vol. 17, no. 4 kenner’s community … issues/2008/2008aprks.pdfbuildings – a gas station,...

VOL. 17, NO. 4 KENNER’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1991 APRIL 2008

Cost-cutting measurespay for Kenner’snew computerizedpump stations

Kenner’s free Friday concerts start second year

City officials and the LouisianaDepartment of Environmental Qualityrecently announced that Kenner hasjoined a list of other Louisiana communi-ties (including unincorporated JeffersonParish) that can monitor and operate theirsewerage collection systems remotely inreal time by using a system of electronicsensors and radio signals known asS.C.A.D.A. – Supervisory Control AndData Acquisition. All 79 sewerage lift(pump) stations in Kenner are now part ofa citywide telemetry system that can gath-er information about the stations and con-trol the pumps in the stations using wire-less commands.

Mayor Ed Muniz said SCADA bringsthe city’s sewerage collection system intoa modern management environment.

“Before SCADA, the only way wecould sometimes tell things were not rightat a lift station was to drive by and see if a

The free Music in the Park Concerts atHeritage Park in Kenner’s Rivertown will runfor nine successive Fridays starting April 4.The park is located next to 303 WilliamsBoulevard near the Louisiana Wildlife andFisheries Museum.

The bands will perform at 6:30 p.m. onthe back porch stage of the Kenner ProduceCompany warehouse on the park grounds,nestled among colorful early 20th centurybuildings – a gas station, blacksmith shop,hardware store and a stable. Gates will open at6:00 p.m.

The 2008 Music in the Park series beginson Friday, April 4, with the Benjy DavisProject, a six member group from the BatonRouge and Hammond area that perform inmusical commercials for Abita Beer on localtelevision.

Returning for shows in 2008 are three

bands that appeared in the free concerts duringMusic in the Park’s first year – the GashouseGorillaz on April 25, the Molly Ringwalds onMay 16, and the Chee Weez on May 23.

Four bands scheduled to appear for thefirst time at Music in the Park’s free concertsthis year include Band Camp on April 11,Weathered on April 18, Blackened Blues onMay 2 and Contraflow on May 9.

Closing out the series on May 30 will bethe Top Cats.

“The free concerts offer a good night’sentertainment in a picturesque historical set-ting that is comfortable and safe,” said KennerMayor Muniz.

Food and beverages will be offered forsale by local nonprofits and vendors. Lawnchairs are allowed. For a complete schedule ofbands or more information call Brittani atCommunity Services, 468-7293. �

By ALLAN KATZ

Louisiana’s legislature has just completedtwo of the most reform-minded special ses-sions in the state’s history. The first specialsession dealt with ethics reform and the sec-

ond centered on reform of the state’s businesstax structure.

Governor Bobby Jindal got overwhelmingpassage of both the ethics reform and taxreform packages that he proposed. Thenational news media has generally hailed the

changes as a reform ofLouisiana’s corrupt past.

But, in Kenner, stateSenator Danny Martiny iswondering if the ethicsreform package didn’t gotoo far in forcing all ofthose who offer them-selves up for public

Airport to soundproof 40 more Kenner homes

BARR

YSP

RAG

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By ALLAN KATZ

In a continuing program that dates back to the late1990s, Louis Armstrong New Orleans InternationalAirport is prepared to soundproof 40 homes that lie inthe most-often-used flight paths over the city’s neigh-borhoods.

One of the hopes of both airport officials andKenner residents is that advances in aviation technol-ogy will continue to reduce aircraft noise so that it willnot be the issue in the next decade that it was in the1980s and 90s in Kenner.

“There have been significant gains in reducing air-craft noise in the new generation of planes that makeup most of the traffic patterns today,” said Maggie

continued on page 26



Burst of Bradfordflowers ushers inKenner spring

Williams Boulevard in Rivertown from KennerAvenue to the Mississippi River was festoonedwith blooming Bradford Pear trees on the firstday of spring.

Tony Ligi Danny Martiny Tom Willmott

Did ethics reform go too far?Did ethics reform go too far?

Former state Representative GlennAnsardi recently announced his candidacyfor 24th Judicial District Judge, Division

H, a seat that is cur-rently held byKernan A. “Skip”Hand, who is notseeking reelection.

“As state Repre-sentative, I gained agreat deal of knowl-edge and experiencewriting and passinglegislation,” said

Ansardi. “Serving as judge advocate gen-eral and Kenner magistrate, I learned thatbeing an effective judge, however,requires more than just knowledge of thelaw. It requires experience, temperamentand an understanding of people. I willmake sure that verdicts are aligned withlegislative intent and that those who breakthe law are held accountable.”

Ansardi is a graduate of Holy Crosscontinued on page 26

Former state RepresentativeGlenn Ansardi announcescandidacy for 24thJudicial District Court Judge

Glenn Ansardi

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LIVE MUSICEvery FridayLIVE MUSICEvery FridayLIVE MUSICEvery FridayLIVE MUSICEvery Friday

6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.April 4th

Benjy Davis Project

April 4th

Benjy Davis Project

April 11th

Band Camp

April 11th

Band Camp

April 18th

Weathered

April 18th

Weathered

April 25th

Gashouse Gorillaz

April 25th

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Bring your chair and join us at the Park!No outside food or drink please.

Just 2 minutes from the airport at 2020 Fourth Street – Rivertown – 468-7231, ext. 220www.rivertownkenner.com

Join us aboardthe Star Travelerspaceship andbe part of a mis-sion to exploreall the planetsin our SolarSystem! Thislightheartedplanetariumshow takesaudiences ona fun filled

adventure while introducingbasic facts about the size, temperature, and atmosphere ofeach planet. But beware; the Captain may need yourhelp! Test your math skills as he calls upon you to calculatethe fuel needed for a return trip to Earth!

Running time: 35 minutesTues.-Sat. – 10:00 a.m.

Get up close and personal with the Gas Giants of our SolarSystem! Launched in 1977, two Voyager space probesbegan a two decade long journey of exploration and discov-ery at the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Narrated by Star Trek’s Patrick Stewart, this detailed plane-tarium show offers a recap of the mission’s accomplishments!Audiences will be treated to more than just close-up views ofthe planets, but also views of moons, ring systems andatmospheric storms that were never known to exist before“The Voyager Encounters!”

Running time: 42 minutesTues.-Sat. – 2:00 p.m.

Do you love the 80s? Well, dust off your Moon Boots andParachute Pants and travel back in time to when artists likeDuran Duran, Tears for Fears, and the Eurythmics ruled thepop world! Selections include Lunatic Fringe, Rio, SweetDreams, and She Blinded Me With Science among manyothers!

Running time: 45 minutesTues-Sat. – Noon and 3:00 p.m.

ADMISSIONAdults: $6 per show • Children/Seniors: $5 per show

• Multi-show packages availableChildren: 2-14 years • Seniors: 60 and over

For group reservations,please contact Pat: 468-7231, ext. 222

SHOW SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

Tuesday - Saturday11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM


By ALLAN KATZ

There is a small, friendly disagreementwithin the powerful Kenner legislative del-egation that offers some instructive insightsinto the dilemma facing the great state ofLouisiana, once known as a place tolerantof corruption but now preferring to bethought of as a place where bribery is unac-ceptable and illegal.

Back in the days of my friend, formerGovernor Edwin Washington Edwards,under-the-table payments were known as“The Louisiana Way.” When “TheLouisiana Way” got to be too much for thecitizens to bear, a Louisiana jury sent for-mer Governor Edwards to a federal prisonwhere he resides today.

In response to the Edwardian Era,Louisiana in 2007 elected reformer Bobby

Jindal as governor. Gov. Jindal has just suc-cessfully passed a huge collection of ethicalreform legislation at a special session. Veryfew have dared to suggest that this might beanything but wonderful.

One of the few is state Senator DannyMartiny, a former House member for 13years, who was just elevated overwhelm-ingly by the voters of District 10 to theSenate where he is a first-year committeechairman. Like a child that dared to pointout that the emperor wore no clothes, thesenator questions whether requiring allelected officials, candidates for publicoffice and members of state and localboards and commissions to disclose eachand every source of income and all stocksand property which they own (irrespectiveof any connection to the position whichthey hold) really advances good govern-ment. He is deeply concerned that makingpeople disclose information which hasabsolutely nothing to do with their abilityto perform their duties impartially will donothing more than discourage good andhonest people from offering their time andexpertise to serve in government. Martiny

went further in stating “these reforms won’taffect the bad guys – they aren’t going todisclose their ill-gotten gains anyway”

“Exactly how does that advance goodgovernment?” he asks.

Another Kenner official, who asked notbe named, said the new ethics provisionswill be of great use “to any guys who mightwant to kidnap one of my grandchildren.They can look in the public records and seeexactly how much I have in the bank.”

But, state Representatives Tony Ligiand Tom Willmott, both Kenner residentsjust elected this year as first-term membersof the House of Representatives, respect-fully disagree. They contend that givenLouisiana’s past excesses, the state has nochoice but to go the extra mile or more toshow the world that we have reformed. It isno secret that many national and interna-tional corporations consider Louisiana tobe off the list of places where they mightwant to locate because of our reputationand past tolerance for corruption.

My view is that Senator Martiny is right– some of the provisions of the ethicsreform package are ridiculous and add

nothing to the fight for good government inLouisiana. But I think Representatives Ligiand Willmott are also right. Anyone whosat through the last trial of former GovernorEdwards and his nasty associates could nothelp but agree that corruption had becomea way of life for some in state government.To convince the world that those who dobusiness in Louisiana no longer have to payoff someone to be allowed to operate,Louisiana has to go a long way.

Representative Willmott is also rightwhen he says that Louisiana voters, seem-ingly finally fed up with corruption and itstaint, gave a mandate to those elected in2007 to clean up state government once andfor all. Every revolution brings excesseswith it. Hopefully, the excesses can beremoved over the next few legislative ses-sions.

The Kenner and Jefferson Parishlegislative delegations are looking good

Although it’s too early to know for sure,the re-built Kenner legislative delegation islooking good. When veterans state Senator

By JEFF CROUERE

When the Road Home program wasofficially launched on June 30, 2006,Governor Kathleen Blanco attached hername to the project in a statewide advertis-ing blitz. Within a few months, it was clearthe program was a disaster and Blanco wasforced to withdraw from the governor’srace. The $7.5 billion Road Home programwas beset by problems from the very begin-ning, causing havoc to not only Blanco’spolitical career, but also to thousands ofLouisiana families who were seeking assis-tance after the hurricanes of 2005.

The original contract was awarded to alittle known Fairfax, Virginia firm ICFInternational. It allowed ICF to charge thestate for travel and management fees. Todate, about $600 million has been paid toICF, including $22.3 million in travel andmanagement fees.

The entire amount of the initial contracttotaled $756 million, an astounding fee thatshocked many Louisiana politicalobservers. What is even more shocking isthat on December 7, 2007, in the finalweeks of the Blanco administration, ICF

was given an undeserved $156 million con-tract amendment that boosted their totalbudget to $912 million.

What is even more incredible is that thecitizens and the Louisiana Legislature werenot informed about this budget boost. Itwas public information that ICF was set toreceive $756 million for operating the RoadHome program, but the amendment wasadded in secret, in the waning days of anunpopular administration. The initial con-tract was questionable enough, but theamendment was nothing less than an out-rage. Louisiana State Senator Ed Murray ofNew Orleans was “floored” when helearned about the extra money that wasowed to ICF.

Twenty one months after ICF wasawarded their contract, the company is stillrevising the program. The entire appealsprocess has been changed due to systemicproblems and, at this point, ICF officials donot even know how many people areappealing their grants. If homeowner dis-putes are not resolved by May 8, ICF willowe the state of Louisiana an $800,000fine.

At this point, there have been approxi-mately 104,000 grant closings with another25,000 expected before the program offi-cially ceases to operate. Before the programconcludes and ICF has been paid theirentire contract, a complete investigationneeds to be conducted. The whole RoadHome program mess has been swept under

the rug for too long. It is high time that leg-islators convened a grand, Watergate-stylehearing to investigate this troubled programwhich has been so poorly managed.

According to Louisiana House SpeakerJim Tucker (R-Algiers), an independentcounsel may be hired to lead the investiga-tion of ICF. Such a move is warrantedbecause there are many questions that needto be answered to the satisfaction of thepublic. Here are a few:

Why was the contract so expensive?Why was an out of state firm with no

experience operating such a large programhired in the first place?

What connections exist there betweenthe Blanco administration and ICFInternational?

Did a member of the Blanco adminis-tration or any relative or associate of anadministration figure benefit financiallyfrom this contract?

Why was the $156 million contractamendment awarded to ICF without leg-islative or public approval?

Why did it take so long for theLouisiana Legislature or the Jindal admin-istration to launch an investigation into thiscontract?

While ICF received a lucrative contracttotaling $912 million, thousands of hurri-cane victims have been told that there areno funds left in the Road Home programand many others are still waiting for help.

Public deserves answers concerning Road Home debacle

How far does Louisiana have to go to show we’re not a corrupt place?From the Editor� �

Political Review� �

PublisherTROY BROUSSARD

EditorALLAN KATZ

Managing Editor/Marketing DirectorCANDY LOVITT

Staff Writer/EditorTROY BROUSSARD

Contributing WritersJEFF CROUERE JIM MELCHERS

LYNNE DIMM SHARON SOLOMONED CLANCY SCOTT ZIMMERMAN

JOEY CLEVELAND ARLEETA TERRELLSTEVE CARAWAY CRAIG GOODWIN

M. SUSAN M. FELDER PAOLO ZAMBITOGLENN DOTTOLO LINDA R. MARTIN

KEN TRAHAN DAN DORMADYSEAN HUNTER RAFAEL E. SADDY

AARON BROUSSARD SMITA PATELED MUNIZ KEITH M. DARCEY

RON HAMPTON YVETTE DUSSOUYCHARLES P. MURPHY

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Kenner Star is published monthly and is distributed bydirect mail free to all 20,600 registered voter households

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consultation regarding that subject matter.continued on page 22

APRIL 2008 Vol. 17 No. 4



Kenner’s emergency plan update

By ED MUNIZKenner Mayor

“Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days ofsummer…”

Nat “King” Cole

Summers are always a special time inKenner. But, before we get there, the 2008hurricane season, starting June 1, is justtwo months away. During the “off ” seasonwe have been busy updating parts of thecity’s emergency plan and developing newsegments to add to it.

The plan now has a section dealing withtornadoes. We have had several dry runswith tornado watches and were lucky thatno tornados have come our way. We gener-ally follow the parish protocol regardingtornado watches and warnings and haveprovided the Woodlake Gymnasium as ashelter for Kenner residents who live inFEMA or other trailers.

Fortunately, trailer residents have so farnot needed to seek refuge in the WoodlakeGym; but it is routinely opened wheneverthere is a tornado watch or a high windwarning. I hope we never really need thegym for those reasons.

At the City Council’s March 13 meet-ing, city officials asked FEMA representa-tives to do what they could to assist the res-idents of the 400 trailers that remain in thecity to move out, so they can relocate toapartments and be protected from strongwind events and from the effects offormaldehyde in some trailers.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, therewere 4,500 FEMA trailers in Kenner andthe number is now down to 400. FEMAofficials said they hope to reduce that num-ber by 100 trailers a month until they are allgone.

By the time you read this, the emer-gency plan with the hurricane and tornadoelements will be available on the city’swebsite, www.kenner.la.us. When you getto the city’s main web page, look for andclick the “City Emergency Plan” link nearthe bottom of the left column.

Because of the enormous threat hurri-canes pose for our city, most of our emer-

gency plan efforts during the past year havebeen directed toward providing a full planfor hurricanes. There have been someupdates in this regard since last summer –often to compliment aspects of theJefferson Parish and Louisiana plans.

During that time, administrative staffershave attended emergency planning confer-ences locally and elsewhere in the state.Some are now FEMA certified inEmergency Incident Command andEmergency Incident Management andreceived continuing education units inHazardous Materials Incident Responseand Hurricane Emergency Planning.

