WWW.TIMESSW.COM • AUGUST 21, 2008 / VOL. 13, NO. 17
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GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . 617 Drew St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-439-0995 Fax: 337-439-0418 PUBLISHERS Patrick Marcantel Scot Hebert
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august 21, 2008 Volume 13 • Number 16
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NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . MANAGING EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren.dealbuquerque@timessw.com
EDITOR Lisa Yates timesedit@timessw.com
CONTRIBUTORS Kay Andrews Jen Breen Dr. Allen Butler Matt Jones Garrett Lawrence Todd Peavey, M.D. Ken Thomas, M.D. Kenneth Verheeck, M.D. Karen Wink
MSU
FOOTBALL
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E N T E R P R I S E B O U L E VA R D Parish’s Alert System Failed . . . . . . . . .5
POLITICS John Maginnis Dan Juneau ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Andy Jacobson
COLUMNS Who’s News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Inside Baton Rouge: Ethics Changes Clearly Don't Convince Critics . . . . . . .8 Biz Bytes: The Electoral Map Three Months Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Business Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 MSU Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Patricia Prudhomme GRAPHICS . . . . . . . . ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Darrell Buck BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . OFFICE MANAGER Tracey Smith
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: $25 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 2008 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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COVER STORY Jenkins Hardware: A Piece of Living History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
FEATURES Legis-Gator Luncheon Honors Area Legislators . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Home Grown: Athlete’s Corner Turns 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Local Election Preview Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 College Football Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 MSU Football Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 The Tailgating Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 A Chat with the Commissioner of Tailgating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Are You Protected From a Data Disaster? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Phishing Scams: Don’t Get Hooked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
ENTERTAINMENT Book Review: See How They Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Times Picks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Gallery Promenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Coffee Break Cross Word: Report Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 The Shadow: Send in the Clowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Parting Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Visit us online at: www.timessw.com Cover photo by Karen Wink AUGUST 21, 2008
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Second Green Station Recycling Drop-Off Center Opens
Sen. Landrieu and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal confer during the Southwest Louisiana Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Photo by: Southwest Louisiana Chamber of Commerce
Legis-Gator Luncheon Honors Area Legislators Chamber Southwest Louisiana hosted the 3rd Annual Legis-Gator Luncheon on Aug. 8, at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort. The event featured keynote speaker Gov. Bobby Jindal, and also honored legislators who have promoted pro-business legislation. State Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, RDistrict 25, received the Legis-Gator of the Year Award for his work on NonGovernmental (NGO) Entity Funding Legislation. Morrish authored SB 106, which added to HB1182 requiring the disclosure of state funding for non-governmental organizations. NGO legislation requires complete disclosure of detailed information about any proposed funding for an entity that is not a budget unit or political subdivision of the state. The bill requires entities to submit information about how the money will be used and who will benefit. Each funding request must also include budget information, project goals and objectives, and information about connections with elected officials. Gov. Bobby Jindal received this year’s chair award. As a U.S. Congressman, he tackled issues such as offshore oil revenue sharing and national insurance reform. In his first few months as governor, he worked with Louisiana’s House and Senate to secure Chamber SWLA agenda items such as ethics, insurance, transportation and workforce ethics reform. At the event, Jindal announced that Aeroframe and Northrop Grumman committed to expand operations at PAGE 4
AUGUST 21, 2008
By Lisa Yates
Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles. “I am delighted that these two companies have committed to retain and create hundreds of good jobs in Louisiana,” he said. “This is terrific news for Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana; and, we look forward to supporting more job creation opportunities at Chennault in the future.” Speakers at this year’s event also included U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, Speaker of the House Rep. Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, Sen. Willie Mount, DDistrict 27, Rep. Chuck Kleckley, RDistrict 36, and Maura Donahue, former Chair of the U.S. Chamber of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board. Maura Donahue, past president of the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors, presented Sen. Landrieu with the Spirit of Enterprise award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at this year’s event. “I am proud to have my solidly probusiness voting record recognized by the Chamber,” Sen. Landrieu said. “As a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, I have advocated on behalf of reforms that will enhance entrepreneurship in Louisiana, and encourage our state’s economic growth. I will never give up fighting for Louisiana businesses.” Sponsors included CITGO Lake Charles, L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort, Port of Lake Charles, Nissan of Lake Charles, Sempra and Southern Strategies, and AT&T Louisiana.
With the recent opening of Green Station No. 2, located at 2020 Tybee Lane (Fire Station 7), the City of Lake Charles will have two recycling centers where various acceptable items can be brought for recycling. At Green Station No. 2, the following items will be accepted: paper products, aluminum cans (bagged), tin cans, plastic (#1 & #2 only — bagged), used ink cartridges, used laser cartridges, old cell phones and phone books. The hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (closed on Wednesday). Green Station No. 1, located at 4331 E. Broad St., accepts the following items: paper products, aluminum cans (bagged), tin cans, plastic (#1 & #2 only—bagged), used ink car-
tridges, used laser cartridges, old cell phones, phone books and used motor oil (oil is accepted at Green Station No. 1 only). The hours of operation are: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (closed on Wednesday). For a list of acceptable cartridges, please visit www.cityoflakecharles.com, click the Team Green icon, and go to the section titled, Recycling Partner Links. The opening of a second Green Station recycling center adds to the recycling program currently in place, which includes Green Station No. 1 as well as the six Team Green Truck drop locations in place for acceptable items. For more information, visit www.cityoflakecharles.com and click on the Team Green icon.
Brimstone Historical Society Issues a “Call for Artifacts” Museum is looking to spotlight local artifacts and personalities for a history exhibit The Brimstone Historical Society is issuing a “Call for Artifacts” to be used in their new exhibit. The museum will be accepting entries for judging starting on August 25 during their regular business hours (10 a.m. noon, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Monday Friday). Applications for artifact submission can be picked up at the Henning Cultural Center or Brimstone Museum. Artifacts will be put on temporary display in the gallery until September 6, when they will be identified. On September 6, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., the Brimstone Museum will have several experts to help identify artifacts, and assist in deciding which items to add to the Brimstone Museum’s permanent collection. Artifacts will also be identified for potential loans to the museum in the future. Whether you want to donate an item, loan it for display, or just show it off, you are welcome to bring it to be identified! The museum staff will also take a picture of your artifact and catalogue it. The public is invited to attend this event, and participate in item identification. The experts who will be on hand include: Dr. Charles “Chip”
McGimsey, Louisiana State Archaeologist and Director of the Division of Archaeology; Dr. David Palmer, Southwest Louisiana Regional Archaeologist; and Paul Trapido, Creative Director for Metcalfe Architecture + Design in Philadelphia. Trapido is currently assisting the Brimstone in the design phase of their history exhibit. GUIDELINES • Artifacts must be at least thirty years old and must have been used in Sulphur, Louisiana or relate to that area. • Items may be “typical” of those used in Sulphur, if designated on the application. • Prehistoric artifacts will also be considered. • Vintage periodicals from the area may be considered for acceptance if they feature an event that is of some significance locally or nationally. For more information on this event, please call Thom Trahan at (337) 527-0357, or visit http://www.brimstonemuseum.org.
NEWS
ABOUT
SOUTHWEST
LOUISIANA
ENTERPRISEBOULEVARD
Who’s News
Dick Gremillion, Director for the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, and Norman Bourdeau, Operations Manager, demonstrate CalcaShout's geo-coding capabilities.
Parish’s Alert System
FAILED By Lisa Yates
alcaShout Emergency Alert System officials are looking into the failure of an emergency text messaging system to notify many residents about Tropical Storm Edouard on Aug. 4. Administrators also conceded that they did not test the new system outside of their staff of eight employees. The problem did not become apparent until officials used the system for the first time to notify residents about the pending storm and where they could seek shelter, if needed. Dick Gremillion, Director for the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said it was a good opportunity to test the system on a much larger scale. While the tropical storm alert was real, he said there was no immediate danger to residents of Calcasieu Parish. Ordinarily, the system will only be activated in an emergency situation — when there is a serious risk of harm or threat to life. When such a threat occurs, a very brief pre-recorded message will be
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sent to those who subscribe to the system, instructing them to seek information and updates from news media sources. A FirstCall Alert report showed that of a total of 3,287 calls issued on Aug. 4, only 3,121 were completed. Gremillion is not sure why the system failed to reach everyone, but said it could be due to a number of factors, including: • Dropped calls. • Busy signals. • Number not in service. • No answer. • Too many characters in the outgoing text message. • Registration confusion. “We ran into some unexpected issues related to cell phone technology,” Gremillion said. “The towers only have a certain capacity and the circuits may have been tied up.” He said the calls went out early morning – a peak time for cell phone usage, which may have resulted in some dropped calls. Gremillion said a confusing computer registration process may also be to blame for the failure of the text messaging system to reach people.
“There could be some confusion when it comes to the part asking for primary, secondary and alternate phone numbers,” he said. The system worked perfectly for The Times Managing Editor Lauren de Albuquerque, who signed up to receive notification of the warning on her land line. A call came to her house with a voice message alert. Others at The Times did not receive the message. Patrick Marcantel, Publisher, signed up for text messaging only and received only two partial test messages back-to-back. He received nothing more after that. Andy Jacobson, Sales Manager, signed up for a text message on his cell phone, but did not receive any alert. Gremillion said he was not surprised the land line call went through without a problem. “Nothing is as reliable as a land line telephone,” he said. “It would be a good idea to put a land line number on the registration site as a back up. We’ve had the voice component of the system for several years now, and Continued on Page 6
L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort is pleased to announce that Rex Ratcliff, a licensed floral designer at The Floral Shop, recently captured the title of Designer of the Year at a statewide competition hosted by the Louisiana State Florists’ Association. Ratcliff competed at the 69th Annual Louisiana State Florists’ Convention in Lafayette on July 26 against floral designers from around the state. Judging was based on artistry, workmanship and originality. Ratcliff’s designation as Designer of the Year earns him a trophy, $500 Rex Ratcliff in cash and the chance to compete at the Southern Retail Convention in 2009. He is part of a talented team of floral designers whose work is on display daily throughout L’Auberge in public areas, suites and at special events such as high-end dinners, weddings and banquets. Ratcliff joined L’Auberge in May 2005. In July, prior to his Designer of the Year win, Ratcliff was named Employee of the Month at L’Auberge. He is now one of just 12 property employees eligible to compete for the company’s coveted Employee of the Year award. Craig G. Morton, M.D., Rehabilitation Physician with Center for Orthopaedics, has been awarded Certification by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), one of the 24 certifying boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties. Originally from Lake Charles, Dr. Morton graduated from McNeese State University and received his Medical Degree from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport. He completed a Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, with an emphasis in non-surgical spine care and intervention. He has been with the Center for Orthopaedics since October, 2007. As a Rehabilitation Physician, Dr. Morton treats a wide range Continued on Page 7 AUGUST 21, 2008
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Ent. Blvd., Continued from Page 5
it’s never been a problem – the text capacity is new. We’re trying to troubleshoot the problem. “We’re asking anyone who signed up for the system and who experienced a problem to call us, so we can diagnose the problem.” One positive outcome of the test – more people signed up for the alert system, he said. “Another 1,500 people signed up on Monday (Aug. 4) with a total of approximately 2,000 signing up Monday and Tuesday,” Gremillion said. Important to register Even though the system has some bugs to be worked out, it’s important to register, he said. “This is not just a hurricane alert system,” Gremillion said. “It’s a general purpose emergency alert system that can be used for almost any type of emergency.” Because the system is geo-coded, officials can target a specific street or neighborhood. It can alert registered residents of a nearby emergency, such as a chemical spill or a gas leak. Gremillion said the system was activated recently to help law enforcement officials capture a robbery suspect within a specific area. It also helped police find a lost child. One of many tools “It’s not a silver bullet; and, it’s not 100 percent effective – It’s just one of the tools we use,” Gremillion said. “Of course, our goal is 100 percent, but we don’t know how realistically we’ll reach 100 percent because of the nature of cell phones.” Since Hurricane Rita, officials realized that many families in the parish did not have land line telephones – just cell phones. They put this system in place in an effort to help reach those families in the event of an emergency. Gremillion said CalcaShout is part of an overall system, which includes outdoor warning sirens, emergency alerts
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from the national weather service, a paging system to alert the media, and GOHSEP – The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness – a statewide alert system activated by the MyState USA phone system. “We also have ‘911 SNAP’ Special Needs Assistance Programs, as part of our Critical Needs Transportation Plan,” he said. “It’s a program for people who don’t have a car, or can’t afford to evacuate in an emergency. It’s also for special needs people who need medical assistance and are non-ambulatory.” Gremillion said it’s a good idea for residents with special medical conditions to report that information, when they register. How to register Residents may register their contact information at: www.calcashout.com. If a resident cannot access the Internet, or has trouble entering their information, they may call the Office of Emergency Preparedness at (337) 721-3800. The CalcaShout Emergency Alert System is a free service and it allows residents in Calcasieu Parish to designate an alternate e-mail address or telephone number where an e-mail, voice or text message can be quickly sent in an emergency. Gremillion encouraged residents to register multiple addresses – their home, business, child’s school, elderly parents’ residence, etc. That way if there is ever an emergency near one of these addresses, they can get the message and take appropriate action. For example, if there is an emergency near a school, parents can be notified at work, which may be in another part of town. “The objective is not to send out a detailed report – It’s just to get your attention to turn on your radio or television for more detailed information,” he said.
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Launches New National Adult Fitness Test WASHINGTON, DC—The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) launched its new national Adult Fitness Test recently. The online self-test, available at www.adultfitnesstest.org, measures overall fitness levels by assessing aerobic fitness, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition. The Adult Fitness Test was launched at Results Gym in Washington, D.C., with the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, Acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Tennessee and The Biggest Loser contestant, Bernardo “Bernie” Salazar. Council member and fitness expert Denise Austin led a group of adults through a demonstration of the test. “The Adult Fitness Test has been adapted from the youth fitness test many of us remember taking in school,” says Melissa Johnson, executive director of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. “Now adults have a test to measure their overall fitness and guide them toward a healthier, more active life.” The Adult Fitness Test features activities that provide an overall assessment of a person’s physical fitness and can be used to help set fitness goals and measure progress. The test involves a one-mile walk or 1.5-mile run to test aerobic fitness, sit-ups or push-ups to test muscular strength and endurance, a sit-and-reach test to measure flexibility, and a body mass index (BMI) test to assess body composition. Adults can take the Adult Fitness Test alone, although it’s easier to do with a partner. “While many Americans know physical activity is important for leading a healthy life and reducing the risk
for many serious diseases, many Americans don’t know where to begin,” says Wamp, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Fitness Caucus. “Everyone has a point at which their new fitness regimen should start, and this test will help determine what level of activity is best for each individual.” After taking the test, participants can sign up for the President’s Challenge, too. “The President’s Challenge is another online tool offered by the President’s Council,” says Johnson. “We encourage Americans to take the Adult Fitness Test and then continue to participate in regular physical activity as part of an overall healthy lifestyle by tracking and monitoring their physical activity at www.presidentschallenge.org.” ABOUT THE COUNCIL The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) is an advisory committee of volunteer citizens who advise the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services about physical activity, fitness and sports in America. The Office of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the HHS office containing the PCPFS Executive Director and support staff. Through its programs and partnerships with the public, private and nonprofit sectors, the Office of the PCPFS serves as a catalyst to promote health, physical activity, fitness and enjoyment for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities through participation in physical activity and sports. For more information about PCPFS please visit www.fitness.gov.
Who’s News, Continued from Page 5
of problems; from back pain to arthritis, with the goal of decreasing pain and enhancing performance without surgery.
Shelley Johnson
Jennifer Couvillion
During the 94th annual Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) conference held in Las Vegas, Nev., July 28-30, Shelley Johnson, executive director of the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, was honored with the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) designation. Recognized by the CVB industry as its highest educational achievement, CDME is an advanced program for veteran and career-minded CVB executives looking for senior-level professional development courses. The coursework, elective hours and final research paper, serving as the final exam, all focus on vision, leadership, productivity and implementation of business strategies Jennifer Couvillion has recently been promoted to Assistant Director of Calcasieu Women’s Shelter. She previously held the position of Community Educator/Trainer. Calcasieu Women’s Shelter serves victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through programs at the shelter and Rape Crisis Outreach. Outreach services and community education are available in Calcasieu, Cameron and Allen parishes. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies, concentration in Women’s Studies, Ms. Couvillion brings to the shelter her passion for empowering women.
