The Jambalaya News - Vol. 3 No. 21

VOL. 3, NO. 21 / JANUARY 26, 2012

• Inner City Slickers

• La Belle Femme

• How to Forma MG Krewe

ALSO:

JANUARY 26, 2012 Volume 3 • Issue 21

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JANUARY 26, 2012 PAGE 3Volume 3 • Issue 21

GENERAL715 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA 70601Phone: 337-436-7800Fax: 337-990-0262www.thejambalayanews.com

PUBLISHERPhil de [email protected]

NEWSEXECUTIVE EDITORLauren de [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORSLisa AddisonRhonda BabinLeslie BermanGeorge ClineJames DoyleDan EllenderMike McHughMary Louise RuehrBrandon ShoumakerKarla Tullos

[email protected]

SALES ASSOCIATESMichele ClackKaty CorbelloFaye DrakeKarla Tullos

GRAPHICSART/PRODUCTION DIRECTORDarrell Buck

BUSINESSOFFICE MANAGERKay Andrews

Legal DisclaimerThe views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnistsare their own and do not necessarily reflect the position ofThe Jambalaya News, its editors or staff.

The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by TheJambalaya News, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake CharlesLouisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst everyeffort was made to ensure the information in this maga-zine was correct at the time of going to press, the publish-ers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors oromissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the stand-ing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. TheJambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the returnof unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations,even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessar-ily reflect those of the publisher.

Copyright 2012 The Jambalaya News all rightsreserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without priorwritten permission is prohibited.

January 26, 2012 • Volume 3 • Issue 21

COVER STORY22 Gray Plantation: Setting the

Tone for Your Dream Wedding

REGULARS7 The Boiling Pot10 Adoption Corner11 The Dang Yankee13 Tips from Tip15 Doyle’s Place28 Sports Report

FEATURES5 Inner City Slickers16 How to Form a Mardi Gras Krewe20 Bayou Biz: La Belle Femme

Dress Shop

ENTERTAINMENT30 Red Hot Books32 Funbolaya33 Family Night at the Movies34 Society Spice37 Jambalaya Jam40 Local Jam42 Eclectic Company43 Killin’ Time Crossword

contents

We accept credit cards!

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On Cover: Bride Emily Breaux-Pettaway.Photo by www.monsoursphotography.com

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Mardi Gras: The Time of Our LivesWe are currently smack dab in the

middle of the most wonderful time ofthe year: the Mardi Gras season.

I love that the holiday belongs toUS. The rest of the country either hasto come here and experience it or dowithout. Yes, there are some smallpockets of Mardi Gras activity in thestates near ours, and I know about itsorigins in Mobile and the DC event.But Louisiana is the place, and LakeCharles’ family-friendly celebrationsmake it tops in my book.

It amazes me that there are lifelongresidents of the Lake Area who shrugand say, “I’ve never gotten into MardiGras.” Huh? The first thing we didwhen we arrived was to find out howwe could become involved, and luckyfor us, some of the first people whobefriended us happened to be big intoMardi Gras—and the rest is history.

Eight years later, we’ve been oncourt three times and were king andqueen of two different krewes. Thememories we have will last us a life-time—and we make more every year.

Phil and I were giant walruses thefirst time we were on court with KreweDéjà vu du Monde, hitting each otherwith rubber fish during the presenta-tion. Those same costumes, created by

the very talented John Chavanne, werebumped up a few mega-notches whenwe brought Mardi Gras to Sioux City,Iowa, with the Krewe de Charlie Sioux.Next, we were the Duke and Duchessof the Nile with the Krewe de laFamille. Our traditional costumes weremade by the Columbo family out ofNew Orleans, costume designers formany of the significant NOLA krewes.

When we were asked to be kingand queen of Déjà vu, we chose a cir-cus theme (what else?) and JohnChavanne did his magic, sketching myideas for our costumes and then run-ning with it. Phil was naturally in hisglory. What a great theme for a ball!All we needed was a real elephant, andI was afraid Phil was going to find one.

As king and queen of La Famille,which is a more decorous krewe, weselected “The Splendor of Versailles”as our theme and for one night, thecoliseum at the Civic Center wastransformed into a royal palace. I willnever forget that night, our magnifi-cent gold and silver costumes fit forroyalty, the fabulous catering byMarilyn’s, including a cake that said“Let Them Eat Cake,” the martini iceluge that served a cocktail called“French Kiss,” and the gold plates,glasses and red roses at every table.