After a recent meeting with representa-tives of the Louisiana Department ofEnvironmental Quality, we are also work-ing on a plan section dealing with non-ter-rorist incidents at the Waterford III nuclearpower plant. We share a common borderwith St. Charles Parish, where WaterfordIII is located, and Kenner has more than apassing interest in what happens at thenuclear plant in Taft, La.

Also, the administration’s EmergencyPlan Study Group is now beginning workon new sections dealing with hazardousmaterials incidents and accidents involvingLouis Armstrong New OrleansInternational Airport. The airport occupies20 percent of Kenner’s land mass near thegeographical city center, and you have toagree that any major accident there willdirectly affect our city.

While the city has invested many man

hours developing an emergency plan andassisting in the protection of city infra-structure both before and after a majorstorm, the responsibility for safeguardingprivate property and individuals rests withindividuals themselves to prepare for astorm, evacuate when necessary, return tosurvey and repair damage when it’s safe,and care for themselves and their familymembers.

Although the emergency plan is a help-ful guide, we all owe it to ourselves to planahead and hope we never have to imple-ment the plan if the Lord will help usthrough another hurricane season safely.

Remembering Al Copeland for his loveof, and contributions to, New Orleans

Al Copeland was one of our communi-ty’s greatest entrepreneurs and contributors.From restaurants to speedboats to spectac-ular holiday displays, his accomplishmentsand personality were often larger than life.Despite his enormous success, he never losttouch with the things that matter the most.He loved people in general, children in par-ticular, and celebrations especially – fromChristmas to Mardi Gras. He will always beremembered for his love of, and contribu-tions to, the New Orleans area. My deepestsympathies are with his family in their timeof sadness.�

Mayor Muniz can be reached at 468-7240.

Government� �

With the combined efforts of HaileyBowen, landscape architect, and KathyDuTreil, grants specialist, from Kenner’sPlanning Department, and the LouisianaDepartment of Agriculture and Forestry(LDAF) in cooperation with the UnitedStates Forestry Service, the city of Kennerrecently secured a $50,000 hurricane sup-plemental grant. The grant was awarded forthe purpose of the restoration ofLouisiana’s urban forests directly affectedby Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The planting locations were selected inconsultation with the Kenner Tree Board,and were based upon a predetermined set ofpriorities including existing canopy cover-age and public impact. The grant whichalso funded tree planting in other areasthroughout the city, paid for 78 nuttal oaktrees, 29 eagleston holly trees and nine chi-nese pistachio trees on Veterans Boulevardbetween Williams and Loyola Boulevards.Veterans Boulevard was selected for plant-ing because it provides the first impressionof the New Orleans metro area for airport

travelers and because this area had anexceptional lack of tree canopy coverage.To have the greatest potential for impact,the remaining portion of the grant helpedpay for planting 23 cypress trees betweenWilliams Boulevard and the Duncan Canalon Joe Yenni Boulevard, a smaller areawhere an exceptional quantity of trees weredamaged due to the storms.

“We are very grateful to the LDAF andU.S. Forest Service for providing this gen-erous grant. In 2000, the USDA conducteda study of 171 Louisiana communities. Outof all of the communities analyzed, onlyKaplan had less tree coverage thanKenner,” said Bowen, “Since that time,Kenner lost an uncounted number of treesdue to Hurricane Katrina. We must reforestKenner in order to protect our property val-ues, improve our air quality, reduce ourdependence on air conditioning, reduce ourpotential for rainwater flooding and attractbusinesses, shoppers and residents.Reforestation will help improve our qualityof life and the reputation of Kenner.” �

139 trees planted onKenner City property

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Government� �

Identity theft: It could happen to you

By STEVE CARAWAYKenner Police Chief

Identity theft is a serious and all toocommon crime occurring in neighborhoodsthroughout America. It involves a person orpersons unlawfully acquiring your personalinformation to gain access to your financialaccounts and/or to fraudulently use yourgood name. If you think you’re immune toidentity theft, you’re wrong. It’s reportedthat over eight million adult Americanswere the victims of identity fraud just lastyear. It’s very easy to fall victim to this typeof crime and often times very hard to getyour life back in order once it has happenedto you. If you’ve failed to receive bills orother mail, received credit cards or accountstatements for which you did not apply,been denied credit for no apparent reason,and/or received calls or letters from debtcollectors or companies about merchandiseor services you didn’t buy, you may be thevictim of identity theft.

Here are some ID theft prevention tips:Deposit all outgoing mail at the post

office or in a blue postal collection boxinstead of a residential mail box. Don’t letmail sit in your residential mailbox duringweekends or overnight and remove deliv-ered mail as soon as possible.

Shred or tear up all financial and per-

sonal documents, pre-approved creditapplications, and old credit cards beforeyou throw them out.

Don’t carry your Social Security cardwith you and refrain from writing yourSocial Security number or having it printedon your checks. Only reveal this informa-tion when absolutely necessary or ask touse another form of ID.

Beware of mail or telephone solicita-tions that offer prizes or awards, especiallyif you’re asked for personal information orfinancial account numbers. It’s never agood idea to give out personal informationover the phone, through the mail, or overthe Internet, unless you know you’re deal-ing with a reputable company and you’veinitiated the contact.

Don’t disclose personal or financialinformation on a website unless the siteoffers a secure transaction. You can be surea web page is secure if you see an icon of alock at the bottom of the web browser pageor the URL for the web page changes from“http” to “https” for the page at which youinput the personal data.

Don’t use obvious passwords like yourbirth date, mother’s maiden name or thelast four digits of your Social Security num-ber. Also, don’t carry written-down pass-words with you.

Check your financial statements regu-larly, making sure all of the activity is accu-rate.

Report lost or stolen credit cards imme-diately.

As a precautionary measure, order a

copy of your credit report at least once ayear from each of the three major creditreporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, andTransUnion. These three companies arerequired by law to provide you with a freecopy of your credit report each year if youask for it. To order your free credit reports,visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or write to Annual CreditReport Request Service, P.O. Box 105281,Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Once you obtainyour credit reports, check them carefullyfor any activity that you did not authorizeand also check for accounts that you mayhave forgotten to close. Sometimes thievestake over these old accounts and use themto order new credit cards and checks.

If you suspect your identity has beenstolen, you need to take immediate actionto limit possible damage. Place a fraud alerton your credit reports and review themcarefully. You can place an initial 90-dayfraud alert with Equifax at 1-800-525-6285, Experian at 1-888-397-3742, orTransUnion at 1-800-680-7289. You’ll alsoneed to close any accounts that may havebeen tampered with or established fraudu-lently.

If you think you may be the victim ofidentity theft, contact the Kenner Police

Department immediately. The sooner weknow about fraudulent charges to your per-sonal accounts or the fraudulent use of youridentity, the sooner we can help you getyour life back in order. Filing a police reportwill also give creditors proof that a crimewas actually committed. You should alsocontact your local U.S. Postal inspector ifyou believe your identity was stolen throughpersonal documents in the mail. You cancontact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at1-877-876-2455 for this information or visithttp://postalinspectors.uspis.gov to file acomplaint online, find the phone numberfor your local postal inspector, and to getinformation on identity theft. It is also agood idea to report ID theft to the FederalTrade Commission, as this information willhelp other law enforcement officials in theirinvestigations. You can call the FTC’s iden-tity theft hotline at 1-877-438-4338 or sub-mit a report online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.The FTC’s identity theft website is also agreat resource to help you “deter, detect anddefend” against ID theft. �

Chief Caraway can be reached by emailat [email protected]. Visit the KennerPolice Department website at www.kenner-pd.com.

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By ALLAN KATZ

Kenner’s new civil service director ispreparing for the full implementation of a newpersonnel system within city government that

will includec o m p e t i t i v eexaminations, am e r i t - b a s e demployee eval-uation programand a prohibi-tion of politicalactivities bycity employees.

A v i eF o n t e n o t ,Kenner’s first

civil service director, aided by VernonWelman, Jr., civil service administrator, andMartin Schwegmann, civil service consult-ant, are currently reviewing employmenttesting materials and programs in order todevelop competitive examinations for allopen positions. Fontenot is also currentlyprocessing applications for the position ofcivil service specialist.

In addition, Fontenot is evaluating

efforts by an independent consulting firmto conduct a comprehensive classificationand salary study for all the employees in thecivil service system. Fontenot says thestudy will help the city establish competi-tive salaries to attract qualified personnel toopen positions as well as retain the city’sexisting valuable workforce.

Also underway is the development of awebsite for the Civil Service Department. Thewebsite will provide information concerningthe civil service system, testing procedures,the appeals process as well as a description ofrestricted political activities. The site will alsoannounce position vacancies and detail theapplication process for interested parties.

Fontenot says, “Our Civil ServiceDepartment is going to take a proactiveapproach to recruiting and retaining Kenner’sworkforce. Our initiatives will include partic-ipating in local career fairs as well as pre-senting our job opportunities to schools,vocational and technical colleges, and univer-sities to promote the benefits of public sectoremployment. We believe that the city ofKenner offers great career opportunities andwe want to continue to attract resourceful,capable individuals to fill these positions.” �

New civil service developing

Avie Fontenot


round training has become more the action of themajority rather than the minority.

The magnitude of youth sports participation in theUnited States is overwhelming. There are approximately35 million children and young adults between the ages ofsix and 21 participating in sports. Training for these sportshas become more sport-specific and nearly continuous,while overuse injuries are now more common amongyoung athletes. A recent study has shown that 30 to 50 per-cent of all pediatric sports injuries are due to overuse andoccur with twice the frequency of acute injuries.

Overuse injuries result from repetitive trauma thatleads to inflammation and/or local tissue damage. Thetissue damage can result in tendonitis, stress fracture,synovitis, entrapment syndromes and ligament strains.These injuries are most likely to occur when the athletechanges their intensity or duration of training, as well aswhen the athlete is not well conditioned or not instruct-ed in proper mechanics in performing their sport, there-by causing increased stress in their joints.

There are many factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic,that contribute to overuse injury. Some intrinsic factorsinclude the growth of the athlete in which their growthcartilage becomes susceptible to repetitive stress,inflexibility, muscle imbalance/weakness, prior injuryand inadequate conditioning. Some extrinsic factorsinclude a too-rapid training progression and/or inade-quate rest, inappropriate equipment, incorrect sporttechnique/mechanics, training on hard or uneven sur-faces and adult or peer pressure to succeed.

Some of the most common overuse injuries seen in

young athletes are “Little League elbow” or injury tothe medial compartment of the throwing elbow in theoverhand thrower, shin splints in the running athlete,shoulder tendonitis in the swimmer, knee pain in thefemale athlete and low back pain in the gymnast. Mostof these injuries can be avoided by recognizing andunderstanding the factors that contribute to theseinjuries. Proper pre-season training to improve flexibil-ity, conditioning and strength is vital to help avoidinjury. Having the proper coaching is also critical inavoiding repetitive stress injury and injury fromimproper mechanics in sport-specific activities.

As parents, we must protect our young athletes andmost of all; we must allow them to mature in their sportwhile not pushing them to become superstars at tooyoung an age. Pushing our children too hard at a youngage while expecting too much success early can notonly lead to overuse injuries during the year, but canalso cause that young athlete to “burn-out” and losemotivation to participate at all. �

Craig Goodwin, physical therapist, is president ofKenner Orthopedic and Sports Therapy, located at 3921Williams Boulevard with two other locations inMetairie and on the West Bank. Goodwin graduatedfrom LSU Medical School Department of Allied Health,Department of Physical Therapy, in 1987. Anyone whohas experienced an injury and would like to find outwhy it happened and what can be done to help restorenormal function in that area, can email the profession-als at [email protected].

Overuse injuries in the young athleteHealth� �

By CRAIG GOODWIN

When looking at the sports world facing a young male orfemale athlete, our society in regard to training has become one of“more is better.” Isolating a young athlete in one sport with year-

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By SUSAN M. FELDER D.D.S.

Do I need a mouth protector?Anyone who participates

in a sport that carries a signif-icant risk of injury shouldwear a mouth protector. Thisincludes a wide range ofsports like football, hockey,basketball, baseball, gymnas-tics and volleyball.

Mouth protectors, whichtypically cover the upper

teeth, can cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk ofbroken teeth and injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth. Ifyou wear braces or another fixed dental appliance on yourlower jaw, your dentist may suggest a mouth protector forthese teeth as well.What are the advantages of using a mouth protector?

Accidents can happen during any physical activity. Amouth protector can help cushion a blow to the face that oth-erwise might result in an injury to the mouth. A misdirectedelbow in a one-on-one basketball game or a spill off a bicyclecan leave you with chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to atooth or even tooth loss. A mouth protector can limit the riskof such injuries as well as protect the soft tissues of yourtongue, lips and cheek lining.

A properly fitted mouth protector will stay in place whileyou are wearing it, making it easy for you to talk and breathe.Are there different types of mouth protectors?

There are three types of mouth protectors:Stock

Stock mouth protectors are inexpensive and come pre-formed,ready to wear. Unfortunately, they often don’t fit very well. Theycan be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.

Boil and biteBoil and bite mouth protectors also can be bought at

many sporting goods stores and may offer a better fit thanstock mouth protectors. They should be softened in water,then inserted and allowed to adapt to the shape of yourmouth. If you don’t follow the directions carefully you canwind up with a poor-fitting mouth protector.Custom-fitted

Custom-fitted mouth protectors are made by your dentistfor you personally. They are more expensive than the other ver-sions, but because they are customized they can offer a better fitthan anything you can buy off the shelf.I wear braces. Can I use a mouth protector?

A properly fitted mouth protector may be especiallyimportant for people who wear braces or have fixed bridgework. A blow to the face could damage the brackets or otherfixed orthodontic appliances. A mouth protector also providesa barrier between the braces and your cheek or lips, limitingthe risk of soft tissue injuries.

Talk to your dentist or orthodontist about selecting amouth protector that will provide the best protection.Although mouth protectors typically only cover the upperteeth, your dentist or orthodontist may suggest that you use amouth protector on the lower teeth if you have braces onthese teeth too.

If you have a retainer or other removable appliance, donot wear it during any contact sports.

The preceding article was based on information obtainedfrom the American Dental Association website atwww.ada.org/public/topics/mouthguards_faq.asp. �

Susan M. Felder D.D.S. is a general dentist who haspracticed continuously in north Kenner for over 30 years. Dr.Felder’s office is located at 4134 Florida Avenue, Suite 101and she can be reached at 469-6333.

Mouthguards


Health� �

By THOMAS R. LYONS, M.D.

Knee pain related todegenerative joint disease orosteoarthritis (OA) is verycommon, affecting millionsof Americans. The kneejoint cartilage undergoeswear and degenerative tearsassociated with advancingage. Additional risk factorsfor OA of the knee includebeing overweight, prior

joint injury, a family history of arthritis, muscle weak-ness or imbalance, and deformity of the joint.

Hyaluronic acid is a normal component of knee jointsynovial fluid. Synovial fluid in the knee acts as a lubri-cant and shock absorber. In patients with OA of the knee,the concentration of hyaluronic acid in synovial fluid isreduced to below one half of normal concentration.

An evaluation by your orthopedic surgeon is neces-

sary to properly diagnose your knee condition. If degen-erative cartilage and OA is the source of your knee pain,your orthopedist may offer you the option of hyaluron-ic acid injections. The injections are usually given in aseries of five injections with one injection per week forfive weeks. The goal of hyaluronic acid injections is tosupplement the decreased hyaluronic acid in the arthrit-ic knee synovial fluid. Reactions to hyaluronic acidinjections are rare and typically resolve in one to twodays. Although results vary, many patients with mild tomoderate knee OA feel significant pain relief followinghyaluronic acid injections. �

Thomas R. Lyons M.D. is a board certified orthope-dic surgeon practicing at the Orthopedic Center forSports Medicine located at 671 West Esplanade Avenuein Kenner and in Metairie at 4921 Airline Drive. TheOrthopedic Center is a multi-specialty center dedicatedto complete musculoskeletal care with focused expertisein shoulder and knee care. For additional informationcall 467-5900.