Several Lake Area citizens have been appointed to state commissions and boards by Governor Bobby Jindal. Jeremy Cryer of Westlake was appointed to the Louisiana Emergency Response Commission. He is the Westlake Chief of Police and will serve as an at-large member. Wade Shaddock, of Lake Charles, was appointed to the Governor’s Military Advisory Board. He served in the Army as a colonel and is a director/trustee at The H. C. Drew Estate. He will represent the military. Steve Jordan, of Lake Charles, is the founder and president of Jordan Oil Company, Inc. He will represent the business community. Jerry Bell, of Dequincy, is the former mayor of Dequincy and is a veteran of the armed forces. Bell will represent government officials on the board. Channing Hayden, of Lake Charles was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation. He is the director of navigation and security for the Port of Lake Charles and will represent the ports and their related industries. Gray Stream of Lake Charles is the vicepresident of the Gray Estate and Stream Companies and will represent landowners. Memorial Hospital welcomes family medicine specialist Lesly Varghese, M.D., to the medical staff. A native of Houston, Texas, Dr. Varghese is a graduate of the Windsor University School of Medicine in St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies. He completed both his internship and residency through the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Monroe, Louisiana before relocating to the lake area with his wife. Dr. Varghese joins Sylvia Boyer, M.D., David Dobbins, M.D., Carolyn Hutchinson, M.D., Percival Kane, M.D., and Michael Seep, M.D., at the Family Medical Center, which is located at 2750 Aster Street in Lake Charles. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (337) 478-2650. Eva Khadjinova will serve as a judicial law clerk to Chief Judge Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux of the Louisiana Third Circuit, Court of Appeal for the 2008-2009 court term. Khadjinova is a 2008 magna cum laude graduate of Syracuse University College of Law. She served as Associate Notes Editor of the Syracuse Law Review and received the Syracuse Law Review Editor’s Award. Khadjinova is a native of Russia and has worked as an interpreter for Russian businesses and the late Governor Farkhutdinov of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia. In 2005, Khadjinova received her B.A. degree in psychology, magna cum laude, from McNeese State University. During her law school matriculation, she worked as a summer associate for the London-based law firm of Steel & Shamash. Wade Marcantel, M. Ed., LPC, will serve on the executive board of the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA) for 2008-2009 as co-chair of public relations. He is currently employed as a school counselor at South Cameron High School, a counselor at the Educational and Treatment Council (ETC) in Lake Charles and a visiting lecturer at McNeese State University. Brenda Roberts, LPC, will serve on the board as presi-
dent-elect. She is currently the owner of New Horizons Counseling Center, LLC, in Lake Charles. The LCA is a 1,500-member organization that serves and represents professional counselors in the state of Louisiana, and is a branch of the American Counseling Association. For more info, visit www.lacounseling.org. Oran Parker was named creative director of O’Carroll Group Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations, Lake Charles. Parker has been with the agency for almost two years, working in the areas of graphic design and client advertising planning. As creative director, he will guide O’Carroll Group’s creative strategy and oversee its creative product, including broadcast, print and interactive advertising. “Oran’s thoughtful approach to marketing lends great strength to the creative work we do here,” said O’Carroll Group president Peter O’Carroll. “He sets high standards to make our clients’ advertising effective.” Parker was educated in the fine arts at Northwestern State University, and then transitioned to McNeese State University, where he earned a degree in advertising design. He has previous career experience in advertising, the sign industry, printing, illustration, ad specialties and sales. He is first vice-president and program chair of the American Advertising Federation’s Lake Charles chapter. Two Lake Charles residents and a Jennings resident are among the 50 Louisianans nominated for the 2008 Angel Award sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Created in 1995 to honor volunteers who do outstanding work on behalf of Louisiana’s children, the annual program has resulted in statewide recognition and more than $720,000 in grants to the honorees’ charitable causes. This year, a panel of past honorees will choose eight Louisiana Angels from among the nominations. Each of the eight will receive a $20,000 grant for his or her charitable organization from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. Named from Lake Charles are Charlotte Manuel and Michelle McInnis. Manuel is the founder and executive director of Community Chest, a coalition of churches from different denominations that helps provide school supplies, school uniforms, food, clothing, medicine and gas to benefit children in the community. McInnis works with many youth-oriented groups in the Lake Charles area, including the Summer Reading Program, the Head Start Policy Council, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities PRIME TIME program, BRIDGES for Children, the SWLA Child C.A.R.E. Collaborative, and others. Joshua Belt of Jennings has created or participated in many youth-oriented events in Jennings during the past nine years, including “Friday Night Live,” the Jefferson Davis Youth Planning Board, “One Night,” Jennings High School Teacher’s Appreciation, hurricane relief work with PRC, Easter Eggstravaganza and Servolution. Kristie Evans, LDN, RD, of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital has been named the Health Educator for L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort. Her role, jointly supported by both the casino resort and hospital, will focus on improving the health and well being of L’Auberge employees and their families. A native of Lake Charles, Evans earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Family and Consumer Science/Food and Nutrition at McNeese State University. She has been a Registered Dietitian at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital for ten years, specializing in cardiovascular health and wellness. This new partnership with CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital is part of a comprehensive benefits package designed to help L’Auberge employees make educated, healthy choices. Both organizations agree that promoting wellness within the workplace will help to improve the health of both individual and company. The board of directors of the United Way of Southwest Louisiana has approved the appointment of Sheila Sweeney Champagne, senior vice president, to the position of interim president and chief executive officer. Champagne’s appointment follows the death in late July of Tom Morris, the organization’s senior officer for 19 years. Champagne began her United Way career in 1989 after seven years with the City of Lake Charles. A graduate of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (formerly the University of Southwest Louisiana), Champagne has focused most of her United Way years on campaign development, fund alloSheila Sweeney Champagne cation and distribution and community needs assessment. “Sheila has demonstrated tremendous poise and dedication during her 19-year tenure with the United Way of Southwest Louisiana – especially during the difficult days following Tom’s passing,” said Board Chairman Jim McGough. He noted that the United Way board is assembling an executive search committee that will conduct a nationwide search for a permanent replacement for the position of president/CEO of the United Way/SWLA. AUGUST 21, 2008
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BIZ BYTES — by Dan Juneau
INSIDE BATON ROUGE — by John Maginnis
Ethics Changes Clearly Don't Convince Critics ven before the state's sweeping new ethics laws went into effect, debate broke out over whether, as the governor claims, the state achieved the gold standard or, according to critics, it fell for fool's gold. There is no argument that the governor and Legislature raised the ethics bar with tougher laws on income disclosure, conflicts of interest and legislative perks. For politicians, the most ominous change was to make transgressors subject to criminal penalties instead of mere civil fines. But, while the rules are tougher, critics charge that lawmakers made enforcement more difficult by raising the standard of proof and by diminishing the authority of the Board of Ethics. Some go so far as to say that ethics enforcement has taken a giant leap backwards. Because the main point of the ethics exercise was to improve the state's image, it is no small matter to resolve the question: Did the governor get it right or was he duped by loophole-savvy legislators--or, worse, was he in league with them all along? Much of the argument centers on three words that were quietly substituted for three others in a key ethics bill. The previously used standard of proof, "preponderance of evidence," used in civil cases, was replaced by "clear and convincing," which is closer to "beyond reasonable doubt" used in criminal trials. How much closer was not made clear, because the new standard was amended into the bill without debate. The former attorney for the Board of Ethics, Grey Sexton, calls the new standard of proof "insurmountable" and predicts that guilty verdicts will be appealed to state courts and litigated endlessly as judges struggle to determine what "clear and convincing" means. The law's defenders counter that a higher standard of proof is appropriate now that criminal penalties attach. Also, they say, the law limits the time frame for decisions to be appealed. While the Senate can be faulted for how it passed the bill (not the first time), the new standard doesn't cripple enforcement. The most common ethics charges are fairly cut and dried and follow a paper trail. Either a can-
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didate filed a campaign finance report late or he didn't; a mayor's wife's company did business with city government or it didn't. Controversial cases often turn on the interpretation of law rather than finding of fact. Under the new set-up, it may take a few cases on appeal for state judges to establish a workable definition of "clear and convincing." But it's hard to imagine those questions so bedeviling jurists that ethics prosecutions grind to a halt. Ethics prosecutions currently are at a halt, however, because 10 of the 11-member Board of Ethics recently quit. The governor ascribes the resignations to board members not wanting to meet new income disclosure requirements, but some of them object to how the new law emasculates the board's authority. In putting together his ethics package, the governor accommodated legislators who complained that the Board of Ethics and its staff acted as prosecutor, judge and jury. Under the new law, the board decides which cases are to be prosecuted, but administrative law judges will conduct the hearings. They are career state employees, mostly lawyers, who regularly resolve conflicts over agency rules and regulations. Critics don't like that the ALJs, as they are called, answer to a chief law judge appointed by the governor. Or that the panels of hearing officers will be selected by the Board of Ethics, which this governor is about to appoint two-thirds of its members. Practically speaking, are we really concerned that chief law judge Ann Wise, a highly respected public servant originally appointed by former Gov. Mike Foster, is going to browbeat hearing officers to go light on politicians, particularly friends of the governor? Anyone who knows the judicious Wise knows that won't happen. Or do we fear that this governor will stack the new ethics board with toadies who will subvert the principles on which he has staked his administration? Hardly seems likely. Not to say that this system of ethics administration is perfect, just as the old one wasn't either. But critics who claim that the state of ethics is worse off than before have yet to make a clear and convincing case.
The Electoral Map Three Months Out f one looks at the red, blue, and black color-coded Electoral College map on the realclearpolitics.com Web site, one would have to think that the outcome of the 2008 presidential contest has been pretty much decided. Sen. Barack Obama is leading in states that would give him 238 electoral votes of the 270 needed to win the presidency. Sen. John McCain leads in states that would give him only 163. States listed as toss-ups hold 137 electoral votes. According to that map, Sen. Obama would need only 32 electoral votes from the 11 toss-up states in order to take the presidential oath of office next January. It would be difficult for anyone to argue that Sen. Obama has the easier path to the presidency at this juncture. He will have considerably more money for the effort and will likely have a much larger and better-organized get-out-the-vote effort than Sen. McCain. Obama is aided by the low view the voters have of the Bush administration and the strong feeling captured in public opinion polling that the country isn’t going in the right direction. He is further assisted by the rather weak campaign Sen. McCain has run to this point (some say it makes Bob Dole’s look dynamic by comparison). Sen. Obama, indeed, has a lot going for him. But he hasn’t yet cinched the win. Could Sen. Obama somehow squander such advantages? It would be difficult, but not impossible. One only has to think back to another Democratic candidate—Michael Dukakis—who blew a 17-point lead three months out from the election in 1988. Sen. Obama is very much on message, but the message is light on meaning at this point. In a word, it is “change.” Change is a powerful—but polarizing—concept in politics. For every voter who worships change, there is another who fears it—particularly if it isn’t properly defined. In spite of Republican blunders and Sen. Obama’s “change” message, he is nowhere near the sizeable lead in the polls that eventual loser Dukakis had in the 1988 campaign. In fact, his poll numbers seem to have plateaued recently.
I
Fortunately for Sen. Obama, he doesn’t need to generate much forward momentum. To win, he needs to solidify the states leaning toward him but not firmly there yet (Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maine) and lock down a few of the toss-up states (Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida). Sen. McCain has a much more daunting challenge. He must lock up every state currently only leaning his way, according to the Real Clear Politics map (Alaska, Texas, Montana, North Dakota, Mississippi, and Georgia). Then, his real challenge
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO ARGUE THAT SEN. OBAMA HAS THE EASIER PATH TO THE PRESIDENCY AT THIS JUNCTURE. begins. He must either sweep 107 of the 137 electoral votes in the toss-up states (a tough chore) or move some of the “lean to Obama” states into his column. The most likely of those states—Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Pennsylvania—would be tough assignments for McCain. If he could win 20 electoral votes in those four states (a very difficult assignment), he would still need 87 from the toss-up states to win. McCain’s best scenario is to win all of his “lean” states and win Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Colorado. Those states would give him a combined 108 electoral votes— just enough to win if he held on to the states leaning his way. McCain still has a chance but the clock is ticking— and his campaign needs better performance immediately.
BUSINESS
notes from smoking related diseases. According to the TCP, 23.4% of adults and 25% of youth in Louisiana are smokers. Each year, approximately 9,000 children in Louisiana become new daily smokers, one-third of which will die prematurely from smoking. To learn more about this year’s activities call Rene’ Stansbury at 1.800.435.2432 Ext: 228 or e-mail: tobaccocontrol@swlahec.com.
Pictured from Left to Right: Paul G. Pastorek - State Superintendent of Education, John Bostick - Moss Bluff Branch Manager, Robie Touchette Executive Vice President, Glen Bertrand - President and CEO, Matthew Bowles Marketing Coordinator, John Marcello - Chief Lending Officer, Dale Bayard District 7 BESE Representative, Linda Johnson, BESE President
City Savings Bank of DeRidder was awarded the 2008 Distinguished Partners in Education Award from the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Department of Education. It was nominated for the award by Rita Mann, M.Ed., Superintendent of Beauregard Parish Schools, for its active involvement as a charter member of the Partners in Education Program. The bank has been a part of the program since 1993, and now directly works with five parish schools: Pine Wood Elementary, South Beauregard High School, South Beauregard Elementary, East Beauregard Elementary and East Beauregard High School. The employees of City Savings Bank play a hands-on, active role in many educational activities, such as teaching math and civics classes, presenting gifts, sponsoring lunches, dining with students in the Lunch Buddy Program, judging academic fairs and contests and attending school programs. City Savings Bank has extended its dedication to education to Calcasieu Parish, where they have partnered with six parish schools. City Savings Bank has locations in DeRidder, Leesville, Sulphur, Moss Bluff, Lake Charles and DeQuincy. For more information on the bank’s involvement with the Partners in Education Program contact: Matthew Bowles at (337) 463-8661. For more information about City Savings Bank and its services visit www.citysavingsbank.com. W.O. Moss Regional Medical Center has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission‘s national standards for health care quality and safety. “We sought accreditation for Moss because we want to demonstrate our commitment to patient’s safety and quality care,” says Dr. Patrick Robinson. “Joint Commission accreditation is another way for Moss and its employees to demonstrate to the community our dedication toward achieving excellence.” The Joint Commission conducted an unannounced, on-site evaluation of Moss Regional on April 1 of this year. The accreditation award recognizes Moss Regional’s dedication to complying with the Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards on a continuous basis. The Commission evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States and is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (SWLAHEC) received a $35,000 community partnership grant from the Department of Health and Hospitals Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health Tobacco Control Program (TCP) to provide tobacco prevention, cessation and control activities in Region five of the state which includes the following parishes: Cameron, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Beauregard, and Vernon. The goals of the TCP programs is to prevent initiation to tobacco use among young people, eliminate exposure to second hand smoke, promote cessation among adults and young people who use tobacco and to identify and eliminate disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among different population groups. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Annually, tobacco cost Louisiana $1.47 billion in direct medical cost and 6,400 people die yearly
The Calcasieu Police Jury is now accepting rentals for the newly refurbished Post Oak Pavilion in Sulphur. The Pavilion has undergone an extensive makeover with enhancements being made to both the interior and exterior of the structure. The Post Oak Pavilion, located on 2911 Post Oak Road in Sulphur, was built in 1994, and is used for various activities such as family reunions, receptions, parties, training sessions, etc. The pavilion has AC/heat, (40) 8-foot folding tables, 270 chairs, a refrigerator, and a stove. (Refrigerator and stove are not industrial size) There is a fenced back area with a large covered barbecue pit. In addition, there is a large back porch (30’ x 60’) with outside restrooms and kitchen area. The pavilion hall measures 50’ x 80’, the kitchen is 10’ x 20’ and accommodates approximately 500 people. For more information or to reserve the Post Oak Pavilion, please contact a representative of the Facilities Management Department at 721-3540.
Cameron Communications Public Relations Coordinator, Trina Johnson with Carl Broussard, President of the Cameron Saltwater Fishing Festival.
Cameron Communications Public Relations Coordinator, Trina Johnson presented a $1,000 check to Carl Broussard for the Cameron Saltwater Fishing Festival. The fishing festival was held at the Grand Chenier Park on Aug. 8 and 9. Habitat for Humanity: Calcasieu Area, Inc., recently dedicated their first house in Cameron Parish. Sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Swift Energy Charitable Fund, it is the first Habitat house to be built on piers. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas were represented by Vicky Broussard, along with many of the volunteers who spent countless hours helping to build the house. Also attending the dedication were Barry Turcott and Clint Helmke, representatives of the Swift Energy Charitable Fund. Bishop Glen J. Provost led the dedication with an opening prayer and scripture reading. He and Father Joseph McGrath blessed the house and new owners Cecil and Leslie Clark. Habitat for Humanity: Calcasieu Area, Inc., was established in 1992 and has completed 49 houses. The next two houses are in the process of being built and will be dedicated later this year. Habitat builds simple, decent and affordable houses for those who are willing to partner with the organization. To do so, potential homeowners must be in need of adequate housing; must be willing to volunteer 300 hours of sweat equity toward their home; must make a modest down payment and then must be able to make mortgage payments. While the houses are not free, Habitat makes available no-interest mortgages in order to make home ownership more affordable for low-income families. For more information, call (337) 497-0129.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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NEWS
ROUNDUP
FROM
MSU
McNeese Receives Grant to Study Coastal Restoration
Ron Hansen (left), a former McNeese basketball player, representing RSC Equipment Rental, presented a $5,000 check to the PetroChem Athletic Association to use in their golf tournament. Accepting the check were (left to right) tournament director Walter Wyatt, McNeese athletic director Tommy McClelland and club president Mike Duhon.
RSC Equipment Rental will Sponsor McNeese PetroChem Athletic Association's Golf Tournament Former McNeese basketball player Ron Hansen, representing RSC Equipment Rental, recently presented a check for $5,000 to the PetroChem Athletic Association. Tournament director Walter Wyatt, club president Mike Duhon and McNeese athletic director Tommy McClelland accepted the check. The club will hold its 19th annual tournament on October 10 at Mallard Cove in Lake Charles. The event is a four-person scramble with an entry fee of $500 per team.
There will be shotgun starts at both 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on tournament day. All proceeds from the tournament are used by the club to help build and improve athletic facilities on the McNeese State campus. Funds will be used in the construction of a new athletic fieldhouse. In the past, funds have helped in the construction of the Dowell Fontenot Sports Medicine center, the visitor’s football dress room, the track facility and the Hodges Street Fieldhouse.