Phil made his first gumbo from theroast turkey that we didn’t finish thatnight!

This past weekend, Krewe Déjà vudu Monde held its 23rd annual ball atthe Civic Center. Phil is the ball cap-tain and I’m on the board of directors.The krewe begins planning for thenext year as soon as the previous sea-son ends—and it is fun.

The theme for this year’s ball was“Goosebumps” – the stuff of old-timehorror movies. We had the King andQueen of the Night, the Witch and theWerewolf, Frankenstein (our very ownDang Yankee) and his Bride, theMummy and a very enticing Black Catsnapping a long whip (I understandshe was in her driveway at 3 a.m. thenight before, practicing). Phil wasCount Dracula and ran around allnight biting women’s necks andtwirling his cape.

Members decorate their own tablesand went wild with the theme. Philand I had a silver candelabra twisted incobwebs, bones strewn over the table,and skeleton beads for every guest. Asmoke machine in the middle of thetable really set the mood, along with ablood-red bottle of Vampire Vodkathat we found in New Orleans.

Our guests had a fantastic time. A

few couples were new to the area andknow very little about Mardi Gras, sowe had to explain it all to them. Thetraditions were easier for them tounderstand after a few drinks.

You can always find the newbies inthe crowd. At one point, the bandstruck up the Second Line, and as weall got in line and boogied around thedance floor, there’s this oblivious cou-ple dancing together. Mardi Gras fauxpas! Before the floor could open upand swallow them, I indicated thatthey needed to get in line—now. Theywere momentarily stunned but quicklycomplied, thus avoiding furtherembarrassment.

But like all good things, the ballended too quickly. At the witchinghour of midnight, the band stopped,the lights went on, and as confetti andstreamers were swept off the dancefloor and the tables were packed up,the weary revelers slowly made theirway to the elevators, yawning and car-rying assorted memorabilia from thenight: programs, blinking glasses,beads. We all went home to sleep, onlyto do it all over again this comingweekend—and the one after that.Happy Mardi Gras!

A Note From Lauren

– Lauren de AlbuquerqueTJN

Volume 3 • Issue 21 JANUARY 26, 2012 PAGE 5

Inspiration comes from a varietyof things. The movie City Slickersand running out of gas on a roadsomewhere between Kansas Cityand Bell City are two things thatinspired a non-profit called InnerCity Slickers to come to the LakeArea.

Inner City Slickers is a programthat puts together troubled youthages 10-17 with horses and expertlytrained adult volunteers to helpbuild confidence and break downthe barriers of prejudice. Using themoral and ethical values of cowboys(and cowgirls), this organizationhelps struggling and hurting kidslearn to trust.

Bell City resident Renee’ Muddwas on her way home from KansasCity after attending a weekend ses-sion to learn firsthand about thisnational non-profit that she hadbeen exposed to on Facebook.Outside of Louisiana, her vehicleran out of gas. She was tired, alone,cold, and crying, and needed helpthat was literally a mobile phonecall away.

She realized that if an adult, whohad faced plenty of problems, couldstill be overcome with a feeling of

helplessness, how did kids growingup in a non-supportive environ-ment handle their own issues? Atthat point, she knew that 1.2 acresof her land and at least five of herhorses would be the foundation fora Bell City location of Inner CitySlickers.

On January 20, a Supper GetTogether was held at theCommunity Center in Iowa forcommunity members, volunteers,and the curious to meet MichaelMcMeel, founder of Inner CitySlickers, and wranglers fromTennessee and Missouri. McMeel, aformer drummer for Three DogNight and commercial actor andhorse enthusiast, shared his story ofhow he made his first location areality.

In 1991, McMeel saw the filmCity Slickers. He knew that hors-es trust only when you trustthem, and understoodthe strong bond theycan form withhumans in a shorttime. McMeelalso knewthat therewere kids

in his city that were involved indrugs, gangs, or literally living onthe streets without positive rolemodels in their lives. He receivedpermission to use the name fromthe film, support from some cow-boy friends, and started teaching his“Slickers” some cowboy ways.

