February 25, 20162 Vol. 7 • No. 21

February 25, 2016 • Volume 7 • Issue 21

715 Kirby St.Lake Charles, LA 70601Phone: 337-436-7800Fax: 337-990-0262www.thejambalayanews.com

Publisher/Executive EditorLauren Abate lauren@thejambalayanews.com

ContributorsNicole Shuff ArabieRoger MillerJason MachulskiJustin MorrisRussell PawlowskiTerri Schlichenmeyer

Salessales@thejambalayanews.com

GraphicsArt/Production DirectorBurn Rourk

BusinessOffi ce ManagerJeanie Rourk

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily refl ect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff.

The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by Jambalaya Media, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The Jambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the return of un-solicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily refl ect those of the publisher.Copyright 2014 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

COVER18 Introducing Delta Downs’ Rosewater Grill & Tavern

REGULARS4 We Are SWLA!

6 Fishin’ Tales

8 Soul Matters

9 The Pirate’s Platter

20 Adoption Corner

33 Tales of the Bayou Pickers

FEATURES14 New Business Year One: Most Common Mistakes

14 Is Entrepreneurship For You?

16 The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese

THE SPICE OF SWLA20 LC Symphony Presents Orff ’s Carmina Burana

22 Event Guide

24 Live @ The Lakefront’s 2016 Line-up Announced

25 LABT’s Spring Gala Ballet Performance

26 Historic City Hall: Two New Exhibitions

27 Bookworm Sez…

28 Nightlife Guide

30 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles

34 Society Spice

27

189

2526

6On Cover: Rosewater Grill & Tavern, New at Delta Downs Racetrack•Casino•Hotel

February 25, 2016 3Vol. 7 • No. 21

Well, Mardi Gras season came and went in the blink of an eye. Even though it ended much earlier than the norm, winter appeared to end with it. No more frosty nights, even though we barely had any to begin with this year. I highly ap-prove of The Winter of 2015-2016. I think the rest of the country does, as well. My old stomping grounds did not get much precipitation, either. Kelly only complained about one or two harrowing journeys on her commuter bus ride from Burlington to Boston, instead of the usual 10 or more. Considering that last year was the worst winter in recorded history for Massachu-setts, the good citizens have a lot to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day (as if they needed another reason).

Of course, it’s only the end of February, and Mother Nature can be tricky up North. I remember a surprise April 1 blizzard that shut the whole city down. So they’re not out of the woods yet. But they’re squeaking by, holding their breaths, hoping their good luck holds out until Opening Day at Fenway Park. (Which I have attended in the past and can be damn cold.)

Down here, it’s springtime in the South, which means the sun is shining and flowers are blooming and birds are chirping. The few people I know who love the cold (Roger Miller, Heather Hidalgo, I’m looking at YOU) are probably staring mournfully at their sweaters and boots, not ready to pack them away just yet, hoping for a last-

minute visit from the Frost Miser. There may be some chilly evenings to come, but I think we can safely say good-bye to winter and rejoice in the Easter Bunny decorations that popped out in all the stores after the stroke of midnight on February 15.

Spring brings all kinds of fabulous things to enjoy here. I’m not even talking about the rest of the state. Just our little neck of the woods, the place where some people still think nothing hap-pens (who ARE you people?) has so many events coming up that we can’t possibly go to all of them.

The Winter Beer Fest is coming up soon on March 5. It will be held in the courtyard of the Calcasieu Marine Building in downtown Lake Charles and it benefits the Lake Charles Symphony! Last year’s event was a sellout, so make sure you get your tickets now if you haven’t already. Another fabulous fundraiser for the Symphony is the Wild Beast Feast, which will also be held in the courtyard on April 2. Sample delicious wild game and seafood offerings from local sportsmen. And speaking of the Symphony, they will present their last concert of the season (before the Summer Pops, of course!) on April 16. Turn to page 20 for a description of Carl Orff ’s Carmina Burana and then get your tickets!

Next month we can enjoy not one but two fabulous ballet galas: the Lake Area Ballet Theatre’s

Spring Gala Showcase on March 11 and the Lake Charles Civic Bal-let’s Assemble’ 2016 March 19-20. Both will be held at the Rosa Hart Theater. Go to our Events section in this issue for more information and enjoy the magic of the ballet!

What else is coming up? The an-nual Black Heritage Festival brings amazing talent, delicious food and hundreds of vendors March 4-5 at the Civic Center. The Sulphur Mines Festival celebrates Sul-phur’s Heritage March 11-12 with all kinds of fun things to see and do across the bridge. Live @ the Lakefront lets us bask in our balmy spring weather while listening to hot music on the lake three con-secutive Fridays starting March 11. The Church of the Good Shepherd is having their annual book sale March 18-20 and the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes will showcase some lovely homes in the downtown Charpentier District March 20.

Still bored? I can’t imagine why. Get out there and discover every-thing SWLA has to offer. It’s there, just waiting for you.

Lauren Abate

Spring Has Sprung!

February 25, 20164 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Cooper, Medearis Appointed to CVB’s Board of Directors

Lauren Cooper, representing the West Calcasieu Community Center Author-ity and Edwina Medearis, on behalf of the City of Lake Charles, were appointed to serve on the board of directors for the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau. Cooper is employed at City Savings Bank in De-Quincy and is active in the community as a member of the DeQuincy Federated Service League and an event organizer for the Railroad Days Festival, as well as having served as the DeQuincy Chamber of Commerce president for the past three years. Medearis is a registered nurse and has owned Medearis Costumes, Gifts & Balloons for 33 years. She has served on numerous boards in the past and was the recipient of the Governor Edwin Edwards LA Minority Business Person of the Year in 1992 and the American Postal Service Women in History Award in 2002.

LCMH Announces 2016 Board of DirectorsLake Charles Memorial Health System recently announced the

2016 board of directors. The board is a group of community lead-ers in finance, media, public policy and business who volunteer their time and talents to advocate and lead the health system. They include Louis M. Todd, Sr., Chairman; Thomas Shearman, Chair-man-Elect/Vice Chairman & Secretary; Denise Emerson Rau, Past Chairperson; Larry M. Graham, President/Assistant Secretary; Leroy Fredericks, M.D., Medical Staff President; Ron Lewis, Jr., M.D., Medical Staff Past President; Gerry Hebert, M.D., Medi-cal Staff President- Elect; Judge Gene Thibodeaux; Joe Miller, Jr.; Richard Martinez, M.D.; Alan LeBato, M.D.; Mitchell Adrian and Mark Abraham.

LC Partnership Grants Awarded to Area Events The Arts Council of SWLA is pleased to announce the grant

awards for the 2016-2017 LC Partnership Grant. This competitive grant program is funded annually by the City of Lake Charles and administered by the Arts Council. Twenty-four grants were awarded to projects and organizations located within the city limits of Lake Charles, including Tipitina’s Foundation, Bayou Writer’s Group, Dr. F. G. Bulber Youth Orchestra, Whistle Stop, Cajun French Mu-sic Association-Lake Charles Chapter, Lake Charles Civic Ballet, Lake Area Ballet Theatre, LA Film & Video Art, Inc., Lake Charles

Symphony, Common Ground LA, Children’s Theatre Co., LA Cho-ral Foundation, Lake Charles Little Theatre, Lake Charles Com-munity Band, Black Heritage Festival, KC Productions SWLA, Inc., ACTS Theatre, Itinerant Theatre, and Jazz in the Arts. For more information on the Arts Council’s services and programs, visit www.artscouncilswla.org.

Local Photographer Exhibits in New OrleansLocal photographer Tim Fontenot is

having an exhibit at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. Fourteen prints from his Southwest Louisiana collection will be on display for one month beginning March 1 in a main corridor to the medi-cal center’s entrance. Fontenot has been shooting images of south Louisiana and beyond since 1975. Fontenot is a member of Associated Louisiana Artists, the Loui-siana Artist Roster, a board member of the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, and the Regional Arts Network.

Regional Supporters Donate to Dog ParkTh e Quality of Life Fund for Southwest Louisiana received four

$1,000 donations from local residents, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and the Greater Lake Charles Rotary Club. Th is $4,000, along with other recent donations, brings the fund up to 45 percent of its original goal. Th e Quality of Life Task Force, part of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance, has been working with the City of Lake Charles to develop an off -leash public dog park in the downtown area. Th e park will off er dogs and their owners an off -leash play area where they can socialize with other canines and their owners. Tax-deductible donations may be made to the Community Foundation for the Quality of Life Fund. Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 3125, Lake Charles, LA, 70602 or donations may be made on line at founda-tionswla.org. Direct questions to awhite@allianceswla.org.

Axiall Donates to SOWELAAxiall Corporation donated $5,000 to the SOWELA Technical

Community College Foundation as a sponsor of the SOWELA Flying Tigers Car Show – a fundraising event to benefit student scholarships.

Lauren Cooper

Edwina Medearis

Tim Fontenot

Axiall’s VP of Operations Jim Rock presents donation to Marianne White, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement, and Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor.

February 25, 2016 5Vol. 7 • No. 21

Stream Wetland Services Donates to Family & Youth

Family & Youth Counseling Agency received $5,000 from Stream Wetland Services for the third annual G2X FISH-O-RAMA, which was held October 17, 2015 at Calcasieu Point Landing. Over 150 individuals partici-pated in the tourna-ment and enjoyed great food, fun, and entertainment. Proceeds from the event support the eight divisions of Family & Youth Counseling Agency.

The Smith family recently designated the Genesis Thera-peutic Riding Center of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital as the recipient of a $10,000 dona-tion. Prior to this donation, the center received donations total-ing $20,000 in memory of Jan Gwatney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Smith, Jr. The Gen-esis Therapeutic Riding Center provides outpatient occupational therapy services to the develop-mentally disabled by utilizing hippotherapy and a variety of therapy processes. For more in-formation on the services of the center, call (337) 625-3972.

Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center Receives Donation

Northwestern Mutual is Presenting Sponsor of CHRISTUS Dragon Boat Race

Northwestern Mutual is the presenting sponsor of the CHRIS-TUS ST. Patrick’s fourth annual Dragon Boat Race. The race benefits the Children’s Miracle Network program at St. Patrick’s Hospital. As a first-time presenting sponsor, Northwestern Mutual is making a significant commitment to promoting the health and wellness of SWLA’s children. The race will be held on April 23 and as many as 35 teams will compete along the Lake Charles seawall.

