MARCH 2016
The
State of Our
Local Economy Cyphacon p12
March 2016
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Rehabilitation Hospital
of Jennings
DIAgNOSeS THAT we TReAT
• Brain Injury
• Hip Fractures
• Strokes
• Osteoarthritis/DJD
• Amputations
• Neurological Disorders
• Burns
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Major Multiple Trauma
• Congenital Deformities
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Systemic Vasculidities
• Joint Replacements
Others who can benefit from inpatient rehabilitation are postoperative patients, accident victims and cancer patients. 24 Hour Nursing Care • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy Speech Therapy • Nutritional Counseling and Monitoring Case Management Call for a free assessment today. One Hospital Drive, Ste. 101 • Jennings, LA 70546 • Phone: (337) 821-5353 • Fax: (337) 821-5355 or 5366 jenningsrehab@yahoo.com • www.jenningsrehab.com 2 www.thriveswla.com
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March 2016
Join us for the 4th Annual Dragon Boat Race! Saturday, April 23rd ∙ 9:00 a.m. LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER SEAWALL
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation invites you and your family to come out with lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the race!
PRESENTING SPONSORS:
Louisiana
VIP EVENT SPONSORS:
PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK March 2016
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Contents
58
8 40 In This Issue Wining & Dining 6 Pass the Cheese, Please 8 Tobasco: Simple Recipe, Long Local History 10 Rosewater Grill & Tavern Now Open at Delta Downs Places & Faces 12 It’s CYPHACON 16 Celebrate Women’s History Month
Home & Family 20 Cutting the Cord: Why Parents Need to
Regular Features 8 Who’s News 1 24 The New Family Tree 48 First Person with John Pohorelsky 54 Business Buzz 68 Happenings 70 Solutions for Life 71 McNeese Corral
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Stop Tracking their Kids 22 Take Care: Preventing Care Giver Burnout
Money & Career 2 6 – 49 Cover Story & Special Section: 50 How to Fail with Success 52 Tips for Winning a Scholarship
Now reserving space in Thrive’s Fun-sational Guide to Summer Fun.
Style & Beauty 56 Simple Steps for Smouldering, Smoky Eyes 58 Time to Get a Watch
This handy pull-out guide is something parents will refer to all summer long! Call to reserve your advertising space today - (337) 310-2099
Mind & Body 62 Surprising Ways You’re Hurting Your Heart
66 Mosquito Protection Aids Against ZIKA VIRUS
DON’T JUST LIVE, THRIVE!
Thrive is designed for people focused on living a happy, healthy life, one that is balanced, full of energy and contentment. Thrive readers want to make the most of every day and be successful in all areas of their lives – family, health, home and career. 4 www.thriveswla.com
Editors and Publishers
Kristy Armand Christine Fisher
Advertising Sales ads@thriveswla.com 337.310.2099
Creative Director
Barbara VanGossen
Submissions edit@thriveswla.com
Managing Editor
Erin Kelly
Business Manager
Katie McDaniel Stevenson
Assistant Designers
Shonda Manuel Kris Roy Mandy Gilmore
Submitted articles and photos are welcome. Thrive assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials and does not guarantee any submissions.
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March 2016
PUPPIES, PUPPIES, PUPPIES! All of these precious pups are looking for loving homes. Nanette and Kobe
All our wonderful dogs are available for adoption through 4Paws Society. Call 287-3552 for more information and to learn about other programs that are available.
Spike
Wilson
This cutie is a small, 4-year-old Chihuahua. He’s so calm, we felt he deserved a spunky name. Even though Spike is a little shy, he loves to be held.
Wilson is an adorable, 10-pound Yorkie. He’s very affectionate and absolutely loves bath time. Better than bath time is the brushing that follows. He’s the perfect pet for pampering!
Nanette and Kobe are a pair of Maltese rescued from an unfortunate, unfriendly situation. Because of their past, they need some socialization, but mostly, a lot of love. Strides have already been made to get these two to a place they deserve to be unafraid and happy.
EVERYTHING in
SIGHT
Take a closer look at the specialized eye care available at The Eye Clinic. • Complex Cataracts • Corneal Conditions • Corneal Transplants (DSEK) • Cosmetic Eye Surgery
• Diabetic Laser Treatment • Dry Eye Syndrome • Eye Muscle Surgery • Glaucoma Surgery
• LASIK • Anti-VEGF Therapy for Macular Degeneration • Pediatric Eye Care
• Premium Lens Implants • Prescription Eyewear
Lake Charles • Sulphur • DeRidder • Jennings • Moss Bluff
478.3810 | 800.826.5223 | theeyeclinic.net March 2016
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Wining & Dining
Pass the
Cheese, Please If you find yourself daydreaming about nachos or lovingly describing your last fondue, you’re not alone. Cheese is a dietary staple on every continent in the world, and recent studies have found the soft, tangy treat to be just as addictive as drugs due to the fact that the fats in cheese trigger the release of casomorphins, or opiates in the body that flood our brains with a sense of reward, which can be addictive. So consume at your own risk, but if you’re not quite ready to kick the hard stuff, here’s a buyers’ guide that will help you categorize different types of cheese and maybe even inspire you to try something new.
How Do We Classify Cheese? According to Cara Warren, east coast sales representative for Isigny America, an international cheese cooperative, your local grocer or cheese monger’s case is divided by rind type and cheese making style. “The case is usually divided by aged sheep’s milk cheeses, washed rind cheeses, bloomy rind cheeses, aged cow’s milk cheeses, and then blue cheeses,” Warren says.
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Normally, a grocer’s case will have goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, and cow’s milk cheeses. Sheep’s milk cheeses contain the most butterfat of all the animals, and will generally have a fuller, richer taste. Washed rind cheeses are the ones we usually think of as “stinky,” though newcomers shouldn’t let the term throw them off. Washed rind cheese, which is usually sticky with a reddish or pink exterior, can also have bread-like, or even beefy flavor. The taste, explains Warren, comes from the aging process. “Washed rind cheeses which can be soft and fruity like Taleggio, while others are more nutty and firm like Gruyere, but they’re all washed every other day during the ripening stage with a brine solution that usually has a fortified wine or local spirit added to the solution to develop bacteria to seal in the cheese and ripen the paste,” Warren says. Bloomy rind cheeses, on the other hand, have soft, edible rinds, like those found on camembert and brie, and are often known for their “mushroomy” flavor. And while blue cheese has a tendency to freak people out, probably because of its namesake blue mold powder added during the cheese making process, the cheese can actually
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by Emily Alford
be quite buttery, like brie, as in Cambozola or nutty and spicy, like Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue, a Vermont cheese that Warren says “you cannot make anywhere else in the world.” If you’re looking for an aged gouda or clothbound cheddar, Warren says, you’d probably do best to look outside the cheese case, as those are usually too large to store comfortably.
How Should You Buy Cheese? The bad news, according to Warren, is that you get what you pay for when it comes to cheese, and a really good one can run you upwards of twenty dollars per pound. “If a cheese has a silky texture and flavors that mingle long after you taste it, that probably means this is very high quality cheese, but that may also mean the cheese is going to be $35 a pound.” The good news is, a pound is probably much more cheese than you’d want to buy. Most good cheese shops or counters will let you taste different cheeses and then offer to cut you as little as a quarter pound to enjoy at home.
Storing Cheese And once you’ve bought a new cheese, you should protect your investment! The American Cheese Society recommends wrapping uneaten cheese first in wax or parchment paper and then in plastic wrap to seal in air and moisture and prevent the cheese from drying out. Store it in the refrigerator, preferably away from other strong-smelling foods. They also recommend fresh wrappings each time the cheese is taken out of the refrigerator to prevent your cheese from picking up other flavors. The most important part of cheese buying: indulgence. Don’t be afraid to try something new and decadent. Get those reward centers firing!
March 2016
March 2016
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Wining & Dining
TABASCO: A Simple Recipe with a Long Local History by Emily Alford
Tabasco is a simple product with a long Louisiana history. The Avery Island brand—one of Louisiana’s most recognizable—has just three ingredients: peppers, vinegar, and salt. But each year, McIlhenny Co. welcomes hundreds of tourists to its factory each year. The McIlhenny name is now synonymous with Tabasco, but for many, it’s also synonymous with a deep and genuine respect for Louisiana. The family has
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led sustainability and conservation efforts in Louisiana for more than 100 years. E.A. McIlhenny lobbied to make the snowy egret one of the firstever federally protected wildlife species. The family has a longtime history of commitment to both the conservation of and education around Louisiana’s wetlands and even encourages students from around the state to come and plant marsh grass. “Our family has been on Avery Island since 1818,” says Tony Simmons, President and CEO of the McIlhenny Company and great-greatgrandson of Edmund McIlhenny, founder. Simmons says they strive to be “good stewards of the land.” Tabasco remains committed to bringing its vision—both culinary and philanthropic—further into the 21st century. “Our goal is simple: to make people’s food taste better,” Simmons says. “We currently ship to 187 countries around the world, and we get visitors from all over the world. We do a good bit of social media; we promote Tabasco with a very strong corporate budget, and we even make some products you’d be surprised to see, like Tabasco mayonnaise, olives, spicy beans, and spicy okra.
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We’ve even got Tabasco teriyaki and soy sauce to try and expand the use of the product.” Simmons credits the widespread use of Tabasco in ever more modern, unconventional dishes, to a newfound interest in global cuisine, one that has made America, and the world, much more interested in trying Louisiana flavors. That newfound interest really pays off, especially when new audiences realize that Tabasco can add flavor without heat. “We’re seeing is a real change in food culture, and Louisiana is a beneficiary of that change,” Simmons says. “What we see going on around the world is that people are much more open to experimenting than they used to be whether its with Cajun cuisine, Thai, or Vietnamese. We sell more Tabasco to the food service industry than we do to grocery stores, and most of that is being used in the kitchen, where chefs use it because the flavor lasts, if not the heat.” And while Tabasco might always have a reputation as a spicy afterthought to the casual diner, Simmons is okay with that too. “You can use it as a condiment. It adds layers of flavor.” Another place layers are being added is the Avery Island facility.
March 2016
As tourists continue to pour into Avery Island, Simmons says the company has invested more than $5 million to modernize the visitor tours fondly remembered by many generations of Louisiana school children. The old-school, 15-minute looping videos at the back of the gift shop are a thing of the past. Instead, they’re being replaced by a much more immersive experience, including an updated museum with family artifacts dating back hundreds of years, new factory tour and a brand new restaurant. “We spent $5.5 million doing the upgrades to our visitor experience at Avery Island,” Simmons says. “And we’ve now officially opened the new visitor experience for Tabasco, in addition to making a much more interactive experience for visitors, like our new museum with artifacts for people to see. For example, our second president, John McIlhenny, resigned from the company to join Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders,” Simmons says. “And now we’ve got his uniform and boots on display.” Simmons says the new visitor experience will give tour groups a more complete history of the company and the family itself.
You could be out living your life instead of living with a chronic wound. A wound that hasn’t healed after 30 days is one you shouldn’t ignore. It can keep you from enjoying life the way you used to. So don’t wait any longer to get the help you need. Lake Area Medical Center’s Wound Care Center offers convenient, outpatient treatment with a specially trained staff and effective techniques, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, to help heal chronic wounds of any type. Same-day appointments are often available. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 337-475-4001.
4150 Nelson Road, Bldg. I • Lake Charles, LA • LakeAreaMC.com
March 2016
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Wining & Dining
Rosewater Grill & Tavern Now Open at Delta Downs Delicious and comfortable are two words used to describe the newest restaurant inside Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel, Rosewater Grill and Tavern. “We sought to create a dining experience that will appeal to foodies and long-time Delta Downs customers alike," said Steve Kuypers, vice president and general manager, Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel. "Rosewater Grill & Tavern is all about great service, a beautifully designed space, and, of course, bold flavors inspired by this great state." Imagined as a modern interpretation of a traditional pub, the tavern area features checkered wood flooring and upholstered walls adorned with nail-head trim. Hanging overhead are custom-designed bird cage chandeliers, juxtaposed against smartly tailored architectural detailing. Behind the tavern room is the dining area, featuring a series of terraced dining spaces with a panoramic view of the Delta
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Downs racetrack. Circular banquettes, each with their own swing-arm light fitting above, add a decidedly upscale appearance. Playful violet dining chairs add warmth and a sense of casual elegance. Ted Bogich, Boyd Gaming's executive vice president of operations, says, "Something like this really sets us apart. It's not just a restaurant. When you look at just how stunning it is and the different features as you transition through the space, this is really something that is special.� Rosewater offers an array of beer, wine and hand-crafted cocktails, including the Backwoods Front Porch, a half & half of iced tea and homemade lemonade, served with a potent kick of Firefly Peach Moonshine; or the Sinless Sangria, a divine mix of Merlot, Christian Brothers brandy, limes, strawberries, pineapple juice and orange juice.
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FIGHT LUNG CANCER T H E W O R L D W I L L S E E Y O U D I F F E R E N T L Y.
5K RUN/WALK
1-MILE WALK|4.9.16 Lake Charles Civic Center freetobreathe.org/swlouisiana #freetobreathe
The tavern food selections feature lighter, casual fare, like Bronzed Chicken Wings, Rosewater Crab Cake Sliders, and Street Tacos. The main dining menu includes bold and unique twists on traditional steak and seafood dishes with Louisiana flair, such as Louisiana BBQ Shrimp, Fettuccini Alfredo -- topped with shrimp and crab or blackened chicken, the 21-ounce bone-in ribeye, or the signature prime rib. Rosewater Grill & Tavern is the first new concept to premiere in Boyd Gaming's $45 million expansion and enhancement of Delta Downs. Over the coming year, Delta Downs will be adding a 167room hotel tower, redesigning its existing 200 hotel rooms, and introducing additional dining concepts. Rosewater Grill & Tavern’s hours of operation are: Wednesday-Thursday 5pm-9pm, Friday-Saturday 4pm-11pm, and Sunday 5pm-9pm. They are closed Monday-Tuesday.
