Highway 11 bridge. Kendra needn’t have explained that landmark to me, my family used to gorge on the catfish dinners years ago, too.

Next stop, Bayou Paquet Road – wide, winding, and well paved, it is just off of Thompson Road where Bayou Liberty intersects at “Dead Man’s Curve.” Kendra pointed out the historic St. Genevieve brick bell tower that was saved after Katrina.

“I spent the majority of my childhood here with my Mom and Dad,” she remembered quietly. “My parents were very active at the Lodge in the 70’s and, when my father passed away in 1977, there was a pond with an island in the middle of it and two walk bridges on each side leading to it. There, they memorialized him with a “perpetual fountain” and waterfall with a dedication to my father engraved on it.

Every memory I have of this place is wonderful. We used to camp under the big oak trees and swim in the pool after hours. This was the best time of my life.”

Well, my favorite memories of my childhood often include the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Home and the Disabled American Veterans Post. My parents, like Kendra’s, were very active in these organizations. I remember placing small American flags on the gravestones of veterans at the Chalmette National Cemetery; walking with my Father amongst ancient oaks.

Kendra spied long, thick hemp ropes that were strung among the trees. Formerly used on naval carriers, the Lodge members turned the ropes into swings for

the kids. She claimed that the jump from the nearby jungle gym onto the rope swing was exhilarating, and set about to prove it.

With the agility of a young girl, she climbed atop the steel framed playground equipment, carrying the end of the hanging rope with her, and jumped! She then encouraged me to follow suit. Let’s just say, I posed for a picture, but the jump wasn’t going to happen.

Although Katrina swallowed much of the boat dock on the edge of the property, the bend in the bayou there is as beautiful as ever. As we walked back to the car, 37

I’ll never forget my own feelings when I watched this video many years ago. Indeed, water is the driving force of nature – it takes the shape of the earth. Perhaps human nature is the same, as we have all taken the shape of our experiences and memories.

Kendra’s loving memories of this special place and time in her life settled along the sun dappled path.

By then it was lunch time, and we wound our way back to find a good meal – never a difficult task in Slidell. This was Kendra’s choice – I was simply along for the ride, and I knew I’d be in for good eating, no matter where she drove.

She pulled up to a shack-like building called Good Eats Café on Hwy 190. Perfect. An oldfashioned chalk board proclaimed the special of the day – Shepherd’s Pie. More perfect!

“The food is so homemade, you’ll look for a couch to nap on after eating,” she said.

That down-home feeling was creeping up on me after the feast, when two elderly gentlemen seated at the next table spoke to us. One of them handed us each a smooth prayer rock/crystal that I still carry in my pocket today. He said it was a reminder that someone was always praying for us – another sweet moment in a day that was getting increasingly memorable.

Our last stop was ALLL the way across town, down Highway 11, past Pontchartrain, almost to the foot of the bridge where that Kelly’s Catfish sign used to hang. We took a right over the railroad tracks to Carr Drive.

I instantly knew some of the fame of this area. When my family was in evacuation hell after Katrina, the infamous Carr Drive video made its way to our hands.

38

Then Kendra took me to what she said is the only true beach in Slidell. This beach land is adjacent to a fire station, and a small portion of it is maintained by community groups like Leadership Northshore.

As you probably remember, this is the street where the “Kennard vs. Katrina” video was shot by Kennard Jackle. The video shows hours of intense, nail-biting, real-life footage from Kennard as he takes cover at his camp house on Lake Pontchartrain during the storm.

The footage is compelling, as his house rocks and shakes, and flood waters and waves crash into it.

He retreats to the second floor, then higher; all the while filming scenes that were as breathtaking as they were harrowing.

The footage shows almost every single one of his neighbors’ homes collapsing, floating, or being blown away around him as he holds fast in his house. He realizes his own mortality in the face of the storm and voices on the video that he shouldn’t have stayed and he thinks he may die. It almost became a reality, as the footage of the aftermath shows only a small handful of homes remaining in the neighborhood that used to contain nearly 100 houses.

I’d found this beach myself, just months after I moved here. It’s a tiny spot, really, but the views of the lake, of the sunrises, are matchless.

I remember sitting on this beach, and so many others, wondering if I could flow as easily as the water at my feet.

