WWW.TIMESSW.COM • JUNE 26, 2008 / VOL. 13, NO. 13
Seizing Investment Opportunities
DeRidder Downtown Revitalization
Start Up Business Savvy
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JUNE 26, 2008
GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . 617 Drew St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-439-0995 Fax: 337-439-0418 PUBLISHERS Patrick Marcantel Scot Hebert
. . . . . . .
june 26, 2008 Volume 13 • Number 13
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contents
NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . MANAGING EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren.dealbuquerque@timessw.com
EDITOR Lisa Yates timesedit@timessw.com
CONTRIBUTORS Mike Allen Terry Backhaus Bill Krull Roddy Johnson J. Shirlene Cooper Patricia Prudhomme Kay Andrews Matt Jones
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E N T E R P R I S E B O U L E VA R D Crude Awakening: Are these the good old days? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
POLITICS John Maginnis Dan Juneau ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Andy Jacobson
COLUMNS
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Publisher’s Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Who’s News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Inside Baton Rouge: Voter Drive Both Hits and Misses . . . . . . . . .9 MSU Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Business Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Patricia Prudhomme Nathan Yates 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 Fueling Victory: Lake Charles’ Drag Racer Keith Raftery . . . . . .20
FEATURES MSU Foundation Receives Land Donation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Home Grown: The Boiling Point’s Recipe for Success . . . . . . . .16 DeRidder on the Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 MSU’s Summer Athletic Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Should Rising Oil Prices Affect Your Investment Strategies . . .24 Is This Market Downturn an Opportunity? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Starting a Small Business? Know the Score! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
ENTERTAINMENT Times Picks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Coffee Break Cross Word: Never a Good Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 The Shadow: Have a Heart — and a Glass of Wine . . . . . . . . . . .34 Parting Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Visit us online at: www.timessw.com JUNE 26, 2008
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he state receives billions of dollars from American tax payers and the legislators think the best thing to do is double their pay. The state siphons hundreds of millions of dollars from the public via higher oil and gas prices, and again, the legislators think the best thing to do is double their pay. Never mind Mom and Dad paying even higher tuition fees thanks to legislation passed by “you know who.” Even after doing so, our state legislators said, “Let’s double our pay.” Let’s ignore directing more money towards the state’s badly needed transportation infrastructure, which are still woefully under funded. How many of you during your career had a boss come up to you and say, “Hey my friend, it’s time you get a 100 percent pay raise?” If you’ve had that happen, please write in and let us know. However, that’s just what our lawmakers did. They cloaked their raise with an “honorable” no vote on SB 672, but then quietly (or so they think) accepted the raise. This was after they had a 24-hour period to reject it. But did they? That would be no. They instead took tax payers’ dollars to the tune of an additional $20,700 per year, plus per diem, more than doubling their current base pay of $16,800. The fact is no means no through the entire process. The last time the legislature received a pay raise was in 1980, so most would be in agreement they needed a raise. Like most of us, 2-5 percent would have been the norm, but not for our public servants. This audacious move has soured the attitude of even the most sympathetic constituent. There were a few legislators refusing the pay raise. On the Senate side they are Jody Amedee, Bill Cassidy, Don Cravins, Jr., A.G. Crowe, Jack Donahue, Danny Martiny and Neil Riser. Refusing the pay hike in the House of Representatives are Clif Richardson, Karen St. Germain, Patrick Connick, Chris Hazel, Walt Leger, Tony Ligi, Nick Lorusso, Kevin Pearson, Dee Richard, John Schroder, Kirk Talbot, Ricky Templet and Don Trahan. No legislator from Southwest Louisiana refused the raise. Receiving it and donating it to charitable organizations is the absolute wrong thing to do. First, talk about a political payola
process…You support my candidacy and I’ll throw you some cash, mister! Second, it’s not your money, it’s the people’s money. We already have charitable systems in place that are doing a wonderful job. A legislator’s donor program using the tax payer’s money is not needed, thank you very much. By the way, starting July 1, 2009, and every year after that, the pay would go up based on the Consumer Price Index, roughly 2 to 3 percent a year. That sounds like a raise we’d receive, and it sounds like a legislative raise that should have been considered in the first place. It’s now their move; the ball is in their court. All responsible legislators should call the Governor and state their willingness to support his veto! Then follow that call with a public statement of your action. Representatives • James K. Armes III, District 30 (337) 238-7004; armesj@legis.state.la.us. • Dorothy Sue Hill, District 32 (800) 259-2118; larep032@legis.state.la.us. • Mike Danahay, District 33 527-5581; danahaym@legis.state.la.us. • A.B. Franklin, District 34 (337) 491-2320; franklina@legis.state.la.us. • Brett Geymann, District 35 (337) 491-2315; larep035@legis.state.la.us. • Chuck Kleckley, District 36 (337) 475-3016; larep036@legis.state.la.us. • Johnny Guinn, District 37 (337) 824-0376; guinnj@legis.state.la.us. Senators • Dan Morrish, District 25 (337) 824-3979; morrishd@legis.state.la.us • Willie Mount, District 27 (337) 491-2016; lasen27@legis.state.la.us. • John Smith, District 30 (800) 259-2709; smithj@legis.state.la.us
NEWS
ABOUT
SOUTHWEST
LOUISIANA
ENTERPRISEBOULEVARD Crude Awakening: Are these the good old days? By Lisa Yates
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f the country runs out of gas and electricity goes out, the Amish in Pennsylvania will be able to handle it just fine. But what about the folks here in Southwest Louisiana – How will the people here
fare? Although the oil industry is not yet willing to discuss a peak oil supply, a local industry insider, predicted a “catastrophic massive energy shortage” before the end of the decade. Steve Jordan, CEO of Central Crude, Louisiana Tank and Jordan Oil, said, “I’m predicting massive energy shortages, which will make the Great Depression of the 1930s look like the good old days.” Without affordable energy, he said our lifestyles will become a thing of the past. “We need to think about our way of life and about the comforts of life that the petrochemical industry has provided,” he said. Record gas prices a result of politics Jordan said he is not surprised Americans are paying an average of $4 a gallon for regular-grade gasoline. He predicted it several years ago. “We don’t have to be in the problem we’re in now,” Jordan said. “People need to decide that enough is enough.” As someone involved in oil and gas production, Jordan sees the energy shortage as a result of politics. He said public policy prevents tapping into new reservoirs. He also criticized members of the U.S. Senate for blocking oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. “I understand these are well-intentioned policies,” Jordan said. “Or, at least I think they are well-intentioned. But, these policies have led us to paying more for gasoline.” Drilling opponents have argued that ANWR’s oil should not be exploited because of the coastal plain’s
fragile ecosystem and its wildlife. However, Jordan said that modern techniques can extract the oil without damaging the coastline. In addition to ANWR, he said substantial amounts of new oil can also be found off the coasts of California and Florida. In fact, geologists and oil industry representatives believe that at least one billion barrels of crude oil lie in undeveloped leases off the California and Florida coastlines. Together with ANWR, these are the last areas in which substantial amounts of new oil can be found in the United States. “They won’t allow drilling,” Jordan said. “There was a big oil spill of the coast of Santa Barbara years ago, which led to the environmentalist extremists getting laws passed forbidding drilling in California and Florida – Which is ironic, because these two states consume most of the energy we use in this country.” With energy consumption growing, he said the public needs to rethink its energy policy and allow drilling off these coastlines. “I’m not saying we can drill our way out of this problem,” Jordan said. The solution is diversification He said diversification is the solution. He suggested utilizing a combination of traditional fossil fuels and viable renewable energy sources. These include biofuels, coal, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy, as well as oil and gas. Jordan also said coal is poised for a comeback. “America has been called the Saudi Arabia of coal,” Jordan said, noting huge reserves in the U.S. “The problem is with the carbon dioxide.” He said that innovative technology allows new coal plants to capture and store carbon dioxide, rather than releasing it as pollution. “The coal facility can take it here,
where we can inject it into old wells here in Louisiana,” he said. “The CO2 recovers oil like magic. Oil and gas trapped in the sand is released and the waste is put to good use. It’s a win-win for Louisiana and for the whole country.” To realize a positive future for Southwest Louisiana, Jordan said it’s important to find more oil and to recover more oil from existing sources. As a member of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s Energy Commission, Jordan is looking at some new projects, which he hopes will provide more energy for the near future. One of these new projects included a geothermal energy source in Southwest Louisiana. “When I was drilling my last well in Cameron Parish, at 15,000 feet, I encountered a geothermal energy source – 300-degree Fahrenheit water,” Jordan said, adding he has been checking into the possibility of developing it as an energy source. High gas prices fuel protests Meanwhile, fishermen, truck drivers and farmers in Europe are threatening to bring entire economic sectors to a halt with protests against crippling fuel costs. Other European businesses owners in who rely heavily on gas use have joined the protest movement or are preparing to do so. If that happens in this country, the Amish will be able to handle it just fine. They will keep farming and feeding themselves without depending on trucks to get produce and meat to supermarkets. Also, they have horses and buggies to get around. But for everyone else, it’s going to be tough times. As Carly Simon once sang: “These are the good old days!”
Who’s News
Beginning June 2, Michael J. Oler, MD, SM, a family medicine physician with Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, will begin seeing patients at his new Family Medicine Specialists office, 2615 Enterprise Boulevard in Lake Charles. The office number, (337) 475-9093, will remain the same. A graduate of Florida State University in Tallahassee and the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, Dr. Oler is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. He completed his Dr. Michael J. Oler family practice residency at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, and received a Masters in Health Care Management from the Harvard School of Public Health. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Oler, please call (337) 475-9093. U.S. Sen. David Vitter recently spoke on the U.S. Senate floor in recognition of U.S. Army Sergeant Eric Moser, the son of Ken and Karen Moser of Lake Charles. Sgt. Moser was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on May 22, 2008, for his courage under fire while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq last August, making him one of only nine soldiers to have received this award since 2001. “I know how proud Sergeant Moser’s parents are of him, and all of Louisiana shares in their pride,” Vitter said. “His actions truly exemplify patriotism, service to country and the values and spirit of the Army’s famous 82nd Airborne Division.” During a firefight in Samarra, Iraq, Sgt. Moser and another paratrooper fought off a group of terrorists estimated to number more than 40, and risked their own lives to protect the bodies of two of their fallen comrades. Sgt. Moser and his team member survived the attack. “I am sure Sergeant Moser would be hesitant to acknowledge Continued on Page 6 JUNE 26, 2008
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Who’s News, Continued from Page 5
himself as a hero, and he does not need to do so,” Vitter said. “His actions distinguished him as such when, on a rooftop in Iraq, he risked his own life to ensure that no man was left behind.”
may be used at the students’ discretion, as long as they remain in school and in good standing. The selection process was highly competitive and each recipient proved to be the best in their class. The SWLA Economic Development Alliance has retained the services of Lake Charles native, Lauron Sonnier, to promote the Southwest Louisiana region to the business community of the Houston MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area). “We realized the importance of having a presence in the Houston market in order to encourage their companies to expand into our region. This is one of our main marketing efforts for the upcoming years. Lauron Sonnier will help market Southwest Louisiana to Houston companies, conduct on-site visits, and attend events on the behalf of The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance,” stated George Swift, President/CEO of The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. Sonnier agrees about the importance of marketing to our neighbors to the West. “Houston has a nose for good business opportunities, and Southwest Louisiana is offering a jackpot of them. We’re going to show them that the business opportunities in Southwest Louisiana are as rich as its culture. We just have to keep telling the Southwest Louisiana story. The facts will sell themselves.”