䨀䐀䈀䄀一䬀⸀挀漀洀 簀 㠀 ⴀ㜀㠀㤀ⴀ㔀㔀㤀
For more information, call 337-589-9063 or visit deltadowns.com March 2016
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Places & Faces I T ’S — N O C C I M O C A D ON ’T CA L L I T
n o c a h p Cy A NA I S I U O L T S E W I N S OU T H
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by Mitch Thomas
March 2016
G
uest relations director Garrett Manuel doesn’t like to call it a comic con. He’s attended cons big and small, some that were comic cons in the strictest interpretation of the phrase, others that were big hits like events in San Deigo or New Orleans. But CyPhaCon, a Southwest Louisiana anime, science fiction and gaming convention, is more than that – it’s a pop culture convention made by and for the people of the Lake Area. “That’s what the whole point of CyPhaCon is,” Manuel said. “We believe that it’s an avenue for any geek, any nerd, anybody that loves pop culture to make new friends and spend a weekend amongst your peers and enjoy. (continued)
March 2016
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Places & Faces CyPhaCon is gearing up for its sixth year of gaming and pop culture entertainment, with the event happening Friday through Sunday, April 8-10. The con has grown from a gathering of 500 fans on the second floor of the Lake Charles Civic Center in 2011 to an expected attendance this year of well over 3300 guests enjoying games, panels and displays spread throughout all three floors. Back again this year will be the sponsored gaming tournaments, role-playing games, console games and board games available to anyone with admission. Expect to also see the return of MechCorps, the gaming experience that puts players inside a pod that creates the feel of piloting a three-story tall, 75 ton robot in a battle against other pilots. CyPhaKids will also be returning with science-related learning activities planned specifically for children to enjoy. The Rosa Hart Theater stage will play host to several concerts featuring cover band, The Tugboats, the music of The Suzaku Seven and the Celtic, folk and renaissance period tunes of the Bedlam Bards. The guests of honor this year will include Nana Visitor, best known for the role of Kira Nerys on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Tony Amendola of several film and television credits such as The Mask of Zorro and Stargate: SG1, and Aaron Douglas, known for portraying Galen Tyrol on SyFy’s Battlestar Galactica. This year will also bring in Monica Rial, a 15-year veteran of anime voice-acting who’s appeared in over 350 titles, and a return appearance of Lake Charles native Kyle Hebert, who has several voice-acting credits of his own and is known as the narrator for the Dragon Ball Z English Funimation dub. New to this year will be special evening events on Friday and Saturday for more mature audiences, where alcoholic beverages will be served and admission will be restricted to attendees 18 years or older. A pub crawl featuring establishments in downtown Lake Charles is also planned, which will end in a concert at Luna Live. Be prepared to encounter everything from the outlandish to the terrifying as guests put their hard work into their best costumes to compete for prizes. Remember that though photos are taken often, it is polite to ask to take someone’s photo first. Gatti’s, Poppa Johns, Stellar Beans and Cajun Cakes and Creations will provide local flavors for the hungry, and this year’s charity donations will benefit Hobo Hotel. For those who have never attended a convention before, or who feel like they might be out of their element attending one, expect CyPhaCon to cater to several interests beyond those of a typical comic con. “Expect a mix of everything, expect a festival, and with any festival there’s so much to do,” Manuel said. “You’ll be able to shop, you’ll be able to attend panels and talk to people. You’ll be able to go to concerts, see artists, authors. Just know when you go in you’re going to learn something, you’re going to have fun, you’re going to enjoy yourself, and most of all, you’re going to make friends.”
Advance tickets are on sale now at www.cyphacon.org/membershipinfo.
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March 2016
POETRY
Out Loud
Mekenzie Peshoff, Reigner Kane, and Ashtyn Hanna will continue to the state competition.
Sherry Perkins performs at Poetry Out Loud.
Leah Worley recites for the judges.
March 2016
When it comes to what children learn, we often turn a careful eye toward math or science—subjects that we believe are quantifiable, particularly in our current era of standardized tests and measurable goals. But every year, a group of local students come together and take the stage to participate in a competition that encourages the nation’s youth to learn about a less tangible topic: Poetry. Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide program supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Poetry Out Loud partners with US state arts agencies, including the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, to host contests that not only encourage a love and appreciation of great poetry, but helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. After successful pilot programs in Washington, DC, and Chicago, Poetry Out Loud was launched in high schools nationwide in the spring of 2006 and has grown to involve millions of students across the country, including those in Southwest Louisiana. The local competition was held in the Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium at Central School on February 11 and saw three students advance to the state competition in March. They are: Ashtyn Hanna, 18, a senior at DeRidder High School, who won third place with her performances of “Sanctuary” by Jean Valentine and “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron (George Gordon); Reigner Kane, 16, a home-schooled junior, was awarded second place for his recitations of “Ode” by Arthur O’Shaugnessy, and “Pentatina for Five Vowels” by Campbell McGrath; and Mekenzie Peshoff, 16, a sophomore at Barbe High School, for her dramatic performances of “Revenge” by Letitia Elizabeth Landon and “The Gaff” by C. K. Williams. Students Claire Buchanan of Barbe, and Brenda Guzman and Leah Worley, both of DeRidder, also competed. Students were judged on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy.
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Places & Faces
We Can Celebrate!
Celebrate Women’s History Month Although Women’s History Month wasn’t given an official designation until the 1980s, the roots of the celebration can be traced to the early 1900s. To celebrate Women’s History Month, we asked several prominent local women to answer the following question:.
What woman in history do you most admire? Former Lake Charles Mayor Willie Landry Mount, Louisiana State Senator (2000-2012) The woman I admire the most is Mother Teresa. She was a woman of strong faith, commitment to others, an advocate and fierce warrior of those in need (the poor and ill), a humble servant, a witness, a risk taker, and so much more. She was the founder of Missionaries of Charity and today that order has spread all over the world providing help to the poorest of the poor. She donated her earnings to charities and the hospitals she served. At the early age of 12, she answered her call to serve others. Her actions throughout her life were to serve others. Though never wanting any recognition, she received a number of awards, including the Nobel Prize, for her endless efforts and dedicated service.
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We live in a world filled with hatred, poverty, self-indulgence, war, hunger and pain. Imagine a world with more individuals being committed to humbly helping others in need—in the community, a school, a neighbor, a family, a church member, a stranger. What a better world it could be. Let’s do something about it. Mother Teresa did. Britney Glaser, Morning Show Anchor, KPLC-TV Caroline Boudreaux. This Lake Charles native is blazing a trail for orphans around the world, all because she saw a need and acted! Caroline was a successful account executive in the television industry, when she quit her job to travel the world. While in India, she saw first-hand the terrible conditions orphans were living in and knew she had to do something BIG. Caroline created The Miracle Foundation, a non-profit organization to transform orphan care. It trains caregivers in orphanages, increases educational opportunities for the children, and provides medical care. Caroline is a difference maker and proves that one person can truly make a difference.
Dr. Janet Allured, author, Remapping Second-Wave Feminism: The First choice: Eleanor Long Women’s Roosevelt, wife of Rights Movement FDR, mother of in Louisiana and six, writer, social Louisiana Women: There are so activist and reformer and diplomatic many women in Their Lives and representative for the US at United U.S. history that I Times. Nations. I’m remembering her during admire, that it’s hard to narrow it down, the rancor and noise in today’s political but since I research and write about scene. My immediate second choice Louisiana women, I’ll pick a couple is Emily Dickinson, whose poetry still of those. The women I most admire resonates as I read her work almost worked against powerful opposition every day to lift my moods and make and dodged slings and arrows aimed me laugh when I need laughter and in their direction. They sacrificed and lifting. suffered social opprobrium to secure Maaliyah Papillion, justice, to right wrongs. One was Sarah Miss Louisiana Towles Reed, a teacher in New Orleans during the early twentieth century who Oprah. She has fought for more than a decade to win broken so many pay equity for women teachers (who in barriers for women the 1920s were routinely paid half what over the years and men were paid), academic freedom, has shown me that anything is possible. labor rights, civil rights, and for public As an entertainer, she has put herself out education generally. to the world and shown everyone that I also greatly admire Janet Mary women can do just as good of a job as Riley, a devout Catholic and member men. She’s shown women everywhere of a secular institute, the first female that hard work and dedication can bring law professor at Loyola University, you far in life. Though there’s only one a supporter of the Equal Rights Oprah in the world, we can all strive to Amendment and the guiding hand be like her in our lives by working hard behind the reform of the old “head and and not giving up on our dreams. I’ve master” rule of the community property used her example to push my limits and system in Louisiana, which had given to achieve my goals. husbands control over all property in
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Brenda Bachrack, Retired Educator
March 2016
Banners Presents:
Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Vocalist
Cécile McLorin Salvant
the marriage. In 1980, “head and master” was replaced with “equal management,” and Riley, along with many other Louisiana feminists, helped to bring that about. Stella Miller, Retired Educator Besides my mother, my all-time favorite woman from history is Rosa Parks. I was a little girl during the civil rights movement. My aunt lived in Birmingham, so I was always on edge. In fact, she was a member of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church where the four girls were killed. Growing up in San Antonio was far different from Birmingham. In a very gentle and ladylike way, Rosa Parks helped change history by refusing to give up her seat, therefore promoting a citywide boycott that (culminated) in the Civil Rights Movement. When I think of Rosa Parks I think of a woman who was courageous and bold during the worst of times.
March 2016
Cécile McLorin Salvant has been called the finest jazz singer to emerge in the last decade. In 2007, at the age of eighteen, she traveled from Florida to France, with the intention studying law and continuing her education in classical voice at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory. While there, she discovered she had a natural talent for jazz performance. McLorin Salvant found a freedom in jazz improvisation. She reveled in the creative license afforded jazz singers. She was influenced by the masters – Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald – and studied their techniques. Once she could mimic their phrasing and enunciation, she quickly developed her own unique musical identity. McLorin Salvant sings original pieces as well as the old standards, but she especially enjoys finding exceptional but long-forgotten compositions and re-inventing them with her signature
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style. She describes her sound as jazz, blues, with elements of folk and musical theatre. McLorin Salvant was born in Miami in 1989 to a Haitian father and a French mother. She began singing at the age of eight with the Miami Choral Society and studied classical voice. McLorin Salvant wows crowds in both Europe and the United States, performing in clubs, concert halls, and festivals accompanied by renowned musicians. She has won numerous awards, including the esteemed Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2010. Around that time, she released her first album, entitled Cécile. Her second album, WomanChild, earned a Grammy nomination in 2014. Her third album, For One to Love, recently won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album of the Year. McLorin Salvant will perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 24, at the Central School Theatre.
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Places & Faces
Movers and Shakers in Southwest News? You tell us! Send press releases to Louisiana... Who’s edit@thriveswla.com with the subject line “Who’s News.”
DeRouen Receives Certified Financial Planner Certification Marty DeRouen, Wealth Management Advisor with Northwestern Mutual in Lake Charles, LA has been authorized by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. Marty DeRouen (CFP Board) to use the CFP® and CFP (with flame logo)® certification marks in accordance with CFP Board certification requirements. These marks identify those individuals who have met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements, have successfully completed financial planning coursework and have passed the CFP® Certification Examination. For more about CFP Board, visit www.CFP.net.
Clemons Appointed to Judicial Council Todd S. Clemons was recently appointed to the Judicial Council of the Louisiana Supreme Court for a three-year term. The council is an advisory and oversight body for the Judicial Branch of Todd Clemons government to study and monitor the operations for the court system and identify areas for improvement.
Leis Named West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Employee of the Month West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital (WCCH) recently named Paul Leis as its employee of the month for January 2016. As a member of the hospital’s Paul Leis Plant Operations team, Leis assists in a variety of tasks related to the buildings and facilities at WCCH and surrounding clinics. Leis has been with the organization for nearly 25 years.
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McNamara Joins First Federal Investments Frank McNamara has joined First Federal Investments as an Investment Executive. His office is located at the Sulphur Office of First Federal Bank of Louisiana, 2250 Maplewood Frank McNamara Drive. McNamara is a Financial Advisor and comes to First Federal Bank of Louisiana after having served the majority of his 18-year career at Capitol One Investments. He holds licenses as a securities representative (Series 7, 63, and 66 registrations), in addition to insurance licenses for life, health and annuities, and is registered as an Investment Advisor Representative (IAR).
Local Orthopedic Surgeon Earns Specialized Certification Lake Charles Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Alan Hinton recently passed the 2015 American Board of Orthopedic Surgery Combined Sports Dr. Alan Hinton Medicine Examination. In order to obtain this special certification, Dr. Hinton was required to complete a written exam, as well as submit surgical case reviews to determine accuracy of care and surgical technique. Dr. Alan Hinton’s medical practice is located at 230 West Sale Road in Lake Charles. For more information, call (337) 477-5252.
Stacey Corbello named Chair of the 2016 SWLA Heart Ball Stacey Dion Corbello, Financial Advisor with JD Prime Investments a subsidiary of JD Bank, will serve as chair for the American Heart Association’s 2016 Dr. Alan Hinton Southwest Louisiana Heart Ball. The gala will be held on April 16th at The Lake Charles Civic Center. The event will generate funds to support education, research and awareness to prevent heart disease in The Thrive Magazine for Better Living
Southwest Louisiana community. stroke. For more information, visit swlaheartball. ahaevents.org.
Dr. Brad LeBert Joins Imperial Health’s Physician Team Dr. Brad LeBert, an ENT (ear, nose and throat) and allergy specialist who has practiced in Lake Charles for more than 5 years, has joined the physician team at Imperial Health, Dr. Brad LeBert Southwest Louisiana’s largest, physician-owned multispecialty medical group. Dr. LeBert specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of a variety of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose and throat, as well as related structures of the head and neck. This includes, but is not limited to: sinus disease, tinnitus, ear infections, tonsilar conditions and facial reconstruction. Dr. LeBert offers minimally invasive sinus procedures and also provides specialized allergy treatment. Dr. LeBert sees patients at the ENT & Allergy Clinic, which is located at 1920 W. Sale Road, F3. To schedule an appointment with Dr. LeBert, call (337) 312-8564.