Volleyball Team Earns AVCA Award McNeese State’s volleyball team earned its fourth consecutive American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2007-08 season. A total of 213 collegiate programs earned the award this season. The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and
high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence during the classroom during the year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team gradepoint average on a 4.0 scale. McNeese was one of 71 NCAA Division I universities, the only Louisiana school and one of two Southland Conference school to receive the honor.
McNeese State University has received a $334,540 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to fund the Chenier Plain Sustainability Initiative to study improved coastal restoration for Southwest Louisiana. The grant initiative was announced by U.S. Rep. Charles W. Boustany, Jr. The study will be implemented through McNeese’s Louisiana Environmental Research Center. According to Janet Woolman, director of research services and sponsored programs at McNeese, the center has conducted basic research, accumulated and disseminated information and helped create awareness through education of environmental issues and concepts related to wetlands restoration/remediation since its creation in 1990 by the Louisiana Board of Regents. Woolman said both the Chenier Plain and the Coastal Prairie are critical habitats for the environmental and economic security of Louisiana. “The Chenier Plain marshes provide storm surge protection for
Southwest Louisiana as well as Southeast Texas. The Chenier Plain runs from Vermilion Bay to Galveston Bay. Building and protecting these marshes require the conservation of coastal prairie, or headwaters, and the preservation of this unique and delicate ecosystem from a landscape perspective,” she explained. “As evidenced by the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita in 2005, the Chenier Plain is a very delicate ecosystem. This ecosystem is home to facilities necessary to the sustainability of the nation such as oil and gas production, petroleum-chemical industry, commerce and shipping, and natural resources.” “We are running against the clock as each year another hurricane season brings the potential for a devastating new storm like Hurricane Rita,” Boustany said. “I am committed to a long-term solution and funding to rebuild our coastline. It’s critical that we do it right the first time, and that’s what this grant will help ensure.”
Women’s Golf Team Recognized McNeese State’s women’s golf team has been recognized by the National Golf Coaches Association as one of the Top 25 All-Scholar Teams for the 2007-08 season. The Cowgirls rank 9th with an overall 3.615 team GPA. The award recognizes women’s collegiate golf programs with the highest collective average team GPA that
includes all of the team’s student-athletes for the season. Maggie Welch, Jacy Reynolds, Mandi Hamilton and Randi Fischer were named to the Association’s All-America Scholar Team. The student-athlete must have competed in at least 50 percent of competitive rounds with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA.
New Assistant Baseball Coach Named Clay Van Hook, 23, who played and coached at the University of Texas, has been named an assistant baseball coach at McNeese State by Cowboy head coach Terry Burrows. He will join Bubbs Merrill on Burrows’ staff. “We’re excited to have Clay join our staff,” Burrows said. “He comes from a quality program and has the experience of having worked with one of the best coaches in college baseball in Augie Garrido.” Burrows said that Hook will work with the PAGE 10
AUGUST 21, 2008
infielders, will help with hitting and will recruit. A native of Brenham, TX, Van Hook played three seasons at the University of Texas as an infielder. He also served as a student assistant coach for the Longhorns for the 2008 season. During his high school career at Brenham High, he was named to the all-state baseball team four years in a row and played in the Texas Class AAAA state championship game as a quarterback.
Dr. Carrie Chrisco, interim head of the department of mass communication at McNeese State University, left, accepts a $15,000 scholarship donation from Jim and Jo Ann Beam for the Jim Beam Scholarship in Journalism. Their donation will receive a $5,000 match from the McNeese Foundation through the current endowment campaign. Jim Beam is the retired editor of the American Press in Lake Charles.
NEWS
ROUNDUP
FROM
MSU
Standout Golfer Receives Scholarship Austin Snell, a standout prep golfer from Barber’s Hill High School in Texas, has signed a scholarship to play golf at McNeese State. He was a four year all-district performer, played in three state regional tournaments and competed in the Texas prep championship event. Snell carries a plus 1.2 handicap at his home course of Eagle’s Point. McNeese assistant golf coach Chris Gentry said that Snell has the potential to come in and play immediately for the Cowboys. This past year,
Snell spent a full semester attending the David Ledbetter Golf Academy. A native of Montbelvieu, TX, Snell graduated with a 3.9 overall grade point average from high school and was in the top 15 percent of his class. He expects to major in business management at McNeese and also plans to earn his MBA. As a competitor in high school, Snell won six tournaments and had a career low round of 68 (on a par 73 course).
Ring Week at McNeese McNeese State University students and alumni can meet with representatives from Balfour Aug. 20-22 in the McNeese Bookstore during the Official Ring Week where they can see the rings up-close, have their fingers sized and ask questions about the Official Ring program. A Balfour representative will be available from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 20 and from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 21-22. Orders can be placed at the bookstore or online at www.balfourcollege.com. Anyone pur-
chasing a ring will have the opportunity to participate in the fall ring presentation ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 9, where alumni and students will receive their rings in a ceremony detailing the meaning and symbolism of the ring. The McNeese Official Ring is available to all alumni, undergraduate students having earned a minimum of 75 hours while pursuing a baccalaureate degree, and degree candidates for the associate, master’s or specialist degree.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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S O U T H W E S T
L O U I S I A N A ’ S
H O M E G R O W N
B U S I N E S S E S
Athlete’s Corner Turns 27 By Lisa Yates ne local business celebrated a milestone this month. Athlete’s Corner turned 27. Family-owned and operated since 1981, the store is located at 1737 W. Sale Road in Lake Charles. Eric Ardoin, 29, said the store was originally located on Ryan Street at the Southgate Shopping Center. He said the store was founded by his parents, Freddie and Evadine Ardoin, along with a partner, Cody McGee. Ardoin said he grew up in the family business. “I started working when I was 12 years-old,” he said. “I went with my mom and helped out by picking up trash and doing whatever they needed me to do.” He said his older sister, Shellie Hoffpauir, also worked at the store. She was the store’s general manager until moving into the real estate business. Ardoin took over as general manager after graduating from McNeese State University with a Bachelor of
O
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Science degree in marketing and management. Most people know the store as a baseball oasis, he said. And it is. The Barbe High School and the South Lake Charles Little League All-Star baseball teams get their gear here. “We carry all of the top-of-the-line high-end gear,” Ardoin said, adding that’s unusual. “We have all of the things you usually have to go to the Internet to find.” But that’s not all – he also carries the latest gear for football, basketball and other sports. In addition, the store does a lot of business in custom uniform sales, varsity jackets and lettering. They even do custom work – screen-printing logos for businesses and teams. “We also have the biggest athletic shoe selection in Louisiana,” Ardoin said. “Our shoes are 100 percent athletic shoes – and we have tons of cleats.” Besides the great selection, Ardoin credits his knowledgeable, friendly sales staff as one of the major reasons
The friendly sales staff at Athlete's Corner (Alex Stark, left, Joe Bourgeois, Phillip Fendley, Trent Matte, and Eric Ardoin) say they have the largest selection of athletic shoes in the area.
for the store’s success. “It’s all about customer service,” he said. “The staff is very knowledgeable. Everyone I’ve hired has played sports and they know the games.” Ardoin knows a thing or two about sports, himself. He lettered in seven sports, while attending Lacassine High School. His retail sales manager, Phillip Fendley, is also an athlete; and, he has been with the store for 22 years. Fendley, 43, knows the products – everything from Little League bats to athletic shoes. He can answer any question customers throw at him. His longevity in the business has earned him contacts with sales reps from all of the big companies; and, he keeps current on all of the latest gear. “I enjoy working in the sporting goods business,” he said. “I know the products; and, I’m good at it. Anything you want to know about sports – I know it. I’ve taught tennis before; and, I’ve played a lot of sports.” Ardoin said it is important “to stay ahead of the curve” when competing against the big national chain stores. “The first year Academy opened, it was tough,” he said. “But we offer a lot of high-end brands that they didn’t. We also have good customer service.” Even on the busiest days, staff members greet each customer and offer assistance. Ardoin said flexibility is also important. “You have to adapt to your customers – You have to have what they want, when they want it,” he said. “Since my staff is still involved in sports, we get a lot of feedback from our customers. They tell us what they want, like about shoes. Customer feedback is huge.” Athlete’s Corner is clean and modern with an “old-school” sporting goods store vibe – a good place to meet the up and coming MSU stars of baseball, softball and tennis. The store also sponsors the Lake Area Runners’ annual St. Patrick’s Day race. LAR members receive a 20 percent discount. Members of Go Run – a 15-week training program – also receive a discount. “Members of local fitness clubs also get discounts,” Ardoin said. “Members of Gigi’s Fitness Center receive a 20 percent discount; and, members of LA Fitness get a 25 percent discount.” He said the store promotes physical fitness, sports and healthy lifestyles for everyone. To find out more, call (337) 4971920, or visit at 1737 W. Sale Road in Lake Charles. Store hours are from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Mon.-Fri., and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sat.
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AUGUST 21, 2008
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Book Beat By Terri Shlichenmeyer
Kid’s book takes the mystery out of election process What better time than an election year to educate your children on the electoral process—and what better way to do it than with See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman and Elwood H. Smith. With the Republican and Democratic National Conventions coming up soon, this is a great time for them to learn about all the politicking they’ll see this year. In easy-to-understand terms, authors Susan E. Goodman and Elwood H. Smith make politics easy. I truly appreciated their simple explanation on the Electoral College, and it was nice to have a comprehensive overview of the Hanging Chad hoo-ha of 2000 (something kids won’t remember). Historians think that ancient people had elections, but there’s really no way to be sure. What we do know is that our country’s found-
1129 Common Street Lake Charles, LA 70601
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Be sure to visit us Sept. 5th for Gallery Promenade PAGE 14
AUGUST 21, 2008
ing fathers set up our government with checks and balances, along with a voting system that is a little confusing. We have an Electoral College and no, that’s not at all like the university nearby. With the Electoral College, each state gets a certain amount of electors based on the state’s population. The people tell the elector who to vote for, and the electors elect the president. Believe it or not, depending on population, a candidate can win the election even if he (or she) loses in over half the states! But long before they get that far, candidates have to endure primaries. Campaigning is expensive, so they have to ask for donations, or take public money. They have to make speeches and shake thousands of hands. They’ll put up with dirty tricks and maybe even play some of
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their own. They have to be careful to say the right thing and do what they say they’ll do. And when it comes time to cast a ballot, they have to be sure to vote for themselves because there have been elections lost by just one vote. What can kids do to influence local and national politics? Bug their parents to vote. Attend public meetings to learn about local government. Invite the mayor to speak to their class this fall. Find out who their congressman is and write letters. Let your kids know that Democracy starts with people like them. The cover makes the book look like it’s kids-only. The truth is, adults who pick up this fun book will surely learn a thing or two about how our election process works. The trivia at the back of the book, as well as the resources, wraps everything up nicely. Buy this book for your 7-to15-year-old, but read it yourself, too. For current voters or future politicians, See How They Run is a book to run and get. See How They Run Susan E. Goodman and Elwood H. Smith 2008, Bloomsbury USA $9.95 96 pages Terri Shlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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Q&A’s for District Judge, 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.1, Div.H – Calcasieu Parish The Election Season Preview, Part I The fall election season is heating up with a number of high temperature local races – everything from the Lake Charles DA’s race to judgeships in Calcasieu and Beauregard Parishes. In this twopart series, local candidates answer questions and share their insights on key issues before the Oct. 4 elections. Included in this issue is biographical information and answers to issue questions from each candidates in each of the following races: • District Judge, 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.1, Div.H; • District Judge, 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.2, Div.B; • District Attorney,14th Judicial Court District. See how these candidates stand on some key issues. The candidates were limited to 30 words for issue questions. An ellipsis and ending period (...) closes candidates’ statements where their submitted responses exceeded those set limits. Only one candidate for District Judge did not respond in time for publication: Cynthia Clay Guillory-Lands, candidate for 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.1, Div.H. Also, questions were sent to U.S. Senate candidates Mary Landrieu and John Kennedy, but neither responded. For more information on these candidates, voters may visit their Web sites: www.marylandrieu.com and www.johnkennedy.com In Part II, hear what candidates in these races have to say:
Experience
To what extent have you practiced, or ruled, in the areas of criminal law? Family law? Complex civil litigation?
What do you perceive as the greatest obstacles to justice, if any?
Democrat Age: 54 Executive Director of Calcasieu Parish Public Defenders’ Office
My principal practice has been criminal law 90% I have experience in family and juvenile matters but not complex civil litigation
The volume of civil and criminal case filings resulting in backlogs. Justice delayed is justice denied. The current method of selecting prospective jurors in Calcasieu, Parish Personal and staff research. Conferencing with attorneys’ involved. Asking questions of other lawyers and judges.
As a judge or prospective judge, what do you consider your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
Strengths: Temperament, consistency, extensive courtroom experience, knowledge and appreciation of the law, respect for others, transitioning from advocate to jurist. Weakness: Lack of significant civil experience.
What is your vision for the future of our judicial system? What changes would you advocate (if elected, or re-elected) and why?
If you were the person responsible for deciding what cases would be tried and in what order, how would you split the court's time between the criminal calendar and the civil calendar?
What can be done to shorten the time between when a person enters a plea and when they are sentenced?
Part II, will be included in the next issue of The Times of Southwest Louisiana, which will be on the newsstands on Sept. 4, 2008.
Contact information – phone number, Web site, e-mail, etc., so the public may contact you for more information.
AUGUST 21, 2008
Ronald F. Ware
Assistant District Attorney 1981 thru 1985. Staff Attorney Public Defenders’ Office 1986 – February 1997 and April 1998 - 1999. General Private Practice, Newman Law Firm March 1997 – March 1998. Executive Director, Public Defenders’ Office 2000 to Present
How would you (or, how do you) prepare yourself to handle cases involving unfamiliar areas of the law?
• District Judge, 36th Judicial District Court, Div. A • District Judge, 36th Judicial District Court, Div. B • U.S. Representative 7th Congressional District
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Graduate of: Lake Charles High School 1972. Prairie View A & M University, B.A. Political Science Prairie, Texas 1976. Lewis & Clark Law School, Juris Doctorate Portland, Oregon 1980
Education
Becoming more inclusive and recognizing each participants specialized needs. Adequate funding for indigents. Using multiple sources for prospective jurors, not only voter registration list, would provide greater jury diversity and a sense of shared responsibility.
Criminal and juvenile cases have top priority. Family and civil next. 40% Criminal juvenile, 30% Family, 30% Civil. These are approximations with flexibility to accommodate any shift necessary.
This is not really a problem. Sentencing occurs 90% of the time immediately, following the plea. In other instances, pre-sentence investigations are ordered necessitating a 60-70 day delay which is reasonable.
Phone: (337) 855-3633 E-Mail: ronware1@aol.com
Q&A’s for District Judge, 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.1, Div.H – Calcasieu Parish
Lydia Guillory-Lee Democrat Age: 52 City Prosecutor/ Lawyer
Graduate, Lake Charles High School, 1974. Bachelor of Arts Degree, McNeese State University, 1978. Juris Doctorate Degree, Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, 1982.
1988 Louisiana State University Bachelor of Criminal Justice. Minor: Philosophy (religious studies). 1991 Paul Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, Juris Doctorate
Assistant District Attorney, 1983-1988: First African American female in history of Calcasieu Parish to serve. Assistant City Attorney for the City of Lake Charles: First African American and first female to serve. Attorney, Jones, Tete, Nolan, Hanchey, Swift and Spears, 1992. Private practice and part-time City Prosecutor for City of Lake Charles, 1996. Criminal defense attorney in the 14th Judicial District Court, Calcasieu Parish.
My legal experience includes 16 years of civil practice and 16 years as an Assistant District Attorney.
Misdemeanor and felony prosecution for the Calcasieu District Attorney’s office from 1982 to 1988 handing homicides, robberies, burglaries, thefts, rapes and child molestation cases from initial investigation to appeal. From 1996 to the present I have, through my private practice, handled criminal defense and juvenile defense including serving as a Federal Indigent Defender and as a conflict attorney for the Cameron Indigent Defender Board....
Sharon Wilson Democrat Age: 42 Attorney, currently serving as an Assistant District Attorney
In Family Court I have represented clients in Adoptions, Child Custody matters, Child Support, and Divorce actions. In Civil Court I have represented both plaintiffs and defendants. I have volunteered my services to Churches involved in civil litigation across the state. In Criminal Court, I have tried cases from traffic violations to First Degree Murder (Death Penalty). I have also been called in as a special prosecutor for another court to handle a complex sexual assault prosecution in Juvenile Court.
Financial resources limit litigants access to the court system as well as the ability to acquire evidence and expert witness testimony which may be required to be successful.
Complacency by those involved in the justice system would the greatest obstacle. I promise to always work toward advancing the direction of the court, and not allow myself to become complacent.
I gain familiarity with an unknown area of the law through legal research, from advice from fellow attorneys experienced in that particular area of the law, investigation of the facts and a review of the clients' goals.
An unfamiliar area of the law requires independent research and study so that it is no longer unfamiliar.
My greatest is strength is my experience to discern the central and factual issues in a given controversy. My greatest weakness is believing that everything on my to-do list must be done today.
Keenly aware of the legal separation of Church and State, my greatest strengths are my Christian values, fairness, experience, confidence and wisdom. My weakness is that I can sometimes be overly compassionate.