The traveling ‘Kendra and Rose Show’ wound down that day on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain; but it certainly wasn’t over. She promised me an air boat ride with our friend and air boat enthusiast, Mike Fradella, and she delivered on that promise the following month. Once again, along the waterways, we shared that feeling of communion with all of the places and creatures that water touches.

So, next time I’ll share that amazing story, as my friend Kendra continues to show me her hometown. Within these pages of Slidell Magazine lies testimony to the memories and future of a remarkable town, through the eyes of a remarkable woman. Thanks, K.

The Slidell Pizza Situation When you were growing up, what pizza did you eat? In Slidell, I’m told, it may have been a place called Big Cheese Pizza, Mr. Gatti’s or Pizza Inn. I grew up in St. Bernard Parish (yes, that does explain a lot.) We always loved Sandy’s Pizza. It was a traditional New York style restaurant - thin crust, not much sauce, lots of grease. I was mesmerized by the way the cook tossed the dough in the air. For a kid in the 70’s, that was extreme entertainment.

One of my favorite Slidell pizza places, Neely’s, closed a few weeks ago (I was actually in the midst of preparing an article about the restaurant when they abruptly closed.) Neely’s was definitely old school a tiny spot across the street from the Pizza Hut on Robert Road. There were no more than six tables and it was rare that all were filled but they seemed busy enough with delivery and take out.

Northshore Square Mall, comes close.

Similar to recently closed Dante’s Pizza, Ditali’s has a simple menu. Pizza, calzones, bread sticks, a few salads. It’s mall pizza.

Sometimes there is nothing better.

As far as sit-down restaurants go, Slidell has a nice selection of hybrid-style pizza places. A definite upgrade from delivery pizza, they focus more on the variety of toppings than the crust or sauce. They all have an eccentric specialty pizza or two on the menu.

With Neely’s closed, I had to find a new go-to pizza place in Slidell. There are no more truly traditional, blast-from-the-past, pizzarias within 40 miles. Ditali’s, in the

Fox’s Bacon Double Cheeseburger pizza was tasty. We also tried the Hawaiian and BBQ Chicken (how many BBQ chicken pizzas can one guy consume?)

The consensus favorite was the regular pepperoni.

Rotolo’s Pizza is the new spot in town.

Recently opened on Gause Blvd. near Hobby Lobby, the location looks great. We were familiar with Rotolo’s, having eaten at the Pearl River location a few times.

The decor is the typical sports bar / chain restaurant look - nothing will surprise you, but it’s aesthetically pleasing.

The Italian Pie on Gause has been open for several years now. There are several locations throughout the New Orleans area - all with basically the same menu. It’s a selection I’ve been enjoying since the early 90’s - when the first Italian Pie opened on Bienville Street.

We tried a few of the specialty pizzas.

The combination I enjoyed the most was the “Sweep the Floor” - pepperoni, bacon, and several cheeses. We also tried the meatball pizza and the “Joe Horn” BBQ Chicken.

Like most authentic pizza joints, one could be certain they had not consulted an interior designer. Who cares? They must have consulted someone who knows a lot about making really good NY style pizza.

So good, in fact, Tom Fitzmorris listed the restaurant in his top 10 for the entire New Orleans Metro area.

QUEST FOR PIZZA

Fox’s Pizza Den has been around in one form or another for years. Originally in the building that now houses New Horizon Calvary Church, it was basically a spot to bring the kids as an alternative to Chuck E Cheese (who have edible pizza too, amazingly enough). Now a little further north on Pontchartrain, it’s become a diverse sports bar known for a lot more than pizza.

Their regular pizzas are very good. Over the years, I think I’ve tried them all. The one I keep returning to is the Bar-B-Que Chicken pizza. The sauce is the trick here - it’s tangy and the recipe is a great combo with bell peppers and red onions.

Researching this article, I discovered O’Dessa “Sandy” Lovell, of Sandy’s Pizza in Chalmette, passed away here in Slidell in 2011. I wonder if she knew we still fondly remember her pizzas 35 years later.

The quest for pizza continues.

39

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t’s that time of year again. As the summer sun decides whether or not it wants to begin to set on our beautiful state (cause let’s face it, August is the worst), Fall is just around the corner.

