August 14, 201402 Vol. 6 • No. 10

August 14, 2014 03Vol. 6 • No. 10

12

5

August 14, 2014 • Volume 6 • Issue 10

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

Publisher/Executive EditorLauren de Albuquerquelauren@thejambalayanews.com

ContributorsLisa AddisonWarren BujolDan EllenderJulie Ann FayBraylin JenkinsMike McHughRoger MillerRussell PawlowskiMary Louise RuehrBrandon ShoumakerKarla Tullos

Salessales@louisianajam.com

Assistant EditorCalvin Tyler

GraphicsArt/Production DirectorBurn Rourk

BusinessOffi ce ManagerJeanie Taggart

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.

COVER STORY25 Lake Area Medical Center’s Healthy Woman Fourth Anniversary Event!

REGULARS6 We Are SWLA!8 The Dang Yankee8 Adoption Corner9 The Pirate’s Platter10 Fishin’ Tales12 This Functional Family14 Sports Report

FEATURES5 My Farewell to Robin Williams

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 17 Treasures of Marilyn’s19 Duhon Wealth Management

20 Ally-Gator BookBites

22 PDI of the South

THE SPICE OF SWLA28 Pops and Rockets30 Event Guide32 Family Fun Night at the Movies33 Acting Up!34 Red Hot Books36 Nightlife Guide40 Weezer and the Music Scene41 Funbolaya42 Society Spice

9

On cover: Healthy Woman Board of Directors, Presented by LAMC

3240

10

August 14, 201404 Vol. 6 • No. 10

And the long hot summer continues. The kids may have al-ready gone back to school (which is still beyond my comprehen-sion) but it’s summer for another full month and will be hot for longer than that, I am happy to say.

There are so many other ben-efits that go along with the heat and humidity and the lengthy days filled with sunlight.

Take the cat food situation, for instance. In the winter, the cats are always hungry. Every time I turn around, there’s a feline yell-ing to be fed. And of course, it’s monkey see, monkey do—you feed one and suddenly a bunch of them have crawled out of the bushes and from under the house, meowing desperately, as if they hadn’t eaten in a week. Did you know that cats really only meow to humans? That they don’t “speak” to each other at all? I guess they find out all they need to know about one another by sniffing their nether regions.

At any rate, their appetite diminishes in the heat of the summer, thank God. They spend most of the day sleeping in the

coolest spots they can find. Now, wouldn’t you think that would be in an air-conditioned building? If I carried around a permanent fur coat, that’s where I would be. Nope. They rarely come in the house this time of year. Instead, they go under the house and sheds and in the bushes and trees and completely disappear until they decide they’re ready to come out again. And that could be for hours.

So, our food bill is consider-ably lower in the summer, along with our kitty litter bill. In the winter, we have had up to seven litter boxes in the house and believe me, they use them. At the moment, we only have two---and the second one appears to be just for show. Although we still have the occasional nut that will run in the house after being out all day, use the litter box, and scamper out again. Just one of those things that make you go, “Huh?”

We seem to have a lot more raccoons in the summer. I don’t like them. They carry rabies and have broken into the attic and can attack house pets. One of our cats was killed by a raccoon years ago.

We always shoo them away. But that doesn’t work. They always come back. Because of the cat food, of course.

They are only supposed to come out at dusk or later, but I see these creatures roaming around all hours of the day. It’s a Raccoon Free For All over here. There’s a mother with five roly-poly children, and the occasional friends and extended family members who know a good thing when they see it.

The babies are fearless. Mom knows that humans are the en-emy, but the goofy kids will sit there, right next to me, and eat sloppily while I yell and throw empty cans to scare them. They just duck and continue stuffing themselves. Reluctantly, when they realize they have no choice, they will fill their mouths with as much food as possible before they scurry away. It’s a wonder they don’t choke. And three seconds later, their little heads pop up out of the bushes, checking to see if the coast is clear. It’s a losing battle.

Then there are the possums. But they’re different. They don’t bother pets, are harmless and actually eat mosquitoes and other pesky bugs. Our vets have told us

that they are no threat to the cats, so we keep them around. You can always tell when a possum is eating before you even see it; the sharp pointed teeth make a very unique sound.

An interesting one has been eating with the gang all summer. He’s very young and completely white with some black on his tail. Almost every night, he makes his way from the house to the of-fice in search of his dinner, and none of the cats bother him as he quietly dines next to them. The other night, he had finished his meal and was nosing around the ground for leftovers when he ac-cidentally bumped into General Robert E. Lee, who was sitting there grooming himself. The General yowled in surprise and flew about a foot in the air. Then he saw that it was just Albino Possum, so he resumed his bath without so much as an eye-roll—after he landed back on the ground, of course.

A Note From Lauren

Lauren de Albuquerque

Cats and Coons and the Albino Possum

August 14, 2014 05Vol. 6 • No. 10

Considering the length of Robin Williams’ ca-reer--nearly 40 years-- it’s hard to know exactly how many generations were infl uenced by his work. For me, being a child of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Williams was a star to look forward to. Any-time a commercial would come on television pro-moting one of his new fi lms, I would giggle with excitement know-ing that I would soon be laughing hysterically over whatever antics the title character would pull. Many thanks from my childhood for all the funny, Mr. Williams, as it helped me through a lot in my life.

Williams was found unresponsive in his home in an unincorporated area just outside Tibu-ron, California, at around 11:55 a.m. PDT on August 11 and was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. Wil-liams’ wife, Susan Sch-neider, made this state-ment following the death of her husband:

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most be-loved artists and beauti-ful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken.

“On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless mo-ments of joy and laugh-ter he gave to millions.”

Mostly known for be-ing a “funny man,” Wil-liams could dive into a

scene and explode with a charisma all his own, leaving absolutely no scowl unturned—and then turn it all around with an endearment that could melt the hearts of nations. It wasn’t until I became interested in fi lm on a technical level that I learned about Wil-liams’ back-ground in drama.

Describing himself as a quiet child whose very fi rst imita-tion was of his grand-mother, Wil-liams did not overcome his shyness until he became involved with his high school drama de-partment. In 1973, Williams was one of only 20 students accepted into the freshmen class at Juil-liard, and one of only two students to be ac-cepted by John House-man into the Advanced Program at the school that year. The other student was Christo-pher Reeve (Biography, 2008).

Sadly, Williams is gone from this world. But, not un-like fel-low artist Hunter S. Thompson, due to the dedica-tion, time, and talent he com-mitted to

his craft, Williams’ life’s work will live on for centuries. His legacy will far exceed my very own lifespan, and this prob-ably explains why I was so excited as a child to learn that Robin Williams would be appearing in a

new movie. Maybe I, even as a child, knew that we were all witness-ing a moment in the universe where a man came forth and captured lightning in a bottle.

Thanks for everything, Mr. Williams, and farewell.

August 14, 201406 Vol. 6 • No. 10

AdFed LC Names 2014-2015 Board of DirectorsTh e American Advertising Federation – Lake Charles recently

announced the election of its 2014-2014 board of directors, which is made up of 14 local professionals representing the advertising, public relations, printing, marketing, media, digital and design industries.Th e newly elected board members are: •Victor Wukovits, president – Digikast and Bayou Technologies•Kerri Krob, fi rst vice president – LCP•Jada Hoff man, second vice president – Lake Charles Memorial Hospital•Kelli Eason Brignac, director – Obsidian Public Relations•Natalie Clark, director – Knight Media Printing•Becky Dupre, director – Suddenlink Media•Brandon Kirk Eidson, director – Suddenlink Media•Nick Villaume, director – Th e Dev Department•Derek Williams, director – Walker Williams

For more information on this year’s board, visit aafl akecharles.com or contact aafl akecharles@gmail.com.

New KYKZ Morning CrewCumulus Broadcasting has announced the formation of the new

KYKZ Morning Crew of Chad Austin and Johnny Wallace and news-woman Rhonda Kitchens. Th e program airs weekdays from 5:45 to 10 a.m. A Moss Bluff native, Austin has hosted the KIX 96 Morning Crew for the last 5 years and has been in the radio industry for 15 years. Johnny Wallace has been in radio for 12 years, and got his start as an intern in Monroe with Th e Radio People. For more information on KYKZ 96, contact Eric Nielson at (337) 439-3300 or eric.nielson@cumulus.com.

Latter & Blum Inc./REALTORS Expands into Lake Charles Market

Latter & Blum Inc. announced today that it has acquired Lake Charles-based ERA Moff ett Realty Inc. Eff ective immedi-ately, the merger increases the size of Latter & Blum’s residential operations to 29 offi ces with more than 1,400 Agents across the Gulf South region. Today, Latter & Blum Inc. is a Top 40 Real Estate brokerage and home services company with sales of over $2.92 billion in 2013 and is also one of the fastest growing Louisiana-based private companies. It is the fi rst independently owned New Orleans-based residential brokerage to enter the Lake Charles market.

Kathy Huddle Joins First Federal Insurances, Inc.Kathy Huddle has joined First Federal Insur-

ance Services, LLC as a Senior Commercial Lines Customer Service Representative and is respon-sible for servicing and processing all commercial insurance. Huddle has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, specializing in com-mercial insurance. She is a Licensed Property and Casualty and Life and Health Insurance Agent and a commissioned Notary Public. Huddle lived in Baton Rouge for almost 20 years working all areas of insurance before moving back to the Lake Charles area. Her offi ce is located on the 5th Floor of First Federal Bank’s Main Offi ce Building, 1135 Lakeshore Drive in Lake Charles.

City of LC Receives Louisiana Municipal Association Community Achievement Award

Th e City of Lake Charles was presented the Community Achieve-ment Award in the Economic Development Category for “Municipali-ties with population over 25,001” for the Southwest Louisiana Entre-preneurial Economic Development (SEED) Center and the new Lake Charles City Court. Th e LMA said the competition was co-sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the Louisi-ana Industrial Development Executives Association, and the LMA.

Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Contributes to Candles and Cocktails

As the presenting sponsor, Isle of Capri Casino Hotel contributed

(L to R) Seated: Bob Merrick and Worth Moffett. Standing: Rick Haase, Judy Moffett and Scott Moffett.

Kathy Huddle

Johnny Wallace Chad Austin

August 14, 2014 07Vol. 6 • No. 10

$15,000 to the American Cancer Society’s event Candles and Cock-tails, an evening fi lled with elegant dining, live entertainment and plenty of fund-raising in support of the American Cancer Society’s mission to have a world with less cancer and more birthdays. For more information, call (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

SOWELA Receives $70,000 Gift from Capital OneCapital One Bank has provided a grant of $70,000 for workforce

development scholarships at SOWELA Technical Community Col-lege. Students seeking high demand jobs as machinists and welders in SWLA have the opportunity to enroll in SOWELA’s 24-week Work-force Development program with scholarship assistance provided by Capital One Bank. Th e students receiving the scholarship assistance must fi rst complete a life-skills class.