My vision is to help eliminate the public’s fear of the judicial system and the perception that a single individual is unable to influence and/or change the direction of a specific controversy. I would advocate uniform pre-trial orders and more intense focus on the pre-trial stages of litigation. I think it is important to teach litigants that the law provides only certain remedies and that remedies developed by the people involved in a controversy can be more effective and more satisfying than the remedy offered by the legal system.
Implementing a mental health court, and a supervised pre-trial release program for non-violent offenders. The court is called upon to meet the unique challenges the mentally ill bring to the justice system. Mental Health Court represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between the mental health treatment system and the criminal justice system. The Supervised Pre-Trial Release Program will allow non-violent indigent persons to qualify for release under supervision awaiting trial. This program will free up jail space for serious violent offenders awaiting arrest.
I would assign a higher priority to criminal cases which involve injury to persons and similarly, a higher priority to civil cases with litigants whose injuries are life threatening or intensely life altering. Regardless of the age of this type of case the intensity that these cases have on people and families require a rapid resolution. I would apply the above priorities to civil, criminal and family matters with attention to the number of cases filed.
In deciding the priority of cases several factors must be considered, including, the age of the case and the seriousness of the harm to the litigants. The court's time must be split in a way that will effectively move both the civil and criminal dockets.
Sentencing delays may arise from Motions for New Trial, Motions in Arrest of Judgment or Supervisory or Appellate review. The law identifies the minimum delay between conviction and sentencing and allows a defendant to seek supervisory jurisdiction to eliminate unreasonable delay in sentencing. The court may require pre-sentence investigations which, by law, are to be complete within 60 to 90 days, depending on circumstances....
A majority of defendants are sentenced immediately after their plea of guilty. For the rest, typically a Judge will need additional information about the case before sentencing, and will order a Pre-Sentence Investigation, which is conducted by the Louisiana Division of Probation and Parole. The Division of Probation and Parole requires 60 days to conduct an investigation and report for the court. As judge, I will set a sentencing date on the day of the guilty plea and I will promptly sentence when the report is received.
Campaign to Elect Lydia Guillory-Lee 330 Alamo St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 (337) 436-2266 • Lydia4judge@gmail.com
Phone number: (337) 274-3329 Web site: SharonWilsonForJudge.org E-mail: Sharonforjudge@aol.com
AUGUST 21, 2008
PAGE 17
How to Judge a Candidate: Seven steps to making your choice
Elections present voters with important choices. Whether it’s a local race that will affect your community or a national race that could change the direction of the country, it’s a time to consider the issues that you care about and decide which candidate you support. How do voters go about comparing and then judging candidates? The seven steps outlined below will help.
Step 1: Decide what you are looking for in a candidate. Candidates can be judged in two ways: the positions they take on issues and the leadership qualities and experience they would bring to office. Both are important. Your first step in picking a candidate is to decide the issues you care about and the qualities you want in a leader. When you consider issues, think about community or national problems that you want people in government to address. For example, you may be interested in the threat of nuclear war, government funding for student loans, or
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AUGUST 21, 2008
teenage unemployment. When you consider leadership qualities, think about the characteristics you want in an effective leader. Do you look for intelligence, honesty, and an ability to communicate? Step 2: Find out about the candidates. First, find out which candidates are running in the race by going to smartvoter.org. If Smart Voter is not available for your county, then look in your Sample Ballot mailed to you from your county elections office. Newspapers are another source of information. Step 3: Gather materials about the candidates. Put together a "library" of information about the candidates. Collect any information you can find. Call campaign headquarters and watch the press. Sources of information to choose from include: • campaign literature, including campaign Web sites • nonpartisan online voter
information Web sites like Smart Voter • direct mail letters • press reports (newspapers, television, and radio) • radio and television ads • candidates’ speeches • candidate debates. • In a local race, interviews with the candidates can be helpful. For incumbents, a look at their voting records on issues that you have listed as important will tell you the candidates' positions on those issues. Step 4: Evaluate candidates' stands on issues. As you read the materials you collect, keep a record. Do the materials give you an overall impression of the candidates? What specific conclusions can you draw about the candidates' stand on issues? Step 5: Learn about the candidates' leadership abilities. Deciding if a candidate will be a good leader is difficult. How can you
know if someone will be honest, open or able to act under pressure if elected to office? Here are some ways to read between the lines as you evaluate the candidates' leadership qualities. Look at the candidates' background and experience. How well prepared are they for the job? Observe the candidates' campaigns. Do they accept speaking engagements before different groups - even those groups that might not be sympathetic? Do they accept invitations to debate? Do the campaigns emphasize media events where the candidates can be seen but not heard? Review the campaign materials. As you read the materials and watch the campaign develop, add to the Candidate Report Card the information that provides insights into their personalities and leadership qualities. For example, do campaign materials emphasize issues or just images? Are they accurate? Step 6: Learn how other people view the candidate. Now that you have accumulated
information from campaigns and other sources, you will want to learn what other people think about the candidates. Their opinions can help to clarify your own views, but do not discount you own informed judgments. You may be the most careful observer of all! Seek the opinions of others in your community who keep track of political campaigns. Interview three people (not family members) such as a shopkeeper, neighbor, or politically active volunteer, to find out which candidate they support and why. Learn what has shaped their political opinions. Was it an event? An idea or program proposed by a candidate? A particular issue about which they feel strongly? Long-standing party loyalty? Learn about endorsements. This is a way for interest groups and organizations to give a "stamp of approval" to a candidate. Endorsements provide clues to the issues a candidate supports. Get a list of endorsements from each candidates' headquarters. Find out what these groups stand for and find out why they are endorsing this candidate. Look into campaign contributions. Where do the candidates get the funds to finance their campaigns? Do they use their own money or raise funds from a few wealthy donors, from many small contributors, or from Political Action Committees? Many types of information about campaign contributions must be reported to the government and are watched by the press. Check the newspaper for stories on campaign finance. How might these campaign contributions affect the candidates' conduct in office? Throughout the campaign, opinion polls will be taken by a variety of groups to evaluate public support for the different candidates. Polls reveal who is leading at a certain point in the race. As you read the polls, ask these questions: Who sponsored the poll? Were all the figures released? What kinds of questions were asked? Were they slanted or unbiased? How were respondents selected - randomly or such a way to include all segments of the population? How many people were included in the poll sample?
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Step 7: Sorting it all out. Review the information and compare all the candidates. Ask yourself these final questions: • Which candidate's view on the issues do you agree with the most? • Who ran the fairest campaign? • Which candidate demonstrated the most knowledge on the issues? • Which candidate has the leadership qualities you are looking for? • Is the choice clear? If so, pick a candidate. Source: League of Women Voters Education Fund
AUGUST 21, 2008
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Q&A’s for District Judge, 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.2, Div.B – Calcasieu Parish Education
Experience
Clayton Davis
1978 - Business degree, Centenary College. 1981 – J.D., SMU School of Law
B.A.-LSU, 1964; JURIS DOCTOR – LSU LAW, 1967
1981 – 1988 - Woodley, Williams Law Firm. 1989 – Present - LUNDY & DAVIS
In 41 years, handled a huge variety of legal cases; completed well over 100 jury trials, and 500 judge trials before at least 90 state and federal judges.
Practice in the area of complex civil litigation has been extensive, especially in the last 14 years. practice in the areas of family law and criminal law has been limited.
Maurice Tynes Democrat Age: 67 Lawyer
In my career, about 5% in criminal law, 5% in family law, remainder in insurance litigation, and other civil litigation including complex civil litigation and arbitration in several states.
To what extent have you practiced, or ruled, in the areas of criminal law? Family law? Complex civil litigation?
Republican Age: 53 Attorney/Partner, LUNDY & DAVIS, L.L.P.
What do you perceive as the greatest obstacles to justice, if any?
Delay is the greatest obstacle to justice. Courts must be part of the solution by improving efficiency and establishing deadlines to keep parties committed to trial dates.
Justice in court is most hampered by unjustified delay in reaching trial, extra legal expenses caused by lengthy delay, and bias and favoritism in the courtroom.
Reading case law and legal journals allows one to understand unfamiliar areas of the law. I would also talk to judges more familiar with the particular area of law.
I’ll take advantage of legal education seminars, specialized legal research sources, and studying a wide variety of scholarly materials on new developments in law and government.
STRENGTHS – Temperament, experience, knowledge of the law and organization. WEAKNESS – Impatience with delays.
Greatest strengths are my hard work ethic, and urge to learn constantly in many subjects, legal and otherwise. My greatest weakness is not delegating enough work to others.
Online filing of pleadings, as is done in federal court, would be an improvement. Scheduling and conferencing through online means is also an achievable goal.
Judges should be more accountable to the public by being elected parish-wide in a plurality type, at-large election, otherwise integrity and competence will continue to suffer greatly.
Both the civil and criminal dockets need constant attention and I would be flexible in scheduling the most pressing cases first, regardless of whether they are civil or criminal.
By working harder, I will devote more calendar days to civil cases, but the District Attorney legally decides which criminal cases to try on criminal trial days.
Establish deadlines that are reasonable, but move the parties to sentencing as quickly as possible. Do not allow delay.
Unjustified postponement of hearing dates should be eliminated which will cause cases to move faster from beginning to end. Abuses of the public defender system should be stopped.
(337) 439-0707 – Office claytondavisforjudge@yahoo.com – Campaign e-mail cdavis@lundydavis.com – Office e-mail
(337) 479-1173 maurice@tyneslaw.com
How would you (or, how do you) prepare yourself to handle cases involving unfamiliar areas of the law?
As a judge or prospective judge, what do you consider your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
What is your vision for the future of our judicial system? What changes would you advocate (if elected, or re-elected) and why?
If you were the person responsible for deciding what cases would be tried and in what order, how would you split the court's time between the criminal calendar and the civil calendar?
What can be done to shorten the time between when a person enters a plea and when they are sentenced?
Contact information – phone number, Web site, e-mail, etc., so the public may contact you for more information.
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AUGUST 21, 2008
Q&A’s for District Judge, 14th Judicial District Court, Elec.Sec.2, Div.B – Calcasieu Parish Graduated from Marion High School in 1966; McNeese State University in 1970; and obtained a Juris Doctor degree from LSU Law School in 1973.
Terry J. Johnson Democrat Age: 60 Attorney at Law
I have practiced law for thirty-five (35) years in seven (7) different fields. I have served as a prosecutor in both Allen Parish and Calcasieu Parish. I have tried both serious criminal and civil cases before juries as well as the bench. I have served as a prosecutor in Allen Parish as well as Calcasieu Parish and have tried serious felony cases before juries. I left the District Attorney’s Office in 1982 and have an active criminal practice today. I also have an active family law practice. Lastly, I have handled and tried serious personal injury cases before various juries. I have an active personal injury practice.
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I perceive that the greatest obstacle to justice in our system today is delay. Justice delayed is justice denied. I will do everything within my power to expedite resolution of cases. I would continue my practice of attending continuing legal education classes every year. Presently, 12.5 hours of continuing legal education are required of an attorney. Usually, I attend from 30 to 60 CLE classes annually. I would also read and study the briefs submitted by the attorneys in the case and conduct independent research study as well.
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My greatest strengths are a broad knowledge of law in many different areas of the law, a thirst for knowledge and an excellent work ethic. My greatest weakness is a feeling of inadequacy sometimes for the task at hand. I envision a court system that is technologically efficient making use of the most current innovations to save time and expenses to the parties and the attorneys while at the same time preserving some time-tested methods that personalize the office. For example, if I am elected, my secretary will be required to answer the telephone personally and not rely on computer generated answering service or voice mail. I think it is important that the Judge be accessible to the public and attorneys and that they be able to reach him without a lot of red tape. It is difficult to know precisely how to divide the docket without knowing the seriousness of the criminal cases and the seriousness of the civil cases and the number of those cases. At the present time, criminal cases outnumber civil cases so I would probably give more time to the criminal matters unless the numbers changed. In any event, I will diligently try to know my docket and move time-sensitive and criminal cases as efficiently as possible. At the present time most sentences are pronounced through a joint recommendation from defense counsel and the prosecutor and takes place immediately after the plea is entered. It is only in those situations where a plea is entered and a presentence investigation (PSI) is ordered that the delay occurs. It takes time to prepare a PSI which is prepared by the Office of Probation and Parole which is often short-handed. I really don’t see this as a problem at this time, but if it became one, more personnel needs to be hired by the Office of Probation and Parole to handle this task.
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AUGUST 21, 2008
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Q&A’s for District Attorney Candidates John DeRosier Married to the former Leigh Ann Cross Age: 61 Career Achievement: 2 1/2years as elected D.A. of Calcasieu Parish. 7 years as city attorney. 35 years as a private attorney
What is your position on the death penalty? Under what circumstances would you pursue the death penalty? Do you think that three strikes cases with capital punishment should include any nonviolent crimes? If so, what prior crimes that are not violent should be considered in charging decisions
Stephen Streete Married to Kelly Stone Streete • Age: 58 Career Achievement: Founding partner: Salter, Streete & Hale; 32 years as attorney with juried trial experience in both criminal and civil matters. Political Experience: Calcasieu Parish Assistant District Attorney and chief civil attorney.
Favor death penalty where defendant has taken the life of a human being under particularly heinous circumstances or where the defendant has committed the crime of aggravated rape of a young child. Capital punishment should be reserved for only the harshest violent crimes, aggravated rape as described here and above, and treason.
I am pro death penalty. However, I feel that the death penalty should be reserved for the most heinous of crimes. I also feel that we should be very reserved about requesting the death penalty on a youthful defendant and/or the infirmed.
What are your suggestions for coordinating law enforcement efforts in the fight against crime?
Shortly after being elected district attorney, I formed the Case Review Team (CRT) which consists of representatives from nearly all law enforcement agencies operating in Calcasieu Parish. This has resulted in a more coordinated effort.
Law enforcement agencies should not be territorial, they serve the same end, justice. They should freely exchange all information which can affect the safety and welfare of our citizens.
Would you prosecute simple possession of marijuana cases? What marijuana cases would you prosecute?
The District Attorney’s Office prosecutes violations of all criminal statutes, including the misdemeanor charge of “simple possession of marijuana.” We have greatly expanded our Pre Trial Diversion Program to incorporate young or first offenders in marijuana cases as an alternative to prosecution.
As long as the possession of marijuana is against the law on my watch, such crimes will be vigorously prosecuted.
This office vigorously pursues all criminal offenses including those mentioned in your question. The nature of the offense, previous criminal history, and good common sense are factors that we use in the ultimate disposition of these cases.
The problems you describe are not particular to Calcasieu Parish. They are problems with society as a whole. Each of the quality of life offenses you point out will be handled on a case by case basis. There are many factors to consider. I feel rehabilitation is the key to some of these problems. Churches, AA, NA, and Goodwill Industries, and many state agencies all offer assistance, and I would encourage the disadvantaged to secure their services.
Corruption and wrongdoing in both the public and private sector are vigorously prosecuted by this office. This applies to all levels of government including city, parish and state.
Voters put their faith and trust in their elected and appointed officials. I feel that there is no greater crime to society than a breach of that trust. Such allegations would be vigorously investigated by my office, together with the appropriate law enforcement agency, and if I find the allegations have merit I will prosecute.
What crimes are you going to make it a priority to pursue? Are you going to treat a break-in in North Lake Charles the same as a break-in in the South Lake Charles?
Violent crimes against individuals are always a priority. These include homicides, rapes, armed robberies, and physical violence (particularly against our elderly and young). Drug offenses are also of particular concern in this community because of proliferation of abusive pain management clinics in Southeast Texas. The Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office treats crime the same throughout the parish, without regard to where in Calcasieu Parish these crimes occur.
Violent crimes are my priority. Murders do not get the prosecutorial attention demanded. Crimes against women, children and the defenseless are unconscionable and will be a priority. The distribution of drugs to our children will not be overlooked. Breaking in and/or stealing from someone's home will not be tolerated, and it doesn't matter whether the home is in North Lake Charles or South Lake Charles. A person's home is his sanctuary, wherever located, and it should be protected. We all work too hard to allow people to steal and/or destroy our property.
How do you propose to move the docket along to avoid the current backlogs?
I have had numerous meetings with the 14th Judicial District Court judges, as well as representatives of the Public Defender’s Office, to address the problem of granting multiple continuances, including encouraging judges to actively monitor the status of defense counsel preparation of cases for trial after continuances have been granted.
The docket is backlogged. Charges are being accepted when the evidence to prosecute those crimes is clearly not present, but remain on the docket and in the system in an attempt to get some type of plea bargain. I will maintain a trial docket and try cases, and my First Assistant will also maintain a trial docket and try cases.
How would you pursue quality of life offenses such as prostitution, drug possession, vehicles parked in the middle of the street, aggressive panhandling and sleeping outdoors?
How would you pursue alleged corruption and wrongdoing in city government?
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AUGUST 21, 2008
By Lisa Yates, Photos by Karen Wink
When Jenkins Hardware opened in downtown Oberlin, Warren G. Harding was president. The year was 1921, and the store operated as a blacksmith shop – an essential industry at the time. For Jimmie Jenkins, it’s a piece of his family history. His father, Ivor, founded the store and worked as its blacksmith. “Dad got out of the Army in 1918, and opened the store in 1921,” he said. “He did shop work in the Army during World War I – blacksmithing. Back then they traveled by wagons — He repaired the wagon wheels and spokes.” After returning home from the war, his father married a young woman named Emma, and moved to Port Arthur, Texas. Ivor worked at Gulf Refinery until he decided to open his own blacksmithing business and moved to Louisiana.
