The Times of Southwest Louisiana

WWW. TIME SSW. C O M • jun e 1 1 , 2 0 0 9 / V O L. 1 4 , NO. 11

Interview with Research Turtles

Local Artist Doug Smith

New City Court

Cotten’s Famous Hamburgers

PETER FRAMPTON PERFORMING LIVE

FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2009 • 8PM

in the Delta Event Center TICKETS AVAILABLE AT LAGNIAPPE GIFTS AND SUNDRIES, DELTADOWNS.COM AND TICKETMASTER.COM LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE MUST BE 21 OR OLDER TO ATTEND

TICKETS ARE $60, $50, $40 * Must be 21 to attend all events. Some events may contain profanity or other content of an adult nature. Subject to change or cancellation without notice. Tickets available online at ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets including select Dillard’s, select Kroger’s, Be-Bop Records, Major Video, Peaches, Tower Records, and Wherehouse Records & Tapes stores. To charge tickets by phone, call 1-800-745-3000.

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June 11, 2009

June 11, 2009 Volume 14, Number 11

C ontents

617 Drew St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-439-0995 Fax: 337-439-0418

PUBLISHER Patrick Marcantel

N E WS EDITOR Nancy Correro

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Assistant Editor Jessica Ferguson Assignments Chaney Ferguson

A D VE R T ISING

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Cover story Up & Coming & Under 40

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Sales Manager Andy Jacobson 7

Account executive Katy Corbello

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Account executive Brian Chriceol

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G R A P H IC S Art/Production Director Natalie Clark

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The Times of Southwest Louisiana is published every two weeks by Patsco Publishing, 617 Drew Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 439-0995. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $30 per year. Bulk mailing permit #9 paid at Lake Charles, La. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Times of Southwest Louisiana, 617 Drew Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601. FAX to (337) 439-0418. The Times of Southwest Louisiana cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope.

Copyright 2009 The Times of Southwest Louisiana all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

DISTRIBUTION: The Times of Southwest Louisiana is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. The Times of Southwest Louisiana may be distributed only by The Times of Southwest Louisiana authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of The Times of Southwest Louisiana, take more than one copy of each monthly issue from its racks.

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Enterprise boulevard New City Court Columns Home Grown: Cotten’s Famous Hamburgers: Fresh Ingredients Everyday Inside Baton Rouge: In Jindal’s Hands, Colleges Tremble The Swift Report: News from Washington What’s Up Doc? 337 Sports: Summer Sports

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Contributors Cassondra Guilbeau George Swift Garrett Lumpkin Matt Jones Lisa Miller Politics John Maginnis

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Features Buddy Roemer Speaks to Fusion Five on SWLA Economic Outlook Local Artist Doug Smith Sketches a Beautiful Still Life Young Adult Healthcare Entertainment Turn It Up: Research Turtles Times Band Stand Movie Review Times Picks The Shadow: Charlestown Farmers’ Market, Hurricane Audrey Documentary, Downtown at Sundown, Catch-A-Concert Coffee Break Crossword: “Movin’ On Up”

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business notes Calcasieu Parish McDonald’s Assist Abraham’s Tent The drive collected more than 1,000 food items. Abraham’s Tent provides an essential community service by offering the area’s hungry hot meals every day, without fees, criteria or limit to how often one can be served.

Eleven Calcasieu Parish McDonald’s restaurants participated in Cans for Coffee. McDonald’s also collected donations at the May 16 Swashbucklers football game. Calcasieu Parish McDonald’s are dedicated to serving and assisting the Southwest Louisiana community. For more information on Cans for Coffee, contact Jen Pictured from left to right: Pearl Cole, director Breen at 337-478-7396 or of Abraham’s Tent and Doug Gehrig, owner jbreen@ocarroll.com. and operator of Calcasieu Parish McDonald’s Sponsors Step Up To Support WCCH Golf Tournament The annual golf tournament for the West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Foundation will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at the Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur. It is a four-man scramble format, with shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Food, soft drinks, and mulligans will be provided. The tournament is being cosponsored this year by Radiology Associates (left to right) Dr. Bruce Cameron Communications Bordlee, Radiology Associates of Southwest and Radiology Associates Louisiana, Bill Hankins; CEO, West Calcasieu of Southwest Louisiana. The Cameron Hospital and Sondra Moss, WCCH entry fee for each team is Foundation Board President. $320. There are available sponsorships at various levels. For more information on being a sponsor or entering a team, please call 527-4144.

Prien Lake Elementary Top Fund Raiser for Children’s Museum Prien Lake Elementary is proud to announce that they raised $6,710 to help rebuild the first floor of The Children’s Museum after it caught on fire April 22nd, damaging all of the exhibits. At Downtown at Sundown on May 22, the public schools donated approximately $20,000 to help rebuild the Children’s Museum. Prien Lake Elementary was recognized as the public school raising the most money. For more information on helping the museum recover, you can call Children’s Museum Board Member, Mari Wilson at 437-7531.

McNeese Presented With Scholarship Establishment Donation Richard Marriner, left, chairman of the board for Southwest Beverage Co. Inc., presents McNeese State University

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June 11, 2009

President Robert Hebert with a $406,053.96 donation to establish the Marriner Family Scholarship in Engineering and Business through the McNeese Foundation as his son, Ben Marriner, president of Southwest Beverage Co. Inc., looks on.

The McNeese Foundation will provide $135,000 in matching funds through its current capital endowment campaign making this a total donation of $541,053.96.

Bond Commission Approves $17.8 Million for Southwest Louisiana The State Bond Commission met on Thursday, May 21 and approved $17.8 million in funding for projects in southwest Louisiana, according to State Treasurer John Kennedy. The Bond Commission approved: A $9 million refunding loan for Calcasieu Parish, City of Sulphur to refinance debt from the Louisiana Community Development Authority’s 2000A Capital Projects and Equipment Acquisition Program. $1.166 million in bonds (conditional approval) for Jefferson Davis Parish Waterworks District No. 4 for waterworks system improvements. $750,000 in bonds for the Jefferson Davis Parish Central Waterworks District for waterworks system improvements. An $850,000 loan for the Calcasieu Parish Waterworks District No. 8 of Wards 3 and 8 for waterworks system improvements. $6 million in bonds for the Board of Supervisors for University of Louisiana System (McNeese State University Field House Project) for renovation and expansion of the university’s athletic field house.

Style Network Films at Local Salon The production crew for “Split Ends,” an Emmy-nominated Style Network reality series, filmed at Signatures Salon in Lake Charles during the week of May 18. The series, entering its fifth season this fall, swaps stylists from two different salons in the country – typically, polar opposites – to experience “cutting with someone else’s scissors,” according to Style Network spokesperson Melissa O’Keeffe. The show swapped local stylist Lensi White of Signatures with Tweet Jones of M Salon 1 in Tampa, Fla., for seven days. Signatures Salon, located at 803 W. McNeese Street, is best known as a modern, Christian-owned business that recycles everything from empty product bottles to discarded Photo Cutline: hair. M Salon 1 Tweet Jones from in Tampa serves Tampa, Fla., a predominantly cuts a client’s African American hair while clientele and is Signatures Salon regarded as one owner Wendy of the top salons in White McCown the area for funky, supervises. chic, unconventional Jones swapped styles. places with While in Lake Charles, Tweet Signatures stylist served longtime Lensi White clients of Signatures, as part of the while Lensi styled Emmy-nominated cuts for M Salon 1 reality series patrons.

“Split Ends.”

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N e w s

A b o u t

S o u t h w e s t

L o u i s i a n a

E nterprise B oulevard

Energizing Downtown With the New City Courthouse

W h o ’s

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By Chaney Ferguson Downtown Lake Charles has made great strides in drawing in businesses and creating an area people want to spend time enjoying. Lori Marinovich, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, says building the new city courthouse downtown will only bring in more foot-traffic.

“We wanted to maintain their presence in downtown Lake Charles. Some of the benefits of just having that type of activity downtown is of course that the nature of their business brings people into the downtown area,” said Marinovich.

According to Marinovich, when the city court was originally interested in the Sears Automotive site, city owned property, the DDA helped shepherd the interest in the district.

“We worked specifically with that piece of property and it helped get all the issues to the forefront. We were able to develop a cooperative development agreement which spells out the roles and responsibilities of each party as we move through this development process.”

Marinovich shares that one of the court’s strongest points made in the discussion to build a new courthouse was that many times this is the only time a visitor ever has an experience in court.

“These are usually your minor traffic violations, things like that,” says Marinovich.

According to Marinovich, current courthouse conditions are just not what people would want to put in front of the public.

“It needs some improvements especially if that is the only and the first time someone ever has a court experience. There are also some security issues with the actual environment” Marinovich said.

Recently a new option has become available for the courthouse. The parish acquired new land at 901 Lakeshore Drive. Presently the DDA and the court systems are reviewing all the needs.

Marinovich explained: “We simply asked before we made a commitment to build a whole new structure to look at our judicial needs in a more holistic view and say okay the parish has certain needs. Are they going to need to build a new structure? Can the needs of the city court be accommodated by a structure that may be vacated?”

Marinovich went on to say that they just wanted to have a period of time to explore all of those options and that is why they have the December deadline. “We will use the next several months to work with the parish and Continued on Page 11

The Five Stars are: Pannee Keene, a buffet cook; Mike Tran, an engineer; Donna Courts, a revenue auditor; TenChie Delande, a banquets cook; Janice Broussard, a casino host; and Yolanda Washington, a slot floorperson.

L’Auberge Names Five Star Employees Janice Broussard was also designated as the April Employee of the Month and is now eligible to receive the coveted Employee of the Year award. Broussard joined L’Auberge in April 2005 as a member of the resorts opening team. Five Star employees are recognized monthly for their exceptional service skills.

Kiwanis Club Awards Elementary Students The Kiwanis Club of Southwest Contraband awarded three Calcasieu Parish Elementary Students with the Golden Rule Finalist Award.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The award is given to students who practice the Golden Rule in all relationships of life. The students are nominated by peers such as teachers, principals, and guidance counselors.

The students who received the Golden Rule Award are from left to right: Justin William of Pearl Watson Elementary, Joshua Wallace of Westwood Elementary, and Nickolas Sullivan of College Oaks Elementary.

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June 11, 2009

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busines notes cont.

WCCH Receives Donation from Cameron Communications Cameron Communications donates $2,500 to WCCH Foundation’s annual Golf Tournament.

McNeese Receives Donation Dr. Eric Sanders, center, presents David Stine, right, a member of the McNeese State Cameron Communications (left to right) University Foundation Board of Kristi Broussard, Marketing Supervisor; Directors, with the last $5,000 Trina Johnson, Public Relations Coordinator; installment of his $15,000 Bill Hankins, CEO of West Calcasieu pledge for the establishment of Cameron Hospital; George Mack, President the Theresa Sanders Scholarship of Cameron Communications; Bobby as Richard Reid, McNeese LeTard, WCCH Chairman of the Board of vice president for development Commissioners and Debby Nabours, WCCH and public affairs and executive Foundation/Public Relations Director. vice president for the McNeese Foundation, looks on. The foundation will provide $5,000 in matching funds through its current capital endowment campaign making this a total donation of $20,000.

To date, $30,000 has been given to the scholarship established in memory of Eric’s mother.

L’Auberge Donates to Bennett’s Favorite Charity L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort VP/General Manager Larry Lepinski and Sr. Director of Marketing Julie Ragusa present a check for $1,500 to legendary entertainer Tony Bennett in support of his favorite charity; Exploring The Arts. The nonprofit organization strengthens the role of the arts in American education by returning arts programming to public schools. www. exploringthearts.org.

Bennett performed a sold-out show at the L’Auberge Event Center on May 29, his first ever visit to Left to right: Tony Bennett, Julie Ragusa and Larry Lepinski Lake Charles.

Lake Charles Conducts Lakefront Promenade/Marina Ground Breaking Ceremony The City of Lake Charles conducted a Lakefront Promenade and Bord Du Lac Marina Ground Breaking Ceremony Monday June 1 near the 9/11 Memorial next to Bord Du Lac Drive. The Ground Breaking Ceremony marked the kick-off of a major remake of the lakefront along the seawall.

City of Lake Charles, Downtown Development Authority, state and federal

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From left to right: Laurie Marinovich, Adley Cormier, Stan Johnson, Patrick Marcantel, Gigi Kaufman, Rick Richard, Mayor Randy Roach. officials along with private partners involved in the projects were represented and recognized at the event. Said Mayor Roach: “This is an important day for the City of Lake Charles – it marks the beginning of our most extension project todate as we continue the effort to transform our lakefront along Bord Du Lac Drive into a true destination for Lake Charles visitors and residents alike.”

The Lakefront Promenade and Marina projects, when complete, will help provide an anchor for new lakefront-downtown development.”

The $3.6 million Lakefront Promenade project will enhance the lakefront servitude edge and include a 60 foot public right of way along the lake, enhanced decorative lighting, benches, and trees and other enhanced landscaping. The Promenade will provide for general public use and enjoyment as a lakefront destination, improved infrastructure for developers developing the area on the east side of Bord Du Lac Drive, and will furnish more amenities for annual festivals and other events. The project is scheduled for completion in May of 2010. The $1.7 million Bord Du Lac Marina project will consist of a floating marina/docking facility including 50 boat slips and accommodating vessels as large as 80 feet. The facility will include dockside electricity and water for transient, short-term use. The projected completion date for the Marina is March of 2010.

(left to right) Andy Jacobson, Sharon Doucet, Chamber Red Carpet Committee Members; Monsieur Charles Dubois, St. Theresa Catholic Church; Roy Raftery, Jr., President and CEO of Cameron State Bank; Jerry Jones, Chairman of the Board with Cameron State Bank; Christa Charlet, Moss Bluff North Branch Manager; Tonya Goss, Moss Bluff North Assistant Branch Manager; Mayor Randy Roach and Gloria Sullivan, Assistant Vice President with Cameron State Bank.

Cameron State Bank Grand Opening in Moss Bluff A ribbon cutting, grand opening celebration was held on May 30 from 9am – 2pm at 1838 Hwy. 171 North. Giveaways, Moolah Mallard, games for kids and refreshments were enjoyed by all who attended. Christa Charlet is the Manager of the branch and Tonya Goss is the assistant Manager.

Buddy Roemer Speaks to Fusion Five on SWLA Economic Outlook

By Nancy Correro Fusion Five members and guests had lunch and listened to former Governor Buddy Roemer talk about the economic outlook of the Gulf South. The luncheon was held at Prien Lake Park on June 3rd. fter formal introductions by George Swift, Hal McMillin, Mayor Randy Roach, and Andrea Barcarisse, former Governor Roemer and now business man, he has several Business First Banks, one in Lake Charles on the corner of Ryan and Broad streets, gave sage advice to Fusion Five members, “The best way to compete is to cooperate.” Advice he received as a student in 1961 at Harvard. “And that is what you are doing, Five Parishes joining as one organization,” Roemer said.