McMeel said that Slicker kidslearn “kindness, dependability,keeping their word, responsibility–- an ethical and moral code thatwill stay with them throughouttheir lives.” The kids also learn howto rope, groom, feed, and sit ahorse. “Our kids learn what it’s liketo trust and respect the horses,

themselves, and each other,” he con-tinued.

With this program, many ofthese kids have a greater chance ofbecoming responsible citizens. Theylearn that they can solve problems,change directions, and that there isa different way to live and approachothers. They literally become cow-boys in a day.

The passion McMeel has for thisprogram is contagious. Mudd expe-rienced that passion firsthand whenshe went to Missouri to learn moreabout the organization. “I wasraised in Moss Bluffwith some preju-dices,” she said. “Iwas paired withan African-American

By Rhonda Babin

Left: Michael McMeel

Right: Hard to believe thislittle girl was crying andscared just 20 minutesbefore she was on a horse.The next time she cried wasbecause she didn't want toget off the horse!

Below: Renee’ Mudd


IMMACULATECONCEPTION CATHEDRAL

CATHOLIC SCHOOL1536 Ryan St. • 337-433-3497

Open House is Wednesday, Feb. 299:00am - 4:00pm

SACRED HEART OF JESUS/SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL

CATHOLIC SCHOOL1100 Mill St. • 337-436-3588Open House is Monday, Jan. 30

6:00pm

ST. MARGARET OF SCOTLAND

CATHOLIC SCHOOL2510 Enterprise Blvd.

337-436-7959Open House is Tuesday, Feb. 28

6:00pm, Talks and tours.

OUR LADY’SCATHOLIC SCHOOL

1111 Cypress St., Sulphur337-527-7828

Open House is Wednesday, Feb. 296:00pm

OUR LADY IMMACULATECATHOLIC SCHOOL

600 Roberts Ave., Jennings337-824-1743

Open House is Tuesday, Mar. 66:00pm - 7:00pm

OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN CATHOLIC SCHOOL3908 Creole St. • 337-477-7333

Open House is Tuesday, Jan. 316:00pm

ST. THEODORE’SHOLY FAMILY

CATHOLIC SCHOOL785 Sam Houston Jones Prkwy,

Moss Bluff337-855-9465

Open House is Tuesday, Mar. 69:00am - 10:30am (during class hrs.)

and 6:00pm - 7:30pm

ST. LOUIS CATHOLICHIGH SCHOOL

1620 Bank St. • 337-436-7275Registration Dates:

Continuing/current students:Feb. 1-10

Incoming Freshmen high schoolplacement test: Saturday, Feb. 11

8:00am - 11:30amSchool Cafeteria

child in Kansas City and wasn’t sureI could relate to her. This little girl’sexperience of learning to care andrespect the horses opened my eyesto the fact that kids are kids andyou cannot see color in the world.”

Mudd became a cowgirl about12 years ago when she married herhusband, Kevin. She quickly adapt-ed to the lifestyle and code of living.“I felt an amazing love and trustthat develops when you work withhorses,” she said. “If you make amistake, the horse will let youknow, and you try again.”

Mudd equates it to life. “Whenyou make choices, sometimes theyaren’t the best ones, but we can turna bad choice around and learn froma mistake,” she said. Having the kidsgo through the paces of a series ofexercises with the horses and volun-teers teaches them about developingtrust.

At the Bell City location, disad-vantaged youth become familiarwith horses that include Montana,Yeller, and a Palomino named Lou.There are activities and exercisesdesigned around those that wouldhappen in the Old West, such asriding a bucking bull. In thisinstance, it’s a barrel bucking bullnamed “The Gator.” There will alsobe a hay wall where square bays ofhay are moved to construct a sturdywall that can be climbed on . And,participants are encouraged to takea leap of faith into the arms of thecowboys in an exercise called “TheLadder.” Ten men interlock theirarms while the child climbs a ladderand then freefalls into the safety ofthe waiting arms of fellow wranglerswith whom they’ve spent the day.

These exercises are all voluntary,of course. “No child is forced toparticipate in every exercise unlessthey want to,” Mudd stressed.

Volunteers work with each child,and the mentoring continues afterthe day’s activities are over. Thementors keep in touch with them,so the children know that they havesomeone to turn to and share what-ever might be on their minds.