Hyaluronic acid injectionsfor knee osteoarthritis

By PAOLO ZAMBITO, R.N.

Most women of child-bearing age are healthy andwill succeed in having anuncomplicated or “lowrisk” pregnancy. Accordingto Dr. John McCrossen, anobstetrician and gynecolo-gist with Rue De SanteWomen’s Center, the bestway to have a healthy babyis by living a healthylifestyle.

When it comes to medical care and pregnancy, youcan never start too early. “The best start to having ahealthy baby is to see your health-care provider beforeyou conceive,” says Dr. McCrossen, who delivers babiesat Ochsner Medical Center-Kenner. Some of the thingsthat you should discuss with your doctor before con-ceiving are controlling any medical illnesses, ensuring ahealthy diet, keeping current on vaccinations and dentalwork, evaluating certain genetic conditions and smok-ing cessation.

Once you’re pregnant, your health professional willusually schedule monthly visits in the beginning thatincrease in frequency to once weekly over the course ofthe pregnancy. Research has shown that pregnantwomen who get adequate prenatal care are more likelyto have healthy babies and fewer complications duringpregnancy, labor and postpartum.

Adequate nutrition is another crucial factor in havinga healthy baby. Although many women believe that eat-ing for two means eating twice as much, Dr. McCrossenexplains that a pregnant woman requires about 300 addi-tional calories a day. Those extra calories should benutritious ones. Pregnant women need a balanced dietcomplete with protein, fruits, vegetables and wholegrains with a minimum of sweets and saturated fats.

Adequate intake of folic acid is important before andduring pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects.Pregnant women, as well as any woman who could

become pregnant, should take a daily vitamin with 400micrograms of folic acid every day. Natural sources offolic acid include green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans andcitrus fruits. Additionally, many foods are fortified withfolic acid including cereals, rice, breads and pastas.

Calcium and iron are also especially important dur-ing pregnancy. “A daily vitamin supplement, while notan adequate substitute for a healthy diet, helps withoverall nutrition when a woman’s diet is inadequate,”says Dr. McCrossen.

Increasing medical evidence shows that exercise ishealthy during pregnancy. Walking, swimming, riding astationary bicycle and joining a prenatal aerobics classare all excellent exercise choices for a pregnant woman.Physical activity during pregnancy can benefit both youand your baby by lessening discomfort and fatigue, pro-viding a sense of well being, and increasing the likeli-hood of early recovery after delivery. However, Dr.McCrossen advises that you should always check withyour doctor before beginning any kind of exercise, espe-cially during pregnancy.

Rue De Sante Women’s Center recently opened asecond location in Kenner and Dr. McCrossen is accept-ing new patients. To schedule an appointment, pleasecall 985-652-2441. �

Paolo Zambito, R.N., is chief executive officer atOchsner Medical Center-Kenner and has served in thisrole for three years. Zambito has been at the Kennerfacility for over 16 years. For more information, contactOMC-Kenner at the corner of West Esplanade andLoyola Avenue in Kenner, call 468-8600 or visitwww.ochsner.org.

Healthy mom, healthy baby

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By JOEY CLEVELAND

“Unless the Lord build the house, Theylabor in vain who build it.” (Ps. 127).

For the past two weeks, I have struggledto write this column. Unlike my late hus-band who had an amazing ability to com-municate on a multitude of topics extempo-raneously, I feel I am only somewhat quali-fied to write from my own life’s experi-ences. In order to do a modest job of that, Istill need inspiration from without andwithin.

I am attempting to write April’s columnon Good Friday, which will be history bythe time you read this; however, this specialmemorial to Christ’s passion and death hasput me in a somber mood, enabling me tofeel not only the pain of his sacrifice, butalso the pain our great city has experiencedprimarily from the destruction of Katrina.Thousands of people continue to struggleto rebuild their lives from this natural dis-aster while even more of us struggle to

make sense of it. Was God attempting toget our attention by allowing this devastat-ing storm or was it just chance or bad luck?

I recently came across a booklet writtenby Msgr. Bob Guste entitled Katrina, Ritaand God, and in it he bravely attempts toexplore the possibilities we have to rebuildour lives and our city better than they werebefore. I would like to share with you someof his thoughts because I believe theminsightful, helpful and perhaps prophetic.

Those of us in the Kenner area wereunder a mandatory evacuation, and the firstpeople we thought about were our familymembers. Many of us ended up sharingclose quarters for an indefinite period oftime with our families in unfamiliar sur-roundings. There were thousands of storiesof relationships that bonded during thistime, as well as families broken apart andliving in miserable and crowded conditions.In times of crisis the differences we maynormally feel between us and people ofother races or religions disappear. It is intimes like these that we realize how muchwe need each other, and Msgr. Gustebelieves that, through the storms, God isagain calling us to keep working togetherfor the common good, overcoming differ-ences of race and religion. We are all

beloved children of God in one giant fami-ly.

Another lesson from Katrina was thereminder that no one knows when deathwill come for us, as thousands learned whoperished in the flood waters after it wasbelieved the greatest threat was over. Weare wise if we live in the present moment asif it were our last. We are reminded that wewere created for heaven, and if we try tolive our lives in accordance with God’s will,thoughts of gaining heaven can give joy toour hearts in every circumstance.

Initially, most of us lacked full electri-cal service and lived without television orother electrical appliances we normallytake for granted. Since our televisions did-n’t work, many of us rediscovered commu-nication with our families and spent time inrecreation with each other when we weren’tworking on our homes. The television isjust a vehicle for viewing programs, and ithas no moral value itself; however, we allknow there’s an overwhelming amount ofgarbage that flows freely over the airwaves,and from time to time I think it’s a reallygood idea to re-evaluate what we permit tobe viewed and heard in our homes. Withfour generations living in my house now,I’m sure I’ve got some negotiating to do.

Another expression that we’ve said andheard frequently since Katrina wiped out alot of material goods from many homes is,“It’s just stuff.” Everything we own can bewashed away, burnt up or destroyed in amoment, but our deeper, spiritual realitiesand our treasured family and friends willremain untouched. Although I had minimaldamage to my home, I was so impressed bythe losses of our citizens that I cleaned outmy attic and have given away a lot of bedlinens and clothing that can be used by oth-ers. I have absolutely no need to carry theburden of unnecessary, accumulated mate-rial goods that are gathering dust. I havemore closets to clean out, but I’m lighten-ing my load, and it feels really good.

Our French Quarter is at the heart of thecity, and we know how important it is toretain its beauty and history. We also knowof the national reputation that BourbonStreet has gained for us…“sin city” where“anything goes.” We need to focus on thishistoric landmark and restore it to its origi-nal beauty and significance, and theresponsibility belongs to all of us…one that

we’ve neglected for far too long.For ten years I worked for New Orleans

Right to Life in the local high schools. Thiswork increasingly made me aware of thetragedy of abortion and its effects onwomen’s lives and the deaths of their chil-dren. I remember thanking God in the daysfollowing Katrina that all the abortion clin-ics were shut, and no babies were beingkilled for the first time since 1973 (Roe v.Wade). Msgr. Guste points out that “Awhole generation of young people hasgrown up in a schizophrenic society. Theyare told by the highest court of the land thatit’s legal to kill certain innocent people;they are also told by the courts that it’s ille-gal to kill others.” We are then exhorted towitness at the abortion “clinics” with ourchurch congregations, after being taughtwhat is legal and what is not. As he remindsus with a quotation by Edmund Burke, “Allthat is necessary for the triumph of evil isthat good men do nothing.” Katrina hasgiven us an opportunity to strive more thanever to build a culture of life.

Where to begin? We need to begin withourselves, conducting our affairs and ourbusinesses with integrity, honesty andacknowledging our dependence on God.We need to prayerfully seek the Lord’s willin every area of our lives before we caneffectively tackle the huge problems ourcity faces. I know that since Carl died, Ihave been dealing with family needs andissues; however, I also yearn to be of serv-ice in the larger community and trust that inGod’s time I will get my marching orders.

May “the city that care forgot” never bethe city that forgot to care. May it alsonever be a city that forgets “There is a justGod who presides over the destiny ofnations” (Patrick Henry, 1775) and whosecommand “even the wind and sea…obey(Lk 8:25).”

Msgr. Bob Guste’s booklet, Katrina,Rita and God can be purchased at Mule’sReligious and Office Supply, PaulineBooks and Media and the Catholic BookStore. �

Joey Cleveland is the widow of CarlCleveland, the Kenner Star Faithwalkcolumnist from 1998 until his death July2006. Joey Cleveland can be reached viaemail at [email protected].

Faithwalk� �

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Fitness� �

By YVETTE DUSSOUY

The bene-fits of exer-cise continueduring preg-n a n c y .P h y s i c i a n srecognize thatcontinuing toexercise dur-ing a healthypregnancy canreduce back-

ache, headache, and swelling; improvemood; improve posture; control weightgain; promote muscle strength andendurance, and promote sleep.

With physician approval, exercisers cancontinue to enjoy these benefits well intotheir pregnancies. To ensure that they exer-cise safely and effectively, they should beaware of the following changes and needsthat develop within their bodies.Physiological changes in pregnancy

The cardiovascular (CV) and muscu-loskeletal systems in the woman’s body arethe most affected during pregnancy.Cardiovascular changes

Cardiovascular changes occur in sever-al ways. There is an increase in total bloodvolume of 50 percent by the end of the thirdtrimester, the bulk of which occurs duringthe initial weeks of pregnancy.Accompanying this is an increase of 10 to15 beats per minute in the resting heart rateand an increase in the amount of blood theheart pumps per beat. The implication tothe exerciser is that the CV changes listed,along with increasing body weight, puts amuch higher demand on the heart to meetthe oxygen needs of daily life as well asexercise. This increased workload on theheart leads to a decreased ability of thepregnant woman to exercise at the samelevel of intensity she previously enjoyed.Musculoskeletal changes

The spine undergoes changes in its natu-ral curvature. The enlarging uterus leads to anincreased lordosis (swayback), and enlargingbreasts lead to an increased kyphosis (round-ed shoulders). These conditions alter the cen-ter of gravity and lead to potential lower backpain. Additionally, the pregnancy hormones,relaxin and progesterone, act to soften theligaments that surround the joints of thepelvic region. This softening makes thesejoints very flexible, and the potential ofinjury exists in these very mobile joints.Nutritional needs

Pregnant women require an additional300 calories per day to meet the increasedmetabolic needs. Research has shown thatthese additional calories need to be in theform of complex carbohydrates, which arethe fetus’ primary energy source.Tips for pregnant exercisers

First, have your proposed exercise regi-men approved by your doctor.Warm-up

Take special care to warm up slowly –

heart rate is already higher than pre-preg-nancy levels.

Watch your posture – keep movementssmooth and controlled.Aerobic segment

Monitor your heart rate and breathingrate. Pace yourself accordingly.

The change in weight distribution altersbalance.

Incorporate modifications using no-impact options.

Flexible joints will not handle large andimpact moves well. Modify the movements.

Wear comfortable and supportive attireand footwear.

Heat production increases during preg-nancy. Avoid exercising on hot, humiddays. Drink six to eight ounces of waterevery 20 minutes while exercising.

If using a step, reduce the height aspregnancy progresses and weight increases.Or, eliminate the step.

Avoid circuit classes.Muscle strength training

The pre-pregnancy abilities and theamount of weight gain will determine theamount of weight you can safely lift.

Stand, sit on a chair, or use a resist-a-ball. The enlarging abdomen will cause youto alter the position of your body duringsome movements.

Watch your wrist alignment. Waterretention can cause pain and numbness ifthe wrist is put in a compromised positionwhen using hand weights.

Avoid the supine (on back) positionafter the first trimester (12 weeks). The useof a step as a slant board or a ball is a greatoption for abdominal work, allowing formodified crunches. When unable to docrunches, pelvic tilts are a perfect option.

Do not use leg weights after the firsttrimester.

Avoid one leg standing routines as bal-ance can be difficult.

If hip adduction/abduction is uncom-fortable modify the movements.Cool down

Ascend gradually.Avoid over-stretching.Moderate exercise during a normal

pregnancy can provide wonderful physicalbenefits. The goal of exercising while preg-nant should be maintaining health and fit-ness –not achieving new milestones.�

Yvette Dussouy, for over 15 years hasowned and operated the Kenner JazzerciseFitness Center, which has recently moved toa new location, 4228 Williams Boulevard. Acertified instructor for over 18 years,Dussouy has been awarded Pacesetter Elitestatus by Jazzercise, Inc. for the past tenyears. Dussouy can be reached at 464-4600or [email protected]. The KennerJazzercise Center has classes early morn-ing, morning, afternoon, evenings andweekends – some include childcare. Thisclass schedule includes classes for the over-weight through the very fit. For the com-plete schedule visit www.jazzercise.com.

Pregnancy and exercise

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ONE Ochsner. Many Choices.


By KEN TRAHAN

It simply did not figure this way fol-lowing the events of August of 2005.Prognosticators everywhere were castinggloom and doom upon the local sportslandscape. The Saints, Hornets, UNO andTulane were displaced. The VooDoo took aleave of absence. Rumors of losing both theSaints and Hornets were rampant. ZephyrField, home of the New Orleans Zephyrs,had some suites damaged and ransacked.Prep games were cancelled with manyprominent student athletes departing andnot returning, such as basketball stars D.J.Augustin of Brother Martin and DwightLewis of Archbishop Rummel.

With this landscape, it was easy to seewhy many felt sports were a dying breed inthe New Orleans area. That is why what hasemerged is so exciting. Like the Phoenix,New Orleans sports has risen from theashes. UNO and Tulane returned. TheZephyrs followed. The Saints came home.The Hornets followed suit. The VooDoo

returned. We are whole again. Of course,having these entities is one thing – watch-ing them experience the success we haveseen is another thing.

UNO will return to a refurbishedLakefront Arena this fall. They have a newscoreboard at Maestri Field. The baseballteam of Tom Walter went to the NCAAtournament in 2007. The basketball teamrecently completed a winning season.Tulane has opened a gorgeous baseballfacility in Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.Bob Toledo provides hope for the footballfaithful. Dave Dickerson’s team had a win-ning season. The Zephyrs played for aleague title in 2007. They will have a brandnew field to play on in 2008. Of course, theSaints had a magical season in 2006, thebest ever. Fans responded in record num-bers. The Hornets are now regularly draw-ing sellout crowds as the team is having aspecial season to remember, conjuring upcomparisons to the Saints’ 2006 season.The VooDoo are back, drawing well, andplaying well. Their defense is nails whileDanny Wimprine has led a solid offense tothree straight wins at press time.

Just up the road in Baton Rouge, LSUwon a second national football title in fourseasons, doing so in New Orleans for the

second straight time. Tiger baseball is aboutto get a brand new Alex Box Stadium in2009. LSU basketball is set to get a newcoach while the Tigers are set to get a newathletic director as well. Prep sports are aliveand well, thriving on all fronts while provid-ing an incredible sense of “home” to many.

Who knows how the Hornets andVooDoo seasons will end? Of course, thepromise is there for some great things.Regardless of what transpires, one can cer-tainly make the argument that these are“glory days” when it comes to local sports.Have we ever had it better? This is a legiti-mate question. Considering where we havecome from, it is especially gratifying. It washard to find anyone who felt that we wouldeven have a major league franchise as of late2005. We still have both, with the prospectof keeping both looming larger than ever.The Zephyrs had an increase in attendancein 2007 and hope to repeat that success thisseason. In baseball, LSU, Tulane and UNOall have legitimate opportunities to make theNCAA tournament this season.

While kudos go to the front offices ofthe Saints, Hornets, Zephyrs and VooDoofor putting good products on the field, thecredit largely belongs to the beleagueredfans of the greater New Orleans area.