Partin Named 2015 Professional of the Year Martina Partin was named the 2015 recipient of the Imperial Calcasieu Human Resources Management Association (ICHRMA) Professional of the Year award. Martina Partin has Martina Partin worked for Synergy Care Inc. / The Broussard Group as the Director of Human Resources for the past fourteen years. She has been a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) since 2008, and achieved her Professional in Human Resources certification in 2011, as well as her SHRM Certified Professional in 2015. Martina has served on the ICHRMA board for five years, most recently as Treasurer.
March 2016
Phillips Refinery 66 Names New Plant Manager Richard (Rich) Harbison has been named manager of the Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex in Westlake. Harbison has 28 years of experience Rich Harbison in a variety of leadership roles across the refining, pipeline and terminal business. Prior to Lake Charles, Harbison was the manager at the Phillips 66 refinery in Ferndale, Washington. He has worked as the operations manager at the Phillips 66 refinery in Ferndale and Los Angeles, California. For more information, call (337) 912-4627.
FAMILY MEDICINE At West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital (WCCH), we’ve made family medicine a priority, partnering with trusted physicians throughout Southwest Louisiana. Your first line of defense in keeping your family healthy requires strong, experienced family medicine physicians and a hospital with a reputation for excellence and an unsurpassed tradition of caring. When it comes to your family’s healthcare, we deliver compassionate care focused on patient safety for an exceptional healthcare experience. That’s why the doctors you trust, trust us.
701 Cypress Street, Sulphur
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Home & Family
Cutting the Cord
Why Parents Need to Stop Tracking their Kids There is a rapidly growing trend that offers parents every way possible to stalk their kids. Many parents now have GPS systems on their teenagers’ phones. There are apps such as Mobile Watch Dog where parents can see every app, every text and everything that happens on their kids’ phones. Other parents create the same social media accounts as their teens and follow not only their own children, but their friends. According to licensed psychologist Sherrie Campbell, parents have become obsessive. “Instead of enjoying time as adults without their teens around, parents are at home calling each other, looking at social media and then texting their kids all throughout the night destroying any sense of teenage normalcy and needs for independence,” says Dr. Campbell, author of Loving Yourself: The Mastery of Being Your Own Person. “Parents are getting overinvolved and deeply-ingrained
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with no respect to boundaries or personal space—they expect all the details of their child’s life and even go so far as to try to help them to handle their conflicts rather than allowing kids to learn on their own. The impact of this is has crippling effects on teens/parent relationships.” According to Dr. Campbell, some of those effects include increased lying and deception, an increase in rebellion and household tension, and self-harm— behaviors of teens who are desperate for separation, independence, and control. “You cannot bubble wrap your kids and have that end well,” Dr. Campbell says. “Parents need to let go and allow their kids to be independent, make mistakes and to trust their kids will talk to them when they need help.”
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She offers the following tips on how you can begin to let go. • Have ground rules around curfews that your children must respect. If plans change, they need to keep in touch of their whereabouts and times to be home. • Have them check-in throughout the night—such as before they go to bed, or before they go to a different place originally planned. It’s not hard, it shows responsibility, and there is no alternative.
“ You cannot bubble wrap your kids and have that end well.”
• Allow them the freedoms have problems with peers and boyfriends without intervening in their personal and private messages via social media or text. Parents need to let their teens know they are there if they need them and to accept when they would prefer to handle things independently. If parents force themselves into their lives teens start to feel like their parents are on the same level as their peers instead of their parent which will push them away from their parents because they don’t feel safe, feel invaded. And, parents often stay stuck on problems when teens just want to move on.
Sherrie Campbell, Licensed Psychologist
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Home & Family
TAKE CARE
Preventing Caregiver Burnout There are 65.7 million caregivers in the US, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. That’s 29 percent of the adult population providing care to someone who is ill, disabled, or aged. Of those, 43.5 million are taking care of someone aged 50 or older. When you’re under pressure to provide for a loved one, it’s easy to forget that the best way you can care for someone else is to take good care of yourself. Kurt Kazanowski, an authority on hospice and home care, advocates on the importance of preventing caregiver burnout. He provides the following tips: S oothe yourself with prayer, meditation, repeating positive affirmations or anything else to remind you that you are a wonderful person. It is helpful to join a caregivers’ support group. S witch your focus. Do something different, change your routine – even if it’s just for a few minutes. This will help you return to what you were doing with a fresh perspective. Ask for help. Make a list of things you need and concrete ways people can assist you. When people ask what they can do, have them choose from the list.
Avoid isolation. Spend time with friends, pursue a hobby, take a class and become active in your community.
Remember that you are doing the best that you can. Nobody is perfect or can do everything. Accept assistance if offered and stay positive.
Take care of your needs. Eat right, exercise, get enough rest, get regular checkups at the doctor and take time for yourself – spend time alone and/or visit family/friends.
Avoid the use of illegal drugs and/or alcohol. These substances do not help to make the situation any better. See a therapist or join a support group to work on issues, instead of ignoring them.
E xpress your feelings. Feelings of anger, depression and sadness are common to caregivers. Talk about these feelings with a friend, relative, support group or a therapist.
onsult with trained professionals who have the C knowledge and experience with aging issues to help make things easier for you.
T aking care of yourself first will leave you with the energy needed to be a much more effective caregiver, which is something positive and healthy for your loved one as well.
The Only Good Bug Is The One In The CRAWFISH POT!
LAKE CHARLES 474-7377 1717 Prien Lake Rd. 22 www.thriveswla.com
DERIDDER 463-4574 514 N. Pine St.
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Home & Family
Each day, an abused or neglected child is removed from an unsafe home and placed in Louisiana’s foster care system. They remain in the system until their home environment is safe—but for many that never happens. Of the 4,000 children currently cycling in state foster care, about 350 are ready to be adopted today. More than 60 of them are in Southwest Louisiana, right here in our community. . KPLC reporter Britney Glaser, in partnership with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), highlights one child each month who is legally ready to be adopted. Thrive is supporting The New Family Tree by featuring each month’s story.
Cherish Wants a Forever Louisiana Home Cherish, an 11-year-old girl from Southwest Louisiana, had to be relocated to a therapeutic group home in Arkansas, but she wants a forever family back home in Louisiana. Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services adoption supervisor, Carla Wilson, says it is hard to move children, but sometimes the only option. “Because of a child’s special needs, we cannot always meet their needs locally,” said Wilson, “so we’re forced to find placement elsewhere and unfortunately, sometimes, that placement might be out of state.” Cherish is a happy, friendly little girl, and it would make her so happy to be adopted by a family in Louisiana. “She would like a new mommy and daddy, said Wilson. “She would be happy with brothers and sisters and she would love to have pets.” Wilson says adoption could transform the future for this young girl. “Having that family bond, it can make a big difference in this child’s life, show her what a real family is like, show her how to love, show her how to be accepted,” said Wilson. When Cherish was asked what she would say to a potential adoptive family, her response was heartfelt. “I love you,” she said. A two-parent home is ideal for Cherish, to give her love and support from a mother and father. Cherish says she would love to have younger siblings she can help care for as a big sister. If you are interested in learning more about adopting Cherish, the first step is to make an inquiry. You can call the Department of Children and Family Services at 337-491-2470 to learn more about adopting through foster care. For more information, call 337-491-2470. or 1-800-814-1584. Follow Britney Glaser’s “The New Family Tree” series at www.kplctv.com.
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Money & Career
by Brett Downer
Construction, expansion create ripples — even a few rogue waves — in SWLA’s economy, everyday life. CALL THEM GROWING PAINS — THE CHALLENGES THAT SURROUND THE UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH UNDER WAY IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. IN OUR ANNUAL LOOK AT THE AREA ECONOMY, WE EXAMINE THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES. SOME COMMUNITIES COULD ONLY DREAM OF SUCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT — $97 BILLION IN ANNOUNCED PROJECTS, WITH ABOUT $40 BILLION OF IT ALREADY UNDER WAY. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA LIVES IT. It has the early bumps and bruises to prove it, too. “Every week we have developments that are encouraging — that show how we are continuing to move forward,” said George Swift, president and CEO of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. “Things are happening each day. Permitting’s getting done. Dirt’s being turned.” About $40 billion worth of the work is under way, much of it of the megaindustrial variety. “We’re going to need 25,000 construction workers to build these plants, then 20,000 permanent workers,” Swift said. We’re also going to need: • More job training. • More housing. • More patience in traffic.
A Solid Foundation
Unemployment in the Lake Charles metropolitan area fell to 4.3 percent in December 2015, the most recent stats available, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was down from 4.8 percent the previous month — and down substantially from 5.8 percent in December 2014. Cornerstones of the area economy remain entry points to good-paying jobs. Asked to name some, Swift cited: Healthcare, which employs as many or more employees than any other sector is the region. He pointed to the McNeese and SOWELA degree programs as career gateways. The petrochemical industry, which continues to need operators and other employees — people often hired from the process technology program at SOWELA. (The college will soon be turning out additional trained graduates from a new Workforce Technology Center.) As Swift noted, “In existing industries, there’s an issue of employees who are nearing, or past, retirement age.” Aviation. Chennault Industrial Airpark is a world-class aircraft maintenance facility, and people can train for jobs right door at SOWELA. continued on p28
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At CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital, we are committed to providing health education and resources as well as high quality, compassionate patient care to help our community stay healthy and strong. • Behavioral Health Services
• Gastrointestinal Laboratory
• Regional Cancer Center
• Chest Pain Center
• General Surgery
• Regional Heart Center
• CHRISTUS HomeCare – Hospice and Palliative Care
• Neurosurgery
• Southwest Louisiana Imaging
• Orthopaedics
• Women’s Health Center
• CHRISTUS Louisiana Athletic Club – Lake Charles
• Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Workplace Wellness
• Day Surgery
• Physical Rehabilitation
• Emergency Services
• Pre-Admission Center
• Wound Center – Imperial Pointe
524 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive • Lake Charles, LA 70601 • (337) 491-7577 Visit ChristusStPatrick.org to learn more about our comprehensive services.
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Gaming. “There’s lots of activity. We have five major gaming resorts. Lake Charles has turned into a destination location.” Delta Downs is adding new hotel and dining choices and the Golden Nugget is building a new tower. Hospitality. We need to maintain the tourism and gaming market — and not take up hotel rooms for worker housing.”
The Challenges Nothing’s ever all roses. “The biggest problem is the state economy,” Swift said. The state Capitol is overwhelmed with controversy over how to close a budgetary black hole — through higher taxes, slashed spending or both. The good thing, though, is that some sectors here aren’t being hammered because of it. “We’re very fortunate that the LNG (liquified natural gas terminal) projects and other things are here. The Sasol ethane cracker unit is under construction.” Elsewhere, “we must acknowledge the declining oil market,” he said. “But the (current and coming) LNG facilities are not dependent on that.” Education, meanwhile, is in the bullseye of the state budget crisis. McNeese State University is enlisting community support after being told to prepare for a budget cut of $2.9 million. “McNeese has already sustained a reduction of over $20 million in annual state general fund appropriations since 2009,” President Phillip C. Williams said in a mass email to alumni and supporters. “Make your voice heard with a very clear message: that you support McNeese.” Swift also spoke up for McNeese, citing a study that calculated the university’s economic impact in Southwest Louisiana at $371.6 million. “The university has so much value to the community,” Swift said. “Not just the faculty and staff it hires, but the students buying good and services in the surrounding area. The cultural element. The sports and entertainment events.” Elsewhere in education, ever-growing Southwest Louisiana will face crowded grade schools. “Public schools will face a large influx of new students,” Swift said. “So increased facilities will be needed.” And then there’s the traffic. You battle the traffic — all this traffic — and you wonder: What’s happened to this town? It’s not your imagination. It’s your new reality. Of all the changes in the new Southwest Louisiana, “the most obvious is the increased traffic,” Swift said. “An impact study indicated it would take a driver 40 percent more time than in the past to get to their destination.”
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Help is on the way, eventually, through “a number of highway projects by the city, the parish and the state” aimed at the area’s clogged arteries, he said. “But with the increased traffic and frustration comes opportunity,” he said, citing the United Way — and opening the door to a hard truth in Southwest Louisiana.
Go Ask Alice The United Way’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report is a study of financial hardship endured by households where at least one person holds a job but it’s hard to make ends meet. It more fully explores the cruel shorthand of the term “working poor.” The ALICE results were alarming in Southwest Louisiana. Fully 40 percent of the 111,000 households in the five-parish area are unable to afford basic necessities — housing, food, childcare, healthcare and transportation. That’s a not a growing pain. It’s a chronic condition. People are working, but at marginal and poverty levels in our area. Growth will mean opportunities to move into higher-paying jobs. That might some discomfort (for businesses) because they’ll lose these workers and have to train new ones, but an increased household income means an increased standard of living — and that translates into increased business and improved quality of life in the community.
What’s Your Address? The local job pool won’t fill the huge demand for construction workers in the several years ahead. So when these out-of-town workers come in for these jobs, where will they stay? Beyond that, what will be available for people who come to stay? “There’s an increased need for housing,” Swift said. “But private developers have really been stepping things up — not only in Calcasieu, but South Beauregard and Jeff Davis — with apartments and duplexes. In Lake Charles, you’re seeing a lot of housing being built in existing areas, where there’s already infrastructure and (water) connections.” Not all of these people will be staying here or looking to buy a home. “We’ll need worker housing, temporary housing,” he said, citing the site at Southland Field in Carlyss as an example. “But many of them will be living in RVs — their own and rentals.”