It’s my favorite time of year for so many reasons. The smell of autumn almost upon us brings what we all wait for all year long - the whisper of roaring crowds in packed stadiums, practically feeling the pigskin in our hands as we read all about Saints camp and new lineups, and the taste of fresh cut grass…if you are Les Miles, that is. That’s right Louisiana, it’s football time again. Let me repeat that: IT’S FOOTBALL TIME AGAIN. Did you get the shiver I just did?

There’s nothing like this time of year. LSU and Saints fans celebrate this time every year because, for us, there is no doubt about which team will be on top again.

There is no doubt where we will all gather on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, surrounded by friends and wings and nachos. There’s just no doubt what this season brings for us. But, after the ball is kicked off and Drew Brees is standing behind the center, there is one word that needs to be said to bring about the magic on the field. It’s not “Go!” or “Attack!” or

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even “Alakazam!” (although that would be cool.) No, the magic word is “Hut!” or its second cousin, “Hike!” Either of these words is central to the feeling that football is back again. It’s when the quarterback goes back for a pass, the running back takes a ball and plows through the line, or, if you are less optimistic, the moment the ball sails over the quarterback’s head, lands in the end zone, and the opponent lands on the ball for an easy early touchdown… that even gets ME down. But recently, when I was watching replay videos of our Saints last season (you know, to get in the mindset and get amped…and because I just plain miss the game), both of these words tugged at my attention whenever I heard them. Where did they come from?

Why have these words, of all words, become such a standard in football?

And what can we expect in the future?

Well, as always, Jockularity will bring you the answers I so desperately seek.

You’re welcome.

At that time, the definitive way for the center to know when to snap the ball was for the quarterback to scratch the center’s leg. Hubba hubba! Unknowingly, though I am not even sure how this could happen, an opponent accidentally scratched John’s leg, which caused him to snap the ball to the quarterback, who then inevitably missed the ball. John Heisman, being the trend setter that he was, of course had a response. John’s brilliant solution was to have a call for the quarterback that would let everyone know when the ball was in motion. Hike, as in “to pull or lift up”, was a natural choice. And so it goes.

“Hut”, meanwhile, traces its history all the way back to World War II. If you think about it, sports and discipline go hand in hand; and when you think discipline, who is more disciplined than the military? I could go on and on about the similarities between these two seemingly different ideas…but I won’t. Just trust me.

So, where did these words come from?

Who was the first genius to say “Hike!” or “Hut!” to get the play going on the field?

Well, let’s start with “hike”. Back in the 1890’s, John Heisman was playing center.

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Instead, I will point out that drill sergeants in WW II started yelling “Atten-hut!” to get the attention of their soldiers.

Then, it was transferred to keeping the cadence soldiers were told to march, usually by their superior shouting “Hut2-3-4”. Why “hut”, though, even in the military? Simply put, hut is a one syllable word that travels a long distance clearly; so using this word in marching and calling soldiers to attention was very effective. Over time, other groups who march, such as marching bands, started to pick up on this verbal tool and integrated it into their organization.

It’s actually difficult to tell whether quarterbacks picked this word up from the marching bands not far away from their own practice fields, or from their drill sergeants after they came back from the war, since many coaches and players enlisted in the military during this time (famous Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry among them). No matter where it came from, its smart use was copied by all college and professional teams and has seeped into football teams around the country to where it has landed today.

But so – what’s in a word? What’s the big deal over the use of a simple word? Well, like any other tool on the field, the use of this simple phrase has been manipulated to confuse or surprise the opponent’s defense over the years. Whether it has been used to call the opponent’s team off sides, or to hide when the ball will actually snap, there is always a certain way to use, or not use, the word to call the play into action. It doesn’t even matter if a quarterback chooses to use a different word, like Peyton Manning’s oh-so-classic “Omaha!”, the evolution of the word continues to be a tribute to the early use of the tool. Yes, there have been many different uses of these football iconic words, and many different variations to come about. My personal favorite is the silent snap count. In this, usually the quarterback sets the timing off with a motion or a word, like stomping a foot or yelling “Set!” Then they wait for the ball to snap from the center.

If you watch for it, it’s impressive. It always looks like he has a telepathic thing going on with the center. I can imagine it now….

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“Hey, did you see the last episode of Days of our Lives?”

“Yeah! I can’t believe her brother would just do that to her husband! After all they’ve been through!”

“I know! Oh, by the way, can you snap the ball?”

“Sure, comin’ right up!”