Roemer talked up SWLA as having a unique position geographically to affect its progress economically, “Southwest Louisiana has a unique characteristic of being a border region and things happen in life on the border...you’re also on a corridor, the I-10 corridor...we build on a corridor.”

He talked about the vulnerability of hurricanes in this area as the only negative, but the difference between this area and New Orleans is leadership.

“Nothing happens without leadership,” and Roemer went on to say, “You have produced time and time again quality leadership.” He told the Fusion Five that he looked forward to seeing what kind of leadership they produce in their generation.

Roemer wrapped up his talk with his fired-up opinions on what the now government needs to do: “I’m tired of happy talk.” He continued, “Somebody needs to tell the happy talkers in the Republican and Democratic parties enough already.”

He gave a list of what he thinks we need to do: • “One, we need a fair trade policy.”

• “Two, we need immigration reform.”

• “Third, we need to be energy independent.”

• “Retrain for the 21st century.”

• “Finally, you and I need to get involved.”

Former Governor Roemer left the Fusion Five group with the name of the book he is reading after being asked by an audience member: The Starfish and the Spider—More sage advice from the seasoned Louisianan and Statesman.

June 11, 2009

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Sthe o ubest t h iwn elake s t area L o enter u i s tai i anment n a ’s

H om e G rown B usiness es

s t n e i d e r g n I h s e r F Everyday

By Ch an ey Fe rg us on

K

enny Cotten always wanted to own his own business— even when he managed the Paramount Theater in downtown Lake Charles. When the theater closed, Cotten moved on to work at the Colonial Inn, unaware of the hamburger legacy that awaited him.

In the late seventies, the Colonial Inn was very well known for its hamburgers and onion rings.

“A lot of people are too young to remember it,” said Cotten. “It was on Broad St.” Cotten worked there for two years before he struck out on his own to start Cotten’s Hamburgers. According to Cotten, his business maintains the Colonial Inn tradition with its specific, limited menu and quality product.

Cotten’s Hamburgers was originally on Ryan Street across from McNeese University where the Smoothie King is located now. Many people remember the commercial starring Cotten’s daughter—“If Poppa is king of the grill I think that makes me the princess.”

After eighteen months, Cotten relocated to 2001 Oak Park Blvd because he believed Oak Park was a

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good area to open a restaurant. The theater and the medical complex provided a steady influx of customers.

“Originally I was trying to get the landlord of the nearby shopping center to try and add on and rent me a spot,” said Cotten. “They weren’t interested, and this place was a going restaurant so when they closed, I bought it.”

According to Cotten the location proved to bring as many customers as he’d anticipated. People still come over from the hospital, and the hospital offices benefit from the convenience of Cotten’s take-out and drive-thru.

“We also see a lot of blue collar workers if they happen to be working around the area,” said Cotten.

While Kenny Cotton still enjoys owning his own business, there are ups and downs. “You are your own boss and that is a good thing, but there are a lot of things people don’t realize,” said Cotten. “For one, the hours are difficult.”

Cotton’s Hamburgers was originally open seven days a week, twelve hours a day. Even though they have cut back over the years, Cotten says that he still works too many hours.

June 11, 2009

“We close at 3:30 in the afternoon, but I was here until ten o’clock last night trying to fix a couple of things that had broken,” said Cotten. “When you own a business you’re always trying to get caught up and ready for the next day.”

Cotten emphasizes that the restaurant business is a tough business. A typical day for Kenny Cotten begins at 7:45 in the morning when he arrives to prepare for customers.

“I have to slice one hundred pounds of onions and one to two cases of tomatoes,” he said.

Cotten’s also cuts and grinds their own meat, and peels their own shrimp.

“Just about everything we do here is fresh,” said Cotten. “We don’t just open a bag and cook it. It all takes time to prepare so I do that six days a week.”

“We cry every day for our customers,” said Cotten, leaning over the machine to slice onions. “You never get used to it, you just endure the burn.”

For anyone who wants to own his own business, Cotten recommends being prepared to work and being dedicated because the buck stops with you.

“When that person calls in sick and you’ve already worked ten or twelve hours and you have another shift to go, are you going to just say you can’t go

in and let the service or the food suffer because of it?” asks Cotten. “Or are you going to go fill the position? It is going to happen and happen often.”

Cotten points out, “A lot of people either love it or hate it. Or once they do it, they never want to do it again.”

Of course, Kenny Cotten is quick to add, “If I had it to do all over again I would still want to have my own business, but whether I would have chosen this one or not is debatable.”

The effects of Hurricane Rita linger on in area businesses. Cotten shares that it has been difficult to keep good help since the storm struck in 2005.

“I don’t know why that is,” said Cotten.

“Almost everybody in business says the same thing. Every restaurant says they need help—but it’s not just restaurants.”

Cotten doubts many people left the lake area permanently, and with the new people who moved in from New Orleans it remains a mystery that continues to plague local businesses.

“Sure people could go and get better jobs somewhere else,” he says. He continues to try to make sense of the problem because every restaurant has the same problem. “There’s more work Continued on Page 11

W ho’s News cont.

W.O. Moss Regional Asthma Educator Certified Donna Stelly Jorden, RRT recently passed the National Asthma Educator Certification Examination. She joins Lana Credeur-Gammage, RRT, AE-C as W.O. Moss Regional Medical Center’s second board certified asthma educator. Donna is a registered respiratory therapist and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University. Lana is also a registered respiratory therapist and has an Associate of Arts degree from Allegany College of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia University.

McNeese Names Golfer To The SLC All Academic Team McNeese State’s Maggie Welch has been named to the Capital One Bank/Southland Conference Women’s Golf All-Academic team as announced by the league office.

Welch, a senior from Maggie Welch Syracuse, Kansas was an automatic selection to the team after being named to the all-Southland Conference first team. Welch, a finance major, led the Cowgirls with a 77.20 stroke average this season and two Top 10 finishes. Welch has a 3.72 GPA and the honor is her third in her four year career with the Cowgirls.

WCCH Welcomes Two Family Practice Physicians West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is pleased to announce that Kelly Fuqua, MD and Jason Fuqua, MD, family medicine physicians will soon begin seeing patients in their new clinic, Calcasieu Family Physicians.

The office is located inside the Grimball and Richert Clinic building, 920 First Avenue in Sulphur. Dr. Kelly Fuqua will begin seeing patients on Kelly Fuqua, MD July 1. She will be joined by her husband, Dr. Jason Fuqua on August 1. Dr. Grimball and Dr. Richert will continue to provide family practice care in the Grimball and Richert Clinic. Both physicians are graduates of the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Kelly Fuqua is board certified in family medicine. Dr. Jason Fuqua is currently completing his residency. For new patient appointments with Calcasieu Family Physicians, Jason Fuqua, MD call 528-7472.

New Chief Nurse Officer at St. Patrick Hospital CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital has named Brenda Quesnel as Chief Nurse Officer. Quesnel has been a nursing and quality leader with St. Patrick hospital for 27 years. Quesnel began her career as a critical care nurse. She has served as Director of ICU and Performance Improvement and Quality, and has served as the Division Director of Nursing with a focus on nursing quality and competency. Under her guidance, the hospital has continuously received high marks from the Joint Commission. In 2006 under her leadership, St. Patrick was the first hospital to receive the Louisiana Quality review Highest Achievement Award presented by the Chamber Foundation/Southwest Louisiana.

McNeese State Women’s Tennis Names MVP Junior Victoria Martinez has been named the 2009 Women’s Tennis most valuable player. The Gomez Palacio, Mexico native saw the majority of her playing time as the Cowgirls’ no. 2 player where she picked up six victories.

She played one match as the Cowgirls’ no. 1 player. Martinez teamed with Ralitsa Pirdopska as the Cowgirls’ no. 1 doubles team and tied for a team high six victories.

SWLA High School Sports Hall of Fame Announces Finalists President of Southwest Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame Inc., Shady Patton, announced that seven finalists have been chosen to be honored at a banquet held June 16, 2009. Joseph Caraway of Lacassine High School, Eric Cutrera of A. M. Barbe High School, Jake Greene of DeRidder High School, Sharde’ Henry of LaGrange High School, Natalie Ieyoub of St. Louis Catholic School, Kylie Leonards of Fairview High School and Haley Michelle McCall of South Cameron High School are the 2009 finalists.

Justin Vincent, 2008 NFL Champion Pittsburgh Steeler, is the special guest and keynote speaker for this year’s banquet. Vincent, a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has played for the Atlanta Falcons and lead LSU to a 2003 BCS National Championship. The twelfth annual banquet will be held Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at Treasures of Marilyn’s. There will be a social at 6:30 p.m., dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be followed by the program at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 each. For more information, please contact the United Way office at (337)433-1088.

Children’s Theatre Company Your Choice Awards This year’s Your Choice Awards was held on Friday, May 15 at Pujo Street Café. The Your Choice Awards are selected by audience patrons through ballets, as well as, the staff of CTC. Receiving a 2009 Your Choice Awards in the production of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland for: • Best Actor – Samuel Owens as Cheshire Cat • Best Actress – Maegan McBroom as Alice • Best Supporting Actor – Alex Landry as White Rabbit & Kathryn Matte as Door Knob, Dylana Smith as Mad Hatter & Brianne Guidry as Queen of Hearts • Best Costume Design – Samuel Owens as Cheshire Cat • Best Hair Design – Brianne Guidry as Queen of Hearts • Best Makeup Design – Alex Landry as White Rabbit • Favorite Part of the Show – Brianne Guidry as “Mean Queen” • Outstanding Technical Qualities – Christy Scothorn for Stage Props • Outstanding Merits of the Show – Samuel Owens for face expressions used as Cheshire Cat Receiving a 2009 Your Choice Awards in the production of The Velveteen Rabbit for: • Best Actor – Samuel Owens as Boy • Best Actress – Kathryn Matte as Velveteen Rabbit & Brianne Guidry as Narrator • Best Supporting Actor – Donovan Primeaux as Toy Boat • Best Supporting Actress – Dylana Smith as Nanny & Alex Landry as Tin Soldier • Best Costume Design – Kathryn Matte as Velveteen Rabbit and Sarah Bonvillain as Fairy • Best Hair Design – Adyn Gaughan as Dunny & Dlyana Smith as Nanny • Best Makeup Design – Maegan McBroom as Dancer & Alex Landry as Tin Soldier • Favorite Part of the Show – Ciarra Woods as Skin Horse • Outstanding Technical Qualities - Dennis Craft for his design of the thunderstorm scene • Outstanding Merits of the Show - Dylana Smith for accent work with Nanny & Ciarra Woods for realism acting Receiving a 2009 Your Choice Awards for Special Recognitions: • Special Recognition to Westlake High Theatre receiving superior ratings at the McNeese Play Festival: Samuel Owens, Alex Landry, Kade Holland, Brandi Roessler, Rachel Hogan, Brittney Cart & William Billings • Special Recognition to senior company member Samuel Owens receiving a $1,000.00 theatre scholarship at McNeese State University • Special Recognition to Kathyrn Matte for being elected to the 2009 Louisiana Thespian Student Kerry A. Onxley presents Pam Breaux with the 2009 CTC Board.

Hall of Fame award.

June 11, 2009

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Inside Baton Rouge - By John Maginnis

The Swift Report - By George Swift

President/CEO: SWLA Economic Development Alliance

In Jindal’s Hands, Colleges Tremble

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ore by his actions than his words, it is clear that Bobby Jindal does not aspire to be the higher education governor. He may cause major historic changes to the university system, but whether they are for better or worse won’t be known until after this slow-moving budgetary train wreck plays out over the next few years.

As anyone who attends or draws a paycheck from a state college knows, its leaders face having to make do with $219 million, or 15 percent, less state funding next year, after $55 million was sliced during the current fiscal year. Those cuts grow doubly worse in two years, when $220 million per year in federal stimulus money for higher education runs out.

The Jindal administration has criticized efforts by the House of Representatives to plug some of the holes with one-time money. The governor has outright rejected and promised to veto a bill by senators to raise $118 million by freezing the phase-in of personal income tax deductions, primarily mortgage interest payments and charitable contributions, scheduled to go from 65 percent to 100 percent this year.

Brushing aside suggestions for short-term relief, the governor emphasizes the need for significant reductions in higher education spending now so that less will have to be cut in 2011, election year.

Just how to make these immediate and drastic reductions is a task he has delegated to Higher Education Commissioner Sally Clausen. After all, she came up with the bright idea for a new formula for distributing academic dollars based more on graduation rates and research grants than the current gauge of warm bodies enrolled.

Clausen still champions that plan but points out that it was to be implemented with additional funding, not less. Conceding that cuts must come, however, she and the university presidents are asking for time to ratchet down spending instead of taking such a heavy hit upfront. They warn the immediate loss of 15 percent in state money would chase off top-flight faculty and their research grants with them. In eliminating degree programs, schools still have some obligation to allow upperclassmen to complete those studies.

The damage has begun already, warned Clausen, testifying before senators about her conversation with a Louisiana professor who is leaving for Maryland “because that governor is not harming higher education.”

Gov. Jindal needs to offer more than a deaf ear to legislators’ unconventional, even short-term solutions. He may reject the proposed deduction freeze as a tax increase by another name, but his tough-love/tough-luck response to the colleges’ plight falls short of responsible leadership.

What sets Jindal apart from his predecessors is that past governors, when faced with fiscal downturns, would do all they could, look for money where they could find it—recurring or one-time, whatever—to help colleges through bad times.

In this case, that could be mean tapping into the Budget Stabilization Fund, the so-called rainy day fund, which would net at least $260 million for education and healthcare. There is a constitutional Catch-22 that would require the fund to be replenished some time next year. Yet there are ways to do that with one-time dollars, from several available sources, in order to make the rainy-day umbrella work.

The governor warns that using one-time money to cover recurring expenses would just make the fiscal problem worse later, but that’s not necessarily so. If there is any constant in budget-writing, it’s that there always is one-time money—-from different sources and in different amounts, but it’s there every year.

Such is not the preferred budgetary practice, but it is not as dangerous and irresponsible as Jindal claims, not like risking ruin to higher education.

That happened in the desperate budget deficit 20 years ago, and it has taken that long for our universities, particularly LSU, to recover.

Applying some less-than-pure budgetary fixes might require some compromise on the governor’s part, to which he is not accustomed, but that’s what on-the-job training is for.

Over the next two years, no one will determine the fate of public universities more than will Bobby Jindal, and vice versa. If, by when his time as governor is through, higher education is not efficiently restructured but broken instead, he will own it.