Besieged by large bills to repair homes andfaced with the threat of losing their teams,fans have responded with an outpouring oflove and support for all of our teams. Theyare the heart and soul of these entities, aswell as our community. While there ismuch to be determined, these are greattimes for sports here. Let us hope that weare truly entering the “glory days” of NewOrleans sports. �

Ken Trahan serves as program andsports director of WGSO 990AM/WGSO.com. Trahan is the also thegeneral manager and chairman of theboard of the Saints Hall of Fame Museum,writes a column/blog for NOLA.com andruns the Life Resources Sports Ministry.

Sports� �

Days for local sports

Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine is a multispecialty center of excellence dedi-cated to providing the highest quality care for patients with injury or disease of themusculoskeletal system. Charles P. Murphy, M.D., Thomas R. Lyons, M.D. and LuisM. Espinoza, M.D. are fellowship trained and board certified orthopedic surgeons.Their practice encompasses sports medicine, arthroscopy, joint replacement sur-gery, fracture care, and occupational injuries with focused expertise in surgery ofthe shoulder and knee. The Orthopedic Center utilizes in house physical therapists

to facilitate recovery following injury or surgery. We are pleased to announce theaddition of an extremity MRI at our Metairie office for added patient convenience.

Drs. Espinoza, Murphy, and Lyons are pleased to announce their association asorthopedic consultants to the New York Mets AAA affiliate New Orleans Zephyrs.

671 W. Esplanade Avenue, Suite 100, Kenner 467-59004921 Airline Drive, Metairie 889-2663

ORTHOPEDIC CENTER FOR SPORTS MEDICINELuis M. Espinoza, M.D., Charles P. Murphy, M.D., Thomas R. Lyons, M.D.

LUIS M. ESPINOZA, M.D.

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By JAMES L. MELCHERS

With the passage of Act 974 in 2001 bythe Louisiana Legislature, the independentadministration of an estate became a reali-ty. This act not only streamlined the probateprocess, it also became more cost efficient.

Prior to 2001, when an estate wasopened where there was a will, the executorwas confirmed; when there was not a will,an administrator was appointed and con-firmed. Thereafter, each and every actionfor the estate by the executor or administra-tor was filtered through the court. Forexample, if there was real estate to be sold,a petition specifically addressing the pieceof property would have to be filed with thecourt. The sale would have to be advertisedon two separate occasions in the officialnewspaper of the parish, and if there wereno objections, the judge would sign anorder allowing the sale. The advertisingcosts were sometimes quite high.

The law which became effective August15, 2001 allows an independent administra-

tion as long as the applicable law is fol-lowed. Independent administration of anestate saves time and money.

Any administration of an estate can beconverted to independent administration, ifthe heirs or legatees who are to inherit thebalance of the estate all agree. Independentadministrators have the powers, rights andduties of any succession representative, butwithout the unnecessary delays caused byobjections, applications to the court oractions in or by the court. For example, nopetitions are necessary for the payment ofdebts; listing property for sale; sale ofproperty, both movable or immovable; bor-rowing; leasing; exchanging, or investingsuccession property. Movable property ispersonal property and immovable propertyis real estate.

As with any administration that is notindependent, the independent executor oradministrator is still required to file a peti-tion for possession, sworn detailed descrip-tive list of succession assets and liabilities,proof that no inheritance tax is due, and ajudgment of possession before heirs /lega-tees are sent into possession.

An independent administration may beobtained in both a testate (with a will) or anintestate (without a will) succession. In a

testate succession, the testament may pro-vide for an independent administration. Thestatement in the testament is sufficientauthorization for the court to be required toissue letters of independent executorship.

In testate successions where the willfails to authorize an independent adminis-tration, an independent administration shallbe ordered if the general or universal (notparticular) legatees consent. A usufructaryand naked owner of an estate must consentto a conversion to an independent adminis-tration, if applicable. The independentadministration may be requested and con-sented to upon filing for probate or at alater time. Additionally, a will may prohib-it an independent administration if the tes-tator is of the opinion that the successionshould be supervised by the courts.

In an intestate succession, the consentof all the intestate successors is required forindependent administration. They may col-lectively designate the independent admin-istrator in the application for administra-tion, or do so later.

Where the statutory requirements aremet, the court has no discretion whether toissue letters of independent administrationand must do so. It is these letters of inde-pendent administration that give the admin-

istrator the authority to act on behalf of theestate. An independent administrator is notrequired to post security, except as requiredby the testament.

An independent administrator may beremoved for the same causes as an ordinaryadministrator, or letters of independentadministration may be withdrawn so thatthe succession would thereafter be adminis-tered as an ordinary, not independent,administration.

In conclusion, an independent admin-istration streamlines the administration ofan estate, is more cost effective and canexpedite the process of opening and clos-ing the estate by placing the heirs or lega-tee into possession of the decedent’s estatesooner. �

James L. Melchers is the senior attor-ney at Melchers Law Firm, located at 909West Esplanade Avenue in Kenner and thefirm’s primary areas of practice are estateplanning, wills, trusts, successions, corpo-rate law, and personal injury. Melchers canbe reached at 467-1092 or visit the websiteat www.melcherslawfirm.com. MelchersLaw Firm is now open one Saturday morn-ing each month.

Independent administration of an estateLaw� �

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The Square and Compass Lodge 417 ofthe Free and Accepted Masons, with theassistance of the city of Kenner’s Police andFire Departments and the United StatesNavy will host a free “Kids Safety Fair” onSunday, April 6 from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.The event will be held at the KennerPavilion located at the corner of Vintageand Loyola Drives.

“The latest statistics being released bythe National Crime Prevention Council onChild Safety are very startling, and statethat one in three girls and one in seven boyswill be sexually assaulted or abducted inthe United States this year. We feel the chil-dren of Kenner and surrounding areas havea right to know how to defend themselvesagainst predators looking to harm them insome way. As parents, guardians and edu-cators it is our responsibility to make sureour children have the necessary informa-tion, education and proper tools to keepthem from being victimized,” said MartinShort, a member of the Square andCompass Lodge.

The Kenner Fire Department willdemonstrate their “Smoke House” at thepark educating children about dangers of

fire and teaching them how to get out oftheir homes in the event of smoke or fire.The Kenner Police Department will bringtheir K-9 and fingerprinting units, and offi-cers will speak to children about other safe-ty issues. “And just as important, we willprovide information to parents, as well, tohelp them do a better job in teaching theirown children about safety,” said Short.

The United States Naval Band will bein attendance playing patriotic music andother companies will have displays to helpchildren with safety issues.

“We are asking local churches to invitetheir congregations to bring their familiesto this fair,” said Short.

Along with the Eastern Star and High 12Club other sponsors who will participate inthe “Kids Safety Fair” are the New OrleansSaints, the New Orleans Zephyrs, WWL-TV,Entercom radio stations, MenagerieProducts Inc., Cajun Distribution ServicesInc., NRA, Northwest Mutual, Coca-Cola,Wal-Mart, Sports Academy, Rouse’s grocerystores, Carmine’s Restaurant, and the LuckyDog hot dog company. The Rick WeemsSchool of Martial Arts featuring Steven JudeGrayon will perform at the fair. �

Health� �

Free “Kids Safety Fair”to be held at Kenner Pavilion


Health� �

By KEITH M. DARCEY.Chronic pain affects approximately 50

million Americans, or about one out of everysix people in the United States, according tothe American Academy of PainManagement. Of these individuals, 36 mil-lion miss work each year due to chronic pain.

Today there is greater help than everbefore for chronic pain sufferers in ourcommunity. The Pain ManagementInstitute at East Jefferson General Hospitaloffers a multidisciplinary approach to thetreatment of chronic pain, including a fullrange of therapies such as physical therapy,cognitive therapy, medications and injec-tions. The institute focuses on treating lowback pain, neuropathic pain, cancer pain, aswell as many other chronic conditions.

Eric D. Lonseth, M.D., M.P.H., willoperate as both clinical and hospital direc-tor of The Pain Management Institute. Aftercompleting his fellowship in pain manage-ment at the University of California at SanFrancisco, Dr. Lonseth returned to the NewOrleans area, not only for his love of thecity, but because he recognized a lack ofphysicians in the area who treat patientswith chronic pain.

“EJGH recognizes the importance painmanagement plays in a patient's overalltreatment,” says Lonseth. “I’m very excitedto be part of promoting a wide range of newadvancements in interventional therapies wecan now offer to the community, includingthe aggressive treatment of cancer pain.”

Dr. Lonseth offers a pain managementprogram that is truly comprehensive. “It’snot just the physical relief we provide, buttreating chronic pain provides relief in allareas of the patients lives affected by it

from work difficulties to relationship prob-lems and low self-esteem. Chronic pain canbe devastating.”

Though much of his training has been inNew Orleans and he has chosen the city ashis home, his impact in healthcare extendswell beyond the metro area. Dr. Lonsethearned his medical degree from the TulaneUniversity School of Medicine, along witha masters in public health from TulaneUniversity School of Public Health andTropical Medicine. He has also participatedin several medical missions to the Amazonregion of Brazil to help indigenous peoplelacking access to adequate healthcare.

The Pain Management Institute is justanother example of the outstanding and

innovative care East Jefferson is consistent-ly delivering to this community. As we seekto maintain and improve the quality of theclinical programs, we are also focusing onbringing the latest and most advanced treat-ment options to the region. �

Keith M. Darcey is a communicationsspecialist with East Jefferson GeneralHospital located at 4200 Houma Boulevardin Metairie. Darcey can be reached at 889-7110 or at [email protected]. East JeffersonGeneral Hospital, Louisiana’s first NurseMagnet hospital, is a publicly owned, not-for-profit community hospital, providing care tothe residents of the East Bank of JeffersonParish and surrounding communities.

EJGH announces opening of The Pain ManagementInstitute at East Jefferson General Hospital

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By ALLAN KATZ

A group of physicians closely associat-ed with Ochsner Medical Center-Kenner isusing non-surgical dermal fillers to helpboth male and female patients rid them-selves of the signs of aging, including wrin-kles, facial lines and sagging cheeks.

“We think of these laser treatments as non-surgical face lifts,” said Dr. Joseph Gautreauxof the PMA Medical Treatment Centers.“While the majority of our patients are women,many men have come forward to receive thistreatment because they too want to be seen asyouthful with a very nice appearance.”

There is no sedation. The only anesthet-ic needed is a topical cream. “Some of mypatients have slept through the procedure,”says Dr. Gauthreaux. “Others have said it isalmost painless. Some patients say they felta little stick, though none have complainedthat it was painful in any way.”

Another advantage of dermal fillers isthat they permit treatment of medical con-ditions that patients may have tolerated foryears such as nasal irregularities. “We haverelieved the discomfort of nasal irregulari-

ties with dermal fillers but have not had toresort to full rhinoplasty,” said Dr.Gauthreaux. Dr. Gauthreaux is board certi-fied in ENT and facial plastics but alsoprovides primary care physician services.

Procedures at PMA Medical TreatmentCenters include aesthetics, laser hair removal,cellulite reduction, vein therapy, collagenfillers and skin tightening which are per-formed at their offices at 613 WilliamsBoulevard near Rivertown. At PMA TreatmentCenters, aesthetic treatments compliment thecore primary physician services offered.

Dr. Gauthreaux said patients interestedin learning more about dermal fillers cancall 441-5555 to make an appointment thatwill include a free consultation. “We arevery proud of the work that we do,” saidGauthreaux. “Many residents of Kenner,Metairie and the River Parishes tell us thatthe cosmetic assistance we have providedthem has restored the pride they used tohave in their attractive appearances andremoved those aspects of the aging processthat sometimes cause people to feel theyhave lost a part of their being.” �

Non-surgical face lifts help get rid of wrinkles,facial lines and other signs of aging

The sixth annual SOL Bowl to benefitSpecial Olympics Louisiana and theLouisiana NFL Players Association for theircharitable activities will be held on Sunday,April 20, 2008 with registration starting at11:30 a.m. at Colonial Bowling Lanes, 6601Jefferson Highway in Harahan.

Special Olympics participants, local sportsorganizations, members of the media, localcelebrities and the public are invited to join inthe bowling competition from 1:00 p.m. until4:00 p.m. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m.

Participating teams of four will bowlthree games with a local New Orleans

celebrity. Celebrities will be assigned toteams on the day of the event. The cost for afour-person team ranges from $400 to $2,000depending on the sponsorship level chosen.

Shirts, hats and goody bags will be pro-vided to all participants. Every participantwho bowls a strike will have their pick of the“Strike Table,” which will be loaded withfun and interesting items. An array of sportsitems will also be available for a raffle.

For more information on this event andto learn how to register your team, contactTiffany King with Special Olympics at 800-345-6644 or at [email protected]. �

Kenner Police team up with SpecialOlympics Louisiana for bowling event


By LINDA R. MARTIN

You wantto get the bestprice for yourhome, plus sellit in the leastamount oftime. In a buy-ers’ marketsuch as the oneemerging now,homes willtake longer to

sell. Therefore, it’s important that you makethe right moves at the very beginning ofyour home selling process to remain com-petitive. Here are some common traps thatmany homeowners fall into and how toavoid them.

Over-pricing – It’s easy to think yourhome is worth more than the current marketmay support, particularly after the long run-up in home prices. Since home prices havecooled in markets around the country, homesellers must be prepared to negotiate on priceand terms, and stay flexible to other stipula-tions benefiting the buyer. Sellers must alsokeep their emotions in check during theprocess. After all, your home is special toyou and your family, and you’re proud of theimprovements you’ve made over the years.But, how does your home really stand up tothe others? And are those improvementsimportant to a potential buyer?

To determine a reasonable listing price,get sales statistics on homes in the neigh-borhood including listing prices and actualsales prices, find out how long it took forthe homes to sell, and obtain governmentvaluation comparisons. You’ll also want amarket appraisal on your property. Visithomes for sale in your area and comparewhat you see in terms of sales appeal.

Negligent housekeeping — Buyersneed to be able to envision themselves liv-ing in the home. Take a good, objective look

at the condition of your home. Clean, well-kept homes with an updated appearancealways stand out, and a little decoratingappeal can go a long way. You don't have tobuy new furniture to create charm, but youcan put toys and clutter away, freshen uppaint and carpet, make the most of windowcoverings, and add a few key accessories inorder to send out welcoming signals.

Failing to fix-it – Buyers, unless theyare looking for a fixer-upper, would preferto move into a home that is in perfect ornear-perfect condition. If they have to fixthe roof, a broken tile floor, the garagedoor, worn carpet or just about anything,this may give them pause about buying. Atthe very least, it may lower the value of thehome in the prospective buyer’s mind.

Not identifying exclusions – This canbe a cause of contention just at a criticalpoint in the sale. Be sure to specify any spe-cial sales considerations or exclusions fromthe fixtures and furnishings list. Generally,anything permanently fixed to the house isan asset that stays with the home after thesale. So if you intend to take your grand-mother’s antique chandelier that’s hangingin the dining room, clearly specify that thechandelier is not included in the sale price.

Not understanding the agent agree-ment – Your sales endeavor will gosmoothest when all parties have a clearunderstanding of what is expected.Understand the types of agency agreementswhen you sign with a real estate profes-sional or company.

Be sure to check on fees, commissionpercentages, marketing plans and time-frames. Most importantly, get everything inwriting. �

Linda R. Martin can be reached at 443-6464.Prudential Gardner Realtors is an independentlyowned and operated member of Prudential RealEstate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financialcompany. Visit the Prudential website atwww.prudentialgardner.com.

Avoid these seller mistakes

Real Estate� �

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The Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Men’sClub will hold its annual golf tournamenton April 28 at Chateau Golf and CountryClub. Tee time is 12:30 p.m. A new feature– a putting contest – will be held between11:00 a.m. and noon.