In all these different ways of setting up a play, “Hut!” is the founding father, so to speak. The trend setter. The first utilization that meant, hey guys, let’s get this thing going.

Whether telepathically, or old classic, or “Omaha!”, it’s as classic in football as the pigskin itself.

So, what is the future of this iconic sports phenomenon?

There is only so much you can do with a word. If you ask me, the future is in the inflection. “Hut” vs “Hu-ut” can mean different things to players. It’s a subtle little difference like that which can tell the rest of the offense about something the quarterback sees or a change he wants to make. It can change and alter plays entirely in a split second. It is now and it always will be. It’s bigger than a word, it’s bigger than a movement. It’s a spark, a match, a here we go, boys. And it’s something that our teams value, for the history and for the impact on the game. That’s worth acknowledging, I think. Hut hut!

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by: Ronnie Dunaway

PLAYING ON THE BLOCK IN THE 1960’s : COPS AND ROBBERS

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Prelude: There are a lot good reasons why I like writing about life in Slidell during the 1960’s. First, I hope to inspire my generation to gather up all their children and grandkids and take a trip down Memory Lane. Let them know life wasn’t always a hustle and bustle like it is today. Take a moment and explain to them the simpler things in life; like the difference between a clothes line and a clothes dryer. How you had to prop up the line with a pole to keep the clothes off the ground. Explain to them that you sprinkled water from soda bottles with holes poked through the stopper at the top on the clothes before ironing.

Let them know that pizza delivery was just a dream. Tell them it took an Operator to make a long distant call and there was no such thing as 911. Let them know you were frying chicken long before Popeye’s came to town.

Now, for the younger generation, I just want you to know there are a lot of ways to play and have fun without a hand-held electronic device. We used to play hopscotch, hide & go seek, mother may I, red light/green light; we’d go bike riding, skating, tree climbing, jump rope; we played cops & robbers and cowboys & indians. Unlike the video games today, our activities kept us healthy and active . Our games gave us rhythm, strength, and good hand/eye coordination.

DAY 7 EN OP

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And guess what? Because we played outside all day, childhood obesity was rare. One last thing, and don’t take it too personal... that term “Couch Potato” was coined for your generation - not mine.

Slidell back in the 1960’s was the best playground a kid could ask for.

There were endless opportunities to have fun and I made good use of every one of them. One of my favorite things to do was to play Cops and Robbers. This scene took place on one of Slidell’s very first city blocks. It was laid out and developed in the late

1800’s by Leon J. Fremaux and G. Bouscaren, both of whom were engineers and surveyors.

Little did they know that, many years later, it would be the perfect setting for a few small time bank robbers and a wanna-be cop. The block that I am referring to is sided by Robert, Carey, Cousin, and First Streets. Most of the block consisted of local businesses such as Jitney Jungle, Hass’s 5 & 10, Mire’s Hardware, George’s Hotel, Champagne’s Department Store and Dr. Cook’s office. The only families who lived on it were the Carollos/Fontanas, Mires, Penningtons, and the Facianes. Sadly, none of these businesses or families are still there.

EEK

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It was around 1964 and I was nine years old. If I was going to play cops and robbers, I needed a new bike, because the one I had was a hand me down from God knows where. In fact, it was passed down a few times before it got to me. The picture shows my oldest brother on that very bike.

By the time it got to me, the only thing holding it together was paint and dirt. But, it really didn’t bother me too much until I became so tall it was nearly impossible to ride. At that point, I decided it was time for my first new bike. I soon had my eyes set on a beauty. It was the Cadillac of all bikes. It was called the Firestone 500 Deluxe. It was proudly displayed in the window at Firestone in Tammany Mall as if it was a newborn baby. It was fire engine red, complete with a giant chrome headlight and shiny chrome fenders, and I wanted it so bad.

It was $79, and I was about $65 short. Now was the time to get a real paying job. So, I asked my daddy if I could go to work with him, so I could make a few bucks. And, believe me, that is exactly what I got - a few bucks. After a couple of weeks, I wasn’t sure if I would live long enough to make enough money to get a new bike. Dads just don’t pay good. They will work you like a mule and pay you in peanuts. The first time I asked my daddy about my pay was my last time. His reply was harsh. He looked at me and said, “You like to eat, don’t you?”

Whatever that meant went way over my head.

A few weeks later, I asked a different question.