CHOOSING A LOCATION Jenkins, 81, said the lure of free land brought many Northerners like his father to the area at that time. “His dad – my grandfather — was born in Wales, settled in Illinois, and worked in the coal mines,” Jenkins said. “Back then, a lot of
people from the North were moving south. They were giving away 160 acres of woodlands to people who would come and settle here.” Because blacksmiths were in demand, Jenkins said his father “had his pick” of three towns in which to settle and open shop. He chose to open the store at 231 Sixth Avenue in West Oberlin, where it still operates today. The shop prospered. Later, the family added general hardware, paint, glass, pipe fittings and miscellaneous items not generally found in hardware stores today. “Mother did the bookwork for the store,” Jenkins said. “By then, she already had a child, Norman. Then, she had three more boys – my older brothers, Raymond, R.C., and me.” AUGUST 21, 2008
PAGE 23
As the boys grew, they also joined the family business. “My older brothers worked in the shop – I didn’t. I liked to sell, so I worked in the store,” Jenkins said. His father and brothers, all expert blacksmiths, sharpened plow points for the local cotton farmers, who plowed their fields by mules. “They got 10 cents for sharpening turning points, back in the 1920s,” Jenkins said. “They got 25-cents for sharpening middle busters.” Jenkins never learned the trade, but he has kept the blacksmith shop intact over the years.
THE STORE TODAY Stepping through the back room of the store is like stepping back into time – the entire shop is still there. Old tools hang from the ceiling and the original anvil still sits on the floor, near an old wood heater and electric forge. Jenkins pointed to the ceiling of the blacksmith shop, which he said is fashioned from lumber cut at the old sawmill on the property. He also proudly displayed a couple of antique John Deere tractors housed on the property. “This one is from the 1950s, and the other one is older than that,” Jenkins said as he started up the 2cylinder engine. “It still runs!” The store has outlived fleeting fads
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AUGUST 21, 2008
and is a part of the community fabric, providing loyal patrons not only with a sense of history, but also with a wide array of goods they need. Customers keep coming back to Jenkins Hardware – not merely for the selection of shovels, paints or even coffee-grinders. It’s the old-fashioned personal touches that Oberlin residents can’t live without. They know that when they come in looking for a “whatchamacalit” or “a thing that goes in the faucet to stop it from leaking,” Jenkins will know just what they’re looking for and will never direct them to “Aisle 6.” Instead, folks are greeted with a warm, friendly: “How are you doing today?” when they step through the door. MINDING THE STORE On any given day, the store attracts a steady stream of customers, some new, but mostly regulars dropping by to pick up a few needed items. On a recent weekday morning, Jenkins Hardware seemed as lively as ever with several customers purchasing bug killer, one man buying oil for his Weedeater® — and, a local beautician found a hanging scale for her father, who operated a nearby vegetable stand. Jenkins Hardware is a one-of-akind, charmingly cluttered shop with its display of tools, old newspaper
clippings and football schedules. There’s a picture of his granddaughter as homecoming queen hanging on the front counter. “She’s a freshman at Iowa State,” Jenkins said. The counter also holds old photos showing pieces of the town’s history, including: Oberlin High School’s first football team from the 1930s, class pictures dating back from the class of 1936-37, a group of area wolf-hunters, and a photo of a fire, which was taken by his wife, Ann, a retired school teacher. The photograph made front page news. “That was a hotel across the street that caught fire and burned down,” Jenkins said. “We saw the flames from our house and ran over to see what was burning.” He said the street was once part of a bustling downtown with several hardware stores, the hotel across the street, restaurants and even a couple of bars. Through the years, Jenkins has seen all of the changes. He has been minding the store since he was a young man. “I was raised north of Elton and rode my bike over here,” he said. Like many of his generation, he put his career on hold to serve the country.
“When World War II came along, in 1941, I was in the service along with two of my brothers,” Jenkins said. “The other brother wanted to go, but he had diabetes, so they wouldn’t take him.” After the war, Jenkins came back to work at the store along with his oldest brother. One of his brothers went to college and became a professor at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. “He’s still in Lafayette,” Jenkins said. “Of my three brothers, he’s the only one left.” A RARITY Part of a second-generation to have a hand in the family store, Jenkins Hardware is a rarity. Only about 30 percent of family-owned businesses survive into the second generation, with only 12 percent remaining viable into the third generation. Only 3 percent of all family businesses operate into the fourth generation or beyond, according to the Family Business Institute. Jenkins said it is doubtful that his family business will survive into its third generation. His children – James Jr., Laura Reed and Terry Jenkins – are grown and living in different areas of the country. “Everyone has college degrees and
good jobs,” he said, adding competition from “big box” stores makes it tough to stay in business. “In a few years, little businesses like these will be all gone. Only the national chains will be left. Everything is now made in China and I’m not sure that’s such a good thing. If we had to pay rent, we couldn’t stay in business.” What keeps Jenkins in business is his customers, he said. “We’re providing a service,” he said. “We have stock people need and they don’t have to go out of town to get it – gas is expensive.” In addition, the store is full of oldfashioned friendly service and there’s no walking around for 20 minutes trying to find a store associate. Better than a museum, Jenkins Hardware is a living piece of history, which honors a family’s legacy and that of all blacksmiths who were once the lifeblood of each and every community in America. For more information, call (337) 639-4915, or visit at 231 Sixth Avenue in Oberlin. Store hours are from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Mon., Tues., Thurs. and Fri.; and, from 8 a.m.- noon on Wed. and Sat.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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McNeese 2008 Schedule Date
Opponent/Event
Location
Time
Aug. 30 Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 22
North Carolina Delta State Cal Poly Open Southern Virginia South Dakota State Texas State Sam Houston State Nicholls State (HC) Southeastern La. Stephen F. Austin Northwestern State Central Arkansas
Chapel Hill, NC Cowboy Stadium Cowboy Stadium
6 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Cowboy Stadium Brookings, SD Cowboy Stadium Huntsville, TX Cowboy Stadium Hammond, LA Cowboy Stadium Natchitoches, LA Conway, AR
7 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 4 p.m.
LSU 2008 Schedule Date
Opponent/Event
Location
Time
Sat, Aug 30 Sat, Sep 06 Sat, Sep 13 Sat, Sep 20 Sat, Sep 27 Sat, Oct 11 Sat, Oct 18 Sat, Oct 25 Sat, Nov 01 Sat, Nov 08 Sat, Nov 22 Fri, Nov 28
Appalachian St. Troy North Texas Auburn* Mississippi St. (HC)* Florida* South Carolina* Georgia* Tulane Alabama* Ole Miss* Arkansas*
Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) at Auburn, Ala. (Jordan-Hare Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) at Gainesville, Fla. (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium) at Columbia, S.C. (Williams-Brice Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) at Little Rock, Ark. (War Memorial Stadium)
4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 7:00 p.m. TBA TBA 1:30 p.m.
* Conference Games
Univ. of Louisiana Lafayette 2008 Schedule Date
Opponent/Event
Location
Time
Sat, Aug 30 Sat, Sep 13 Sat, Sep 20 Sat, Sep 27 Sat, Oct 04 Sat, Oct 11 Sat, Oct 18 Sat, Nov 01 Sat, Nov 08 at, Nov 15 Sat, Nov 22 Wed, Dec 03
Southern Miss Illinois Kent State Kansas State Louisiana-Monroe* North Texas* Arkansas State* Florida International* UTEP Florida Atlantic* Troy* Middle Tennessee*
at Hattiesburg, MS at Champaign, IL Cajun Field at Manhattan, KS at Monroe, LA at Denton, TX Cajun Field Cajun Field Cajun Field at Boca Raton, FL at Troy, AL Cajun Field
6:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 2:35 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. TBA 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. TBA
*Conference Games PAGE 26
AUGUST 21, 2008
DEFENSIVE TACKLE LUNDY HONORED
MSU
FOOTBALL
Although football season hasn’t begun yet, a group of committed and hard-working players has already been honored for their off-the-field achievements. McNeese State University’s defensive tackle, Kenneth Lundy, is among a select group of 73 college football players across the nation whose nominations were announced recently for the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. From this group of 73 nominees, a judging panel will select two 11-player teams representing all of the college football subdivisions. The student athletes nominated for this prestigious honor embody the true spirit of “teamwork” and “giving back” through selfless contributions and commendable acts of kindness. During a time when off-the-field transgressions seem to dominate the news headlines, these players have quietly made a favorable impression on the organizations and people with which they are involved. From donating bone marrow to rescuing children from an overturned bus, the positive impact that these players have made and continue to make on their communities can be measured by more than just touchdowns, tackles and receptions. Kenneth Lundy is no different. On top of being the first on the scene to immediately and unselfishly assist in rescuing elementary students from an overturned bus, here are some additional altruistic efforts from Lundy in the Lake Charles community that have earned him a nomination for the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®: • Up til Dawn St. Jude Children’s’ Research Hospital Foundation • Big Brothers/Big Sisters • Student Union Board As a first-year sponsor of the award, Allstate
has assembled a high-profile voting panel made up of previous Good Works Team® members, including former Mississippi running back Deuce McAllister and former Georgia lineman Matt Stinchcomb, and prominent college football media personalities, including ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd. The two 11-player Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® - one composed of players competing within the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) and a combined team representing players competing in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision - will be announced in September. This will be the 17th year of the program, which began in 1992.
PLAYERS LOOK TO MOVE UP STATISTICAL LADDER
While the major objective of McNeese State’s Cowboys is to win a third straight Southland Conference football title this year, there are also some individual player goals that might be achieved. Quarterback Derrick Fourroux, receiver Quinten Lawrence, receiver/kick returner Steven Whitehead, place-kicker/punter Blake Bercegeay and linebacker Allen Nelson should all move up the McNeese career statistical ladder. Lawrence, now in his senior year, has a chance to take over the top spot in touchdown receptions if he just duplicates his performance from a year ago. The Carencro native caught 31 passes for 645 yards and six touchdowns in 2007, giving him career totals of 85 receptions for 1696 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s now 12th on the McNeese chart in career catches, is sixth in career yards and is fifth in touchdowns. Lawrence is also AUGUST 21, 2008
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averaging 19.5 yards per reception, the third best mark in Cowboy history. McNeese career leaders in those departments are Jermaine Martin with 160 catches for 2636 yards, Terence Davis with 21 touchdown catches and Gary Brossard, a speedster from the mid-1970s, with a 21.8 average on 55 receptions. Whitehead is listed 14th in passes caught with 79 and is just shy of the top 20 in total yards and touchdowns. The Slidell senior is fourth in kickoff returns with 57, third in kickoff return yardage with 1395, seventh in punt returns with 55 and third in punt return yardage with 702. Whitehead should also move up the list for all-purpose running. He has 3,383 yards to his credit in a category that B. J. Sams leads with 4,903 yards. Flip Johnson, who played for the Cowboys from 1983 to 1986, is the school’s career leader with 89 kickoff returns for 1,805 yards while Sams leads in punt returns with 84 for 922 yards. He’s also tops in all-purpose running with 4,903 yards. Bercegeay can move up in scoring (he has 229 points for sixth place), in points after touchdown kicks (he has 103 for fifth place), and in field goals (he has 42 for fourth place). Jose Larios, who placekicked for the Cowboys from 1992 to 1995, is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 356 points. He’s also tops in PATs with 158 and in field goals with 66. Fourroux, who will mark his third season as the Cowboy starting quarterback, will move up in the passing and total offense categories. He enters the season with 4,471 career total offensive yards and has completed 243 of 435 passes for 3,544 yards. He’s also passed for 26 touchdowns. Fourroux ranks sixth in total offense, is sixth in passes completed and is fifth in touchdown passes. Former standout Kerry Joseph holds the school record in all of these categories. During his days with the Cowboys he produced 9,676 total yards and completed 565 of 1114 passes for 7,874 yards and 67 touchdowns. Fourroux can also become only the third Cowboy quarterback to chalk up over 1,000 career-rushing yards. He goes into the season with 927. Stephen Starring, who played from 1979 to 1982, holds the quarterback record of 1,906 yards while Joseph had 1,802 yards rushing.
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AUGUST 21, 2008
Backup quarterback Matt Fontenot goes into his senior year with 1,675 yards passing, having completed 119 of 207 passes. That puts him 17th on the list for passing yardage and passes completed. Defensively, Nelson is the only Cowboy with a good chance to make a move. The senior from Beaumont, TX has made 279 tackles in his career and ranks 14th on the all-time list. Charles Ayro, who played from 1995 to 1998, is the all-time leader with 486 tackles and Terry Irving, who played from 1990 to 1993, is the only other Cowboy with a career total above 400 as he has 461.
COACH COLLINS GLAD TO BE HOME, LOOKING TO WIN
Signing on with McNeese State back in the spring was like coming home to Cowboy linebacker coach Mike Collins. He had spent almost a third of his coaching career earlier with the Cowboys, helping them win four Southland Conference titles, making six trips to the 1-AA (now FCS) playoffs and collecting a total of 64 victories during the Bobby Keasler era. During that time, he also helped such players as Terry Irving, Vincent Landry, Charlie Ayro and Chad Reeves pull in all-America and all-conference recognition. Now, he’s working with another group of linebackers, talented athletes who he believes will continue the tradition of standout performers at the post for the Cowboys. All-conference returnee Allen Nelson heads up the group that also includes lettermen Deron Minor, Matt Kreamer and Geremy Pilate, squadman Nick Toti and true freshmen Kentrell Butler, Kegan Myers and Juarelle Narcisse. Nelson, a senior from Beaumont, TX, is the star returnee, having led the Cowboys in tackles for the past two seasons while earning both all-conference and all-Louisiana honors.
“He’s a great leader,” said Collins of Nelson. “Having him in there with his experience and his ability is a big plus, not only for the linebacker position, but for the entire team. He has shown over the last few years that he truly is an outstanding player.” Nelson has nabbed over 100 tackles in the last two seasons and goes into the year with 272 to his credit. A year ago, in the victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, he returned a fumble 87 yards for a touchdown. Slated to start at the other position, the Mike linebacker, is Minor, also from Beaumont and from Ozen High, the same as Nelson. “He got better throughout the spring,” Collins said. “I think that one thing that has helped him is that he’s fulltime football now. Before he was playing baseball and missing the off-season. He had his first full off season this past year and that has helped him overall, especially with his strength level. He will call the defense, set the front and do a number of things. Deron fits the mode of all the other good ones we have had here in the past. He’s smart, plays hard and has a lot of respect for his teammates.” Backing up Minor will be Kreamer, a junior from Shreveport and Evangel High. “He had a good spring and has worked extremely hard. He changed from one linebacker post to the other and obviously, that took him a little time to adjust, but he has made a lot of progress. In the position he plays, you’re going to get beat around a lot and we have to have people there who can step in and make plays and Matt can do that.” On the other side, Pilate (a sophomore from Crowley) and Toti (a sophomore out of Slidell) will be the backups to Nelson. “What he [Pilati] has that is exceptional is his speed. He can outrun blocks, but he has also gotten bigger and can also take on the blocks,” said Collins.
“Toti’s a walk-on who has continued to get better,” said Collins. “He’s worked hard and will get in playing time.” A year ago, Nelson led the Cowboys with 102 tackles, had six tackles for a loss, three sacks and recovered three fumbles. Minor was credited with 69 tackles, had 6.5 tackles for a loss, one sack and recovered a fumble which he returned for a touchdown against Stephen F. Austin. Pilate had 44 tackles that includes 2.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks and six passes broken up. Kreamer had 11 tackles, two passes broken up and two quarterback hurries. Toti made a big impression in the spring with eight tackles and a quarterback a sack in the spring game. Of the three freshmen, Collins said, “We’re very excited about them. They all come from winning programs. You never know if a freshman will come in and play for you right away but they do have the opportunity. The coaching they receive from their high schools give them a chance to do so.” Butler earned all-state honors at Patterson High and made 99 tackles his senior year. Myers was an all-stater and was named the Southwest Louisiana defensive player of the year at Jennings High where he had 121 tackles as a senior and Narcisse was an all-stater at St. James High collecting over 300 career tackles. Collins said that it felt good to be back with the Cowboys. “We have an outstanding group of coaches, four of whom I coached,” he said. “Matt (head coach Viator) has done a great job of assembling his staff. It has a great chemistry and that is important, because it will carry over to the team. One thing I know. I like winning and we’re going to win at McNeese. We have in the past and we will continue to win. It’s just a tradition here.”
MCNEESE WILL HOST LAMAR IN NON-CONFERENCE GAME
McNeese State will help Lamar University resume its football program in 2010 by hosting the Cardinals in the first game of that season. The two teams have agreed to play a non-conference game in Cowboy Stadium on Sept. 4, 2010. The following year, Lamar will begin play in the Southland Conference. "What a great opportunity this is,” said McNeese athletic director Tommy McClelland. "Two great, longtime rivals opening the season in The Hole. I appreciate the Lamar staff for helping make this game possible." The two teams have not met on the gridiron since the 1989 season, when Lamar dropped the sport. McNeese holds a 19-8-1 edge in the series. Cowboy head coach Matt Viator said of the renewal of the series, "It's exciting to be able to resume an old series and rivalry with a team only 60 miles away." Also in 2010, the Cowboys will host Southern University, making McNeese's home schedule that year one of the most outstanding.