Mudd shudders at the memoryof local kids who were eating out oftrashcans. “Sometimes, there areproblems of abuse and the youthaffected have nowhere to turn tobuild trust,” she said. “And, some ofthe youth who need this programaren’t abused; they simply haveproblems and no positive adult rolemodels they can discuss thingswith.” She urges readers to watchout for their neighbors and to open

their doors, eyes, and minds to thepossibility of helping a Lake Areayouth with proven programs likeInner City Slickers.

“There is nothing like seeing anearly exercise where a youth, on theback of a horse for the first time,stretches their arms overhead, clos-es their eyes, and leans forward towrap their arms around the horse’sneck,” Mudd said. “That is the firsttime you see the trust developedbetween man and beast.”

“There is something magicalwhen a child and a horse meet forthe very first time,” McMeel echoed.“There is suspicion and distrust atfirst, but they start to relax anddevelop a relationship and sense oftrust. You find that both of theirlives are being touched in a uniqueand profound way.”

A grand opening for the firstLouisiana location for Inner CitySlickers will be celebrated early thisyear. Six of the trust-building week-ends will take place at the Bell Citylocation and are scheduled forApril, May, June, September,October and November.

Volunteers and good neighborsare needed to help this organizationget off to a strong start here in theLake Area. You can donate food,hay, or dollars; help with the kids orserve food. One of the most impor-tant ways to help is to encourage ayoung person who may not be inthe best situation to attend one ofthe weekends.

The Bell City Inner City Slickersin located at Coulie Jack Ranch,6808 Duhon Road. For more infor-mation, Mudd welcomes calls at(337) 274-7737 or messages sent viaher Facebook page. You can alsovisit the website at www.innercitys-lickers.com. TJN


The

BoilingP l

DELISA HARRIS RECEIVES CERTIFICATIONDeLisa Harris, CT, ARRT, radiologic technologist at Imperial Calcasieu

Imaging (a division of Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group) recently receivedcertification in computed tomography by the American Registry ofRadiologic Technologists. In earning this credential, DeLisa adds the initials“CT, ARRT” after her name. The American Registry of RadiologicTechnologists (ARRT) promotes high standards of patient care by recogniz-ing qualified individuals in medical imaging, interventional procedures, andradiation therapy. Imperial Calcasieu Imaging, located at 1747 ImperialBoulevard in Lake Charles, provides an array of medical imaging services.For more information, call (337) 312-8761.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HONORS ST. JOHN ELEMENTARY ARTISTSLake Charles Memorial Hospital recently honored students who partici-

pated in the Young at Art Program in November. The program, which spot-lights artwork from a different local elementary school each month, wasdesigned to make a positive impact on hospital patients, employees, and theyoung artists themselves. November’s display featured artwork by studentsfrom St. John Elementary. A panel of Memorial volunteers recognized sec-ond grader Hailey Leviner, third grader Karys Chaumont and fifth graderMackensie Patch with a $50 savings bond.

LA FUR & WILDLIFE FESTIVAL SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY TOP 20 EVENT

The Southeast Tourism Society recently honored the Louisiana Fur &Wildlife Festival as a 2012 Top 20 Event for the month of January. The festi-val was held Jan. 13-14 in Cameron with plenty of activities for festivalgoers,including parades, dances, exhibits and a carnival, along with some ratherunusual events such as trap-setting contests, nutria and muskrat skinning,oyster-shucking contests, skeet shooting and dog trials. The Top 20 Eventspublication is sent to over 1,600 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TVstations, AAA publications and others. The combined circulation of organi-zations using the publication is well into the millions.

NEW APPOINTEES TO CVB’S BOARD OF DIRECTORSThe Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau

(CVB) has three new appointees joining the board of directors, with MichaelDees representing the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, Keith W. Henson nomi-nated by the Southwest Louisiana Lodging Association and Brant Parishappointed by the City of Sulphur. Dees is the general counsel for the LakeCharles Harbor & Terminal District (Port of Lake Charles) and has held thatposition since 1995. Henson is vice president and general manager ofL’Auberge Casino Resort, and Parish has served as the general manager ofCandlewood Suites in Sulphur, La. since its opening in 2008. For more infor-mation on the CVB, visit www.visitlakecharles.org or call (337) 436-9588.