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June 11, 2009

News from Washington

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he U.S. Chamber Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., this month was a great opportunity for me and my fellow Southwest Louisianans to gain new insights on issues affecting small businesses and to take our message to our Congressional delegation. Joining me on the trip this year was Chamber SWLA Small Business Chair Mike Allen, Chamber SWLA Vice-President of Public Policy Monique Thierry and regional allies Avon Knowlton of the Greater Beauregard Chamber and Cynthia Hoffpauir of the Jeff Davis Business Alliance. We also welcomed our Vernon Parish ally Eddie Wise of the Vernon Chamber. This was also our annual joint D.C. trip with our Southeast Texas friends, Jim Rich from the Beaumont Chamber, Sabrina Gray from the Orange Chamber, and Mary Ann Reid of the Port Arthur Chamber. Mark Viator and Amanda Bryant from Partnership Strategies also attended. Mark is helping The Alliance formulate a workforce plan for our region just as he did for Southeast Texas.

Together, we met with our Senators Landrieu and Vitter and Senator John Cornyn from Texas as well as Southwest Louisiana Congressman Boustany and Congressmen Fleming, Alexander, and Poe and Brady from Texas. We presented our issues of concern to each. We expressed the need for infrastructure funding for the I-10 bridge replacement at Lake Charles, a ferry replacement over the ship channel in Cameron, a DeRidder by-pass, a new water tower for the Jeff Davis Lacassine site, and improvements at the Allen Industrial Park in Oakdale.

We also talked about national issues including the request for GO-Zone incentive extensions, opposition to the card check legislation and other matters. We also listened as the Southeast Texans talked about their needs for coastal protection, ship channel dredging and other items. Sound familiar? Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana are truly linked together through common needs and concerns and we welcome the opportunity to work together.

At the U.S. Chamber Summit, we were joined by Andree and Don Begneaud of Begneaud Manufacturing of Lafayette. They are Chamber SWLA members and were finalists in the National Small Business of the Year competition. We are very proud of them. During our last trip to Washington, Andree and I appeared in TV ads produced by the U.S. Chamber to oppose card check. During the conference, they showed the ads and contrary to my usual assertion that the most dangerous place to be is between me and a camera, I must have blushed 20 shades of crimson. As an aside, when we filmed those ads they put so much makeup on me that I looked embalmed.

At the conference, we heard from and met new Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and new SBA Administrator Karen Mills. Our own Senator Landrieu launched the summit as Chair of the Senate Small Business committee. With former Louisiana Senator Don Cravins, Jr as her Chief of Staff for the small business committee, we in Louisiana have a great entre’ to key policy makers for small business. We discussed the need for access to capital for small businesses and the need to cut through the red tape and delays to process SBA loans. We are seeing some relief at SBA with more expected soon. Since small businesses account for about 70% of our country’s economy, we are committed to help our businesses in our region to grow and prosper.

Mike Allen, who was our Chamber SWLA Volunteer of the Year for 2008, was a welcome addition at the summit and on the congressional visits. With his knowledge and background, he was able to pick up a lot of good ideas which we hope to implement.

On another note, our recent Chamber SWLA membership drive brought in about 140 new members—which is terrific! Membership is nearing an all-time high. If you’re in business, you need to be in the Chamber. We are working at full blast to develop our total area which helps every business.

Congratulations to Russell Pawlowski, Vice-President Commercial Banking at Business First Bank who won the grand prize cruise generously furnished by Sonny Duplantis of Holiday Travel.

The Chamber, which is part of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance, is also busy pushing and opposing legislation in Baton Rouge which will impact our region. For a copy of our 2009 Legislative Issues flyer, please contact us.

One thing is for sure, whether it’s on the local, state, and national scene, now is the time for businesses to come together and represent their interests. And as one speaker in D.C. put it, if you don’t have the time, then you will have all the time in the world.

Think globally, act regionally, and promote Southwest Louisiana.

EnterpriseBoulevard

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city court needs and see what we can determine in a more holistic way,” Marinovich said.

According to Marinovich the court system brings foot traffic into the downtown area.

“It brings interest because people stop and have lunch. They may stop and see the new residential components.”

Marinovich says it helps people have a good experience downtown.

The need for the new city courthouse to be located downtown also serves the local businessmen.

“We have a lot of law offices, engineers, abstracters that have business downtown.

Their jobs really relate to a judicial need. So they feed and add additional people into the downtown,” says Marinovich.

The goal of the DDA is to recruit businesses and activities downtown which brings in people. Marinovich believes the courthouse is part of that process.

“It is all about growing the downtown and growing to our capacity.”

HomeGrown

cont.

than workers.”

When Cotten’s Hamburgers remained open at night they employed fifteen to twenty workers. Presently they have nine or ten including members of his family.

“My wife works here, and my son works on Saturdays because he’s in school,” said Cotten. “My oldest daughter worked here a long time until she graduated from McNeese.”

According to Cotten, as the economy slows, things will change, but as it slows, the less help businesses will need.

Over the years the menu has changed very little. The current offerings take up all Cotten’s time.

“I think we could probably increase business with more menu items but until the employee situation changes I have more than I can keep up with now.

And we stay busy.”

According to Cotten, his customers keep asking him when he’s going to build in South Lake Charles. Even though he owns property in that area, everything depends on the help.

“I can’t open another location until I know I have the people to work it,” said Cotten. “The help is the key.”

When the mood for a hamburger and onion rings causes a rumble in the stomach, pop over to Cotten’s Famous Hamburgers. Walk through the door, wave at old friends, place your order with a smiling, joking employee, and listen to the beautiful voice of Florence as she clears the tables. Lunch time doesn’t get much better than this.

For additional information, call Cotten’s Famous Hamburgers at (337) 477-9759, or stop by 2001 Oak Park Blvd. Restaurant hours are 10:30-3:30 Monday through Friday and 10:00 to 3:00 on Saturday.

The Land of Lagniappe

June 11, 2009

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Local Artist

Doug Smith

Sketches

a Beautiful

Lake Charles artist Doug Smith is the advertising director for Home Furniture at their main office in Lafayette. Smith started with Home Furniture in 1982 right out of high school as a summer job.

“It’s been quite a summer,” he teased.

He began in the warehouse because his girlfriend’s aunt had heard about an opening. His girlfriend, Ronica, is now his wife.

Smith more or less grew up at Home Furniture, working on and off through college while he got a degree in marketing with a minor in architecture.

When he left the company to spend three years working for PPG, he still drew and designed headlines for Home Furniture. Smith learned what it was like at the other end of the spectrum. He also learned that Home Furniture and art was in his blood. He returned to the store and settled into a career—not a job.

Today, Smith can stand in his office in Lafayette and see that he has the best of both worlds. He can look at one

By Jessica Ferguson

desk and see the basic administrative paraphernalia that keeps him in the business world. He can look at his drafting table and see his creative side, that side of him that he thoroughly enjoys and nurtures.

Smith discovered his talent early in life. He well remembers at age seven wanting to draw. His older sister, Dee Dee, could draw as well. She had drawn a colonial type ship for a class project and her work was his inspiration. It wasn’t long before young Doug had started a

side business: he would draw Batman and Robin and charge his friends for his sketches.

Doug Smith has come a long way from those Batman and Robin sketches. He has been commissioned to create life-size drawings of St. Martin de Porres and St. Rose of Lima for his new church at St. Martin de Porres. He’s looking forward to the challenge.

When talking to Smith, one might come to the conclusion that he’s had it pretty easy, that career and talent—life in general—has fallen

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June 11, 2009

Still Life’

into place for him; that he’s some sort of golden boy who wields his stick of charcoal and wonderful pictures occur. But Smith works hard and methodically, honoring God with the talent he’s been given. “My talent is a gift,” Smith said. “I hope I never take it for granted because it can be easily taken away.”

According to Smith, the best thing that has come from his drawings so far has been the drawings of Jesus. “The originals have all been given as gifts,” he says. “The prints are donated to churches as well as given away to anyone who wants

them.” Smith says his greatest joy has been to use his God-given talent to be able to give back in a way that he knows he can. It was through an inquiry about the Jesus picture that led to being commissioned to create the life-size drawings.

“Caren Dore tracked me down out of the blue wanting a Jesus print,” said

Smith. “We got to know each other and she showed Father Keith my drawings. He wanted to commission me to do the life-size drawings for the church.” According to Smith, Dore has become a dear friend and he’s very excited about the challenge of creating the life size drawings.

When asked his most challenging subject to draw, Smith says that it’s people.

“I always said I’d never draw people or their pets.” Oddly, that is what he’s ended up doing the most—drawing people and a few pets.

“I always wanted to be an impressionist painter.” He says he was inspired by the Impressionists.

Characteristics of Impressionist paintings include visible brush strokes, open composition, and ordinary subject matter, and one can see traces of

in their own art.”

Smith encourages anyone who has an interest in art to keep on going. “Practice,” he says. “If you love it, don’t give it up, keep on going.”

The Smiths say they’ve met and made some wonderful friends through Doug’s art. “The best part of being an artist is the satisfaction of doing something that will make people happy,” Smith said. “The worst part of being an artist—talking price.”

While he does charge for his work, it remains a hobby. According to Smith, it takes anywhere from eight to ten hours to do one subject. He always works with

Adventure?

influence in Smith’s drawings. Smith is quick to say he admires and is inspired by local artists Elton Louviere and Kevin Leveque, and aspires to be as good in his craft as they are in theirs. Modest, humble, Smith credits friends and teachers for helping him along the way.

“If it weren’t for the encouragement and guidance from teachers such a Barbara ‘Babs’ Donnelly, James Hooper, and Tim Winterbottom, I wouldn’t be where I am today with my art,” Smith said.

NTURE E V He also admits that doodling has AD been a very big part of his days.

“I tend to remain more concentrated when I can doodle. It keeps my mind active and open of which creativity can develop.”

Smith says he still faces the challenge of the blank sheet of paper at work, to come up with the design and style for their next sales promotions, but he loves each challenge and the creativity.

Driving to and from Lafayette five days a week might be challenge enough ADVENTURE for any artist who would rather be GIVEAWAY sitting at his work table sketching. Not so for Smith. He uses the commute It’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day demands time to think and ponder new projects, of daily life that you forget to take the time to enjoy the mentally correct a problem he’s facing. wonderful Sportsman’s Paradise that surrounds us. That’s He plans, sketches and draws in his why at Cameron State Bank we not only offer the area’s most mind. According to Smith, he doesn’t convenient banking services, but we’re also giving away work after hours during the week. That’s monthly prize packages to help you kick back and relax. his family time. “I like to make myself This month’s giveaway provides you a hungry during the week,” he says. “I opportunity for adventure: want to want it. If I do it every night • Guided fishing trip for two on Lake Sam when I get in from work then it becomes ADVENTURE Rayburn. Trip includes two nights lodging, work.”

Smith hasADVENTURE two sons who are artistic meals, and oneGiveaway and a half days of fishing. in their own right. Eighteen year old Then in November, you could land the biggest prize of all: Ryan just graduated from St. Louis Catholic High School and Cameron, age 14, graduated eighth grade from St. Margaret Catholic School. According to Smith, both boys posses much more Register now talent and creativity than he did at to hook a winning prize the same age. “Anytime I’m working package at any of our on a drawing, I make sure to get their convenient banking locations and approval and suggestions first before be sure to open a Simply Free Checking signing off on it,” he says. “I admire the account while you’re here. work and dedication that they put forth

g n i k Loo Little a r o f O TDO R

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photographs. The basic price for a picture with one subject is $200.00. If another person is added, the price depends on the amount of detail involved. Smith says he prefers to work with sizes 11x14 and 11x17.

There have been times, Smith had a waiting list and felt the pressure. He prefers not to work fast. He’s a detail person and takes his time. “When it becomes work,” he says, “I won’t do it anymore.”

Driving back and forth to Lafayette, Doug Smith has a lot of time to plan, sketch and draw in his mind. Next project: who knows…perhaps churches in this area?

Obviously, his art hasn’t become work yet.

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drugs you get drowsy, even if you’re taking them for allergy relief. Some of the herbal choices are valerian root, chamomile, passionflower, and melatonin. Some sleep aids cause you to feel groggy in the morning, so it is recommended that you take sleep aids only when you expect to get at least 8 full hours of sleep. Extended periods of insomnia can be a symptom of depression and other underlying conditions, so consult with your family physician if you find that you can’t get to sleep on your own for more than 5 days in a row.

Ken Thomas, MD, family practice physician with Cypress Medical

If I have Botox, will my facial expressions continue to look natural?

Yes, if the injections are administered correctly. Botox works best for dynamic wrinkles. These are the wrinkles that occur when you smile, laugh or frown.

They are commonly referred to as frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet.

Although the results after Botox are visible, a treatment with Botox injections will not radically change your facial appearance or make you look as if you “had work done.” The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is simply reduced, so you can still frown or look Mark Crawford, MD, cosmetic facial specialist with the Aesthetic Center of SWLA How safe is it to take over the counter sleep aids?

Most over the counter sleeping pills offer you two choices: antihistamines or herbal remedies. Both of which are considered safe, if you follow package directions and carefully read the warnings. The antihistamines use either diphenhydramine hydrochloride (some of these brands include Sominex, Compoz, Tylenol PM) or doxylamine succinate (some of these brands include Unisom and Equate). Both of these ingredients inhibit neurotransmitters to depress your central nervous system. That’s why when you take these

What can I do to reduce the bloated feeling I have before my period?

A feeling of being larger, especially in the abdominal area, is a common complaint among premenstrual women. Some women have this problem more than others. Fluctuating hormones can aggravate this symptom, and can feed into other PMS symptoms, such as irritability, low self esteem and feeling very tired. The best remedies are not complicated. Exercise is the most effective, and avoiding high amounts of refined sugar and sodium can also help.

Walter Guth, MD, obstetrician/gynecologist with OBG-1 How do I know whether I have a migraine or another kind of headache?

There are more than 150 types of headaches on a list compiled by the International Headache Society. A migraine is a severe, throbbing headache that is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, dizziness or chills. The pain is usually located at the side of the forehead. The most common form of headache, tension headache, consists of a dull, pressure-like pain over the head, neck and scalp. Usually it is not as severe as a migraine and does not involve other symptoms. After tension headaches and migraines, the most common is a cluster headache. A cluster headache is a severe, chronic headache characterized by sharp, penetrating or burning pain on the side of the head. Unlike migraines and tension headaches, cluster headaches affect men more often than women.

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We would like to introduce the successful and talented young adults of Imperial Calcasieu. They are industrious, diligent, and they’re making a tremendous impact in their communities. On Monday evening, June 15, at the Isle of Capri, we will be honoring the ten 2009 Times/Fusion Five, Up and Coming and Under 40 recipients. Our guest speaker will be Ray Shoemaker, CEO of Rural Healthcare Developers.

Here are the young movers and shakers making a difference in Southwest Louisiana: Dr. Lisa A. Vaughn is a doctor at SWLA Center for

Health Services. She is a 30 year old native of New Orleans. Dr. Vaughn is the second child of Lloyd and Jacqueline Vaughn, Jr. Her siblings include Lloyd Vaughn III, Byron Green, and Lori Vaughn.

Dr. Vaughn graduated from McDonough #35 High School with honors in 1996. In 2000, she graduated with honors from Xavier University of Louisiana, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She then attended Des Moines UniversityOsteopathic Medical School in 2004. Following medical school, in June of 2008, she completed her residency training in the area of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, New York.