MCNEESE IN THE TOP TEN SME FCS FOOTBALL POLL
McNeese State’s conference champion Cowboys have been picked in the top 10 of the SME Network pre-season FCS football poll. The Cowboys, who posted an 11-0 regular season record a year ago, were picked for a 10th place national finish. Appalachian State was voted No. 1, followed by James Madison, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, UMass, Eastern Washington, Montana, Richmond, Delaware and McNeese. The Cowboys will play four teams ranked in the top 25 this season. They host Cal Poly (No. 12) on Sept. 13, play at South Dakota State (No. 18)
on Oct. 4, play at Sam Houston State (No. 24) on Oct. 18 and at Central Arkansas (No. 25) on Nov. 22.
THE LETTERMEN RETURN
Forty-eight lettermen return for the Cowboys who will attempt to make it three Southland Conference titles in a row, all under the tutelage of Matt Viator, twice named the league’s coach of the year. There are seven starters returning on offense, five on defense and the punter/place kicker is back. Based on the final game of last season, starters returning on offense are quarterback Derrick Fourroux, wide receiver Quinten Lawrence, tight end Wes Mangan, tackles Kyle Link and David Ballard, guard Eman Naghavi and center Lance Fremin. Starters returning on defense are tackles Vaalyn Jackson and Kenneth Lundy, linebacker Allen Nelson and secondary members John Vigers and Brant Linde. Blake Bercegeay is the punter/place kicker back. Jordan Page, now 6-2 and 248 pounds, will move to defensive end and that Davon Lewis will see some action at tailback. Page had been playing linebacker while Lewis was his district’s offensive MVP while playing at Pt. Arthur Memorial High. Terez Jackson will continue to work at fullback and tailback and David Ballard will see some action at offensive guard while Casey Richter gets work at tackle. Also, Anthony Schultz has been moved to defensive tackle and Bart Crader will see some action at wide receiver. Richter missed last season with an injury as did Steven Whitehead who returns. Also back is defensive back Jamelle Juneau. The Cowboys open the season Aug. 30 on the road against North Carolina.
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McNeese Soccer, Cross-Country and Volleyball Schedule 2008 Soccer Schedule Aug. 22 at Centenary 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at Texas A&M 6 p.m. Aug. 29 MCNEESE STATE TOURNAMENT (played at Ward 3 Sports Complex) UL-Monroe vs. Lamar 5:30 p.m. McNeese vs. Grambling 8 p.m. Aug. 31 McNEESE STATE TOURNAMENT (played at Cowgirl Field) Grambling vs. Lamar 11 a.m. McNeese vs. UL-Monroe 1:30 p.m. Sept. 5, 7 at UL-Monroe Tournament Sept. 9 Louisiana-Lafayette 4:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at Houston Baptist 4 p.m. Sept. 19 at Rice 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at Oklahoma State 1:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Texas A&M-Commerce 12 p.m. Oct. 3 * Texas State 4 p.m. Oct. 5 Texas-San Antonio 1 p.m. Oct. 10 at Northwestern State 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at Central Arkansas TBA Oct. 19 at Lamar 2 p.m. Oct. 24 Nicholls State 4 p.m. Oct. 26 Southeastern La. 1 p.m.
Oct. 31 Nov. 2 Nov. 6-9
at Sam Houston State 7 p.m. at Stephen F. Austin 2 p.m. Southland Conference Tournament (McNeese State & Ward 3 Complex)
2008 Cross-country Schedule Sept. 2 McNeese Six Mile Relay (Lake Charles) Sept. 13 Louisiana Tech Invite (Ruston, LA) Sept. 20 UT San Antonio Fiesta Texas Invite (San Antonio, TX) Oct. 4 Auburn Invite (Auburn, AL) Oct. 11 Cowboy 5K Stampede (High Schools Only) Oct. 18 Sam Houston State Invite (Huntsville, TX) Nov. 3 SLC Championship (at Nacogdoches, TX) Nov. 15 NCAA Regionals (Waco, TX) Nov. 24 NCAA Championship (Terre Haute, IN) 2008 Volleyball Schedule Aug. 29-30 at Memphis Tournament Sept. 3 Louisiana-Monroe (7 p.m.) Sept. 5-6 McNeese Tournament Sept. 5 vs. Grambling (2 p.m.) vs. Mississippi State (7 p.m.)
Sept. 6 Sept. 12-13 Sept. 19-20 Sept. 25 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 7 Oct. 10 Oct. 11 Oct. 15 Oct. 18 Oct. 21 Oct. 24 Oct. 25 Oct. 31 Nov. 1 Nov. 6 No.v 8 Nov. 12 Nov. 14 Nov. 15 Nov. 21-23
vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (4 p.m.) at Texas Tech Tournament at Southern Miss Tournament at Northwestern State (7 p.m.) at Central Arkansas (2 p.m.) at Stephen F. Austin (4 p.m.) at Rice (7 p.m.) Southeastern La. (7 p.m.) Nicholls State (4 p.m.) Texas-San Antonio (7 p.m.) at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2 p.m.) at Louisiana Tech (7 p.m.) Lamar (7 p.m.) Sam Houston State (2 p.m.) at Texas-Arlington (7 p.m.) at Texas State (4 p.m.) Central Arkansas (7 p.m.) Northwestern State (2 p.m.) Stephen F. Austin (7 p.m.) at Nicholls State (7 p.m.) at Southeastern La. (4 p.m.) Southland Conference Tournament (Nacogdoches, TX)
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AUGUST 21, 2008
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The Tailgating Experience By Jen Breen
With autumn quickly approaching, my mind continually wanders toward the upcoming football season, but it isn’t long before it completely focuses on tailgating. How has tailgating become such an integral part of the football experience? Is it simply the fan’s connection to the team and the party or is something more? After further thought, research and a few conversations, I realized that tailgating is the perfect American pastime, because it combines sports, food and cars, but more importantly instills a sense of community. Tailgating transforms stadium parking lots into festivals of fandom, by turning the asphalt into spectacles of creativity showcasing culinary innovations and a wide variety of team tributes. It is renewing a sense of community that our society has been in danger of losing, people from all walks of life can join together to celebrate, cheer on their team, share stories and swap recipes. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to speak with Joe Cahn, Commissioner of Tailgating (www.tailgating.com) about tailgating inspiring a sense of community. He explained: “It (tailgating) is the new community social and the biggest weekly party in the nation. Tailgating is the
last great American neighborhood—the Tailgating Neighborhood, where no one locks their doors, everyone is happy to see you and all are together sharing food and football.” For the past 12 years acting as the Commissioner of Tailgating, New Orleans native Joe Cahn has devoted his life to promoting tailgating by traveling over 500,000 miles, using 83,397 gallons of gas/diesel to visit all 31 NFL stadiums, 123 college stadiums and 9 NASCAR events, and served 326 pots of jambalaya to new friends. I was also very lucky that local tailgating experts, Richard J. Cole, Jr., Calcasieu Parish Assessor, and Dee and Kenny Cochran, were kind enough to take the time to share their tailgating experiences. “I have been tailgating years before McNeese ever started renting tailgate spots,” said Cole. “We have about 20 good friends called the Left Field Rotary Club that enjoy hosting friends, family and visiting other teams’ supporters. We all pitch in and cook for around 200 people at each game.” He said their tailgating started out of the back of a Chevy Suburban, but over the years, they purchased an 18-foot enclosed trailer with all of their cooking equipment and supplies. “It seems
that everyone likes to stand around a big pot or barbecue pit to discuss the upcoming game. It is amazing how many world and local issues get solved at a tailgate.” Dee and Kenny Cochran tailgate because they enjoy good clean fun—in a big way. “This is our hobby. We’re involved in MSU fundraisers and help out with events,” they said. “We arrive at our tailgate spot around noon on Friday and leave on Sunday afternoon. We bring our flags, lights, cowboy ornaments of all sorts, chairs, ice chests, signs, barbecue pits, matching T-shirts—and the list goes on.” This doesn’t even count all the food planned
for the weekend. “We sometimes have theme games and even have a homecoming court with a king and queen. Our court is planned according to a theme and changes every year. Our tailgating group is our extended family and they are always there for us as we are for them.” As it turns out, tailgating is much more to devoted fans than an outdoor party. It is a weekend family.
TAILGATING STATS www.tailgating.com surveyed over 5,000 Tailgaters across America. How old is the average Tailgater? 4% are between 12-20 60% are between the ages of 25-44 9% are over 55 years old. Who Tailgates more, men or women? 79% are men 18% are female What is the last level of education completed? 23% have a high school diploma 59% have a college degree 14% have graduate degrees. How many times a year do they Tailgate? 46% Tailgate 6-10 times a season 21 Tailgate 11-15 times 8% Tailgate at more than 16 games in a season. Who does the shopping? 44% of Tailgate food is bought by both the husband and wife
27% by just the husband 21% leave the shopping to someone else. How much do they spend? 42% of our Tailgaters spend over $500 a season on food and supplies 31% spend between $200-$500. How long does it take to get to the game? 49% travel less than one hour to the stadium 15% travel between 2-4 hours 8% travel more than 4 hours. How early do they get there? 9% set-up 1-2 house prior 51% set-up 3-4 hours before the game 39% set-up more than 5 hours before kick-off. Are they really cooking in the parking lot? 95% of our Tailgaters prepare their food at the stadium 5% bring fast food or prepared food to the stadium
What are they cooking on? 39% use a grill to cook 1% use a smoker 1% use a stove 59% Use a combination of grills, stoves, and smokers to cook
Based on their responses here is the make-up of a "typical tailgater"... College-educated male Between the ages of 35 and 44 Spends over $500 a year on tailgating food Attends and/or hosts 6-10 tailgate parties each season. Uses separate coolers for food and beverages. Travels less than one hour to get to the game Tailgate party begins 3-4 hours before kickoff.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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A Chat with the Commissioner of Tailgating By Lauren de Albuquerque
Joe Cahn is a larger-than-life character. When I asked him how he was doing, he said he was “magnificent!” He was driving through New York State in his RV with his best feline friend, Sophie the cat, who accompanies him on all his travels. He’d just left the Watkins Glen Speedway and was on his way to Saratoga Springs to take in some horseracing. Then he was headed for Maine to catch lobsters with some buddies he’d met tailgating. Such is his life! Born and raised in New Orleans, Cahn loves to eat, loves to cook, and loves people. He opened The New Orleans School of Cooking in 1980. When he sold it in 1997, he was ready for an adventure. He sold his house, bought a 40-foot RV, and took to the road on a quest to hit as many tailgate parties as possible. Through the years, this has evolved into attending NASCAR races, Jimmy Buffet con-
certs, and baseball games, among other events. His believes his love of life is what got him on the road. “Let’s face it, when you’re from Louisiana, it’s all about food and friendship and partying. Tailgating is like a big food festival. We’re coming together to celebrate food.” As a former chef, one of his biggest joys is cooking up his special jambalaya for the lucky folks he meets on the road. “I call tailgating the reception before the banquet. The banquet is the event that we’re here for, but the reception is where you get to socialize and eat with everyone.” He enjoys the sense of community that tailgating brings out. “I met group of doctors in Indianapolis who have known each other since second grade. You can imagine how busy their lives are, but they always make the time to do this together.” Why is he known as the
Commissioner? “I started out as the King,” he explained. “But kings can be overthrown. If you’re a Commissioner, you’re a Commissioner for life. So that’s what I am.” Cahn documents his life, in photos and words, on his fun Web site: www.tailgating.com. It’s an invaluable tool for the tailgater, whether you’re at your home stadium or attending an out-of-state game. He rates the parking lots of each stadium he’s visited and advises where to set up your tailgate party. He invites readers, and the people he has met on his journey, to send in their favorite recipes, pictures and tailgating tips. The Commissioner knows McNeese Stadium well and has fond memories of tailgating with the Cowboy fans. “It’s a great tailgating area. The people and the food are wonderful,” he said. There’s no “off-season” for Joe. He
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continues to be a road warrior, seeking out events that will bring out happy hordes of people. After Super Bowl 2008, he went straight to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, taking part in all the revelry. He went on to the Space Shuttle launch in Florida before attending the races at the Daytona Speedway. Does he ever take a break? He does have a home base, although he’s not there much. His wife is a supervisor of nurses at a hospital in Ft. Worth, Texas. “I’m so proud of her!” he exclaimed. She occasionally meets him on the road and shares in his adventures, but since she’s still working, it’s usually just Sophie and him. Ultimately, Cahn says that what he’s doing is all about passion. “If you don’t have passion, then you’re merely existing,” he said. The Commissioner certainly can’t be accused of that.
HIGH Tech Are you Protected From a
DATA DISASTER?
Think the biggest threat to your business is your competition? Think again. You may need to look a little closer inside your own business to identify the biggest threat to your future success. How competitive could you continue to be if you lost all of your business data? Running a business today involves a heavy reliance on a variety of electronic data. This is true whether you’re a company that uses a network or a small business owner working on just a single PC. Virtually every critical detail, from financial data to customer records to email, is stored electronically. “Most small businesses are aware of how important their data is, but they often don’t take the necessary steps to ensure that this vital information is protected so that their business can continue if a disaster occurs,” said John Fredericks, co-owner of JNL Data Solutions in Lake Charles. “A small business manager has many tasks to juggle, and unfortunately they may not have the time or resources to set up a reliable data protection plan. We can’t stress enough how important it is not to ignore this aspect of business management. Research shows
that 80 percent of companies without a good business continuity plan fail after a disaster.” As we enter the peak of hurricane season, data protection during an evacuation or natural disaster should be something on the minds of every business owner and manager. “Hopefully, after our experience with Hurricane Rita three years ago, businesses would be better prepared should such an event affect our area again, but I’m continually amazed by how many companies still do not have a plan in place,” said Fredericks. A potential hurricane is actually far down the list of reasons a company should have a data protection plan, since the causes of data loss are much less dramatic than you might think. “A catastrophe like a fire or hurricane is actually the exception, not the normal data loss problem businesses encounter on a regular basis,” said Fredericks. “Data loss typically occurs from a system or hardware malfunction, human error, software corruption or computer viruses. And fortunately, these are the things that can be easily corrected and your data restored – if you have a data protection plan in place.” Fredericks suggests the following electronic data protection recommendations: RUN BETTER BACKUPS Back up frequently, but be smart about the process you use. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Too often, backups are skipped because the person responsible thinks they take too long or they aren’t sure they are running properly. Backing up everything on a daily basis can be extremely costly and time-consuming, so it’s important to identify only the data that changes. Experts says that for the average business, the percentage of data that changes daily is somewhere between 2-5 percent. Backing up new data daily shouldn’t take very long at all to do. The key is implementing a backup system that does this for you.
achieve your company’s needs. But remember, penalties for non-compliance with data retention requirements are stiff, so make sure you know which regulations affect you. COMPLIANCE There’s been a lot of attention focused on “compliance” in business media lately. What this means for small businesses is that you’d better know what regulations affect your business, and how this impacts your data storage system. Some of the most important recent regulations to affect the small-to-midsize business include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), which has implications for financial reporting, and the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which applies to the maintenance, security and storage of health care records. There are also a variety of human resources-related regulations applicable to programs like worker’s compensation at the state level, and payroll regulations such as the Federal Insurance and Contributions Act (FICA) at the national level.
ASSESS ARCHIVE NEEDS Every business needs to save some data for the long-term. The first step is deciding what you need to keep and for how long. Federal and state regulations for keeping certain data vary by state and by business. The type of business you do, and whom you do it for, must also be considered. For example, government contractors, or companies working with government contractors, face very specific requirements, including the type of media used. In most other cases, it’s simply important to choose a system and off-site storage location that will Continued on Page 34 AUGUST 21, 2008
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Are you Protected From a Data Disaster, Continued from Page 33
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PRIORITIZE DATA FOR DISASTER RECOVERY Another aspect to data protection is making sure that the systems and data your business needs most will be quickly available should a disaster occur. Every business should assess the big IT (information technology) picture; decide what’s important and what you could do without. For example, it would be critical for a medical practice manager to have access to patient records, but their practice Web site might not be as important to get up and running immediately after a disaster. The next step is to prioritize each system and its related data. Key systems for most small businesses include telephones, databases, file servers, e-mail, web servers, and an internal network. You should have a data recovery plan for each system, based on the priority level of each. SECURE STORAGE Ideally, having a fully functional hot site hundreds of miles away from your business location is the best solution for data storage, but for small businesses, this is not usually practical. Most smallto-midsize businesses do not have a process for storing and managing their data. A consultant can help with this, and develop a solution that fits into your
HIGH Tech
Phishing Scams:
Don’t get Hooked
By Garrett Lawrence
I remember fishing with my Grandpa Ed many years ago. He was an awesome fisherman and knew exactly how to get his daily catch. You see, through the years, he had mastered the art of catching fish. He knew how to attract and hook his prey, and how to extract everything he needed from his catch. Although to be fair, my Grandma Evelyn did the cooking. Why, you ask, am I telling you about the outdoor exploits of my grandpa in a tech article? Simple. The same principles used in the catching of fish are used in the catching of prey on the Internet in a phishing (pronounced as fishing) scam. And to tell you the PAGE 34
AUGUST 21, 2008
truth, they may even be a little more cunning than old grandpa, as they make thousands of dollars a day bilking people all over the world using the same technique as the average fisherman on the lake. The scammers find a spot on the Internet and create a bogus Web site. Some look so close to the original companies that you may not spot the difference. They then contact the prey (you and I) with a very serious looking e-mail prompting you to enter your personal data to verify a mistake, or reactivate your account. Since you don’t want the hassle of a lost account or to call the com-
company’s existing data systems. The best way to safely guard against a complete loss of data is to have a secure, offsite storage location for your updated electronic records. Then, regardless of what happens, you can access your data to keep your business running with little interruption. Fredericks said that for larger companies, an in-house IT department typically handles all of the issues above. “But data protection and a business continuity plan are issues that are all too often ignored by small businesses because they don’t have the knowledge and resources to take care of these important details.” That’s when you need to consult with someone who is an expert in this area. A qualified consultant will assess your needs and recommend a data protection plan to give you the security you need at a cost you can afford. “Every small business should be addressing these issues,” said Fredericks. “The future of your business could literally depend on the decisions you make now about securing your data.” JNL Data Solutions is located at 844 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. For more information, call (337) 905-SAFE (7233) or visit www.jnldatasolutions.com.
pany, you supply the requested information. What could it hurt? You do business online with the company represented already and have never had any issues. But if you fill in your information as requested, you are faced with the very real problem of identity theft. We’ve all gotten the e-mails from the son of the president of a foreign country, offering the chance to share his vast fortune with you (a complete stranger), if you only would be so kind as to give him your account number— and a small fee to help with the transaction. This is so he (a very wealthy person) can hide his money away from the evil leaders of his war-torn country. Although you or I wouldn’t fall for such a blatant scam, you’d be surprised at how many do. But this common e-mail scam is not quite the phishing scam that I am talking about.
retrieve data and then disappear, leaving only a trail of financial loss and heartache, never to be seen again (until their next Internet phishing expedition). Law enforcement communities are swamped with these types of complaints and are doing the best they can. However, when they get the report, they are required to forward it to the federal level (as this is usually an international, or at the very least a least national crime). The feds in turn prioritize the crime and put it in the appropriate queue to be worked. Let’s face it, if they have the chance to find the crook that stole $100 million from a single company or solve a phishing site crime that took
$100 thousands from a group of 2,000 people, the $100 million wins. This might not seem fair, but the likelihood of solving a phishing crime is low, so we all need to be vigilant and not allow ourselves to be victimized. Remember, if it doesn’t pass the smell test, it probably is not a valid request. The true fact of the matter is that the security measures used to stop these types of sites are being hacked every day and the security measures bypassed. But all is not lost; there have been significant strides toward protection and detection, enabling ISP (Internet Service Providers) to assist the legitimate sites that have been portrayed in these phish-
ing scams to minimize the effects on consumers. For more information on local law enforcement activities on identity theft, contact your local district attorney’s office, local law enforcement or the federal trade commission on the web at www.ftc.gov/idtheft or at (877)-id-theft (438-4338).