IBERIABANK Donates $100,000 to McNeese Athletic Department

IBERIABANK, the 127-year-old subsidiary of IBERIABANK Corporation, presented the McNeese Athletic Department a check of $100,000 as part of a multi-year commitment to the department. “McNeese State is such a vital part of Southwest Louisiana, and IBER-

IABANK is proud to continue our support of the University and of the Athletic Department as the Offi cial Bank of McNeese Athletics,” says Phil Earhart, IBERIABANK SWLA President. IBERIABANK Corpora-tion is a fi nancial holding company with 278 combined offi ces.

Women’s Commission of SWLA Announces 2014 Executive Board

Th e Women’s Commission of Southwest Louisiana, Inc. an-nounced their new offi cers for 2014. Th ese ladies will work with the dedicated commissioners to host the Women’s Fall Conference to be held at the Civic Center on October 16. For more information, visit http://www.womenscommissionswla.com.

Family & Youth Announces Youth Advisory Offi cersFamily & Youth Counseling Agency announced the newly elected

offi cers of its Youth Advisory Council Offi cers for 2014-15. Th ey are Hannah Pettefer, Chair; Zachary Schwartzenburg, Vice-Chair; Han-nah Schwartzenburg, Secretary; and Alaina Goins, Vice Chair of Community Impact.

(L to R) Jan Wilburn, Isle of Capri; Paul Hutchens, Isle of Capri; Camille Breaux, American Cancer Society; Kenya Hill, American Cancer Society.

(L to R) Kevin Ardoin, Instructor; Dr. Joe Fleishman, Vice Chancellor; Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor; Lisa Irons, Community Relations Sr. Manager Capital One Bank and Fil Bordelon, LC Area President, and students of the current machining

class at SOWELA.

(L to R) Steven Perez, IBERIABANK Treasury Management Sales Officer; Dr. Philip Williams, McNeese President; Dawn Primeaux, IBERIABANK

Branch Manager; Phil Earhart, IBERIABANK SWLA President; Bruce Hemphill, McNeese Director of Athletics.

First row (L to R) Krystle Johnson - VP/Fall Conference Chair, Sue Conn - Pres., Christy Sevier- Publicity Director. Second row (L to R) Michelle Poche’ - Finance

Director, Debbie Boudreaux - Past President, Sandy Laurel - Treasurer, Bettye Tousaint - Membership Director, Debra Johnson - Parliamentarian, Carol Henry - Advisory Director, Rhonda Goodly - Secretary. Not pictured is Dena Everage –

Website Director.

August 14, 201408 Vol. 6 • No. 10

It’s about time that I got myself a dog. Being an empty nester for so long, I figure it’s time I got some help polish-ing off all of the leftovers in the house. Even though it’s just the two of us, my wife still cooks as if she were feed-ing the Brady Bunch. And a week’s worth of Hamburger Helper is more than even the hungriest mouth can stomach.

The first thing that I did after the urge for a dog over-took me was to get on the Internet and start researching breeds. People who know me will attest that I can’t decide on anything without studying the matter to death. The only exception to this rule would be when I get dressed in the morning, which is why they describe my clothing style as “urban clown.”

I had to be sure that the

dog I ended up with would be a good fit for my personality and lifestyle, and the Internet has some excellent tools for this purpose. Several sites featured questionnaires that you can fill out to determine the perfect breed for you as an individual. Eagerly, I tore into these, indicating that I would prefer a dog that doesn’t bark, doesn’t shed, doesn’t require long walks, and won’t terrorize our three cats. The survey results unanimously suggested that the best breed for me would be “house plant.”

But a house plant wouldn’t be much good as far as help-ing with the leftovers, unless it happened to be a Venus Flytrap, and even then, I’d need a forest of them. So I backed off on my require-ments a tad and repeated

the exercise. This time, the surveys pointed me toward a Boston Terrier. I did some reading up on the breed, and my research confirmed that a Boston Terrier might indeed be a perfect fit. The reports praised their intelligence; al-though I do realize that we’re talking here about dogs—a species that, on the whole, makes garden slugs seem like nuclear physicists.

Satisfied with my decision, I kept an eye on the classifieds for Boston Terriers. I spent weeks wading through all the listings. Most of them of-fered mixed breeds that went by names such as Yorkiepoo, Schnoodle, and Chorkie. I felt like I was looking at a des-sert menu. Eventually, I came across two ads placed by Bos-ton Terrier breeders.

“You are not getting a dog

from a breeder!” my wife ex-claimed when I showed them to her. “There are so many good dogs in the shelter that desperately need a good home. If you’re getting one at all, that’s where it’s going to come from.”

I could reject her ulti-matum, but I know that the decision between shelter and breeder comes down to a choice between sleeping partners—her or the dog. So it’s off to the shelter I go.

I must be getting better at decision-making, because that one didn’t take any re-search at all.

Mike McHugh’s column has appeared in the Jam-balaya News for over five years. You can follow him on his blog at thedangyankee.com or on Twitter @dang_yankee.

Holy Terrier

Meet Duke, a precious senior purebred Bassett Hound. He is in need of a new home because his family could no longer keep him. He is eight years young with many years of love left in him. He is dog and child-friendly having lived with children in his previous placement. He was diagnosed with heartworms but will be finished with treatment soon and is looking forward to beginning his new

“forever.” He is a classic Bassett and will be a wonderful family pet. For more information on this sweet boy, call or email: lapaw@bellsouth.net; (337) 478-7294 and his foster will contact you to answer any questions about him. Vet check and home visit required prior to all adoptions.

Featured by LAPAW RescueContact us at www.lapaw.org

August 14, 2014 09Vol. 6 • No. 10

Finger-lickin’ Ribs!We are getting ready to wrap up the sum-

mer and kick off the school year. You know what that means: rush around in the morn-ing, get the kids off to school, sit in traffic and try to manage to get to work on time. So this weekend, spoil yourself and relax with some good ole fashion pork ribs.

If you’re like us, it seems that every time we cook ribs, there is no consistency: They’re either too salty, too spicy or overcooked and too tough. With this being said, the Pirate has tried ribs from Texas, Louisiana, Kan-sas, Ohio, Missouri and the Virgin Islands to Tennessee looking for the easiest, most foolproof way of cooking ribs that have good flavor and consistent taste. This is the recipe I’ve come up with.

Ingredients•Charcoal•Apple cider vinegar and bottle spritzer•Olive oil•Ribs•Cajun RedHead Season All (rub generously)•Wood such as hickory, cherry, or mesquite for smoke flavoring. Soak wood n water for 30-45 minutes before use. If you use chips, they will burn up fast, so use a metal box to put them on top of the coals. If you use wood chunks, they burn slow enough to put directly on charcoals, but they can spike your temperature if they light on fire.•Yellow mustard to hold spices on rib racks while smoking (mustard flavor will burn off and will leave a nice little crunchy outer layer!)•Meat ther-mometer•Beer (for drinking during the process!)

Cooking Instructions•Once you’ve put your mustard and

flavorings on the ribs, go ahead and heat the grill/smoker to 200-220 degrees. Every 45 minutes, you can quickly flip/rotate the ribs and re-apply the vinegar and oil mix if you’d like. However, it’s best not to open the smoker or grill because the temperature de-creases very fast and takes a good bit of time to get back to 200 degrees. It’s preferable to flip a total of four times and keep the grill shut if you want to get the job done in less than 5-6 hours.

Rule of thumb for smoking ribs•TRY NOT TO PEEK at the ribs!•The ribs need to be at an INTERNAL tem-perature of at least 165 before they are safe to eat.•Relax and enjoy the process!•The longer you smoke at a lower tempera-ture, the more it absorbs smoke flavoring and gets tender.•Be aware of the temperature gauge. If you have a set-up where fat can drip on the fire or you have too much wood, it can spike and over-cook your ribs.•Every grill behaves differently, so know where to put your ribs and how to use your own set-up. ALSO, ribs are supposed to be cooked on indirect heat if you are doing a slow smoke cook.•You can’t really oversmoke with hickory, but you can with mesquite!

Th e chef and creator of Cajun RedHead Seasonings is a man from the North (yes, a Yankee) who fell in love with a true South Louisiana gal. He had neither hunted nor fi shed nor ate really spicy food as his mother was British, so you can only imagine the cuisine growing up. A man who was used to living in downtown fl ats overlooking the big city lights moved to Moss Bluff with some big dreams.

Ten years later, Russell Pawlowski is a civic-minded community leader, President of Market for a multi-billion dollar bank, a real estate entrepreneur, business owner, mentor to several young men, husband to Michelle and father to two wonderful daughters, and a spiritual man. He has lived everywhere and loves visiting new towns tasting the foods that are indigenous to their area and culture. He is a true “Pirate”--taking local favorite dishes from around the globe, dissecting them and making them his own--and then sharing them with others.

“Th e concept of Cajun Redhead started as a family discussion,” says Pawlowski. “We wanted to create a unique spice and brand that everyone across the country would come to recognize and love. I have a degree in culinary arts and was a profes-sional chef for 10 years, so cooking is a big part of our lives. We started our creative juices fl owing and came up with a catchy name.”

Th ey fi nally decided on Cajun Redhead. Why? “Because a real Cajun redhead is rare and unique--words used to describe our blend of seasonings,” Pawlowski ex-plains. “It seems to fi t perfectly.

“Cajun Redhead Seasonings is healthier than most of the other options in the marketplace,” Pawlowski continues. “We stayed true to the Cajun way of cooking with quality ingredients and great fl avor, but reduced the amount of sodium. Our Season All with only 8 percent sodium, which is almost 50 percent less than most competitors. We blended our seasoning and tried it on all kinds of food until we got it perfect. Cajun Redhead Season All is good on every-thing you eat. We are passionate about cooking because it is im-portant to celebrate food. Eating is the one time where we can all gather, laugh and share life experiences. We want people to al-low Cajun Red Head to be part of their family tradition.

Meet Russell Pawlowski

Cajun RedHead Smoked Ribs

August 14, 201410 Vol. 6 • No. 10

I’ve never had a nickname. If you read my tale “Mucho Hombre,” you are well aware I was awarded that moniker due to my Hemingway-esque landing of a 9’4” 132 lb. sailfish in Mazatlan, Mexico. That macho title lasted about five seconds. My new nick-

name was assigned to me by the deckhand. It was “Mu-cho #%&!.” Like Santiago of The Old Man and the Sea, I was too exhausted from the battle to complain, even when my fishing companion John Hood retold the tale to everyone we knew and even

strangers. I reminded the diminutive city-judge-to-be that the fish was 4 feet taller than he was and that I was a foot taller than he was any-way. Undeterred, the insult for insult banter continued even as we went parasailing. Up, up and away his wife and then my wife flew, gliding high above the Pacific Bay.