Northwestern Mutual representatives Ted P. Harless Jr., (far right) and Marty DeRouen (second from right) present a check for $10,000 to CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation representatives Kay Barnett, Exec. Dir. of Development, (far left) and Cara Wyland, CMN Director (second from left).

L to R: Julio Galan, President/ CEO of Family & Youth and Gray Stream, Stream Wetland Services.

Nora Popillion, Director of Enter-

tainment and PR at Delta Downs (right)

presents a $5,000 check to the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation

CMN Director Cara Wyland (left).

February 25, 20166 Vol. 7 • No. 21

As usual, Chad Shuff was a man of his word. He’d promised during a visit over a year ago that we’d make the trek to his fishing camp at Holly Point near Noble, Louisiana. All it took was his phone call and it was on. After a 35-year hiatus, I’d again be angling the 185,000-acre, big-gest man-made lake in the South: Toledo Bend Lake. Obviously, I wasn’t going to be throwing lures over the whole ex-panse, just the part Chad knew so well. Toledo Bend Lake is on the Texas/Louisi-ana border about half way up Louisiana’s Sabine River western border.

Chad, his auburn haired girlfriend Sandra Thellan and fluffy white Maltese/Poodle mix Ruby soon arrived at my apartment. We were off on the hour-and-a-half, sure-get-to-know-each other drive into Louisiana hill country. I’d seen the

pictures of saddle blanket white perch and hog bass Chad had ever so teasingly posted on my Facebook page. Now it was my turn.

We had an awful lot of catching up to do on what had transpired in the 30 years since I’d taught Chad at LaGrange High School. Like his grandfather and father, Chad was a union ironworker and had been on jobs all over the US. After a number of on-the-job and car wreck injuries, Chad was in training to be an operator at ABC School. Meanwhile, it was time to fish.

Parking under the oaks that shaded his camp, the first thing I saw was a pier as beaten and busted up as we were. Seems a big storm had done in his and a number of other wharves. Chad’s Pro Series Bass Tracker was tied up to his neighbor’s pier.

While Chad and I planned our excursion, Sandra cooked up Cajun pork chops in a dark Slap Your Mama gravy.

The next morning Sandra and Chad were off to Alexandria for their physi-cal therapy before I was even up. I was left to fish off his and the neighbor’s wharves, read and just generally goof off until they returned. Having no luck angling, I headed back up to the camp for an another cup of coffee and the James Lee Burke book I was reading. The outer door I had closed behind me when I left the camp must have been set to lock. It did. Undaunted, I tried all the windows. Even took one of the screens off but the windows were all latched shut. I was still killing time down on the pier fishing when Chad and Sandra finally returned around noon.

“Catch anything?” Chad asked as he ambled down the hill.

“Nope, but I did manage to lock myself out,” I replied.

Chad was so perplexed at my statement he stopped half way down to what was left of his wharf. He noted I was on the pier next to his. Then it dawned on both of us, with me on the wrong wharf, that I wasn’t locked out of his camp. Just the neighbor’s.

Yet another of my “Well, duh!” mo-ments that bemused him and Sandra and made for some good-natured kidding back and forth.

It had finally warmed into the high ‘50s, so we were to swing out around the peninsula and into the out of the wind calm inlet. We were on a mission to catch a monster bass that had tossed Chad’s lure just a few days before. Seems it was my day to lock on to things as I hooked

Sac-a-lait Serenade

Photos by Chris Romero

Kelly���Stevens

February 25, 2016 7Vol. 7 • No. 21

tree limbs, brush, weeds but no monster bass.

“Let’s go catch some white perch,” Chad said as he point-ed to this stump about 200 yards away.

“My Dad’s favorite, Chad,” I replied as Chad steered us there. He tied us off, rigged our bass rigs for sac-a-lait and set the minnow bucket between the two of us.

“Just drop the minnow down to bottom, crank twice and fish up from the bottom,” Chad advised.

It proved to be good advice as he hauled in slab-sized white perch. My expertise proved to be catching and keeping the catfish out of our perch hole. Oh, I caught a few white perch but Chad had the three to one edge here. Who caught what mattered not as I watched Chad filet our sac-

a-lait at his fish cleaning station. He even asked how many fish filets I wanted per freezer bag to take home. Visions of browned baked flaked filets steeped in but-ter, lemon slices, and lemon pepper swam in my head as we headed up to the correct camp this time.

That night, after a fried fish supper, we pulled chairs up to the fire pit, piled the logs in and got it burning. The neighbor I’d met the night before,

Kelly Stevens, appeared with a large drink in one hand and his guitar in the other.

“Just what I need is some drunk redneck strumming his guitar and singing bad Country and Western songs,” I thought. For the second time at Chad and Sandra’s I was woefully wrong. Kelly started with a local’s song about view-ing life through a clouded whiskey glass in his hometown bar. He moved on to Hank Williams Sr. and Jr., Waylon, Willie, Johnny, George and the new Nashville stars. Kelly even mixed in songs he’d heard from lesser soulful singers while running his open mike show in town. It was truly a soulful sac-a-lait serenade and he never even touched that drink until he laid his guitar down. Sometimes being so wrong is so right.

Shane,�Roger,��Jeanette�&�Glenn

Chad��Shuff

February 25, 20168 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Do you ever notice how things come crashing into your life? Where did it come from--that continuous trans-mission of motion from one part to another? Are we sup-posed to accept all of it? Do we assume that everything is not always what it seems to be at first sight and then claim the right to see whether there is another explanation for it?

Thoughts, images, etc., are sort of a naive reality to perception of the external world, which we commonly apply names and concepts to. How can you explain when one thing or person connects you to the exact person, place or thing you are seeking at that very moment? Maybe a high magnetism from one person radiating outwardly towards another begins the navigational directional pull. This combination meets and perhaps begins to produce explosives which then be-come much more active and far-reaching in their effects.

Wholes are ordinarily sets in which the parts recipro-cally determine one another through the observing mind and brain. Language has an

important function. Words and thoughts can run paral-lel to, predict, and determine events in the external world around you.

Let’s look at the order of things in our lives: Most of us look at life events like this: A=B, B=C. A, B and C are pat-terns representing external things or processes. What we really need to understand is that these pat-terns claiming to represent external happenings cannot all remain excited to stay in that or-der. They end up clashing within the interaction of patterns when our thoughts run parallel to real-ity, which is not “the mind” or “the self ” sensing data. If we keep trying to stack our thoughts on top of each

other, we will find that they will eventually begin to fall down.

When a bridge is built, it has gone through many things to ensure that it will withstand the weight it will bear, the weather it will face, etc. Modern technology uses instruments that are able to calculate the possible events that could occur with that bridge.

Our brains are similar these instruments to when the bridge begins to feel and show the strains that have been put on it.

Let’s revisit patterns again. A is larger than a and B is larger than b and you are able to see that. You are able to recognize this with your eyes. Our memory has traced what we have been taught. If, for some reason, your eyes did not sense the slight differ-ence of sizing, it could result

in a false behavior in the re-

sponse. You wouldn’t

be able to de-termine that the

appear-ance

is false. Instead our brain might be pick-ing up the same number of cor-ners. It

is a deflection of the balance. What is essential to under-

stand is that we must respond to straightness and to bent-ness; we have all acquired habits in passing along the straight lines in our lives, and consequently, we have also encountered a break when faced by something new. These different related things must be blended into a single reaction. We must be able to see and recognize the entire visual field. If not, we will be led away to another visual area in our view. This new wave pattern will then create pressure in those areas, becoming a highly compli-cated pattern. Consequently, we won’t be able to measure correctly.

Our words should be re-garded with great respect, for they are tools that we usually fit into some complicated reality. We must be clear with what we say and think. Feelings are results of words that navigate toward us with magnetism. Those feelings change in color and shade, which then lead us to judge the use of a word correctly or incorrectly, which can then lead to confusion and argu-ment.

Let go of the narrow-minded thinking. There are no short cuts or an easier way out. We must experi-ence all of it in our lives to become whole. Let go and let God have control. Listen and learn. Allow Him to fine tune the instrument that you are. Not allowing the tune-up can result in much needed repair-ing before you fall apart. Go and grow in your life and experience joy and love.

To book a Soul Matters Session with Nicole Shuff Arabie, call (337) 540-

6573. You can also go to her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/De-clutteringYourSoul

NavigationalMagnetism

February 25, 2016 9Vol. 7 • No. 21

From what the Pirate can gather, the history of curry goes back a long way. While evidence suggests that its use probably originated in India, there are indications of it be-ing used in 1700 BC Mesopotamia. Curry was used in Eng-land as early as the 1300s and probably even earlier than that. It was mentioned in the first book written on English cooking during the time of Richard II (late 1300s).

Curry is used in the cuisine of almost every country and can be incorporated into any dish. Curry powder itself is not a single spice but a blend of different spices and can be either mild or hot.

My mother came from Braintree, a small town in Eng-land located in Essex. Although we grew up using only salt and pepper on most dishes, she would occasionally cook a chicken curry, which I still cook today.

I made Roasted Curried Cauliflower for the family re-cently and they ate every floret. Taking cauliflower, which has little to no taste, and turning it into this wonderful dish was a journey, but the Pirate prevailed again with this pleasing twist.

Ingredients12 cups caulifl ower fl orets (from about 4 lbs. caulifl ower)1 large onion, peeled, quartered1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon cumin 3/4 cup olive oil1/2 cup red wine vinegar3 1/2 teaspoons curry powder1 tablespoon Hungarian hot paprika1 3/4 teaspoons salt1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

PreparationPreheat oven to 450°F. Place caulifl ower fl orets in large

Roasted Curried Cauliflowerroasting pan. Pull apart onion quarters into separate layers; add to caulifl ower. Whisk oil, vinegar, curry powder, paprika, coriander, cumin and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in single layer. Sprinkle with pepper.

Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. (Can be made two hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 450°F oven 10 minutes, if desired.)

Mound vegetables in large bowl. Sprinkle with fresh cilant-ro. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

February 25, 201610 Vol. 7 • No. 21

February 25, 2016 11Vol. 7 • No. 21

The rapid spread of the Zika vi-rus has health experts alarmed, with ongoing research being conducted to determine how and why it is spread-ing and what Americans can do to protect themselves.

The virus causes microcephaly, a neurological disorder resulting in babies being born with abnormally small heads. This causes severe devel-opmental issues and sometimes death. In Brazil during 2014, there were 146 cases; in 2015, there were 4,180 cases. So far, 51 babies have died. At this time, there is no vaccine or medicine to treat the infection.

The symptoms are mild and include fever, headache, rash and possible pink eye.