Featured with CITGO Vice President and General Manager Bob Kent from left to right: Kayla Sanner, Alex Reeser, Natalie Fruge, Bob Kent, Jordan Kolde, Casey White and Lauren Smith
CITGO Petroleum Corporation recently awarded 14 corporate-wide scholarships totaling $224,000 to high school seniors who exhibited exceptional qualifications in academics, leadership abilities, and school and community participation. Six recipients were from Southwest Louisiana, all children of employees of CITGO’s Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex. The senior management team of CITGO Lake Charles hosted a special dinner on June 11 for the scholarship winners and their parents, mentors and high school principals. Each recipient was recognized for their academic achievements, leadership abilities and other accomplishments. They were also each presented with the first $4,000 installment of their $16,000 scholarship. These students included Natalie A. Fruge, Jordan B. Kolde, Alex C. Reeser, Kayla E. Sanner, Lauren E. Smith and Casey L. White. Natalie A. Fruge is the daughter of Linda and Don Fruge, manager of process engineering and business optimization at CITGO. She graduated from Sulphur High School with a 4.08 GPA. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Sulphur High School Student Council. She plans on attending Louisiana College in Pineville in the fall. Jordan B. Kolde is the daughter of Deanna and Kenneth Kolde, senior economic analyst at CITGO. She graduated from St. Louis High School with a 4.1 GPA, and demonstrated leadership abilities as choir vice president, swim team captain and National Honor Society treasurer. She will be attending McNeese State University in the fall while playing on the university’s soccer team. Alex Reeser is the son of Jennifer and Jason Reeser, alkylation chief operator of CITGO. He graduated from Westlake High School with a 4.04 GPA. He was named Westlake Student of the Year, won the ACT Academic Achievement Award, and is a Regent’s Scholar for the Louisiana Board of Regents. Alex plans to attend Louisiana State University and major in computer science. He has been accepted to the Honors College and has also been invited to participate in band camp for the Tiger Band. Kayla E. Sanner is the daughter of Melinda and Kirk Sanner, CVEP relief operator at CITGO. She graduated from Hackberry High School with a 3.99 GPA. She was vice president of Future Business Leaders of America, president of Beta Club and captain of both the basketball and dance line teams. She plans on attending McNeese State University and will major in nursing. Lauren E. Smith is the daughter of Carol and Boyd Smith, CITGO Lubes and Wax Plant operations supervisor. She graduated from Sulphur High School with a 3.96 GPA, and has shown leadership abilities as secretary and historian for the National Honor Society. She is a certified nursing assistant and will continue to pursue a career in medicine at McNeese State University, majoring in clinical lab technology and chemistry. Casey L. White is the son of Kathleen and Terry White, quality assurance and quality control manager at CITGO. He graduated from South Beauregard High School with a 4.0 GPA. He received the Certificate of Writing Excellence Award, Outstanding Environmental Science Student Award, Leadership Class Award and various scholarships awards. In the fall, Casey plans on attending Louisiana College and will major in chemistry/pre-pharmacy. Since 1987, CITGO has awarded approximately 250 scholarships to high school graduates from across the nation. The 2008 CITGO Petroleum Corporation Scholarship Program will award $16,000 to each recipient, given as $4,000 per year for four years. These funds PAGE 6
JUNE 26, 2008
Optician Doris Oeder, with Optics Unlimited at The Eye Clinic, has been awarded certification by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO). The ABO is a notfor-profit organization that identifies qualified ophthalmic dispensers by certifying those who pass the professionally developed examinations. In order to receive certification, Oeder was required to pass a comprehensive exam regarding her knowledge and skills in the areas of analyzing and interpreting prescriptions; fitting and dispensing eyewear and other ophthalmic devices; and the use of standard ophthalmic equipment. Originally from Metairie, Doris Oeder Oeder earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family and Consumer Science from McNeese State University. She has six years of experience in the optical field and has been with Optics Unlimited for one year. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Bart J. Leger has received his Doctorate degree in Psychology/Christian Counseling from Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport on May 2, 2008. Chaplain Leger is a board-certified pastoral counselor and a member of the American Association of Experts in Traumatic Stress; Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists; American Association of Christian Counselors; and the International Conference of Police Chaplains in which he is certified senior chaplain. Leger is a full-time deputy with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and is P.O.S.T. certified. He also teaches at the Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy. Chaplain Leger is the pastor at Faith Bible Church in Lake Charles. LSU Health Care Services Division - W. O. Moss Regional Medical Center – Service Auxiliary installed their newly elected officers for the year 2008– 2009. Founded August 15, 1961, the Auxiliary operates the gift shop, answers telephones and calls patients with appointment reminders, along with many other duties. It also offers financial support to special facility projects and assists with patient needs. The newly elected officers are: President – Melba Duhon, Vice President – Betty Duhon, Treasurer – Ellen Henderhan, Secretary - Mildred Lyons, and Correspondence Secretary – Wilma Miles. Dr. Patrick Robinson, Hospital Administrator, swore in the new officers at the installment ceremony on May 2. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office held their Fourth Annual Law Enforcement Banquet on Friday, May 23. Awards were given to the following deputies for their outstanding accomplishments and service to the Sheriff’s Office in 2007 in their respective divisions: Employee of the Year: Eric Bellard - Enforcement Division; James Maddox - Investigations Division; Glenn Rutledge - Programs Division; Debbie Vincent – Financial Division; Wayne Day – Civil Division; Craig Thibodeaux - Special Services Division; Michael Toups - Calcasieu Correctional Center; and Kathy Benoit - Law Enforcement Centers. Debbie Vincent was also chosen as “2007 Employee of the Year” for the entire Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Allison Ieyoub Kjellsten, certified fitness instructor, personal trainer and owner of Project Fit attended the World Spinning and Sports Conference in Miami. Continued on Page 7
Who’s News, Continued from Page 6
The conference offered instructor training and continuing education for spin as well as mat and reformer Pilates. Presenters included fitness professionals and Spinning Master instructors from around the globe. Conference sessions attended by Kjellsten included: “Pilates for Overweight Clients,” “Resist-A-Ball Boot Camp,” “Challenge Spin Ride” and “Athletes and Pilates.” Project Fit offers on-site corporate training as well as programs in group fitness, personal training, team sports conditioning, Pilates, strength training and weight loss. Classes are held at Anytime Fitness and
Sarah Quinn Jones School of Classical Ballet, and can also be conducted in the clients’ home. Its flagship program is a Boot Camp that offers short-term intense training in groups according to fitness levels. For more information, call 274-7988. Mohammad Khan, MD, oncologist/hematologist, has joined the medical staff of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. He will oversee outpatient cancer treatments and will see patients on Saturdays in his new office located at 711 Cypress Street in Sulphur. Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, Dr. Khan received his undergraduate degree from the
University of South Alabama, graduating magna cum laude, and his medical degree from American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at St. Agnes Healthcare in Baltimore, Maryland and his fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Khan is a professor of Oncology at the University of Texas School of Medicine at Houston, and is a member of the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Medical Association. To schedule an appointment, call Dr. Khan’s office at 527-6530.
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JUNE 26, 2008
INSIDE BATON ROUGE — by John Maginnis
Voter Drive Both Hits and Misses n the same week that Sen. Barack Obama clinched the presidential nomination, in Louisiana, a massive voter registration drive, financed by the national Democratic party, was hitting overdrive and nearing its goal of gathering 70,000 applications for new voters. In the last month, registrars of voters in the state’s four largest parishes report being deluged with applications submitted by Voting Is Power, a Washington, D.C.-based group working for the party. Since February, VIP has employed canvassers to go door-to-door to sign up unregistered adults, mostly in minority neighborhoods in Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson and Orleans parishes. How many of those applying actually become registered to vote is a hard question for swamped registrars to answer, as their staffs work 12-hour days to sort through piles of cards dropped off by the thousands. Registrars say most of the applications, which must be signed by applicants, are valid and will result in large numbers of new Democratic voters this fall. But officials also report a large number of problem applications, many from people who are already registered, while others with missing, bad, even comical information. Jefferson Parish Registrar Dennis DiMarco knew it was going to be a long day when he randomly came across an application for himself. According to the signed card, he was a young AfricanAmerican, registering as a Democrat and residing at the registrar’s post office box. “They flattered me by making me younger. I did appreciate that,” said DiMarco, a white Republican. He does not believe VIP is “willingly overwhelming the system,” but that it needs to do a better job of checking the work of its hourly-paid canvassers. The three other registrars emphatically concur. “It is a problem,” said Secretary of state spokesman Jacques Berry of several voter drives. Some applications, not VIP’s, appear to come from mailing lists. “Some have been dead,” he said. “There are a couple of family dogs.” Patently bogus applications are discarded. More common are the incomplete applications, which are time-consuming and expensive to process. Caddo Registrar Ernie Roberson reports that VIP has turned in 500 applications from ex-felons, whom his office must contact to request documents proving they have completed their parole periods. Roberson estimates that only 60 per-
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cent of the Democratic applicants will be registered and eventually mailed voter cards. He foresees confusion and anger at the polls when some people show up thinking they are registered when they are not. In most cases, they will be able to fill out provisional ballots, which could cause longer lines at polling places already expecting a huge turnout for the presidential election. Brian Welsh, spokesman for Louisiana Victory, the Democrats’ coordinating campaign group, says that VIP supervisors try to verify the information received from canvassers, but he reminds that it is not the party’s job to do the registrars’ work for them. Registrar Roberson disagrees. “If they overwhelm me with junk, I can’t get my job done,” he said. “The people being hurt the most are the people they are trying to help.”
THE PEOPLE BEING HURT THE MOST ARE THE PEOPLE THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP. Any effort to bring more voters into the democratic process is laudable, provided the process itself is not over-burdened by an aggressively sloppy field operation. It remains to be seen how much Democrats grow on the rolls or, where it counts, at the polls. Due to past organizing efforts and the federal motorvoter law, registration in Louisiana has swelled to almost 90 percent of the voting age population. Anyone who has to be tracked down to be registered might require a forklift to get them to their precinct in November. Even if Democratic registration is pumped up, could that really turn this state’s red tide blue? Probably not in the presidential race, where John McCain holds a wide poll lead over Obama, and where large black turnouts usually are matched by those of whites. Rather, the party looks to use Obama as a loss leader, who will attract thousands of new African-American voters to also cast ballots for U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu and Democratic congressional candidates. Given the closeness of past Landrieu elections and the depopulation of her New Orleans base, the newly minted Democrats might hold the margin of her victory in their hands, if they show up. JUNE 26, 2008
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NEWS
ROUNDUP
William Doré Donates $1 million to MSU Foundation Businessman and entrepreneur William J. Doré, founder of Global Industries Ltd., has donated $1 million to the McNeese State University Foundation to be used for athleticrelated endeavors. A portion of the donation will be used to complete the debt obligations on the Sky Ranch, Richard Reid, McNeese vice president of development and public affairs and executive vice-president of the McNeese Foundation, said. “This will allow the athletics department to begin generating revenue from funds received for private
and corporate boxes and seats in the Blue and Gold Room,” Reid said. Since the facility opened in 1998, fees collected for the boxes and seats in the Blue and Gold Room have been used to pay the construction debt. According to Reid, Doré will retain the right to name the football stadium. Doré received his bachelors and masters degrees from McNeese and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2005. He earned athletic letters in football and track and was inducted into the McNeese Athletics Hall of Honor in 1988. He received the prestigious McNeese Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1995. Doré retired as chief executive officer of the Carlyss-based Global Industries Ltd. in 2006 and continues to serve as a consultant to the company. “Bill Doré built Global Industries into an American success story,” McNeese President Dr. Robert Hebert said. “He purchased a nearly bankrupt offshore diving company in the early 1970s, and through hard work and perseverance, he turned it into a worldwide marine construction and offshore diving company. We are very fortunate that he has been especially generous in his support of his alma mater,” Hebert said. The graduate school at McNeese is named for Doré, who created a $2 million endowment for graduate student stipends. He was also instrumental in creating the Kay Doré Counseling Center at McNeese that provides a clinical setting for graduate students in mental health counseling. He is one of the founders of the Golden Saddle Club, which has raised over $500,000 to provide scholarships to rodeo students at McNeese.
William Doré
New Additions to Practice Football Fields Two new additions have been made to McNeese State’s A. I. Ratcliff practice football fields. Two 10 x 12 metal buildings were recently constructed onsite to store equipment for both the football team and for the university’s sports medicine department. The Cowboy Club donated the funds for the buildings, totaling $5,100. The buildings were constructed on concrete slabs and adjoin the two 30 x 60-foot pavilions that were built last PAGE 10
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year by the Cowboy Club and the PetroChem Athletic association. C. J. Hernandez, head football equipment manager, and Jim Murphy, the university’s head athletic trainer, said that the buildings would be use to house items that will be used daily during football practice. “We have been in need of these buildings and this saves us having to haul equipment back and forth each day for workouts,” Hernandez said.
FROM
MSU
Admission Deadline July 3 July 3 is the deadline to apply for admission to McNeese State University for regular fall registration. Registration for the fall semester is currently underway through 11:59 p.m. July 11. Fall classes begin Aug. 18. Students can go online to www.mcneese.edu and click on Banner Self-Service to begin the registration process. First-time students and
students who did not attend McNeese during the fall 2007 and spring 2008 semesters or summer 2008 sessions must be accepted to the university by the deadline in order to be eligible to register during regular fall registration. For more information about fall registration at McNeese, contact the registrar’s office at (337) 475-5356 or (800) 622-3352, ext. 5356.
Fall Fee Deferral Plan Offered A fall fee deferral plan is offered to students attending McNeese State University through the Administrative Accounting Office. Part-time or fulltime registered students are eligible for the plan if they have not defaulted on a previous fee deferral plan loan or a bookstore PTA account and if their fees are either not covered, or only partially covered, by student financial aid. All registration fees, including tuition, special assessments, class-
related fees and meal plan charges, are eligible for the fee deferral plan. No type of delinquent fines and/or fees can be deferred. Students are required to pay one-half of the total amount of the fees by 4 p.m. Aug. 13, with the remaining fee payment is due Oct. 1. There is a $30 processing fee. For more information, contact the McNeese Accounting Office at 4755107 or toll free at (800) 622-3352, ext. 5107.