Finally, it was to be my turn after John finished his flight. But I had some issues. One, I’m afraid of heights. Two, I had no desire to sail above a turquoise bay that was perfectly fine for fish-ing. Let the gulls glide above it. Last time I tried flying, I was five years old and broke my left wing. Yet, there I was with topsiders firmly planted on dry crystalline sand with no choice but to take flight. There was no way I was going to give the still-chuckling John any new barbs to fling my way in relation to my manhood. John glided high above the bay and back to the beach. With seemingly effort-less grace, he took two trot-ting steps and was on terra firma again. He could have at least stumbled and fallen face first and buried himself in the sand.

John waved for the boat to swing around and pick me up. The boat driver glanced

at me. I dug deep and decid-ed there was no escape now. No summer squall had come in, the boat had not broken down and my time had come. The boat captain surely took note of the determination in my face. “Courage is grace under pressure,” Hemingway had said. I was hoping for a state of grace. John and the boatman engaged in some conversation, with the driver shaking his head. Then, their conversation turned into a flurry of gestures, both deter-mined to make their points.

John turned back to me with a bemused smirk he later perfected as a judge.

“Hey, Rog,” he hollered.“What?” I queried.“Guess what the captain

said?” The smirk was now a full smile.

“What?” “You too big.” “Huh?”“Si senor, muy mucho,” the

boatman said with far too much enthusiasm.

The wives, who had been cheerily discussing their flights, ceased their animated conversation, their full atten-tion now tuned to John and the Captain. John, now thor-oughly bemused, explained.

“The captain says Rog is too “Muy Mucho!”

“Si, muy mucho.” the boat-

Mucho

August 14, 2014 11Vol. 6 • No. 10

man chimed in with a grande gesture as to my size.

Not that I was heartbro-ken about not flying. I was relieved of that challenge. Up to that point in my life, I had never had a nickname. Now I had two, to the delight of the wives and John. That night at Senor Frogs, I was picked as clean as Santiago’s great marlin in Hemingway’s tale. Courage is accepting jibes with grace and several buck-ets of beer.

Since we’re talking about “Too Big,” let’s head to Hack-berry and Jimmy Bel’s Hack-berry Hilton Hunting and Fishing Lodge. Retired Mc-Neese Psychology Professor Maj. George S. Kuffel and I have been afield together for 42 years. This trip was a com-bo teal hunt and fishing trip. We arrived, stowed our gear in our room and headed out to fish the cuts in the marsh from the levee. George always comes prepared. Once while plucking our teal before our planned afternoon dove hunt, he magically pulled wing snips from his pockets. As if that wasn’t enough, he had freezer bags for our birds in the other pocket.

Anyway, we exited his van and gathered out rods and reels already set for red-fish with a white trout lure. George and I added shrimp pieces to our hooks. The levee cut ran hard and full

with the tidal change, pour-ing into the shallows and mudflats that led to what had been Black Lake Lodge’s canal. George stood on the edge while I moved down the road and along the bank.

On his first cast, George expertly hit the eddy off the cut’s tidal rush. His red and white cork settled and then was gone almost in one motion. George set the hook and it was on. What-ever it was, it was big and line-streamed out while he expertly loosened the drag and played the fish. It was a marsh scale Mazatlan redux with George doing the Mu-cho! He and the fish had it out and George finally edged him into the shallows and close enough to net. Hell, the fish took up the whole damn net.

Not to be outdone, I cast into the current and watched intently as it sped down the flow. Then the cork stopped and disappeared like it was never coming back. My turn. I too had to carefully loosen my reel drag as the fish was tearing line off in a run to the channel’s edge. We played each other, him stripping line and me reeling in. Finally, we ended our struggle in the shallows. Another net filler.

Two casts. Two redfish. One weighed 25 pounds; mine was 28 pounds. Can you say “Mucho Hombres?”

August 14, 201412 Vol. 6 • No. 10

It was a couple of years ago and the day had started like a typical Monday in my house-hold: I woke up before the sun came up, fixed breakfast for my little family, got the three of us dressed and ready for the day, reminded the kids at least three times to brush their teeth, made a mad dash to the car with back-packs, lunch boxes, my 3-year-old and 6-year-old, dropped off one at daycare and the other at school, and got to work before 8 a.m. As I sat down at my desk,

I remember thinking it felt as if I had already put in a full day before my actual workday had even started.

Around 9 a.m. my phone rang. It was the director of my daughter’s daycare, saying, “You need to get here as soon as pos-sible!” I asked if my daughter was hurt and she said, “She’s fine but we need to see you im-mediately.” My heart was racing as I flew across town. I’m sure any parent can relate. When it comes to your child and their

wellbeing, every single thing in the world seems to fade away until you can reach them and make sure that they are all right.

I walked into the daycare and the director ushered me into her office where two employees were already waiting. She shut her door, turned to me and said, “Ms. Addison, this is a very seri-ous matter. Your daughter told us this morning that you have a tiger in your backyard! Is that even legal in the city limits? Have you thought about the

safety concerns? Is this tiger in a cage? What if this animal hurt one of your children?”

I glanced around the room to get my bearings because it felt like I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone. I took a deep breath and said, “We don’t have a tiger in our backyard. We have a cat named Tiger. “

The director sighed and said, “Are you sure you don’t have a tiger?” I said, “Not only do we not have a tiger, we don’t have a lion, zebra, or cheetah

Got a Tiger By the Tail?

August 14, 2014 13Vol. 6 • No. 10

either! But we do on occasion see possums and raccoons. One time, we even saw an armadillo run across the back yard. Every morning, we hear birds singing and an owl hooting. We’ve seen cardinals and blue jays in our yard. We’ve even had a wood-pecker hang out for a while. Sometimes it feels like we have our own little Green Acres in the middle of the city. But I can assure you that we do not have a tiger. What I have is a daughter who is very smart, extremely verbal, and has a great imagina-tion. But we do not have a tiger.”

She was finally satisfied and accepted the fact that we did not have a tiger, although I still couldn’t figure out how this was a daycare issue. On my way back to work, I wanted to share this outlandish story with some-one, but it had to be a person who would really get the ab-surdity of the situation. I called one of my closest guy friends, Michael, who lives in Ohio and often comments that the crazi-

est things happen to me. “Hey, you’re not going to

believe what just happened!” I told him. “The director of my daughter’s daycare thinks that we have a tiger living in our backyard. Can you believe that?” There was a pause and then my friend said, “Well, do you?” The two of us laughed and laughed across the phone lines, gut-busting laughter that just feels so good and always gives you such a lift.

It wasn’t even 11 a.m. yet and I had already dealt with enough drama to last a week. Like most parents, I had miles to go before I would sleep but I already knew that when my head hit my pil-low many hours later, I would probably still have visions of tigers dancing in my head.

Lisa Addison writes for local, regional, and national publi-cations, has two school-aged children, enjoys trying new recipes, never gets enough sleep, and loves going on adventures with her kids.

August 14, 201414 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Quietly…very quietly, the McNeese State football pro-gram has been having a pretty great offseason and is building toward an even better season.

You may not have heard, though.

There are lots of things go-ing on right now in Louisiana sports. This is a very successful

sports state, after all. And of course, this being Lake Charles, it’s more than understand-able that McNeese State takes a backseat to, um…wait…am I reading this upside down or something…Louisiana-Lafay-ette?

That’s right. While McNeese football has been bringing in

top transfers, racking up pre-season honors, and preparing for another playoff bid, local media has gone almost as black as oh dark thirty on Cowboys coverage.

On the tee-vee, you’ve got the Great Lafayette DMA Rat-ings Grab of 2014 featuring any and everything with a chili

pepper on it. And sure, LSU is the state flagship and it’s news-worthy, but it comes after the hometown team’s highlights. AFTER.

Meanwhile, used to at the paper of record there was a beat writer practically living in the dorms from the opening of spring practice until mid-No-

Time for McNeese Football!

August 14, 2014 15Vol. 6 • No. 10

vember or late-December.Now, you’ve got a random fo-

gey columnist blithering HOT TAKES (!!) about the Astros, Saints, and concussion rules in California prep football. You’ve got a humongous, self-flagellat-ing golf column by the man in charge. Practically anything but news out of Cowboys camp.

You don’t even have to try to find LSU camp news. Just looking at the homepage of the Baton Rouge paper’s website I learned that former Barbe stan-dout Jared Foster was injured and in a walking boot. That’s an interesting take from training camp.

Surely, even with fall camp not yet arrived, there’s some sort of McNeese anecdote floating around in the ether. Not that you, dear readers, are going to hear about it from the local mainstream media.

What you might have missed is that McNeese is one of three teams entering the 2014 sea-son in the FCS Top 25 poll. The Cowboys, ranked ninth, are joined by cynical, semi-pro team Southeastern Louisiana at No. 3 and Sam Houston State at No. 14.

After a 10-3 season last year, the Cowboys look to have not only retained a pretty good squad but, with the addition of a few key FBS transfers, look like they may have created one of the country’s top offenses practically overnight.

McNeese brought in running backs Derrick Milton and Nate Holmes from Mississippi State and Arkansas respectively to replenish a backfield that lost the talents of Marcus Wiltz and Javaris Murray to graduation.

Milton, a beast in the mold of former Cowboy great Jessie Burton, looks like he’ll play the “Thunder” role to speedy re-turnee Kelvin Bennett’s “Light-ning.”

Additionally, the Cowboys brought in Kansas State quar-terback Daniel Sams, a nephew to former Poke B.J. Sams, to compete for the starting spot with junior Tyler Bolfing. Un-

like Bolfing, Daniel Sams is a multi-tool player comparable to a Kerry Joseph or Derrick Fourroux and could bring an added dangerous element to the position.

On defense, Everett Ellefsen and gang have had another whole offseason under defen-sive coordinator Lance Guidry, giving the Cowboys another year of experience.

There’s a lot to be excited about. So why the relative quiet surrounding the team this off-season?

While there was a kerfuf-fle over the decision to push up kick-off times at Cowboy Stadium to 6 p.m. instead of the traditional 7, I can’t believe that would be a huge problem.

More likely, it’s the Cowboys’ schedule. Unlike last season, this year none of the tradition-ally “big” games will be played in Lake Charles. Sam Houston, Northwestern State, and South-eastern Louisiana are all road games while the home games include walkovers against Prai-rie View A&M and Arkansas Tech.

Additionally, this season the Southland, much like the bloated carcass of a giant, dead whale, has expanded; there will be 11 football members this year up from eight. This season the Cowboys face home games against Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word of the motley trio of add-ons.

In all seriousness, the intro-duction of Abilene Christian, Houston Baptist and Incar-nate Word to the mix really does nothing to improve the conference’s image as a mere stopover point on the way to bigger money conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivi-sion. Word on the street is that Lamar and Sam Houston State are the next two to step on the conference on their way to bigger and (though arguably) better things.

None of this is the McNeese football team’s fault, however. The Cowboys will play whoever is put in front of them and they

shouldn’t be punished for a bad conference schedule. In fact, McNeese is set up pretty well to be possibly be 8-1 and unbeat-en in conference play heading into a crucial Nov. 15 game in Hammond.