The most common way the virus is spread is through mosquitoes. “The good news is that the United States has

far better mosquito control than many of the affected countries,” explained Robert Soileau, pest control expert and manager of J&J Exterminating in Lake Charles. “At this time of the year, mos-quitoes are not as active in our area. We’ll have to wait and see what hap-pens as the weather warms up. Hope-fully, we won’t see an increase of peo-ple getting the Zika virus; but because our area has a high amount mosquitoes for many months, it’s something we should all be watching.”

The CDC encourages all those with concern to actively protect against mosquitoes.

Mosquito control treatments are available to greatly reduce mosqui-toes for homeowners. “Customers who choose these treatments are see-ing far fewer mosquitoes than previ-ously. They’re safe for children and

pets and give homeowners a measure of protection against mosquitoes. With these mosquito-borne viruses, it’s another reason to consider them,” Soileau said.

At this time, the Zika virus is spreading throughout 24 countries located in Latin American and the Caribbean. Reports of the Zika virus have been confirmed in Americans who recently traveled to infected areas, with a case confirmed in Ar-kansas. The concern is whether these imported cases could result in locally transmitted cases.

The CDC has issued a travel adviso-ry for pregnant women, or those who may become pregnant, to avoid the affected countries, several of which are popular winter travel destinations, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.

Mosquito Protection Aids in Fight against Zika Virus

J & J E X T E R M I N A T I N G

February 25, 201612 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Daytime activities may be the culprit to sleepless nights, according to local sleep expert Phillip Conner, MD, with the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana. “Our lifestyles are fast-paced. When it comes time to sleep, our bodies may not ready to slow down that quickly. People may have habits that are interfering with their ability to sleep,” Dr. Conner said.

Without sleep, the body breaks down both mentally and physically. Lack of sleep causes sluggishness, mood swings and lack of concentration.

Spicy foods, especially when eaten late in the day, make it difficult to fall asleep for those who experience heart-burn. “Lying down makes heartburn worse and the dis-comfort hinders sleep,” said Dr. Conner.

Nicotine and caffeine are known sleep stealers. Both are stimulants and should be avoided within a few hours of bedtime. “Better yet, avoid nicotine altogether,” he advised. In addition to coffee, caffeine is present in many of the foods commonly eaten, such as chocolate, tea and sodas. “For people who have trouble sleeping, keep a close watch on all foods eaten late in the day, and into the evening. Read the food labels and cut out the foods that contain caffeine,” Dr. Conner said.

Alcohol is a sleep stealer in disguise. It’s a common aid for relaxation, but it has a rebound effect, causing wake-fulness in the wee hours of the morning. “The sleep you get from alcohol is not a good, quality rest,” he explained.

Exercising during the day is recommended to keep weight, blood pressure and cholesterol in check. It boosts energy levels and helps to tire out your body, reducing stress and promoting sleep. Alertness is a positive side effect of exercising, which is why some people find that exercising in the evening tends to keep them awake later. Others are not bothered by it. “It can be difficult to fall asleep a few hours after strenuous exercise. If someone is having trouble falling asleep, they should look at their ac-tivity level in the evening. By exercising earlier in the day, their bodies might react better and be ready to fall asleep at bedtime,” said Dr. Conner.

If sleeplessness continues, Dr. Conner advised a sleep consultation to determine the cause. Lack of sleep can cause many problems, including cardiovascular disorders. “It should not be ignored or put off,” he said.

For more information on sleep problems, call the Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana at 310-REST (7378).

Daytime Activities, Foods May Sabotage

Sleep at Night

SLEEP DISORDER CENTER OF LOUISIANA

February 25, 2016 13Vol. 7 • No. 21

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Mistake 1: Thinking you can save money by not employing someone to do all the administrative work

You need to decide in the first year what you are good at that will earn you the greatest dollar return for your time spent. Is it typing up letters, posting the mail and answering the telephone? NO. Get someone to do your admin work so you can focus on making money and growing your sales. Even if you just employ someone part-time, it’s worth it so you can make better use of your time.

Mistake 2: Taking on all custom-ers in your first year — and getting burned

It’s tempting to not to turn away potential customers. You want as many customers as possible, right? Wrong! In your first year, you can expect people to realize that you are a new business, and they will take advantage of you, asking for discounts or reduced prices. Stand firm and value what you do. Don’t be pushed around by new customers com-ing to you thinking they can get your products cheaper or your services for less simply because you’re new.

Mistake 3: Underestimating the workload

Don’t start a business thinking that it will all be easy money and not much work. In your first year, be prepared to put in the hours and build the necessary infrastruc-ture to support yourself. Expect to create plenty of systems and processes so you can streamline your operations and become efficient. Once these are in place, things will become easier. Creating a Policies and Procedures Manual initially will give you clarity and direction so you can grow.

Mistake 4: Not having enough working capital

Expect customers to drag their feet when paying you, so make sure you have a backup of spare cash to use as working capital to carry you through the months when cash flow is tight. Don’t underestimate how much spare cash you will need because you will get hit with unplanned business expenses, especially in your first year. Also make sure you implement a strong debt col-lection policy. Follow up overdue invoices quickly and relentlessly. I always say a customer is not really a customer until they pay your bill. If a customer has an unpaid

bill but wants additional work from you, don’t agree to do it until they settle their existing account.

Mistake 5: Expecting customers to come to you

Don’t expect to sit in your office and think new work will just flood in. It’s not going to happen. And don’t just rely on social media. Advertise in local papers, hand out flyers, and occasionally grab a handful of your business cards and spend your lunchtime knocking on doors of other businesses and introducing yourself. Join the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis and any other organization where you can both network and promote your business.

Your first year will be hard, but it can be rewarding if you are willing to put in the time and effort in the beginning. It’s much smoother sailing after the first couple of years once you have built the infrastruc-ture, systems and processes. This doesn’t mean you still won’t have problems with customers, staff and suppliers, but what it does mean is that you will have the experi-ence and knowledge to tackle and overcome these obstacles. Make the effort and put in the hard work, and you will be rewarded.

February 25, 201614 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Starting your own busi-ness can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can offer numerous advantages such as being your own boss, setting your own schedule and making a living doing some-thing you enjoy. But, becom-ing a successful entrepreneur requires thorough planning, creativity and hard work.

Consider whether you have the following characteristics and skills commonly associ-ated with successful entrepre-neurs:

• Comfortable with tak-ing risks: Being your own boss also means you’re the one making tough decisions. Entrepreneurship involves uncertainty. Do you avoid

uncertainty in life at all costs? If yes, then entrepreneurship may not be the best fit for you. Do you enjoy the thrill of taking calculated risks? Then read on.

• Independent: Entrepre-neurs have to make a lot of decisions on their own. If you find you can trust your instincts — and you’re not afraid of rejection every now and then — you could be on your way to being an entre-preneur.

• Persuasive: You may have the greatest idea in the world, but if you cannot persuade customers, employees and potential lenders or partners, you may find entrepreneur-ship to be challenging. If you enjoy public speaking, engage new people with ease and find you make compelling argu-ments grounded in facts, it’s likely you’re poised to make your idea succeed.

• Able to negotiate: As a small business owner, you will need to negotiate everything from leases to contract terms

to rates. Polished negotia-tion skills will help you save money and keep your business running smoothly.

• Creative: Are you able to think of new ideas? Can you imagine new ways to solve problems? Entrepreneurs must be able to think creatively. If you have insights on how to take advantage of new op-portunities, entrepreneurship may be a good fit.

• Supported by others: Before you start a business, it’s important to have a strong support system in place. You’ll be forced to make many im-portant decisions, especially in the first months of open-ing your business. If you do not have a support network of people to help you, consider finding a business mentor.

Source: SBA

February 25, 2016 15Vol. 7 • No. 21

Tired of those long waits at the DMV? Pedersen Title Company has the answer!

“We’re thrilled to let the Lake Area know that we are now off ering driver’s li-cense renewals at our location,” says Tara Pedersen. She and her husband, Matt, were born in raised in Lake Charles and have been in business for seven years. She is happy to report that the business is growing, and they are ready for the economic boom that is coming.

An authorized service provider of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety, Pedersen Title Company off ers many vehicle title services to meet your needs.

“We go above and beyond to help our customers get what they need,” Tara says. “We provide license plates, license plate stickers, disabled hang tags and registra-

tion certifi cates in house. We also issue ID cards and name and address changes on IDs. And we have four notaries on-site. We understand that time is valuable, so there are no numbers to pull or long lines to wait in!”

Tara says the company prides itself on professional and friendly service. “Th ere’s been no employee turnover in fi ve years and this has made a big dif-ference,” she explained. “Th ey’re great people and I love coming to work every day. We always get such sweet comments from our customers. Th at means a lot to us.”

Pedersen Title Company is the only locally owned Public Tag Agency author-ized by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety, Offi ce of Motor Vehicles, in Lake Charles. Tara says, “We are very confi dent that our staff will take the best possible care of our customers.”1700 East Prien Lake Road, Suite 3Lake Charles, LA 70601(Corner of E. Prien Lake Rd. & Texas St.)Phone (337) 478-5454Fax (337) 478-4515Open Monday through Friday 8-4:30 p.m.

Pedersen Title Co.

Do you own a company that has been in operation in SWLA for at least three years, has 50 employees or less and is a member of the Chamber SWLA? Then you might be eligible for this year’s Small Business of the Year award!

Any individual who owns and operates, or who bears principal responsibility for operating, a small business may be nominated. Partners who jointly own and operate a small business may be nomi-nated as a team, so long as the number of individuals in the team nomination does not exceed four.

What are the evaluation/selection criteria for the Small Business Person of the Year award? 1. Staying power - a substantiated history as an established busi-ness, including:• Number of years in business; minimum three years.• Sustained expansion, addition of territories, growth in square footage occupied.2. Growth in number of employees - a benchmark to judge the impact of the business on the job market.• Sustained over a minimum of three years.3. Innovativeness of product/service offered - an illustration of the creativity and imagination of the nominee.• Specific description of uniqueness of product or service.• Explanation of how product or service fits a niche not being adequately addressed by the competition.4. Contributions to community-oriented projects - evidence of the use of his/her personal time and resources, including:• Listing of specific contributions of money, time, or resources to charitable causes.• Membership in councils, boards, and clubs providing support and services to the community.

The deadline to apply is March 24. Call 337) 433-3632 or go to allianceswla.org for more information.