Hamburgers and hot dogs will be pro-vided prior to the shotgun start and refresh-ments will be available on the course. Anaward party with food and drinks will beheld from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., whenprizes will be awarded in several categories.

The entry fee is $100 per golfer and

includes green fees, cart, lunch, refresh-ments and the awards party. Hole sponsor-ships are available for $100. Eagle sponsor-ships are available for $600 and include allthe benefits of a hole sponsorship plusgreen fees for four players, two carts andcompany logo on the tournament t-shirts.

A new 2008 Kia Sportage sponsored byPremier Kia of Kenner is the featured prizefor the hole-in-one contest.

For further details, call event chairmanRay Scullin at 466 9119 or 858 7399. �

Community� �

SEAS Men’s Club to holdannual golf tournament


10 tips for choosing the right tires

Auto� �

By SCOTT ZIMMERMAN

It's a toss-up as to which is more unwel-come, purchasing tires or getting a fullphysical exam. There may be more painbuying tires because most people wait untilit’s urgent – or even critical – to start shop-ping. Here are some tips on how and whento select tires.Don’t mess with success

If you like how your car rides and han-dles, then exactly match the tires that arealready on your car. The tire company spentabout $750,000 to develop a combinationthat meets your expectations. Why change?Something else

If you’re satisfied with your currentcar/tire combination, but the exact replace-ments are too expensive or not available,find what other tires were original equip-ment on your car. Car manufacturers nor-mally have at least two tire suppliers foreach model and the tires are usually verysimilar. Maybe the other brand is on sale.

Which season?For performance-oriented drivers

unhappy with their car’s dry or wet grip, it’seasy to make a huge improvement: Switchfrom the all-season rubber now on your carto high (or even ultra-high) performancesummer tires. All-season tires give up wetand dry traction in exchange for enhancedmobility in snow. An otherwise equal all-season tire has less gripping power – dry orwet – than its summer-tire counterpart.Some use the term “three-season” ratherthan “summer.” It’s more accurate.Accidental performance buyer

Are you a comfort-oriented driver whowound up with a car riding on large-diame-ter wheels and spine-pounding low-profilerubber? Or maybe pothole-plagued roadshave caused bent wheels and damagedtires. If so, consider purchasing smaller-diameter wheels and installing higher-pro-file tires. With help from a tire dealer or a“tire size conversion calculator” found onthe Internet, you can select a tire that main-tains the same overall diameter but has ataller sidewall: A 225/55R17 and a225/50R18 have virtually the same diame-ter, but the former’s sidewall is almost ahalf-inch taller. If a lower trim level of yourcar came with smaller-diameter wheels, it

should be simple to go from, say, 18-inch-ers to 17s.Switch category

If you’d like to make a small improve-ment, select tires from a different category.Switching from, for instance, a “touring”tire to a “performance” tire will firm up theride, enhance steering feel and, likely,improve grip. Visit the websites of the tiremanufacturers and mail-order tire dealersto find the category of your current tires, aswell as possible replacements.The cure

If your car suffers from a shake, wobbleor pull and your mechanic can’t find thecause, it may be your tires. The best techni-cians can misdiagnose these issues as prob-lems with alignment, shocks or wheel bal-ance. Even if the outside of the tire isshaped perfectly, misaligned inner compo-nents can cause a variety of baffling prob-lems. A new set of top-quality tires may bethe cure.Time for a change

When your tires wear down to 4/32nd-inch of tread, it’s time to start shopping.While the law says 2/32nd-inch is the min-imum, tires lose ability to adequately chan-nel deep water well before that. Measuretire tread depth by inserting a quarter –Washington’s head down – into the shal-lowest groove. If the tread is about evenwith the top of George’s wig, there’s rough-ly 4/32nd-inch remaining. Also, if yourtires are more than six years old they needreplacing regardless of tread depth. Rubberand other material in tires deteriorate withtime.Match game

If you’re replacing less than four tires,match the ones on your car exactly, rightdown to the part number, and put the newtires on the rear. Grip, ride and other attrib-utes can vary radically between seeminglyidentical tires. Often, the difference is that

one was designed for a car company thathighly values wet grip, while the other wasdeveloped for a manufacturer that putsmore emphasis on fuel mileage. When oneof these performances is enhanced, itunavoidably diminishes the other. Placingthe new tires on the rear will help prevent aspinout if you hit deep water while turningor braking. A puddle hardly noticed by anew tire will lift a half-worn tire complete-ly off the pavement. If those half-worn tiresare on the rear, the car may spin out.Beasts of burden

Especially for SUVs and pickups, makecertain your new tires will withstand theweight of your vehicle and everything youcarry. First, find the load index of the orig-inal equipment tires. Look at the tire side-wall or owners manual for an alphanumer-ic code immediately to the right of the tiresize: With a P265/70R16 104S, the 104 isload index. A larger number (i.e., 110)means the tire can carry more weight whenproperly inflated.Watch out

When comparing advertised tires priceslook out for hidden costs such as mounting,balancing, new valve stems (which youneed!) and disposal fees. Also be wary ifthe tire dealer attempts to steer you awayfrom the name-brand tire you’ve selected:Often, there’s a higher profit margin on lesswell-known brands.

Tires may not be the most entertainingthings you buy for your vehicle, but theyare the most critical. �

Scott Zimmerman is the owner of Scotty’sTire and Automotive, Inc., a family-ownedand operated full-service tire and automotiveshop, located at 4200 Williams Boulevard inKenner. Store hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.on Monday through Friday. Scotty’s websiteis www.scottystireauto.com.

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James L. Melchers, Attorney-At-LawKathy Melchers, Administrator

Art Lentini and state Representative GlennAnsardi were term-limited, many thought itmight take a while for the three-memberKenner legislative delegation to regain itscustomary efficiency.

But, first-term Representatives Ligi andWillmott have done excellent work in thefirst special sessions and Senator Martinycontinues to be one of the most respectedmembers of the legislature. Meanwhile, theJefferson Parish delegation, which ofcourse includes the Kenner trio, is alsoshaping up as a unified, effective and pow-erful group. Equally important, the newJefferson delegation seems to be thinkingregionally, making friends from far andnear across the state and, hopefully, settingthe stage for some legislative triumphs thatwill bring home the big slabs of bacon thatare needed to rebuild Jefferson’s infrastruc-

ture in what is now the state’s largest parish.

In memorial: Al CopelandOnly in America could a poor kid from

Arabi with a gift for spicy South Louisianafried chicken and delicious side dishesbecome a multi-millionaire with the meansto enjoy the flamboyant lifestyle that he hadfantasized about. The bargain was a fairone. In exchange for realizing his dreams,Mr. Copeland gave America great cookingand wonderful meals, while creating thou-sands of jobs.

Al Copeland’s death doesn’t end hisremarkable rags-to-riches story. It falls tohis heirs and the thousands of employees inthe stores he founded to continue the fasci-nating success story of the kid from Arabifor generations to come. The stores thatbear his trademarks in Kenner and the hard-working employees who make them suc-cessful remind us that the legacy of AlCopeland lives on. �

FROM THE EDITOR(continued from page 5)


By SMITA PATEL, M.D.

Osteoporosis, which means “porousbones,” is a disease that causes bones tobecome weak and brittle. Weak bones usu-ally lead to fractures, the most frequent andserious complication of osteoporosis,occurring most often in the hips, wrists andspine. Each year there an estimated300,000 hip fractures, 200,000 brokenwrists and 500,000 spinal fractures. Thesenumbers would be dramatically reduced ifosteoporosis was prevented or treated max-imally once diagnosed.

Hip fractures usually occur from a fall.Spinal fractures can occur in the elderlywithout a fall or injury simply because thebones in the back are so brittle that theybecome compressed. These compressionfractures can cause severe pain and the lossof several inches of height. Families withelderly family members probably haveheard doctors talk about these compressionfractures. If an elderly person diagnosedwith a compression fracture is deemed notto be a candidate for surgery there is a non-surgical option available. A vertebroplastyor kyphoplasty is a procedure for compres-sion fractures that does not require generalanesthesia. This procedure can be a goodpalliative option to relieve pain and providea better quality of life for the elderly.Alleviating pain can reduce the dependenceon pain medications which are known toincrease falls in the elderly.

The strength of bones depends on theirsize and density. Bone density is dependenton the amount of calcium, phosphorous andother minerals found in the bones. Untilaround the age of 35, the breaking downand building of bone by cells is a balancedsystem. Bone continuously changes where-by new bone is made as old bone is brokendown. This process is called bone turnover.As a person ages or if certain conditions arepresent, the bone turnover system breaksdown, causing the two processes to becomeout of balance. The reasons why this occursduring aging are not clear. You reach peakbone mass in the mid-30s. After that age,you lose slightly more than you gain. So,your risk of developing osteoporosisdepends on how much bone mass you havemade between the ages of 25 to 35. Thehigher your peak bone mass, the more youhave to use later in life. This is why it is soimportant to get enough vitamin D and cal-cium earlier in life. At menopause, whenestrogen levels drop, bone loss in womenincreases significantly. Men who have lowlevels of the male hormone testosterone arealso at an increased risk.

A number of factors can increase the

likelihood of developing osteoporosis.Among those are age, being of Caucasianor Southeast Asian descent, tobacco use,sedentary life style, family history, thin orsmall frame size, steroid medications, vita-min D deficiency, caffeine intake, eatingdisorders and thyroid abnormalities. Someof these risk factors can be reduced by exer-cising, getting enough calcium and vitaminD in the earlier years, and not smoking.Weight-bearing exercise applies tension tomuscle and bone and, in young people,encourages the body to compensate for theadded stress, increasing bone density by asmuch as two to eight percent a year. Low-impact exercises that improve concentra-tion, balance and strength, particularlyyoga and tai chi, have been found todecrease the risk of falling. In one study, taichi reduced the risk of falling by almosthalf.

The best screening test is a dual energyX-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This proce-dure is quick, simple and gives accurateresults. DEXA is now covered under mosthealth plans. It measures the density ofbones in your spine, hip and wrist and it isused to follow changes in these bones overtime. Who should have this test? TheNational Osteoporosis Foundation recom-mends the following groups to have aDEXA:

All postmenopausal women, under age65, who have one or more additional riskfactor for osteoporosis.

All women, age 65 and older, regard-less of additional risk factors.

Postmenopausal women who presentwith fractures.

Women who are considering therapyfor osteoporosis if bone mineral density(BMD) testing would facilitate the deci-sion.

Bishphosphonates (Actonel, Fosamaxand Boniva) are now the primary drugs forpreventing and treating osteoporosis. Thesedrugs can reduce the risk of both spinal andhip fractures even in those patients whohave had prior fractures. These medicationscan also be taken by men and younger,higher-risk patients. A person who has hada fall-related fracture is considered to haveosteoporosis and should be started on bis-phosphonates or a comparable medicationimmediately.

Hormone therapy with estrogen used tobe a mainstay of treatment but there havebeen serious concerns about its safety and,because other treatments are available, hor-mone therapy is not initially recommended.Other drug treatment options are Evista andCalcitonin.

All men and women older than 65should aim to take 1,500 milligrams of ele-mental calcium and at least 800International units of vitamin D daily. Incertain cases, your doctor may prescribehigher vitamin D doses. If you have had afracture, calcium and vitamin D are not

enough – a bisphosphonate should beadded.

Osteoporosis is a condition that some-times is under-diagnosed by a physicianand even when diagnosed it is often notoptimally treated. Bones can be kept strongand healthy throughout one’s life so it isnever too late or too early to take steps toprevent osteoporosis. �

Smita Patel, M.D. practices hospital-based medicine at Ochsner Health System.Dr. Patel also serves as a medical directorof Ochsner Home Health which provideshighly specialized medical care to patientson the Southshore and Northshore.Ochsner Home Health is a component ofOchsner’s integrated healthcare deliverysystem dedicated to patient care and edu-cation. For more information, call 842-5585 or email [email protected].

Osteoporosis – don’t be under-treated, get optimally treated

Health� �

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By ARLEETA TERRELLKenner CommunityDevelopment Director

Have you visited one of ourCommunity Resource centers lately? Thecity of Kenner has four CommunityResource centers to serve you. Each centerhas a computer lab where citizens can signup to use a computer to surf the Internet,write your resume or a school paper. Youmust have a Jefferson Parish school identi-fication or a valid Louisiana identification.Parental consent is required for childrenunder 17 if they are not pre-registered inone of our existing programs.

Our community resource centers serveas “service” hubs to our city residents,specifically the low and moderate incomehouseholds. Through partnerships with var-ious medical, social service and non-profitorganizations, we provide useful informa-tion and distribute applications that citizenscan use to apply for various services and

programs.The A.P. Clay Resource Center is home

to the Jefferson Parish Kenner Head Startprogram. This center is located at 200Decatur Street near the levee off of ThirdStreet. Community health fairs and infor-mational workshops are held periodically atthis location. This center has a large meet-ing room with a commercial kitchen avail-able to rent on weekends for a repast, party,baby shower, etc. Our newest addition tothis complex is the Felicie McMiller SplashPark. The splash park is designed for chil-dren to freely run about the park and play inthe water. It features colorful interactivespray fountains. The fountains include twowater cannons, and a large central tumblebucket fountain with five water buckets inmultiple colors and numerous upstreamjets. Movement near a sensor bollard willactivate the fountains. The fountains arelocated on a spray pad with a blue ripplemotif. The splash park will officially openfor the summer Friday, May 30.

At our Hispanic Resource Center,located at 4312 Florida Street, we offer aSaturday first-time homebuyers trainingand financial fitness course which is taughtin Spanish. The training consists of twoclasses, scheduled at 10:00 a.m. until 4:00

p.m. Participants must attend both classesto receive full certification. Pre-registrationis required. The registration fee is $40 andincludes breakfast and lunch each day, twotraining manuals and a credit report run.This training is provided by SulliEducational Services, Inc. If you are inter-ested in buying your first home, then thiscourse is designed especially for you.You’ll learn real estate jargon and tips oninspecting and selecting your home. Youwill know when you complete the coursethe purchase price range that best fits yourbudget. If you are interested, please call464-6224 or email [email protected] for more information or to make anappointment.

Other services and programs offered atthe Hispanic Resource Center are:

“Operation Too Smart,” held Mondaythrough Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30p.m. “Operation Too Smart” is an afterschool youth assistance program designedto provide academic instruction and tutor-ing to assist students who have difficultyand/or do not speak English. This programis sponsored by the city of Kenner in coop-eration with CADA (Council on Alcoholand Drug Abuse).

English as a Second Language classesare offered free in partnership with theJefferson Parish Adult Education divisionand Loyola University. Classes are heldMonday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.to11:30 a.m. and Monday – Thursdays12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Pro Bono Legal Clinic for the Spanishspeaking low-income community is offeredthe second Saturday of every month, fromnoon to 4:00 p.m.

At the Martin Luther King ResourceCenter, located in Lincoln Manor at 104231st Street, a variety of services and pro-grams are offered for adults and youth.“Operation Too Smart,” our after schoolhomework assistance program is alsooffered at this center on Monday throughThursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thisprogram is sponsored by the city of Kennerin collaboration with CADA (Council onAlcohol and Drug Abuse) and the LSU AgCenter Smart Choices program.

The MLK center has several communi-ty partners including area churches, civicand social organizations. They share a com-mon goal of working together to provideresources to the community in an effort toimprove the quality of life and the enrich-ment of families primarily in the LincolnManor area. The center works in partner-ship with Ochsner Medical Center whichprovides diabetes management health sem-inars.

Services offered at the MLK centerinclude:

Pro-Bono Legal Clinic is also avail-able here, providing free quality civil legalservices to the poor. During tax season, freeelectronic income tax preparations are pro-

vided in affiliation with the LouisianaDepartment of Revenue Service. If youneed help with preparing your taxes, callthe MLK center.