Forget all of that mess with the Southland and schedules and last year. Gosh dang it, I’m excited for this year. I’m going to get in my truck and blast “Jolie Blonde” and Bruce Chan-nel’s “Hey Baby” and I’m going

to get more fired up.And I’m not going to let the

local media silence bring me down. You shouldn’t, either.

Brandon Shoumaker is a graduate of McNeese State Uni-versity and has covered sports for more than a decade for various publications. Coaches or parents with story tips or comments may contact Bran-don at bshoumaker@yahoo.com or send him a message on Twitter (@bshoumaker).

August 14, 201416 Vol. 6 • No. 10

August 14, 2014 17Vol. 6 • No. 10

For 36 years, Marilyn’s Flowers and Catering has built a business on this simple concept. From exquisite weddings and large banquets to intimate af-fairs, this dynamic mother/daughter duo loves what they do.

In the early years of the rental, then a flower shop, Beth Dawdy was by her mother Marilyn’s side, carefully watching how she treated each and every customer with care. This care and consideration grew as the business evolved into a thriving catering/decorating business. Marilyn eventually opened the

first catering facility in the area, setting the blueprint for others

to follow. Marilyn’s Flowers and Cater-

ing, along with Treasures of

Marilyn’s, their 18,000 square-foot catering facility, continue to excel as a dominant force in the catering industry. “Hos-

pitality is number one when it comes to an ever-changing industry like catering,” Marilyn explains. “We have continued to take a leading role by taking a personal interest in every customer.”

Beth says that weddings are their spe-cialty. “There is something excit-ing about planning an event so special and making dreams come true!” she exclaimed. “From the

flowers and decorating to the food and logistics, Marilyn’s and our experienced staff can handle it all.”

For four decades, Marilyn’s Flowers and Catering has thoroughly enjoyed meeting each and every one of their guests and being part of the history of Southwest Louisiana. Yes, they love what they do!

August 14, 201418 Vol. 6 • No. 10

August 14, 2014 19Vol. 6 • No. 10

Duhon Wealth ManagementTrina Duhon has been married to Patrick Duhon

for almost eight years. Together, they have four chil-dren. Active members of the community, they own Dynasty Limousine and belong to Zion Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Trina is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where she received her Bachelor’s of Sci-ence degree in Business. She has been in the banking and investment industry for over 15 years. Her busi-ness, Duhon Wealth Management, allows her to help clients meet their fi nancial objectives.

Passionate about educating clients on setting realistic fi nancial goals and walking them through the steps needed to accomplish them, Trina conducts monthly seminars on various topics from 401ks to estate planning and the rules of the retirement road.

“As a fi nancial consultant, I believe it’s important for me to invest my time to understand you and your long-term fi nancial goals before you invest your money,” Trina says. “Working as a team with your

tax preparer and estate attorney, I can help deter-mine the most appropriate fi nancial strategies for you and your family. I can help with your retire-ment plans by determining how much you need and if you are on track. I can assist in determin-ing the total cost and the amount you will need to save for your kids’ education. And with my help, you can accumulate and grow your wealth to build your emergency fund up to an adequate level.”

Trina notes that we are all living longer due to medical breakthroughs and information that is help-ing us better take care of ourselves. “Because we can expect to live more years in retirement than while working, we owe it to ourselves to prepare for it,” she advises.

If you or anyone you know needs help with 401k rollovers, retirement plan-ning, or education savings, call Trina Duhon, Duhon Wealth Man-agement (337) 477-4647.

Trina Duhon has been working on her Accredited Asset Management Spe-cialist, AAMS, designation through the College for Financial Planning and is now certified and titled as Trina Duhon AAMS. Congratulations, Trina!

August 14, 201420 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Her future plans for Ally-Gator BookBites Publish-ing House are to continue producing great children’s books that will inspire children to read. “I also want our books to be made into plays and bring them to the thea-tres, zoos, aquari-ums, schools,

libraries, and perhaps…add some toys to our wonderful collection of books!”

Lake Charles native Tom-mie Townsley has been writ-ing children’s books for about 15 years. When she published her first in September 2005, she realized that this would become her life’s work.

Three years ago, she started a writers’ and illus-trators’ guild. “As Chair of The Southwest Louisiana Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Guild, I wanted to create a vehicle where lo-cal authors and artists could come together to produce quality books while making their dreams become reality,” she said. “Our guild meets the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m.-noon at Central Library in Lake Charles.”

In addition, she started her own publishing company, Ally-Gator BookBites in September 2012, specializing

in children’s books. “Sev-eral authors wanted to

publish their books and did not know

where to start,” she explained. “We offer many services, in-cluding editing, layout, design, printing, illus-tration, market-

ing, distribution and so much

more! We have a team of profession-

als who work closely with the authors and illus-

trators to insure they have a book that is top quality and affordable. I like to say that I am a ‘Boutique Publisher.’ Our company motto is: ‘Our Books Are Yummy!’”

Tommie is an Incubator Client at the new Seed Center in Lake Charles. “My first year has been a wonderful and fulfilling experience,” she said. “Not only did they sup-ply me with a beautiful office and furniture, I have had the opportunity to learn what it takes to run a small busi-ness. I have met with many business professionals and attended classes on different topics to help my business grow. I feel very honored to be one of their Inaugural Incubator Clients. My busi-ness is growing rapidly and I attribute my success to The Seed Center and all of the staff.”

Tommie’s BooksPresently, I have six children’s picture books

called, “Kids Cajun Tales.” The titles are: Adol-pheaux The Adventurous Dolphin, Clyde The Cajun Calf, Amos The Artistic Alligator, Dixie The Ole Dawg, Sabine’s First Family Reunion and Kyser The Singing Schnauzer. My new book coming this fall is called Sampson The Spirited Horse.

Six of my books are beau-tifully illustrated in water-color by local artist Anne Dentler. Erin Casteel of Sulphur illustrated Kyser The Singing Schnauzer, a book about my singing dog! All of my books are for children ages 3-9 years old. However, they are Ca-jun Classics that both the young and young at heart will enjoy reading!

Tommie TownsleyAuthor/PublisherAlly-Gator BookBites Publishing Housewww.ally-gatorbookbites.comwww.kidscajuntales.com

August 14, 2014 21Vol. 6 • No. 10

To The World Above written and illustrated by Rebecca Stelly

Hector Learns To Chirp written by Mary Mckelvey, illus-trated by Erin Casteel

Tutu’s Christmas On The Bayou written by Leif Pedersen, illustrated by Tim Banfell.

Papa Bear And The Big Bad Wolf, written by Joanne Bol-ton, illustrated by Rebecca Stelly

A Pig Tale, written by Jerica Guillory, illustrated by Vivian Broussard

Tommie’s latest: Sampson The Spirited Horse Illustrated By Anne Dentler

Coming Fall 2014

Current Ally-Gator BookBites Books

The Tortoise And His Hair, written by Eloise Hunter Huber, illustrated By Erin Casteel.

The Adventures Of The Swamp Kids: The Missing Chord written by Leif Ped-ersen, illustrated by Tim Banfell.

August 14, 201422 Vol. 6 • No. 10

There comes a time in all of our lives when someone we love can no longer care for themselves as they should. The idea of sending a spouse or parent to a nursing home, no matter how wonder-ful the facility, is usually an option of last resort. We want to keep our loved ones with us as long as possible.

For the families of Southwest Loui-siana and the surrounding areas, there is a compassionate, caring, and profes-sional alternative for providing assist-ance for those in need. That is why PDI of the South’s purpose and name stands for “providing daily independence.”

PDI is a health care management service that provides personalized as-sistance and specialized care to clients in the comfort of their own homes.

With over 150 Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and personal care attendants (PCAs), PDI services cli-ents with various mental and physical needs throughout the eight surround-ing parishes. Their patients, ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics, are coping with mental illness, physical and devel-opmental disabilities, terminal illness, and accident recovery.

Margaret McCloskey-DeStout, presi-dent and CEO of PDI of the South, said her parents, who started Evangeline Home Health, originally opened PDI in 1987 to fill the need of skilled nursing care for the patients they were serving.

“They weren’t getting the full level of care that they needed,” McCloskey-DeStout explained. The new business offered skilled nursing care to not just the elderly and disabled, but to those with terminal illnesses and pediatric service needs.

In 1993, PDI became licensed under

the Louisiana Medicaid program to provide specialized services to clients who need more care than just an occa-sional visit by a nurse. That additional licensing allowed them to increase their services, so that skilled nursing care was no longer their only focus.

PDI offers a variety of companion care and supervision that assists fami-lies with the everyday needs of their loved ones, which gives them peace of mind knowing that there is someone there to fill their shoes. If the clients do not have immediate family to see to their needs, PDI will be there for them.

The company’s amazing staff is a credit to the company. McCloskey-DeStout knows that her employees go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure their clients are receiving the best possible care.

She also points out that PDI does not have minimums like other agencies.

Some require a minimum of four hours for service to be provided, but if some-one only needs one hour, PDI will find someone to fill that need.

“Our goal is a continual journey to improve quality, understanding, en-thusiasm, service and teamwork in all levels of PDI by providing an open fo-rum to achieve excellence in communi-cation, work processes and to promote unity within the company.”

PDI is presently located at 710 West Prien Lake Road, Suite 100 in Lake Charles but will soon be moving to 727 Ryan St. in Downtown Lake Charles. There is also an office in Eunice at 221 North Second Street. To speak with a PDI representative or receive a personal consultation, PDI can be reached directly at (337) 479-0048 in Lake Charles, and (337) 546-0692 in Eunice, or by calling their toll-free number at (877) 479-0048.

(L to R) Margaret McCloskey-DeStout - Admin/Owner, Peggy Kelley - Program Development Director, Dawn Sterling - Director of Client Services, Kayla Rogers - Billing Clerk, Erica Thompson - HR Director, Amber Hazelwood - Finance/OM, Nicole Jaubert -

Administrative Assistant, Stephanie Perkins - Client Service Coordinator

August 14, 2014 23Vol. 6 • No. 10

August 14, 201424 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Restaurant/Food Workshops Aug. 18

Find your recipe for success! Louisiana Small Busi-ness Development Center at McNeese is hosting two workshops for restaurants and specialty food companies on August 18. From 1-3:30 p.m. they are hosting “Start-ing Your Restaurant” and from 5:30-8 p.m. it’s “Creating Food Products That Sell!” The registration fee is $30 per class and seating is limited. To register, visit www.lsbdc.org and click on upcoming events. You can also call (337) 475-5529.

Starting and Financing a Small Business Aug. 26

Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Mc-Neese State University is hosting “Starting and Financing a Small Business “on Tuesday, August 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at The SEED Center. There is no charge for this workshop, but participants must pre-register by calling (337) 475-5529 or emailing lsbdc.msu@lsbdc.org. This workshop is for anyone interested in starting their own business but don’t know where to begin.