February 25, 201616 Vol. 7 • No. 21

If you are serious about starting your own business, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to figuring out what it will take for your business to grow and flourish. We spoke with Donna Little, the director of the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Mc-Neese—and we suggest that you do, as well! And guess what? It’s free!

JAM: How long has the LC Center been in opera-tion, and how long have you been a part of it?

Donna Little: McNeese State University invested in a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in 1984. I was hired as assistant direc-tor in October of 2003 and was named director in Sep-

tember of 2006. The Louisiana SBDC at

McNeese State University is based in the SEED Center. Susan Thibodeaux and I work directly with entre-preneurs to help them be successful. Success is meas-ured by business starts, jobs created, capital invested in small businesses and sales increases. Funding is provid-ed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana Economic Development and McNeese State University. We are very proud to play a part in fulfilling the mission of McNeese State University. Two MBA students work with us as interns, giving them real-life knowledge of small business operations to supplement their course-work.

JAM: What services do

you offer? You work with both brand-new and exist-ing businesses, correct?

DL: We help entrepre-neurs to create and grow small businesses through individual counseling serv-ices, workshops, and busi-ness information resources to develop and diversify the Louisiana economy. For a new business, assistance can include developing a busi-ness plan, projecting income and expenses, and preparing a loan package. For an exist-ing business, we may help an owner with marketing, un-derstanding accounting and recordkeeping issues, plan-ning for growth and really any other concern that arises in operating and growing a company.

Our help costs nothing

out-of-pocket to entrepre-neurs. McNeese State Uni-versity, the U.S. Small Busi-ness Administration and Louisiana Economic Devel-opment support the LSBDC at McNeese. Our services are “pre-paid” and available to business owners here in Southwest Louisiana. We encourage people to take ad-vantage of our counseling to make their small businesses successful.

JAM: Has the center gotten busier through the years? Are there more start-up businesses now than in the past?

DL: Demand for our services is strong and grow-ing, with a bigger propor-tion of start-up businesses than we’ve seen in the past. Many individuals see the huge industrial expansions and growth in population of Southwest Louisiana as an opportunity to start a busi-ness. Interesting facts -- in 2012-13, we met with just under 300 individual clients and in 2015-16 we are on track to counsel over 425 individuals. It is obvious that things are happening here in Southwest Louisiana.

Many potential entrepre-neurs are taking advantage of our monthly free seminar on “Starting and Financing a Small Business.” In this workshop we discuss writing a business plan, what a bank-er will expect, what it really takes to run a small busi-ness and many other topics. Getting a good orientation in starting a business is an excellent first step.

JAM: What are the most commonly asked ques-

Helping Local Businesses since 1984T H E LO U I S I A N A S M A L L B U S I N E SS D E V E LO P M E N T C E N T E R AT M c N E E S E

February 25, 2016 17Vol. 7 • No. 21

tions, and most common problems?

DL: A very common question is, “Where can I get funding to start or ex-pand my business?” Usually, start-up money includes personal savings, funding from friends and family, us-ing equity in a home to get cash, and a bank loan. Banks expect an owner to have 20 to 30 percent of the money needed to start the business, so a prospective entrepre-neur needs to have strong personal savings or access to cash from a friendly source such as family.

Money to expand an existing business can come from sources such as a tra-ditional commercial bank loan, a line of credit secured from a bank, borrowing against a company’s receiva-bles, or even choosing to lease new equipment instead of buying it.

Two of the most common problems are issues with a business owner’s personal credit and unrealistic expec-tations of what a banker is likely to lend.

Especially in the early years of a company’s life, the banker looks at the credit score of the individual owner when deciding to offer a small business loan, so it’s crucial to protect personal credit. Good habits such as living below your means and paying bills on time will pay off. We encourage indi-viduals to use www.annual-creditreport.com to review their credit report and make sure it’s correct and that it has no surprises.

Most business owners are convinced their ideas are absolutely sure to succeed, but they need to understand that bankers have to follow specific regulations regard-ing collateral requirements and other factors. Individual

banks may have a prefer-ence for specific industries or types of businesses. We can help an entrepreneur understand what the banker will expect so a loan request has a better chance of getting funded.

JAM: What advice do you have for a new business owner?

DL: A new business al-ways takes more money than you think it will and sales are nearly always slower than projected. So, a busi-ness owner needs plenty of cash and credit available to keep the doors open until things take off. Also, pa-tience and flexibility are essential for success. Your customers may not buy what you expect them to choose, or your competition may turn out to be different than you expected. Our defini-tion of an entrepreneur is “a person who organizes, oper-ates and assumes the risk for business ventures.” An entrepreneur must be ready to deal with risk and adapt to circumstances. Success means handling problems or even failure and rising to try again.

JAM: Anything else you’d like to add?

DL: Free, professional help is just a phone call away. A consultant with the LSBDC at McNeese is ready to discuss concerns about funding, marketing, recordkeeping and many other issues. From start-up through long-term growth, talking with an LSBDC con-sultant can be an important step in business success. Our services are “pre-paid” and available to business owners here in Southwest Louisiana. Call (337) 475-5529 to take advantage of our help.

February 25, 201618 Vol. 7 • No. 21

“Life is absolutely deli-cious” at Rosewater Grill and Tavern – a comfortable, inviting steak and seafood dining concept, delivered with Louisiana flair – now open at Delta Downs Race-track Casino Hotel.

“With Rosewater Grill & Tavern, we’ve sought to create a delicious and com-fortable dining experience that will appeal to foodies and long-time Delta Downs customers alike,” said Steve Kuypers, Vice President and General Manager, Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel. “Rosewater Grill &Tavern is all about great service, a beautifully de-signed space, and, of course, bold flavors inspired by this great state.”

Entering the restaurant from Delta Downs’ prom-

enade, Rosewater patrons are greeted by a façade of whitewashed brick and dark timber cladding. Just in-side the main entry is the tavern, boasting an impres-sive array of large flat-panel televisions – making it the perfect spot to watch the big game. Imagined as a modern interpretation of a traditional pub, the tavern features checkered wood flooring and upholstered walls adorned with nailhead trim. Hanging overhead are custom-designed bird cage chandeliers, juxtaposed against smartly tailored ar-chitectural detailing.

Behind the tavern room is the dining area, featuring a series of terraced dining spaces with a panoramic view of the Delta Downs racetrack. Circular ban-

quettes, each with their own swing-arm light fit-ting above, add a decid-edly upscale appearance. Playful violet dining chairs add warmth and a sense of casual elegance.

Begin your experience in the welcoming, casual tavern. Whet your appe-tite with a selection from Rosewater’s array of hand-crafted cocktails, including the Backwoods Front Porch, a Half & Half of iced tea and homemade lemonade, served with a potent kick of Firefly Peach Moonshine; or the Sinless Sangria, a divine mix of Merlot, Chris-tian Brothers brandy, limes, strawberries, pineapple juice and orange juice.

Hungry? Enjoy lighter, cas-ual fare in the tavern, or bold, unique twists on traditional

steak and seafood dishes in the main restaurant.

Tavern selections include: Bronzed Chicken Wings, tossed in your choice of sauce and served with a side of pickled green tomatoes; Rosewater Crab Cake Slid-ers, finished with roasted red pepper cream sauce; or Street Tacos, a unique combination of grilled gulf shrimp, cilantro, red cab-bage, lime, avocado, chives and chimichurri sauce.

Diners seeking a more traditional steakhouse din-ing experience will delight in the restaurant’s menu of bold flavors, each featuring unique twists on traditional dishes:

Begin with one of Rose-water’s delicious starters: Jumbo crab cakes, served with Remoulade sauce; a

February 25, 2016 19Vol. 7 • No. 21

traditional chicken and sausage gumbo, slow sim-mered with a dark roux; or seafood bisque, finished with brandied cream sauce, and served with a choice of lobster or crab.

For the main entrée, try Rosewater’s Louisiana-inspired twist on Fettuc-cini Alfredo, topped with shrimp and crab or black-ened chicken.

Hungry for steak? In-dulge your appetite with the 21-ounce bone-in ribeye. Or try the signature prime rib, slow-roasted to perfection and served with horseradish and au jus. Rosewater serves only premium 1855 Black Angus beef.

Rosewater Grill and Tav-ern is the first new concept to premiere in Boyd Gam-ing’s $45 million expansion and enhancement of Delta Downs. Over the coming year, Delta Downs will be

adding a 167-room hotel tower, redesigning its exist-ing 200 hotel rooms, and introducing additional din-ing concepts.

“We appreciate the busi-ness of our long-time customers, and we hope they enjoy the enhanced entertainment experience we are creating at Delta Downs,” said Ted Bogich, Executive Vice President, Operations for Boyd Gam-ing. “Whether you’re a long-time customer or a first-time visitor, this ex-pansion will provide a great new reason to experience Delta Downs’ unique brand of hospitality.”

Rosewater Grill is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 5 – 9 p.m.; Fridays and Satur-days from 4-11 p.m. For more information, visit www.BoydGaming.com/Amenities.

$1 Million Jackpot Hits at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel

A Jasper County, Texas man turned a first-time visit into a $1,086,953.72 jackpot at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel, the premier racing and gaming entertainment venue in Southwest Louisiana, located less than five miles from the Texas state line.

Dustin B. hit the jackpot Saturday, February 20, at 12:40 a.m. on his very first trip to the Calcasieu Parish casino. His life-changing score was won on a quarter slot machine, located 50 paces from the casino’s entrance.

Win or lose, the lucky player planned “only one more spin” before calling it a night. “I got hooked on this one game, but I’d decided to call it quits,” he said.

He’d had a long day, starting with work at 4:30 a.m. When he’d gotten an early reprieve, he’d planned to go fishing – until his fiancée suggested the casino instead. The outing had also included her cousin and mother, who were playing in various areas of the casino when Dustin scored.

“When I won, I just sat there and stared,” Dustin explained. “The guy next to me kept looking at the machine and then at me. He finally said, ‘Do you know what you just won?’”

“A few seconds later there were people in Delta Downs’ shirts surrounding me, and I thought, ‘Holy … what did I do?!?’”

Dustin plans to pay off bills with his winnings, as well as “…make sure my kids and family have a comfortable life.” He also has no plans to quit work, despite the 4:30 a.m. clock-ins.

“We are thrilled that this million dollar jackpot was won right here at Delta Downs,” said Steve Kuypers, vice president and general manager. “Delta Downs has some of the best payouts in Louisiana, and this is another prime example of a huge win for one of our guests.