MSU MVPs Sigmundur Masson, Taylor Freeman, Jenny Clay, Inga Effimenko and Maggie Welch are the latest most valuable players for McNeese State athletics. Masson, who has graduated, was named the men’s golf team MVP for the second year in a row while Freeman, a sophomore and in his first year with the Cowboys this past season, was named the baseball team’s MVP. Clay is the softball team’s MVP; Effimenko is the MVP for tennis and Welch the MVP for women’s golf. They join formerly announced MVPs Jordan Neil and Christi McRae in track, Bryan Smith in football, John Ford in men’s basketball, Courtnee Hollins in women’s basketball, Jessica Strama in volleyball and Renee Landers in soccer. All MVPs will be recognized again in the fall during a McNeese home football game. A native of Iceland, Masson was named the Southland Conference player of the year for 2008 and also tied for the league title. He posted a 72.5 scoring average in the spring, a 73.7 in the fall and an overall mark of 73.2. He will turn pro after competing in the Louisiana State Amateur Championship at Gray Plantation. Freeman, who is from Carney, OK, was the Cowboys’ top hitter throughout the season and won the team’s triple crown. He batted .372 with eight home runs and 52 RBIs. He also led the team in doubles with 20 and in slugging percentage with a .639 mark.
A third team all-conference pick, Freeman, a catcher, posted a .398 batting average in league games only. During the season he held one of the top hitting streaks in conference play, a 17-game binge. Clay, a senior from Arnaudville, was twice named the SLC’s utility player of the year and this past season earned a national Louisville Slugger player of the week honor. She played in 54 games for the Cowgirls in 2008, batting .386 with six home runs, 28 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. She also earned a SLC and Louisiana hitter of the week award. At one time Clay held a 14 game hitting streak and she also led the conference in doubles and ranked 44th nationally with 17. Effimenko, a sophomore from Serbia, posted the second best record on the Cowgirl tennis team this past season, a 9-9 overall mark as the team’s No. 6 player. She was 5-5 in conference action, played on the No. 3 doubles team and won three of her last five matches. Welch, a junior from Syracuse, Kansas, was named to the all-conference team for the second straight year after leading the Cowgirls with a 77.9 scoring average. She had a top five finish in tournament play this year along with two top-10 efforts. Her low round of even par 72 came in the Cowgirl Invitational.
JUNE 26, 2008
PAGE 11
MSU Foundation Receives More Than 700 Acres of Farmland Everyone told Bill Fuller that he couldn’t successfully grow corn on his farm near Kinder. But the Indiana native managed to develop a way to grow corn on his farm and now produces corn silage, a high quality cattle feed. “It started as a hobby,” Fuller said. “I was in the lumber business but I knew I could find a way to grow corn in Allen Parish.” Fuller, who calls himself a “practical engineer,” didn’t impress the local county agent until he had 25 bushels of corn growing on his Allen Parish farm. “He told me you aren’t supposed to raise corn in Allen Parish,” he laughed. Now Fuller is working with McNeese State University agricultural sciences professors and students and is teaching them about his successful corn silage cattle feed business. Fuller has donated his 90-acre farm near Kinder to McNeese to be used for teaching and research and has partnered with McNeese to use his 800acre cattle operation to build a heifer enhancement and development program.
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JUNE 26, 2008
“This is a one-of-a-kind program in Louisiana,” Dr. Frederick LeMieux, head of the Harold and Pearl Dripps Department of Agricultural Sciences, said. “This program is designed to help local cattle producers improve the
quality of their herd and maximize their cattle operation potential.” Using trial and error, technology and patience, Fuller has developed a product that cattlemen and McNeese researchers are very interested in.
From left seated are: Claire Sorkow, president of the McNeese Foundation, and Judy and Bill Fuller. Standing from left are McNeese President Robert Hebert and Dr. Frederick LeMieux, head of the agricultural sciences department. (Photo courtesy of McNeese State University)
“Feeding cattle corn silage can maximize growth and it is affordable,” LeMieux said. “Mr. Fuller had a cattle feedlot in Indiana. He built a feedlot at the farm and we are using it in our research and teaching.” Heifers are provided a complete ration along with free-choice corn silage. McNeese researchers measure the daily weight gains of the heifers. “We will measure the growth performance, body composition, conformation and other data that will assist the cattle producers in selecting the highest quality females. Decisions concerning replacement heifers can affect profitability for several years,” LeMieux explained. Heifers are accepted into the program on a consignment basis. The McNeese program relieves the owner from providing valuable space, diets and time. Fuller uses his own equipment and machinery to cultivate the corn silage product. Each specially designed bag holds 130 tons of silage. Fuller grows enough corn to produce eight, 130-ton bags on 100 acres. That
supply is good for two years, he said. “Eventually, we want to breed the heifers before they leave the development program. We will have the facilities and technicians to breed cattle at the Fuller Farm,” LeMieux said. Dr. Bill Storer, McNeese assistant professor and research scientist, is assigned full-time to the Fuller Farm to conduct research and work with the student interns. Students are already benefiting from the partnership between Fuller and McNeese, LeMieux said. “Last summer we had four interns working at the farm, learning about the cattle business and doing hands-on work.” LeMieux says the McNeese connection also allows for more research on the effect of the silage on the cattle. “We are studying how to increase the volume of the silage and further developing it by adding an enzyme to a test lot.” “I had a desire to work with McNeese and I have been really impressed with folks,” Fuller said. “Education is a tremendous thing and so is practical knowledge. We can show the students how this business works and I think we can develop this program a lot further.” Fuller has also donated his Soileau Farm to McNeese. The 650-acre farm is used to grow corn and soybeans and will continue to be a working farm for the McNeese agricultural sciences classes. “This is a unique opportunity for the agricultural sciences majors that work at the Fuller Farms. They learn how to work the cattle and see the agriculture business first hand from crop planting to harvesting. They are learning all phases of cattle production,” LeMieux said. “McNeese has students that want to make a career in farming and the cattle business. They also have students that want to make a career in research that benefits farmers and cattle producers. Hands-on experiences are important education tools for all students,” Fuller said.
Louisiana Earth Team Program The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Louisiana has a program that offers a unique chance for high school and college students to experience what it’s like to work in natural resources conservation. Through the Louisiana Earth Team Program, students can work as an apprentice in their local NRCS field office, area office, or state office. The apprentice program is a way for students to learn firsthand what employees of NRCS do for agriculture and the
environment. All students will be considered for the Earth Team whether they have an urban or agriculture background. The Earth Team Program also offer students an opportunity on starting a career in working with natural resources. An apprentice position allows a student to participate in a variety of hands-on learning experiences, including engineering surveying, staking conservation practices like terraces and ponds, water quality activities, environmental education, and natural resource camps. Apprentices will gain experience and knowledge that will help them make career choices. Whether or not they go to a college or technical school, their work experience will be good for job
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applications or resumes. Also, many scholastic scholarships require applicants to have completed some form of community service, and apprenticeship could fulfill those requirements. Applicants must be at least 14 years of age. Hours are flexible to fit the student’s schedule. Prospective apprentices are invited to stop by their local NRCS office and talk to the staff about the program. Additional information about the Louisiana Earth Team Program and other natural resources activities can be found on the Louisiana NRCS Web site at www.la.nrcs.usda.gov or by contacting the Lake Charles Field Office at (337) 436-5020 Ext. 3.
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BUSINESS
Legare Clement, Scout Executive of the Calcasieu Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America receives a check for $5,000 from Trina Johnson, Cameron Communications Public Relations Coordinator.
Cameron Communications Public Relations Coordinator, Trina Johnson, presented the company’s annual donation of $5,000 to Legare Clement, Scout Executive of the Calcasieu Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The donation will be used to support Scouting programs throughout Southwest Louisiana in Cameron, Calcasieu, Beauregard, Jeff Davis, and Vernon Parish. Cameron Communications is proud to support the Boys Scout once again, as they continue to provide programs that offer effective character, citizenship, and personal fitness training for area youth. When it comes to lending a hand to Southwest Louisiana’s hurricane recovery, Michigan has been among the most responsive states, based on statistics kept at the SWLA Volunteer Housing Center, a United Way of Southwest Louisiana initiative. “More than 270 volunteers from Michigan have traveled to our corner of the state to help with recovery over the past 30 months — since the VHC has been in operation,” said Tom Morris, president & CEO of the United Way of Southwest Louisiana. “They have contributed more than 11,580 hours in volunteer service. “We’ve calculated that these hours of service reflect a reduction in our region’s FEMA recovery tab of more than $212,000,” he added. “We in Southwest Louisiana are truly blessed to have this level of support from folks who formerly were strangers from communities we previously have never known about,” Morris said. “But, we have found that this has become the norm and not the exception.” To make sure that Michigan state leaders understood how appreciative Southwest Louisiana is for their residents’ volunteer efforts, Morris traveled north last month to Lansing where Michigan State Congresswoman Mary Valentine of Muskegon officially recognized Morris during a session of the Michigan Legislature. Morris also served as a courier, of sorts, as he carried with him a formal letter of gratitude from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm that was read by Congresswoman Valentine to the Legislature. “It was an honor to represent Southwest Louisiana as we made sure that Michigan was thanked properly,” he said. “During the recognition ceremony, the response from the floor of the Michigan Legislature was heartwarming and enthusiastic.” Autism Support Alliance, a program of Family & Youth, a United Way Agency, received a $1,000 CVS Caremark Community Grant. The Alliance offers case management, family guidance, social skills groups, consultation and training. This grant, and CVS volunteers, will enable children participating in the Autism Support Alliance’s social groups to experience more real-life situations. Autism is a neurological disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate, to reason, and to interact with others. One and a half million Americans are diagnosed with autism. Currently, one in 150 babies will be born with autism, and it’s four times more likely to occur in boys. Autism typically appears by age 3 and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. “CVS Caremark Community Grants are an effective way for us to contribute to the success of communities where we do business,” said Jennifer Veilleux, Director of CVS Caremark Corporation. “We are proud to support the work that Autism Support Alliance does in the community.” The CVS Caremark Community Grant to Autism Support PAGE 14
JUNE 26, 2008
notes
Bradley Davis, District Manager for CVS/pharmacy and Bobbi Wisekal, Pharmacy supervisor present a $1,000 check to Julio R. Galan, Executive Director and Dr. Candis J. Carr, Associate Executive Director of Family & Youth
Alliance is part of CVS Caremark’s commitment to its communities throughout the country. Autism Support Alliance was selected to receive a grant through the CVS Caremark Community Grants 2008 grant application process. Grants were awarded to organizations that share a common vision with CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can™ program, which strives to make life easierith and without disabilities to build self-esteem, lasting friendships and social skills, and to help children without disabilities learn diversity and tolerance. For more information about the Autism Support Alliance services, call (337) 436-9533 or visit www.fyca.org. Another gator hatched in Lake Charles! “Sleepy Gator” was recently hatched at the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana located at 4820 Lake Street in Lake Charles. Designed by Roland Corbello of RC’s Custom Paint and Body, Sleepy sports a set of PJs and slippers and carries his much needed pillow looking for a good night’s sleep. Looks like he found the right place! Gators on the Geaux are available at the Lake Charles Symphony. Contact them at info@lcsymphony.org for more information. On June 5, Era Helicopters, LLC (a SEACOR Company) celebrated the grand opening of their state-of-the-art training center with tours of their facility, time in their flight simulators and delicious barbecue. Era Training Center LLC was presented its first Flight Training Device (FTD) from Frasca International, Inc. during a ceremony held at Heli-Expo 2008. The EC135 FTD as well as an AS350B2 FTD are being used at Era Training Center’s new 7,694 square foot helicopter training facility to begin the process of training its elite corps of helicopter pilots in a controlled, yet photorealistic environment which prepares novice pilots for all possibilities. Operating over 170 helicopters globally, Era Group Inc., based in Lake Charles, remains at the forefront of the oil and gas support industry with its technologically advanced helicopter fleet. Era Group Inc. and its subsidiaries provide personnel transport services to the shallow and deepwater oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, air medical transport services within the U.S., leasing services to third parties worldwide and a variety of aviation-related services at its FBO in Anchorage, Alaska. Era Group, Inc. is committed to service and safety excellence in every aspect of its operations. The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury will begin offering tours of the meeting facilities at Prien Lake Park beginning Wednesday, July 2, and continuing every first Wednesday of each month throughout the year. Representatives from the Police Jury will be on-site from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. to assist the public with tours of the pavilions and provide information that pertains to rental rates, rules, and general questions. For more information, please contact Dana Mack in the Facilities Management Department at 721-3540. The MidSouth Bank Branch located at 4251 Nelson Road (across from Women & Children’s Hospital) marked their 10th Anniversary with lunch and sweets for its customers and supporters during a daylong luau-themed celebration. Branch staff along with MidSouth workers from other branches greeted customers with a warm Aloha and many thanks for 10 years together. Manager
BUSINESS
notes
Cheryl Hebert looks forward to many more years serving Southwest Louisiana banking customers. For a list of the services available at this location, call Cheryl or any member of her friendly staff at 477-1797. Salon Evans cut the ribbon on their new partnership with the Chamber SWLA at their location at 109 W. LaGrange Street in Lake Charles. Salon Evans offers haircuts, waxing, highlights and color, as well as products from Brocato, Benniefactor, Pureology, and Paul Mitchell. Call owner Tasha Evans at 4776868 to schedule an appointment. The Family Foundation of Southwest Louisiana accepted a $5,000 contribution to the endowment from Lake Charles Racquet Club to benefit the Family and Youth Counseling Agency. Kris Vinson, General Manager of Lake Charles Racquet Club, presented the check to Vickie Wicks, Chair of the Foundation. “Children and families truly benefit from the proceeds of our recent Tennis Shootout featuring current World No. 1, Davis Cup and Grand Slam Champions, Bob and Mike Bryan,” said Vinson. The Family Foundation of Southwest Louisiana serves as the endowment and philanthropic arm of Family and Youth Counseling Agency, connecting donors to the priorities that enhance the quality of family and community life for generations to come. Investing in families secures the future of our community. For more information call (337) 436-9533 or log on to www.fyca.org
The Frame House & Gallery owner, Patsy Manuel, presents a $1,000 check to Thomas Guillory, with Habitat for Humanity. The donation was made in partnership with artist Captain Daniel J. Rhodes, who donated a portion of each “de Lis” print sold.