“We cannot let this opportunity pass,” Swift said. “These jobs are coming, and some people will be coming for these jobs. We should get as many of our local workers (in these jobs) as we can. With all this building and expansion, we’re going to need people from around our area and people from outside our area.” That means that people who want to capitalize on this “need to start on it now,” he said. “If they wait, they’re going to miss their opportunity.” R.B. Smith, who for years helped young people launch technical careers at SOWELA, is now the vice president for workforce development at Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. To would-be welders, and others who hear of a construction boom and think of paycheck dollars, Smith offered some simple encouragement: “Get involved with any of the industrial construction crafts. These are where the big-demand jobs are.” These opportunities, Smith said, can be an entrylevel “pathway to permanent employment.”
The Time Ahead To Swift, there’s also a larger, longer-range picture, one not tied to billion-dollar pricetags. “We want to improve the quality of living, the quality of life — to be a stimulus to make the area more attractive to newcomers and potential newcomers,” Swift said. “We can’t have this new growth and not work to improve the quality of living.” What about the challenges already presenting themselves? “We will reach it … not without difficulty,” he said, pausing to find the right term. “But in five to 10 years, we, and the next generation, will enjoy the economic benefits for years to come.”
The Time is Now Fact: Not all of the construction-boom jobs have to go to visiting workers. Take that as a hint from the Alliance.
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Our Gateway to a Global Economy Many of us take life’s comforts for granted every day, and we don’t always wonder how the products we depend on reach our doorsteps in Southwest Louisiana. Lake Charles is a port city, and much of our nation’s economy begins and ends on waterways. A big reason why the nation’s eyes are fixed on our region’s surging economy is because of one of Southwest Louisiana’s most important—yet underrated—assets: the Calcasieu Ship Channel. In 2015, the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District released an economic impact study for the ship channel. The study shows the immense and positive economic effects of this waterway on the Lake Charles region, the state of Louisiana and the nation. The study, titled “Economic and Fiscal Impacts of the Calcasieu Ship Channel,” concludes that the health of almost half of the Lake Charles metro economy depends on the health of the
Proven. Trusted. Certified.
channel. For instance, nearly one third of jobs in the Lake Charles metro area are tied to the channel and the port authority, and maritime commerce accounts for 46 percent of the Lake Charles economy’s total $14.8 billion of business activity. The Calcasieu Ship Channel was engineered in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s to straighten, widen and deepen the Calcasieu River from Lake Charles to the Gulf of Mexico, making Lake Charles a deepwater port, although it is 34 miles inland. The ship channel became a highway for the delivery of goods, both inbound and outbound, and dozens of companies built facilities on the channel to produce, process, send or receive those goods. The Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal District has grown to become the 11th-busiest port in the United States by tonnage, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers figures for 2013, the latest year available.
Stockwell Sievert is a name that has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence in the legal field for over 80 years. That reputation extends to Stockwell Sievert Title, LLC, which has earned national certification in American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) Best Practices. We are now one of an elite group of title service providers to meet the standards of ALTA, assuring both lenders and clients the highest level of security, competence, and customer satisfaction available in the industry today. Choose the name you can trust for your real estate transactions.
One Lakeside Plaza, 127 W. Broad Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana Tel 337.436.9491 Fax 337.493.7210 www.ssvcs.com Susan Gay Viccellio • Dallas K. Kingham • A. Douglas Cox, Jr.
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Some key findings of the study (figures are for 2014): • The ship channel is responsible for nearly 36,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in the area, or 31 percent of the total employment in the Lake Charles metro area, and 50 percent of local tax revenue is generated from industrial production or maritime services tied directly to the ship channel. • Over 80 percent of the manufacturing employment in Lake Charles is strongly tied to waterway-dependent industries. • Some 46 percent of the GDP in Lake Charles directly depends on the ship channel for either raw material receipt or for the shipment of finished product. • An additional $1 billion of earnings and $1.3 billion of personal income is generated outside of the Lake Charles economy from the ship channel’s production and services. • Industries relying on the ship channel produce nearly 13,000 additional jobs outside of the local economy. The total number of jobs in Louisiana generated by the ship channel is nearly 50,000 jobs or almost 2 percent of the state’s workforce. • The ship channel and associated industrial production contributed $916 million in federal taxes in 2014; that figure is expected to rise to $1.3 billion in 2023. These impacts will grow tremendously in the next several years as the regional economic boom continues to materialize.
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A two-mile-long runway inherited from the U.S. Air Force has become a valuable resource for Southwest Louisiana. This massive airstrip is now the key feature of a thriving center of economic development—Chennault International Airport, fast becoming known as “America’s premier industrial airport.” Chennault’s runway is active these days. In 2015 it saw 23,931 takeoffs and landings—that’s nearly
2,000 flight operations per month. Some of that activity is from transient aircraft, stopping to refuel or stop over at Chennault’s fixed-base operator, Million Air. The visiting aircraft range from military and NASA jets to private planes shuttling casino patrons and business executives. Tenant companies at Chennault employ about 1,500 permanent workers. Two big aircraft modification companies—Northrop Grumman and AAR Aircraft Services—conduct operations at Chennault. Northrop Grumman performs contract work on Air Force reconnaissance and refueling
aircraft, while AAR handles MRO—maintenance, repair and overhaul—for airlines and other jet fleets. Another Chennault tenant company, Louisiana Millwork, is a major building materials manufacturer, supplying a growing line of products to retail lumber and building material companies. Looking to the future, Chennault International Airport is positioning itself for growth through expansion of existing tenants, the addition of new tenants, and the pursuit of new markets as an aircargo hub.
The Calcasieu Ship Channel
CHANNELING DOLLARS
Keeping Your Workforce Healthy and on the Job!
The Calcasieu Ship Channel has attracted more than $90 billion of industrial development projects, generating jobs, personal and business income, and tax revenue—benefiting virtually everyone in Southwest Louisiana.
For the people in Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes, on average, 46¢ of every dollar in their pockets comes from the Calcasieu Ship Channel.
24 Hour On Call Service Office Hours: Mon-Fri 7am - 5pm 2492 S. Cities Service Hwy, Ste. 1 Sulphur, LA 70663 Phone: (337) 905-1962 Fax: (337) 905-1963
E
LA
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R T OF
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PO
E C ARL H
PORTOF LAKE CHARLES LAKE CHARLES HARBOR & TERMINAL DISTRICT
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www.portlc.com
Philip Rome Owner/CEO
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by Brett Downer
Refine, baby, refine With gas prices at their lowest since 2009, most Americans are filling ‘er up with a smile. But in a petrochemical powerhouse like Louisiana, the price crash might make one shrug or even shiver. Your reaction might depend on where your oil-and-gas job fits along “the stream.”
Alliance analysis: “There are several businesses in our region that primarily serve the upstream oil and natural gas industry. While these businesses are suffering hard times, their impact on the SWLA regional economy makes up a small portion of the overall energy industrial profile.” Midstream industries include the interstate and intrastate pipeline networks seen throughout the area as well as the LNG import/export facilities along the Calcasieu and Sabine River ship channels. They also include rail systems, trucks, barges and cargo ships. Alliance analysis: “Currently, nearly $30 billion of capital expansion is under construction for the LNG export facilities in our region, with more yet to start.”
There are three segments of the oil and gas industry: • Upstream: Finding and drilling crude. Think oil well. • Midstream: Transporting material. Think pipeline. • Downstream: Making products. Think refinery. Each of these three reacts in its own way to changes in the price of oil. The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance analyzes each of these sectors, and explains why we’re somewhat better insulated from the effects of falling prices. Upstream is engaged in exploration and production. It’s hunting for onshore and offshore locations for wells, drilling wells bringing oil and natural gas to the surface. Upstream is hurt the most by falling prices.
Downstream industries are the high-profile facilities that refine oil or process natural gas into marketable products. They’re a literal and figurative signature of the region’s economic landscape. Alliance analysis: “Yet nearly another $16 billion in capital expansion is under construction for downstream industries. These include ethane crackers, methanol plants and gas-to-liquid plants that convert natural gas to value-added products. Each new project is creating thousands of skilled craft construction jobs to build their facilities. This will be followed by several hundred operations and maintenance jobs needed to run each facility.”
PROVIDING ENERGY. IMPROVING LIVES. At Phillips 66, supporting our people, our environment and our communities guides everything we do and it always will. That’s why we’re proud to be an employer of choice in Southwest Louisiana.
www.Phillips66.com
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®Phillips 66 Company. 2014. All rights reserved.
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We’re GROWING Strong $170 $160 Assets
$140
Deposits Gross Loans
Millions
$120 $100 $80 $60 $40 $20 $0 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Our annual numbers are in and once again show continued growth and financial stability for Lakeside customers. Lakeside’s performance since our 2010 opening demonstrates the soundness of our management practices and the continued expansion of the Southwest Louisiana economy. We’re proud to be part of the unprecedented growth in our region.
We sincerely appreciate the trust our customers have placed in us, and assure you that we are positioned for even stronger growth in the future.
We invite you to Join the Migration to Lakeside.
The way banking should be. 4735 Nelson Rd. 474-3766 • 2132 Oak Park Blvd. 502-4314 2203 Sampson St.,Westlake 437-3861 LakesideBanking.com Ask us about our high interest rates for deposits and IRAs, and our FREE checking. March 2016
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They’re building …
AN $8.9 BILLION WORLD-SCALE PETROCHEMICAL COMPLEX Sasol’s ethane cracker and derivatives project is a welcome boost to the growing Southwest Louisiana economy. The new $8.9 billion facility, currently under construction, will include an ethane cracker, six new downstream derivative plants and associated utilities and infrastructure. It will roughly triple Sasol’s chemical production capacity in the United States and increase its U.S. employee base by about 50 percent. In addition to building a world-scale facility, Sasol is also building careers, local business and community through its Louisiana First commitment and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Early works activities, site preparation and civil construction work have been under way since 2014 and are nearly complete. On-site concrete batch plants are operational and internal haul routes are complete, eliminating a significant amount of off-site public road use for material deliveries. Site aboveground work began last fall and the first phase of the heavy haul route strengthening project is complete, with widening activities to finish in fall 2016. Other infrastructure improvements are under way throughout the city of Westlake and surrounding areas, including new roadways and a significant amount of new water, sewer and gas line infrastructure – an investment of more than $40 million with $35 million in the city of Westlake alone.
2014 2015
man hours
without an OSHA recordable
$2.5 billion committed to US
4,000+ water coolers
cleaned, filled with ice & water, & staged throughout site daily
81,000
cubic yards
of concrete poured
3 million
feet of aboveground piping to be installed
distance from Lake Charles to Tallahassee
6.5 million
CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE
2016
5.4 million
Louisiana businesses
PROJECT PROGRESS
2017
CONSTRUCTION STATS
cubic yards
; Receipt of air, water & wetlands permits ; Announcement of final investment decision & engineering, procurement and construction management contractor
; Early works activities & site development work begins ; Construction dock improvements begin ; Heavy haul route electrical updates begin ; Heavy haul route strengthening & widening begins ; Civil foundation work begins ; Site aboveground work kicks off ; Heavy equipment deliveries begin via heavy haul route ; Heavy haul module transports begin Mechanical, electrical & instrumentation work advances Workforce peaks with 5,000+ construction workers on-site
of fill material placed
(2.5 times the Superdome volume)
15 million feet electrical
raceway & cable to be installed
distance from New York City to Los Angeles
More than
13,100
piles installed
17 miles
of underground high/medium
voltage cable
& 30 miles
of low voltage for temporary
construction power 1,330+ traffic cones & barrels
Heavy haul transports complete
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They’re also building … CAREERS
Sasol is delivering on its commitment to hire Louisiana workers and use Louisiana businesses first for its project. Sasol hired 260 of the more than 500 full-time positions to date – 75 percent of whom from Calcasieu Parish and the majority of the EMPLOYMENT January 2016 remaining hires from other cities in 500 Louisiana. to be hired for
500
Of the 5,000 temporary construction phase positions, about 3,500 workers are currently on site through Sasol’s engineering, procurement and construction management contractor Fluor Technip Integrated and eight major Louisiana construction contractors. Sasol’s contracts with
450
the project
260
400 350
HIRED
250
124
200 150 100 50
Additionally, Sasol has spent more than $300 million with Louisiana suppliers for materials and equipment, more than $80 million of which is with Calcasieu Parish suppliers. LA suppliers currently bidding
employees
300
these eight contractors – Cajun Constructors, Performance Contractors, ISC Constructors, Civil Construction Company, Turner Industries, Excel USA, James Industrial Constructors and MMR Constructors – represent more than $2.5 billion.
87%
LA suppliers awarded
73
Total amount spent with Louisiana suppliers:
300+ Million
Calcasieu Parish awarded
$
82 Million
40
$
Louisiana residents
of this spend is with Calcasieu area suppliers
75
and % are from Calcasieu Parish
PROCUREMENT
and … LOCAL BUSINESS
r
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and … COMMUNITY Learn
Gain
Succeed!
Southwest Louisiana
WORKFORCE
Resource Guide Begin
A step-by-step guide to prepare you for a job in support of area industry
www.SWLAresourceguide.com
Small Business Resource Guide & Workshops
To ensure local residents have access to the opportunities created by the project,
Sasol implemented several workforce, business & community programs. Workforce Resource Guide & Scholarship Program
The Southwest Louisiana Workforce Resource Guide, developed by Sasol in partnership with the community, is a step-by-step guide that helps individuals choose a career, acquire training, certifications and basic life skills, prepare a resume and ultimately land a job in support of area industry. The initiative targets the estimated 20 percent of the Southwest Louisiana unemployed and undereducated population who might otherwise be left out of the workforce development pipeline. Sasol also partnered with the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana to establish a pilot scholarship fund that provides financial support to cover tuition, training costs, support services and human resources technical support for individuals participating in the Workforce Resource Guide program. To date, Sasol committed approximately $500,000 to the scholarship fund.
Building on the success of the workforce initiatives, Sasol partnered with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese State University and the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance SEED Center Business Incubator to develop a Small Business Resource Guide, which outlines suggested steps for launching a new business and recommendations for existing businesses that want to build a working relationship with area industry. Sasol also sponsors monthly certification workshops and other small business development trainings through the LSBDC. So far, more than 100 individuals have attended the workshops.