L’AUBERGE PROMOTES HAROLD ROWLAND L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles recently

announced the promotion of Harold Rowland to vicepresident and assistant general manager, pending reg-ulatory approval. Rowland most recently worked asVP of Resort Operations overseeing all restaurant,hotel, golf course, spa and retail operations. In his newrole, he will lend his hospitality expertise to ensure allL’Auberge guests receive impeccable guest service.Additionally, he will oversee a multi-million dollarhotel renovation project in 2012. He is the treasurerfor the Louisiana Hotel and Lodging Association Board of Directors and wasnamed to lead Pinnacle Entertainment’s Center of Excellence for HotelOperations in 2009.

BBBS OF SWLA AWARDED GRANT TO MENTOR NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana received $160,000 tostrengthen its Tribal Community Initiative, a culturally relevant mentoringprogram developed to help Native American/Alaska native children achievein school and promote lifelong success. The funds are part of The Office of

Please submit press releases to [email protected]

Hailey Leviner Karys Chaumont Mackensie Patch

Brant ParishMichael Dees Keith W. Henson

Harold Rowland


Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s $13.3 million FY2011 invest-ment in Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring programs to prevent juveniledelinquency. This award is part of a $2 million dollar allocation of OJJDP’stotal grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters for the Tribal Community Initiative,which will fund the pairings of a minimum of 600 American Indian/AlaskaNative youths with positive adult mentors on reservations/pueblos across thecountry. The national program was established in 2008 with support fromOJJDP and expanded to Allen Parish in 2012.

NAVARRE AND MCDONALD’S DONATE TO MIDCITY LITTLE LEAGUEBilly Navarre of Billy Navarre Chevrolet Cadillac and Doug Gehrig of

McDonald’s of SWLA are donating $12,000 to sponsor the MidCity LittleLeague program. This will allow the children to have better equipment anduniforms for all age divisions (T-ball and up).

ART ASSOCIATES OF LC ELECTS NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

During its annual board meeting recently, ArtAssociates of Lake Charles elected a new executivecommittee and appointed new members to its board ofdirectors. Bobbi Yancey, arts educator at Lake CharlesBoston Academy of Learning, was elected board pres-ident for another year. Also serving on the executivecommittee are Gayle Cline, VP, Kempa Pierce (IRSretiree) as treasurer, Kay Crosby as corresponding sec-retary, and Brigette Martin of Brigette Martin Piano Studio as recording sec-retary. Four new members were appointed to the board: Chad Moreno, ownerof Killer Websites and LakeCharles.com, Dr. Delma Porter, Director ofMcNeese’s Write to Excellence Center, Valerie Smith, owner of Stellar BeansCoffee House, and Kim Anderson, owner of Hope Therapy Center.

COUSHATTA CELEBRATES 17TH ANNIVERSARYCoushatta Casino Resort, owned and operated by the Coushatta Tribe

of Louisiana, celebrated its 17th anniversary Jan. 13-14. The public was invit-ed to join Tribal Chairman Kevin Sickey, members of the Tribal Council,

and casino management for a cake-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Fri, Jan.13, in Mikko Center. Anniversary celebrations continued the following daywith cash drawings for over $50,000 and the grand opening of the casino’snew Bingo Hall—a spacious 12,000 sq. ft. area with high stakes games, multi-progressive games, and impressive jackpots. Bingo will be offered seven daysa week with three sessions daily. Non-smoking tables will be available.

CITY HOLDS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY AT SITE OF NEW CITY COURT The City of Lake Charles held a groundbreaking ceremony recently at

100 N. Mill St. for the new Lake Charles City Court facility. The new LakeCharles City Court will be a 22,000 square foot building housing two court-rooms and offices for the City Judges of Divisions A and B and their staff,Violations Division, Civil Division, City Prosecutor and Ward 3 Marshal. The$5 million project includes funding from: Calcasieu Parish Public TrustAuthority, the City of Lake Charles, City Court, and City Marshal. TheArchitect and Engineering agreement is with Randy M. Goodloe, AIA; andthe contractor is Priola Construction. Completion of the new Lake CharlesCity Court is estimated to be in 24 months.