West Cal Chamber Presents

‘Empowering Women’ Luncheon

August 21 The West Calcasieu

Chamber of Commerce is pleased to present the next “Empowering Women” luncheon on August 21. This event is open to all women to encourage, empower and emphasize their strengths. This WCCC premier event series will enrich and inspire as well as provide an op-portunity to build positive partnerships. It will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at the West Cal Events Center. This quarter’s speaker is Nomica Guillory, the 2013 Chamber Southwest’s Up and Com-ing Business Woman of the Year, and Mrs. Louisiana-American Girl 2006, 3rd Runner up. She has 10 years of experience in the fashion industry. Tickets are on sale for $15 per person. Call (337) 313-1121 to reserve your seat and/or secure one of their sponsorship oppor-tunities.

SCORE is offering a free workshop on Sep-tember 4 on the basics of what is necessary to start your own business. Participants will learn from experts who have experience and knowl-edge to help you Quick Start: the myths and realities of entrepreneur-ship, critical success fac-tors, know your options,

components of business ownership, making it legal, funding and cash management, and busi-ness plan basics. The workshop will be from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at The SEED Center (4310 Ryan Street in Lake Charles). To register, call SCORE at (337) 433-3632 (ext. 1217) or email score@allianceswla.org.

Free WorkshopOffered by SCORE

September 4

August 14, 2014 25Vol. 6 • No. 10

Actress, author and speaker Lisa Whelchel will deliver a fun and inspiring keynote presentation titled “The Facts of Lifetime Friendships” on Thurs-day, September 4, from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles.

Whelchel, who is most remembered as “Blair” from The Facts of Life television show and others

(more recently as a fan fa-vorite on 2012’s Survivor), will share her wit and wisdom when it comes to embracing and nurturing her own lifelong friend-ships. Whelchel is the author of several books including Friendship for Grown-ups. Lisa’s story is heartfelt and compel-ling. She will explore the joyous—and sometimes thorny—topic of women’s

friendships with honesty, emotion and humor.

“Lake Area Medical Center is proud to offer the Healthy Woman pro-gram to ladies in South-west Louisiana, and we’re equally excited to bring Lisa Whelchel (‘Blair’) to Lake Charles,” said Lisa Guerrero, Lake Area Medical Center Marketing Director. “Our Anniversa-ry Celebration has become

known as a premiere ‘Girls Night Out’ event and this year will prove no differ-ent.”

The Anniversary Cel-ebration will begin with a special Women’s Health Expo and Marketplace from 4 to 6 p.m. Par-ticipants can browse and shop through a variety of health, wellness and retail booths featuring Healthy Woman Partners, physi-

August 14, 201426 Vol. 6 • No. 10

cians and local busi-nesses, followed by an elegant

dinner program and keynote pres-entation beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Individual open seating tickets are $30 each. Guaranteed reserved tables of eight (8) are available for $300. Deadline to purchase tickets is Thursday, August 21. For more information, or to reserve tickets on-line, log on to www.lakeareamc.com/healthywoman. Tickets can also be purchased through any Healthy Woman Advisory Council Member, or at The Gift RX, located inside of Lake Area Medical Center at 4200 Nelson Road in Lake Charles, or by call-ing (337) 475-4064.

The Healthy Woman Program Women juggle many roles and re-

sponsibilities throughout their lifetime: mother, daughter, wife, caregiver,

household manager, career profession-al, team mom, volunteer and friend.

Many give easily of their time, sup-port and attention to those they

love most, but find it challenging to give back to themselves.

The Healthy Woman pro-gram at Lake Area Medical

Center was designed by women, for women. The

mission: to empower the women of Southwest

Louisiana with the

knowledge and confidence needed to make in-formed healthcare decisions and help maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Healthy Woman offers ongoing bi-monthly seminars on topics ranging from heart disease prevention and menopause to weight manage-ment, nutrition, fitness and even trendy fashion tips. Members are also encouraged to take ad-vantage of inspiring Healthy Woman-sponsored events—such as the upcoming Anniversary Celebration on September 4—that will bring women of all ages and walks of life together to celebrate the beauty of life, friendships and good health.

“Healthy Woman has grown to nearly 3,800 members since we launched the program in 2010,” says Bryan S. Bateman, Chief Execu-tive Officer at Lake Area Medical Center. “This level of engagement exhibits a clear need for a female-focused health education resource in the community. Lake Area Medical Center is proud to offer this unique program to our members and partners.”

A Healthy Woman membership is free, and the benefits are priceless. Members receive personal invitations to upcoming events and classes, a monthly e-newsletter subscription, special discounts and offers provided by Healthy Woman Partners, and much more!

To become a Healthy Woman member, reg-ister on-line at www.lakeareamc.com/healthy-woman or call (337) 475-4064.

August 14, 2014 27Vol. 6 • No. 10

Over the past decade, Lake Area Medical Center has increased the variety of medical specialties and healthcare services offered at the 4200 Nelson Road campus in Lake Charles. A sampling of current services includes:

• Accredited Bariatric Weight Loss Surgical Center • Cardiology Services • Diagnostic Imaging• 24-Hour Emergency Services • Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU)• Labor & Delivery Services • Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) • Outpatient & Inpatient Medical and Surgical Services• Robotic Surgery (Urology and Gynecology)• Pediatrics • Rehabilitation Services • Wound Care

Additional services and affiliations provided by Lake Area Medical Center include: Surgicare of Lake Charles (www.surgicarelc.com), Grand Lake Medical Clinic and Lake Area Physicians Medical Group (www.lakeareaphysicians.com).

For more information about Lake Area Medical Center, or to find a physician, go to www.lakeareamc.com or call (337) 474-6370.

Healthy Woman Advisory CouncilA 20-member Healthy Woman Advisory Council com-

prised of area businesswomen and community volunteers is responsible for organizing and promoting the program throughout the year. The council is led by Healthy Wom-an Coordinator and Marketing Manager, Kay Morgan and Marketing Director, Lisa Guerrero.

Healthy Woman Advisory Council members are: Jody Barrilleaux, Hixson Funeral Home

Lisa Bateman, Lake Area Medical Center Lisa Bono, Century 21 Mike D. Bono & Co.

Christa Comeaux, Lakeside BankBeth Dawdy, Treasures of Marilyn’s

Becky Dent, Lake Area Medical CenterKristin DiVito, L’Auberge Casino ResortKimberly Finger, Community Volunteer

Cheri Gaston, Gaston Financial ConsultingShantee Gotte, Marcolin

Lisa Guerrero, Lake Area Medical Center Debbie Holt, Southern Choice Properties

Kerri Krob, Lake City PrintingAngel Mefford, JD Bank

Carmen Million, Better Business BureauJamika Moore, Vanity L.Y.F.E. Hairtique

Christy Moore-Clark, Southwest Louisiana Credit UnionKay Morgan, Lake Area Medical Center

Patricia Philmon, Merrill Lynch Wealth ManagementLinley Richert, The Pediatric Center

Healthy Woman SupportThe program is supported by an array of local businesses

serving as official Healthy Woman Partners, including: Ti-tle Partner, Nissan of Lake Charles and La Familia Resource Center; The Pediatric Center, FOX 29 & The CW, THRIVE Magazine, Treasures of Marilyn’s, Acadiana Profile Maga-zine, L’Auberge Casino Resort, Lake City Printing, The Voice of SWLA, Knight Media Printing, The Jambalaya News, JD Bank, Snap Fitness, Lakeside Bank, Ashley Schexnider/Thirty-One Gifts, Holiday Travel, Southwest Louisiana Credit Union, American Press, Gold Canyon, International Dance Company, Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana, Bellaroma with Jennifer Brocato, Painting With A Twist, Emeritus Senior Living, The Perfect Gift, Rodan + Fields—Independent Consultant Dewana Young, The Gift RX, Haven, Dr. Maureen Olivier, Crave, Paper Smith and Schlamp Extended Family Medical Clinic.

For more information on how to become a Healthy Woman Partner, call Kay Morgan, Healthy Woman Coordinator, at (337) 475-4064.

Lake Area Medical Center: Care for the Entire Family

August 14, 201428 Vol. 6 • No. 10

By Braylin JenkinsCourtesy of LakeCharles.com

Have you ever heard of Love and Rockets? Look them up and listen to a few of their hits and immerse yourself in ‘80s culture. It’s what newly formed business partners and long-time friends Nick Villaume and Robbie Austin told LakeCharles.com they oft en do as a pastime and for them, it paid off . Literally.

Fresh to the Southwest Louisi-ana eatery scene is their new ‘80s themed business, Pops and Rock-ets: gourmet tour de force fresh fl avors frozen on a stick. What makes them unique is that while most dessert names are directly based on fl avors, this creatively driven company uses their love of ‘80s music for inspiration.

If “Blister in the Sun” rings a

bell, then you are defi nite-ly connected to the ‘80s. It’s the name of a song by the Violent Femmes, an alternative rock band from that era, and it’s the name of one of their fi rst gourmet pops.

Th e start of Pops and Rockets is what Villaume refers to as “the next step of a cultural shift .” A staple component of Southwest Louisiana is, you guessed it, food. Food is culture; it represents a pride and comfort in our region and adds an extra zest to our lives. What better place to debut a fun and creative frozen dessert than in the festival capital of Louisiana?

Lake Charles is on the move. Slowly but surely, new restaura-teurs/entrepreneurs have begun changing up the edible landscape of our area, such as Luna Bar and Grill, Stellar Beans and the most recent newcomer, Botsky’s. Vil-laume and Austin both applaud food-related ventures that take a diff erent approach when it comes to how their craft and love for food is presented.

What is fascinating about this new venture is their story, build-ing up to the day they shared the

fi rst gourmet pop at the Cash & Carry Farmers’ Market.

Villaume had long aspired to do something in the food busi-ness, but was not quite sure what. While visiting his cousin in Nashville, he sampled a gourmet pop at a local shop and began thinking of creating his own ver-sion in Atlanta, where he lived at the time. Soon aft er, an Atlanta resident started a gourmet pops business, expanding to other markets over the course of the next few years. Th is only in-creased Villaume’s passion for the idea, which was shelved while he focused on family and his career.

He eventually returned to Lake Charles, where he reconnected with many of his high school classmates, including Robbie Austin, a dedicated husband, fa-ther and educator. He was able to share his love for music with his longtime friend, whom he hadn’t seen in 15 years.

During the summer of 2013, Villaume assisted Austin in putting the fi nal touches on a tree house Austin had con-structed for his children. Com-menting on the heat, Villaume mentioned how great it would be to have a nice frozen dessert. Th is re-sparked his idea that had

been shelved. “I told Robbie about

the gourmet pops in At-lanta and how I thought Lake Charles would be the perfect place for such a business,” Vil-laume said. “But, he did not exactly feel the same type of passion about it at this point in his life.”

Villaume put his friend at ease, but asked

him to at least lend his creative brain toward the idea.