Business Opportunity Forum & Job Readiness Forum
To educate local businesses and residents about project opportunities, Sasol hosted a Business Opportunity Forum in January 2015 and a Job Readiness Forum in February 2016. The Business Opportunity Forum provided the Southwest Louisiana business community a chance to meet with Sasol’s Louisiana-based construction contractors and learn about opportunities with the project. About 800 people attended the event. At the Job Readiness Forum, held last month at the Civic Center, nearly 2,000 local residents met with the project’s Louisiana contractors, local craft training providers and resource-based organizations to learn about opportunities. Source: Sasol
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Founded upon strong partnerships throughout the community, Sasol is delivering on our commitment to build careers, local business and community in Southwest Louisiana.
Learn more at www.SasolNorthAmerica.com March 2016
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39
A Letter from the Publisher: We could not publish a section on economic development in Southwest Louisiana without including a tribute to David Conner, vice president of economic development and international services for the SWLA Alliance. He deserves a great deal of credit for many of the large industrial projects driving our regional growth because he played a key role in “selling” Southwest Louisiana to these companies. He was one of our region’s biggest champions, working for progress, negotiating compromises and ironing out the details. He loved every minute of it.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” ~ 2 Timothy 4:7
This often-quoted line from the Bible fits David’s life, which ended much sooner than any of us wanted. After a hard-fought battle against leukemia, David passed away on January 26. The positive courage he exhibited throughout his illness stands as a tribute to his strong faith in God and love for his family. As those who eulogized him expressed so well, David was a friend, not just to everyone he met, but to our community as a whole. He was a true community hero – someone who always looked for ways to improve the circumstances of those around him. On a personal note, David played a big role in our businesses’ growth and success. He saw our potential with our marketing agency, Healthy Image, before we did, and got us involved in the state’s new Economic Gardening Program. David
40 www.thriveswla.com
helped us complete the tedious paperwork for the U.S. Chamber’s Small Business Award, and when we were named one of the top 100 in the country, no one cheered louder for us than him, wearing his trademark, “I-told-you-so” smile. He gave me some of the best advice about managing business growth that I’ve ever received, and I hear him repeating it in my head often. (No, I’m not going to tell you – trade secret. I think he would approve of me protecting our competitive advantage!). His generosity frequently astounded me. When my temporary housing fell through this fall while my new house was being built, he called within hours, offering me the use of the pool house at his home. He was undergoing cancer treatment in Houston, but still reaching out, taking care of a problem for someone else. That was David.
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If you had any doubt about David’s impact on people, the 3-hour wait by thousands of people to get into the funeral home to pay their respects, and the standing-room-only funeral services would have clued you in that the person we were saying “good-bye” to was a beloved member of our community. David Conner will never be forgotten. His legacy will be a lasting one in our community. We extend our deepest sympathy to David’s wife, Mary Beth, his daughter Mariet Bernard, son Clint and the entire Conner family. Kristy Armand Partner/Owner, Thrive Magazine Healthy Image Marketing Agency
March 2016
MAKINGAASPLASH! SPLASH! MAKING MAKING A SPLASH! MAKING A SPLASH! MAKING SPLASH! MAKING AASPLASH!
For than more130 thanyears, 130 years, PPG has making been making a splash For more PPG has been a splash aroundaround the the world with our coatings and specialty materials. Closer to home, world with our coatings and materials. toaround home, we we For more than 130 years, PPGspecialty has been making aCloser splash the enhance the quality of and life in our communities by investing in educational enhance the quality of life in our communities by investing in educational world with our130 coatings materials. home, we the For more than 130 years, PPG has been making ato splash around For more than years, PPGspecialty has been making aCloser splash around the programs, supporting the arts and sciences, celebrating diversity and programs, supporting the artscommunities and sciences, diversity enhance the quality ofour lifecoatings in and our bycelebrating investing in educational world with and specialty materials. Closer to and home, we world with our coatings specialty materials. Closer to home, we For more than 130 years, PPG has been making a splash around the giving people opportunities to succeed. To learn more, visit ppg.com. giving people opportunities to succeed. To learn more, visit ppg.com. programs, supporting the arts and sciences, celebrating diversity and enhance the of and life in our communities by investing in educational enhance the quality of life in our communities by investing intoeducational world with our quality coatings specialty materials. Closer home, we giving people opportunities to succeed. To learn more, visit ppg.com. programs, supporting the arts and sciences, celebrating diversity programs, supporting artscommunities and sciences, and and enhance the quality of lifethe in our bycelebrating investing indiversity educational giving opportunities to succeed. To learn more, visit ppg.com. giving peoplepeople opportunities to succeed. To learn more, visit ppg.com. programs, supporting the arts and sciences, celebrating diversity and giving people opportunities to succeed. To learn more, visit ppg.com.
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For more than 130 years, PPG has been making a splash around the world with our coatings and specialty materials. Closer to home, we enhance theThequality ofBringing life in our tocommunities investing in educational PPG Logo and innovation the surface are registeredby trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. The PPG Logo and Bringing to thePPG surface are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. around the For more than 130innovation years, has been making a splash programs, supporting the arts sciences, celebrating diversity and Thrive forand Better Living www.thriveswla.com The PPG Logo and Bringing innovation toMagazine the surface are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. world with our coatings and specialty materials. Closer to home, we41
The Wheels on the Bus Make by Katie Harrington
In an area so seemingly reliant on personal transportation, it’s easy to miss just how vital a safe, reliable transit system is to a city. With ridership numbers consistently topping more than 220,000 each year, the City of Lake Charles’ transit system is a critical link to residents and their daily transportation needs. “The Department of Public Works Transit Division is charged with providing affordable bus transportation for residents within the City of Lake Charles,” says Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach. “Transit service is an important piece of any city’s day-to-day functioning and as our community continues to grow amid ongoing economic development, the need for strategic routes throughout the city will only grow.” Currently the city’s Transit Center operates a network of fixed routes, which originate and terminate from a new transfer center built next door to the Transit Center, located at 1155 Ryan St.,
in downtown Lake Charles. As the city’s population increases, it stands to reason that ridership for the transit system will increase as well. Studying changes in the city’s population demographics and ridership patterns and adjusting routes to coincide is something City of Lake Charles transit division officials say is a constant work in progress. “Just last November we made adjustments to Routes 1 and 4 in an effort to lessen the wait time for patrons and balance out the number on riders on each route,” adds Al Hoover, City of Lake Charles transit division manager. “Route 4 was a heavily used route as was Route 1, but Route 1 had a shorter cycle, allowing us to move some of the stops from Route 4 to Route 1.” Hoover says they study the routes on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis to ensure efficiency and accommodation for the maximum number of residents.
The city’s transit system has experienced incremental increases in ridership over the last several years and those using the system have a beautiful facility. Construction on the $5 million Lake Charles Transit Center started in September 2011 and was officially opened to the public in December 2012. “In addition to serving as a gateway to downtown Lake Charles at the corner of Ryan and Clarence Streets, the center provides customers with bus transit and administration offices in one location,” Mister Edwards, public works director, says. “Upon it’s opening, the 13,000-squarefoot-facility served as a major first step in the revitalization of the community.” Mayor Roach explains that the project began in 2008 and was part of a long-range goal to establish a metropolitan transit program to serve the urban areas of Calcasieu Parish. “At the time, we expected a rise in the need for
IndustryInsider
Straight Answers to Your Questions on Industry and the Environment
Q:
How safe is it to work at an industrial plant?
A:
Safety is the priority at every industrial plant.
Because of the safety mindset within the plant, an employee’s risk of injury decreases significantly once he or she enters the plant. According to research, a person is safer working in a plant than driving on the highway. Before any job begins, multiple safety checks occur and continue throughout the job, daily. If anything seems unsafe, employees have the right and responsibility to stop the job. If an incident should occur, highly skilled and specialized emergency response teams are in place onsite and are ready to work with area first responders. Safety is our culture, and it’s built into every job we do. The goal is to protect ourselves, our co-workers, our families and our community, because this is our home too.
Mary Burns
safety representative with area industry
Visit www.laia.com to learn more and submit your question about local industry and the environment. 42 www.thriveswla.com
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016
public transportation throughout the parish, but we didn’t realize that this need would be accelerated by the more than $85 billion in announced economic development projects that we are now experiencing.” Prior to Hurricane Rita’s landfall in 2005, the building was listed in damaged condition. Since its renovation, the Transit Center now has what Mayor Roach calls “lasting historical significance,” likening it to 1911 Historic City Hall and the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse. “The Transit Center facility is our commitment to the next generation.”
Today, the facility not only hosts the City’s transit operations, but also the Calcasieu Parish Transit System’s administrative offices. The center was built with the capability of serving as a centralized facility for all transportation needs in the five-parish area. Funding for the facility came from a variety of sources. The City of Lake Charles leveraged approximately $545,000 from city funds. Federal Transit Authority (FTA) grants/funding contributed more than $2.9 million (both 100% and with the formula 80/20 match programs). Additional FTA American Recovery Reinvestment
JDB-0012-NspAd-THRIVE-HalfPage-02222016-v1.pdf
March 2016
1
2/22/16
Act funds were secured for approximately $2 million. Bus service is provided Monday through Friday from 5:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. (except for City of Lake Charles holidays). All routes depart from the Transit Center every 45 minutes after the hour. For more information or a complete list of routes, call (337) 491-1253 or visit www.cityoflakecharles. com/transit.
3:53 PM
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BECOME THE
The right address for your business
SUCCESS.
CHANGE
SALLIER BUILDING
TOMORROW
FOR A BETTER
The Sallier Building is Walnut Grove’s newest commercial building. Located along Sallier Street, this three-story building will be the premier location for high-end retail, restaurants and professional offices. • 8,746 sf available • Offers flexible floor plans for small, medium or large offices with up to 16 employees.
Fusion Five cultivates a positive impact on Southwest Louisiana by connecting and engaging young professionals (21-45) in regional opportunities for growth and development. If you are looking to help plan
LAWTON BUILDING
entrepreneurial projects, increase
This three story, office and retail building is positioned at the head of the Great Lawn. • 1,777 sf available • Lease space is located across from The Majestic Hall, Lake Charles’ premier event center. • Other building tenants include: Jack Lawton Companies, Walnut Grove Development, L.L.C., The Majestic Hall and Morgan Stanley.
awareness and be a voice in our community, then look no further.
The highest quality underground utility services, including fiber optic cable, streetlights, sidewalks and security are part of every commercial package. Learn more at walnutgrovetnd.com and follow our progress on FaceBook (facebook.com/walnutgrovelc).
Agent: Matt Redd, CCIM, SIOR (337) 497-0825 office | (337) 489-9666 cell | matt@wgrealty.com
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March 2016
Never mind that we confused the makeup of French aristocracy in the 1770s with the face paint of a rock band from the 1970s. The important thing to remember is that for over 25 years LCI has worked alongside Louisiana business owners in virtually every industry—providing the expert guidance, personalized service, and custom programs they’ve come to rely on. So put our team to work for your company. :: lciwc.com :: 985-612-1230
Put us to work for you.
March 2016
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45
WE’RE
GROWING PLACES
Sleeping Against the Clock?
The Safety Council of Southwest Louisiana has been a vital part of our community for over 60 years, providing safety training and services for local industrial and contractor businesses and offering a wide variety of educational programs for the community. To support the economic growth taking place in our region, we are proud to announce the opening of a new, second location later this year. Conveniently located on the corner of Hwy. 108 and Hwy. 90 in Sulphur, this new location will make our services more easily accessible to business and industry in this part of our large service area. For more information, call (337) 436-3354 or visit safetycouncilswla.org. Sulphur location opening in 2016.
United States employers lose around $18 billion in productivity due to sleep loss each year. Shift Worker’s Sleep Disorder (SWSD) is common in those who work non-traditional hours, usually between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. SWSD can lead to an increase in accidents, work-related errors and sick leave, not to mention the direct health risks to the suffer. Increased irritability or mood problems and increased stroke and heart disease risk along with a higher likelihood of weight gain are just a few of the side effects of sleep deprivation. Do you work shift work and suffer from the following? DIFFICULTY SLEEPING EXCESSIVE TIREDNESS DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING HEADACHES LACK OF ENERGY
Call us today to put your sleep to rest.
Change your sleep. Change your day. Change your life.
Sleep Specialists Jana P. Kaimal, MD Phillip Conner, MD Michelle Zimmerman, NP
4820 Lake St. • Lake Charles, LA 70605
(337) 310-REST (7378) • (877) 597-REST (7378)
www.sleepdisordercenterofla.com www.facebook.com/SDCofLA
46 www.thriveswla.com
1201 Ryan Street, Lake Charles (337) 436-3354 | safetycouncilswla.org Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016
March 2016
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47
J
ohn Pohorelsky is a man who believes in seizing opportunity. It’s a trait that will serve him well as he assumes the responsibilities of Chairman of the Board for the Chamber Southwest Louisiana and the Alliance Foundation at a time when our region is overflowing with economic opportunity. The growth will bring challenges, but he believes that even within the growing pains present pivotal moments for our community. “Like many others in Southwest Louisiana, I, too, was skeptical when we started hearing about our area’s industrial expansion,” he says. “But, with over $90 billion in announced projects, and more in discussion, I am not skeptical anymore. The time is now to seize the opportunities that have been laid before us because there are no guarantees in life.” Pohorelsky developed this philosophy through his family’s struggle for survival; one that eventually led them to America. One hundred years ago, his paternal grandfather was, ironically, the chair of the equivalent of the chamber of commerce in Moscow, Russia. He was a successful entrepreneur, but his fortunes changed forever in 1917 when the Bolsheviks revolted and seized his home, his rental property and his businesses. He escaped with his wife and son, Pohorelsky’s father, to Czechoslovakia. Fast forward 30 years and Pohorelsky’s father now owned a thriving business in Prague. The Nazis invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia, only to be followed by the communists in 1948. He lost everything. He and his wife were able to escape the Iron Curtain and come to America, making John Pohorelsky a proud first-generation American who was born and raised in Lake Charles. He graduated from McNeese State University and earned his law degree from Tulane School of Law before returning to Lake Charles to work for the Scofield Gerard law firm where he has served as its managing partner for the past decade. His practice focuses on business development, real estate transactions and commercial litigation. He has been named one the best lawyers in America and the state in multiple publications. Pohorelsky and his wife, Corelie, have been married for 36 years and have 3 children and seven grandchildren. Pohorelsky sat down with Thrive to discuss his new role on the Chamber board and his thoughts on how Southwest Louisiana can seize the exciting economic opportunities brought about by expansion.