Dr. Vaughn’s deep southern roots called her back home after 12 years of study and professional training. She now enjoys calling Lake Charles home where she is presently employed at SWLA Center for Health Services. She attends church services at United Christian Fellowship.

In her spare time, she enjoys exercising, shopping, and spending time with her family and friends. Dr. Vaughn has experienced and accomplished much; however, she is more elated about what is to come in her future.

Beau Hearod is the Owner and President of Jeff Davis Insurance Agency. Beau Hearod is a native of

Jennings, Louisiana and a graduate of Jennings High School.

He attended undergraduate school at the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa where he played baseball for the Crimson Tide and received a B.S. Degree in Finance. After graduation, Hearod was drafted by the Houston Astros to play in the minor leagues for two years in New York and Kentucky.

Upon the conclusion of his brief baseball career, Hearod returned to his hometown of Jennings, Louisiana to pursue his lifelong dream of owning an insurance agency. In October of 2007, Beau Hearod became the Owner and President of Jeff Davis Insurance Agency. Hearod has grown Jeff Davis Insurance over 30% since he took ownership. With Hearod’s leadership, Jeff Davis Insurance is one of the leading independent insurance agencies in Southwest Louisiana, and represents over 25 insurance companies assuring clients the best value at the best price.

Heath Allen is the Executive Director of the Lake Charles Regional Airport. A lifelong resident of Southwest Louisiana, Heath grew up in Kinder, Louisiana before graduating from June 11, 2009

15

McNeese State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a double major in marketing. Heath now resides in Lake Charles with his wife and high school sweetheart Erin and their 2 year old son Grayson. His love for aviation and Southwest Louisiana is second only to that of his family.

Heath is currently the Vice-president of the Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates organization, a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives, a member of the Aviation Partnership of Louisiana, a member of the Chamber SWLA and graduate of the Chamber’s Leadership Class of 2003 and is currently serving as a panel member for the National Academies’ Transportation Research Board ACRP project located in Washington, DC. In addition to his professional affiliations, he is also an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Lake Charles having served as President in 2007 and was selected as new member of the year in 2005. Heath also recently joined a new Lions Club in the Lake area as a charter member.

Aside from business, he enjoys snow skiing, fishing, traveling and spending time with his family.

Angela Tezeno is a highly energetic and passionate life coach for women. She is a speaker and gospel recording artist who has been delivering a message of hope for 15 years.

Angela Tezeno is the faithful wife of Dr. Timmy H. Tezeno and the mother of their three beautiful children. She is known for her pure heart toward people and her consistent positive attitude. Angela radiates her powerful message of motivation through

her enthusiastic style of delivery on every platform whether through speaking, coaching, or with song. She has a special gift to connect with women from all walks of life. She is both engaging and compelling, setting an expectation to challenge women to achieve greater personal fulfillment and spiritual growth.

Angela Tezeno has written and recorded the song “Holy Woman” a powerful testament of who God created her to be.

Angela has created the I Motivate Me™ Line of products to help individuals stay motivated and succeed. She is the acclaimed author of I Motivate Me (The Secret Strategy of Fulfilling Your Destiny) and “How to Organize Your Life in 37 Minutes.” She has been featured on television and radio with her signature “Minute Makeover (Inside/Out)™.

Angela earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education. She taught elementary school and served in the classroom for eight years.

With a Masters in Education and a Certification in Christian Life Coaching, Angela founded Angela Tezeno Ministries to inspire and empower women to live effective and meaningful lives that bring glory to God. The response was so powerful; people started calling Angela the “mountain movin’ motivator.” Angela is also the founder and president of Holy Woman Alliance (a non-profit organization that aides in the wellness of the widow, orphan, and the poor).

Angela Tezeno has received many awards including SWLA Gospel Honors Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year, the Women of Excellence Award, and several other recognitions for her service to the community and in business including a feature story for the Louisiana Small Business Development Program.

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Her greatest reward is doing God’s will as she continues to be: Angela—messenger, bringer of truth.

Judd Bares is an award-winning television producer/director and owner of Sweet Spot Telemedia, a commercial production facility that services the advertising needs of local and regional businesses. Notable customers include Stine, City Savings Bank, AutoPlex Group, and Sabine Pools and Spas.

He is a Nashville recording artist for D&R Records. He has released a 12-song album ‘What’s Not to Love?’ in 2008. He plays locally and regionally in the Southwest Louisiana/Southeast Texas markets.

Born on January 19, 1973, Judd Bares Graduated from Sulphur High School in 1991.

He then attended McNeese State University, graduating in 1996 with a B.S. in Mass Communications. While at McNeese he was as member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

He resides in Carlyss with his wife of 6 years, Tressie Russell-Bares, and has a two year old daughter Charlee Jo and a son born this May, Jett Brannon Bares.

He is a member St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Carlyss and Bon Ton Festival Entertainment Chairman. Bares is a on the Board of Directors of The American Advertising Federation of Lake Charles and a member of Sulphur High School Blue Gold Foundation.

He is the “World’s Best Bubble Blower” according to his daughter, Tressie.

Brooks Donald Williams is head coach for McNeese State University’s Cowgirl Basketball. In two seasons at McNeese State University, Brooks Donald Williams has made a major impact on the Cowgirl basketball program. On the court, Williams has led the Cowgirls to the Southland Conference Tournament both years and 1 4 victories by the Cowgirls in 2009. The Cowgirls shot a school record, led the Southland Conference (for the second straight year) and ranked 76th in the nation, with a 71.8 free throw percent this season. They also ranked second in the SLC with a 34.3 three-point field goal percent.

Off the court, Williams and the Cowgirls have participated in numerous community service activities including the Ethel Precht Breast Cancer Walk and the Jeff Davis Bank Toys for Tots drive for the second consecutive year.

In her first season, Williams guided the Cowgirls to a 10-21 record and a tie for second place in the East Division after being picked to finish sixth in the preseason polls. Williams led the Cowgirls to victories in four of their last six games last season and a Southland Conference Tournament bid.

Prior to her stint with the Lady Eagles, she spent one season at the University of Memphis and three years at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock.

While at Southern Miss, Williams helped the Eagles improve its program each year and went 15-15 her last season with a 9-7 record in Conference USA. Between college stops, Williams served

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temporarily as head coach at St. Thomas More High in Lafayette, La. As a prep player at Jennings High, Williams earned All-State, All-Parish and All-District honors. She was a four-year starter and played in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association all-star game, serving as team captain. Her Jennings squad won four straight district titles Williams was also a member of the Acadiana Stars AAU program during her prep days, participating in state and national tournaments.

She was a member of the Lady Bulldogs squad at Mississippi State University, from which she holds a bachelor degree, but had her playing career sidelined due to an injury.

Williams is the daughter of Jennings community members, David and Brenda Donald and the granddaughter and great niece of Dan L. Donald and Walter “Bunk” Donald, former Jennings business leaders and owners of W.B. Donald Chevrolet and Cadillac and founders of Jeff Davis Bank & Trust Co. Williams’ uncle, Dan Donald, currently serves as President of Jeff Davis Bank & Trust Co. Williams has one brother, Seth Donald, who resides in Shreveport and recently opened his own agency with State Farm. She has three nieces, Mary Brooks, Eliza and Mae Donald.

Williams’ family coaching mentor is her uncle and godfather, Doug Fowler. Coach Fowler, a 2008 Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame inductee and extremely active leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is a former coach and Mississippi Association of Coaches executive director who served the coaching profession for over 40 years in the high school and collegiate ranks.

The 31 year old is married to Tyler Williams of Memphis, TN. Tyler currently serves as Marketing Director for Jeff Davis Bank.

Nicholas (Nic) Edward Hunter is the owner and operator of Harlequin Steaks and Seafood. Nic Hunter was born in Lake Charles and began working at the Harlequin at about age 12 or 13. His grandparents, Mr. Edward & Mrs. Lucille Hunter, opened the Harlequin in 1956. Nic began working in the kitchen as a dish washer and salad prep a few shifts a week, but when he was about 16 or 17 he moved into the front of the house.

After graduating from St. Louis in 2002, Hunter began attending McNeese State University. He graduated from McNeese in the Spring of 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History.

His family agreed to let him take the reigns completely both in running the restaurant

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June 11, 2009

and owning it completely. The hours are long, usually 60-70 hours a week, but he loves the people he works with and visiting with the customers. “The restaurant business is a tough one, but it really is the only thing I have ever known.”

Nic Hunter is a member of St. Margaret’s Parish in the Diocese of Lake Charles. Hunter feels like the Harlequin is a vehicle for him to meet an amazing array of people from the community, both as customers and employees. “I have grown to truly appreciate Louisiana, our heritage, and the amazing opportunity and wealth of social diversity this state has. I have used my position to better my community as much as possible.”

In 2008, Hunter participated in numerous community activities. “There are too many causes close to my heart to name, but several that come to mind are The Whistle Stop (a child advocacy center), the Southwest Louisiana War Veterans Home in Jennings, the Banners Series, and the Bishop’s Service Appeal for the Diocese of Lake Charles.”

When it comes to community activities and charitable causes, Hunter is a strong believer that people have a duty and responsibility to enhance their community and make it a better place because they are a part of it.

This often requires more than just acting with their pocketbook.

The most important people in Hunter’s life are his grandmother, Mrs. Hunter, and “The Three Wise Men.” While the restaurant business can be very demanding, Hunter tries to find social time

as much as possible. He loves watching the New Orleans Saints, and loves visiting New Orleans even more. He loves good food and good wine. “I enjoy reading, especially books on Louisiana history, specifically 20th century Louisiana political history, on which more books than I could read in a lifetime have been written. Though I usually read non-fiction, one of my favorite books is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.”

Cassondra Savoy Guilbeau is regional director for the American Heart Association of Southwest Louisiana. Guilbeau was born in Lake Charles, but grew up in Eunice. She graduated from Northwestern State University in 1996 with a degree in journalism. Her career began as a reporter in New Iberia where she met her husband, Brian Guilbeau. In 1998, the year they married, Cassondra and Brian moved to Lake Charles where she began working in public relations and marketing, and Brian began working for the American Press.

Guilbeau worked at the O’Carroll Group, writing copy and coordinating public relations for clients. She received quite the education there and still considers Peter O’Carroll to be a mentor. Cassondra went on to become the public relations manager for Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel for four years. Following Hurricane Rita, she became the regional director for the American Heart Association of Southwest Louisiana. After her first year with the organization, she was promoted to senior regional director and also began managing the Central Louisiana market.

They raise funds and awareness in the fight against the No. 1 and No. 3 killers in our country, heart disease and stroke.

Over the years, Cassondra has been a very proud volunteer for many wonderful organizations. She has served on the United Way Campaign Cabinet, board of directors for the American Red Cross and chaired the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides Walk. She has been recognized for her work with the Jim Leigh Campaign Award (United Way), Board Member of the Year (American Red Cross) and recently was named a Woman of Excellence by the Black Heritage Festival. She is a member of First United Methodist Church, the Ad and Press Club of Southwest Louisiana (where she currently sits on the board of directors) and Fusion Five.

Of course, nothing is more important than her “jobs” of mother and wife. She has a beautiful eight-year-old daughter, Lillian Faith, who is her world. Her husband, Brian, is an incredibly talented writer and the strongest person she knows. He has twice survived a lung transplant and never ceases to amaze Cassondra with his courage.

“I was very surprised to be recognized as a Top 10 Up and Comer, but also very, very honored.”

Richard Cole is Assessor for Calcasieu Parish. Cole has been employed by the Calcasieu Parish Assessor’s Office since 1992. His duties include property transfers, preparation of ownership plats, appraisals, verification, and drafting of legal descriptions, compiling millage rates, tax roll abstracts, and the annual tax roll to submit to the Louisiana

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Tax Commission.

Cole has continued his education through advanced ESRI computer mapping and information systems training which includes: Global Information Systems training for Assessors, Fundamentals of Real Property Assessing, Income Approach to Valuation, Tax Policy from the International Association of Assessing Officers, Mapping RU1 from the Louisiana Assessor’s Association for surveying, mapping and reading of legal descriptions of property, National Leadership Human Resources Training, and URISA training classes.

He is a member of the Krewe de la Noblesse and on the Board of Directors of Contraband Days, Boy Scouts of America, West Calcasieu Association of Commerce, and The Chamber of Southwest Louisiana.

Cole is a Life-Sponsor of Ducks Unlimited and a member of the Young Men’s Business Club, McNeese Petrochem Club, McNeese Cowboy Club, McNeese Diamond Club, McNeese Athletic Foundation, and Nolan Ryan Foundation.

The Young Men’s Business Club selected Cole as Lake Charles’ Citizen of the Year in 1997. The Sulphur Rotary Club selected Cole as the 2005-2006 Service Above Self recipient.

The West Cal Association of Commerce selected Cole as The Citizen of the Year for 2005.

He is a committee member of Boy Scout Troop 33 in Sulphur. Cole is an Eagle Scout and received the highest honor for a volunteer Boy Scout, the silver Beaver, and also the Order of Arrow Outstanding Adult Arrowman and Founder’s Award.

Cole and his buddies have a cooking team called Fatboyz Inc (FBI); the highlight of their career was when they served over one million meals with the help of the Southwest Louisiana Community when Hurricane Katrina and Rita hit in 2005.

The 39 year-old is a native of Sulphur and a graduate of Sulphur High School. Cole and his wife, Dawn, live in Sulphur, Louisiana. They are the parents of two sons, ten-year- old, Ryan and four-year-old, Johnathan. Richard is the son of Jody and Jolene Cole of Sulphur.

Faith Thomas is the Accounting Administrator with Texas Industries (TXI) Anacoco Aggregates Division. In addition, she is United Way Employee Campaign Coordinator for TXI’s Louisiana Operations. She has successfully established and continues to organize an annual fundraising event which has raised more than $35,000 since its inception in 2005 for Beauregard Parish United Way Agencies and United Way Southwest Louisiana.

Faith graduated from DeRidder High School and Clark College. She is a Notary Public,

YOUNG ADULT healthcare

I’m melting!

Summertime heat can cause makeup meltdown in a flash. Due to high humidity, high temperatures, and yes, even a little sweat, makeup can seem to do a quick disappearing act after just a few hours. But, by using the right products and a few easy techniques, it’s possible to keep a fresh face that will last as long as you do.

“Yes, there is help available,” said Leann Widcamp, aesthetician with The Aesthetic Center of Southwest Louisiana. “While no product or technique is guaranteed to withstand hours and hours of our heat and humidity, there are things women can

do to keep a fresh face intact throughout the day. Primers, the right type of makeup and a few touch-up tricks can make a big difference.”

A makeup primer is the best-kept secret for women who want to look fresh all day.