While mowing the lawn, Austin, a huge supporter of the ‘80s music scene was bobbing to “Rio” by Duran Duran and began dissecting the lyrics: “Cherry ice-cream smile, I suppose it’s very nice.” He began picturing cher-ries and bananas and the music video with a tropical and refresh-ing feel. He took a break from mowing and texted Villaume. Af-ter a few ideas were relayed back and forth, Austin developed the idea of taking their love for music and tying it into the gourmet pop names and fl avors.

Th anks to Erik Jessen and his amazing talent for marketing and development, Pops and Rockets found their way and literally took off . Th e logo and the name are di-rectly inspired by the above-men-tioned band Love and Rockets.

Pops and Rockets debuted on July 29 inside the Cash & Carry Farmers’ Market located at the corner of Enterprise Boulevard and Broad Street. Villaume and Austin said they plan to con-tinue selling at the establishment because of what it represents for mom and pop businesses.

Th e Cash & Carry Farmers’ Market is open every Tuesday from 4-6 p.m. Leading up to each Tuesday, the team at Pops and Rockets release a music playlist on their Facebook page hinting at which pops will be featured. Follow along, rediscover the ‘80s and join in the fun at http://pop-sandrockets.com.

Keep an eye out for the gourmet pops at an event near you, because they may just make an appearance!

August 14, 201430 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Party By the Pool Aug. 14It’s the last Party By the Pool of the season at L’Auberge

Casino Resort! Don’t miss Weezer on Aug. 14! Purchase your tickets at www.ticketmaster.com, the L’Auberge Business Center, or Legends at L’Auberge the night of the show. Must be 21 to attend. $25

Arts & Crabs Fest August 16 Arts & Crabs Fest celebrates SWLA’s seafood and its cul-

ture at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum on Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. Local chefs compete for the Best Crab Dish of 2014, and you get to choose the winning chef. Tickets are $25 and only those 21 years of age or older are allowed. Tickets can be purchased online at www.artscouncilswla.org or at the Arts Council office at 809 Kirby St., Lake Charles.

BB/BS SWLA Golf Tounament August 22Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana is lining up

sponsors for their first Golf Tournament on August 22 at the Lake Charles Country Club. Lunch will start at 11:30 a.m. fol-lowed by a 1 p.m. shotgun start. There will be two chances to win a vehicle thanks to Jack Hebert All-Star & Auto Plex 2000. Sponsorship levels range from $5,000 to $100. Team regis-tration for four is $400. (337) 478-5437

Iowa Arts & Crafts Festival August 23The Sixth Annual Iowa Arts and Crafts Festival will be held

on Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Iowa Community Center located at 207 U.S. 90 W. Free admission includes live enter-tainment, light refreshments, arts and crafts demonstrations, pony rides and displays. For more info, call (337) 721-7101.

Imagination Celebration August 23It’s time for the Children’s Museum’s 12th annual Imagina-

tion Celebration! It will be held Sat. Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center featuring the Celebrity Karaoke Contest, a Restaurant Showcase with fabulous food from 20+ area restaurants, a cash bar and music and dancing from the 1980s with the Other Blues Brothers! For tickets and table sponsorships, call (337) 433-9420.

Gun Show August 23-24The Gun Show will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center

and is hosted by Gator Gun and Knife of Louisiana. All federal, state and local firearm ordinances and laws must be obeyed. Admission: Adults $8, children under 12 free. Go to www.gatorguns.com for more information.

Seersucker and a Solitaire August 28Come on out to Touloulou’s at L’Auberge Casino Resort on

Thurs., Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. for Seersucker and a Solitaire Dinner and Diamond Drop to benefit the St. Nicholas Center for Chil-dren. Live entertainment, casual summer attire, $100 a ticket. (337) 491-0800.

Friday, August 22: Pasta NecklacesMake a pasta necklace in the ArtSpace from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 23: Closed for Imagination Celebration

Friday, August 29: PlaydoughBuild something fun with Playdough in the ArtSpace from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

The Children’s Museum is located at 327 Broad Street downtown Lake Charles. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7.50 for children and adults. Call 337-433-9420 or visit www.swlakids.org.

Friday, August 15: Kinetic Sand FunGreat mess-free sand that children can sculpt, stretch, mold and pull will be in the ArtSpace from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

August 14, 2014 31Vol. 6 • No. 10

Red, White & Tuna August 30 - Sept. 14The much-anticipated third installment in the Tuna tril-

ogy takes the audience through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town. Lake Charles Little Theatre, 813 En-terprise Boulevard, Lake Charles. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays / 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 Adults/$15 Seniors/ $10 Students. Buy tickets at www.thelclt.com.

Sulphur High Relay Swim August 30It’s time to kick-off the swim season with the traditional

Sulphur High Relay Meet! Come watch the Lake Area High School swim teams compete in this fun and exciting event.SPAR Aquatic Center, 933 West Parish Road, Sulphur, at 6 p.m. (337) 721-3040.

Boozoo’s Labor Day FestivalSeptember 1

Our rich musical heritage continues to live on with Boozoo’s Labor Day Festival at the Lake Charles Civic Center. A day of great food and Zydeco, the entire family is invited to come out and celebrate the festival’s 30th year in grand style. Fill up on crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice with sausage and BBQ sandwiches. Doors open at 10 a.m., with the bands beginning at 11 a.m. For ticket info, call (337) 438-3482.

Lyle Lovett at Lutcher TheaterSeptember 9

Coupled with his gift for storytelling, and accompanied by His Large Band, Texas-based musician Lyle Lovett fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Lutcher Theater, 707 W. Main Ave., Orange, Texas. (409) 886-5535/ www.lutcher.org.

Stars and Stripes Classic Car ShowSeptember 13

It’s time once again for the Stars and Stripes Classic Car Show at Heritage Square. Cars, trucks, hot rods, motorcycles and more! 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. There will be an awards presenta-tion following the show, featuring Stars and Stripes Beauty Pageant winners. The classic cars and hot rods will be cruising on Ruth Street after the show. Free food booths and door prizes. (337) 527-4500.

Benefit for Blaine Graham September 13Tribe MC member Blaine Graham has terminal liver can-

cer. All motorcycle clubs are invited. All proceeds from this benefit will go to Johnson’s Funeral Home for his final costs. BBQ plate lunches $5, live auction, raffles, dunking booth, horseshoe tournament, bike games and so much more. Will be held at the Killowatt Club, 3500 Houston River Rd. West-

lake. Cash donations: acct. # 3302698971 @ Chase Bank. (337) 540-4535 or (337) 304-8042.

Boudin WarsSeptember 13

Tickets are now on sale for Boudin Wars, which will be held at the Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur on Sept. 13 from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Local restaurants and chefs compete for the title of “Best Boudin in SWLA!” Tickets are available at the Cultural Center or at www.brimstonemuseum.com.

‘Reflecting the Times’September 13 - March 7

Visit The W.H. Stark Carriage House for a new, special exhibition ‘Reflecting the Times,’ which highlights the key components of three important art movements of the early 20th century -- Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco --re-flected in architecture, jewelry, pottery, clothing and graphic design. Included with general admission; members free. The W.H. Stark House, 610 W. Main Ave., Orange, Texas. For info call (409) 883.0871, or email info@whstarkhouse.org, or visit their website at www.whstarkhouse.org.

St. Theresa Bon Ton FestivalSeptember 19 - 21

The St. Theresa Bon Ton Festival is a local tradition that is enjoyed by all ages!! Enjoy live and silent auctions filled with fun and unique items! Also bingo, a sweet shop with their famous pies, and a large garage sale. Our newly renovated large covered pavilion has plenty of room for dancing, relax-ing, eating and visiting - rain or shine. 4324 Carlyss Drive, Carlyss. Friday 5-10:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (337) 583-4800.

Midnight Fantasies Car ShowSeptember 20 - 21

Enjoy a weekend of show vehicles, antique campers and motor homes, music, food, games, vendors, Mac tires and wheels, truck pulls, auto xpressions car crush, burn-out contests, car/truck club bar-b-que cook off, live auctions, Bailey’s/USAC crank up contest, fun jumps, and much more! In addition, the first Tin Can Tourist Rally will be held. It will include 1930’s vintage campers, horse drawn equipment, vintage motor homes, cars, trucks, and scooters, and a 1936 car-house. Will be held at Burton Coliseum. (337) 263-0655.

Newcomb Pottery ExhibitSeptember 30 - January 3

See the loaned exhibition “Women, Art, & Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise,” which showcases iconic pieces crafted by women connected with the Newcomb Col-lege in New Orleans. Members free. Stark Museum of Art, 712 Green Ave., Orange (409) 886.2787, info@starkmuse-um.org / www.starkmuseum.org.

August 14, 201432 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Marvel Entertainment simply owns the movies these days. You may like that or hate it, but for now they’ve figured out exactly what we all crave, and today it’s talk-ing raccoons and tree people.

Guardians of the Galaxy is that rare breed of movie where you wonder just what the writers were on when they wrote the script. I’m not the first one to say this movie is completely different, the way Star Wars was when it came out. Yet I’m not sure what that means. Guardians takes place in outer space, all across the universe, but its tongue in cheek humor and goofy characters are just, well, cool.

Maybe I’m just relieved to see a movie that isn’t a sequel or worse, a reboot. The plot of Guardians is an old one: Everyone in the galaxy wants an object called the Orb, the bad guys to destroy planets and the not-so-good guys to sell for billions. The movie starts with our hero Peter Quill, in a flashback. Just a child, he’s at his mother’s deathbed in a cancer ward in 1988. He’s listening to his prize possession, a Sony Walkman cassette player, with a mix tape his mom made for him of ‘70s music.

Fast forward to a rocky

planet in the future (2014) with Peter still listening to his music while he searches for the Orb. Picture the open-ing of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but set on a different planet.

The rest of the movie is a jumble of grabs for the Orb. We don’t even understand what the Orb is, but everyone wants it, so it must be valu-able. Really, the simple plot doesn’t even matter, because the movie is all about some amazing characters in their

wild universe. Peter is about the only

person from Earth in the movie. The locations of the movie are sweeping in scope, including a prison planet, a central galaxy plan-et, and even a giant skull in outer space being mined for its precious bodily fluids.

While trying to hold onto the Orb, Peter runs into a ge-netically modified Raccoon named Rocket. This creature walks, talks, and loves to create mayhem (just like a real raccoon, sorry ASPCA). Rocket is already friends

with Groot, a ridiculous-look-ing walking tree. Groot, who can say three words (“I am Groot”) is the most unlikely character for Marvel since the Incredible Hulk. He’s child-like. He’s wise. He cares for his friends. And he’s so powerful it’s scary.

Also in pursuit of the Orb is Gamorah, a green-skinned Zoe Saldana who can fight so well she makes Bruce Lee look like a Grandma. My favorite character is Drax, a wrestler guy covered in

tattoos with absolutely NO sense of humor, which is hi-larious. (Peter: Rocket, don’t make jokes, they’ll go right over his head. Drax: Nothing goes over my head. If it does, I will reach up and squash it.)