About Delta Downs Racetrack Casino HotelDelta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel is the premier rac-

ing and gaming entertainment venue in Vinton, where “Derby Dreams Come Alive!” The property features a six furlongs oval track and hosts the annual $1 Million Delta Downs Jackpot race in addition to its exciting race season offerings.

For gaming fun, guests can enjoy a spacious casino floor with more than 1,600 of the most popular slot machines. The beau-tifully appointed hotel features 200 guest rooms. Additional amenities include chart-topping entertainment at the Delta Event Center and free local entertainers at the Gator Lounge. Delta Downs is a Boyd Gaming property.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diver-sified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment proper-ties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisi-ana, Mississippi and New Jersey.

February 25, 201620 Vol. 7 • No. 21

On April 16, we’re in for a treat. The Lake Charles Symphony presents Carl Orff ’s Carmina Burana at 7:30 p.m. in the Rosa Hart Theater. There will be a special performance by the Louisiana Choral Foundation. The story of Car-mina Burana is an interesting one.

There is a little town about 100 km south of Munich called Benedikt-beuren. This town has a monastery dating back to medieval times. In 1803, the monastery’s library was being ren-ovated, and a wonderful discovery was made: a manuscript, dating back to the 13th century containing over 250 previously unknown songs and verses, rich in variety and inventiveness, in both Latin and German. The monas-tery’s librarian collected and published them as the Carmina Burana, mean-ing Songs of Beuren.

Carl Orff was a German composer (born in 1885) who lived all of his life in Munich. He was convinced that eve-rybody had within them an innate mu-sical ability and that this ability needs to be nurtured from childhood. He developed a music teaching method, children’s musical instruments and an entire new concept of music perform-ance.

His idea was of the Total Theatre, combining music, words, visual design, movement and dance to overwhelm the senses. When he was given a copy of the Carmina Burana, he knew he

had found the perfect vehicle to bring his concept to life. In 1937, Carl Orff ’s Carmina Burana was born. He de-scribed his composition as “secular songs for soloists and choruses, ac-companied by instruments and magic images”. A simple concert rendition of Carmina Burana misses half the fun.

Of the 250 poems in the manuscript, Orff selected just 24 to set to music. But what a spectrum in this selection! They describe everything from reli-gious devotion to lust and gluttony.

Orff ’s Carmina Burana opens with the stunning and famous O Fortuna. Its text is a medieval resigned accept-ance of the Wheel of Fortune as the de-

terminer of one’s fate. This piece alone is so familiar to the general public, having been used in many movies and commercials, that they may not even know that it comes from a much larger work of classical music.

The bulk of Carmina Burana is 23 pieces in three sections:

1. Primo vere --- In SpringtimeHere we have poems about pastoral

simplicity, man’s encounter with nature and how the seasons bring on love.

2. In Taberna --- In the TavernPart II deals with wine. The rowdy

atmosphere breaks out with drinking songs and hymns to gambling and de-bauchery.

3. Cour d’amours --- The Court of Love

The final section describes the pas-sions of men and women with the theme that natural sexual feelings should be expressed freely.

Orff concludes Carmina Burana with O Fortuna, the Wheel comes full circle, the cycle complete. All of man’s petty feelings and endeavors are in the fickle hands of Fate.

Don’t miss this amazing production! To purchases tickets, go to www.lcsym-phony.com.

L A K E C H A R L E S S Y M P H O N Y P R E S E N T S

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana April 16

We have found another way to spell “Love.” It is “Orson!” This little guy is 5 pounds of pure joy. He was found wandering alone on the streets of a large city. Add to that, his right back leg was deformed from birth. This lit-tle guy has had his share of troubles. He joined us in rescue and, at the vet’s recommendation, the leg was amputated. The good news is this little trooper

is doing well. He does not seem to care that he was aban-doned and has no idea that he has a disability. If you are the special person for this special boy, call or email: (337) 478-7294; lapaw@bellsouth.net. Vet check and home visit required prior to all adoptions.

February 25, 201622 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Little Theater Presents Tobacco RoadFebruary 26-28, March 4-6

In a ramshackle farm in Georgia during the Great Depression, the Lester family has become squatters on their own land. With no money, fuel or seed, their future on the farm seems hopeless. Don’t miss Little Theater’s presentation of Tobacco Road. Performances will be held Feb. 26-28 and March 4-6 at 813 Enterprise Blvd. Adults: $15; Seniors (65+) $10; Students $10. (337) 433-7988.

Gumbowl February 26The McNeese State University Department of Visual Arts is spon-

soring a gumbo fundraiser from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 26, in the Shearman Fine Arts Annex Atrium. Participants can choose from either chicken and sausage gumbo or seafood gumbo and also re-ceive a handmade ceramic bowl created by ceramics students and faculty members. The proceeds will be used to help McNeese stu-dents attend the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Conference in Kansas City. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from the Visual Arts Department in Room 112-A of the Shearman Fine Arts Annex. For more information, call 475-5060.

Monster X Tour February 26-27This event sold out early last year, so get your tickets now!

Lake Charles Civic Center gates open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7:30. Advance discount tickets are available online at Ticketmas-ter.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, all Ticketmaster Outlets, or at the Lake Charles Civic Center Ticket Office.

Writers’ and Illustrators’ ConferenceFebruary 27

Featured writers and illustrators from across the country will speak at the Writers’ and Illustrators’ Conference at the SEED Center Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., such as award-winning French poet and Louisiana native Kirby Jambon, paranormal and sci-fi author S.M. Schmitz, and Trudy Mullendore, an expert in the book-printing industry. Registration is $40 for members, $45 for non-members, and $50 at the door. Register online at eventzilla.net/user/SWLACBWIG2016. Door prizes will be awarded!

The Addams Family February 27-28The Addams Family launches The Children’s Theatre Com-

pany’s 2016 season. Directed by Kerry A. Onxley, this family musical will be performed on Sat., Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Feb 29 at 3 p.m. held at the Central School of the Arts & Humani-ties Center (809 Kirby Street) located in downtown Lake Charles. Seating is limited to 400 guests. The weird and wonderful fam-ily comes to devilishly delightful life onstage! (337) 433-7323, mail@childrenstheatre.cc

Brewers Dinner March 4Gearing up for the Louisiana Winter Beer Fest, L’Auberge Casino

Resort will once again host a Brewers Dinner on Fri., March 4, which will feature Louisiana beer selections paired with unique menu items

prepared by award-winning Chef Lyle Broussard of Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill. The dinner is an opportunity to dine with brewers and beer industry professionals in an intimate setting. Tickets are limited and are available at www.lawinterbeerfest.com for $100 per seat.

‘Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara’ and ‘Furniture with a Soul’ March 4-May 28

Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center will host an opening re-ception for two new exhibitions on Fri., March 4 from 5:30-8 p.m. All ages are welcome, admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Both exhibitions will be on display through May 28, 2016. Sandra Walkin, woodworker and furniture designer, will be present for a meet and greet. Historic City Hall is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. www.cityoflakecharles.com. For more info, see page 26.

Black Heritage Festival March 4-6If you’re hungry for mouthwatering food, terrific music and

great family fun, this is the festival for you. Entertainers will perform gospel, Zydeco, blues, spoken word and more on the Kids and Main Stages at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Food booths will serve Louisiana Creole and traditional African-American foods, including gumbo, jambalaya and barbecue. The vendor marketplace will offer an array of art, books, jewelry, African arti-facts, clothing, collectibles and more. Enjoy a Kids’ Zone, games, Zydeco Aerobics and Baby Expo/Healthy Baby Contest! For more information, visit www.bhflc.org.

SWLA Music Studios Open House March 4Check out what SWLA Music Studios and the Lake Charles

Young Band Nation are all about. Take a tour of the facility start-ing at 5 p.m. on March 4 at 2126 Hodges St. Lake Charles and hear performances from all of the YBN Bands. Door prizes, sign up incentives, and The Sloppy Taco Truck will be there as well.

Louisiana Winter Beer Festival March 5The 2016 Louisiana Winter Beer Festival will be held on Sat.

March 5 from 1-5 p.m. at the Historic Calcasieu Marine National Bank Building (844 Ryan St.) in Downtown Lake Charles. This will be the second year for the Craft Beer festival, benefiting the Lake Charles Symphony. Regular admission tickets are $50 per person. VIP tickets are $100 per person and are limited. Tickets can be purchased at www.lawinterbeerfest.com.

Full Throttle Wrestling Benefi t March 5The Full Throttle Wrestlers are back! On March 5, see them at

The Water’s Edge Gathering at 2760 Power Centre Pkwy., Lake Charles. Doors open at 5 p.m., event begins at 6. Tickets are $10 and $5. Benefits Water’s Edge.

National Pancake Day @ IHOP March 8Come see the Habibi Shriners (and possibly a clown or two) at the

Lake Charles IHOP, where you will receive a FREE short stack of pan-

February 25, 2016 23Vol. 7 • No. 21

cakes for making a small donation to Shriners Hospitals for Children! What a delicious way to help kids while having fun! All day: 7 a.m.- 10 a.m. www.facebook.com/events/542559759251538.

Empty Bowl Fundraiser March 10“Soup, Soap, and Salvation” is the theme of the Salvation

Army’s Empty Bowl fundraiser at L’Auberge Casino and Resort on Thursday, March 10. Guests will be entertained by Grammy-nominated musician Mickey Smith, Jr. while dining on delicious soups prepared by Lake Charles’ premier chefs. Salad and dessert are also included. Each guest will be given a unique ceramic bowl designed by area artisans. Tickets are $100 per guest and may be obtained by calling (337) 433-4155.

Sulphur Mines Festival March 11-12Sulphur’s annual festival that celebrates its heritage includes

carnival rides, food and craft booths, live entertainment, a beauty pageant and more! It will be held at the Henning Cultural Center at 923 South Ruth Street in Sulphur March 11-12. For more event information, visit www.brimstonemuseum.org.

LABT Spring Gala Showcase March 11Tickets are now available for the Lake Area Ballet Theatre’s an-

nual Spring Gala ballet showcase, which will celebrate the talents of over 100 local dancers and two guest artists. The performance will be held on Fri., March 11 at 7 p.m. at the Rosa Hart Theatre in Lake Charles. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.lakeareaballettheatre.com. For more info, see page 25.

Iowa Rabbit Festival March 18-19Celebrating the economic and culinary impact rabbits have in

Southwest Louisiana, the annual Iowa Rabbit Festival is a one-of-a-kind event, from the rabbit gumbo to crowning the new Miss Bunny. The family-friendly event has some of the best music in the area from the Iowa High School Marching band to local Cajun favorites. All proceeds support the community of Iowa and other youth organizations, schools and not-for-profit groups. It will be held at the Burton Complex March 18-19. For more information, visit www.iowarabbitfestival.org.