Patsy Manuel, owner of The Frame House & Gallery, along with the artist Captain Daniel J. Rhodes, teamed up to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity, donating a portion of each piece of Daniel’s art sold at the Gallery. They recently presented a check for $1,000 to Thomas Guillory, president of Habitat—Lake Charles. Daniel Rhodes’ “de Lis” prints have a Community Coffee Wash with a fleur de lis design filled in with tigers, crawfish, crabs or shrimp. Daniel has helped raise thousands of dollars for charities across the state. The Frame House & Gallery, located at 1640 Ryan St., regularly donates framed prints to fundraisers in Lake Charles. For Gallery hours, call 433-5530. Gulfstream Technologies, Inc. announced recently that is has successfully developed and tested its renewable energy free-flow hydro turbine at their Lake Charles test facility. The Haynes Coastal Engineering Laboratory of Texas A&M University performed 3rd party validation testing of Gulfstream Technologies renewable technology on March 18, 2008. Gulfstream Technologies is currently in discussions with potential clients about the installation of commercial scale projects. Renewable Energy (Electricity) is produced as water from one directional sources flow through Gulfstream Technologies’ turbines. Gulfstream Technologies’ turbines are designed to operate in rivers, streams, ocean currents and other mono-directional water flow environments. Gulfstream Technologies’ strategic partners in Calcasieu Parish that assisted in developing and testing the prototype are ReCon Engineering from Sulphur, Dubois Sheet Metal Works from Lake Charles, R&R Construction from Sulphur, Granger Implement from Lake Charles and Production Products from Sulphur.
The Times of Southwest Louisiana/Fusion Five Up and Coming and Under 40 In our June 12 issue, The Times of Southwest Louisiana announced the 2008 recipients of the annual Up and Coming and Under 40 honor. Each year, we take the opportunity to tell our readers about 10 local young adults that are making an impact in the community around them. We use criteria that focus’s on several points. That includes being an expert and having specialized knowledge in the field in which they practice, excellent practical and literary skills in relation to their profession, and a high standard of professional ethics, behavior and work activities. This year was even more special due to the partnership with Fusion Five. This organization came together from a desire to
create an organization that would allow them to educate, facilitate and illuminate the voice of young professionals. They are the perfect partner for the Up and Coming and Under 40 search. Another tremendous addition to this year’s announcement was “The Event.” By complementing the coverage in the issue with a dinner and award presentation, the recipients, their friends and family were able to celebrate together. We were honored to present Mr. Tim Barfield as our speaker. Mr. Barfield is our new Secretary of Labor and the former president and chief operating officer of The Shaw Group, Inc. Organizers said the event was a great opportunity o network with future leaders.
ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR RECIPIENTS FOR 2008: • Tommeka Semien — Executive Director of the SWLA Literary Council • Susan Mestayer — Executive Director of Rebuilding Calcasieu Together • Tommy McClelland — Athletic Director of McNeese State University • Wendy White McCown — Owner of Signatures Salon and Co-Owner of Pure Food • Troy Trahan — President of Trahan Construction • Raymond Ceasar — Owner of RayGyms • Josh Rogers — General Manager of O' Charley's Restaurant • David Sickey — Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Vice Chair • Tracie Doescher — Exec Assistant with the Office of Economic Development for Jeff Davis Parish, Elton City Council Member • Avon Knowlton — Executive Vice President of Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce
JUNE 26, 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
The Boiling Point’s Recipe for Success By Lisa Yates
estaurateurs looking for the secret to success can look to The Boiling Point, a favorite Cajun eatery for 17 years. While many restaurants fail after the first few years in business, this one is going strong. John Williams, the owner, shared his recipe for success. A great staff is one of the most important ingredients, he said. “We’re like a family here,” Williams said. “We just try to make it comfortable. That’s a part of everything to me, my wife and staff.” His wife Romona keeps the business on-track financially handling the bookkeeping. She works behind the scene, while their daughter Lori Gintz works with the front-line staff. While many restaurant managers come and go, The Boiling Point has kept the same manager for 17 years. “Randy Istre has been the restaurant manager since day one,” Williams said. He stressed the importance of having good people.
R
“You can’t do it without the right staff,” Williams said. “ You’ve got to have people you trust and believe in. For example, I just got back from vacation, but while I was gone everything ran smoothly – no problems. To do that, you’ve got to have the people.
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FOOD Folks in Southwest Louisiana know good food. If a restaurant in this area serves anything less, it won’t stay in business. The Boiling Point serves all things Cajun and then some, including home-
The Boiling Point's front-line staff (from left) includes Marlena Johnson, Angel Courville, John Williams, owner, and Brenda Williamson.
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We’re family-oriented and we’ve got the right people.” Williams, 60, identified four other essential factors that determine whether a restaurant will succeed.
made pies for dessert. “We do it all by hand,” Williams said. “Our boudin, sausage and beef jerky are all handmade. And, we don’t use any breaded shrimp.” His No. 1 best-selling menu items are the fresh-broiled crabs, crawfish and shrimp. “Pistolettes are a hot item,” he added. HOSPITALITY AND SERVICE It’s important for any business to create a place people want to return to, especially a restaurant. Williams emphasizes this to his employees. “I tell them to smile and be courte-
ous even if they’re having a bad day,” he said. “A gentleman walking in here may have just been fired from his job. A smile might make his day better.” He said success in the restaurant business is all about showing customer appreciation. “We love our patrons and we thank them for eating here,” Williams said. “We have people from the plants who eat here every day.” After Hurricane Rita, he made an effort to serve the people of the community. “We were the first to open after the storm feeding people in the community and employees at Citgo,” Williams said.
He added, giving back to the community is important. “We sponsor a lot of the sports teams,” he said. “We want them to have fun and come eat with us.” LOCATION The Boiling Point has been at its present location at 1730 South Peglis Parkway in Sulphur, since it opened. Accessible and comfortable restaurants are important to people, according to Williams. “We’re not on the main drag, which helps out a lot,” he said. “It’s easier to get in and out of by not being right on the Interstate.”
PRICE Does it have to be cheap? Not necessarily, but Williams said a restaurant has to deliver value for the prices it charges. “Our prices are competitive,” he said. “Our portions are generous and any meal you get here is worth it.” Substitutions aren’t a problem, he said. “A lot of people don’t want frog legs on the seafood platter, so we’ll substitute something else,” Williams said. “We’ll try to accommodate you and make you want to come back.” For more information, call (337) 625-9282.
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PAGE 17
Looking east from First Street in downtown DeRidder, travelers get a glimpse of some of the recent upgrades and revitalization projects, including Cecil’s Cajun Café, a new restaurant on the left, and the old Sarlor Building on the right, which was recently purchased by the Beauregard Sheriff’s Department and currently is under renovation.
DeRidder on the
MOVE By J. Shirlene Cooper
Take a drive through the heart of DeRidder and you will see what is possible in a community that is following through on a plan to make DeRidder the cleanest, most beautiful city it can be. The city, especially the historic downtown area, has progressed considerably, with restorations and renovations on almost every corner. In the last year, DeRidder has earned the titles of “Playful City,” and “Tree City,” as well as its most recent recertification as a “Main Street Community.” “We did what we called the North Washington Avenue Project,” Mayor Ron Roberts explained recently. “This included a facelift for the Community Service Building and surfacing of the north parking lot,” he said, adding, “This lot had been there for 60 years and it had never been surfaced.” Antique light poles were also installed along the street, adding charm and an old hometown feel. Years ago, Washington Avenue was home to the Manitzas Jewelry Store, where several impressive clocks were displayed. Many DeRidder residents kept appointments and set their own timepieces by the clocks. They were salvaged and have been cleaned and refurbished. One is now part of a new sign at the Wooten Theatre, where dances, theatrical performances and other community events take place. Another was installed at the corner of PAGE 18
JUNE 26, 2008
Washington Avenue and Port Street, where passers-by may again check to see if they’re on time. Materials of interest have been collected from area students and plans are in the works to bury a time capsule at that spot, beneath a piece of history. “We are especially proud of the Amerisafe Pavilion,” Roberts said. Employees of Amerisafe contributed $50,000 toward the covered brick enclosure, which was constructed close to where a bandstand once stood. A car show, as well as dances, reunions, picnics, farmer’s markets, and other community events have already have taken place at the pavilion, which Roberts believes “will be a focal point for the entire downtown.” Keri Broussard is the mayor’s administrative assistant and point of contact for another beautification project. The Tree City U.S.A. program provided for the distribution of 15,000 seeds. In addition, a truckload of trees was purchased and sold to community members for planting in their own yards or for donation to areas throughout the city. Broussard said that approximately 275 trees were planted this spring, including several at the three city parks, the School Board central offices, DeRidder City Hall, and near the War Memorial Civic Center War Museum. Broussard also serves as executive director of Keep DeRidder Beautiful, an off-shoot campaign of the nationwide
The historic downtown area of DeRidder often is the site of community events, including the Beauregard Tourist Commission’s Christmas Festival, Miracle On Washington Street.
Keep America Beautiful project. “Its mission is to involve the community in working towards the elimination of litter in the city,” Broussard explained. Public awareness; cooperation and communication; and promotion and education are all incorporated into the project’s success, Toward that end, the Adopt-A-Spot program was implemented. Individuals, groups or organizations may “adopt” a road, street or park and then be responsible for providing upkeep and litter control. The annual Trash Bash and the Waste in Place programs also help keep DeRidder beautiful. Recently, new garbage cans were placed throughout the downtown area to promote the proper disposal of trash. The program also has a mascot. “De-litter Bug” stickers, t-shirts, litterbags, and ashtrays are prevalent throughout the city. As the project coordinator of both the Playful City U.S.A. and Main Street projects, Matt Young is also on board the community progress train. A celebration on April 19 observed the city’s designation as a Playful City U.S.A. “The title helps the city to promote active and healthy play,” Young said. Free concessions were provided at Bryant Park, where families from across the parish gathered for a day of outdoor games and a chance to try out the new playground equipment. Colorful slides, tunnels and swing sets have been installed at the other parks, and there are more family-oriented events scheduled in the future. Young stated that a resource team from the Main Street Program will visit DeRidder this month. “The public will be invited to meetings in which the delegates are expected to offer project guidance and a master plan for Washington Avenue and West First Street,” he said. With a focus on the district’s historic architecture, the team will also provide landscaping ideas. In addition, business owners in the downtown area have applied to take part in a 50-50 façade matching grant, which offers up to $10,000. Several storefronts now sport new paint, signs,
and awnings. Young said that more business owners plan to apply for the grant. “All of the downtown merchants have been enthusiastic and cooperative,” Mayor Roberts said. “Several of them have plans for their buildings and we have been able to recruit some design suggestions.” The mayor credited the city’s Baton Rouge delegation for bringing improvements to the historic district for following through with an “incubator” appropriation. He said the funds were used to purchase the building at the corner of Stewart and West First Streets, which once housed Sartor Hardware and the original Delia Pawnshop. “We have now sold the Sartor Building to the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Department – they have begun renovations – and Grace Church is turning the Delia property into a pocket park. I think we’re going to call it Serenity Park,” Roberts said. At the same time the city purchased those properties, another focus was on a property across the street. Although the city has no money involved in the procurement or sale of the property, talks got underway. Just this month, a new restaurant, Cecil’s Cajun Café, opened on that corner. Pleased with the progress, and the added attraction to downtown, Roberts said, “At 9:00 p.m. last Friday night I counted 62 cars in a two-block area. That hasn’t happened in 50 years.” Another old building on Washington Street, known as the “Henke Denke Building,” was recently given to the city; and plans for it are in the works. “We’ve managed thus far to do all of these things with no city money. I’m particularly proud of that,” the mayor said. Sounding not in the least ready to call the job complete, Roberts concluded, “If you don’t have a downtown, you don’t have a town. You have sprawl.” A look at DeRidder’s revitalizations thus far indicates there’s no fear of that happening anytime soon.