I asked him if I could get off on Sundays every now and then. Again, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “You like to eat on Sundays, don’t you?” I finally figured out exactly what he was saying - you don’t work, you don’t eat!

It was clear I was in for a long summer. For a small man in stature, he sure could be tough.

Funny thing though; today I give the same reply to my family and employees. And that’s the way it was working for your dad in the 60’s.

In the long run, it sure paid off big. It did take a long time to make $20, but in the meantime, I ate good.

When my birthday got closer, I dropped hints that I wanted money instead of the usual presents. Well, my birthday came and, needless to say, not too many people took the hint. Just what I needed - more socks, more underwear.

But that was ok, because I often got those as hand me downs as well. Nevertheless, it was always a great day because Mama always got me a big cake from McKenzie’s. (Not to mention, there’s no kiss in the world better than a birthday kiss from your mama.) By the way, if you never had a birthday cake from McKenzie’s, you never will. But, I still needed to make more money if I wanted that bike.

Since the money was slow to come in, I made a bold move. Can you believe I went to Firestone and put that bike on layaway at 9 years old, and no parents present? You could do those kind of

Once I got close enough to shoot them, they were out. It took awhile to catch all three of them, but eventually I brought them to justice. But it wasn’t always that easy. There were so many places for them to hide.

things in the 60’s. I put up $30 and promised to get it out by Thanksgiving. Of course, I did this without asking my parents. I kept it a secret for a couple of months because I wasn’t sure if my parents would get upset. As it turned out, it didn’t bother them at all.

Knowing my family job wasn’t paying much, I needed to come up with other means to get my bike out of layaway. So, I went to work for Southern Railroad. Well, sort of. I learned how to turn a penny into a quarter courtesy of one heavy locomotive. It was easy money.

It was also dangerous and probably one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done in my life, but the pay was good. I took new pennies and laid them on the tracks. Later in the day, when I heard the train come through, I would run back and collect my flattened pennies. Now they were as big as quarters. I took them home and drilled a hole in them, polished them up, and made some cool necklaces. I sold them for 25¢ each and the kids loved them because they looked like hippy jewelry.

For my next money making idea, I should have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This was also courtesy of the railroad. I sold floating rocks for a quarter. (I bet most of you reading this have no idea what I am talking about.) The railroad sometimes used special rocks to hold the tracks in place. These rocks were full of air bubbles and they actually floated. I used to tell some of the kids they were pieces of meteorites from outer space. A few actual believed it.

Finally, on Halloween, I was able to get my bike out of layaway. I walked from Olde Towne to Tammany Mall, then rode my new bike home.

I was one happy kid that day.

Now I was ready for cops and robbers.

Since I was the oldest, I was the cop, and Tommy, Steve and Joe were the bank robbers.

I had my new bike decked out with a battery operated siren. Playing cards were attached to the wheels so it sounded just like a motorcycle.

The robbers attached balloons to their wheels and they sounded more like mo-peds. The robbery went like this: I would give them a block headstart. Then the chase was on. Did I mention that we all carried guns? Oh yeah, the best water guns that Hass’s 5 & 10 sold.

So many driveways to dart in and out of, so many buildings to hide behind.

The Penningtons lived behind Jitney Jungle and sometimes they would have sheets hanging on the clothes line and that made a perfect place to hide. I can’t tell you how many times those sheets got caught on our pedals.

We would drag them for few feet until we were able to free them. I guess Mrs. Pennington often wondered why her sheets were on the ground.

Some of the businesses didn’t like us riding our bikes on the sidewalk. And, for some reason, the police didn’t like us riding in the street.

Since I was more scared of the police than the business owners, we took to the sidewalk.

Our biggest critics were the cashiers at Jitney Jungle. They forever complained about us, but they weren’t the only ones, so did Hass’s 5 & 10.

My mom told me a million times that one day I was going to run over someone or lose control and get hit by a car. Well, that day came. Anyone who ever shopped at Jitney Jungle would know as soon as you stepped out the door, you were on the sidewalk. One afternoon, when I was in hot pursuit of a bank robber, some older man carrying a big bag of groceries stepped out the door at the wrong time. I hit the brakes but I still managed to run over his foot. Needless to say, he dropped the groceries. I was just about to come to a complete stop and apologize when he started using some pretty nasty adjectives to describe me. I had heard those kinds of words before, but it was the first time anyone ever directed them towards me. To tell you the truth, he kind of scared me. I just knew he was going to come after me. So I continued around the block and hid behind what is now Time Out Lounge until I decided it was safe to leave.