Possibly the weakest char-acter is Glenn Close as the prime administrator of the home planet Xandar. She wears her hair in a sort of braided silver pretzel. Hon-estly, I couldn’t listen to her, I was trying to figure out her hair. Get a hat, woman.

Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t perfect. It goes over-board on violence, and the language stretches the con-fines of its PG-13 rating. But amazingly, the Guardians overcome all limitations and deliver a winning summer movie. I wouldn’t take young children to see it (I mean, a mother’s deathbed as the opening scene?) but middle-schoolers will be fine.

Congratulations, Marvel, you’ve proven that we will watch anything if it’s served up with a dash of bold crazi-ness. Enjoy!

Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel/Disney, 2014)

August 14, 2014 33Vol. 6 • No. 10

I don’t know about you, but normally, when I’m sitting in the dark watching a movie I paid good money for, I’m entering a covenant with those around me. One that promises no talking, seat-kicking or please, please, please, NO cell phone screens blinding everyone sitting behind them. But this article is not to rant about those inconsiderate cell users (you know who you are). It’s about those movies that are better with talking. Yes, with talking.

Would Sharknado and Shark-nado 2: Th e Second One have been half as much fun if folks weren’t laughing, chatting, tweet-ing and Facebooking their in-credulousness live as it happened? And the cult movie Rocky Hor-ror Picture Show came and went without fanfare until it became a midnight movie legend with audi-ence participation and fl ying rolls of toilet paper.

Th is August 14, you’ll get to experience something between sacred cinema silence and rollick-ing Time Warp dancing. Riff Trax will be bringing the stars of Mystery Science Th eater 3K back to cinemas live at 7 p.m. Th ey’ll be off ering pithy wisecracks on everyone’s favorite lizard, Godzilla (the one with Matthew Broder-ick). If you miss the live version, a taped version will play August 19 at 7:30 p.m. Both riff s take place at Cinemark in Lake Charles.

And if you grew up watching

Sci Fi in Britain--okay who am I kidding?--If you’ve been watching the re-boot of Doctor Who world-wide since 2005, then you might grab a seat to see an “in theaters only” prequel to the new season. You also get behind-the-scenes footage aft er the show on the big screen. Th at special treat into Time and Relative Dimensions in Space or as the Doctor would put it, “Wibbly, wobbly, timey, wimey stuff ” takes place at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. August 24. Again, this is a Cinemark special screening.

If you’re reading this column, I assume you’re interested in special movie screenings, fi lmmaking or movies in general. Th is got me to thinking about how my love aff air with movies began.

It all started with a summer job. I lived close to the old Charles Cinema and I walked in thinking a movie theater might be a fun place to work. Since I’d never had a job before, when my mother asked me how my interview went I told her I wasn’t sure. I just knew I had to go back with my driver’s license and social security card the next day, so I guessed it went okay.

From then on, I would make memories for fi ve whole years before graduating from college. I have fond memories of wearing the largest, puffi est bow I could fi nd while repeatedly donning my best Valley Girl accent to ask “One for Buff y?” while selling tickets to

Buff y the Vampire Slayer. I also acquired random movie trivia pre-internet. Did you know Eddie Murphy sings “Roxanne” right around the 20-minute mark in the fi lm 48 Hours? Yes, you could hear it in the lobby and set your watch by it.

I was introduced to iconic director Quentin Tarantino’s work not because I wanted to watch his gritty, no-holds-barred style. No, I fell in love with the Pulp Fic-tion poster we had in the lobby. Th en, I was curious that everyone walking out of the theater either really, really, hated the movie, or really, really loved it. Aft er several showings day aft er day I had to go fi nd out for myself what this guy Tarantino was all about.

Other nostalgic memories include a bride and groom still in full dress and tux killing time before their honeymoon. I know where I was when OJ Simpson drove that white SUV (the manag-er’s offi ce). And I remember when the cinema itself closed down and re-opened as a dollar theater, twice! Th e dark blue ‘70s carpet

on the walls may not have been anyone’s fi rst decorating choice but it was my movie home. Th e place I made friends both real and imaginary on screen. Th e place where I did homework between shows. Th e place I made college spending money. And the place I discovered my love of fi lm.

Th e interesting thing about nostalgia is that oft en, new things are born from its mulch. I remember selling tickets in the lobby that had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game in it. I must’ve heard the theme song a thousand times a day. Th at dang video game became my nemesis. I couldn’t wait to be scheduled on the other side of the theater where the games didn’t have loud, catchy tunes. In two weeks my wish was granted. Unfortunately for me, both the movie and the game were also moved to the other side of the theater! But there is a happy end-ing for both me and Turtle fans. Th e new movie is out in theaters now. But this time, I’m not the one selling tickets! Until next time, save me some popcorn!

Shhh, I’m Feeling Nostalgic

August 14, 201434 Vol. 6 • No. 10

If you’re suffering from Downton Ab-bey withdrawal, as I am, here are a few suggestions to help you pass the time until the series comes back.

Rutherford Park by Elizabeth Cooke is simply delicious. It begins at Christ-mas in 1913 at the home of the aristo-cratic Cavendish family, headed by Lord William and his wife, Octavia, whose marriage is strained.

Downstairs and around the large estate of the lovely 500-year-old York-shire home of Rutherford are their many servants, each of which has a story. Let’s visit the house’s library, “the archive containing all the Roman relics that had belonged to Lord William’s father. All the shelves had to be dusted, with their stained alabaster birds and cats, and lit-tle sculpture and pots, and bones dug up from Beddersley Hill, where they said that ancient kings were buried.” And the garden: “The roses were densely lined on either side of him -- pale deep ranks of cream and apricot and pink. All around them hovered the seductive memory of yesterday’s scent. ... To his right was a cobbled path, perfectly laid in herringbone with terra-cotta edging. Everything was heavy with moisture; it had rained in the night. It felt won-derfully fresh, as if the world had been

newly created.” I want to go there!The drama begins when one of the

maids tries to end her life because she is carrying the child of the 19-year-old Cavendish son, Harry, who denies that the baby is his. Harry sometimes resents his position as family heir: “He couldn’t ever be anonymous. ... He had duties; he had a place. But he had nothing to do.”

One of the young men in service has a huge, hopeless crush on Cavendish daughter Louisa, who is preparing to be “presented at Court: a ticket to the wider world, a passport to an eligible marriage in society.”

Along comes an American man studying the history of the great families of Britain. He finds Octavia of particu-

Delicious Reads for Downton Abbey Fans

August 14, 2014 35Vol. 6 • No. 10

lar interest, but thinks their world is so different from his: “It was strange. Beautiful and deserted and enchanted, straight out of a storybook, complete with kings and dukes and princesses.”

It is the time of the runup to the First World War, and the characters endure deceit, betrayal, and broken hearts. But more is to come in the war years, handled in the book’s sequel, The Wild Dark Flowers. It is 1915, and the house still stands, “Ruther-ford Park, vast and sprawl-ing, terracotta-colored in the morning light, with its Tudor barley-sugar twist chimneys and mullioned windows; ... century-old beeches on the drive that led down to the village.”

Harry, 20, is now serving with the Royal Flying Corps. The young men downstairs are going off to war, as well. “Only three years ago Ruther-ford had twenty-four staff.

Now there were only eleven, with the occasional help of day staff from the village.” Even some of the girls had gone back home or to work in the mills. Indeed, times are changing: “In London women have been taken on to drive the omnibuses, and to take tickets and so on. And they are making munitions in the factories.”

The house has to sacrifice for the war. “War was a great lev-eler, the destroyer of societies.”

We follow several of the young men into the chaos of combat. And one character is booked to travel on the Lusi-tania. Uh-oh.

Like Downton, this long story is as addictive as a soap opera. There is at least one more to come in this series. I could hope for even more than that!

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig is a standalone book that jumps across sev-eral time periods. It is set in 1999 in New York City and flashes back to early 20th century England and 1926 Kenya.

In 1999, Clemmie, 34, is a driven workaholic, striving to be made a partner at her law firm, and her overwork has led to a recent broken engagement. She runs into an ex-lover who knows more about her family than she does, and she sets out to un-cover a few family secrets on her own.

Clemmie discovers that her grandmother Addie was or-phaned in 1906 and was sent

to live with her uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Ashford. Unlike her husband, Lady Ashford did NOT want to take in 6-year-old Addie; she had her own children to con-sider. But her middle daugh-ter, Bea, age 7, welcomed Addie, taking her hand and telling her “We’ll be sisters. Real sisters. We’ll be the kind of sisters who save each other from goblins.”

After eight years at the large and stately home of Ashford, little Addie “knew all the ins and outs, all the twists and turnings. Nursery life at Ashford felt a bit like being in the wings of a the-atrical production; all their doings took place around the main stage set and seldom in it ... through the back ways and the kitchens, seldom penetrating into those grand rooms on the first floor.”

The two cousins became inseparable -- until, that

is, their relationship was strained because of a man. World War I, the influenza, and dark secrets take their toll on the family. There are predictable moments in the modern story, but twists and turns I didn’t see coming in the flashbacks. There may even be a murder.

Although the modern characters are interesting and likable, I kept wanting to get back to what I considered the main attraction, the story of young Bea and Addie. But the writing is so good I didn’t mind.

The author is an experi-enced romance author, but the book only occasionally reflects that genre, mostly during dialogue. Otherwise, the story really rises to first-rate drama, with a great plot. I found myself reading late into the night. Yummy!

Copyright © 2014 by Mary Louise Ruehr.