These primers tend to hold the foundation so that it will last throughout the day and most primers help control oil, which is one of the main reasons for makeup meltdown. In addition, a primer will help conceal large pores.They are best used on a clean, moisturized face. They should be applied primarily to the T-zone— forehead, nose and chin. Give it a minute

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June 11, 2009

owner of Lagniappe Notary Service and has a Property & Casualty Agent’s License. She has worked 20+ years with combined experience in accounting, banking, management, insurance and administrative fields. She is a member of the Louisiana Notary Association, DeRidder Junior Women’s Club and the Mahogany Expressions Book Club.

In January 2009, she was named as one of the Volunteers of the Year at the Beauregard Parish Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet. She is actively involved in the local community and volunteers her time as follows: Chairperson-Keep DeRidder Beautiful, Vice-President Board of Directors-BeauCARE, Board of DirectorsBeauregard Parish Chamber of Commerce, Loaned Executive/Allocations & Review Panel/ Co-Chair for Beauregard Parish Commerce & Industry Division-United Way Southwest Louisiana, Parent Volunteer-DeRidder High School, Beauregard ARC, Playful City USA, La Cuisine de Beauregard Food Festival, Voter Registration, Adopt-A-Spot Bryant Park, Breast Cancer Awareness/Walk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Help Support Group Leader, and Walk From Obesity.

Faith is the daughter of Houston & Mae Helen Buckley and has two sons, Brandon and Gregory. In her spare time, Faith enjoys volunteering, reading, and spending time with family and friends. “I challenge people to pay it forward by volunteering because I believe this will improve the quality of life within our communities. It will make the community a better place for our families to live and work.”

or two to be absorbed into the skin, and then apply foundation as usual.

Mineral makeup has taken the country by storm and one of the benefits is its long-lasting properties, making it a natural choice for women who want to stay away from heavy makeup, but who do want coverage and an even skin tone. “Jane Iredale is one of the mineral makeup lines and it is available here at The Aesthetic Center. I receive constant feedback from my clients on how well it lasts throughout the day. Plus, they like that it feels very natural, as if they aren’t wearing any makeup,” said Widcamp. “The line of Jane Iredale is often referred to as the Skincare Makeup because it is actually beneficial to the skin, unlike most other makeup lines that tend to clog pores and aggravate existing skin conditions.”

Mineral makeup takes its inspiration from minerals and inorganic pigments that exist in nature.

They are finely milled and purified, then treated or coated with other pigments to create a wide palette of colors for every skin tone. The minerals overlap each other on the skin to form a filter that allows the skin to breathe, while still protecting it from air-borne pollutants.

A sunscreen is an inherent quality of most mineral makeup lines. The ingredients offer natural sun protection.

“If you know you’ll be in the sun for an extended amount of time, it’s best to apply a separate sunscreen before the foundation, just to ensure you’re wellcovered. But, for most people who are in the sun for small amounts of the day, the sun protection found in mineral makeup is usually enough,” said Widcamp.

Another boon for mineral makeup is its soothing properties. Because of the natural ingredients, mineral makeup is often the best choice for sensitive skin.

Traditional liquid foundations usually contain many complex and

Continued on Page 23

Tanning Can Put Eyes in the UV Target Zone Now that summer has arrived, many people are focused on their tans—or lake of one— and see tanning salons as a quick, convenient way to darken their skin before putting on their shorts and bathing suits.

National statistics show that more than 1 million Americans use tanning salons every day.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of these people believe that tanning beds are safer than tanning in the sun, but research has shown that ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels of many tanning beds are often up to 100 times that of the

natural sun.

“Tanning beds can cause skin damage and serious burns, not just to the skin, but to the eyes as well,” says William Iglinsky, MD, board certified ophthalmologist with The Eye Clinic. He explains that tanning beds emit both UVA and UVB rays that can cause photokeratitis, or a burn of the cornea, the clear surface of the eye. “Symptoms can range from painful tearing and redness of the eye to extreme cases of temporary loss of vision. And just as a sunburn to the skin is not immediately apparent, symptoms of photokeratitis may not appear until 6-12 hours after exposure.”

Tanning facilities are required by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to provide clean, UV-blocking goggles to all consumers. Dr. Iglinsky stresses that using a tanning bed without protective eye goggles is the “equivalent to staring at the sun. We can’t emphasize this enough. Wearing regular sunglasses or placing cotton balls over the eyes is not sufficient protection.”

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He adds that it’s also important for those using tanning beds—or anyone who is exposed to UV radiation for long periods of time—to realize that most UV damage is cumulative, and the extent of the damage will not appear until years later.

“There seems to be a desire to tan in order to appear more glamorous or attractive, but vanity shouldn’t lead you to do something that puts your health and future vision at risk,” says Dr. Iglinsky. “In addition to the well-known risk of skin cancer, damage from UV exposure can cause cataracts and contribute to the development of macular degeneration.”

Dr. Iglinsky says the best way to protect your vision is to wear UV-blocking eye protection during any activity that exposes you to the sun’s rays, particularly in an environment in which the sun is reflecting on sand, water, asphalt or snow. “This is a message that has been stressed for many years, but does not seem to be getting through to the public.”

A recent national survey found that while nearly 80 percent of consumers are aware that UV exposure

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FOUR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

Lake Charles, 1717 Oak Park Blvd., 478-3810 • DeRidder, 501 S. Pine, 462-3937 Sulphur, 2100 Maplewood Dr., 625-8948 • Jennings, 1219 Elton Rd., 824-0040

June 11, 2009

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Allergies in full bloom

When it comes to allergy season, Louisiana doesn’t necessarily play by the rules. Although most people believe that springtime is the peak season for allergy symptoms, the state Society of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology, reports that Louisiana residents are exposed nearly year-round to pollinating grasses and mold.

According to the American Lung Association, allergy-causing pollens bloom in our backyards in virtually every season except winter. Louisianans suffer through ragweed from August to October, then tree pollens from April to June, and finally, allergy-causing grasses from May to September. When allergy-causing pollens aren’t blooming, we still have to deal with other allergy pests that flourish in Louisiana’s climate. Things like dust mites, mold, and cockroaches.

But for many allergy sufferers, spring and summer are the peak seasons for sneezing, sniffling, itchy eyes and more.

“In this area, tree pollens are very high and trigger allergies in many people,” says Raphael Chan, MD, ENT and Allergy Specialist with the Allergy Clinic at Lake Charles Medical and Surgical Clinic. “Grass pollen levels peak in the summer, and mold spores, animal dander, dust mites, and cockroach allergens are always present. Allergy season really is

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June 11, 2009

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a year-round experience in Southwest Louisiana.”

Dr. Chan says airborne pollens and mold spores are almost impossible to avoid. “Allergy sufferers can help control their symptoms by checking pollen and mold counts in the area. These counts can be found on several allergy Web sites, such as pollen.com. If you know pollen and mold counts are high, it might be a good idea to stay indoors and purchase a good air filter to reduce your exposure. For people very sensitive to airborne pollens, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to protect your skin when spending extended periods outdoors. You can reduce your exposure to dust mites by covering your mattress and pillow in a dust mite proof cover, vacuuming frequently, dehumidifying, and spraying dust mite killing agents on carpeting and furniture upholstered with fabric cloth. Having an exterminator periodically spray your home may help keep cockroaches out of your home. Finally, if you have an allergy to an animal, try to keep your animal outdoors or at least out of your bedroom.

Nasal rinses with saline are helpful in washing out allergic particles from your nose if you have had extended exposure to outside pollens and mold spores.”

According to the Alliance for Healthy Homes, high indoor humidity can trigger mold growth. High humidity could be caused by poor construction or inadequate air exchange. In warm climates, such as Louisiana, air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems can pull warmer air inside. It’s also crucial that homeowners have their HVAC systems maintained regularly.

Dr. Chan says for many people, avoidance won’t stop allergy symptoms.

He says there are several categories of allergy medications: antihistamines, leukotriene inhibitors, steroid sprays, and decongestants, along with eye drops containing antihistamines for those with severe eye itching and tearing. “Some over-the-counter medications work for some people, others may require stronger, prescription medication.”

For people who fail to get significant relief with allergy medications, Dr. Chan says allergy testing and desensitization therapy may be recommended. “The key is identifying the cause of your allergy and pinpointing the right treatment for you. If you suffer with allergies that are making you miserable and keeping you from enjoying your normal activities, you should see a qualified doctor for help in managing your allergy symptoms.” For more information about allergy testing and treatment, call the Allergy Clinic at 312-8563.

Continued from Page 20

lab-created ingredients that can irritate the skin. In fact, two ingredients usually found in mineral makeup, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are naturally antiinflammatory and actually help calm the skin.

Another tip Widcamp offered was to touch up with an oil-blotting paper midday. “Tuck a packet of these papers into your purse, keep a stash in your car or at your desk. These are a great tool to have handy and they can be used as often as needed. With any type of makeup, even mineral makeup, women will have some oil on their skin by mid-day, especially during the summer, so a quick touch up with a blotting paper will help keep a fresh face,” said Widcamp. For more information on Jane Iredale makeup or on clinical skin treatments, call the Aesthetic Center at 310-1070.

Continued from Page 21

can cause skin cancer, only 5 percent know exposure can also harm the eyes. In addition, 57 percent of survey respondents do not wear protective eyewear when in the sun for extended periods of time. When you take into consideration the fact that Americans spend an average of 3.5 hours per day outdoors—this amounts to more than 1,000 hours of UV damage to their eyes each year, according to experts.

“Whether you’re fishing on the lake, lounging by the pool or mowing the grass, you need to always wear eyewear that blocks 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. You’ll have to carefully read the lens label, or consult an optician, to make sure you are getting the protection you need,” says Dr. Iglinsky. “Your best choice would be wraparound sunglasses, because they block the highest amount of damaging rays, and in addition, effectively protect the delicate skin around the eyes.”

He says parents should remember that children are also susceptible to UV damage and also need to UV-blocking eyewear for all daytime outdoor activities, specifically between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when UV rays are the most intense.

People who have had cataract surgery or other retinal disorders, and people who take certain medicines, such as tetracycline, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics and tranquilizers, are also at special risk for eye damage.

For more information about the dangers of UV exposure and how to choose the best protective options for adults and children, call The Eye Clinic or Optics Unlimited in Lake Charles, Sulphur, DeRidder or Jennings.

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The Longest Running Show in Town- Since 1926!

Supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by The Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA and by grants from the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Upcoming SeASon Laughter on the 23rd Floor by Neil Simon September 5th through 20th, 2009.

Inspired by the playwright’s youthful experience as a staff writer on Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, with all the attendant comic drama as the harried writing staff frantically scrambles to top each other with gags while competing for the attention of star madman “Max Prince”.

A Tuna christmas by Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams November 7th through 23rd, 2009 It’s Christmas in the third smallest town in Texas! Radio station OKKK news personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie report on various Yuletide activities, including hot competition in the annual lawn display contest. In other news, voracious Joe Bob Lipsey’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is jeopardized by unpaid electric bills. mauritius by Theresa Rebeck January 23rd through February 7th, 2010 Stamp collecting is far more risky than you think. After their mother’s death, two estranged half-sisters discover a book of rare stamps that may include the crown jewel for collectors. In this gripping tale, a seemingly simple sale becomes dangerous when three seedy, high-stakes collectors enter the sisters’ world, willing to do anything to claim the rare find as their own.

3(X)Tenn by Tennessee Williams March 13th through 28th, 2010 Three one-act jewels from the masterful, southern writer: “This Property Condemned” “Something Unspoken” & “Suddenly Last Summer.” Startling proof of what a man can do with words. moon over the Brewery by Bruce Graham May 5th through 16th, 2010 A touching, gently humorous study of a precocious teenager’s “coming of age,” in which fantasy and reality are deftly juxtaposed. .

Organizational support for Lake Charles Little Theatre is provided in part by grants from the Louisiana Division of the Arts and the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, through its regional re-granting program and by grants from the City of Lake Charles and the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau.

813 enterprise Blvd • Lake charles, LA 70601 • 337.433.7988

Visit us at our website! www.thelclt.com June 11, 2009

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Turn it Up

Photos by Chelsea Marshall

By Cassondra Guilbeau Research Turtles is a curiosity that goes beyond its name—a group of artists that take their craft seriously while maintaining a healthy sense of humor about work, themselves and life in general. Over the course of a 90 minute interview, the band members laughed almost as much as they talked.

The group—which consists of lead singer Jud Norman, lead guitarist Logan Fontenot, guitarist Joe Norman, and drummer Blake Thibodeaux—started out life as two separate bands, with two separate agendas. Jud Norman, 24, and Thibodeaux, 25, played together as part of the cover band The Flame Throwers, while Jud’s brother, Joe, 19, and Fontenot, 22, were in a band called Plaid Carpets.

About two years ago, when both bands lost members, the four came together, or “joined forces,” said Jud

Norman, whose brother was on a camping trip and could not participate in the interview.

Of course, in their new life, the group is still two separate bands, but now they have one agenda—to ultimately play their own music.

“We played as the Flame Throwers for about a year, and Jud was writing his own music during that time,” Fontenot said. “Then, we started working them into our set and got good feedback.”

With the encouragement, Norman kept writing music and the band kept working on the songs. The guys knew this was the direction they wanted to take. They didn’t see a real future for themselves as a cover band, acknowledging that there is a stigma associated with being a cover band.

“It’s like you’re not good enough to do your own thing, it’s a safe road,”

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June 11, 2009

Fontenot said of what is often thought of cover bands.

But, like the Molly Ringwalds, the group has seen that being a cover band can bring its rewards. “You can make great money doing it,” Thibodeaux said.

And they use their gigs as the Flame Throwers to subsidize their work as Research Turtles. The Flame Throwers is a side job for the struggling artists.

( Just in case you were wondering, The Flame Throwers have covered the Beatles, Weezer, Metallica…whatever “drunk people like to listen to.” But their one rule, according to Jud, is to never play Sweet Home Alabama.)

The original stuff is a collective process that originates from Norman, who Fontenot calls the “hook master.” “I come in with two versus, a chorus and a bridge and we say, ‘how are we going to piece this together?’” They throw in their musical influences, which include many of the bands they cover as the Flame Throwers, like the Beatles and Weezer in addition to Tom Petty and Led Zeppelin. Then they bring all of their own styles together to create the finished product.

The best songs come when you least expect it, according to Norman. When a moment of inspiration hits you, and 20 minutes later you have a great song.

“Sometimes you write something real personal, but if you make it vague enough, people can look at it from different perspectives,” Norman said.

“That’s the great thing about Jud’s

music,” Thibodeaux said.

Of course, not letting the moment get too serious, Jud added, “and I try to keep it about boys and girls, that seems to be what sells.”

The group, all from Lake Charles and graduates of St. Louis High School, sat down to talk one week after recording their first album at Dockside Studio in Maurice, La. With the slogan “Move in, Make Records,” which is what Research Turtles did. The studio is in a plantation home on a 12 acre riverfront estate and boasts a musical legacy that includes BB King and Bonnie Rait among others.