SWEEP AWAY
THE SIGNS OF AGING
Leading Health and Fire Safety Advocates Take Aim at Consumer Fireworks
Urging the public to stay away from what they say is an extremely dangerous product, national health and fire safety advocates denounced the use of consumer fireworks and launched new PSAs in advance of the Fourth of July holiday. According to a recently released National Fire Protection Association report, fireworks caused an estimated 1,800 total structure fires and 700 vehicle fires reported to fire departments in 2005. These fires resulted in $39 million in direct property damage. The NFPA report said US hospital emergency rooms treated more than 9,000 people for fireworks-related injuries in 2006. “There is simply no safe way to use consumer fireworks,” said James M. Shannon, president of the NFPA, a founding member of the Alliance to Stop Consumer Fireworks. “People should leave fireworks to the professionals and celebrate our nation’s birthday by enjoying professional displays put on by trained individuals.”
John Dean, president of the National Association of State Fire Marshals, said the Fourth of July is a particularly difficult day for fire service all across the country. “More fires are reported on a typical Fourth of July than on any other day of the year and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.” NFPA and the Alliance to Stop Consumer Fireworks unveiled two PSAs they hope will reach the public over the next few weeks and make individuals think before lighting a firework that can have life altering consequences. One of the PSAs features stories of people who have been directly affected by fireworks accidents including the Shannons of North Carolina, who lost their son Michael when a device tipped over while firing and struck him in the head. The PSAs can be viewed on YouTube and at http://www.nfpa.org/fireworks.
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Seven Tips to Ease Your Pets’ Fireworks Fears
While the Fourth of July is a time for fireworks and celebration, for many pets and their owners, it can be a nightmare. The loud noises, flashing lights, and smell of sulfur can cause excessive fear in pets, resulting in nervous behaviors such as trembling, whimpering, and panting. The animal’s natural response is to flee from what he interprets as a threatening situation, which may result in serious injury. Some dogs are so frightened by fireworks that they may run through glass windows, or escape from the yard and run the risk of being hit by a car. Here are a few tips to keep your pet calm and safe this Fourth of July: 1. Leave your pets at home and indoors. Most pets are afraid of fireworks and may try to run away. 2. Close all doors and windows and
put on background music to muffle the sound. 3. Close curtains and blinds to block the flashing lights. 4. Be sure that your pets are wearing identification tags or have microchips in case they do run away or get lost. 5. Try to distract your pet with chew toys and games, or have him play with another pet that does not share his fear. 6. If you have time, desensitization techniques with appropriate sound CDs, such as thunder, fireworks, trains, sirens, etc. may help pets get used to the sounds at a lower volume. As they become more comfortable, gradually increase the volume. 7. Have your veterinarian prescribe some type of sedative or perhaps a natural, non-sedating remedy to keep your pet calm.
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PAGE 19
By Lisa Yates
With a quick mind and a fast car, Keith Raftery of Lake Charles is taking the drag racing world by storm. Raftery, 38, won his second Jegs NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals Top Sportsman victory in April – The only driver to win it twice. He has appeared on the cover of Drag News magazine and has been featured in publications, including National Dragster, International Dragster and Drag Illustrated. Winning in drag racing involves having an almost perfect reaction time, according to Raftery. “I’m good at the light and consistent,” he said. “If you’re late on the light, then you’re going to lose.” The reaction time of the driver and car can be a factor in who wins, no matter who has the fastest clock time, he explained.
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JUNE 26, 2008
That’s because the race is judged on the basis of which car can cover the track faster from the time the green light flashes. Raftery said the clock time often causes confusion among spectators at drag races when the first-place award goes to someone who had a slower elapsed time. It’s confusing and involves mathematics. The thing to remember is – the perfect reaction time is .400 seconds, whereas the average is .500. Any reaction time at .399 or below is called a red light. Therefore, the goal is to have a reaction time between .400 and .500 seconds.
Drag racers have to think fast and manage advancing technology. “Back when I first started, I just had to pull up to the red light, give it some gas and go,” Raftery said. “Now it’s busy. I have 24 switches in my car. If you miss one, it can keep you from winning.” He told of a driver who had lost a race by forgetting a switch to his fuel line. The driver ran out of gas just a few feet after the starting line. Of course, speed is a huge factor. To win, a drag racer must have a fast car. “For the last three years, I’ve had the fastest car in the country in Top Sportsman,” Raftery said. “Speed leads
to victory.” Raftery’s car is a Greg Ozubkodesigned ’07 Pontiac GTO crafted by Jerry Bickel Race Cars and powered by a 738-cid Sunset Racecraft engine, which is tuned by Sunset Racecraft’s Tracy Dennis and Speedtech Nitrous’ Brandon Switzer. The engine is fed by Braswell Split Dominator carburetors and features CFE heads and intake manifold, Comp cam, GRP rods, Diamond pistons, and a V-tech threespeed nitrous system. The car is fast with a top speed of 215 mph in the quarter mile. It was also won “Best Engineered” at the NHRA event in Belle Rose. Blasting down the quarter-mile track also requires a sizable investment of time and money. “Speed is directly proportional to money spent,” Roy Raftery, the drag racer’s father, said jokingly. To cut costs, Raftery doesn’t have a huge team of employees. He receives help from his dad Roy and his crew chief Clayton Hagan.
Investments Financial Planning Insurance Hagan, facility manager of Calcasieu Parish Schools, and the senior Raftery, president and CEO of Cameron State Bank, are former drag racers themselves. They raced competitively for years, but now enjoy being part of the team on race days. “Clayton and I enjoy watching Keith as much as we enjoyed racing,” Roy said, adding he is proud of his son’s accomplishments. “He’s been in the top 10 each year he’s been doing this,” Roy said. “He’s good at it. No question. That’s not to say I don’t get nervous before a race. I am going to get nervous.” For safety, the engine is rebuilt and maintained as needed to avoid potential problems. “He has the best car and the best equipment, if something happens, it’s something you have no control over,” Roy said, adding he prays for his son’s protection prior to every race.
and I tapped the brakes and pulled the parachute.” He said the brakes locked and he lost control of the car, which was traveling at 181 mph. The car crashed into the rail. Raftery wasn’t hurt, but the $16,000 paint job was ruined. Drag racing can be a humbling experience. In six seconds, it’s all over. “It’s a lot of work,” he said. “You’re lucky if you win. Then, it’s worth the hours you spend driving, cleaning and servicing the motor, and racing. The lure is the win. But, you can drive 15 hours and lose the first race and have to go home.” That’s why he added Top Dragster to his competition repertoire. “Now I run two cars,” Raftery said. “Running the dragster, I double my chances of winning. So far it’s been pretty successful. It’s worked out as I hoped it would.”
How it all began
What’s next
As a young boy Raftery enjoyed going to the races with his father. “I went to a couple of races at about age 12 or younger,” he said. “I remember thinking that I wanted to get involved.” Raftery asked to drive the fourwheeler, which pulled Hagan’s race car back into the trailer. Later, he was given his own race car -- a Chevrolet Monza, which he began racing at Chennault at age 15. “I won ‘Rookie of the Year’ my first season,” Raftery said. “From there, I had a ’64 Corvette, an ’85 T-Bird, and a ’27 T-Roadster.” He said one of his earliest victories was racing the ’85 T-Bird. “What stands out about that is, I won enough to get a four-wheeler,” Raftery said. Along with the success, Raftery got a scary lesson on how dangerous a fast dragster can be. “Two years ago, when I got the car I have now, I was testing it and trying to set the world on fire,” Raftery said, explaining he wanted to see how fast the car would go. “The car backfired
Raftery’s next appearance will be July 18-20 in Memphis, Tenn. Following that race, he will compete, Sept. 12-14, in Shreveport at Red River Speedway, followed by races in Ohio, Oklahoma and Georgia. He has no immediate plans to move up to the Pro Mod class, which involves competing in more races. Currently, he competes in eight races a year, while operating his own landscaping business, Lawnco. Raftery called racing a “hobby.” He said it would be difficult to compete in more races with each member of his team working full-time jobs. However, they plan to continue racing in Top Sportsman and Top Dragster races. “As long as it’s fun and we enjoy it, we’ll keep doing it,” his father said. “If we win, it’s fun. If we lose, it’s not the end of the world.” The son corrected the father. “Yeah, it’s the end of the world,” Raftery said. “For three days it feels like the end of the world.”
Terry Backhaus, CFP 800 Ryan Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-437-9950 888-812-3695
Group Benefits Securities offered through Questar Capital Corporation. Member NASD & SIPC. Advisory services offered through Questar Asset Management. Backhaus Financial Group, LLC is independent of Questar Capital Corporation.
JUNE 26, 2008
0303-07 8/2008
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Allison Holladay
Louis Bonnette
MSU Hits the Road With Summer Athletic Tour Coaches give fall preview
Story and Photos by Roddy Johnson, Action Sports Photo
Brendon Gilroy
Brooks Donald Williams
Dave Simmons PAGE 22
JUNE 26, 2008
McNeese State University kicked off its Summer Athletic Tour in DeRidder at the Beauregard Country Club Monday night, June 16. The event started at 5:30 p.m. with refreshments and a meet and greet with the coaching staff. Louis Bonnette, the longtime Senior Associate Athletic Director in charge of sports information for McNeese, has been with the university in the neighborhood of 40 years. He’s excited about the upcoming season. The women’s assistant soccer coach, Allison Holladay, tells us that MSU will be going for a 3-peat this upcoming year, having won the SLC tourney in 2006 and the regular season conference in 2007. The soccer team will be returning eight seniors, and has 12 freshmen coming in with the possibility of eight starters out of that group. The Cowgirl’s pre-season will line them up against Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, and Rice University—some major schools that should help the girls with big game experience when it comes time for the NCAA tourney later in the year. Their season starts against Centenary in Shreveport August 22, and continues into November for the SLC Tournament. For more info about the program go to www.cowgirlsoccer.org Coach Brooks Donald Williams signed nine players (six from Louisiana) for the MSU girls basketball program. A player from LSUE that was a pre-season all-American is coming to the program, and Coach signed a
set of twin freshmen that had 4.0 averages in high school. According to Coach Williams, they “can shoot from anywhere on the floor.” McNeese also signed the 5A player of the year from Southwood High School as well as a 6foot-plus guard from Scotlandville. The freshman class coming in looks really good, so this season should be promising as they tip off this fall. The tennis program at MSU lost a couple of players this year, but coach Risoleo has a pair coming in from France that should help balance things out. The team finished fourth in the conference last spring and is on a path of steady improvement. The program has a scholarship available, so if anyone who has graduated from high school feels they can play at the next level, I am sure coach Risoleo would give them a tryout. Terry Burrows, in his second year (first recruiting year) as head coach, signed 12 to MSU baseball this year, (six pitchers and six shortstops), and has some players coming from junior colleges. The MSU coach made a concerted effort with recruiting this year in order to turn things around quickly. The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted one of MSU’s players, but they believe he is coming back to the program for another year. Burrows says they are “excited about the future” and are looking forward to the upcoming season. First-year track head Brendon Gilroy spoke about his program. He said they had a good year recruiting, and are looking forward to a great
Magali Risoleo
Ryan Ivey
Terry Burrows
now the team doesn’t have to worry about tearing up the field after bad weather. Steven Whitehead is full strength and should help the Cowboys at the WR position. The line is back with the QB and TE’s and at the tailback position. While MSU will be smaller there, speed will be better. Defensively, MSU will have a few spots to fill and the right corner is a bit of a concern. The defensive end positions have players with play time. Now they will have to step up as starters if they want to continue successfully. Looking at team depth, there are some questions that cannot be answered until game time. Coach Viator has players in numbers and is very high on some, but he will not know who he can go to until they hit the field. Players to watch will include Jeremy Haynes, a player that was moved to the corner position last year and had a very good spring. Another athlete that had a good spring was LA Tech transfer Terrance Freeman, a 6’4” 235-pound DE with 4.7-4.8 speed. The coaches are anxious to see what he will do this fall. McNeese will open their season away against North Carolina. With 20 returning starters, the Cowboys will have their hands full on opening day. Cal-Poly, which led the nation in offense last year and walked through three of the SLC teams in the same year, will be here on September 13 to take on the Pokes. So as you can see, the pre-conference schedule will be a little tough. Conference play is always challenging, and with NSU and Nicholls State, you can never have a letdown. Coach Viator feels the team to beat and the one that may be there in the end is Sam Houston State. With Bomar there, his opinion has merit. In the end, there are many questions left unanswered. We will probably have more questions later; in fact, there are so many intangibles, you can never lay out the perfect season. It just takes a lot to win.