Good Shepherd Book Sale March 18-20The Church of the Good Shepherd will hold its annual book

sale March 18 (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.), March 19 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) and March 20 (noon-3 p.m.) in the EDS gym, 715 Kirkman Street, Lake Charles. Over 20,000 books, new and used, as well as audio books, CDs, and DVDs will be for sale. Most books sell for 50 cents - $3.00. Books signed by authors, first editions, coffee table books, and out-of-print books are specially priced. Don’t forget the $5 bag sale on Sunday! www.facebook.com/goodshepherdusedbooksale/

LC Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2016 March 19-20The Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s Assemblé 2016 will wow

audiences with collaborative performances all in one show. Lake Charles author Eloise Huber’s book, “The Goose with the Golden Legs” is brought to l ife on stage; performing artist Tony James shares his talents in “Amen,” an original work incorporating ballet and tap dance with classic hymns and there’s a performance of the one-act comical ballet Gaité Parsienne. Will iam G. Rose with PASTICHE quartet presents a l ive accompaniment of original composition, “The Season,” and there will be contemporary pieces staged by Golden Wright. Performances will be held at the Rosa Hart Theatre, 900 Lakeshore Drive. Tickets are available by contacting the Civic Center Box Office/Ticketmaster at (337) 491-1432 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Palm Sunday Tour of Homes March 20Eight neighborhood gems will be on tour at the 41st annual

Palm Sunday Tour of Homes March 20 from 1-5 p.m. Resi-dences include the Davis House at 902 Kirby St, the Lancaster House at 903 Kirby, the Bill Terry/Reid Tyler House at 917 Kir-by, the Lacy House at 1010 Reid, the Durio House at 832 Iris, and the Mulvey House (QuinnOaks) at 736 Pujo Street. In addi-tion, the Walker Bonsai Garden at 716 Kirby and the Christian Science Reading Rooms at 701 Kirby will open their doors. The tour is walkable with all properties within one block of Central School, which will serve as tour headquarters and site of the “Mardi Gras Tearoom.” The Tearoom will operate during Tour hours and offer refreshments and an opportunity to view the Mardi Gras Museum. Proceeds from the Tearoom will benefit the Museum. Tickets are $10 and will be available at Gordon’s Drugs Lake Charles, at the Arts and Humanities Council Office at Central School and at the Brimstone Museum in Sulphur. Online tickets are available at calcasieupreservation.org.

March 1Rhea Lana’s Premiere Consignment Event

March 2Willie Nelson Live at the Rosa Hart Theatre

March 2Stephen Fite Children’s Concert

March 4-6Black Heritage Festival

March 5Calcasieu Parish School Board 5K Walk

March 11Lake Area Ballet Theatre Spring Gala

March 7-9District V Band Festival

March 11Banners presents David Sears

March 11Live at the Lakefront

March 12American Society of Civil Engineers Regional Conference

March 12Barbe High School Prom

March 12Bayou Rescue Silent Action

March 16Active Shooter Workshop

March 18Live at the Lakefront March 19-20Lake Charles Civic Ballet Assemble’

March 19Unforgettable Stars Cotillion

March 19The Lost Hollows Monster March against Bullying

March 20Race du Lac

March 24113th Law Enforcement Graduation

March 25Live at the Lakefront

March 27United Methodist Church Easter Sunrise Service

February 25, 201624 Vol. 7 • No. 21

The electric lineup of live music performances for Live @ the Lakefront 2016 has been announced by the event’s presenting sponsors – the Arts Council of SWLA, City of Lake Charles, and Deep South Productions. The annual free live music series will celebrate its fifth season during three consecutive Fridays on March 11, 18, and 25 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Lakefront Prom-enade’s Arcade Amphitheatre.

Royal Teeth will kick off the 2016 season with the headlin-ing performance on March 11. With members hailing from Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans, Royal Teeth are based all over Louisiana, but their bouncy dance pop anthems transcend all bor-ders. The band earned feature performances on Season 13 of American Idol and Last Call with Carson Daly, and Royal Teeth has brought the party to Jazz Fest, Bonnaroo, Voodoo Fest, and SXSW, before signing with Elektra Records in 2015. Opening for Royal Teeth will be two Lake Area rock groups: Watchers, who recently re-corded a new track in Califor-nia with Chris Hesse of Hoo-bastank, and rockabilly outlaws The Von Dukes. This evening’s concert is sponsored by Fusion 5, SWLA’s premiere young pro-fessional’s organization.

The Lake Area’s own Chris Miller and Bayou Roots co-headline on March 18 with The Dog Hill Stompers. Unpredict-ably fresh while entrenched in tradition, The Bayou Roots, led by Chris Miller on vocals, accordion, fiddle, keys, and harmonica, perform Cajun

music mixed with elements of Creole, Zydeco, blues, rock and roll, swamp-pop, and country.

As grandsons and other close relatives of Boozoo Chavis, The Dog Hill Stompers have Zydeco in their blood, taking their band name from a popu-lar song and home base of the King of Zydeco himself. With three unique accordion play-ers, The Dog Hill Stompers are keeping Louisiana traditions alive and well.

Designated as McDonald’s of SWLA Family Night, the March 18 concert kicks off with open-er Julian Q the Library Dude in a special performance of fun children’s sing-along songs with special guests Drum, Flow & Fire. Painting With a Twist will host an interactive mural to inspire the whole family.

Closing out the season on March 25 will be The Flameth-rowers! The Lake Area’s favorite party band have sold out ven-ues across the Gulf Coast since 2005 with their high energy cover songs from across the decades.

Also performing will be Sweet Crude, hailing from New Orleans. This seven-piece indie pop band makes their first appearance for Live at the Lakefront, bringing a fresh, fun sound that embraces Loui-siana’s French-speaking tradi-tions while playfully stretching its boundaries into the realms of indie and Afro-pop. Thomas & Theresa, a lively acoustic roots duo from right here in SWLA, will open the evening. The closing night of the series is sponsored by Shiner Beers, who’ll give away a custom Shiner-branded Epiphone Les Paul guitar and amp at the concert!

February 25, 2016 25Vol. 7 • No. 21

On Friday, March 11, Lake Charles will have the opportunity to see the expertise, quality and creativity of the Lake Area Ballet Theatre (LABT) at its Spring Gala at 7 p.m. at the Rosa Hart Theatre.

LABT may only be a year old, but its roots reach back to 1963 when the Lake Charles Ballet Society was just beginning its role as a professional presenting bal-let company. LABT is led by Colleen Cannon Benoit, who spent much of her ca-reer studying and teaching under the direction of the late Ida Winter Clarke. The Clarke family is renown for its leadership in the arts, and Benoit has carried this passion with new energy.

“Our mission at LABT is to stage full-scale ballet productions, provide new and innovative works and develop the next genera-tion of local dancers,” said Benoit. “Our area is rich with cultural bounty, and we want to continue mak-ing Southwest Louisiana a powerhouse for the arts and for dance.”

The Spring Gala will present an exciting and colorful repertoire of vi-gnette ballet performances

from popular productions, including Les Sylphides, Pachelbel’s Canon in D, Grand Pas de Deux of Confection, Fiddle Tunes, Grand Tarantelle and Hyp-nagogia.

“We also are bringing in Shea Johnson and Michele Gifford, who are incred-ibly talented guest artists. They will work closely with our dancers to give them an invaluable experience of working with a professional dancer,” said Benoit.

Johnson performs ex-tensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, and most recently he performed in the Thea-tre, Opera and Orchestre in Halle, Germany. From 2009 to 2013 he worked with Ballet Arizona where he performed in numerous lead roles.

Gifford is from Dal-las, Texas, and she spent a fruitful career at the New York City Ballet for 12 years before joining the Texas Ballet Theatre in 2000. During her 20-year career, Gifford has per-formed the lead in produc-tions such as Coppélia, Swan Lake and The Nut-cracker, among others.

Tickets are $25 and can

be purchased online at www.lakeareaballettheatre.com or at the Lake Charles Civic Center box office. LABT is supported by grants from the City of Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visi-

tors Bureau and the Loui-siana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Develop-ment, Department of Cul-ture, Recreation and Tour-ism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Coun-cil as administered by the Arts Council of SWLA.

February 25, 201626 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center will host an opening reception for two new exhibitions on Friday, March 4 from 5:30-8 p.m. All ages are welcome, admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Both exhibitions will be on display through May 28, 2016.

Dr. John E. and Catherine (“Kay”) Christian, a Purdue University professor and his wife, had followed and admired Frank Lloyd Wright’s work and they were sure they wanted him to design their dream home. But with a limited budg-et, was their project too small for such a renowned figure? It took some convincing, but following a series of memora-ble meetings between 1950 and 1952 and after a flurry of cor-respondence, Wright accepted the commission. He suggested that one of his Usonian designs would fit the Christians’ needs. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara: A Mid-Century Dream Home is the story of how a young couple from Indiana and a world-famous architect worked together to build what was, for the Christian family, truly their dream home. It is also the story of how the family continued to honor the architect’s vision long after his death.

Told through the juxtaposition of origi-nal objects and furniture, architectural frag-ments, rare archival materials, historic pho-tographs, and video footage, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara explores the creation of a Wright house through the eyes a client who spent more than fifty years fulfilling the architect’s Usonian vision. First conceived by Wright in the 1920s, the Usonian house (an abbreviation for “United States of North America”) was meant to be a modest-sized, environmentally sensitive dwelling afford-

able to middle class families. For John and Kay Christian, this meant creating a basic home that they could complete and furnish to Wright’s specifications over time as their finances allowed. Samara is still a work in progress today.

The exhibition traces how Frank Lloyd Wright and the Christians worked together to design the house, and illuminates how both sides compro-mised to bring the project to completion. (Yes, Frank Lloyd Wright did compro-mise.) Historic floorplans, client correspondence, and home movies show how the construction proc-ess moved forward even though Frank Lloyd Wright never visited the site in Indiana. Banner-scale graphics, original furnish-ings, and historic textile and scrapbook samples show how the Christians balanced custom-designed Wright pieces with com-mercially licensed models

in the 1950s, then completed many of the architect’s additional custom elements over the next thirty years. The exhibit also looks at how the home and its furnishings exem-plified Wright’s philosophies about the re-lationship between architecture and nature, ranging from the extensive use of windows and terraces to the origins of design motifs such as the “samara” concept.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara was made possible by support from the National Endowment for the Arts American Master-pieces initiative.