(Of course, the guys were all too happy to talk about one of those “others,” Scarlett Johansson. After all, they may have sat in the same chair she did while they were there.)

Justin Tocket is the Nashville producer the band has worked with on the album. His resume is impressive as well. He has worked with Marc Broussard and Sons of William. “We couldn’t have asked for anyone better to work with,” Fontenot said.

The album only took one week to record and there was plenty of stress involved. Being in a professional studio with a producer watching you play and asking you to “do it again” can be intimidating, but you have to get past it pretty quickly, according to Thibodeaux.

It was especially important for him. As the drummer, he had to lay his tracks down, and get them right, first.

Fontenot had his wisdom teeth removed the week before the trip. So he was faced with the challenge of playing through the pain. And the stress was a lot to carry for songwriter, lead singer and self-proclaimed perfectionist Norman, but the experience was unforgettable and invaluable.

“It was the best worst week of my life,” Norman said.

The band is currently planning its album release party. As of press time, it is set for Aug. 14 and they are hoping to throw a huge party at Luna’s with Pensacola rock band The Gills.

“We feel like once the record comes out, people will see we are worth listening to and worth coming out to see,” said Fontenot.

The finished album has more of an edge and rock feel than even this typical pop band was expecting, and they are very excited about it. They think it will give them a new energy on stage.

Right now, the group is playing weekend gigs and making connections, trying to learn the ropes of planning an actual tour. Fontenot does the booking, but they are hoping to be picked up by a booking agent. They have their sights set on big things. In the fall, they

will be playing all over the Gulf Coast, from Houston, to Pensacola. They are also hoping to play Summerfest in Milwaukee. In the immediate future, they will be playing Scout Bar in Beaumont on July 4 and Party by the Pool at L’Auberge du Lac on July 9.

Their fan base is building not only from their live shows but by their online followers as well. Research Turtles can be found on myspace (myspace. com/researchturtles), twitter (twitter. com/researchturtles) and facebook (facebook.com/researchturtles).

“They say that the best time to be a band is right now,” Norman said.

“Getting your music out now is easier.

There is so much music out there, people can find it on their own without relying on the radio.”

Someone from Argentina purchased the band’s EP through their myspace page, according to Norman. “And I don’t even have any relatives in Argentina,” he joked.

It’s just the beginning for Research Turtles as they add more gigs and plan for the big Aug. 14 album launch. They all agree it is a tough business to break into, but they just want to do the music they love and have the band be able to support itself. With bands like Research Turtles and Magnolia Sons coming out of Southwest Louisiana, Fontenot sees a

bright musical future for the Lake Area that Research Turtles can spearhead.

“The people of Lake Charles not only support live music, but they support so many different types of live music,” he said.

Oh, still curious about the name of the band? “Picking a band name is probably the hardest thing,” Norman said. While they won’t reveal directly where they got their name, they will say they are big fans of director Wes Anderson. So, now you have your homework. Check out Research Turtles and google films by Anderson to find the origin of the band’s name.

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June 11, 2009

The Swashbucklers will be playing at the Lake Charles Civic Center throughout June and July, and I’m thinking they’ll end the season with a third straight championship.

G o l f T o u r n a m e n ts

The 2008-2009 school year has officially ended. And for high school and collegiate student athletes, that means it’s time for a break. However, in the sports world, there is no break. There is a common perception that nothing exciting happens in the sports world over the summer. I don’t buy into that notion, and I have five reasons why local sports fans should be excited about the summer:

L S U B a s e b a ll Head coach Paul Mainieri has assembled the best LSU baseball team since 2000 when the Tigers won the last of their five national championships. The Tigers roared through the Southeastern Conference this year winning the SEC regular season title and the SEC tournament championship.

LSU has what it takes to win it all, and that is balance. In the SEC, which is considered the most competitive college baseball conference, the Tigers led the league in pitching and ranked second in both hitting and fielding.

Put it this way… If LSU doesn’t play deep into the College World Series, it will be very disappointing because the expectations are extremely high for this team.

From here on out every LSU baseball game will be nationally televised by ESPN. The College World Series takes place June 13-24 in Omaha, Nebraska.

L o u i s i a n a S w a s h bu c k l e r s The Swashbucklers may be playing in a different league, but they’re producing the same one-sided results that fans have grown accustomed to.

After winning two consecutive Intense Football League championships in 2007 and 2008, the team moved over to the Southern Indoor Football League.

It’s been a seamless transition as the Bucs have started the 2009 season 5-1.

They are leading the SIFL in scoring offense (55 pts per game), and scoring defense (25 pts per game).

With the summer comes a plethora of local golf tournaments around Southwest Louisiana.

Graywood is hosting the McNeese Cowboy Club Tournament on June 20.

Mallard Cove has its annual Cameron State Bank Lake Charles Men’s City Golf Championship on June 26-28. Mallard Cove will follow that with the Junior City Championship July 6-7 and the Women’s City Championship July 11-12.

The Sulphur Men’s City Championship will be held at Frasch Park on July 10-12.

Pine Shadows will host the Red, White and Blue Tournament on July 4. Pine Shadows also has its Summer Invitational on August 1-2.

The Lake Charles Country Club will host the US Amateur Qualifier on August 3, the Prien Lake Four Ball on August 7-9, and the Louisiana Golf Association Senior Amateur on August 20-22.

If you are a competitive golfer, then you have plenty of opportunities to strut your stuff this summer.

Y o ut h B a s e b a ll Southwest Louisiana is known for producing top baseball talent, and it all starts in the youth leagues.

On just about any night during June and July you can find a great little league baseball game in the lake area.

Two local Bullet Baseball teams have already qualified for the Elite World Series at Disney World. The Bullet Baseball 9 year olds will be in Orlando, Florida August 2-9, and the Bullet Baseball 10 year olds will be in Orlando July 12-19. The Bullet Baseball 10 year olds finished third at the Elite World Series last year.

There is also the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in August. In 2006 and 2008 the South Lake Charles AllStars advanced to the Little League World Series. SLC always has a loaded all-star roster, and I’m sure those young guys will make another run at Williamsport later this summer.

Cl o s e r t o F o o tb a ll S e a s o n My final reason for you to be excited about the summer is this: We are that much closer to football season!

In just two short months, the high school and college kids will be dressed in full pads getting set for another football season.

NFL teams will hit the practice field even earlier as all 32 NFL teams will be in training camp by the final week of July.

It’s highly likely that the McNeese Cowboys and LSU Tigers will each begin their respective seasons ranked in the top 20.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys should each be improved in 2009 after each team missed the playoffs one year ago.

June 11, 2009

27

Thursday June 11 U.S. @ Party by the Pool, L’auberge, 7-11 Scotty Pousson Pointe aux Loups Playboys @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Dave Pellerin @ Sylvia’s Bistro, 6 pm Southern Spice @ Speckled Trout, Hackberry 6pm Phillip Glynn & Cheap Whiskey @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 8 pm Zydecane @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8 pm Friday June 12 Ashes Of Babylon @ AJ’s Bar & Grill 10 pm Hank Williams, Jr @ Coushatta Casino, 8, pm Sweet Root @ OB’s T-Joe Romero @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 The Flamethrowers @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Mike Richard & Step-n-Out @ Scottie Tee Judi’s Konstruxion Zone, 9:30 pm Tom Brandow @ Outriggers Tavern, 5 pm Wilson Miller & Still Kickin’@ Linda’s Lounge, 8:30 pm Southern Spice @ Speckled Trout, Hackberry 8 pm Briant Lloyd Smith & Hot Gritz, Fridays @ Blue Duck, 9 pm Mothers Anthem @ Toucans, 9:30pm Mike Taylor Band @ Engine 89-DeQuincy, 8 pm LA Express @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 9 pm Zydecane @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8:30 pm August Broussard & Friends @ Aucion’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 pm Saturday June 13 The Devil And The Details, The Last Charlon @ AJ’s Bar & Grill 8 pm Joe Simon Louisiana Cajun @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Barisal Guns with Mothership @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Mike Taylor @ Bobby B’s, Vinton, midnight GG and the Hot Damn Band @ GG’s Club, Alexandria, 9:30 pm Pork Chop Express @ Blue Duck, 9pm Blues Tonic @ Toucans Bar & Grill, 9 pm LA Express @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 9 pm Zydecane @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8:30 pm August Broussard & Friends @ Aucion’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 pm

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June 11, 2009

Sunday June 14 Jimmy/Wilson Band, Sundays @ Shorty’s Ice House, Moss Bluff, 5 pm Monday June 15 Lake Charles Community Band @ Civic Center Pavilion, 7 pm Singer/Songwriter Open Mic Night @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Tuesday June 16 Felton LeJeune Cajun Cowboys @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Wednesday June 17 Homer LeJeune @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Acoustic Music w/John Guidroz @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm City Heat @ Sylvia’s Bistro, 9 pm Jimmy Wilson Band @ Cuz’s Lounge, Sulphur, 6 pm Thursday June 18 After 8 @ JD’s, L’Auberge Casino, 9pm The Molly Ringwalds @ Party by the Pool, L’auberge, 7-11 Lesa Cormier Sundown Playboys @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Crooks Carnival @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Dave Pellerin @ Sylvia’s Bistro, 6 pm Southern Spice @ Speckled Trout, Hackberry 6pm Skip Sonnier @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 8 pm KaNection @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8 pm Friday June 19 The Lions, Color Cast Veteran and Mothership @ AJ’s Bar & Grill 10 pm Do Not Destroy @ OB’s Tally Miller Marshland Band @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Whiskey South @ Mary’s Lounge, 8 pm Southbound @ Sylvia’s Bistro, 9 pm Mike Taylor Band @ Engine 89-DeQuincy, 8 pm Mike Richard & Step-n-Out @ Scottie Tee Judi’s Konstruxion Zone, 9:30 pm Tom Brandow @ Outriggers Tavern, 5 pm Wayne Toups @ GG’s Club, Alexandria, 9:30 pm Wilson Miller & Still Kickin’@ Linda’s Lounge, 8:30 pm

Southern Spice @ Speckled Trout, Hackberry 8 pm Briant Lloyd Smith & Hot Gritz, Fridays @ Blue Duck, 9 pm Soul Vacation @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 9 pm KaNection @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8:30 pm Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys @ Evangeline Downs, 8 pm “Steel Mel” & John Mark Davis @ Catfish Cabin, Moss Bluff, 6 pm Ron Miller & The Midnight Ramblers @ Aucion’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 pm Saturday June 20 In Liquid, and Trip Wamsley @ AJ’s Bar & Grill 10 pm Meriwether, Sunrise Kills and Parallel the Sky @ Toucans, 9:30 pm Al Roger Louisiana Pride @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Mike Taylor @ Bobby B’s, Vinton, midnight GG and the Hot Damn Band @ GG’s Club, Alexandria, 9:30 pm Pork Chop Express @ Blue Duck, 9pm Brad Brinkley & Comfort Zone @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 9 pm KaNection @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8:30 pm Ron Miller & The Midnight Ramblers @ Aucion’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 pm Sunday June 21 Jimmy/Wilson Band, Sundays @ Shorty’s Ice House, Moss Bluff, 5 pm Monday June 22 Singer/Songwriter Open Mic Night @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Lake Charles Community Band @ Civic Center Pavilion, 7 pm Tuesday June 23 Jamie Berzas Cajun Tradition Band @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Wednesday June 24 Travis Benoit Allons Dance @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Acoustic Music w/John Guidroz @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm City Heat @ Sylvia’s Bistro, 9 pm Jimmy Wilson Band @ Cuz’s Lounge, Sulphur, 6 pm

Mike Richard & Step-n-Out @ Scottie Tee Judi’s Konstruxion Zone, 9:30 pm Tom Brandow @ Outriggers Tavern, 5 pm Wilson Miller & Still Kickin’@ Linda’s Lounge, 8:30 pm Southern Spice @ Speckled Trout, Hackberry 8 pm Briant Lloyd Smith & Hot Gritz, Fridays @ Blue Duck, 9 pm Laurel & The Edge@ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 9 pm Chas Collins @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8:30 pm Joe Simon & The Louisiana Cajuns @ Aucion’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 pm Saturday June 27 Better Off Dead, High Top Kicks, Herrington @ AJ’s Bar & Grill 10 pm Wayne Newton @ L’Auberge Casino, Event Center, 8:30 pm Scotty Pousson Pointe aux Loups Playboys @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Du Lac Live: w/Jabarvy, Funkotron, and more @ Luna Bar & Grill, 8 pm Mike Taylor @ Bobby B’s, Vinton, midnight GG and the Hot Damn Band @ GG’s Club, Alexandria, 9:30 pm Pork Chop Express @ Blue Duck, 9pm Jag @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 9 pm Chas Collins @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8:30 pm Joe Simon & The Louisiana Cajuns @ Aucion’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 pm Sunday June 28 Jimmy/Wilson Band, Sundays @ Shorty’s Ice House, Moss Bluff, 5 pm Blues Tonic @ Mary’s Lounge, 4 pm Monday June 29 Singer/Songwriter Open Mic Night @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Lake Charles Community Band @ Civic Center Pavilion, 7 pm Tuesday June 30 Al Roger Louisiana Pride @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10

Thursday June 25 Kadillacs @ JD’s, L’Auberge Casino, 9pm Triggerproof @ Party by the Pool, L’auberge, 7-11 Briggs Brown Bayou Cajuns @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Dash Rip Rock @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Dave Pellerin @ Sylvia’s Bistro, 6 pm Southern Spice @ Speckled Trout, Hackberry 6pm Twangster’s Union @ Caribbean Cove Lounge, Isle of Capri, 8 pm Chas Collins @ Delta Downs Gator Lounge, 8 pm Friday June 26 Butt Roxx @ AJ’s Bar & Grill 10 pm Wayne Newton @ L’Auberge Casino, Event Center, 8:30 pm Howard Noel Cajun Boogie @ D.I.’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 5-10 Jabarvy @ Luna Bar & Grill, 9 pm Mike Taylor Band @ Engine 89-DeQuincy, 8 pm

Photo by Chelsea Marshall Research Turtles

Don’t see your band or venue mentioned? Send schedules to editor@timessw.com June 11, 2009

29

If Dreams Could Fly

By Lisa Miller

UP (2009) rrr (Grade B) Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary Buena Vista—Rated PG— Animated, Family—90 min Another Pixar story, this one takes to the skies in a big way.

When curmudgeon senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner), takes off to see a remote range of Venezuelan mountains, he ties thousands of balloons to his house that lift it up, up and away.

Comfortably settled inside his flying home, Carl is appalled to discover that a young scout has inadvertently hitched a ride. Animated with spellbinding beauty and vibrance, the film follows the pair’s adventures, and eventual meeting with Carl’s boyhood hero (Plummer)—a famed explorer. Encountering wondrous animals, as well as with confronting an evil plot, will test the pair’s resolve and leave audiences feeling “Up”- beat.