FAMILY AND YOUTH ELECTS YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL OFFICERSFamily & Youth Counseling Agency announced the newly elected offi-

cers of the Youth Advisory Council Officers for 2012. They are TiffanyFontenot, Chair; Callie Berwick, vice-chair; and Morgan Davis, secretary.Tiffany Fontenot is a senior at St. Louis High School, and is the daughter ofJake and Patricia Philmon. She is a member of the Key Club, CampusMinistry, Junior Classical League, and Mu Alpha Theta. Callie Berwick is asenior at Starks High School and is the daughter of Chris and MelindaBerwick. She is actively involved in several clubs, serves as videographer ofthe boy’s basketball team and is also a member of the Lady Panther softballteam. Morgan Davis is a junior at St. Louis High School and the daughter ofBrickley and Vanessa Davis. She is involved in various extracurricular activi-ties including Student Council, Junior Classical League, and Ambassadors ofSt. Louis, as well as the softball and track team.

GRANT AWARDED TO ARTS AND HUMANITIES COUNCILRodney “Poncho” Seaford, president of the Southwest Louisiana Market

for JPMorgan Chase, presented a check for $5,000 to Matt Young, executivedirector of the Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA. The grant was

Pictured along with Mr. Navarre are Ryan Navarre, David Haegele and Dexter Fountain, all of Navarre Chevrolet. Reggie Lewis and

Mack Delafosse accepted the donation on behalf of MidCity Little League.

Bobbi Yancey

Coushatta Casino Resort celebrated its 17th anniversary.

Morgan DavisTiffany Fontenot Callie Berwick

Arts Council Executive Director Matt Young (left) accepts a $5,000 check from Rodney “Poncho” Seaford of JPMorgan Chase.


Are YOU registered to vote?

It’s easy!Get help at:

http://VOTE411.org www.clerkofcourt.orgwww.sos.louisiana.gov

Phone: 337-474-1864Email: [email protected]

Website: www.lwv-lc.org

awarded to the Arts Council for arts and cultural programming, which bene-fits the cultural economy in Southwest Louisiana. For more informationabout the Arts Council, call 439-ARTS.

BBBS WELCOMES NEW EMPLOYEESBig Brothers Big Sisters of SWLA welcomes four

new employees to the agency. Crisann Surrena is thenew executive assistant. She is a graduate of theUniversity of Toledo with a degree in legal assistingtechnology. Originally from Ohio, she now resides inLake Charles. Tamisha Ashworth, a DeRidder native,will serve as satellite director for Beauregard andVernon Parishes. She has a degree in speech commu-nication from Louisiana Tech University. CourtneyEstes has joined the agency as a community-basedcaseworker. Originally from DeRidder, she now resides in Lake Charles. Sheis a graduate of McNeese State University with a degree in mass communica-tions. Jackie Briscoe, a lifelong resident of Elton and member of theCoushatta Tribe of Louisiana, will serve as the Tribal PartnershipCoordinator for Allen and Jeff Davis Parishes. Briscoe is a McNeese StateUniversity graduate with a degree in business management. TJN

Courtney EstesCrisann Surrena Tamisha Ashworth

Jackie Briscoe


Food Drive forHomeless Dogs Feb. 11

Nine-year-old Kennedy Milleris on a mission.

Kennedy and her mom, Kerry,an employee at L’Auberge du LacCasino, have been fostering dogsfor 4 Paws Society and LakeCharles Pit-bull Rescue for severalyears, with four foster dogs cur-rently at their home. They haverecently dubbed their home“Miller’s Dog Stop” and have creat-ed a Facebook page to promotetheir foster dogs looking for newhomes.

Kennedy’s birthday was inOctober, and due to her involve-ment in sports, her busy scheduleleft little time for a birthday party.It isn’t surprising to anyone whoknows her that she asked her momif she could have a food drive forthe rescued dogs.

Here are the details about thefood drive and how you can helpmake Kennedy’s wish come true,which is to “keep the homelessdogs fed while they wait for theirforever families.”

The event will take place onSat., Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.at Southside Animal Hospital1709 W. Prien Lake Rd, Suite A,Lake Charles. (Special thanks toDrs. Matt and Michelle Traylor, theveterinarians at Southside, for let-ting her have her food drive at theirvet clinic and for their support ofrescue dogs.)