Another favorite past time on the block was playing some classic tricks on anyone walking down the sidewalk. First, you have to understand, back in the early 60’s, Olde Towne was Slidell. Most of the businesses were still in this area and the sidewalks were always busy. Our fun took place in the driveway between Champagne’s Department Store (now Ponchartrain Investment Management) and Dixie Campbell’s Sandwich Shop (now Christopher’s on Carey). We chose this spot because it had an easy escape route, in case we needed to make a run for it. We would get a large cardboard box that a washer, dryer or TV came in. Champagne’s or Mr. Samrow always had one lying around since they sold this stuff.

We would get inside the box, then cut a small hole on the front side of it, just big enough to stick our water gun through. Then we cut a large door in the back to get in and out.

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We also cut a hole on each side so we could see who was coming up the sidewalk. Like I said, the sidewalks were always busy. We carefully chose our targets, which were usually old people because they couldn’t chase us. When they walked by, we would shoot them in the leg. Most people just laughed and walked away.

Every once in awhile, someone would get mad and kick the box. Otherwise, it was good summer fun.

Just think - all this fun on just one block!

I can honestly say that life in Slidell in the 1960’s was never boring. We were wired to stay outdoors and create fun. Every block has special memories and special people, some of which I aggravated on a regular basis. I will talk about a few of these people (in kindness) in later stories. Now, don’t get the wrong idea here... I loved these people and they loved me.

They were here long before me. So, I guess they earned the right to be a little possessive of a sidewalk that did not belong to them.

First: Mrs. Ruby Carollo. She used to get so mad at us when we rode our bikes on her sidewalk. It probably had something to do with the mud tracks we left for her to clean up. You know what I really remember about riding on her sidewalk? Her cooking. When she cooked meatballs and spaghetti, you just had to do a drive-by. She really knew how to cook.

Then there was Mrs. Carr, owner of the White Kitchen. She guarded her rose bushes like they were gold plated. However, they were easy picking when cruising on your bike.

market. I think about it often, especially when I eat at KY’s . That was my daddy’s meat market back in 1940’s and 1950’s.

Poole’s Funeral Home didn’t like us skating on their ramp during a funeral. Go figure! But this is where all the kids learned to skate. If you could make it down the ramp without killing yourself, you were considered pretty cool.

Carey Street Trivia Question

The lawyer on Robert St. did not like it when a few of us wrote our names on his freshly poured driveway. Our signature marks are still there today. Even Slidell Grammar School didn’t like us playing on their sacred playground. They installed gates at both entrances in a failed attempted to keep us out... as if we didn’t know how to climb a fence!

There are so many things about the early days of Slidell that I miss.

I miss my childhood friends. I miss being a cop. I miss shopping at Jitney Jungle with their raggedy wooden floors and grouchy management. I miss buying my shoes from Giordano’s or Buckley’s Shoe Store. I miss the clothing stores such as Champagne’s, Acme, and The Leader. I miss seeing Leroy, who sold me frozen candy bars at The Novelty Shoppe.

I miss the push-up ice cream bars from Mire’s Hardware. I especially miss my daddy’s meat

Did you know that Carey Street in Olde Towne Slidell could be dubbed as the Roastbeef Poboy Capital of the world? It has been the home of the best roastbeef poboys on the planet since the 1960’s. Today, everyone knows that Kevin Young (KY’s Bicycle Shop) is the King of the roastbeef poboy and has been since he opened in 1992. However, do you remember who was the Queen of the roastbeef poboy in the early 60’s? Ironically, she was located just a few feet down Carey St. from KY’s.

In fact, both the King and Queen had their restaurants set up in a similar fashion.

Keep an eye on Slidell Magazine’s facebook page for the answer.

ON TUES., NOV. 4TH VOTE FOR

Alan Black is committed to the relentless prosecution of criminals and attacking the underlying drug problem.

He will be a District Attorey whose office is transparent and proactive in matters of quality of life.

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Attorney with decades of experience in the criminal justice system; Trusted Law Clerk for First Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Hillary J. Crain; So accomplished, appointed by Louisiana Supreme Court as Ad Hoc Judge for Slidell, Bogalusa & Hammond City Courts;

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