Sandra Walkin, woodworker and furni-ture designer, will be present for a meet & greet during this evening’s opening recep-tion. Walkin combines wood and metal

to create one-of-a-kind pieces for Furniture with Soul. Walkin lives in Lake Charles and at-tended McNeese State University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from University of Louisiana at Monroe. Her education in Euro-pean Plasters, Metallic Plasters, and Furniture Finishing led to her interest in furniture building. Her craft is concentrated on us-ing natural edged slabs of wood,

methods of wood joinery, metal inlay, gild-ing and metal patination. Every piece has a story to tell. Walkin says, “There is no greater artist than nature. I only enhance what she (Mother Nature) has already done. My love for what I do is reflected in my work. Hence, that is why I say I build furniture with soul.”

Historic City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Satur-day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. Charlestown Farmers’ Market is open on Bilbo Street be-hind the center every Saturday 8 a.m.-noon. For more information, please call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

at H I S T O R I C C I T Y H A L LFrank Lloyd Wright’s Samara and Furniture with Soul

Chair by Sandra Walkin

Table by Sandra Walkin

February 25, 2016 27Vol. 7 • No. 21

You’ve always marched to the beat of a different drum-mer.

When your friends wanted to do one thing, you were the lone voice of dissent. You rocked your own fash-ion, hair color, and make-up, never kowtowing to the crowd or following anyone else. But as in the new book The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson, you were never really alone.

Every month, Paula Vauss sent money to one of a series of P.O. boxes. Every month, the check was cashed, so she knew her mother was alive, although Paula hadn’t seen Kai in years.

That wasn’t on purpose; Kai never stayed in one place for long, and she told Paula more than once that she didn’t need visitors. So when the last check was returned, uncashed, Paula figured it was just another of her un-conventional mother’s quirks.

For the first ten years of Paula’s life, it had mostly been just the two of them. They’d moved a lot then, to

a series of houses, often with a series of boyfriends, none of whom lasted more than a year. What was constant, though, were Kai’s bedtime stories of Kali the goddess, Ganesh, and Hanuman. They were heroes to Paula then. She remembered every tale, word-for-word.

But when the adolescent Paula did something that still hurt to think about and Kai went to jail, everything changed between them. Kai wasn’t like her old self, and she never looked at Paula again. Paula wanted a normal life, which she realized she wouldn’t get from her moth-er. She escaped from Kai’s house as soon as she could.

Now she was everything her mother wasn’t, complete with a law degree, a great job, a fancy condo, and an alco-holic private-eye ex-lover-slash-coworker.

And then she saw the note.Though Kai had written

on the back of the check that she had cancer and her time was short, the story, she said, wasn’t done. It ended with

Paula, she wrote, which made no sense - except that Paula knew her mother, and Kai held a few more surprises…

One of them, in a way, was this book.

I initially thought that The Opposite of Everyone was a mystery. It had all the ele-ments: a hard-driven, sass-talking lawyer; a hard-drink-ing PI; and a hard-living past for one of the characters who had secrets.

Ah, but no, author Joshilyn Jackson didn’t make a who-dunit here. We know exactly who dun it, why, and how it resonated throughout the years, which is the rounda-bout basis for a multi-level of story-threads and character flaws. On that note, Jackson’s heroine isn’t always heroic, but she’s smart enough to

be reflective and self-aware without navel-gazing, a pro-pensity which directly allows Jackson to give this book a shimmering ending that’s as perfect as its middle.

Your book group has been looking for a book exactly like this: something that’s realistic and spunky with a light dab of nasty and a plot-strand that’ll keep you tied fast to the story. For that, The Opposite of Everyone can’t be beat.

“The Opposite of Everyone” By Joshilyn Jackson©2016, William Morrow$26.99 / $33.50 Canada 295 pages

Th e Oppositeof Everyone

February 25, 201628 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Thursday, Feb. 25Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Greg Martinez & the Delta Kings7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

The SLAGS8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

The New Waves9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Karaoke NightKaroake starts @ 11 p.m.9 p.m.-2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Hank & the Cupcakes10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Friday, Feb. 26Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Clint and Zac7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

LA Bayou Band8 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

Melissa Etheridgein Concert8 p.m. in the Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com

Joe Harmon9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

The New Waves9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Party@Joes9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Safi ra9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dance NightDrink specials starting @midnight9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Larry Tillery9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Dark Side of the Lake10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, Feb. 27Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Louisiana Bad Habit7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Special Event Night9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Joe Harmon9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

The New Waves9 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Party@Joe’s9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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February 25, 2016 29Vol. 7 • No. 21

Safi ra9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Black Heart Saints10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Sunday, Feb. 28Chester & Jarius DaigleJD’s Whiskey Brunch@ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

David Joel3:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Rapture7-11 p.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Server Industry NightSunday Funday Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Monday, Feb. 29Kevin Lambert5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Open Mic Night9-midnight @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Tuesday, March 1Kenneth Espree5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Jazz Night with Mickey Smith6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Kris Harper8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

SIN NightTwo for Tuesday on shots and beer9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Wednesday, March 2Chester Daigle5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Chris Miller & Bayou Roots6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Killawatts Acoustic8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

The FUSE8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Superstar WednesdaysDrag Show starts at 11:30 p.m.9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Thursday, March 3Bryan Trahan5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

The FUSE8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Rush

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

GoGo Dolls9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Johnnie Allan7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Friday, March 4Bryan Trahan5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar

February 25, 201630 Vol. 7 • No. 21

L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Kenzie Newman7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Jewel in Concert8:30 p.m. in the Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com

BB & Company9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

The FUSE9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

GoGo Dolls9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Triggerproof9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dance NightDrink specials starting @midnight9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Wayne Dylan Band9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

Kadillacs9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, March 5Bryan Trahan5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Larry Tillery & The Vagabond Dreamers7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Ed Theriot and Flashback8 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

Special Event Night9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

And Here’s to You...Th is time last year, I was a bit

distracted in my goals to cover all things musically signifi cant to what-ever extent I am able, as 100 percent of my GRAMMY attention was on my good buddy Jo-El Sonnier who nabbed his fi rst ever Golden Gramo-phone for his album “Th e Legacy.”

Th is year, I want to take a little time and dig into the GRAMMYs as a whole and try to sum up some pros and cons of this year’s awards or at least let you know what I liked and didn’t like, for what any of that’s worth. Th is is by no means compre-hensive, but it will represent a good cross-section of things that piqued my interests, one way or the other.

Alabama Shakes: Best Alternative Music Album: “Sound and Color,” Best Rock Performance and Best

Rock Song: “Don’t Wanna Fight”As long as I’ve been a fan of these

guys it would probably be impos-sible to start anywhere else. Brit-tany Howard’s participation in the GRAMMY tribute to Th e Band’s Levon Helm last year was quite a testament to the attention that the Shakes were already getting for their debut album “Boys and Girls”. Th is year, the band had four nominations awaiting them including the three they took home and one for Album of the Year that they lost to Taylor Swift ’s “1989.” Th ey were also able to bring the full band to the GRAMMY stage this year with a soul funky delivery of their big winner “Don’t Wanna Fight.”

I was thrilled to not only see them up on the big stage but also get some proper GRAMMY love. Both of their LPs are masterfully done and well worth digging in on. Some big props to those Athens, Alabama rockers who have really arrived now. I hope they never stop.

Jackson Browne and Th e Eagles Tribute to Glen Frey

A touching and all-too appropri-ate way to say farewell to a vital part of one of the most recognizable and loved bands in rock and roll history. Filling in on vocals for the recently departed Frey was none other than Jackson Browne, who had co-writ-ten the song with Frey back in the Troubadour Scene/Laurel Canyon halcyon days of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. It was a straightforward and honest farewell from a band of brothers hoping that Glen keeps on “Takin’ It Easy” in the great big beyond and it was a very welcome addition to the evening’s perform-ances.

Little Big Town’s Performance of “Girl Crush”

You’ve got to hand it to this Alabama quartet, on a night surpris-ingly trim on the Country Music front, they certainly brought a performance that will be hard to forget. Accompanied by a light or-

chestra, the usual plugged-in sound was swapped for a stripped-down acoustic interpretation that, frankly, sounded fantastic with the lush and inspired orchestration. Th ose vocal harmonies certainly didn’t hurt either. A very nice performance all around.

Andra Day and Ellie Goulding DuetIn one of the few duets of the

evening, these rising starlets teamed up for a well-played mashup of their songs “Rise Up” and “Love Me Like You Do.” Th e dynamic was nice—not only getting to hear Goulding in a less dancy atmosphere, but it was also a pleasant introduction to Day, whom I hadn’t had the chance to hear up to that point. A very creative merger of voices, songs and styles that I’m glad I didn’t miss.

Hollywood Vultures’ Tribute to Lemmy Kilmister

Metal has only ever really gotten so much play in the land o’ GRAM-MYs over the years, so I was a bit surprised to fi nd a tribute to the late

February 25, 2016 31Vol. 7 • No. 21

BB & Company9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

GoGo Dolls9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

The FUSE9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Triggerproof9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Lane Mack10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Sunday, March 6Street Side Jazz Band11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill710 Ryan St., LC

Chester & Jarius DaigleJD’s Whiskey Brunch@ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Mike Fulmer4 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Server Industry NightSunday Funday Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2a.m. @ Blue Martini

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Monday, March 7Stacy Bearden5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

DJ Jose Mata8 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Drink Specials9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Motörhead Madman, Lemmy Kilmister. Taking the stage to do the honors were the West Coast supergroup Hollywood Vam-pires featuring Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Johnny Depp (Th at was for you, Lauren), and the one and only Alice Cooper, in a line-up originally formed to honor the music of the ‘70s rockers that died too young. Th e group gave a killer, full-on rock-and-roll show of a performance featuring the iconic Motörhead hit, “Ace of Spades.”

On a related side note, a metal band that did pick up a GRAMMY this year was a Swed-ish group by the name of Ghost. Th is thematically evolving, make up and costume driven show is something that has even gotten my attention enough to consider seeing their upcoming April 27 show at Th e Varsity in Baton Rouge, and I’m really not a big metal fan in the slightest. Th is is something a bit diff erent and I’m glad to hear they got some GRAMMY love as well.