Tom Hoefer Photo Submitted
year. They have a returning sophomore from Barbe High that as a freshman finished fifth in several events, but the point of mention is that she finished behind seniors. He anticipates good things from her this year. The team signed on some very good field event personnel, and they have a 220-foot javelin thrower from Canada coming to MSU. All told, there were 15-to-16 student athletes that committed to the track program, and even though they lost a couple of their athletes to the NFL, they still feel they will be competitive. Volleyball at MSU is doing very well. The program qualified for its 12th consecutive SLC Tourney last year and its 25th overall. They were 10-1 at home and had their largest attendance ever for a home game when they played Lafayette. The team has received the American Volleyball Coaches Association Academic Award for the fourth consecutive year. MSU is the only University in the state or the conference that can make that claim. Moving to men’s basketball, Coach Dave Simmons has put emphasis on size and wants to have a larger, more athletic team with good skills. He feels they are a better skilled basketball team “which means guys that can pass, dribble, and shoot.” The team will be larger inside and will have players that can shoot. “We have a tremendous strength and conditioning program in place and are building team chemistry,” he said. The team has six games at the Civic Center this coming season, including one with Coach Simmons’ alma mater, LA Tech, who will be in town on Dec. 15 for a 7 p.m. game. I had the chance to speak with Coach Matt Viator, MSU’s head football coach, who gave us some insight into the upcoming football season. Spring was good to the MSU squad, and they came out of it without any injuries that would create problems for this fall. The new turf has been a great addition. There is a definite increase in speed, and
Matt Viator
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PAGE 23
Should Rising Oil Prices Affect Your
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES?
Financial Focus from Mike Allen of Edward Jones Every time you fill up your gas tank, you are painfully aware that oil prices are high - really high. And rising oil prices can affect the cost of many other goods and services, from food to airline tickets. So, as a consumer, you know the impact of an increase in the cost of oil - but how about as an investor? Should rising oil prices change the way you invest? Before we look at this question, let's quickly review why oil prices have gone up so far and so fast. First, the price of oil is reflecting the law of supply and demand; the world's oil supply has stayed relatively tight recently, while demand has continued to rise. Second, oil is a commodity priced in dollars, so if the dollar falls in value as has been the case lately - then the price of oil will rise. Will these two factors continue to drive up the price of oil? It's hard to predict. However, as an investor, you do want to know how the current state of affairs - that is, elevated oil prices will affect your investments. Specifically, in this environment, what market sectors will be influenced? And how? Not surprisingly, the stocks of some energy companies tend to do well when oil prices are high. At the same time, the automobile and airline industries, and some elements of the retail sector, may be negatively affected. Does this mean you should make some drastic changes to your invest-
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JUNE 26, 2008
ments? Not if you follow a strategy of buying and holding a diversified array of quality investments. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification, by itself, cannot guarantee a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market.) However, you may want to make some adjustments. For example, if the increased value of your energy stocks has caused your portfolio to become "overweighted" with these stocks, which can be volatile, you may want to consider some type of "rebalancing." But rather than focus on how rising oil prices can affect individual market sectors, try to look at the bigger picture. As we mentioned earlier, rising oil prices can lead to higher overall inflation. Over the long term, inflation is a much more serious threat to your portfolio's health than a short-term spike in oil prices. Consider this: If inflation rises three percent a year - which has been the average increase over the past eight decades - then everything you buy today could cost twice as much in 24 years.
To protect yourself from the ravages of inflation, you need to own investments that offer the potential for rising income, such as quality, dividend-paying stocks. By doing some research, you can find stocks that have paid - and increased - dividends for 20 or 25 straight years. (Be aware, though, that stocks are not obligated to pay dividends and can cut or discontinue them at any time.) By making timely adjustments in response to events such as oil price
"shocks" and by following a long-term strategy of owning an appropriate array of quality investments, you can continue working toward your financial goals - now and in the future. Mike Allen is a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones, 4840 Lake Street, Suite B, Lake Charles. For more information, you can contact him at (337) 477-0040 or www.edwardjones.com.
Is This Market Downturn an
By Terry Backhaus CFP
OPPORTUNITY? As of this writing, it’s been almost eight months to the day that the major equities market peaked in mid-October 2007. Since that time, we are down almost 15 percent. At one point (midMarch) we were down over 17 percent (ouch!). While my crystal ball isn’t clear enough right now to tell you if this is the bottom, I can certainly give you some suggestions to take advantage of the current financial markets. The first thing I’ve noticed with this market downturn is that clients are more likely to read their quarterly/monthly statements from their financial services company. Lately, clients that have previously told me they NEVER read their statements are calling me with questions. This is not the time to read your statements for the first time! However, if this is the case, maybe this is a good opportunity to call your financial advisor, and ask for help to understand what’s in your statement. If your advisor is too busy for that, then
maybe you need to find a new advisor. Now that you have finally opened those brokerage account statements, what do you look for? First of all, do you have an idea of what you own? More importantly, what kind of risk exposure and profit potential are built into those investments? While clients are not expected to know the top 10 holdings in their mutual funds, they should have some idea if they have growth or value; mutual fund or ETF; stocks or bonds; domestic or international; and fee or commission-based compensation for their advisor. Again, if you can’t answer these questions, call your advisor to help educate yourself in these areas. Now for the performance test. Take your 3rd Quarter 2007 Statement, and compare the balance then to your current balance. Determine if on a percentage basis, your account loss is more or less than the overall market pull back in that time (down approximately 14 per-
cent). If your account is down 7 percent or less in that time period, you’re probably fine. If you are down 8-15 percent, you may need to “drill down” into your portfolio to see what is going on. If you’re down more than 15 percent since September of ‘07, you probably have some issues to deal with. Again, performance by itself is not the only thing to consider, but it’s pretty important. Again, consult with your financial advisor to see what other issues might come into play, such as tax planning, etc. Even if you’re in the green light area (i.e., down less than 7 percent since September ‘07), you should still look at your list of investments and identify the best two investments and the worst two investments. Now, if you’re Warren Buffett, that list may be longer than four investments. This exercise can probably cause you more pain than the actual loss you have incurred. Continued on Page 26
JUNE 26, 2008
PAGE 25
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Is This Market Downturn an Opportunity?, Continued from Page 25
For instance, the stock that you were so sure would double in six months is down 50 percent! Do you keep riding it down, or just cut your losses and move on? Too many people made the wrong decision in the 2000-to-2002-time period. If after you’ve done your homework, you’re still convinced that you just have a good investment at a bargain basement price, this of course becomes a buying opportunity. A slightly different approach is to “grade” all your investments: A to F, just like in school. Use times like this to increase your ownership of As and Bs, and dump the Ds and Fs. The Cs are on probation; they either improve to As or Bs, or by default, they become Ds or Fs. Up until now, everything has been done from a perspective of looking in the rear view mirror (i.e., looking at historic returns, etc.). It’s time to look out the windshield. How might anticipated changes affect your portfolio? And changes are coming: A new U.S. President, a more Democratic Senate and House of Representatives, oil going over $150 per barrel, the U.S. dollar continuing to fall against the other major world currencies, interest rates on the rise, etc. Some of these future changes could turn your best investment into your worst. Remember, change is constant—and the rate of change is increasing. Now that you’ve analyzed your investments, you need to take a look at your situation now, relative to when you set up your investment program. Any changes in income, marital status, number of dependents, number of years left before you retire, employment prospects, overall health, etc.? If you’ve had substantial changes in one or more of these areas, you may want to review your asset allocation for your current life situation. Finally, you need to review your expectations for your investments. We had four-plus pretty good years (2003 – 2006). Did you really think that would continue? Remember, average performance is just that— an average. Two different investments can have the same average performance, but have substantially different risk characteristics. You may need to use this market downturn opportunity to readjust your expectations. Securities offered through Questar Capital Corporation (QCC). Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Questar Asset Management (QAM), A Registered Investment Advisor. Backhaus Financial Group LLC is Independent of QCC and QAM. For more info, contact Backhaus Financial Group at 4379950.
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JUNE 26, 2008
Starting a Small Business? Know the
SCORE!
Small business, which employs nearly 900,000 people in Louisiana and accounts for most new jobs created, represents the heart of Governor Bobby Jindal’s vision of a “New Louisiana.” Unfortunately, more than half of small businesses fail within four years of start up, according to the Small Business Administration. “So many talented people with good ideas jump into business without any plan and they go broke,” said Paul Arnold, Chairman of the Lake Charles chapter of SCORE, who is also the state Assistant Director. “When you fail to plan, then you in fact plan to fail. Most small businesses bust because they have no business plan, no marketing plan, no market research—they don’t plan their capital needs and just flat run out of money.” Good planning, along with expert advice from volunteer SCORE counselors, can tip the scales in favor of the budding entrepreneur. SCORE, Arnold said, is a research partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration and provides free counseling to people who want to start a business, as well as to those already in business. The group of about 10 volunteers has a vast array of experience, ranging from banking and engineering to marketing, advertising and public relations. SCORE counselors help clients build a business plan, do market research and offer advice on getting financing. In fact, putting together a solid business plan is critical to financing. “Bankers base their decisions on an applicant’s business plan. They want their loan customers to succeed and they
By Bill Krull
know by experience that success depends not just on hard work, but also on careful, meticulous planning,” said SCORE member Tom Flanagan, the founder of Lakeside Bank, now part of Chase. “Successful businesses, whether they make doughnuts or machine parts for the plants, define their success by their planning.” Arnold cautions that neither SCORE nor SBA provides grants. He gets dozens of calls from people who are not looking for counseling, but for money they don’t have to repay. “It’s not going to happen,” he said. “Some people have actually started a business, then tried to get grants for working capital only to find that they just don’t exist.” The Lake Charles SCORE chapter currently serves about 50 clients annually. Arnold expects that number to increase significantly in the coming years. SCORE wants to see entrepreneurs succeed, as their success is vital to Louisiana. According to the Louisiana Economic Development Department’s 2008-2009 economic forecast, 2,800 new jobs will be created in Lake Charles and the surrounding area. This growth is driven by two major liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, petrochemical expansion, a $1.3 billion cogeneration project at the Port of Lake Charles and expansions at Chennault. Hundreds of small businesses are supporting such projects in construction and operation. In its report to Governor Jindal on what’s required to drive Louisiana economic development, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Working Group
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PAGE 27
Starting a Small Business? Know the Score!, Continued from Page 27
SAMUEL L. HEBERT 790 E. Bayou Pines Drive Lake Charles, LA 70601 Business: (337) 436-7797 Fax: (337) 436-6336 Email: slhebert@ft.newyorklife.com
stated that organizations such as SCORE, the SWLA Economic Development Alliance and the Small Business Development Center at McNeese “provide immediate and specifically targeted advice” to entrepreneurs. “Small businesses and entrepreneurs are the backbone on which we will build a booming and prosperous economy. There are many elements, such as upstart capital, entrepreneurship training, and business resources that are distinctive challenges to small business owners,” the report said. “An entity to facilitate the coordination of university resources, private sector connections, and seed and venture capital opportunities for the entrepreneur would be an invaluable source of assistance, and would encourage innovation as part of the economic growth in Louisiana.” SCORE volunteer counselors are one of the best sources of such assistance and encouragement, said George Swift, President and CEO of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance, which includes the Chamber SWLA. “Right now, with the dynamic leadership we have in Southwest Louisiana and this enormous team spirit that has enabled us to rebound from the hurricane, it’s a great time for small business. We don’t want to just put Humpty Dumpty back together—to just simply rebuild to what was before the storm— but to use this enormous energy for life as a springboard to making Southwest Louisiana the best place in the nation to live and raise a family, ” Swift said. “We need small businesses, we need them to succeed, and we need them so we can take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to create a new Louisiana. That’s why it’s so important that entrepreneurs take advantage of the wisdom and experience of SCORE, the SBDC at McNeese and the Chamber.” “We have a great, very complementary working relationship with Donna (Little, Small Business Development Director) and her staff at McNeese as well as with the Chamber Southwest,” Arnold said. “Taking advantage of the combined resources of these three groups gives a start-up a tremendous legup. It’s a matter of planning for success rather than planning for failure.” For more information about SCORE, call Arnold at (337) 433-3632 or e-mail at parnold@allianceswla.org. SCORE’s offices are located at the Chamber Southwest at 120 West Pujo St. Bill Krull is the incoming President of the Southwest Louisiana Chapter of SCORE: the Counselors to America’s Small Business. He the Vice President and Creative Director of Spinnaker Communications Inc., a business communications consulting firm. He can be reached at 433-2970.