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first person with John Pohorelsky by Kristy Armand
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016
Your family history is one of escape from tyranny – literally – and the ultimate fulfillment of the American dream. How did knowing what your family lost and what they went through to start over impact your career path? I believe my family history impacted my career path in a number of ways. For one, it is well known that first generation immigrants tend to strive hard to achieve out of a sense that they don’t quite fit in. I’ve heard it said that the children of immigrants aren’t completely at home anywhere. Having one foot in each world means that you’re never fully inside either. There is a lot of truth in that and for many, achievement is a way of proving one’s worth to the world outside of the family. I also think my family history enhanced my interest in the cultures of all peoples; my desire to see all sides of an issue and to reserve judgment until I understand, or at least make an effort to understand them; and my desire to fight for what is right, but to first seek compromise.
Southwest Louisiana by creating economic opportunity and demanding responsible government and quality education. Our Alliance has been deeply involved in activities which supported the economic boom we are all enjoying. I consider that a benefit personal to all of us. Our Alliance has also supported improvements to our quality of life, the education of our youth and the building of entrepreneurship via the SEED Center at McNeese State University.
At a time when our state faces an unprecedented budget crisis, our region faces unprecedented economic growth. How does a business organization like the Chamber balance those two conflicting sets of circumstances when making decisions about legislation to support, agendas to put forward, projects to pursue and other priorities for its members? The current budget crisis and our area’s economic expansion do provide unique challenges to all of us. Regardless of the status of the state’s budget and the area’s How long have you been involved economic condition, however, the with the Chamber SWLA, and what focus of the Alliance is and will do you feel are the benefits the remain the provision of information Chamber offers its members? for startup and existing businesses My firm has been a member of the and those interested in entering the Chamber for 81 years. I joined the region’s marketplace. To prospective firm 31 years ago and have attended businesses and industries, it provides Chamber functions throughout that information such as potentially time. I became intensely involved available sites, zoning, incentive about 10 years ago when the firm programs and demographics. voted to become members and By the same token, the Chamber financial sponsors of the Chamber and Foundation boards of directors Foundation Board. I have served on recently voted upon our top 5 strategic the Chamber board, the executive goals for 2016. These include: committee and as legal counsel to the Alliance for a period of time. 1. Improving the quality of life in SWLA The Alliance presents opportunities 2. Advancing workforce development to network with other business 3. Maximizing educational and people in the five-parish area. For me, economic growth opportunities and I think more importantly than 4. Implementing generational networking, the Alliance represents the projects (e.g., establishing an effort to expand our region’s economy arts and cultural district, creating for the benefit of all; it embodies the connectivity and synergy notion that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” between different areas) I fully believe that adage to be true. In fact, it bothers me when I hear 5. Exploring the future of our Chamber with the Horizon friends, associates and colleagues say Initiative (an evaluation of how that “the Alliance doesn’t do anything the Chamber will adapt and for me personally.” That statement evolve over the next decade) reflects a misunderstanding of its principal role, which is to develop
March 2016
The current circumstances are not likely to impact those goals or the Alliance’s support of reasonable, business-friendly legislation and its pursuit of projects for the region. I am deeply concerned about the impact the budget crisis will have on higher education generally, and workforce development critical to the economic expansion in our area. After the state finally reached the Southern average for spending per student a decade ago, our institutions of higher learning have suffered repeated cuts over the past eight years (more than any other state in the nation). We must reverse that trend. The economic expansion our area is enjoying can help the entire state through the current economic lull and the Alliance will fight cuts to higher education and workforce development programs that could jeopardize our growth. What do you see as the key challenges facing businesses in SWLA? Workforce development is probably the number one challenge facing businesses in Southwest Louisiana. This includes: retaining and recruiting qualified employees at rates within their budget, the education and training of potential workers; and housing temporary and permanent members of the workforce. Sowela and McNeese are making great efforts to produce qualified workers, but they cannot meet the demand on their own. As a result, the new and existing businesses and industries will face increased pressure that will have to be partly relieved by workers from outside of the area. Those people will need places to live. We do not presently have enough available housing for the workforce needed to sustain the expansion. I favor worker villages owned and managed by licensed, insured and qualified operators, but the majority of the proposed operations have been opposed. I am hopeful our local officials will carefully consider all applications, put politics aside and approve those that deserve to move forward. Increased competition will be another key challenge for area businesses. Existing businesses will
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
have choices to make about growing, maintaining or improving quality and consumer service, marketing, etc. Whether it provides services or products, if a business chooses to grow, at some point it must sacrifice in order to scale; this may mean not being able to personally manage every client relationship or inspect every widget. I suspect we will all be stepping up our games to maintain existing relationships. You are taking over as Chamber president just as the growing pains from our economic expansion are starting to be felt. What role do you think the Chamber can play in helping area businesses cope with the changes taking place in our economic landscape? The principal roles of the Alliance are providing information to existing and potential business prospects, promoting opportunities and education, interfacing with elected officials and holding ground breaking events to announce new businesses. Our growth has brought in new employers whose requirements may exceed the qualifications of area businesses and potential employees. The Alliance will continue to provide information regarding the qualifications necessary to secure relationships with the new and existing industries. The Alliance is especially interested in having small and minority businesses participate. To do so, they must evaluate their qualifications and secure the insurance and certifications necessary to work with the major industries and contractors or serve the thousands of new residents coming to our area. The Alliance will also maintain its efforts to promote opportunity. The SEED Center is an excellent example of that effort. It has already exceeded the goals set for it as new start-ups have achieved independence and more are in development. In addition, the Alliance is exploring ways to enable those out of work in the rest of state to participate in growth in our region. The slump in the oil and gas industry has impacted all of us but we are optimistic that the expansion in our region will provide opportunities that can soften the blow.
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Money & Career
How to
with Success Failure is one of life’s greatest teachers. Behind every successful person is a series of losses. Michael Jordan didn’t make the cut for the varsity basketball team in his sophomore year of high school. Walt Disney received numerous rejections when applying for animator positions and his first company went bankrupt. Charles Schultz, creator of Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang, was rejected by the staff of his high school yearbook. “Many of the most successful people you will find—the people who are most admired and respected—are people who faced challenges, difficulties, and disasters just as difficult as yours, or even worse. They aren’t successful because they were lucky, or because only good things happened to them. They are successful because, in the face of those things, they refused to give up. They refused to be controlled by what other people did, or by the events in their lives,” said John Lombard, successful entrepreneur and president of Middle Kingdom Sourcing. Lombard, who is also founder of four other companies—including two that failed—believes that the secret to rising above failure is control. “I want to stay away from some of the most common advice about failure. ‘You can’t succeed without failing’ or ‘failing makes you stronger’ or ‘learn from your failure’. They are all very valid and important, but I think most people have heard them often enough,” said Lombard. “I’ve learned two things that lead to success. First … (do)
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Thrive Magazine for Better Living
we let life control us? Or do we control life? It is impossible to control all the events in our lives. But while we cannot control the events that happen to us, we can control how we respond to those events.” The other key to moving from failure to success is accepting the loss and not blaming the defeat on others. According to Lombard, we have all been hurt or held back by other people, but the longer we hold on to the pain, the more it strengthens the effects of the failure and blocks us from moving forward and dictating the course of our own lives. “Here’s the thing with blaming others: No matter how true it may be, you ultimately can’t change other people. If the cause of your failure is other people, and if you cannot change those other people, then you will continue to have no opportunity for success,” said Lombard. “Instead of focusing on what those people did—on something over which you have no control, and cannot change—focus instead on what you can learn from it, what you can change so as to not be put in that situation again, or to be better prepared to handle it when it arises again.” Lombard stresses the importance of examining your perceptions and issues to identify those who are encouraging instead of damaging. “Someone lied to you, cheated you? Then you learn how to set things up the next time around, so that such actions cannot hurt you so much.”
March 2016
A few more tips: • Have better contacts. Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you. • Do more due diligence. Learn how to manage your risks more effectively. • Ask yourself: What can you change to avoid facing that same situation again in the future? • Ask yourself: What can you change in yourself to put you in a better environment or situation, or to give yourself better opportunities? “We’ll all face failure. We’ll all face situations that are entirely beyond our control. What determines our success is not so much being able to avoid those things, as having the strength and determination to face them headon, and refuse to let life dictate our responses,” says Lombard.
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Each office independently owned and operated.
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51
Money & Career
Tips for Winning a
Winning a scholarship can be as competitive as gaining entrance to the college of your choice. While academic performance, extracurricular activities and character all matter, your success often boils down to discovering scholarships that fit your credentials and properly promoting your accomplishments. Foresters, an international financial services provider and proprietor of the Foresters Competitive Scholarship, offers these tips to help you prepare scholarship applications that get you noticed – and could get you some extra cash to help pay for school. Leverage relationships and seek nontraditional opportunities. There are a lot of scholarships out there, and the wider you cast your net the greater your chances are of winning. In addition to traditional avenues such as your basic online search and checking the bulletin board outside the financial aid office, reach out to your network. Ask family and friends about scholarships offered by the companies they work for and organizations they belong to. You may be surprised by all the organizations that offer assistance to deserving students.
Showcase your passion, talent and potential. A compelling essay gives scholarship judges insight into what makes you special and unique. If you and another candidate are tied in objective criteria, such as grades, a well-written narrative can set you apart. Not all essays are the same, though; exercise caution to ensure that you are answering the question posed and demonstrating your knowledge of the sponsor, not just copying and pasting from another application. The essay is your opportunity to let your personality shine through in ways your transcript can’t. Showcase your passions and motivations, and be sure to reference volunteer work, extracurricular activities and other evidence that demonstrates your leadership skills.
will help you avoid overlooking something important when a submission deadline is looming. Be sure to obtain extra copies of items such as transcripts that take time to process, and reach out early to request references and documents such as volunteer work affidavits. With an organized approach, you could be on your way to winning scholarships that help ease your school debt and set you up for success.
Prepare a checklist and gather materials ahead of time. Winning a scholarship often comes down to organization; you can’t win if you don’t complete the application by the deadline. Although each application will have its nuances, there are some standard details that nearly every scholarship requires. Gathering and assembling these materials ahead of time will make the tedious task of preparing each application easier, and it
Other unexpected sources of scholarship funds may include cultural or religious groups, civic and philanthropic groups in your community, and professional groups or businesses in the field you plan to study. Many banks also handle special trusts or funds with scholarship provisions.
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Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016
Find a New Home for
Your Finances
Denise Rau
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
(337) 480-3835 1634 RYAN ST., LAKE CHARLES | www.raufinancialgroup.com Securities offered through LPL Financial Member FINRA/SIPC
Big Box Banks think
MUD BUGS need to be exterminated.
Bank Local. Bank Lakeside. Lake Charles
(337) 474-3766
4735 Nelson Road Lake Charles
(337) 502-4314
2132 Oak Park Blvd.
The Way Banking Should Be
Westlake
(337) 502-4144
2203 Sampson Street
March 2016
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Money & Career All you need to know to stay in the know! Lake Charles Memorial 2016 Board of Directors Lake Charles Memorial Health System announces the 2016 Board of Directors. The board is a group of community leaders in finance, media, public policy and business Louis Todd Sr. who volunteer their time and talents to advocate and lead the health system. Louis M. Todd Sr., Chairman Thomas Shearman, Chairman-Elect/Vice Chairman & Secretary Denise Emerson Rau, Past Chairperson Larry M. Graham, President/Assistant Secretary Leroy Fredericks, M.D., Medical Staff President Ron Lewis, Jr., M.D., Medical Staff Past President Gerry Hebert, M.D., Medical Staff PresidentElect Judge Gene Thibodeaux Joe Miller, Jr. Richard Martinez, M.D. Alan LeBato, M.D. Mitchell Adrian Mark Abraham
Memorial Awarded Joint Commission Accreditation
Lake Charles Memorial has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals, home care and behavioral health. The accreditation award recognizes Memorial’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-ofthe-art standards. Memorial received accreditation for Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women, Moss Memorial Health Clinic, Iowa Health Center, Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Clinic, OB Care, Wound Care, Diabetes Education, Outpatient Physical Therapy, Intensive Outpatient Program for Psychiatry and the outpatient chemotherapy units. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
FASTSIGNS Named to Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises List The local FASTSIGNS, owned by Matthew and Peter Romero, entered 2016 on a high note as FASTSIGNS International, Inc., was ranked No. 1 in the “Business Services” category of Franchise Business Review’s (FBR) Top 200 Franchises Report. In other areas of 54 www.thriveswla.com
the Top 200 Report, FASTSIGNS ranked No. 9 in the “Enterprise – 250+ Locations” category and No. 11 in the overall “Best of the Best” category. FASTSIGNS is located at 1723 W. Sale Road in Lake Charles. For information call 337-478-5232.
Children’s Miracle Network Donates AEDs to Allen Parish Schools
L to R: CMN Director, Cara Wyland; CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation Board Member, Nancy Burleigh; Kinder Middle School Coach, Cade LaFargue; and Kinder Middle School Nurse, Carla Stagg.
Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) of the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation recently donated 18 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to Allen Parish middle and high school athletic programs. An AED is a portable device that checks heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Portable AEDs can save an athlete’s life if an event occurs while out on the field or court. For more information on Children’s Miracle Network, call (337) 430-5353.