Garret Lawrence owns Webtronics, Inc., in Sulphur. He can be reached at 626-1975.
DON’T FALL FOR THE BAIT Imagine that PayPal, for example, sends you an e-mail asking you to log onto your account (password and username blocks provided on the e-mail) to help them stop a phishing attach on your account. The logo is exactly like the one you have seen many times, the font on the e-mail is just as you have seen on the site for years—even the name on the e-mail matches the correct name you see on the PayPal site as a legitimate employee. So, you log on to check your account, but something doesn’t work on the Web site. You are then asked to verify again by entering your secret phrase: your mother’s maiden name, or even possibly (and it happens) your social security number. The site never works quite right, but your Internet has been acting up a little so you figure you will call them the next business day to sort the whole thing out. WRONG! You most likely just had your information sold to the highest bidder and are now the proud owner of 100 new IPods being sold to unsuspecting people on eBay—just that fast! It takes only minutes from the time the account number is acquired to the time it’s used, mainly in foreign countries. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? So you fell for the scam and got bit. Now what? I am not a legal professional, and don’t claim to have all of the answers, but acting fast is the best advice. Get with all of your creditors and follow their counsel (a minute on the phone could lessen your financial loss). Check with local law enforcement as to how they can help you report your crime to the proper authorities. Be advised, though, that even after reporting the crime, you may be put in the pile of unsolvable crimes. You see, just as fast as the phishing sites and e-mails go out, they also come down. The URLs (or Web site addresses) are set to AUGUST 21, 2008
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HIGH Tech Want a Career With a Future?
Get Technical! It’s time to get technical! People with technical skills, from mechanics to welders to machinists, are in short supply. In an annual survey of employers, jobs requiring specialized skills and experience are difficult to fill. Employers and labor market analysts anticipate that the strong demand for what are traditionally hands-on jobs will continue into the foreseeable future. That’s because the U.S. is experiencing what experts call a perfect storm in which trends related to demographics and skills deficits are converging. Starting with demographics, the overall U.S. population is aging. As the nation’s 76 million Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) leave the workforce, not enough younger people are choosing careers that involve technical skills. Employers require job-specific skills (such as welders and electricians). But, they also demand soft skills, like problem solving and communications, plus a strong work ethic and culture traits that fit their company. Employers note that soft skills, work ethic and culture traits aren’t always present in today’s job candidates. Progressive employers look at short-term and long-term strategies. For the short-term, they are encouraging their current workforce to re-skill and up-skill to stay abreast of changing technologies – and a competitive, global marketplace. They are also looking to bring a diverse pool of people into the workforce, including youth, mature workers, women, people
of color and people with disabilities. Attracting and keeping this diverse workforce means providing flexibility in work hours and benefits, as well as developing a workplace environment that fosters respect among people with different backgrounds. For the long-term, employers are developing close partnerships with schools to make sure young people are getting the technical skills, as well as the soft skills, they need for 21st century jobs. They’re opening their doors to internships, job-shadowing and, where appropriate, apprenticeships. All of these are meaningful activities that can give young people a true taste of workplace requirements and help prepare them for employment. Individuals can get a leg up in today’s talent race by keeping their skills up to date and perhaps switching careers. As demonstrated by recent research, careers requiring specialized technical skills, such as mechanic, electrician and carpenter, are in demand and can be lucrative. Consider taking extra training at work or going back to school. The contemporary world of work is a challenging place, but employers and individuals who pay attention and take action will be the winners. Source: Manpower, One Lakeshore Drive, Suite 980, Lake Charles. For more info, call (337) 431-7134.
The 2008 Top 10 Hardest Jobs to Fill List looks like this: Engineers Machinists/Machine Operators (10)* Skilled Trades Technicians (4)* Sales Representatives (1)*
Accounting & Finance Staff (8)* Mechanics (3*) Laborers (9)* IT Staff Production Operators
*Rank in 2007 Top 10 Hardest Jobs to Fill PAGE 36
AUGUST 21, 2008
AUGUST 21, 2008
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t i m e s
picks the best in lake area entertainment
FAMILY FESTIVAL 2008 AUGUST 23 — Family Festival 2008 will be held on Saturday, August 23 at the Lake Charles Civic Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. New this year is Career Paths, a place for teens to explore career choices in a hands-on environment, such as culinary, aviation, commercial art, and more. Also, meet local athletes Larry Robinson, formerly of the Houston Rockets, and Shawn Piper of the LA Swashbucklers. As always, kids of all ages will enjoy face painting, petting zoo, live music, cookie decorating, hat making, and much more! Family Festival is a magnificent event that promotes family life and family values in a safe and fun environment. This event is a United Way Community Impact Day and a day of appreciation for the people of Southwest Louisiana. Tickets are $3 for adults and $2 for children, and are available from Family & Youth at 220 Louie Street, Lake Charles, by calling 436-9533, or at the door the day of the event. The festival is alcohol-free. FIRST ANNUAL BOOK SALE: IOWA PUBLIC LIBRARY AUGUST 25-30 — The Iowa Public Library will hold its first annual book sale from August 25-30, offering a selection of fiction, nonfiction and other items. Book sales help the libraries with programming and equipment not covered by the budget, and to promote literacy by getting affordable books into homes. Friends of the Library supports programs for children, teens and adults. Each Friends chapter works with the branch manager to plan fundraising activities for the neighborhood library. Membership forms are available at all public libraries. Annual membership fees are $1/year for students, $5/year for individual memberships, $10/year for organizations, or $50 for a Life Membership. The Iowa Public Library is located at 107 E. 1st Street. Hours are Monday-Wednesday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Thursday 1 p.m.-8:30 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. For more information, call (337) 582-359.
SECOND ANNUAL YOUNG AT HEART EXPO AUG. 21 — The second annual Young at Heart Expo, free to the public and presented by KPLC, will be held on August 21 in the Lake Charles Civic Center from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Young at Heart Expo, Living Happy and Healthy after 50, is a one-day event that focuses on the best in healthcare services, education, leisure and information for seniors and their caregivers. There will be presentations, activities and entertainment geared toward the preferences and interests of people 50 and over. Expo tickets are required, but are free and can be picked up at KPLC Television, Hart Eye Center, CHRISTUS St Patrick Hospital, Cameron State Bank and Bienvenu Aesthetics. Tickets will also be available at the door the day of the expo. The event’s four major sponsors, CHRISTUS Health, Hart Eye Center, Bienvenu Aesthetics and Cameron State Bank will present screenings and seminars throughout the day-long event. Screenings include cataract, glaucoma, cholesterol, roseaca, glucose and blood pressure; and seminars will cover health, financial and leisure. In addition to medical information, you can adopt a pet, give blood, have your photo taken with KPLC news personalities, listen to music performed by Phil Menard, the Louisiana Travelers, Diamond Dancers, Silver Strings and attend a fashion show hosted by Senator Willie Landry-Mount, featuring clothing provided from local stores. Door prizes will be given at every seminar and throughout the day, so attendees will need to fill out the backside of the free admission ticket to qualify. For more information about the expo or acquiring a booth, call Kathlene Deaville at (337) 437-7551 or download forms from KPLCTV.com. ACTS THEATRE ANNUAL AWARDS EVENING AUGUST 23 — ACTS Theatre Lake Charles will hold it 43rd annual awards evening on Saturday, August 23 at 7:30 p.m. at One Reid Street. The Artists Civic Theatre Awards event is staged at the end of each theatre season to honor those who have either appeared on stage or worked the technical areas for productions during the year. There will be scenes and songs from past season’s productions throughout the evening. The event is open to the general public; no reservations are required. For more information, call 433-2287.
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AUGUST 21, 2008
JACK AFTER DARK AT L’AUBERGE DU LAC — Heat up the night with Jack After Dark! Strap on your dancing shoes, because every Friday and Saturday night, Jack Daniel’s® Bar & Grill is transformed into a chic nightclub complete with the hippest DJ’s, a full dance floor and club lighting like never before experienced in Southwest Louisiana. On August 22-23, DJ Irene will keep the party going all night long. DJ Timbo follows on August 29 – 30. To fully enjoy your self-indulgent night on the town you can reserve full bottle service for your party; ask your server for details. Or enjoy a wide variety of drink specials tailored for the occasion; Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Tea, Jaeger Bombs or a tasty Strawberry Mojito Martini. Need extra energy to hit the dance floor? Take advantage of Wide Awake Weekends. Jack After Dark features $3 Red Bull energy drink cocktails every Friday and Saturday. CANDICE ALEXANDER EXHIBIT, ZIGLER MUSEUM, JENNINGS AUG. 29-SEPT. 27 — The Zigler Art Museum, Jennings, will present “Harmony of Design,” an exhibit of paintings and prints by Lake Charles artist Candice Alexander. The exhibit runs from August 30 to September 27, with an artist’s reception on Friday, August 29, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Candice Alexander is a Hathaway native who has lived in Lake Charles since 1999. A graduate of McNeese State University, she employs both contemporary and traditional methods of creating art, which she has shown at art festivals throughout the country. Alexander Art Studio is located at Lake Charles’ historic Central School. “The Harmony of Design” will feature original paintings as well as her popular Fleur de Lis print series. The Zigler Art Museum, 411 Clara Street, Jennings, is open Tuesday through Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sun. from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. “HEY JUDE” GOLF TOURNAMENT AND BENEFIT AUGUST 30 — “Hey Jude” is a benefit in support of Mike and Clare (LeBlanc) Trahan and their new arrival, Baby Jude. Jude was born 15 weeks premature on June 22 and has had several complications. He remains in the hospital in the NICU. Funds raised will help to assist the Trahan family with the many expenses they have incurred during Jude’s hospital stay. A golf tournament will be held Saturday, August 30 at the Bayou Oaks Golf Course in Carlyss at 8 a.m. The cost is $300 for a 4-man team. Enjoy food, fun, live music, dancing, a silent auction and watch the first LSU football game on the BIG SCREEN at the Saint Theresa KC Hall in Carlyss from 2 p.m. – 10 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $20 per person or $30 per couple. Kids get in free! You may
secure your golf team today, purchase your tickets for the benefit, donate items for the silent auction and/or volunteer by contacting Dae Dae (LeBlanc) Sercovich at (337) 912-8486 or Jason LeBlanc at (337) 912-4621. Better yet, visit our Web site and meet Baby Jude at www.freewebs.com/judemichaeltrahanbenefit. All donations are tax deductible. “THE STRAY DOGS OF NICARAGUA” EXHIBIT AT CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AUGUST — During the month of August, the Children’s Museum is spotlighting the “The Stray Dogs of Nicaragua” art exhibit by Peta Kaplan-Sandzer. KaplanSandzer began these portraits of stray dogs in 2006 to capture the soul and personality of animals left to fend for themselves on the streets of Nicaragua. While facing the daily hardship of securing food and shelter, they maintain an undaunted spirit that she is able to portray in her artwork. These paintings ask the viewer to respond both personally and emotionally. One cannot help but be touched by these images. The exhibition is organized through Katharine T. Carter & Associates. The museum is located at 327 Broad Street downtown Lake Charles. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Admission is $6 for children and adults. Memberships and parties are available. Contact the Children’s Museum at (337) 433-9420 or visit www.swlakids.org for more details and special events. YOUNG WOMEN’S WORKSHOP AT HONEY LUV LINGERIE SEPT. 6 — Each One, Reach One Young Women’s Workshop will be held on Saturday, September 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Featured speaker will be Vivian Reed Guillory of Rape Crisis Outreach and Yvonne Manning Smith of the Calcasieu Women’s Shelter. This workshop will cover topics on sexual assault education and sexual assault prevention, the dynamics of a healthy relationship, and dating violence. This workshop will be held at Honey Luv Lingerie & More, 2710 1/2 Hodges Street. This is a free workshop for young ladies between the ages of 16 through 25. Refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited. For more information, contact Tracey Bryant at 433-1609. TRACE ADKINS AT COUSHATTA SEPT. 6 — Country superstar Trace Adkins brings his 2008 American Man Tour to Kinder to perform at Coushatta Casino Resort on Saturday, Sept. 6. When Adkins takes the stage, his towering presence and floor-shaking baritone instantly energizes the entire concert hall. As an experienced entertainer who likes to have fun during his live shows, Adkins keeps his audience on their feet with high-energy performances of good-time anthems like “I Got My Game On,” “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing,” “I Left Something Turned On At Home,” and “Ladies Love Country Boys.” But he also has the ability to tug at the heartstrings with soul-stirring ballads like his latest three-week number 1 hit, “You’re Gonna Miss This.” Most recently, Adkins took home the coveted “Male Video of the Year Award” at the 2008 CMT Music Awards for his humorous video, “I Got My Game On.” Don’t miss this live performance! The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $57.50$85.50 and can be purchased by calling (337) 474-4900 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Trace Adkins
WHAT’S
UP DOC?
Why do white spots on fingernails occur? Usually, it’s due to hitting or bumping your fingernail on a hard surface. The medical term for this is leukonychia, and is simply chalked up to mild trauma. These spots usually grow out with time. A normal fingernail takes about eight months to grow out completely, so these white spots may linger for several months after the fact. There are less common reasons for these spots, including a fungal infection, and skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema can also be the cause. More serious conditions such as certain nutritional deficiencies of zinc or protein can cause a nearly white nail, as well as cirrhosis, a form of liver disease. Keep in mind, though, that these conditions have other more serious symptoms, and white spots on nails are rarely the first indication. Ken Thomas, M.D., family medicine physician, Cypress Clinic Does having a vasectomy increase my risk of prostate cancer? Not at all. Although many studies have been performed to see if there is a link, research has found no increased risk of prostate cancer after a vasectomy. If you're concerned about your prostate cancer risk, talk to your doctor about possible symptoms and screening tests. Kenneth Verheeck, M.D., urologist, Urology Center of SWLA What causes your sense of taste and smell to decrease with age, and is there anything you can do about it? Some loss of taste and smell occurs normally with aging. This can be due to degeneration of the nerves that control smell, which can directly or indirectly affect taste. Also, the sensitivity of your taste buds can diminish with age. But aging is not the only cause of taste and smell loss. Other causes include: • Nasal and sinus problems, such as allergies, sinusitis and polyps • Certain medications, such as some antibiotics, high blood pressure medications, and chemotherapy • Mouth sores, tooth decay or poor dental hygiene • Head injury • Heavy metal poisoning • Cigarette smoking • Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Loss of taste and smell can have a significant impact on quality of life. Diminished taste and smell can lead to decreased appetite and poor nutrition in older adults. It may also tempt you to use too much salt or sugar on your food to enhance the taste — which is a problem if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. For these reasons, it's important to have this problem evaluated by a doctor. If properly diagnosed, many causes of impaired taste and smell are treatable. Dr. Allen Butler, ENT Specialist, Jennings American Legion Hospital Medical Staff I have never had a problem with fever blisters, but lately, I have been breaking out. Are there any possible solutions? Fever blisters are very common, and there is currently no cure. However, you can take steps to reduce and limit the duration of an occurrence. Some natural home remedies include tea bags, petroleum jelly, olive leaf extract or even sage. Many affected people feel that these remedies are beneficial to fever blister treatment and have seen less of a reoccurrence. If you are still having outbreaks after trying these treatments, you should consult with your physician. There are prescription medications available that have proven success with managing outbreaks. Todd Peavy, M.D., family medicine physician, Lake Charles Medical and Surgical Clinic AUGUST 21, 2008
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"All Aboard!"