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JUNE 26, 2008
t i m e s
picks the best in lake area entertainment
MCNEESE SUMMER BAYOU PLAYERS PRESENT “DOUBT” JUNE 24-25-26 — McNeese Summer Bayou Players will present “Doubt, ” a parable by John Patrick Shanley, at 7:30 p.m., on June 24-25-26 on Ralph Squires Hall stage in the Shearman Fine Arts Center, McNeese campus. “Doubt,” set against the backdrop of a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, is the story of a strong-willed nun, the principal of the school, who is faced with a difficult decision. Should she voice her concern about the behavior of one of her colleagues, the parish priest, even though she doesn’t have proof of his guilt? An explosive cat and mouse game ensues. “Doubt” is an inspired study of moral uncertainty with the compelling structure of an old-fashioned detective drama. It received four Tony Awards, including Best Play, and the coveted Pulitzer Prize in 2005. Directed by Charles McNeely III, the cast includes Joy Pace (Sister Aloyisius Beauvier), Clay Hebert (Father Brendan Flynn), Sarah Broussard (a young nun), and Jill Tate (Mrs. Muller). Tickets are $10 at the door. McNeese students are admitted free with a current ID. No reservations are required. For more information, call 475-5043. “ANNIE GET YOUR GUN” AT ACTS THEATRE NOW – JULY 13 — Grab your cowboy hats and mosey on over to the ACTS Theatre for a rip-roaring rendition of Irving Berlin’s musical, “Annie Get Your Gun.” On stage for four weekends starting June 28 through July 13, it’s a perennial favorite with regional theaters and audiences alike. It’s a romantic interpretation of the lives of historic sharpshooters, Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, who became stars of Colonel Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show as Americans were moving westward. Leading the cast are two ACTS veteran performers, Deanna Kolde in the role of Annie Oakley and Michael Ieyoub, portraying Frank Butler. Sarah Parks Plauche plays Frank’s assistant, Dolly Tate, and Keith Appling is Charlie Davenport, troupe manager. ACTS director Marc Pettaway is staging the production, with Lindsay Quebedeaux and Betsy Doucet serving as assistants to the director. Producers are Anita Fields Gold, Michael Ieyoub and Seth LeBert. Admission is $25.00 for adults and $17.50 for students. Tickets are available at the Lake Charles Civic Center, Lakeshore Medic Pharmacy and Moss Bluff Flower and Gift. They can also be ordered online at www.actstheatre.com or by calling 433-ACTS. BALLET, BODY-TRAINING WORKSHOPS AT SARAH QUINN JONES SCHOOL OF BALLET STARTING JUNE 30 — Two Lake Charles natives now living in France will conduct classes this summer at the Sarah Quinn Jones School of Ballet. Meredith Hudson will teach ballet classes June 30-July 26 and Gambrelle Jones will have balanced-body training July 14-26. Hudson received her formal dance training at Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts, the School of American Ballet in New York, and the Houston Ballet Academy. After moving to France in 1992, she joined the faculty of the American Academy of Dance in Paris in 1999 and has done extensive guest
teaching throughout France. She is now the artistic director of ACM Ballet Theatre. Gambrelle Jones began her ballet training with her mother, Sarah Jones, and attended the North Carolina School of Arts, the School of American Ballet in New York and the Joffrey Ballet, San Antonio. At age 16, she joined the Ford Modeling Agency in New York, and left the states to pursue a modeling career with the Elite Agency in Paris. She is a certified Pilates instructor. Hudson’s ballet workshop is open to intermediate and advanced dancers; Jones’ balanced-body classes are open to advanced dancers and adults. For more information, call the School of Ballet at 433-7450. BEAUREGARD WATERMELON FESTIVAL JUNE 27-29 — Get ready for some fun at the annual Beauregard Watermelon Festival, which will be held at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds June 27-29. The event will include live music, games, helicopter rides, a mechanical bull and various contests. The Watermelon Pageant is June 27, with the reigning 2008 Watermelon Queen representing Beauregard Parish at the Queen of Queens Pageant in Baton Rouge. A watermelon-carving contest will be held on June 28. Contestants must carve the melons in advance and submit them at the indoor exhibit by 11 a.m. Also that day is a 5K Run/Walk and Kids Run sponsored by the Beauregard Christian Women’s Job Corps. To register, call (337) 396-1565. The festival also features a Watermelon Idol Amateur Talent Contest. For entry information, call Cassie Tacket at (337) 375-3583. ARTIST CROSSING GALLERY NOW – JULY 3 — LA DOTD Federal Credit Union’s Artist Crossing Gallery is featuring the work of Kevin Lawrence Leveque, May 5 through July 3. The gallery is open Tuesday and Thursday 1:15 – 4 p.m., and is located at 3600 Nelson Rd. in Lake Charles. For details, call (337) 437-3990. THE MOVING WALL — REPLICA OF VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL IN DERIDDER JULY 3-8 — The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located in Washington, D.C., stands as a symbol of America’s honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. The Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the memorial, travels throughout the United States every year so that people across the country might have a chance to experience the Wall. Owned and maintained by Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd., it will make only one stop in Louisiana in 2008. The display will be set up at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds in DeRidder on Thursday morning, July 3, and will remain until Monday afternoon, July 7. There are 882 Louisiana soldiers on the Wall, including eight from DeRidder, and others from surrounding communities. It is being brought to our community by Cole-Miers VFW Post 3619 and the Ladies Auxiliary of DeRidder to honor and respect, through remembrance and education, those that made the ultimate sacrifice. The display will be open to the public 24 hours a day. Opening ceremonies will be held on Thursday, July 3 at 7 p.m. with guest speaker Col. Jonathan T. Ball, Commander of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard. Sunday, July 6 will be dedicated to POW/MIA Remembrance. LTC (Ret.) Gerald Smith, Chaplain, will begin the day with a field worship service at 8:00 a.m. at the site, and conclude with a candlelight vigil ceremony at 7 p.m. The closing ceremony will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 7. There is no admission fee. If you wish to volunteer your services, please call Charlie Poe, Project Officer, at (337) 396-2405.
GRAY PLANTATION OFFERS COUPLES GOLF TOURNAMENTS STARTING JULY 6 — Gray Plantation is offering a cure for the common date night with a fun opportunity for couples to enjoy the game of golf together in an entertaining, social setting. Play begins at 5 p.m. on select Sundays: July 6 and 20; Aug. 10; Sept. 7 and 28; and Oct. 5 and 19. The Cypress Grill will be open each evening after the tournament, with dinner and drink specials for participating players. The cost is $10 per couple for Gray Plantation members and $30 per couple for non-members. Space is limited. Call 562-1663 for more information or to register.
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CHILDREN’S THEATER COMPANY’S SUMMER STARZ WORKSHOP JULY 9-11 — The first workshop of CTC’s Summer Starz Series, Wild Things!, for children ages 5 to 8, has limited spaces available. Children participate in creative drama exercises, games, movement and music. The workshop will be held July 9 - 11 from 10 — 11:15 a.m. at the Central School (corner of Kirkman and Kirby Streets). The cost is $65 and includes a T-shirt. For registration details, call (337) 433-7323 or visit www.childrenstheatre.cc and click on Summer Starz Series. ZIGLER ART MUSEUM SUMMER ART CAMP JULY 14-25 — The 2008 Friends of Zigler Art Museum Summer Art Camp is set for July 14 – July 25. It will be held from 9 a.m. – noon at the old James Ward Elementary School in Jennings. This year’s theme is “Christmas in July.” Instruction will be given in drawing, pottery and sculpture, crafts, and mural painting. Children who have completed kindergarten through 6th grade are invited to participate. For reservations or more information call ZAM at (337) 824-0114.
SUMMER POPS: AN EVENING OF MASK-ULINE BROADWAY ENTERTAINMENT – JULY 19 — Spend the evening with the Lake Charles Symphony and the Three Phantoms in Concert™ as they present an Evening of MASK-uline Broadway Entertainment at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum. These three extraordinary performers, Craig Schulman, Brad Little and Kevin Gray, have all played the role of the Phantom and have between them a wide range of roles and Broadway experience. The concert will feature solos, duets and trios, all from the Broadway male repertoire. Featuring songs from Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and The Phantom of The Opera, the program also includes numbers from Guys and Dolls, Company, Kiss Me Kate, Most Happy Fella, The Secret Garden, Nine, Damn Yankees, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Sweeney Todd and many more. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the event begins at 7:30 p.m. Reserved seating is on the Coliseum floor at tables of eight. Tickets may be purchased individually or for an entire table. Individual reserved seats are $30 each. The cost of a reserved table of eight is $240. General Admission riser tickets are $15 per person (children age 12 and younger are admitted free with an adult). Advance purchase tickets are available at the Civic Center Box Office, Lake Charles Music, Swicegood’s, the Symphony office, and can be purchased at the door the night of the event. For reservations and ticket information, call the Symphony office at (337) 433-1611.
LAWNMOWER SALES
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NASHVILLE PORTRAITS: PHOTOGRAPHS BY JIM MCGUIRE NOW - JULY 19 — Photographer of country music stars Jim McGuire has snapped shots of everyone from Minnie Pearl and Lester Flatt to Emmylou Harris and Marty Stuart. This collection is just 60 black and white photographs out of thousands on display at Historic City Hall in Lake Charles now through July 19. Historic City Hall is open Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sat. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Admission is free. For details, call (337) 491-9147.
GRIDIRON 36 TICKETS NOW ON SALE JULY 26 — Get your tickets now for the Ad & Press Club of Southwest Louisiana’s 36th annual Gridiron Show, the annual fundraiser that’s sometimes described as “the ‘Saturday Night Live’ of Lake Charles.” The satire of local newsmakers and the media is set for Saturday, July 26, in the Lake Charles Civic Center’s Sudduth Coliseum. This year’s theme is “More Cowbell” and will feature several McNeese State Universitythemed skits, as well as many others. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for a social and networking hour. During that time, guests will dine at several serving stations, featuring heavy hors d’ouevres and other specialties from local vendors such as the Blue Duck Cafe, Pujo Street Cafe, Sowela Technical College, the Rustic Palate, the Lake Charles Country Club, McAllister’s Deli and the Coffee Beanery. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. The fundraiser pokes fun at local and state newsmakers and the media through skits, songs, monologues and videos. Proceeds from the show will benefit students at McNeese State University through the club’s permanent scholarship foundation and provide funds to the Commercial Arts Department at Sowela Technical Community College. The show is written, staged and performed entirely by Ad and Press Club members, but often features surprise appearances from others. Past cameos have included Kathleen Blanco, Willie Mount, Randy Roach and Ron LeLeux. The Ad and Press Club is Southwest Louisiana’s oldest organization for communications professionals. Barbara Downer, employee relations director for Excel Paralubes and a Lake Charles Little Theatre board member, is club president. Each year, Gridiron awards the Pan Award — a trophy made from a cheap skillet — to the newsmaker who gets “panned” the most in the show. Last year’s recipient was then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Tickets are $60 per person and $400 for a table of eight. Deadline to buy tickets is Wednesday, July 23. Seating is limited and tickets are going fast. For tickets, reserved tables, sponsorships, or catering inquiries, visit the Ad & Press Club’s Web site at adpressclub.com, e-mail gridironshow@yahoo.com or call the Gridiron hotline at 583-4766.
THE JAZZ AGE IN LAKE CHARLES NOW – AUG. 2 — Featuring fabulous rare items from the Imperial Calcasieu Museum’s collection including clothing, furniture, advertising, photographs, appliances and the music from the era of The Great Gatsby, this exhibit is sure to please those seeking a peek into the past! Museum hours are Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.imperialcalcasieumuseum.org
THE CALCA-SHOW NOW – AUG. 29 — Members of the Associated Louisiana Artists will have their paintings of what they love in Calcasieu Parish on display June 1–Aug. 29 at Gallery by the Lake, 106 W. Lawrence St. in Lake Charles. Gallery hours are Tues.–Sat. noon – 5 p.m. For details, call (337) 436-1008. t i m e s
picks
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the best in lake area entertainment
JUNE 26, 2008
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"Never A Good Sign" — watch out for these.