CITGO-Sponsored Robotics Teams Place at Competitions
University and the winners progressed to further robotics competitions in New Orleans. The teams, heralding from St. John Elementary School, LeBlanc Middle School, Maplewood Middle School and W.W. Lewis Middle School were part of a program funded by CITGO to teach elementary and middle school students the fundamentals of robotics and pay for their entrance fees to compete in LEGO® robotics tournaments using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education technology. Teams compete for up to $7 million in college scholarships by designing and building their own robots that are programmed to complete various challenges in unique playing arenas. In total, the programs engage nearly 16,000 student teams worldwide in annual competitions. For more information, visit CITGO.com.
SOWELA Technical Community College New Dining Options SOWELA Technical Community College is partnering with Cotton Logistics to provide students, faculty, staff, surrounding company employees, and community members a new on campus dining option – The Hangout Kitchen. The café is open on Monday-Friday from 7am-2pm and is located in close proximity to SOWELA’s Student Success Center currently under construction. The Hangout Kitchen is a brand new facility on campus that offers fresh foods cooked daily on the premises including hot plate lunches, as well as grab and go. The option of purchasing a Meal Card is available for students or others wishing to prepurchase their meals with no expiration attached. A five percent discount will apply to all meal card purchases. The Hangout will also provide on-site catering services for meetings and functions at the College.
Lake Charles Memorial Starts TeleStroke Partnership with Tulane Medical Center
The CITGO Petroleum Corporation Lake Charles Refinery has sponsored six local schools to build robots for a series of robotics tournaments. This program is part of a greater initiative from CITGO to provide students with opportunities that enhance and foster positive educational experiences geared toward science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. With help from CITGO mentors, six student teams claimed victory at the FIRST® LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Competition held at McNeese State Thrive Magazine for Better Living
Lake Charles Memorial Health System launched its innovative InTouch TeleStroke program in partnership with Tulane Medical Center. The program is a form of telemedicine that provides Lake Charles Memorial patients with enhanced in-house stroke care and 24-hour access to Tulane Medical Center’s specialized stroke experts. Together, Lake Charles Memorial and Tulane Medical Center provide quality care to stroke patients and follow national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients. For more information, visit www.lcmh.com/stroke.
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Style & Beauty
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Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016
SIMPLE STEPS
SMOULDERING
Since the days of Cleopatra, the smart and sexy “smoky eye” has delivered many dazzling glances. This highly sought-after, infamous look is well-known for vamping up a night on the town whether you’re in a cocktail dress or jeans. While the smoky eye creates a complex tinge of mystery for its wearer, don’t let it fool you. It may appear difficult to apply, but these simple steps will help you achieve this timeless, sultry look.
March 2016
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Style & Beauty
What time is it? TIME FOR YOU TO GET A WATCH
A fine watch makes the man or woman. It’s a definitive accessory that allows you to express who you are and make a statement in this digital era. However, with so many choices how do you find the one that ticks with your lifestyle? Joe Tenenbaum, Touch of Modern’s Senior Watch and Luxury Buyer; Syed Sohail of TPGStyle.com, who works with major brands, including Swatch, and Reyne Hirsch, who has also worked with Tiffany & Co., provided tips on how to find and maintain the perfect watch for the best value. Always buy from a reputable source that guarantees authenticity, Tenenbaum suggests. “There are many bad fakes and good replicas in the market,” he says. Buy a watch that you can wear with any attire. Usually this means choosing a sport model for your initial wrist purchase. If you want something to go with a specific outfit, begin with inexpensive fashion watches. Sohail recommends starting out by selecting the case and band. Most typically stick to stainless steel cases and leather bands, but today there are so many different options. Recent trends include lightweight. Find one that speaks to you. Watches should always be worn on the opposite of your dominant hand (left hand if you’re right handed/right hand if you’re left handed). This prevents extra weight on your dominant hand, and protects your watch from wear and tear, Sohail adds.
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“Make sure your watch is sized properly,” Hirsch advises. “Meaning it’s not too tight or too loose. Too tight can cause your wrist to sweat, and corrode and/or wear the leather or skin the band is made of. Too loose and the top heavy ‘case’ of the watch will roll and potentially scratch/dent the case by hitting counter tops/desktops.” Make it your own. You have your own sense of style with clothing. Your accessories should reflect the same, Hirsch says. If you’re athletic, perhaps a chronograph to help you keep track of your workouts. If you tend to be a little on the funky size, perhaps something mid-century modern (1950s-60s) in design with an asymmetrical dial. If your job is a little more formal, than a “dressy” watch, which means a thinner case with streamlined band.
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March 2016
& Dry, cold winter air and indoor heat can take a toll on your skin, leading to chapping, flaking, and redness. The Aesthetic Center can help you refresh and revive dry winter skin with nourishing, rejuvenating facial treatments. We offer: • • • •
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310-1070 • 1717 Oak Park Blvd. Treatments are provided under the medical direction of facial cosmetic specialist, Mark Crawford, MD.
March 2016
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Style & Beauty
Going
Bananas Over
Braids by Emily Alford
This spring, one hairstyle has everyone from Vogue to hipster tastemaker Vice.com in agreement: braids are back on trend for spring 2016. After years of being relegated to elementary school picture day style, braids are popping up on runways at Louis Vuitton and Valentino as well has crowning the heads of celebrities like Taylor Swift. So why braids and why now? According to Kacie Guilbeaux, stylist at Signatures Salon in Lake Charles, braids are a quick way to save yourself a shampoo. “Braids are always so much fun because you can turn a basic day three (after washing) style into something so cool and chic in five minutes,” Guilbeaux says. Here are a few braided styles fresh off the runway:
Crazy Braids The French braid isn’t going to cut it this spring. Instead, beauty bloggers are opting for Dutch braids, or “inside out” French braids, so instead of crossing stands over the top, you slip them underneath. What’s more, crazy plaits are showing up in double or even triple rows, then being coiled into top knots for a style that looks more complicated than it really is.
Single Braids However, if wild piles of braids aren’t really your style, Vogue has declared the single braid to be the go-to look for spring. To get the chic look, slick hair into a tight ponytail, plait the ends and secure with a hair tie. Smooth flyaways with pomade. Bonus: if it’s damp, your hair will fall in beachy waves when you take it down.
Man Braids Men aren’t left out of the braid trend this time around. You’ve heard of “man buns”? Well welcome man braids. Men are French braiding sections of their hair in three or more rows before tying their topknots, and the results are every bit as cool as the now-ubiquitous buns.
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March 2016
CITGO,Nature Conservancy,Grand Isle State Park & Grand Isle School Help Restore Critical Barrier Island in Southeast Louisiana
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina seriously damaged the dune ridges of Grand Isle, a barrier island located in Jefferson Parish, and 10 years later, the damage caused by Katrina continues to jeopardize the beach. Recently, volunteers from the Nature Conservancy, Grand Isle State Park and Grand Isle School planted beach vegetation in order to stabilize the dune ridges of the Grand Isle shoreline, create habitats for migratory birds and make Grand Isle and its residents more resistant to storm surge. Grand Isle State Park is home to a diverse community of wildlife and plant species in the Gulf and is a popular destination for Southeast Louisiana residents to enjoy swimming, hiking, fishing and boating. A natural barrier between Louisiana and the Gulf, the island is composed of sand dunes and cheniers (beach ridges made up of sand and shells) that have historically protected Southeast Louisiana from storm surges. However, following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Grand Isle has lost a significant amount of its coast. Volunteer planting efforts are needed to help bolster the coastline and protect the plants and animals that inhabit Grand Isle. “Grand Isle is an important ecosystem that provides habitats to its native species and natural protection to Southeast Louisiana, in addition to being a beautiful recreational destination for Louisiana families,” said Seth Blitch, director of coastal and marine conservation for the Nature Conservancy’s Louisiana chapter. “In the past decade, however, we’ve observed significant erosion to Grand Isle’s coastline, endangering this critical barrier island. With help from our partnerships with CITGO, we hope to strengthen Grand Isle’s coast and prevent future erosion.” The support of CITGO for the recovery of native plants at Grand Isle State Park is part of CITGO Caring for Our Coast, an environmental initiative focused on natural habitat restoration and wetlands conservation nationwide. Since 2014, CITGO committed resources for more than 40 projects that have involved more than 3,600 volunteers, March 2016
including many CITGO employees, families and friends. Combined, volunteers have planted more than 200,000 plugs of dune grass, trees and bushes and collected 2,800 pounds of trash in support of restoring and protecting more than 400 of coastal habitats in the Gulf. “The Gulf Coast is home to two CITGO refineries and many of our employees,” said CITGO President & CEO Nelson P. Martinez. “That’s why we have made coastal habitat restoration a key focus of our volunteer efforts.” For those interested in learning more about CITGO Caring for Our Coast and the company’s involvement in coastal restoration, please visit www.CITGOCaringForOurCoast.com or follow @CITGO on Twitter. CITGO also encourages environmentalists to use the hashtag #PlantaDune on Twitter to help raise awareness of coastal erosion and ways it can be stopped. Each Tweet using this hashtag plants a plug of dune grass on a virtual beach at citgoplantadune.com and helps
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spread the word about environmental protection and restoration efforts.
About CITGO CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.
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Mind & Body Surprising Ways You’re HURTING YOUR HEART You know that a bad diet, too little exercise, and smoking can hurt your ticker, but there are lots of sneaky sources of heart disease that you may not be aware of. Over time, some bad habits can add up and take their toll on your heart. “There are a lot of reasons to believe you can trump your family history or promote a healthier, longer life if you focus as early as possible on the risk factors you can control,” says Jake LeBeau, MD, board certified cardiologist with Cardiovascular Specialists. He says the following are some of the most common ways you may be hurting your heart:
Relying solely on your workout. If you exercise that’s great. But if you sit down for most of the rest of your day, that’s a problem. You need to be active all day long. “If you have a desk job, take a short walk every hour to boost your circulation, even if it’s just to your break room and back,” says Dr. LeBeau. Thinking you are too young. “You’re never too young to take care of your heart,” says Dr. LeBeau. The ideal time to do your heart a favor is now.
One drink too many. For most people, moderate drinking (one a day for women, up to two daily for men) is okay. “A daily drink may even have some benefits for the heart. But more than that can raise levels of certain fats in the blood and Email or Text Notification when your RX is ready! blood pressure,” says Dr. LeBeau. This is even truer if you have several drinks at a time, so stick to your daily limit.
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You don’t know your numbers. “Most patients have no clue what their cholesterol level and blood pressure numbers are, and that can be risky,” says Dr. LeBeau. They could be too high without you knowing. You could feel just fine and have high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Starting at age 20, get your cholesterol checked every 4 to 6 years.
Ignoring stress and depression. When you feel low or have a lot going on in your life, it’s hard to do things like exercise that are good for you. “When stress is excessive, it can contribute to things like high blood pressure, says Dr. LeBeau. “And, if you have felt down for more than a few weeks, you should talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.” Talk therapy, exercise, and medication (if needed) can improve your mood, so you have more energy to take care of yourself. Menopause before age 46. “If you’re a woman and you go into menopause before you turn 46, your odds of having a heart attack or stroke may be twice as high as those who go through it later,” says Dr. LeBeau. A drop in estrogen may play a role, so you should ask your doctor to test you for heart disease risk factors. Snoring. If your partner says you regularly snore or you sound like you’re gasping for air while sleeping, see your doctor. “You might have a serious condition called apnea.” Dr. LeBeau says, “Apnea can happen when your airway is partially blocked and it causes you to have pauses in your breathing. It’s linked to high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, strokes, and even heart failure. Treatments can help you breathe easier and lower your risk for heart disease, too.” Ignoring belly fat. Any extra weight is hard on your heart, but the kind around your midsection is especially dangerous. “Excess belly fat may trigger your body to make hormones and other chemicals that can raise blood pressure and have a bad effect on your blood vessels and cholesterol levels. If you’re a woman and your waist is more than 35 inches around, or 40 inches if you’re a man, talk to your doctor about a diet and exercise plan,” says Dr. LeBeau. To learn more about your personal heart risk factors and how to reduce them, call Cardiovascular Specialists, an affiliate of Imperial Health, at 337-436-3813.
601 S. Pine Street • DeRidder, LA 70634 • (337) 463-7442 www.thriftyway.com • thriftyway2@thriftyway.com 62 www.thriveswla.com
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March 2016
“ Patients have more power than they think to live a hearthealthy life, just by changing what they do, or don’t do, and by having regular check-ups with a cardiologist.” Jake LeBeau, MD
March 2016
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Mind & Body
Expanding Robotic Surgery Applications Cut Recovery Time and Complications by Kristy Armand
Ten years ago, we didn’t have smart phones, Wi-Fi, iPads or Fitbits, and the first surgical robot in Southwest Louisiana, the da Vinci, had just arrived at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. A lot can change in 10 years, especially when it comes to technology. Initially used with remarkable success for gynecological and urological procedures, improvements and upgrades to the da Vinci system’s capabilities since 2006 have enabled its use to be expanded for many other types of surgeries. In fact, according to Dr. Matias Nauts, general surgeon and member of the medical staff of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital, the da Vinci has become the robotic-assisted technology of choice across the country for a growing number of abdominal surgical procedures. He was the first in Southwest Louisiana to use the da Vinci for these types of surgical applications, including gallbladder removal, groin and abdominal wall hernias, and colon removal for diverticulitis and cancer. “Robotic surgery is a perfect hybrid between minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery and traditional, open-incision surgery,” he explains. “It combines the best of both worlds with added technological enhancements that improve outcomes.” The da Vinci surgical system is powered by robotic technology that allows the surgeon’s hand movements to be translated into smaller, precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. The da Vinci really is an extension of laparoscopy which has been used since the early ’90s to perform surgery through much smaller incisions than those used in traditional surgery. “We lost our depth perception with laproscopy, and although we got used to it, it did make suturing complicated,” says Dr. Nauts. “And because laparoscopic instruments are straight, you can open and close them, but you can’t bend them, so we also ‘lost’ our wrist movement.” The da Vinci system eliminates these restrictions and restores the freedom of open surgery with some extra benefits. A magnified 3D high-definition vision system guides surgeons, who are 100% in control of the surgery at all times. The surgeoncontrolled instruments bend and rotate far greater than the human hand, increasing surgical dexterity. “The da Vinci system enables me to operate with enhanced vision, precision and control,” says Dr. Nauts. “I’ve never done a better hernia repair than those I’ve done robotically with the da Vinci; I can’t imagine going back to the old technique. I’m looking forward to using the system for more surgical applications as the technology continues to improve.” For more information about general surgery options available using the da Vinci surgical robot, call Dr. Nauts at CHRISTUS Surgical Group in Lake Charles at 337-430-3150.