Yes, it's time to board the Art Bus for Gallery Promenade! I-10
3 North The Children’s Museum 327 Broad Street Julie Dallas and Rex Alexander/Raku firing Friday, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
4 North 1911 City Hall Arts & Cultural Center 1001 Ryan Street First Floor: In the Moment, film still by Hilary Gayle Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
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AUGUST 21, 2008
ive Dr ore esh
Kirby St.
Lak
4N 4N Seventh St.
6N
7N 8N 6S 5S
Twelfth St. Alamo
5N
Kirkman St.
ArtwoRx 429 Ryan Street Signature Work, Pottery, Jewelry, and Gifts Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Pujo St.
Broad St.
Common St.
2 North
3N
Hodges St.
Associated Louisiana Artists/Gallery By the Lake 106 West Lawrence Street Looking Out, Looking In Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Second Floor: Artisan’s Gallery Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Third Floor: Mangum Cinema Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Division St. Bilbo St.
1 North
Art Bus Station
Ryan St.
NORTH ROUTE
1N Lawrence St. 2N Pine St.
Ryan St.
This year's Promenade on Sept. 5 and 6 is going to be bigger and better than ever -- plus, it will be easier for you to enjoy. Park at either the Northeast Corner of the Civic Center parking lot (near Broad and Lakeshore Drive) or in the parking lot in front of 505 Imports in the shopping center at Nelson and West Prien Lake Road. Whether you start at the North end or the South, you will be able to sit back and leave the driving to someone else! No need to spend your money on gas when you know you really want to use it for ART! The Art Bus will depart the Civic Center parking lot and provide transit to and from the Promenade locations in the Downtown/Charpentier District. This full-sized bus will rendezvous with two smaller ones, which will be covering the southern-most participant's locations. Everyone will be able to visit all Promenade locations and be whisked back to their parked vehicles at the end of the evening. Call (337) 439-2787 for more information!
1S
Prien Lake Rd. I-210
4S
Sale Rd. Art by Melancon Studio 334 Kirby Street Billie Bourgeois, Marilyn Cox & Vinh Alexander Friday
5 North Arts & Humanities Center 809 Kirby Street Black Heritage Gallery Sacred Heart School Centennial Celebration Friday, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Art Associates Gallery Barging through Bordeaux by Reggie Keogh Friday, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Studio 347 New Works by Studio 347 Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
2S 3S 6 North
SOUTH ROUTE
DuFlo’s 1129 Common Street Susan Arnold Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
1 South
7 North The Frame House & Gallery 1640 Ryan Street Captain Daniel J. Rhodes Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
8 North/6 South Imperial Calcasieu Museum 204 West Sallier Street Java: The History of Louisiana’s Coffee Roasters Friday, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Cottage Shops T-Fig 2713A Hodges Street Christi Capziello and Brenda LaFleur Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Jon Margeaux 2706 Hodges Street Susan Buller Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Focal Point 2710 1/2 Hodges Street Eddie Mormon Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
2 South
5 South
Abercrombie Gallery MSU Shearman Fine Arts Building Annual Faculty Show Recent Works from the Student Art Association Friday, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Coffee Beanery 1740 W. Prien Lake Road Audrey Smith, Oils on Canvas 505 Imports 1776 W. Prien Lake Road Suite G Vickie Singletary Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
3 South
MOSS BLUFF
Louisiana Made 154 W. McNeese Street Brenda LaFleur, Ethel Precht, John Lyons LA Artists Friday, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Louviere’s Fine Arts 222B Hwy, 171 Elton Louviere Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Bayou Sportsman Home Décor & Gifts 154 W. McNeese Street Suite C Randy McGovern & Ron Atwood Friday, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Bridgepointe Custom Framing 222C Hwy 171 Bridgett Vallery, watercolor Jim Levingston, oil Friday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (artist not present on Sat.)
4 South Artists Crossing Gallery 3600 Nelson Road Nancy Melton Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Largest Selection of DVD’s, Lingerie and Adult Novelties In Southwest Louisiana!
All Asian DVD's - Buy 2 Get 1 FREE!
700 E. Prien Lake Road • 337-478-3566 Between Common and Kirkman
SULPHUR Henning Cultural Center 923 Ruth Street Works of Men Friday, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
R. Dale Bernauer, M.D.
4150 Nelson Rd., Bldg. D, Ste. 1 Lake Charles, La. 70605 PH: 337-474-6960 FAX: 337-474-6970
A non-surgical technique to fight against arthritis and sports injuries. Do you need a joint replacement or suffer from arthritis or sports injuries? We offer a non surgical solution. Regenerative Therapy is designed to regenerate joint cartilage and decrease arthritic changes and pain. This therapy uses a combination of injection therapy, laser therapy, exercises, bracing and other modalities. Parts of the program can be covered by insurance while parts are not. A commitment to the whole program is necessary for success. This is how it works: The physician introduces natural medicine into damaged, arthritic cells by means of a precise injection. This process is followed by infrared laser as well as several other modalities in order to accelerate the process. Depending on tissue damage, severity of the condition and the size of the joint that needs to be injected, people usually need a series of 1 to 6 treatments to improve. There is usually no downtime, and people can go back to their usual activities or work immediately. The treatments can help most musculoskeletal problems such as knee pain, shoulder pain, whiplash, tendonitis, sprain, strains, torn ligaments and cartilage damage. For more information and to schedule your treatment call 337-474-6960. AUGUST 21, 2008
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"Report Card" — how did we do?
by Matt Jones • ©2008 Jonesin' Crosswords Brought to you by Melanie Perry, Agent State Farm Insurance
Last Issue’s Answers
Across 1 It may be fatal 5 Disease contracted by Seal at an early age 10 Brand that pops up frequently in crosswords? 14 Sitar master Shankar 15 ___ ear and out the other 16 Get ready for surgery 17 Couturier Cassini 18 British pottery manufacturer known for bone china 19 City that represents a county 20 Helgenberger of "China Beach" 21 Less polluted 22 Rowboat need 23 ___-country (Drive-By Truckers' genre) 25 "Damn, it's cold out!" 26 "Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge" network 27 The Hulk's catalyst 29 Food vendor's requirement (abbr.) 30 Resource 33 Last name in riding lawnmowers 34 "___ bin ein Berliner" (famous JFK quote) 35 Desert landscape features 36 Spicy spread 37 ___ Na Na (group that preceded Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock)
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AUGUST 21, 2008
38 It's said coming and going 39 Kiddie lit web spinner who gets a B?* 42 Fashion line? 43 Cartoonist who created Tintin 44 Insignia on Cardinals caps 45 Hathor or Hera, e.g. 47 Got some better pictures 51 John's 2008 adversary 56 Gave high honors 58 "Out of Africa" author Isak 59 Element taken in supplements 60 Flea market event 61 Sets up tents 62 Brand with the discontinued flavor Grape Watermelon
13 24 26 27 28
Down 1 "You'll hear ___ my lawyer!" 2 "Ooh ___!" 3 Singer Cocker who gets a C?* 4 Leeway 5 Cindy Brady's impediment 6 Like private phone numbers 7 Billionaire Branson who gets an F?* 8 Price at a dime a dozen, perhaps? 9 Fortune teller 10 They're added to foot baths 11 "Dilbert" cartoonist Adams who gets an A?* 12 Equipment
49
31 32 40 41 45 46
47 48
50 52 53 54 55 57 58
Makes a decision Hot concept Chocolate necessity Sum up It comes straight from the horse's mouth Fred's wife, on "I Love Lucy" ___ Maria (coffee liqueur) Get all emotional and teary-eyed Part of GLAAD Fade out, like a light "We ___ song of sorrow..." (lyric from Saves the Day's "What Went Wrong") Beat too fast, like a heart McGregor who will appear in "Angels & Demons" in 2009 Mineral that's the softest on the Mohs scale Killer whale Bodily system that includes the lungs: abbr. Acronym that sometimes means "right now" Word after blood or fuel Place to play horsey Dungeons & Dragons game runners, for short Visions that may require rehab
1
2
3
4
5
Send in the Clowns
B
each bunnies Amy Grimes, Bea Hebert and Anne Monlezun ushered the Shadow into the second annual Mardi Gras Museum Beach Blanket Bingo Fundraiser on a warm Friday evening. This ladies-only event was packed with krewe members and guests. Deep South Productions provided the music to keep everyone in the swing of things. What an impressive display of prizes! Donations from many local businesses such as Rustic Elegance, Tranquility Massage, Moss Bluff Flowers & Gifts included wine, spa packages, art deco objects, glass vases and more. It was easy to recognize the veteran players as the night began; cheers went up as the first “Bingo!” was shouted from the crowd. The Shadow thinks the Krewe of Chaos had the largest krewe turnout, and they certainly were living up to their name in their quest to win great prizes. Serving refreshments were Scot Hebert, Lee Monlezun, Roger Flores, Mark Lavergne, Jeff Landry, Phil de Albuquerque and Mitch Bowers, all decked out in their “Master Waiter” attire. It was successful evening of fun, with proceeds going towards the maintenance and upgrade of Lake Charles’ fabulous Mardi Gras Museum. You must stop by the Central School Arts and Humanities Center to see this treasure. The Shadow had the privilege to meet Steve Racca, president of the Marshland Festival, at his popular event at the Lake Charles Civic Center. According to Steve, a group of parents, school teachers and administrators came together 19 years ago to discuss ways to provide funding for various school,
PHOTOS SHOWN: 1–There were several Master Waiters to assure a good time was had by all; shown here is Lee Monlezun, Roger Flores and Mark Lavergne, with beverages in hand. 2–The beach bunnies, Amy Grimes, Anne Monlezun and Bea Hebert are ready for a good time at the Mardi Gras Museum’s Beach Blanket Bingo Fundraiser. 3–Yep, fun was had by all, as Jeff Landry, Angela Seay, Liz Landry, Mitch Bowers and Brandy Maneille ham it up for the camera at the Mardi Gras Museum fundraiser. 4–Krewe of Lunatiques members Leslie Materne, Rebeka Baugh and Dyann Backhus head for the bingo tables at the Beach Blanket Bingo Fundraiser.
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5–Hackberry Volunteers Kirstyn Vincent, Kim Hornsby, Theresa Guidry, Lisa Maddox and Marie Little at the Marshland Festival. 6–For the duration: John, Brian and Charles Hebert and Mitch Gautareaux have traditionally supported the Marshland Festival from its inception in 1989. 7–Having fun at the 19th Annual Marshland Festival. From left to right, Austin Oliver, E.J. and Earlene Granger, Ashley Breaux, Daniel Comeaux, Wilson Breaux and Cheryl Savoy. 8–Lacy and Caleb Waldmeier and John Lennox take a break from browsing the silent auction items at the Volunteer Center of SWLA Annual Fundraiser.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 9–Valerie David, Misti Gravouia and Cookie Phillips discuss Cookie’s artwork donated for the silent auction at Moonlight and Magnolias. 10–The guys have it – Jim LaFargue, Bob Goldman and David Phillips stand at attention for the Shadow at the Volunteer Center’s Moonlight and Magnolias Benefit Gala. 11–Fellow alumni of Rex Alexander, Debbie LeBeau brought Zoe, Chase and husband Mark to see Rex and his exhibit Made in USA. 12–The Freelings, Isaac, Allan and Tami take time for a camera shot at Rex Alexander’s pottery exhibit opening reception at the Art Associates Gallery in Central School Arts and Humanities Center.
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church and community events for the youth of Hackberry. Thus, the Marshland Festival came to be. When asked to comment on the success of the event, Racca was quick to point out that the deputies, marshals and police hired for security always exceeded the expectations of the festival organizers and participants in performing their duties. Hats off to our law enforcement! He also commented that the many volunteers and festival goers made the event such a success, as this was a record year for attendance. Kayla Bartholomew, Brandy, Lane, Ethan and Cameron Kyle, Branden and Bryce Barlow, A.J. Frazee, Brian and John Hebert, Lori Beth Shove, Shelby Seay, Kayla Sanner, Earlene Granger, Ashley Breaux, Daniel Comeaux, Wilson Breaux and Cheryl Savoy all enjoyed this Louisiana tradition of good food, good music and good times. Rebekah Winters and Tara Demarie of the Lake Charles Junior League rolled out a huge celebration cake for the start of the 6th Annual Moonlight and Magnolias Benefit Gala and Auction presented by the Volunteer Center of Southwest Louisiana. The Volunteer Center started as a Junior League project in 1985, and on behalf of the League, Rebekah commended the board of directors and expressed pleasure in the fact that the agency continues to serve the community. Janet Pace
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 13–Laura Cangelose, Erin Bentley and Allison Andrus came out for the opening reception of Made in U.S.A. - New Works of Rex Alexander. 14–Jackie Dowden from the Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA joins Rex and Toni Alexander in welcoming guests to the opening reception of Made in U.S.A. New Works by Rex Alexander. 15–Shanna, Kaitlyn and Eric May get ready to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
from the Lieutenant. Governor’s office presented an award to the Center for outstanding service and commitment to the community. Auctioneer Phil de Albuquerque cajoled the audience toward the highest bids for the live auction. Lynn Jones, Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court, donated his time as DJ for the occasion and also took advantage of the live auction to take home some great prizes, including an amazing Eddie Mormon original. Silent and live auction items included a John Folse autographed cookbook, artwork by Cookie Phillips and Eddie Mormon, golfing packages, resort weekends, and more. Tyler Williams, Maurice Tynes and Lauren de Albuquerque were some of the more fortunate guests whose bids took home prizes. Seen enjoying the festivities were Andy Jacobson, Betsy Doucet, Blake McCaskill, Valerie David, Misti Gravouia, David Phillips, Bob
Goldman, Jim LaFargue and John Lennox. Before exiting stage right, the Shadow had a chance to greet Lacy and Caleb Waldmeier, Blake and Shanna McCaskill, Logan Williams, Shirley Walker and Anne Berniard. Toni and Rex Alexander welcomed friends, fans and new pottery enthusiasts to the opening night of Made in USA Recent Works by Rex Alexander in the Art Associates Gallery at Central School Arts and Humanities Center. There were lots of oohs and aahs as guests circulated through the many pieces of pottery and eventually brought some home. Anne Dentler, Jim Spitzkeit, Jessie Kelly and Nancy Czejkowski admired favorite pieces while Donna Little, Judy Hannan, Matt and Valerie Smith, Clay and Gwen Ashworth tried to see it all. Down the hall in the Central School Theatre, the First Breathe Company
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 16–Drayden, Dawson and Delton Richey enjoying the excitement of the circus performances. 17–Eddie Novak, an Army soldier home from Iraq, has some fun with wife Melissa and children Emily and Zachary at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. 18–Kharie Hidalgo waits with Caleb Lambert and Kyla Hidalgo to see the elephants at the Boom A Ring! Circus.
Show opened to an excited crowd. Jillian Ardoin, Founder and Artistic Director, could hardly contain her exuberance as she welcomed the audience, explained the premise of Breathe, the Lake Area’s Dance & Performance Collective, and prepared everyone for an evening of choreography. The Shadow believes one should be passionate about something, and there was no doubt that the members of this collective were indeed passionate about choreography and expressive dance. Lauren Moore, John Latham and Charisse Chaffin welcomed arrivals for the show along with Kay and George Crosby, Jessica Corbello, Justin Morris, and Chuck and Jan Ehlers. Children young and old were everywhere when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to town. The Boom-A-Ring band kept the music
going as the non-stop parade of performers entertained and delighted the circus goers. The Shadow had some serious concerns about the safety of the high wire and trapeze daredevils, as well as the lovely lady who walked among those beautiful, HUGE white tigers. I heaved a sigh of relief after each of these performances! The Ringling Bros./Barnum & Bailey Circus is without a doubt “the Greatest Show on Earth.” The Shadow talked with Shanna, Kaitlyn and Eric May, Caryn Frazier, Courtney Parker from Elton, Megan John and Edith Juka, Natalie and Jeremy Falke, Kharie and Kyla Hidalgo, Caleb Lambert, and Belinda, Thomas III, Thomas and Rusty Chapman, Jr. Tigers, elephants, dachshunds running around on their short little legs, clowns, tumblers, musicians, acrobats: Wow! What a show! AUGUST 21, 2008
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Below: Moise Tezeno Sr., celebrates his 85th birthday with his sister Augustine Thibodeaux, daughter Donna Avery and son-in-law Marselles Avery.
Below: The Calcasieu Boat Club's Poker Run brought out boaters Phil de Albuquerque, Chase and Ashley Wilson, and Monika and Bruce Maerhofer.
Above: Some strange characters showed up at Krewe de la Famille's Rags to Riches Summer Social. Doug Hamer, Sonny Hodges and Scot Hebert scared just about everyone.
Above: Aiko loves spending her mornings in the garden.
Parting Sh o ts
1) E-mail your snap shots to myphoto@timessw.com. Must include a contact name and phone number. 2) Photos should be attached as a file and not imbedded in copy or photoshopped into a format. Original size, please, do not compress the file. No mailed or fax photographs can be used.
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3) Subjects in photo must be identified by name. Children should also be identified by parent or guardian. Unidentified or anonymous photos will not be considered for publication. 4) The Times reserves the right to decline publishing photos of questionable taste or subject matter, or for space limitations.
AUGUST 21, 2008
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