Adult education is offered Mondaythru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.This program is operated in alliance withthe Jefferson Parish School Board AdultLearning Division. The Adult Educationprogram at the Martin Luther KingResource Center is proud to announce thatas of January 31, 2008 there have been 52students who have successfully completedthe program and attained their GED. Thesestudents will participate in a commence-ment program in May, 2008. This is a freeprogram and all adults are invited to enroll.If you are interested in earning your GED,please call 202-2133.

12-week business entrepreneurshipcourse is offered each quarter by the city ofKenner and Good Works Network, a smallbusiness development agency. Course par-ticipation requires attending class one nightweekly for approximately three hours. Upongraduation you receive a certificate of com-pletion and your completed business feasi-bility plan in hand. Applications are current-ly being taken for the next 12-week session.If you have a business idea that you thinkwould be profitable, but you just don’t knowhow to get started – this course is for you!Contact Mrs. Soniat at 466-0697 betweenthe hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The MLK center is also available forrent. It has a large modern meeting roomwith a commercial kitchen available to renton weekends for a repast, party, baby show-er, etc. Availability is limited on weeknights.

At the Annie Washington ResourceCenter, 625 Veterans Boulevard our“Operation Too Smart” after school youthprogram is also provided for area childrenon Monday through Thursday. The AnnieWashington Center operates from 3:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or by appointment.

POSE (People’s Organization forSocial Equality, Inc.), a non-profit HUDcertified housing counseling agency, spon-sors a first time homebuyers and financialfitness course. This is a free program whichteaches you the basics of buying your firsthome. Classes are scheduled once a weekfrom 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. You mayqualify for financial assistance up to$50,000 toward the purchase of your firsthome. For more information and an appli-cation, please contact POSE at 468-2063,1-866-549-POSE or [email protected].

The Community DevelopmentDepartment encourages you to visit one orall of our resource centers. We are here toserve you. Stop by and see our friendlystaff. �

Arleeta Terrell can be contacted at [email protected].

Government� �

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By RONALD HAMPTON

Many people are familiar with tradition-al certificates of deposit and may invest inthem because CDs are what they’ve alwaysused. But tax-deferred annuities can be analternative to CDs for the right person. As ofthe date this is written, the five year CD aver-age is 3.39 percent according toBankrate.com. Since there are a number offive year tax-deferred annuities now paying

five percent or more for five to six year con-tracts, this may be a good time to take a lookat the annuity alternative.Taxing of interest income

The interest from a tax-deferred annuityis neither reportable nor taxable until it iswithdrawn, usually when the owner is nolonger in peak earning years and thus in alower tax bracket. The interest from CDs isreportable and taxable when earned regard-less of whether it is left to accumulate.Effect on Social Security

Because interest from a tax-deferredannuity is not reportable until it is with-drawn, it is not included in the calculationsfor Social Security crossover taxation. The

interest income from most CDs is includedin the calculations to determine taxation onSocial Security benefits. Earnings from tax-free investments such as bonds must also beincluded in this calculation.Withdrawal charges

Generally, tax-deferred annuities arelong term instruments and have no maturitydate. Instead, there is usually a schedule ofdeclining withdrawal charges. Even so, manytax-deferred annuities allow an annual with-drawal of 10 percent without a charge.Traditional CDs are generally intended forshort-term investment and have preset earlywithdrawal penalties. These penalties arerenewed each time the certificate is renewed.Emergency access

As indicated above, depending on thetype of annuity selected and its provisions,penalty free withdrawals may be available.Funds in a certificate of deposit cannot beaccessed in full or in part without incurringwithdrawal penalties.

Loss protectionTax-deferred annuities are not FDIC

insured; however, they are backed by thefinancial strength of the insurer, without fed-eral limitations as to denomination orstyling. Certificates of deposit are insuredfor up to $100,000 per account per institu-tion.

As with any financial decision, issuessuch as age, income and suitability should betaken into consideration. �

Ronald Hampton is the principal ofRetirement Planning Associates located at3500 North Causeway Boulevard inMetairie. Hampton is a Certified RetirementFinancial Advisor™ and author of“Retirement Land Mines and How to AvoidThem”©. He can be reached at 1-800-569-2902 or [email protected]’s firm is a participant in the BetterBusiness Bureau CARE program.

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By GLENN DOTTOLO

Soon youwill receivefrom our fed-eral govern-ment what isbeing called a“tax rebate.”Since this iscoming fromWa s h i n g t o nyou might be a

little suspicious, and rightfully so.What is really happening is that in order

to appear to be doing something about thesub-prime loan situation, Congress hasdecided to borrow money and mail you acheck.

In order to understand why this makes nosense you need to consider how we got into asub-prime problem. Lenders, usually mort-gage companies, and hedge funds, decidedthat they could make a lot of money byextending loans to people with bad creditwhile only requiring low or no down pay-ments. This seemed logical to the lenderssince home prices usually go up over time.The theory was that even at some point if theborrower could not pay back the amountowed, the house, having increased in value,could be refinanced or sold without a loss tothe lender.

For a while it worked and in some mar-kets, such as California and Florida, pricessoared. Unfortunately, all good things mustend and last year home prices quit rising andin fact began to decline. Lots of lendersbegan to lose money as borrowers wereunable to pay their monthly notes. Borrowerswith adjustable rate mortgage loans whoseinterest rates went up and became unafford-able were not able to refinance at a lowerrate.

A correction ensued, lenders lost moneyand some people who borrowed too much orgambled on continued increases in value losttheir houses.

At this point the story could have endedwith house prices returning to normal andlenders and borrowers getting back to goodcommon sense loans. Unfortunately, all ofthis happened in an election year soCongress decided that the solution for toomuch irresponsible borrowing was somereally big irresponsible borrowing. So,Congress borrowed $150 billion and soonwill be mailing checks to taxpayers.

If financial problems could be solvedthis easily we would never have to worry.Unfortunately when Congress borrowsmoney to send you money it means that theywill have to tax you more later to get thatmoney back plus the interest that is owed.There is no such thing as a free lunch.Congress can only give you what they take intaxes.

So, when you get your check, be moresensible than Congress – use the money toincrease your savings or use it to repay oneof your loans.

If you have not invested in or have notmaxed out your IRA, this would a greatchance to do so. If you would like help inthinking about your best financial option,stop into a locally owned community bank,as they will be happy to discuss this optionwith you.�

Glenn Dottolo, manager of Gulf CoastBank & Trust’s Kenner Branch Office onWilliams Boulevard, offers twenty-fiveyears of full service banking to his cus-tomers. Dottolo can be contacted at 565-3655. Visit Gulf Coast Bank & Trust’s web-site at www.gulfbank.com.

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By DAN DORMADY

Roof designs are getting more and morecreative and complex. The traditional gableroof (single ridge, symmetric slopes and ver-tical end panels) is quickly becoming a distant

memory. While a gable roof may not be archi-tecturally exciting, it is simpler to maintainand the risk of premature leaks is minimal.

Nineteenth-century construction offeredmany complex roofs: hips, turrets, steeppitches, dormers and curved surfaces. Thoseroofs were covered with labor-intensive mate-rials such as slate, clay, tile and metal. Thesehomes were and often are referred to as cas-tles, mansions or estates. Indeed, they aregrand and elegant.

The 20th century saw a housing construc-tion trend toward production and speed. Thecape, ranch and colonial became popular, allwith simple roofs, mostly gable (triangularsection of the end wall of a building with asloping roof) with an occasional gambrel (agable roof with two slopes on each side andthe lower slope being steeper). Roof materialswere similarly simple; most were coveredwith asphalt shingles. Construction was quickand the skill required was not sophisticated.

In recent years, new home constructionhas brought us back to more complex roofshapes. To respond to the demand, buildersand developers are investing more in architec-tural design to produce more interesting andvisually distinctive rooflines.

Today’s more complex rooflines requiregreater skill and attention in several areas.The two most important areas are the designand construction of the roof framing and theskill of the installation of the roof surface.

Framing of a complex roof means cuttingand assembling many different size rafters(sloping timbers extending from the roofridge to eaves). Even the cuts at the ends ofrafters often have many angles and can be atest of skill for the most experienced framer.If two pieces of roof framing do not fit togeth-er tightly, movement can occur after the homeis complete.

Also, assuring that adequate structuralsupport is provided, especially at valleys(intersection created by two sloping roofs),hips (four-sided roofs), the dormers andridgelines are important. Adequate structuralintegrity for a complex roof is especiallyimportant in our part of the country wheresignificant weather winds will test the roofsystem.

Engineers see many complex roof shapesthat are not framed well. At best, this leads tosagging and deflection in the rooflines, whichcan create the perception that the home is notwell built. At worst, partial or complete fail-ure of the roof can occur.

Installation of the roof surface requiresrecognizing that the roof is a “system” thatuses several different materials and requiresskill and workmanship with great attention todetail. It is the successful result of installingflashing (sheet metal used to reinforce andweatherproof the joints and angles of a roof),underlayment and shingles properly. Alsorequired is the proper positioning of shingles

at valleys and other transitions. Roof leakageis almost always the result of poor executionof installation details; it is seldom a prematurefailure of the roofing materials.

Complex rooflines and shapes create mul-tiple valleys that gather water from large roofareas. The resulting high volume of water thatflows down the valley will cause rapid wearon that part of the roof. Also, the high volumeof water will likely overflow the gutter. Inaddition, as that same high volume of waterreaches the ground, it will splash back againstthe siding and other parts of the home, lead-ing to premature rot and deterioration. Thus,the performance of a roof during a heavy rainshould be considered when designing a com-plex roof shape. Such a problem is not easilycorrected after the home is built.

Ventilation of attic spaces and other openspaces under roofs is important to the healthof any building. A simple gable roof is rela-tively easy to vent, with some combination ofridge, soffit and rooftop vents. Complex roofshapes are more of a challenge. Each shapemust be considered individually to assure ade-quate ventilation. Otherwise, overheating canlead to premature roofing failure.

If you are buying or building a new homewith a complex roof shape, you cannot be toocautious. A distinctive roof line can be excit-ing. However, leakage problems are quitetroublesome and often not easy to diagnose orcorrect. Structural problems can be evenharder to deal with. When in doubt, consult abuilding inspection engineer who has expert-ise in complex roof systems.

A well-designed and constructed complexroof can turn your average home into an ele-gant, dramatic “mansion.” Poorly done, yourcastle may turn into your worst nightmare.Make sure you know the difference beforeyou buy or build. �

Dan Dormady, P.E. is a licensed profes-sional engineer and licensed home inspector(LSBHI #10273) and the president ofCriterium-Dormady Engineers, a locallyowned consulting engineering firm special-izing in residential and commercial buildinginspection services. Dormady can bereached at 456-6999, P.O. Box 113565Metairie, LA 70011-3565, or at [email protected]. Criterium-DormadyEngineers’ website is www.criterium-dor-mady.com.

Roof designs come full circleHome� �

March 2008

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All bands play from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.Friday April 4: Top CatsSaturday April 5: Aaron ForetFriday April 11: Foret TraditionSaturday April 12: OrleansFriday April 18: Summer Breeze

Saturday April 19: KingsroeFriday April 25: WiseguysSaturday April 26: Gashouse GorillazKaraoke contest every Friday night at 7:00p.m. except on April 18.Registration starts at 6:30 p.m. �

Entertainment� �

April Entertainment in Treasure ChestCasino’s Caribbean Room


By SEAN C. HUNTERDirector of AviationLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Diversion.This is one word you do not welcome as a passen-

ger on an airliner. It not only means you have beenredirected from your destination, it also means you are

in for an undetermined delay. When an airport is hav-ing difficulties, particularly in bad weather, for thesafety of the passengers the commercial airliners arediverted to other airports to await the delay.

Last month, Louis Armstrong New OrleansInternational Airport looked like a hub for AmericanAirlines when on Tuesday, March 18, Americanrerouted a number of their aircraft to our airport. Aseries of storms with winds of more than 100 milesper hour were reported at Dallas-Forth WorthInternational Airport, where lightning struck a rampearly in the day and an FAA tower was evacuated whena funnel cloud was spotted nearby. The conditions ledto the airport closing for a time and American Airlineswas forced to cancel flights affecting some 700 depar-

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By ALLAN KATZ

Mayor Ed Muniz said that he, the Kenner CityCouncil and the Kenner Repertory Theatre have agreedin principle to a four-year contract along with a reductionof the city’s subsidy of the theater from $100,000 a yearto $50,000 a year.

“There can be no question that the Kenner RepertoryTheatre has been a creative and cultural success that hasgreatly enhanced the city of Kenner,” said Mayor Muniz.“We are grateful to the City Council and to many indi-vidual citizens who have shared their thoughts with usregarding the operations of the Repertory Theatre. Wehave had a good dialogue and I think we are going to besigning a good contract that assures our community fourmore years of excellent productions that are creative andentertaining while also drawing many theater-goers fromthroughout the region to Kenner.”

The mayor said that he and the City Council conclud-ed that the Repertory Theatre over the years, thanks inpart to the city’s subsidies, had grown sufficiently solventthat it could afford for the subsidy to be reduced by half.

“We are grateful to the Ward family for their excellentwork and to all the volunteers who have helped make the

Kenner Repertory Theatre one of the best, or quite possi-bly the very best, in the Gulf South,” said Mayor Muniz.

In an effort to invite new thinking on the subject ofcommunity theater, the Muniz administration soughtother proposals. The only other proposal came fromSMG, the administrative group based in Philadelphia, Pa.that runs the Louisiana Superdome and Arena in NewOrleans and the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner.

Muniz said that while the SMG proposal wasthoughtful, the Kenner Council and his administrationconcluded after a careful review that the city would bestbe served by the extension of the Kenner RepertoryTheatre’s contract.

The new contract, which will likely be signed inApril, is for four years and has a four-year option. Eitherthe city of Kenner or the Kenner Repertory Theatre coulddecide after four years not to renew the option.

“Our goal is to continue Repertory Theatre in Rivertownas a cultural and creative enhancement of our communityand as an attraction for theater-goers from throughout theregion,” said Mayor Muniz. “I’m confident that after muchdiscussion by my colleagues on the City Council, and manyothers, that we’ve written a good contract that will be anasset to the city of Kenner and its citizens.” �

tures and arrivals at their airport. More than 100 of the carrierflights that were headed to Dallas were diverted. This resulted ina number of passengers being stranded in our area. Many flightson other airlines to the Houston and Dallas area from ArmstrongInternational Airport were cancelled as well.

This type of unexpected event is a mixed blessing for an air-port. The plus is that it creates additional revenue for the airport,but the problems it creates presents a challenge for the local air-line operations, Transportation Security Administration (TSA)screening personnel and our airport staff. The ArmstrongInternational Airport Operations department has to quicklyarrange for gates for unscheduled aircraft and in some cases likethis, passengers have to be unloaded from their aircraft. Some ofthe flights may have to be rebooked and passengers leaving thesecured gate areas have to be re-screened. This may create unex-pected larger loads and prolonged periods of waiting for check-in, food and beverage service and requires patience from thestranded passengers. All of this must take place while scheduledaircraft are arriving and departing too. You can imagine theimpact this can have on an airport’s operation.

In the case of this particular event, because of the massivecancellation of flights, hundreds of passengers were strandedovernight in our city. While some chose to camp out in the ter-minal, most sought refuge at local hotels. Hotel rooms near theairport filled quickly and many travelers had to find lodging indowntown New Orleans. The following day, the airport lobbywas bustling with the stranded passengers trying to make

Rivertown� �

Mayor Muniz plans contract with RivertownRepertory saving city $50,000 a year

By ALLAN KATZ

“Dinosaurs Alive,” a captivating adventure of sci-ence and discovery, will make its Kenner debut on April1 at Kenner’s Planetarium and MegaDome Cinema inRivertown.

“It’s a terrific family film with incredible animation,”says Mary-Sharon Howland, director of community serv-ices for the city. “The film follows paleontologists as theysearch for dinosaur fossils and then shows us thedinosaurs as the scientists believe they actually were.Some of the most interesting parts of the movie show ushow dinosaurs actually lived, raised their young and eitherhunted weaker species or tried to escape the hunters.”