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“ It combines the best of both worlds with added technological enhancements that improve outcomes.”
~ Matias Nauts, MD
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March 2016
Now Enrolling
Benefits of Surgery with the da Vinci System: • Smaller incision/reduced scarring • Decreased risk of infection • Shorter hospital stay • Less pain • Less blood loss and other complications • Shorter recovery time
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March 2016
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Mind & Body
Mosquito Protection Aids in Fight Against
ZIKAVIRUS THE RAPID SPREAD OF THE ZIKA VIRUS HAS HEALTH EXPERTS ALARMED, WITH ONGOING RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE HOW AND WHY IT IS SPREADING AND WHAT AMERICANS CAN DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. The virus causes microcephaly, a neurological disorder resulting in babies being born with abnormally small heads. This causes severe developmental issues and sometimes death. In Brazil during 2014, there were 146 cases; in 2015, there were 4,180 cases. So far, 51 babies have died. At this time, there is no vaccine or medicine to treat the infection. The symptoms are mild and include fever, headache, rash and possible pink eye. The most common way the virus is spread is through mosquitoes. “The good news is that the United States has far better mosquito control than many of the affected countries,” explained Robert Soileau, pest control expert and manager of J&J Exterminating in Lake Charles. “At this time of the year, mosquitoes are not as active in our area. We’ll have to wait and see what happens as the weather warms up. Hopefully, we won’t see an increase of people getting the Zika virus; but because our area has a high amount of mosquitoes for many months, it’s something we should all be watching.” The CDC encourages all those with concern to actively protect against mosquitoes.
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by Christine Fisher
Mosquito control treatments are available to greatly reduce mosquitoes for homeowners. “Customers who choose these treatments are seeing far fewer mosquitoes than previously. They’re safe for children and pets and give homeowners a measure of protection against mosquitoes. With these mosquitoborne viruses, it’s another reason to consider them,” Soileau said. The CDC has issued a travel advisory for pregnant women, or those who may become pregnant, to avoid the affected countries, several of which are popular winter travel destinations, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.
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March 2016
Care for a Lifetime The healthcare needs of women are unique and constantly changing as they move through the stages of their lives. From adolescence to the childbearing years, through menopause and beyond, OBG-1 of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital (WCCH) combines experienced care with compassionate, personal attention. Finding the right OB/GYN is important for pregnancy, but having regular check-ups with an OB/GYN for women’s health is just as important. The compassionate and personalized care you receive at OBG-1 of WCCH is truly one-of-a-kind. Care is provided by Allison Hansen, WHNP, Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Ben Darby, MD, FACOG, OB/GYN, and Scott Bergstedt, MD, FACOG, OB/GYN. OBG-1 of WCCH offers services for:
Pelvic Pain • Menstrual Disorders • Pregnancy • Infertility Breast Disorders • Contraception • Midwifery
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Mark Your Calendar! Soup, Soap, and Salvation Event
Cars for Christ 2016 Car Show Announced
“Soup, Soap, and Salvation” is the theme of this year’s Empty Bowl fundraiser scheduled by the Salvation Army. The event will be held at L’Auberge Casino and Resort on March 10. Tickets are $100 per guest and may be obtained by calling (337) 433-4155.
Tickets Now Available For Lake Area Ballet Theatre’s Spring Gala Tickets are now available for the Lake Area Ballet Theatre’s annual Spring Gala ballet showcase, which will celebrate the talents of over 100 local dancers and two guest artists. The performance will be held on March 11 at 7pm at the Rosa Hart Theatre in Lake Charles. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www. lakeareaballettheatre.com.
SOWELA to Host Open House for Prospective Students On March 22, SOWELA Technical Community College will host an Open House for individuals interested in learning about or attending the College. The event will take place from 5-7pm in the Arts and Humanities Building, Multipurpose Room. The first 100 prospective students that arrive will receive a ticket to our Flying Tigers Car Show, a fundraiser for student scholarships happening April 23, and the first 200 prospective students will receive a SOWELA t-shirt. For more information about the Open House, contact Joseph Lavergne at (337) 421-6951 or at joseph.lavergne@sowela.edu.
41st Annual Palm Sunday Tour Announced Eight neighborhood gems will be on tour at the 41st Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes March 20, according to the Calcasieu Historic Preservation Society (CHPS). In addition to the six private residences, the tour will include the interiors of a place of worship and a renowned collection of bonsai. The Tour is scheduled for 1-5pm on Palm Sunday. For more information or tickets, visit calcasieupreservation.org.
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St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church will host its third annual “Cars for Christ” show on March 12 from 9am-3pm (rain out date March 19) at 1500 Country Club Road. The proceeds from this years event will go towards the Plauche’ quintuplets (education fund) and to a church family who has financial needs. The show is open to all vehicles, motorcycles, and trucks. Pre-registration will end on March 11th at $25 per vehicle and $30 the day of the show. The event is free to spectators with awards at 2pm. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ CarsforChrist.
SOWELA Announces Spring 2016 Workforce Training Programs SOWELA Technical Community College announces Workforce Training programs for Spring 2016. Southern Business & Development magazine ranks SOWELA as one of the Best Community Colleges for Workforce Training in Louisiana. Instructors provide hands-on training with small class sizes so students can receive quality training. Financial assistance may be available to students that qualify. Prospective students can inquire about qualifying for financial aid when they register for training. To register, call (337) 421-6560. Spring 2016 Workforce Training Programs ServSafe® (Food Safety for Culinary Training) Classes begin March 5 or April 2. One-day course offered on Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Cost is $205. Structural Welding Classes begin March 7. 15-week course offered Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Cost is $1,100. TIG Welding Classes begin March 1 at the SOWELA Morgan Smith Site in Jennings. 12-week course offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5–9pm. Experienced welders preferred. Cost is $1,100. Call (337) 824-4811 to register or for information.
Live @ the Lakefront 2016 Lineup Announced The electric lineup of live music performances for Live @ the Lakefront 2016 has been announced. The annual free live music series will celebrate its fifth season during three consecutive Fridays from 6-10 pm at the Lakefront Promenade’s Arcade Amphitheatre. Royal Teeth – March 11 The Dog Hill Stompers – March 18 The Flamethrowers with Sweet Crude – March 25 Live @ the Lakefront will also include an extensive local art market as well as food trucks and food booths from several locally-owned restaurants. The public is encouraged to bring chairs and a blanket to put down on the amphitheater’s communal green space. The Arts Council will benefit from all beverage sales, and no outside ice chests are allowed.
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March 2016
Let us Entertain You!
David Sears
Naval Special Warfare Development Group Veteran Troop Commander Friday, March 11 | 7pm Civic Center Contraband Room
Erin Kelly, A reading Thursday, March 17 | 7pm Stokes Auditorium, Hardtner Hall
Undergraduate Scholar and Research Symposium Tuesday, March 15 | 7pm Shearman Fine Arts Annex/McNeese State University: Tritico Theatre
Desert Dancer
(PG-13; 104 minutes; 2014) Saturday, March 19 | 6pm Cinemark Movie Theater
Broaden your mind, learn something new, and experience unique events with Banners at McNeese.
Popovich Pet Comedy Tuesday, March 15 | 7pm Burton Coliseum
Robert Cooper, A reading Wednesday, March 23 | 7pm Stokes Auditorium, Hardtner Hall
29th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition Exhibition: March 24-May, 12, Reception: March 24, 6-8 pm, Juror’s Gallery Talk: 7pm
March 2016
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!
Solutions for Life
from Solutions Counseling & EAP by Keri Forbess-McCorquodale, MS, LPC, LMFT, CEAP
Letting Go of the Past So far in 2016, we have discussed letting go of low self-esteem and bad relationships (well, I wrote and you read). This month’s topic is one I know many people struggle with: deciding how much you are going to let the past influence your present. Often my clients are surprised at how little time I spend gathering information on their past. They come in prepared to lie down on my couch and tell me all about their childhoods, all the hurts and indignities they experienced. They want to start at the beginning of their story, and are often surprised when I start with “what are you hoping coming to see me will help you with?” It’s not that I am uninterested in their past. And it’s not that I believe their past does not affect their present. I am fully aware of how much a person’s history can influence current behavior. I just don’t want to give too much credence to it. I believe that regardless of your past, you have the ability to become a healthier version of yourself if you really want to. Of course, reflecting on your past has value. If you experienced abuse (sexual, physical, emotional), you very likely didn’t receive the tools you need to be happy and successful. You might also react to various situations on auto-pilot, and not in the way you want. I will often ask clients, “Where did you learn to react that way?” or “Who else handles life like you do?” Often clients will have an “ah-ha” moment as they connect their current behavior to past situations. I’m glad for that...and then I’m ready to move on.
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I’m ready to move to that client’s current life. Now that we know something from childhood is hindering how they want to live, we need to get busy. I need to help her/him acquire the skills that are missing. We need to focus on not being a victim of the past, but taking charge of your life today. People who choose to focus on their bad childhoods often become resentful and bitter. If that’s you, it’s time. It’s time to stop letting bitterness and resentment control your life. I know your life didn’t turn out the way you thought it would. I know that person disappointed and hurt you. I know you think it is unfair that others have and you do not. I know all of that. And it still doesn’t change the situation. But what you don’t realize is that it’s no longer what happened to you that is holding you hostage. Now, it is the choice you have made to be so angry and resentful about it that is keeping you stuck. I hear myself regularly saying to my clients, “Life is short. Are you sure you want to spend whatever is left of your life like this?” While what happened to you is important, it is not nearly as important as how you choose to handle it.
healthy and ask them to mentor you. Every time you revert to old thinking and behavior, ask yourself how you would rather handle things next time. The great Maya Angelou said, “When you know better, you do better.” Don’t let your past define you. Yes, it is a part of your story, but only a part. One of my husband’s favorite quotes is from the movie Gumball Rally (about a group of people racing across the country). A driver gets in his car and rips off the rearview mirror stating, “The first rule of Italian driving: what’s behind me is not important!” Is it time for you to stop looking behind?
Please don’t take my words as an indication that I believe all this should be easy. It’s not. It’s work – hard work. But being angry/bitter/resentful is also hard work. They both take up lots of your time and energy; it’s just that the latter sucks the life out of you! So, how do you do put the past behind you? Educate yourself about healthy choices and the skills you need to be a healthy person. Read books. Go to therapy. Find someone you consider
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016
McNeese Receives Scholarship Donation
L to R: Charles V. Timpa, president and CEO of First Federal Bank and a Foundation board member, Leslie Harless, vice president and marketing director of First Federal Bank, and Richard Reid, vice president for university advancement and executive vice president for the Foundation.
First Federal Bank of Louisiana has donated $5,000 to McNeese State University through the McNeese Foundation for the C. Marshall Abadie Memorial Scholarship fund it established in 1988. Donations to the scholarship fund now exceed $100,000.
McNeese School Counseling Graduate Program Accredited McNeese State University’s graduate program in school counseling has recently been nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The McNeese program, which offers a Master of Education degree in school counseling, has been accredited for an 8-yearperiod. The process included the submission of a comprehensive program self-study, a visit in October 2015 by a peer review team and corresponding follow-up reports. For more information about the school counseling program, contact Dr. Christine Anthony at manthony@mcneese. edu.
McNeese Now Offers GRE Testing Beginning Feb. 29, the Graduate Record Examination will be offered by the testing center at McNeese State University. The exam will be offered on campus once a month, with more dates added as demand increases, according to testing officer Andrea Burton. The GRE - a standardized test offered worldwide to students who apply to postgraduate programs - is required for admission to most graduate programs at McNeese. Exam registration and additional test information for the GRE is available at www.gre.org. For more information about tests offered at McNeese, visit the testing center at mcneese. edu/testing.
AT&T Donation for Engineering Scholarship AT&T recently donated $15,000 through the McNeese State University Foundation to establish 10 engineering scholarships in the College of Engineering and Computer Science for eligible undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree in engineering with a focus on either chemical, civil, electrical or mechanical engineering.
L to R: McNeese President Dr. Philip Williams; Richard H. Reid; vice president for university advancement and executive vice president for the McNeese Foundation; Britt Guillory, AT&T employee sponsorship program sales executive; Jan Waguespack, AT&T client solutions executive, and state Sens. Dan W. “Blade” Morrish (R-Jennings) and Ronnie Johns (R-Sulphur).
March 2016
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Critical Stroke Care Starts Here With a stroke, time is brain. The faster the treatment, the better the outcomes. Lake Charles Memorial’s Emergency Department provides 24-7-365 stroke assessment coverage. Supported by Tulane Medical Center’s TeleStroke Program, the Memorial ER team consults with stroke experts to expedite the evaluation and treatment of patients showing signs of a stroke. TeleStroke technology provides:
• 24-hour consultation with stroke experts and specialized services • Faster treatment during that window of time necessary to minimize permanent injury to the brain • Consultation with Tulane’s stroke experts on the appropriate diagnosis and treatment • Treatment close to home and only transfer patients when specialized care is needed.
Memorial. Building a better patient experience for you. www.lcmh.com/stroke
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Thrive Magazine for Better Living
March 2016