August 14, 201436 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Thursday, August 14Thursday Dollar Night@ Cowboys Night Club$1 Beer and Bar all nightFree cover til 10 p.m. w/College ID5329 Common St., Lake Charles

Live Piano6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Shane Rodriguez& Hillbilly Trick Show7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Weezer7 p.m. @ Party by the Pool’s Liquid SocietyL’Auberge Casino Resort Pool777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake CharlesAdmission: $25

Karaoke Night9 p.m. - 2 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

DJ San-D11 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Friday, August 15Live Music7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Street Side Jazz Band7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Stellar Beans Coffee319 Broad St, Lake Charles

Kenzie Newman & Johnny Mouton8 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Leroy Thomas & Zydeco Roadrunners9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Live Piano7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave.L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Live Music9 p.m. @ Yesterdays5313 Common St., Lake Charles

Flashback Friday9 p.m. - Close @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Static9 p.m. @ Longhorns (Club)2374 HWY 109 S., Vinton

Karaoke with $3 Cover9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory4688 Common St., Lake Charles

Acoustic Pie9 p.m. - Midnight@ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

Live Music9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Linda’s Lounge4338 Lake St., Lake Charles

Bantam Foxes10 p.m. @ Luna Live719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

DJ San-D11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Saturday, August 16Live Piano7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Elvis Day at Coushatta5 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Live Music7 p.m. @ Stellar Beans Coffee319 Broad St, Lake Charles

DJ Jazzy Red9 p.m. @ Longhorns (Club)2374 HWY 109 S., Vinton

Kenny Spears9 p.m. @ Longhorns (Casino)2374 HWY 109 S., Vinton

Research Turtles10 p.m. @ Luna Live719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Karaoke with Avid Sounds8 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Live Music9 p.m. @ Yesterdays5313 Common St., Lake Charles

DJ Night9 p.m. - Close @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Rusty Metoyer9 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Saturday Night Party Time9 p.m. @ Cowboys Night Club$1 Beer and Bar until MidnightFree Cowboys Kool-aid5329 Common St., Lake Charles

August 14, 2014 37Vol. 6 • No. 10

Karaoke with $3 Cover9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory4688 Common St., Lake Charles

Brian Racca Jr.9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

Holy Ghost People & The Von Dukes9:30 p.m. @ My Place630 W Prien Lake Rd # GLake Charles

Travis Matte & The Kingpins10:30 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

DJ San-D11 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Sunday, August 17Live Music5 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Music10:30 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Tuesday, August 19Live Music6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Karaoke Night7 p.m. - Midnight @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

DJ Verrett8 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Movie Night9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles Wed., August 20Louisiana Night & Abita Pint Nite$2 Louisiana Beers $3.50 Louisiana Spirit/Cocktails6 p.m. - Midnight @ My Place630 W Prien Lake Rd # G

Joe Ecker8 - 11 p.m. @ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

The Good Wood8 p.m. @ Luna Live719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Music9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Thursday, August 21Live Piano6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Mike Miller6 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Big Redd & Creole Soul7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Karaoke Night9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Thursday Dollar Night@ Cowboys Night Club$1 Beer and Bar all nightFree cover til 10 p.m. w/College ID5329 Common St., Lake Charles

DJ Jose Mata11 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Friday, August 22Live Piano7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Stellar Beans Coffee319 Broad St, Lake Charles

Street Side Jazz Band7 p.m. @ Luna Bar & Grill719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

August 14, 201438 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Brad Brinkley & Comfort Zone8:30 p.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

No Idea9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Dylan Scott9 p.m. @ Longhorns (Club)2374 HWY 109 S., Vinton

Live Music9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Linda’s Lounge4338 Lake St., Lake Charles

Flashback Friday9 p.m. - Close @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Live Music9 p.m. @ Yesterdays5313 Common St., Lake Charles

Karaoke with $3 Cover9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory4688 Common St., Lake Charles

RKW Show9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

Dance Night9 p.m. - 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

DJ Jose Mata11 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Dancing11:30 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Saturday, August 23Live Piano7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Karaoke with Avid Sounds9 p.m. - 1 a.m. @ Cooler’s Ice House3622 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Josephine9 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Karaoke with $3 Cover9 p.m. @ Frosty Factory4688 Common St., Lake Charles

DJ Night9 p.m. - Close @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Reed Planchard9 p.m. @ Longhorns (Casino)2374 HWY 109 S., Vinton

William Shristian9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

Live Music9 p.m. @ Yesterdays5313 Common St., Lake Charles

Saturday Night Party Time9 p.m. @ Cowboys Night Club$1 Beer and Bar until MidnightFree Cowboys Kool-aid5329 Common St., Lake Charles

Special Event Night9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

The 94’s10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Marvelous Wonderfuls& Channel 810 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ My Place630 W Prien Lake Rd # GLake Charles

DJ Jose Mata11 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Sunday, August 24Live Music5 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Dancing11 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Monday, August 25Karaoke Night10 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ My Place630 W Prien Lake Rd # GLake Charles

Tuesday, August 26Live Music6:30 p.m. @ Loggerhead’s3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Karaoke Night with DJ Verrett7 p.m. - Midnight @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Karaoke Night8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Dancing9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Wed., August 27Louisiana Night & Bayou Rum Night$2 Louisiana Beers $3.50 Louisiana Spirit/Cocktails6 p.m. - Midnight @ My Place630 W Prien Lake Rd # GLake Charles

Mic Night8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Mark Henry8 - 11 p.m. @ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

August 14, 2014 39Vol. 6 • No. 10

Music9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., Lake Charles

Kory Fontenot10 p.m. @ Luna Live719 Ryan St, Lake Charles

Thursday, August 28Bernie Alan9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Corey Smith9 p.m. @ Longhorns (Club)2374 HWY 109 S., Vinton

Karaoke Night9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystals112 Broad St., Lake Charles

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

Friday, August 29Jessie Taylor9 p.m. - Midnight @ The Cigar Club1700 E Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Loggerhead’sCall for price3748 Louisiana 3059 (Old Town Rd.), Lake Charles

Live Music7 p.m. @ Stellar Beans Coffee319 Broad St, Lake Charles

Live Piano7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles

Flashback Friday 9 p.m. - Close @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Saturday, August 30Martina McBride8:30 p.m. @ L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake CharlesTickets start at $75

August 14, 201440 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Music is eternal, but music scenes are fl eeting. Have you ever wondered how bands become great? Or how certain regions produce so many musicians that they alter the course of music as we know it? It’s because of you; the brave young men and women who, every night, enjoy live music. So to all of you, thanks. Musicians are inspired by life, art, situations, but mainly, by other musicians. Th ese bands learn from each other, share ideas, and every once in a while, they create something so great that it attaches itself to your memories and will forever serve as a link to the happier days of the past.

Th e ‘90s saw a drastic decline in two things: sexy times and Nick at Nite. But while people weren’t doing it or entering several secret entrances in business attire, they were out supporting their local music scenes. Th e fans’ dedication and selfl ess service gave us such greats as the Pixies, Nirvana, the Flaming Lips, Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction to name a few…oh, and Weezer.

For those of you who weren’t old enough to enjoy the ‘90s, take it from me, it was a pretty good chunk of years. Grunge had killed glam-rock, and quite possibly saved the whole world by doing so; suck it, Dee Snider. But what is truly spectacular is that bands seemed to fi nd a way to make

MUSIC. We all know that when business is involved with any-thing, it devolves to mass appeal. It’s a simple, yet necessary concept. Economies of scale provide the abil-ity to produce a good or service by reducing costs when producing large quantities.

Imagine all of the amazing songs you’ve never heard, the ones that would’ve per-fectly complimented a moment. Th ey were probably murdered by record companies because your moment wasn’t transferable to a large customer base. Record labels have been molest-

ing our music ever since the fi rst album was sold, but the ‘90s said, “We won’t have that s--t!” Bands started revolting against the man and no longer were the days of hairspray and incredibly tight leather pants.

Th ere were several approaches to this musical mutiny. Some were loud and aggressive, some were fl annel, and then there was the mild-mannered method of Weez-er. In 1992, they got their start in the glam-rock heartland of Los Angeles. Th e band is comprised of talented and dedicated musicians, but I believe much of their success can be attributed to their wit and sense of humor.

In the music video for “Buddy Holly,” you see the band perform in a remade Arnold’s Drive-In spliced with clips of Happy Days, and much of their work is riddled with the perfect amount of word-play. Everyone is familiar with “Undone,” “Say it Ain’t So,” “Hash Pipe”, etc. but it is their lesser-known work that has created a cult following for the band.

My personal favorite, “My Name is Jonas”, serves as a time machine for me, bringing me back to my days at Camp Pendleton. One of the Marines there was named Jonas and we would always sing it to him; for some reason, it infuriated the guy. It was amusing to me, but it’s also a great song, even if you don’t know someone

By Warren Bujol

named Jonas. For those of you who are unfa-miliar with any of their work, it is important to understand that there is a good chance that your favorite band was infl uenced by Weezer, and what better way to fi nd great music than to listen to those who had an impact on the music you already love.

You may be asking yourself, “Where can I get myself some of this Weezer?” Well, you’re in luck, my friend. Weezer will be introducing themselves to the wonderful people of Southwest Louisiana on August 14 at L’Auberge Casino Resort—the last Party By the Pool of the season. So do yourself a favor: grab some friends, get your tickets and have some fun: one show at a time. Warren Bujol

August 14, 2014 41Vol. 6 • No. 10

AnglerBaitBarbBassCatch

FilletFishermanLureNetPerch

ReelRiverSinkerStringersWaders

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

Players take turns connecting two dots. When you make a square, put your initials in the box and take another turn. When all dots are connected,

the player with the most boxes wins.

GoneFishin’!

August 14, 201442 Vol. 6 • No. 10

Gertie Duhon, Melinda Conner and Ouida Doty

Bertha Quebodeaux and Lee Bellard

Helen Gaspard, Betty Gaspard and CJ ShuffRay Cart and Martha Gaspard

Ron Granger with Cajun Soul & Friends

CAJUN DANCERCISEWant to preserve the Cajun culture of SWLA

and have great fun doing it? Head to the VFW Post at 2130 Country Club Road the second Saturday of each month! Need a lesson? No

problem… you’ll be cruising the dance fl oor in no time! Ron Granger and Cajun Soul & Friends had this crowd of Cajun diehards on their feet—

a great form of exercise for all ages!

Heather Williams, with Deanna and Alyssa Robinson

Angel Smith, Karen Bailey and Janice Edinger

Jeff and Becky Clark, with Brad and Miriam Melancon Jonathan, Becky and Allie Areno

Roxie Guillotte, Malorie Louviere, Mallory Chaddick with Monica, Haleigh and Ashlyn Waguespack

MARK LOWRY COMEDY SHOWA family crowd came out for an enjoyable evening of spirit-lifting music and laughs to see The Mark Lowry

Comedy Show featuring Grammy Award Winner Jason Crabb at the Rosa Hart Theater. Sponsored by Feed the Children, everyone enjoyed classic and gospel

favorites. Uplifting evening!

August 14, 2014 43Vol. 6 • No. 10

Becky Lou Lacock and Dwayne and Nita Richardson, Shelly Burnworth and Chet Portie

Terry and Nicole Morgan Devin Palomino and Lindsay Kahn

Melissa Richard, Chad Yellott and Cassie Dupont

Veronica Welch with Melanie and Chancey Frith

WHITETAILS UNLIMITED FUNDRAISER

Whitetails Unlimited held their annual banquet at the Lake Charles Civic Center to raise funds to benefi t

projects that uphold the WTU’s mission in support of education, habitat enhancement, the hunting tradi-tion for whitetail deer and more. The silent auction

and raffl es off ered a wide range of products including outfi tter packages, collectables, artwork and various hunting-related items. Hunting season is almost here!

Gage Cooley, Conner Stracener and Garrett Cooley Emily and Kim Bratton

Morgan and Tim ParrishWyatt Snow, Lucy Armistead, Luke Alley and Olive Crawford

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM SASOL SCIENCE SHOW

The Lake Charles Children’s Museum’s Sasol Sci-ence Show is always a big favorite with the kids—

and their families! They enjoyed hands-on demonstrations presented by Sasol employees exploring the fi ve senses, and then went on to explore all the fun and educational exhibits the

museum has to off er. It’s great to be a kid!

Mia Kudla, Eloise Diedrich and Caroline Martel