“Dinosaurs Alive” brings dinosaurs, their behaviorsand their ancient environments to life on the screen –juxtaposing stunningly realistic and scientifically gener-

ated computer imagery with newsreels from the 1920sand 30s that show the scientists of that time as they fol-lowed clues in their search for dinosaur fossils. Amongthe real-life paleontologists of 80 years ago who areshown is Roy Chapman Andrews, a scientific adventur-er of that time who may have the inspiration for a mod-ern make-believe screen hero, Indiana Jones.

Among the most interesting and haunting scenes inthe movie are those that show the dinosaurs facing theirend at the hands of the catastrophic forces of nature.

Show times, beginning Tuesday, April 1, are 11:00a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., Tuesdays throughSaturdays. Ticket prices are $6 for adults and $5 forchildren ages two to 14 and seniors 60 and over. Multi-show packages are available for all shows at the KennerPlanetarium and MegaDome Cinema. For more infor-mation, call 468-7231, extension 228. �

“Dinosaurs Alive” coming to Rivertown


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By RAFAEL SADDY

If you arenot a citizen ora permanentresident, youmay need toapply for anEmploymentAuthorizationD o c u m e n t(EAD). TheUnited States

Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) issues EADs to qualified individ-uals to serve as proof of eligibility to workin the United States. Eligibility standardsfor an EAD include, but are not limited to:asylees and asylum seekers; refugees; stu-dents seeking particular types of employ-ment; applicants to adjust to permanent res-idence status; people in or applying fortemporary protected status; fiancés ofAmerican citizens, and dependents of for-eign government officials.

If you are a naturalized citizen you donot need an EAD. If you are a legal resi-dent, your alien registration card serves asproof that you can work in the U.S. As perthe USCIS, if you are authorized to workfor a specific employer, such as a foreigngovernment, you do not need anEmployment Authorization Document.Your passport and your Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) prove that you maywork in the United States.

If you are eligible for an EAD, you canfile Form I-765 electronically. For moreinformation you may call 1-800-870-3676.Negative decisions on your EDA are sent byletter and can not be appealed. However youmay ask the office that made the unfavor-able decision to reopen or reconsider yourcase. A motion to reopen must be accompa-nied by new facts and affidavits or other

evidence. A motion to reconsider mustestablish that the decision was based on anincorrect application of the law or USCISpolicy. If you need assistance or advice youmay contact you nearest USCIS office.Community announcements and events

Asociacion Nicaraguense de Louisiana(ANDELA): April 11, general meeting. Forinformation call 466-1483 or 464-4619.

City of Kenner Hispanic ResourceCenter: April 1-30, numerous events arebeing offered such as the Pro-Bono LegalClinic on April 12. For information call469-2571.

Latin American Civic Association ofLouisiana (LACAL): April 27, 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Viva la Vida Cancer Relayfundraiser event - “Join us forLunch/Dinner”. For information call 464-4619 or email [email protected].

The Hispanic Forum: April 11 and 25,general meeting. For information call 310-6880.

Unidad Hispanoamericana: Electionand coronation gala, on Saturday April 5 atthe Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325Minor Street in Kenner at 7:00 p.m. A jurywill elect Miss “Unidad Hispano-ameri-cana” based upon her personality, appear-ance, talent, achievements and other quali-ties. This will be an evening of good music,presentation of different musicians andsingers, typical dances and costumes by theparticipants. It is recommended to makereservations as early as possible due tocapacity limitations. For information andtickets call 975-0949. �

Rafael E. Saddy is president of theLatin American Civic Association ofLouisiana (LACAL). Email Saddy [email protected]. Correspondencefor LACAL can be sent to P.O. Box 640284,Kenner, LA 70064-0284.

Employment authorization document

CHILDREN’S CASTLE • CANNES BRULEE NATIVE AMERICAN VILLAGEMARDI GRAS MUSEUM • SCIENCE CENTER

OBSERVATORY • HERITAGE PARKPLANETARIUM AND MEGADOME CINEMA • THE TRAIN MUSEUM

Purchase Tickets at Rivertown Exhibition Hall 415 Williams Blvd.Adults $3, Seniors 60 and over and children 14 and under $2.50

9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

APRIL 5 – JANIE LUSTER, UNITED HOUMA NATIONHalf-Hitch Coil Baskets

Janie will show you how to make Half-Hitch Baskets.

APRIL 12 – L.W. GRAY HAWK PERKINS, UNITED HOUMA NATIONFlintknapping & Storytelling

Come learn the skills it takes of flintknapping and listen to a variety of Native American stories.Gray Hawk will be at the museum

9:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

APRIL 19 – MORNING DOVE VERRET, UNITED HOUMA NATIONMoccasin’s & Dream Catchers

The dream catcher was a gift from Grandmother Spider.Dove will teach you how to make them and tell you the creation story.

APRIL 26 – ZOE ANNA VERRET, UNITED HOUMA NATIONJig-Saw Palmetto Baskets

The people of the United Houma Nation have made these traditional baskets for hundreds of years.Zoe enjoys sharing this tradition with everyone.

MUSEUM HOURS: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. – Tuesday - Saturday

Schedule subject to change without notice.www.rivertownkenner.com

Children’s Castle501 Williams Blvd. • 468-7231 #220

All performances are on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m.

APRIL 5 – MS. VEE“STORIES OF THE WORLD FOR CHILDREN OF THE WORLD”

Stories from America, Africa, Germany and more

APRIL 12 – GRAYHAWKMember of the United Houma Nations

“NATIVE AMERICAN SONGS & STORIES”

APRIL 19 – JACK & JILL PLAYERSPresenting

“THREE LITTLE PIGS & THE GINGERBREAD MAN”Must see – First time showing at the Castle

APRIL 26 – IRWIN ROYESThe World's Smallest Magician

“ABRACADABRA MAGIC SHOW”

Cannes Brulee Native American Village303 Williams Blvd. • 468-7231 #220

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. – Tuesday-Saturday

•

Get Ready for Spring!

Latin American News� �

Instead of wasting money on ICF, the pro-gram could have been efficiently operatedby an existing state agency or a consortiumof local banks and the savings could havebeen used to address housing and infra-structure needs.

Currently, the Louisiana’s LegislativeAuditor and Inspector General are investi-gating the Road Home program. In additionto the internal investigations, a public leg-islative hearing is essential. It will place themedia spotlight on the misdeeds of thisincompetent company and give the publican opportunity to hear from witnesses anddiscover exactly why the program was somismanaged, where the funds were spentand why the program is still such a mess.

Since there are thousands of Katrinavictims still waiting for assistance, ICFInternational should not have received any

additional funds, no matter what theirexpenses might have been. In fact, ICFshould have been fired many months ago,not given a raise.

This entire ICF contract is suspiciousand the $156 million amendment is ludi-crous, considering that the program wasbotched from the beginning. It is time foranswers and the truth, so the citizens ofLouisiana can finally understand how thisdisaster happened. �

Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleansand his Louisiana based television program,“Ringside Politics,” airs at 8:30 p.m. onFridays and at 10:00 p.m. Sundays on PBStelevision station WLAE-TV, Channel 32,and from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. on radiostation WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans andthe north shore. Visit Crouere’s website atwww.ringsidepolitics.com or email Crouereat [email protected].

POLITICAL REVIEW(continued from page 5)


By LYNNE DIMM

G a r d e n sare very color-ful now withearly springb l o o m i n gf l o w e r s .Petunias espe-cially are vividin color andwill continueblooming until

June. When petunias get long and stretched,cut them in half and they will produce fur-ther into the summer. Cut snapdragons,stock, geraniums and gladiolas and use thecuttings to make bouquets to enjoy insideor to surprise a friend who may need a lift.

Flowering shrubs such as azaleasshould already be in full bloom. The time toshape up all flowering shrubs such as gar-denias, azaleas, Indian hawthorne, bridalwreath, loropetalum and hydrangea is afterall blooms have opened and before newgrowth has begun. Since ligustrum, red tip,cleyera and many other tall shrubs aregrown as hedges and not for their flowers,the blooms should be trimmed when they

appear since they cause allergy problems.After the bushes are trimmed it’s time tofeed them as their biggest growth spurtcomes this time of year.

If bugs appear on citrus trees, immedi-ately spray the trees with garden oil butonly spray on a cool day.

The gardens in and around NewOrleans’ Canal Boulevard and St. CharlesAvenue have not been rejuvenated since thestorm, but our city’s street gardens andhome gardens are blooming away. Let’s allcontinue to keep our city as pretty as everby planting as much color as possible.Beautiful landscaping is very uplifting toall that view it.

This is the time of year to get outsideand enjoy the beautiful, mild weatherbefore the summer heat arrives. �

Lynne Dimm, owner of Lynne Dimm’sNursery, LLC, located at 27 West 27th Street,is a registered and licensed Louisiana horti-culturist and landscape contractor, is a whole-sale grower of bedding plants and has over 30years experience in the industry. Lynne Dimmcan be reached via email [email protected] or by calling 468-5467.

Gardening� �

Gardening hints for April

By ALLAN KATZ

Plaquemines Parish President BillyNungesser isn’t waiting for the state or thefederal governments to come up with acoastal restoration plan. He’s put forwardthe “Nungesser Plan” and contends that hisfriends in Jefferson Parish also have a life-and-death stake in coastal restoration.

The “Nungesser Plan” would beginwith rebuilding and adding thousands oftrees to the off-shore islands in theBarataria Basin and reinforced, higher lev-ees in Plaquemines and St. BernardParishes, as well as a new, improved leveesystem in West Jefferson. Nungesser wantsfunding to come from the federal govern-ment, the state, parishes and Louisiana’snew income from off-shore oil drilling.

“We can do this but not if we wait forthe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to comeup with a 50-year master plan,” saidNungesser. “The next hurricane will wash usall away while our friends in the Corps areworking on the introduction to their plan.”

Nungesser says that if HurricaneKatrina had veered its way through theBarataria Basin, among the casualtieswould have been the West Bank ofJefferson Parish. “We might have had thou-sands dead and we’d still be rebuilding,”

says Nungesser. While the immediate intent of the

“Nungesser Plan” is to save Plaquemines,St. Bernard and West Jefferson from afuture hurricane, the 49-year-oldPlaquemines Parish president says he hopesthat his friends on the East Bank of theMississippi River will also start thinkingabout coastal restoration.

“I know that one of the nightmares forMayor Muniz, the East Jefferson LeveeDistrict and the political and civic leadersof Kenner is the hurricane that comes at usfrom Lake Pontchartrain, flying across themarshes and overwhelming our defenses onthe shores of Lake Pontchartrain,” saysNungesser. “My point is that we’re all in thesame boat and we need to recognize it.Coastal restoration isn’t just an issue forPlaquemines or St. Bernard. It’s regional, itincludes New Orleans, Jefferson, St.Tammany and the River Parishes. We oughtto be planning together, putting together thepiles of money this is going to take and ask-ing our Congressional and legislative dele-gations to help get the ball rolling. If thereis anything we know, it is that the federalbureaucracy moves much too slow to saveus. If we’re to be saved, it’s us who willhave to do the saving.” �

Plaquemines Parish President says coastal restorationis a life or death issue for Jefferson Parish also

Community� �

People� �


By ED CLANCY

Funny, I don’t remember getting old.Every morning I find myself in front of themirror shaving my father. It’s the mostuncanny thing I have come across in theaging process. I never had thought that Ilooked like my father. I was a blonde tow-headed kid and he was a nice looking manwith glasses and dark hair, which laterturned a little white. Now, when I look atthe mirror, there he is, looking back at me.Except his hair is really white-ish.

It’s even more noticeable in pictures ofmyself. When I look at a recent picture, Iswear that I’m looking at dear old Dad,who’s been gone these many years now. It’sgotten worse since I lost the weight. And, ithappened again the other day. I walked intoa McDonald’s and ordered my special dia-betic’s breakfast: coffee, bacon, an egg andcheese muffin and hash browns. (Don’tstart!) I told the clerk I wanted decaf coffee,and she said, “Okayyy, one senior numberthree with a senior coffee!” I said, “Hold onthere. How do you know I’m a senior?”

“Well,” she said, “I just did,…and I,uh…I.”

Why do people always assume that I, avery young looking Irish lad, with blondehair, (Don’t start!), with very few wrinkles,am over the age of middle? I know I have alittle turkey neck, but that’s because I havelost 53 pounds over the past six months,and 75 since 2003. I know, fat people lookyounger, but skinny people should not beautomatically assumed to be old. It hap-pened the next day too, at Shoney’s. Thebill was $9.62, but the clerk said, “That’llbe $9.12 with the fifty-cent senior dis-count.”

Just because I once dumped my houseand car keys into the trash bin atMcDonald’s and had to go rummagingthrough the gunk and goo to get them,doesn’t mean I always have seniormoments. It happens to everyone. Justbecause I reported my car stolen at TheEsplanade mall and when the securityguard drove me around the corner and mycar was sitting there where I parked it –sneering at me – doesn’t mean I alwayshave senior moments. It happens to every-one.

Even as I protest that I am not gettingold, there are other symptoms that I can’texplain away.

For instance, I am so glad Bryant

Gumbel is, for all practical purposes, offmainstream television. The only thing hehas now is a show on HBO, and I don’t haveHBO anymore. Anyway, Bryant Gumbelhad this really annoying habit of almost notsaying the final syllables of his sentences,or at least saying them so softly it soundedas though he had was dropping them. I hadto really strain to hear that last word. Thenit came about that I could not hear his finalsyllable at all. Then it came about that Icould not hear his final word! It was thenthat I noticed I could not hear the final syl-lables of other people as well. So, it wasthen that I noticed I was going deaf. Or, atleast, I was losing my proudest physicalcapability (next to my diction), my hearing.It’s like I’m watching television and some-body just punched the mute button. But Iam all alone in the room. So, even though Iam not hearing any better, I am glad thatGumbel is gone from my TV because hewas the worst offender. And what made itworse was that since I knew Gumbel to bea syllable swallower, I didn’t notice theproblem when it finally did arrive. I was indenial of the first order. It reminded me ofthe older gentleman who is walking on thestreet and meets one of his old friends.

“Hi, Jim. How are you?”“Fine, Bill, I just got a new hearing

aid.”

“Oh really, what kind is it?”“It’s 2:30.”Oh well, there was one shining moment

at McDonald’s. I found on the menu a fruitand yogurt and walnut dessert that wasright up my alley. I had time to eat only afew bits, but decided to take it to work toeat for lunch. Trouble is, when I got towork, I didn’t have it. It was in the trash binat McDonald’s.

It’s happens to everybody…doesn’tit? �

Ed Clancy hosts a radio show, “The EdClancy Show,” weekdays from noon until 3:00p.m. on WGSO-AM 990 and can be reachedvia email at [email protected],www.wgso.com or 556-9696.

My father is in the mirror

Check out the

KENNERST�R

Website for Back Issueswww.kennerstar.com


Government� �

By AARON BROUSSARDJefferson Parish President

In March Jefferson Parish released an action planfor improvements at the parish animal shelters follow-ing recommendations from my Animal Welfare TaskForce and the Humane Society of the United States(HSUS) which performed a professional evaluation ofthe department last year at the request of the parish.

I appointed The Animal Welfare Task Force inJanuary of 2007 after which it began a year-long reviewof the two parish animal shelters and the overall state ofanimal welfare in the community. Its first recommenda-

tion in February of 2007 was for the HSUS AnimalServices Consultation Division based in WashingtonDC to evaluate the two parish animal shelter facilitiesand their operations as well as field services, manage-ment, budget and community outreach programs. Theevaluation was paid for and done at the request of bothmy administration and parish council. The HSUS finalreport was received on January 30, 2008.

Before and during the HSUS evaluation process, theparish task force of animal advocates independentlygathered information and researched the best practicesin other communities with an eye toward how theycould be applied here. The parish task force thenreviewed the HSUS report and reported its recommen-dations to me on February 28, 2008.