Lady Gaga’s Tribute to David Bowie

My love for Bowie could throw a bit of bias into this mix but I suppose that could go ei-ther way. As it were, Lady Gaga’s tribute to the Th in White Duke was no less fabulous and memo-rable than Bowie himself. Start-ing with a brilliant digital facial

overlay that eventually showed Gaga with the infamous “Alad-din Sane” orange lightning bolt painting itself across her face as she sang the haunting lyrics to “Space Oddity,” the perform-ance segued through hit aft er beloved hit while Gaga, joined by longtime Bowie collabora-tor and producer Nile Rodgers, brought every ounce of that man that she could to that stage and it was nothing less than remark-able. I do not think that any other artist in the industry could have brought such authenticity and genuine reverence to that tribute than she did. Initially a doubter, I have more and more found myself impressed by the creative force that is Gaga. Th is iced that cake in a very profound way. I will ever be curious to know what she is up to next.

And while those are not all the things of note from this year’s awards, it’s at least a few things for you to kick around and it may be something that you haven’t quite checked out yet. Hopefully there are a few surprises awaiting you and if you happen to fi nd any that you fi nd particularly interesting, drop me an email to JMLC@justinmorrisentertainment.com and I’ll check ‘em out. Could be someone that you fi nd yourself reading about right here on the pages of the Jam in the days to come. Ya just never know...

Something is Happening Here...

Sunday, Feb. 28: Bernie Man: A Benefit for Bernie Sanders

Warehouse 535, Lafayette 2-8 p.m.Though it may not be 2016 GRAMMY related, there are a number of

nominees, winners and other collaborating Louisiana musicians getting together for big show that brings the stories of nationwide headlines right to down to main street. On Sunday, February 28, Lafayette’s Ware-house 535 will be the site of Bernie Man, an afternoon music fest that will be featuring musicians such as GRAMMY winners Chubby Carrier and Steve Riley, members of GRAMMY-nominated Feufollet, rising alt-rockers Givers (with special guests) as well as Terrance Simien, Cedric Watson, The Cavemen and over half a dozen other Louisiana acts. The event will also feature a panel discussion for those interested in partici-pating as well as a silent auction curated by Galerie Touchet. Admission to the family-friendly event is only $10, so whether you are “Feeling The Bern” or if you just want an afternoon of outstanding Louisiana music, GO SEE THIS SHOW!

She’s Mighty, Mighty...Thanks for tuning in for yet another week of my inane little ramblings.

I hate that I didn’t get to get more into the GRAMMY stuff. There’s quite a bit I’d like to still get into but time and space are rare creatures these days. Oh well!

I did get an opportunity to snag some GRAMMY video of the broad-cast during the Lionel Richie tribute and send a fresh dose of “Brick House” to our beloved owner and editor Lauren, which could have been one of my favorite moments of the night. Judging by the colorful and creative words she had in response to said video, it is probably safe to say that it was indeed NOT her favorite moment of the evening. Probably at home enjoying a restful evening while some maniac hippie ink-slinger insists on sending her video of her very own musical kryptonite. It was so worth it though, I assure you. (Editor’s note: Justin Morris is skating on very thin ice here at The JAM.)

Maybe one day soon we talk more about that and the day I got to work with The Commodores themselves. That’s a good one. I think you’ll dig it. Until; then, I’ll see you at the show!

February 25, 201632 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Tuesday, March 8Chip Radford5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Jazz Night with Clint Faulk6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

DJ Jose Mata8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Angel Garcia8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Wednesday, March 9Chester Daigle5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Chris Miller & Bayou Roots6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Big Daddy8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Superstar WednesdaysDrag Show starts at 11:30 p.m.9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Kevin Lambert9:30 @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Thursday, March 10Amanda Walker5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

David Joel7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Big Daddy8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Electric Circus9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 2 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Karaoke NightKaroake starts @ 11 p.m.9 p.m.-2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Friday, March 11Amanda Walker5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Reed Planchard7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Night Rangerin Concert8:30 p.m. in the Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com

Joe Purvis & Talon9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

City Heat9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Electric Circus9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Flamethrowers9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Troy Laz Band9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dance NightDrink specials starting @midnight9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

LA Yard Dogs9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Royal Teeth10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

DJ CaGe11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, March 12Amanda Walker5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

LA Bayou Band7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s Bar3748 Hwy. 3059 (Old Town Rd.) LC

Little River Band8 p.m. in the Grand Event Center

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets on sale now @ Ticketmaster.com

Special Event Night9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Joe Purvis & Talon9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. Ste. R, LC

City Heat9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Electric Circus9 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Flamethrowers9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Troy Laz Band9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

DJ CaGe11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark NightclubL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Sunday, March 13Street Side Jazz Band11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill710 Ryan St., LC

Chester & Jarius DaigleJD’s Whiskey Brunch@ 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

February 25, 2016 33Vol. 7 • No. 21

I usually write about a certain time in his-tory or even about a certain item that has in-fluenced history in some way, but this time I’m going to go a little outside the box. I’m going to take a town that’s close by and tear it apart.

Just imagine if you were to take New Or-leans and strip away a couple of layers. Let’s start: Take away the live arts, street performers and outdoor markets. By now, you’re prob-ably wondering where this is going. Let’s take a few more things away. Let’s get rid of retail, entertainment and the festivals. By this point, we have completely changed the cultural status of a town. I could go further and maybe tear down some landmarks, but this is sad enough. With all of this gone, would New Orleans be a place anyone would want to visit? I would have to say NO.

So what happens when these things are not in a city like New Orleans? In my opinion, the town will just wither and die. The most important part of a city’s growth comes from its historic culture, the arts and festivals and the diversity of what it has to offer. New Or-leans pulls in people from all over the country to take part in its events. Not only do they support local; they are also open to new pos-sibilities that will define them further as their history keeps writing. Obviously they are open to change and are not stuck in what has been. This town has defiantly identified itself.

Now that all that has been said, let’s take Lake Charles and just imagine for a moment that all the arts and culture that are in New Orleans was placed in downtown Lake Charles. Kind of hard to imagine that much historic

and cultural identity here, but that is what I see coming to the Lake Area. A large influx of culture and identity is making its mark on Lake Charles at this very moment. The arts and music scene is rising, along with festival and other events. It’s happening right under your noses and growing in ways that would make most cities envious.

Everything takes baby steps, from cultural growth to downtown revitalization. And there are a couple of things that have to be in effect at all times for an area to grow.

Artistic and cultural inventories allow an area to begin to understand the historic, cul-tural, economic, and social context of a com-munity — an essential foundation for develop-ing and building a sense of place. A creative community vision can continuously evolve and embrace new ideas while balancing the inher-ent conflicting nature of past, present, and future community values and culture. Such a vision must reinforce and embrace the chang-ing climate, culture, and character of a place. Preserving and enhancing the local identity, uniqueness, and arts and culture assets of a community require that local decision-making, planning processes, policies, and regulations reflect and support community character.

Arts and cultural programming play an important role in providing education regarding the historical and cultural context of a commu-nity and in providing opportunities for par-ticipation in community life through festivals, events and performances, interactive classes and

workshops, and a variety of other activities. As you see, I use the word “community” a

lot. Community plays a vital role and is the key for growth in any city. There’s so much tal-ent in the Lake Area that is just now coming to light. It’s a great feeling, but support is still lacking in some areas, possibly due to fear of change—which always holds back progress.

What exactly is our cultural identity? We’re still writing the story, but how can we open ourselves to new possibilities? The area is growing and changing. We now have the op-portunities to get out of the same-old same-old mind set and open ourselves up to change. We do not want to be caught years down the road asking ourselves what could have been. Let’s get out there and make a change. I’m one person but a community working together to make a change equals results. And what a blast into the unwritten history would that be. No matter what we do, history is constantly writ-ing itself, so why not make it a great one? Let’s

embark on a new journey to-gether and make a difference.

February 25, 201634 Vol. 7 • No. 21

Kerri Krob and Debbie Holt Keith Speaks and Krista Pousson

Tonja and Rick Fontenot and Pam Doucet Mike Payne and Joyce Smith

Kathy, Kaylee and Chris Heath

Jackie Estabrooks, Melissa Scott and Gretchen Monk

Stephanie Vizena, Sarah Schnebelt and Frances McBee

THE COLOR VIBE 5K RUN It was a colorful morning in Downtown Lake Charles as folks turned

out to get ears-deep in paint and run the Lake City for a good cause! The Color Vibe 5k Run lit up a beautiful Saturday and featured

hundreds of runners who had a great time while raising money for the American Cancer Society. Oh--and paint. LOTS OF PAINT!

Congrats to everyone who participated!

Ryan Mellard and Andrew Walsh

Diane Harrington, LeAnn and Abi Mezzacapo, Jessica and Jada Bellard with Tara Whetstine

Macie Monceaux, Charlie Graham, Carla and Tim Bridgeswith Katelyn Monceaux

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: WEST M APARTMENTSThe good folks at The Chamber Southwest rolled out the red carpet

for business leaders at the luxury West M Apartments for their monthly Business After Hours event. This month’s social was filled

with networking, camaraderie, food and drink. A big thanks to the Chamber for once again hosting such an exquisite event!

Mark Herbert, Carl Louviere and Eric Doshier

Nate Morrow, Jessica Core and Betty Hebert

February 25, 2016 35Vol. 7 • No. 21

Bub Duhon, Chris Powell, Gerald Kober, Chad Eldridge and A.T. Theriot

Callie Brevelle, Madison Jagneaux and Tara Sims Jonah and Benjamin LeBlanc

Taylor Overstreet and Laikyn Cooper Brittany Pousson and Chance Curlee

MSU BASEBALL VS. SOUTHERN ILLINOISA gloomy Sunday afternoon didn’t keep the boys of summer from coming out to play! MSU baseball welcomed the Southern Illinois Salukis to Cowboy Diamond and despite a slow start, the Pokes started picking up momentum about halfway in. Cowboys ended

the series with an 8 to 4 win. Go Pokes!

SWLA HOME, GARDEN AND LIFESTYLE SHOWThe SWLA Home Builders Association saw record numbers turn

out for this year’s edition of their Home Show. Vendors filled the Coliseum and Exhibition Hall and everyone from large-scale

developers to first-time home builders saw what the Lake Area had to offer to help make their home-building dreams come true!

Ariel Shawa, Michael Guidry and Aaron Shawa

Trent Manuel, Hannah Townsend and Colt Clemons

Jeremy Lemon and Danielle Frank Chris and Ross Krielow

Morami, Chad, Aliana and Alisia Engler Daphne, Lane, Arden and McKenna Latlow

Laura Lee Gayfi eld, and Leslie, Erich and Paige Mansell