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NUTRITION CENTER Lake Charles & Jennings
436-6181 • 230-3598 474-3554 PAGE 32
JUNE 26, 2008
Across 1 Tattoo parlor supplies 5 In the past 8 They may run underground 14 Grate stuff? 15 Little bite 16 How blogs are presented 17 Sign on a road that leads to a shoe company? 19 ___ d' 20 "___ Thunder" (2008 Jack Black movie) 21 CD-___ 23 Radiohead lead singer Yorke 24 Sign that restricts Holstein parking? 27 Ending word for some foreign films 30 "Bambi" role 31 Baton Rouge sch. 32 Sign denoting that something is perched on something else? 34 511 36 Enlist for another tour 40 With 47-across, sign indicating that the movies "Network" and "Mommie Dearest" are coming up, but no others? 45 Cuban currency 46 Sault ___ Marie 47 See 40-across 48 Mil. abbreviation 51 Carrere in Season 6 of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
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Lou Gehrig's disease, alternatively Sign approved by Rocky Balboa? Plow beasts Greek letter that rhymes with three other Greek letters Hate like there's no tomorrow Amazon e-book Sign leading to a bunch of antlers? Whirlpools Brian who produced Coldplay's most recent album When some local newscasts begin Grover's street China's Three Gorges, for one Like some cheddars
Down 1 Ceases to be 2 Roulette wheel color, in Monte Carlo 3 Sign language gorilla 4 Rung 5 Snake mentioned in "Baby Got Back" 6 Long Island Iced Tea ingredient 7 "Tosca," e.g. 8 Pause providers 9 2008 French Open winner Ivanovic 10 Try for a sack 11 Prefix with graphic 12 Company that went bankrupt in 2001
13 Scary words on a school paper 18 Outbreak creatures 22 Bird that can turn its head 135 degrees in both directions 25 Like displays in Madame Tussauds 26 Cosmonaut Gagarin 27 Passing craze 28 "Pump ___" (Elvis Costello song) 29 0% 33 ___ de deux 35 Bagfuls in a hospital 37 Prefix with terrorism 38 Forearm bone 39 Senator that gave his name to a federal aid grant 41 Actor B.D. of "Law & Order: SVU" 42 Part of Caesar's last words 43 Item handed down between generations 44 Part of CBS 49 Basic pizza option 50 Baseball Hall-of-Famer Mel 52 Like some quotations: abbr. 54 They go on 59-across 55 Iron ___ 56 Tears apart 57 Country with the national anthem "Jana Gana Mana" 58 Not live 62 Former film and camera company 63 Branch offshoot 64 Possess 65 Gave the look to 67 Science fiction author Stanislaw ___ 69 Genetic material
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Have a Heart — and a Glass of Wine
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wo fabulous fundraisers benefited the Banners Series: an Epicure’s Evening; and, a wine dinner at The Harlequin. An Epicure’s Evening, was held by Randy Fuerst at his home on May 10. Randy donated the wines, and Stephanie Miller volunteered her services as sommelier. Nic Hunter, proprietor of The Harlequin, prepared special foods to go with the wines Stephanie chose. Among those attending were Larry and Gayle Smith, Kerry Andersen, Carolyn Woosley, Brenda Bachrack, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Woodyear, Judge Kathy Kay and Scott Vincent, Judge Patricia Minaldi, Judge and Mrs. Guy Bradberry, Dr. and Mrs. Keith DeSonier and daughter Ainsley, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd DeWolf, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Goode, Bill Godley, Dr. Linda Brannon and Barry Humphus, Mr. and Mrs. Tim Vaughan. A wine dinner took place at The Harlequin on June 3. Nic Hunter had donated the dinner to the highest bidder at a wine tasting hosted by Randy Fuerst. All proceeds went to the Banners Series. Some faces that were spotted: Carrie and Jeff Kudla, Dr. and Mrs. John Noble, Randy Fuerst, Kerry Andersen, Mr. and Mrs. Barry Barnett, Judge Kathy Kay and Scott Vincent, Judge Patricia Minaldi, Tony Damron, Jackie and John St. Romain, Dana Puckett, and Greg Klumpp.
PHOTOS SHOWN: 1–Kerry Andersen, Tony Damron, Barry Barnett and Dana Puckett enjoy an evening at The Harlequin. 2–There was a special night at The Harlequin to benefit Banners, attended by Judge Patricia Minaldi and Jeff Kudla. 3–Judge Kathy Kay and Randy Fuerst enjoy an evening at The Harlequin. 4–Gloria Wegener discusses her artistic style with friends Dwayne and Lisa Sonnier.
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5–Emma Hughes, basket maker, meets Jessie Kelly a basket weaving fan as Geoff Russell, photo artist, joins in the conversation. 6–Jane & Benny Foskey, friends of Pilar Bossano, admire one of her beautiful silkscreen prints. 7–Sue and Hal McMillin share a quick pose with Pam McGough before the start of the American Heart Association’s 2008 Gala. 8–Honoree Claire Sorkow and her husband Eli at the American Heart Association Gala.
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 9–Emcee for the night, Peter O’Carroll, and Executive Director Cassondra Guilbeau take a breather during The Phantom of the Heart Gala for the American Heart Association. 10–Louis and Marilyn Estes attended last week’s concert and liked it so much they came back. 11–Ann Kratzer and Julie Miller were spotted at the American Heart Association’s 2008 Gala having a great evening.
The evening of June 5 brought a crowd to the Henning Cultural Center. Gathered on the porch for the Artisans Gallery Master Works 2008 show were Karl Matte, Randy Broussard and Norman Farr. Inside, a vast array of artwork was evidence that the Master Artists had been at work; a variety of disciplines, mediums and artistic talents created a well-rounded view of the Artisans Gallery’s product range and fine quality art offerings. It didn’t take long for The Shadow to espy that one irresistible piece of art to take home. Geoff and Debbie Russell gladly shared interesting aspects of photography and light while Emma Hughes shared basket-weaving history with Jessie Kelly. Charlene Kaough’s woodblock designs attracted patrons, as did Sally Cappel and Gloria Wegener’s oils and prints. Stone Manning, along with Dr. Dean Manning, took time to say hello to Charlotte LaBarbera whose series of photos included one titled “Crude Reality.” Dwayne and Lisa Sonnier visited with Gloria Wegener as they made their way through the show. Jane Foskey and husband Benny were there to see friend Pilar Bossano’s silkscreen prints. The Shadow enjoyed meeting Chris Khoury and Joel Garrett whose appreciation of art and loyalty to a friend brought them out for the show.
VOTED #1 GIFT SHOP!
Unique Gifts and Accessories 3204 Ryan St. • 337-433-6200
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“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” - Ronald Reagan
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As we celebrate Independence Day, I encourage the Lake Area to reinvigorate their sense of love and patriotism for this country. While no institution created by man will ever be a perfect one, we have so much to be thankful for. Let us also remember that it is absolutely imperative and essential that we support our current military wholeheartedly and honor those brave veterans who have served.
Happy Independence Day!
501 W. College Street • Lake Charle, LA
337.310.0077 PAGE 36
JUNE 26, 2008
PHOTOS SHOWN: 12–Frances Wynn, who attends the Sulphur Episcopal Church, enjoyed the concert with Leona Morgan and Lise Brown. They liked The Entertainer and The Trumpeter’s Lullaby especially but there were none they didn’t like. 13–A classy group to see a class act, Dave Scott, Dr. Fred Sahlmann, Dr. Tom LeBeau and Dr. Ed McCanless are no strangers to music. 14–Karen Miller, Brian Logan, trombone player, and Diane Evans from Tennessee and visiting with sister, Karen, chat about the concert and music.
The American Heart Association presented their 2008 Gala on the beautiful Friday night of June 6. Supporters gathered for The Phantom of the Heart with a Silent Auction, fantastic meal, and a lively Live Auction. Peter O’Carroll kept the evening flowing smoothly as the Emcee for the night. The 2008 Heart Gala Honoree was Claire Sorkow. She was recognized for her commitment to the fight against heart disease and stroke. Both she and her husband, Dr. Eli Sorkow, are heart survivors. Hal McMillin worked the crowd for this worthy cause as the auctioneer. And as always, bidding for the evening ended with the very sugary cake auction. This is certainly a crowd favorite. In the crowd was spotted, Roni Kemerly, Ann Bruner, Cassondra Guilbeau, Sabrina Baker, Hal and Sue McMillin, Chris and Andrea Bacarisse, Billy and Carrie
Navarre and Rick and Donna Richard. The Church of the Good Shepherd’s Summer Music Festival XXI, on June 10, chose First Class Brass as the second concert of the season. First Class is not only the name of the group, it also describes its act. Two trumpets, a French horn, trombone and tuba collectively brought the sounds of Scot Joplin, Leonard Bernstein and others to an appreciative audience. “Maple Leaf Rag,” “A Trumpeter’s Lullaby,” and “The Entertainer” were just a few of the tunes performed, with “The Entertainer” ranking as a high favorite. Tuba player Mark Barton led us through the program, acquainting us with the various instruments, composers and compositions. A reception followed the performance, allowing the audience to mingle with members of the band. Theresa Hanebury, Laura
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Thank You Southwest Louisiana! 17
2008
Best Mexican Restaurant Best Service in a Restaurant Best Margarita & Best Salsa
PHOTOS SHOWN: 15–Scot Hebert, Courtney Hearod, Tim Barfield, and Patrick Marcantel meet and greet the Under 40 & Up and Coming celebration. 16–Another happy recipient of the Under 40 & Up and Coming distinction Tommy McClelland with his proud father. 17–Kurt Strang, the owner of O’Charley’s George and Allison Sonnier attended the Under 40 & Up and Coming dinner in support of recipient Josh Rogers, General Manger of O’Charley’s.
Kirk, Brian Logan and Mark Barton were pleased to answer questions and discuss instruments and music. The Shadow noticed Susan Mahoney, Frances Wynn, Leona Morgan and Lise Brown, Louis and Marilyn Estes, Dave Scott, Dr. Fred Sahlmann, Dr. Tom LeBeau and Dr. Ed McCanless. The Logan family supports its own; Carolyn, Buddy and Kristin traveled from Houston with trombone player Brian Logan to lend their support at the concert. Karen Miller and sister Diane Evans were delighted to meet and greet Brian. This year, Fusion Five partnered with The Times to conduct the search for nominees for the annual Up and Coming and Under 40 awards announced in the June 12 issue of The Times. June 16 marked the first Up and Coming and Under 40 dinner to honor the recipients. Everyone gathered at the Isle of Capri to recognize the 10 hon-
orees. A lively social time preceded the dinner and program. Patrick Marcantel, publisher of The Times, started off the festivities by welcoming everyone to the event. Tim Barfield was the guest speaker. He is the new Secretary of Labor and the former president and chief operating officer of The Shaw Group, Inc. Each of the Up and Coming and Under 40 recipients received their personalized awards, presented by Courtney Hearod, chairperson of Fusion Five, and Andrea Bacarisse, membership chair for Fusion Five. The star-studded crowd included Scot and Bea Hebert (Scot is also one of the publishers of The Times), George and Allison Sonnier, Judy Marcantel, Chris Bacarisse, Adam Benoit, Maria and Beau Faul, Mark and Amie Herbert, Michelle Edwards, George Swift, Mayor Randy Roach, and Kurt Strang.
2007 Best Mexican Restaurant 2002 Best Mexican Restaurant Best Margarita Best Salsa 2001 Best Mexican Restaurant Best Service in a Restaurant 2006 Best Mexican Restaurant Best Margarita 2000 Best Mexican Restaurant Best Service in 2005 Best Mexican Restaurant a Restaurant Best Salsa 2004 Best Mexican Restaurant 1999 Best Mexican Restaurant Best Waitress Best Salsa (Brandy Broussard) 2003 Best Mexican Restaurant 1998 Best Mexican Restaurant Best Service in a Restaurant
Celebrating 32 years of Service Casa Mañana now has a Curbside Pick-up Window in the Rear of the Building for your Convenience Full Food & Beverage Menu
Casa Mañana 2510 RYAN ~ 433-4112 CATERING AVAILABLE
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Below: A vacation fit for a pirate! Russ and Eileen Grantham of Lake Charles relax in the sunshine of St. Maarten in the Caribbean. Russ is Jean Lafitte 2008. Below: Catch of the day. Darrell Buck displays a large flounder he caught in Big Lake.
Above: AmonyÊ Ausberry clowns around at Busy B’s Daycare.
Above: Jack the Yorkie enjoys a day of boating. His Mom is Tiffany Gardner of Lake Charles.
Parting Sh o ts
1) Email 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.
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