The HSUS report, in conjunction with this report,provides a blueprint for improving the Jefferson ParishAnimal Shelters and the health and welfare of animalsin Jefferson Parish. The action plan follows a number of

Priorities for Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter improvementsimprovements undertaken over the last several months in anticipa-tion of the current recommendations.

The completed improvements include:In place of one part-time veterinarian at each animal shelter,

a new full-time veterinarian was hired last month at the West Bankshelter and a new full-time veterinarian and a full-time veterinarytechnician were hired in November at the East Bank shelter. Theyoversee animal care including kennel health management, properdaily sanitation of the kennel areas, treatment of sick and injuredanimals, health and temperament screenings for adoption candi-dates, spay and neuter surgery and necessary euthanasia. In addi-tion, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is assisting at theshelters.

Renovations to the interior of the East Bank shelter are com-plete and more are planned to make it more functional and attrac-tive. Also, there is new animal care equipment in place.

Through an arrangement with Science Diet, premium qualityfood in being provided for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens.

Written kennel policies and standard operating procedures arebeing developed with the assistance of a consultant from theASPCA.

The animal shelter director and the parish human resourcedepartment are creating a new classification called “animal careattendant” and will submit the new job description to the person-nel department with the goal of increasing the level of daily carereceived by the animals.

For a copy of Jefferson Parish’s action plan in its entirety, logonto the parish website at www.jeffparish.net for additional infor-mation or you may contact Chief Administrative Assistant DeanoBonano at 736-6400. �

We are a locally owned, independently operated,family funeral home continuing a tradition that hasendured for 119 years! And we believe that makes agreat difference in the care, service and value your

family receives. If you ever have a question or wouldlike more information feel free to call or stop by.

By SHARON SOLOMON

The Southern ChristianLeadership Conference(SCLC) has chosen Kenneras the site of their 2008Annual Convention. Thisprestigious group wasorganized by MartinLuther King, Jr. in 1957,and is a now a nationwideorganization made up ofchapters and affiliates with

programs that affect the lives of all Americans. The con-vention begins July 25 and ends on July 31, 2008.

Reverend Byron Clay is the local convention chair-man and it is under his vision and direction that thisevent will go down as one of the city’s most important.While the planning stage has just begun, CherylSpencer, the SCLC National Meeting Planner has start-ed her work here by assigning the New Orleans HiltonAirport and Conference Center as the host hotel. SCLCwill utilize the hotel’s meeting rooms and stay in almostall of their rooms, plus book additional rooms in threeor four more hotels in Kenner.

The Pontchartrain Center will host the final ban-quet. Rivertown museums will host the opening“President’s Reception.” The “Presidential Address”will be given at Kenner’s Pilgrim Baptist Church attend-ed by the Democratic presidential candidate SenatorBarack Obama and the very popular Oprah Winfrey.

Because the convention is still in the early stages ofdevelopment, I will provide updates in future columns.Have a wonderful spring. �

Sharon Solomon is the marketing director for theKenner Convention and Visitors Bureau, located at2100 Third Street in Rivertown. Sharon Solomon can bereached at 464-9494, via email at [email protected] at www.kennercvb.com.

Tourism� �

Oprah Winfrey and Senator Obamato visit Kenner this summer

By ALLAN KATZ

State Senator Steve Scalise of Metairie and stateRepresentative Tim Burns of Mandeville face-off in aSaturday, April 5 runoff to determine who will be theRepublican candidate in the race for the vacant FirstCongressional District seat.

Senator Scalise narrowly missed a first primary vic-tory, receiving 48 percent of the votes in the Republicanprimary. Representative Burns finished second with 26percent of the vote. Slidell Mayor Ben Morris ran third.

Scalise and Burns are running for the 1st

Congressional District seat vacated when Bobby Jindal,a resident of Kenner, was elected governor ofLouisiana.

Gilda Reed won the Democratic primary and willface the winner of the Republican primary inNovember. Some 57 percent of the registered voters inthe district reside on the north shore, which could beadvantageous for Burns. However, Scalise showedstrength in north shore balloting, leading in TangipahoaParish in the primary. Scalise also led decisively inMetairie and Kenner. �

Scalise and Burns in April 5 GOP runoff

Children’s Castle501 Williams Blvd.

Performances on Saturdays11:30 a.m


Woodruff, deputy director of communityand governmental affairs at ArmstrongInternational. “The FAA expects that thesound contour over Kenner – the spacemost impacted by aircraft noise – is nar-rowing rather than expanding. Of course,aircraft noise isn’t just a problem in Kenner.It’s an international problem and billions ofdollars are being spent by the airline indus-try to quiet aircraft noise. Our hope atArmstrong International is that while wecontinue to soundproof Kenner homes thatare impacted by aircraft noise, each newgeneration of aircraft will emit less intru-

AIRPORT(continued from page 1)

service to reveal in detail their personal finan-cial holdings, including savings and debt.

“Having served in the legislature for thelast 13 years I fully realize that Louisiana hasto take steps to change its image nationally,”says Senator Martiny. “But I’m concernedthat forcing not only elected officials butthose persons who would volunteer to serveon boards and commissions to disclose allaspects of their income, even income that hasabsolutely nothing to do with the positionthey hold, may have the negative effect of dis-couraging good people for offering them-selves up for public service. I believe thatwhat the legislature needed to do was makesure that any aspect of one’s financial back-ground that could pose a conflict in perform-ing one’s civic duties should be disclosed.”

On the other hand, state RepresentativesTony Ligi and Tom Willmott, both Kennerresidents and first-term members of the stateHouse of Representatives, are more inclinedto feel that while it can be personally intru-sive, the ethics reforms are a necessary stepthat Louisiana had to take.

“I have tremendous respect for SenatorMartiny,” says Representative Ligi. “He’s oneof my mentors who have helped me under-stand what it takes to be an effective legislatorfor Kenner. I just think that ethics reform is asacrifice we all have to make. If Louisianawere at the top of all the lists or even in themiddle of all the lists, it might be different. Imight agree that our ethics reform packagewent too far. But the fact is that Louisiana isat the bottom of virtually every list. I thinkmost of the generation of Louisiana leaderswho are emerging today feel that we have togo extraordinary lengths to let the world knowthat we are stepping away from the worst partsof our past and are ready to compete in thenew global economy with glass pockets andcomplete accountability.”

Representative Willmott agrees. “We hadto make a complete break from Louisiana’spast and one way of doing that is to make itclear that we have and enforce the highest eth-ical standards,” he said. “If you look at thevote in the governor’s election and the legisla-tive elections, it’s clear that’s what the peoplewanted and it’s what the people are going toget.”

On other topics, the three Kenner legisla-tors said they are working well together. Theywere pleased that the second special sessionincluded an allocation for $300 million forcoastal restoration. Representative Willmottalso feels that the Jefferson Parish legislativedelegation is shaping up as a powerful, uni-fied group.

“The Jefferson Parish legislators are real-ly a hard-working serious group who are unit-ed around an agenda of fighting forJefferson,” says Rep. Willmott. “I think wehave the potential to do great things for ourparish and for our municipalities.”

All three Kenner legislators areRepublicans. �

sive noise until the day comes when it is nolonger considered a primary issue betweenairports and their immediate neighbors.”

Since the airport obtained FAA fundingto underwrite the cost of soundproofing inthe late 1990s, some 216 homes in Kennerhave been soundproofed by contractorspaid by the airport. Sean Hunter, director ofaviation for Armstrong International, sayssome 172 homes remain to be sound-proofed, including the 40 that will beworked on in the next phase of the program.

Hunter said the average cost of a sound-proofing job is about $33,100. Of the 40homes that will be soundproofed in the cur-rent phase, 23 are north of the airport and17 are east of the airport.

For more information about the pro-gram contact Airport Properties ManagerSheldon Demas at 465-2345 or [email protected]. �

ETHICS(continued from page 1)

red light was on,” Muniz added. “Now, wecan look at the entire system on a comput-er screen in an instant.”

Implementation and installation ofKenner’s SCADA system began in June,2007, under the direction of Prat P. Reddy,Kenner’s Deputy CAO/Public Works, andwas completed in mid-October at a cost of$270,000, which included the telemetryand monitor equipment, its installation,and training of personnel at Veolia Water,the private contractor that operates thecity’s sewerage system. “The money camefrom savings that were realized in the2006-07 operating budget that resultedfrom cost-cutting measures implementedby the city administration,” said MayorMuniz.

Joanne L. Massony, project managerfor Veolia Water South, LLC, said the pastcouple of months have been spent bring-ing the SCADA system up to full opera-tion and clearing out glitches that werefound in equipment and data programs.

The SCADA unit at each lift stationhas a battery backup and is capable oftwo-way communication over a specialcellular network, Massony added.Sewerage personnel can collect data likepump run times, pump cycles and estimat-ed volumes of effluent pumped, as well asbeing able to immediately warn of highand low wet well level alarms, power fail-ures, and conduct variable data trendingand chart creation events.

Massony said real time data is webaccessible from any web enabled comput-er system. The SCADA system monitorsand records lift station performance 24hours per day, seven days per week, whichhas significantly and verifiably improvedstation reliability as well as response timefor lift station failures.

The system is monitored using a com-puter with password-protected Internetaccess. To ensure added security, differentlevels of access will be granted. All datawill be safely stored at a remote off-sitedata storage center.

In addition, there are eight real time“rain gauges” installed at various lift sta-tions in the city. These gauges will assessrain events and the impact to the historicoverflow complaint locations in the col-lection system. �

PUMP STATIONS(continued from page 1)

High School. He holds a bachelor of sci-ence degree from Southeastern LouisianaUniversity and a law degree from LoyolaUniversity Law School. A founding part-ner of law firm Ansardi, Maxwell andPower, Ansardi has been married to hiswife, Lynn, for 36 years. They are the par-ents of two daughters and reside inKenner.

Division H of the 24th Judicial DistrictCourt is comprised of central and northKenner in Jefferson Parish. The electionwill be held on October 4, 2008. �

GLENN ANSARDI(continued from page 1)

Phone-in Orders • Visa/Mastercard Accepted

3310 Florida Ave. • Kenner, LA 70065 • 504-469-6736

Fish PlatesShrimp PlatesCombo Plates

Stuffed Crab Plates

Crawfish PastaCrawfish KickersHush Puppies

Seafood Gumbo

St. JeromeKnights of Columbus

Seafood FryApril 4th and April 25


The annual Southern RegionalConference of the Catholic CharismaticRenewal will be held April 11 throughApril 13, 2008 at the Pontchartrain Centerin Kenner. Billed as a “Conference ofPraise and Healing,” the gathering isexpected to draw over 2,000 participants.

Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes will bethe principal celebrant and homilist of theMass on Saturday morning, April 12 at9:00 a.m.

Conference speakers include Sr. BriegeMcKenna, OSC, Fr. Kevin Scallon, CMand the Irish singer, Dana. Sr. Briege willspeak at the opening session of the confer-ence on Friday, April 11, at 7:00 p.m. She isauthor of the best-selling books, MiraclesDo Happen and The Power of theSacraments. Fr. Kevin Scallon, CM, willalso be ministering at the conference. He

has recorded many rosary compact discsand his first book, I Will Come Myself, hasjust been released. Dana has written numer-ous songs, including We Are One Body,chosen as the theme song for the DenverWYD. Dana is on the conference programboth Friday and Saturday nights and willalso be featured in the youth workshop onSaturday.

A youth workshop for teenagers andyoung adults will be held Friday, April 11 at7:00 p.m. and continue Saturday, April 12from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sr. Briege andFr. Kevin will conduct a Eucharistic heal-ing service from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. onSunday, April 13. Fr. Kevin will also be thecelebrant and homilist at the Sunday Massat 1:30 p.m., which concludes the confer-ence.

Seating is limited and early registration

is encouraged. The fee schedule is as fol-lows: individual adult $40; married couple$60; family (same household) $70; singlesession $15; youth workshop $15; all daySaturday $30.

For additional registration information,contact the conference office at P. O. Box7515, Metairie, LA 70010-7515, call 828-1368, email [email protected] or visit thewebsite at www.ccrno.org. �

Community� �

Southern Regional Conference of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal set for April

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Ochsner Home Health recentlyannounced an innovative recruiting andretention strategy in a partnership withEnterprise Fleet Management. This newemployment initiative includes giving nurs-es and therapists, who perform extensivedriving, a new 2008 Ford Focus automobile.This option will allow Ochsner to eliminatemileage reimbursement for these employeesand reduce the maintenance on and dimin-ished value of their personal vehicles. Thisnew program will be effective March 18,2008 in the New Orleans region.

Additionally, Ochsner is providing allhome healthcare workers with state-of-the-art hand held PDA devices by HomecareHomebase. “Increasing the staff’s access totechnology will allow them to documentpatient information faster and communi-cate easier with physicians and pharma-cists; via email, text or phone,” said JamesAldridge, executive director of OchsnerHome Health. Aldridge credits the NewOrleans office of Enterprise FleetManagement for making the switch tocompany-owned vehicles seamless. “Inaddition to having the buying power toobtain vehicles from Banner Ford at thebest possible prices and terms, Enterpriseoffers maintenance management, insur-ance, and vehicle registration and report-ing, as well as a fuel card program thatautomatically monitors fuel purchases andmileage for each vehicle,” says Aldridge.Enterprise specializes in providing full-service fleet management for businesseswith mid-size fleets.

According to Aldridge, the opportunityto switch to company-owned vehicles notonly will enhance employee satisfactionand reduce costs for Ochsner, but it willalso be good for the environment. “Some ofour nurses and therapists have been drivingcars that aren’t as reliable, while these new

vehicles will provide safer and more fuelefficient transportation for our staff.Although our fleet of vehicles will be driv-en approximately 650,000 miles a year forhome health visits, these new cars will getup to 35 miles per gallon, which will bebetter for the environment.”

Ochsner will offer its Home Healthnurses and therapists the option to use theirvehicles for personal use under certain con-ditions. Aldridge figures that based on thethree-year lifecycle of the 32 vehicles, thefleet will be driven a total of three to fourmillion miles. �

Ochsner provides vehicles andPDAs to home healthcare workers

arrangements to get to their final destina-tion.

Fortunately for all concerned, this is arare happening. I want to commend ourairlines, TSA personnel and airportemployees for their professional approachto this situation. Because of a delay, some-times tempers flare and blood pressuresskyrocket as travelers learn they won’t beable to continue their journey for anunspecified time. Reassurance is the key ata time like this. Making the public under-stand and accept the fact that these situa-tions are not man-made and that everyoneis working to make their inconvenience aslittle as possible is very important.

I encourage all travelers to prepare forthe unexpected. A little extra cash andcomfortable clothes might make your nextdiversion more bearable. Thankfully,diversions are rare and traveling by aircarrier is still the fastest and safest form oftravel. �

Sean Hunter can be reached atwww.flymsy.com.

HUB FOR A DAY(continued from page 21)

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

KENNER, LAPERMIT NO. 49

Kenner’s Monthly Community NewspaperP.O. Box 641654 • Kenner, Louisiana 70064

April 2008

OMC-K4C

BACK COVERPLEASE PLACE

QUALITY HEALTHCARE

“ Our patients’ satisfaction plays an important role in measuring the quality of our healthcare.”

– James Campbell, MDChief of Staff

For decades, Ochsner has invested in the communities we serve and we’re here to

stay. At Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner, we have more than 300 community physicians on staff

committed to delivering you the best healthcare around.

When you need quality healthcare, Ochsner is nearby to offer a total package of care along with advanced technology. At Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner, we recently opened our OB Unit and a new Primary Care Health Center.

We offer a wide range of healthcare services and accept most major insurance providers. To learn more, visit www.ochsner.org or call 1-866-OCHSNER.

cstay

have mtcommitted t

Quality Healthcare in Kenner

vol. 17, no. 4 kenner’s community … issues/2008/2008aprks.pdfbuildings – a gas station,...

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