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June 11, 2009

Star Trek (2009) * * * (Grade B) Directed by J.J. Abrams Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder Paramount—Rated PG-13—SciFi—122 in A new “Star Trek” boldly goes where the TV show, and its subsequent movies never dared— back to the beginning. James Kirk (Pine) is barely out of his rebellious teens when he’s recruited as a Star Fleet officer trainee. Thrust into the role of acting captain, cocky Kirk’s first meeting with Spock (Quinto), a Vulcan Starfleet officer, is a battle of wits and wills. Adversity unites the pair when their home planets are targeted by Captain Nero (Bana). Karl Urban is a near miss as Dr. McCoy, Pegg goes into overdrive as drama-king Scotty, Saldana makes a saucy Lt. Uhura, Yelchin steps into Chekov’s shoes and Cho appears as Sulu. Nimoy returns as Spock from a future time CGI effects make the most of the various worlds and alien species explored by the story and the sweat-inducing starship battles are spectacular.

Starship Log May 5th, 2009: It’s good to be a Trekkie—again.

Drag Me To Hell (2009) * * *1/2 (Grade A-) Directed by Sam Raimi Starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Ruth Livier,

Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, Adriana Barraza, Chelcie Ross, Reggie Lee Universal—Rated PG-13— Horror—99 min Gunning for an assistant bank manager position, Christine (Lohman) attempts to show her boss she’s tough enough to turn down Mrs. Ganush’s (Raver) tearful request for an extension on her past due house payments. The old woman goes ballistic and puts a curse on Christine.

Initially dismissive of the hex, strange visions prompt Christine to visit a psychic who reveals that following several days of torment Christine will be swallowed up by Hell. Evil spirits assail Christine who seeks help and comfort from her fiancé (Long). Raimi has a ball with the material, drawing ghoulish laughs from cheesy special effects, and some genuinely frightening scares.

Could it be that the real Raimi is back?

Terminator Salvation (2009) * * (Grade C) Directed by McG Starring Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham-Carter, Jane Alexander, Jadagrace Berry Warner—Rated PG-13—SciFi—107 min In this prequel to the 1984 blockbuster “Terminator,” Christian Bale steps into a bleak near-future as resistance leader John Connor. The year is 2018, and Skynet Terminator robots scour

earth to exterminate the last human survivors.

Connor is on a mission to save his time-travelling father, Kyle Reese (Yelchin), currently a mere youth stuck in battle-torn L.A. Joining Connor’s Resistance Army and further complicating the plot, is Marcus Wright (Worthington), a killer mysteriously paroled from death row. Linda Hamilton makes a vocal contribution and Bryce Dallas Howard shows up as Connor’s pregnant wife. Filmed in dismal gray, it’s difficult to see the $200 million dollar budget largely spent on special effects.

Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian (2009) * * (Grade C) Directed by Shawn Levy Starring Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Hank Azaria, Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy Fox—Rated PG—Fantasy—105 min The latest comedy trend is to hide lackluster jokes within ginormous special effects. That’s what we got from the “Night At The Museum,” and there’s more of the same from its sequel.

Abe Lincoln’s Memorial statue gesticulates and spouts modern slang, while the Thinker is saddled with a Bronx accent and punchdrunk mentality. We’re supposed to find these anachronistic historical characters hilarious, all of whom magically speak English. Among the figures coming to life in a Washington D.C. museum are: General Custer, Al Capone, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ivan The Terrible, Octavius, an evil Egyptian Pharaoh, and the bones of T-Rex. Once again, Larry Daley (Stiller) is on hand to mediate the confrontations, but this time he’s helped by Amelia Earhart (Adams). Will allowing more comedians to do more mediocre work justify the $150 million dollar budget?

Yes, but “Terminator Salvation,” “Star Trek” and “Wolverine” are carving out large shares of box office for themselves.

Dance Flick (2009) * * (Grade C) Directed by Damien Wayans Starring Shoshana Bush, Damon Wayans, Jr. Paramount—Rated PG-13— Comedy—83 min Another Wayans’ gang spoof, this one takes on dance movies, particularly those constructed around dance competitions. Sight gags include a woman spontaneously giving birth while break dancing, Wayans clad in a girly leotard and tights and a young dancer accidentally clobbering any visitor entering her living-room as she rehearses.

The social parody has young Damon attempting to hide his crush on white girl Megan (Bush), from the school’s vengeful black girls. Written by all the Wayans Bros, and casting two of Damon Jr.’s sibs in small roles, the Wayans can only hope we’ll weigh-in by supporting their everexpanding brood.

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ADDING TO ECONOMIC GROWTH!

LAKE CHARLES Headquarters

South Louisiana’s largest fleet!

24-HOUR VACUUM SERVICE...Statewide!

LOUISIANA TANK, INC. Old Town Rd. • Lake Charles, LA •

337-436-1000 • LA Watts 1-800-245-8408

June 11, 2009

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the best i n lake area enter tai nment

Hank Williams Jr. in Concert at Coushatta June 12 Country and Southern Rock music legend Hank Williams Jr. will perform in The Pavilion at Coushatta on Friday, June 12, 2009, at 8:00pm for one show only. Buy tickets now at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, and Coushatta Box Office. For more information, phone 800-584-7263 or visit the website at www.coushattacasinoresort.com.

He won the CMA’s entertainer trophy in 1987 and 1988. In 1989, he won his first (and only) Grammy for the duet with his father, “There’s a Tear in My Beer,” which borrowed Hank Sr.’s vocals from a vinyl record. In the 1990s, Williams found notoriety by singing the opening theme for ABC’s Monday Night Football. “Are You Ready for Some Football?” won him a legion of new fans, and earned Williams the distinction of being the first country artist to ever win an Emmy, a feat he repeated 1990 through 1993.

Picks

Catch a Concert Every Monday in June June – July 4 The Lake Charles Community Band is nearing the close of its 22nd season with the Catch-A-Concert series every Monday in June. The concerts are scheduled at 7 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center Arcade Pavilion, with rainy weather plans for the 2nd floor Civic Center Mezzanine. Highlights will include favorite music from Rogers & Hammerstein, to Gershwin on Broadway. This concert series leads up to the Red White Blue & You Patriotic Program during the Fourth of July Festival where the Community Band, conducted by Leo Murray, will be accompanied by the Louisiana Choral Foundation under the direction of Dr. Darryl Jones. For more information, please call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

Annual Green Corn Fest/Pow Wow June 13 The Atakapa-Ishak Indian Nation will be hosting the traditional Native American First Annual Green Corn Fest/Pow Wow in Calcasieu Parish with formal ceremonies beginning at 12:30 PM. The event location is the Civic Center. This will be a multicultural experience and everyone is invited to attend. There will be Native American corn dishes and traditional dishes. There will be Native American jewelry, belts, hats, clothes, arts and crafts for sale. There will be some artifacts on exhibit. Dancers will be demonstrating the sacred dances that are unique to the tribes. For more information, please visit the Lake Charles Civic Center at www. cityoflakecharles.com.

Wayne Newton at L’Auberge Casino June 26 – 27 Legendary the world over, Wayne Newton’s performances are as elegant and graceful as his intimately electric personality. Guests must be 21 years of age to enter Event Center. All dates, acts and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. Tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be purchased through ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com.

Watercolor Workshop June 11 - 14 Registration for a watercolor workshop sponsored by Associated Louisiana Artists (ALA) is open to artists desiring to work in the transparent watercolor tradition, and to explore non-traditional creative experiences. Louisiana’s own Judi Betts will teach a four-day workshop in ALA’s Creative Arts Center June 11 through June 14, 2009. The Center is located at 106 West Lawrence Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601. Cost for this four-day workshop is $300, payable to ALA. For registration information and to assure a place in this popular workshop, please call ALA at 436 1008 or Imogene Dewey at 477 0124, imogened116@yahoo.com.

Central Library’s Summer Clubs The Library has two clubs this summer. The new Animanga (Anime and Manga) Club will meet Fridays. Tale Weavers, an acting group, will practice Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10-12 am and perform in July. Call the library, 721-7118 to pre-register and save your spot for any of these programs.

Programs are also available for Children, Tweens (3rd-5th graders), and Adults. Please visit the library’s web page to find out more. www.calcasieu. lib.la.us or check out any of Central’s three Blogs. http://www.calcasieu.lib. la.us/blog.htm Legends Tribute Concert July 10 Nathan Belt, considered by his peers to be one of the top 3 Elvis tribute artist’s in the Country continues his tour. Nathan is a 2009 finalist in the

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June 11, 2009

prestigious Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest. He will take you through the 1960’s and Elvis Presley’s Las Vegas years. The legendary Wayne King will perform his outstanding rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis. He will also add “Golden Oldies” set as Dion and Roy Orbison! He will perform at the Grand Opera House of the South in Crowley at 7 pm. For tickets or more info call 337-785-0440. Visit http://www.ladyluckmusic.com/radio/ hunter/nathan/ or www.thewaynekingshow.com.

7th Annual YMBC Fishing Tournament Benefiting Special Olympics of SWLA June 20 On Saturday, June 20, 2009 the Young Men’s Business Club of Lake Charles will be hosting their 7th annual fishing tournament benefiting Special Olympics of SWLA. Check point and weight-in held at Calcasieu Point Landing. Three categories are: Speck; Redfish 16”-27”; Flounder.

One fish allowed per category per entrant. Pre-registration entry fee is $25 per person and $35 at mandatory pre-meeting. All money raised in SWLA stays her in SWLA to help the over 600 Special Olympic athletes to train and compete. These funds help to send athletes from Southwest Louisiana to Special Olympic events all over the country. Pick up your entry form today at Lake Charles Tackle, Calcasieu Point, Signs Now, or Ship to Shore. Call Scott Bowers at 337-274-9793 for more information.

L’Auberge du Lac Casino’s ‘Party by the Pool’ Concert Series Through – June 25 This series begins with dynamic and energetic multiplatinum rockers Everclear featuring homegrown Lake Charles rock group Magnolia Sons as the opening act. Everclear’s cannon of original material is marked by multi-million sales, critical praise, a Grammy nomination and awards including the 1998 Billboard Modern Rock Artist of the Year honor. This series will also include Seven Mary Three, June 4, and The Molly Ringwalds—80’s tribute band—June 18. Ladies get free admission to Party by the Pool. Gentlemen pay just $5; the cover charge is waived for ‘mychoice’ members.

Must be 21 to enter. Please note that the event location is subject to change and/or cancellation due to inclement weather.

Louisiana Sci-Fi Expo Underway June 13-14 Calling all Sci-Fi fans, Con. Du Lac—The Louisiana Sci-Fi Expo will be held at Enos Derbone Recreational Complex in Lake Charles, June 13-14, 2009. The expo will combine science fiction, science fact (NASA and the National Weather Service), paranormal research, medieval arts crafts and combat demonstrations. There will also be mini-renaissance fair, acting workshops and more. Richard Hatch from Battlestar Galactica, who has been a part of both the original show in 1978 and the recent series on Sci-Fi, will be a featured guest at this year’s expo. Panels on Star Trek and Star Wars will be featured. Attendees of all ages are asked to dress up in their favorite SciFi costumes for an intergalactic costume contest to be held on Saturday evening. Tickets are on sale now through June 5th and are $25. Admission at the door will be $30 and children 10 and younger will get in for free. On Saturday, June 13, Lifeshare Blood Center will be on hand for a limited time and all donors will receive $5 off their admission. For more information on Con. Du Lac, contact Justin Toney at 337-513-8927 or visit www.condulac.net.

L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort’s Nevie Beach Club Now Open Nevie Beach Club is now open for the season with poolside patio dining.

Their chefs have completely revamped the menu making it a bit ‘lighter’ and infused with more local / regional seafood (soft shell crab sandwich, oysters, red snapper po-boy, seafood tacos etc.). Nevie is open 7 days at 11:00 a.m.

Memories of World War II, Photographs from the archives of The Associated Press Through - June 13 Scheduled to open Friday April 24 and run through Saturday, June 13, 2008. An opening reception will be held from 6-9pm at the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street. The public is invited to provide photographs of WWII veterans to be included on the Wall. For additional information email ArtsAndCulture@cityoflc.us.

Direct from Las Vegas: Coushatta Presents Legends In Concert Through - June 14 Coushatta Casino Resort is proud to present Legends in Concert, the original and largest live celebrity tribute spectacular in the world. It is the longest-running independently owned production show on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. Legends in Concert will perform two separate shows at Coushatta: May 6-24 will feature tributes to Elton John, Reba McEntire, and Elvis Presley; May 27-June 14 will feature tributes to Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Elvis Presley. Casino specials for overnight dinner and show packages start at $109. Coushatta Casino Resort is located in Kinder, LA on Highway 165 (I-10 exit 44), featuring over 2800 slots and more than 70 table games. Phone 800-584-7263 for more information or visit the website at coushattacasinoresort.com.

Cigar Club’s Upcoming Events June 16 Carlos Torano Cigars / Pierre Ferrand Cognac Pairing Event with Hosts Brian McGee (Torano, C.A.O.) and Hugo Chambon (Ferrand). For more information please call the Cigar Club at 337-562-8889.

Le Festival de la Viande Boucanee (The Smoked Meat Festival) June 26 & 27 June is festival time is South Louisiana, and when you hear the music and smell delicious food coming from clouds of smoke, then it’s Le Festivale de la Viande Boucanee, better known as the Smoked Meat Festival. This two day event, promoted by Chapter 632 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, is held on the last full weekend of June each year in the “Smoked Meat Capital of the World”, Ville Platte, Louisiana. Some of the activities you can expect: Cookery demonstrations, Arts & Crafts Trade Show, Food Booths, Military Demonstrations, World Championship Smoked Meat Cook Offprofessional and amateur divisions. The festival will be held at the Ville Platte Civic Center and Grounds.

Admission to the Festival: Adults $7.00, Children under 12 years $1.00 Bands on June 26 include: De Ja Vue, Bayou Katz, Travis Matte & The Zydeco King Pins. Bands on June 27 include: Al Roger & Louisiana Pride, Don Fontenot & Les Amis, Cajunation, Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition, Bag of Donuts, Wayne Toups & Zydecajun.

For more information contact: 337-363-6700 or visit the website at www.smokedmeatfestival.com.

Send Deserving Kids to Summer Arts Camp and Fund Scholarships for Sowela and McNeese Students

Thursday, June 11, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

in the air-conditioned Harbor’s Edge Pavilion @ Prien Lake Park

ing ads We’re auction ls! ia and commerc

You can buy advertising packages donated by all these great local media:

June 11, 2009

• Lamar Outdoor Advertising • American Press

Tickets: Only $25 (includes one drink) Call 439-2787 (439-ARTS) Drop by after work and watch sunset over Prien Lake. The Happy

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Charlestown Farmer’s Market

N

ot a cloud in the sky when The Shadow took off for the Charlestown Farmers’ Market located behind Old City Hall on Bilbo Street. The Saturday I went they had Ruston peaches, homegrown tomatoes, green beans, red potatoes and so much more. Alexandria Zawadzki showed me a beautiful jar of herbal vinegar that she made herself.

I snapped pictures while Shadow Husband gathered tomatoes, then we set out to find fresh squash and zucchini to steam for lunch. Eureka! Glenn Ford from Dry Creek had some beautiful produce. We chatted awhile and then I’d hoped to “booth-shop”—the equivalent of window shopping. Of course, like a typical man, Shadow Husband had his bag of goodies and planned to leave. I had news for him! There was still a lot to see. The Shadow is always drawn to cute kids so I couldn’t resist snapping a picture of Roan with his dad, Michael Horner as they explored the different booths. Melanie Broussard and Bill Stephens were investigating a huge jar of pickles. The Shadow loves dill pickles and can’t quit thinking about Bill and Melanie’s interesting purchase. Making our way through the middle of Farmer’s Market, I spotted something I couldn’t resist. Home-made candles! I’ve always wanted to make my own candles so candle-maker Margie Davis patiently watched as I opened each jar and took a whiff. The pineapple scent was wonderful, but I finally settled on Coco Macaroon—too good to pass up. Shadow Daughter had one more little treat for her birthday. Brennan, Kate and Greg Sanders are regulars at the Farmers’ Market. Pat Ficklin was eyeing treats at the booth of old friend, Virginia Mathis. The Farmers’ Market is the perfect place to mosey around, chat and have a good time. The Shadow spotted a huge jar of pickled quail eggs as well as beautiful jewelry, plants and birdhouses. And The Shadow had no idea that the Market recycles shopping bags so if you have extras—plastic or paper—instead of tossing them, take them to any of the vendors. Canning jars will be taken off your hands too. If you have any interest in becoming a vendor, contact Carolyn Smith at 337-439-4944 after five. And remember, the Charlestown Farmers’ Market is open from 8 to 12 on Saturdays. Stop in and have a cup of coffee with them.

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Continued on Page 36 1 2 3 4 5

- Alexandra Zawadzki shows off a jar of herbal vinegar.

- Glenn Ford with his beautiful squash.

-Roan and Michael Horner are exploring the Market.

- Margie Davis’ candles are Scented with Love.

- John and Linda Nordberg and Kevin and Sharon Clark are having a great time.

6 -Young Phillip Greene is sharing good times with Grandma Keith.

7 -Susan Meador and Jimmy Fontenot enjoy Downtown at Sundown.

8 -Larry Pence and Candyce Smythe enjoy the music.

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June 11, 2009

“Movin’ On Up”—deluxe apartment or not, we’re getting there!

by Matt Jones ©2009 Jonesin’ Crosswords Brought to you by Melanie Perry, Agent State Farm Insurance

Last Issue’s Answers

Across 1 “Te ___” 4 Springsteen title starter 8 What software may be stored on 14 Burlesque routine 16 Campfire snack 17 Green side 18 Crone, disparagingly 19 Wile E. Coyote’s supplier 20 Back off 21 NASCAR ___ 23 Premium used in exchange rates 26 Size of some garages 27 Actress Smart 28 Unable to choose 29 Ark man 30 Spare bit?

31 “___ a Hammer” 33 Fish in a 2003 film 36 Thursday daydreamer’s acronym 38 National auto body chain 39 Poetry competition 40 Bangalore wrap 41 Get the sleeping bag ready 43 What rock fans may dig 44 “Consarn it!”

46 Shag carpet feature 47 Tractor-trailer 48 Wretched, as poverty

50 51 52 53 55 57 61 62 63 64 65

Jet-black rock Irish, e.g.

Be a sponge Mr. ___ (Coke’s answer to Dr Pepper) Reverberating It may be caused by stress Grouped together Diverts traffic Say with confidence Memo header, for short Pinnacle

Down 1 Div. that lost Super Bowls XIX-XXXI 2 Figure seen at Tiananmen Square 3 Where signs of visiting prostitutes are most frequent in the aviary?

4 Rice variety 5 Where a flea might hang out?

6 Victrola maker 7 Brand-spanking ___ 8 Naval tech. specialist 9 It preceded Roosevelt 10 Rice partner 11 Where you’re likely to find three-day-old undies?

12 Mazda roadster

June 11, 2009

13 Silver Bullet Band leader Bob 15 It may get the last photo in the calendar: abbr.

21 Game with a 20 at the top of the board 22 1980s home computer 24 ___ Jaya (Indonesian territory) 25 Where you’ll find blond, curly hair, an overcoat, and a horn?

26 Where to show where the bad man touched you?

32 Flip ___ 34 Callender in the frozen food aisle 35 Z’s Greek counterpart 37 It penalizes obstruction of hydrants 42 Dictionary 45 More needing a bath, perhaps 48 Single-celled organism: var.

49 Mouths, in Mazatlan 54 A/C stat 56 Summer hrs. in Minneapolis 57 Title for Italian monks 58 Emeritus: abbr.

59 ___ Speedwagon 60 Sense tested with Zener cards

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Downtown at Sundown Raindrops fell, threatening to destroy The Shadow’s good time at her first Downtown at Sundown concert.

I sat in the car with Shadow Daughter and watched as concert-goers tried to decide if they wanted to brave the elements. Some did. Some didn’t. Shadow Husband joined us when he got off work and we three sat in the car waiting and people-watching (The Shadow has a fear of being struck by lightning).

Finally, husband and I ventured toward the music while daughter sat in the car with her good novel.

Downtown at Sundown on May 22nd featured Soul Vacation with bassist Jay Ecker, Mike Dolan, Jessica Minton , David Pellerin and Ron Muniz. They’re called a new kind of party band and perform at venues across southwest Louisiana and Texas, playing songs from a wide array of artists. The Shadow was afraid she would be the oldest face there, but she wasn’t. There were many baby boomers who came out to have a good time and enjoy the music. The Shadow ran into old friend Linda Nordberg with her husband, John.

They were with their pals Kevin and Sharon Clark.

After playing catch-up for awhile, we moved on to little cutie-pie Phillip Greene with his Grandma Keith. A few local artists were selling their wares and The Shadow got really hungry when she saw the food booths: Pujo St. Café—yum! The fun thing about Downtown at Sundown is that we were able to meander through Downtown Lake Charles and hear the music from several blocks away. Reminded me of my favorite romantic comedies—you know, we have the perfect town for such as that. I saw Justin Toney who is involved with Con du Lac 2009, the Louisiana Sci-Fi expo, but he didn’t see me. I surprised Susan Meador and Jimmy Fontenot when I snapped their pics then thanked Jimmy for giving my husband such good haircuts. A good barber is hard to find. The Shadow had so much fun visiting with Butch and Dianne Hamilton who drove over from Moss Bluff.

Larry Pence and Candyce Smythe were having a blast. Jerry and Becky Thibodeaux came over from Westlake to hear the music. Downtown at Sundown is made possible by corporate sponsorships and The Soul Vacation concert was sponsored by global industries and performed on a stage sponsored by Cheniere Energy. The Shadow had a great time and encourages everyone to grab their lawn chairs and attend the next Downtown at Sundown event. You just think you want to go home and prop your feet up in front of the television. Downtown at Sundown will make you feel young again. Guaranteed! For more information, call (337) 491-9147.

and heard The Lake Charles Community Band. I loved the sight of so many people taking advantage of the concert in the park. It reminded me of my favorite old movies when dancing and singing in the streets was a ‘normal’ thing to do. I met Suzie and Robert Johnson who were sitting on the hill looking down on the concert. Bonnie and C.A. Dickey were quick to place hands over hearts and join in the singing of the National Anthem. The Shadow made her way to where best friends Rachel Judson and Peyton Rome sat on a blanket. Rachel strummed her guitar and told me that her family always comes to the park. While Crawford Toups and Nicole Gruspier stood and watched the band perform, The Shadow watched them—peoplewatching—my very favorite thing to do. The whole idea of Catch-A-Concert is to relax and enjoy music and fun at sunset on the lakefront. Many did just that—brought picnic dinners and blankets to sit on. Kayli McCoy, Jennifer Oliver and Michael Oliver appeared to be having a great time, and The Shadow feels obligated to say Jennifer and Michael are not related, not married, they just have the same last name. Across the way, Jennifer and Trevor Trahan enjoyed their picnic lunch with sweet daughters, Elyse and Ella. This concert series leads up to the Red, White, Blue & You Patriotic Program during the Fourth of July Festival. Leo Murray will conduct the Community Band, accompanied by the Louisiana Choral Foundation under the direction of Dr. Darryl Jones. I’m sure there will be three times as many people attending those festivities but don’t worry, there’s plenty of room. As The Shadow prepared to leave, she saw a lone cyclist and couldn’t resist snapping a picture of him. Derrick Suarey had stopped to watch and enjoy the music. Many thanks go to all who made this event possible, and many thanks to everyone who attended. See you next Monday—same place at 7 p.m.

For more information, call 491-9147.

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Catch-A-Concert Series Mondays are usually blah days but not during the month of June with our Catch-A-Concert series.

Conductors Rod Lauderdale and Leo Murray compare these concerts to those of yesteryear with favorite music from Rogers & Hammerstein to Gershwin on Broadway. Grab a blanket or your lawn chairs and join the crowd for some fun. The Shadow was at The Lake Charles Civic Center Arcade Pavilion

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June 11, 2009

9 - Rachel Judson and Peyton Rome are best friends.

10 - Crawford Toups and Nicole Gruspier watch from afar.

11 - Kayli McCoy, Jennifer Oliver, and Michael Oliver share a blanket.

12 - Cyclist Derrick Suarey stopped to watch and listen.

13 - Steve and Renee Latiolais meet up with friend Adrienne Walker after the documentary.

14 - Nancy Roy of Vinton poses with Wendy and Mike Koonce when All Over But To Cry ended.

15 - Virgie LeBleu, widow of former State Representative Conway LeBleu, who assisted in disaster relief after Hurricane Audrey, viewed the film with Nell, Jimmy, and Elaine Colligan.

16 - Nicole Tainatonogo, a member of the Coast Guard, and Ashley Kibe tried to avoid the cameras, but thankfully relented for the Shadow.

You talk.

We listen.

Life gets better.

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Hurricane Audrey Documentary Premiere: All Over But To Cry The Shadow arrived at the F.G. Bulber Auditorium on Saturday, May 30, 2009 for the premiere of the Hurricane Audrey documentary. Shadow and her friend arrived thirty minutes early and found a long line forming outside the auditorium. Everyone was excited about the premiere. The seats were filling quickly as the Shadow found one near the front. She noticed Megan Monsour Hartman chatting with Angie Manning-Istre, Communications Manager at the Lake Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau, before the premiere began. Britney Glaser Healthcast reporter for KPLC and Kellie Hutchinson, meteorologist at KPLC, arrived and found seats in front of the Shadow. When the auditorium was nearly full Wade Hampton, Chief Meteorologist at KPLC, walked out on stage to introduce the documentary. The crowd grew quiet in eager anticipation of what they were about to see. Even though the Shadow could sense the excitement of the premiere there was also a somber mood due to the subject matter. When the documentary began it didn’t take long before the audience was drawn into Cameron Parish in 1957. The survivor’s stories elicited two reactions from the viewers: tears and heads shaking in disbelief. Cries and pleas heard in the film were quietly echoed around the auditorium while people felt the tragic experience they were viewing. After the documentary many filed out, wiping their cheeks. The experiences shared by the survivors were ones riddled with tragedy, but they provided a good reminder to evacuate as we enter into this hurricane season.

PMS Stands for “Pretty Much Stinks.”

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You may not realize it, but your cycle can provide clues to a variety of health conditions, such as endometriosis, fibroids, thyroid problems, hormonal fluctuations, and of course, pregnancy and menopause.

Sorting through these clues takes expertise, patience and sometimes, a dose of humor. We’ve been providing all three for over 25 years.

If PMS is cramping your style, let us help smooth things out.

Physicians: Ben Darby, MD Scott Bergstedt, MD Walter Guth, MD Brad Forsyth, MD

Nurse Practitioners: Tammy Gillett, APRN, NP Marilyn Watson, APRN, NP Certified Nurse Midwife: Bonnie Leger, CNM

1.866.312.OBG1 • 312-1000 • obg-1.com

LAKE CHARLES: 1890 W. GAUTHIER ROAD, SUITE 110 • SULPHUR: 1200 STELLY LANE

June 11, 2009

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Brian Chriceol has joined The Times team as an Account Executive.

Born and raised in Lafayette, Brian graduated from The University of Louisiana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

He has over seven years of media advertising sales experience where he once worked for The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette and recently with the American Press. Over the past year Brian has served on the Board for the Southwest Louisiana Chamber of Commerce. Brian is looking forward to working with the local businesses here in Lake Charles.

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June 11, 2009

Who will make the 2009 list of The Imperial Calcasieu Top 50 Privately Held Businesses? The Times of Southwest Louisiana and Jeff Davis Bank are now seeking those prestigious businesses that will be featured in our 2009 Top 50 Issue, published July 9.

Go to The Times website at www.timessw.com and click on “Top 50”. Submit your nomination form online today! Or print out the form and fax it to us at 337-439-0418.

Please Note: Your submissions must be in no later than Friday June 19, 2009 to be eligible.

2008 Imperial Calcasieu Top 50 Privately Held Businesses: 1. Central Crude 2. Superior Supply & Steel 3. Navarre Chevrolet 4. Stine Lumber Co. 5. Pumpelly Oil 6. Martin Automotive Group 7. Solar Supply Corp.

8. Mark Dodge 9. Cameron Communications 10. Bubba Oustalet 11. Port Aggregates, Inc. 12. R&R Construction 13. Aeroframe Services, LLC 14. All Star Pontiac GMC 15. LeeVac Industries, LLC 16. Alfred Palma, Inc. 17. Thermoplastic Services 18. Bessette Development 19. Brask, Inc. IEE 20. Gulf Island Shrimp 21. Lee Dee Wholesale 22. ReCon Mgt. Services

23. Gray Nissan Ford Mercury 24. Health Systems 2000 25. Kennison Forest Production 26. Lake Charles Auto Auction 27. Levingston Engineers 28. McDonald’s of Lake Charles 29. Century Group 30. LA Ash, Inc. 31. Miller Livestock Markets, Inc. 32. OilQuip Inc. 33. O’Neal’s Feeders Supply 34. The Rush Companies 35. Calcasieu Mechanical Contractors 36. Freshko Foodservice, Inc. 37. Honda of Lake Charles 38. Oasis Food, Inc.

39. Sabine Pools & Spas 40. Southland Coins & Collectibles 41. Cycles & More 42. Dubois Sheet Metal Works, Inc. 43. Eagle Electric Machinery 44. J & J Exterminating Co., Inc. 45. Johnson Funeral Homes 46. Lloyd Lauw Collision Repair 47. Northfork Enterprises 48. S & M Family Outlet 49. Tulco II, LLC 50. Lake Charles Music

The Land of Lagniappe

June 11, 2009 LDL_4230_JuneJackpot_SWLA_AD_c1.indd 1

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