Kennedy has requested the fol-lowing types of donations:

• All types of healthy dog food,both dry and canned, for puppies,adult and senior dogs

• All types of dog treats, espe-cially “pill pockets” for the doggieswho need medicine

• Dog supplies like collars,leashes, toys, bedding, etc.

• Gift cards to businesses thatsell dog food

• Checks and cash donationswill be accepted and checks can bemade out to either “4 Paws Society”or “Lake Charles Pit-bull Rescue.”

Please put monetary donationsin an envelope with your name andreturn address on the envelope sothank-you notes can be sent. Theycan be dropped off at SouthsideAnimal Hospital from Feb. 6-11,and their staff will keep the dona-tions safe.

Please come by SouthsideAnimal Hospital on Feb. 11 andmeet Kennedy and her foster dogsin person! TJN

Red Charlie wants you to knowthat she is ready to come to your homefor a visit to see if you would like toadopt her and give her the happy lifethat she deserves. Red is about 10months old and is a purebred Pit girlwith an affectionate and good-naturedpersonality. She would make a won-derful family dog, as she gets on wellwith children and other dogs and is asocial butterfly. This young lady willmelt your heart and make you fall inlove with her. Her foster mom Roxiesays Charlie is crate trained, housebro-ken, rides nicely in the passenger seatof the car, and absolutely loves every-one she meets. “She is great with all

other dogs and doesn’t seem to paymuch attention to cats. She is full ofenergy and would make a fantasticrunning partner,” she says.

Contact Roxie at (337) 842-1815 ore-mail us at [email protected] adoption application can be foundonline at www.4PawsSocietyInc.comunder the “Forms” tab and faxed to(337) 558-6331 or e-mailed to [email protected]. A vet referenceand home visit are part of the adoptionprocess to ensure a good match forboth the dog and the adopter. If youlive outsidethe CalcasieuParish area, a“virtual” homevisit can bedone by e-mailing pho-tos of yourhome to us.Hurry, Charlieis waiting!

TJN

Meet RedCharlie!


1639B RYAN ST. • 337-480-1221

Specializing In Wedding Receptions

And Rehearsal Dinners

Elegant BallroomAccomodates Up To 325 People

j

Voted SWLA's Best Caterer for 10 Years!

YankeeDangThe

By Mike McHugh

Bayou SageI’ve been working a lot in Houston

lately. My office there is in a buildinglocated on Bayou Sage. It’s normallycalled Sage Road, except on days likeyesterday, when several inches of rainfell on the city in less time than ittakes for a fifty-cent taco to make itsway through your digestive system.

That’s how it is with precipitationhere; it’s either all or nothing. Lastyear, the drought was so bad that theHouston Rodeo’s famous Trail Ridersparaded into town on the backs ofcamels. If yesterday was any indica-tion, they’ll be able to do it this yearon surfboards.

This is because the City ofHouston has a huge drainage prob-lem. In the past, city officials hadchosen to address the issue by urgingall residents to purchase gondolas.Fortunately, the current administra-tion, headed by Mayor Annise Parker,has taken a more proactive strategy.In an effort to solve the problem onceand for all, Mayor Parker imposed asteep increase in the drainage fee paidby landowners. The measure isexpected to generate an additional$125 million in annual revenue,which, according to an administra-tion official, “will buy a hell of a lot ofbuckets.”

But this landmark initiative is stillin the planning stage, and so ouroffice building still gets classified as

riverfront property from time to time.The accounting department continuesto study how the company can cashin on it. They just can’t understandwhy Donald Trump is not jumping allover the opportunity.

I’ll tell you one thing; nothing caninterrupt a business meeting like aflash flood that’s going on right out-side the conference room window.The scene outside drew us all up tothe glass like a pickup truck full ofrednecks to a fresh piece of road kill.Well, it drew all but two of us. Theguy at the front of the room just wenton giving his Power Point presenta-tion to a cluster of empty chairs. Afterhaving slaved over it for the betterpart of two weeks, I suppose he didn’tknow what else to do. As for the otherperson—well, nobody knew exactlywhere Michael was.

The street scene was a comicopera, with Act One featuring thedriver of a late-model Cadillac. Heentered stage left, trying to navigatethe rising waters of Bayou Sage. Hedidn’t make it. As he was abandoningship, one co-worker commented thathe apparently wasn’t carrying theHouston Special Emergency RoadKit, which includes oars.

Act Two ushered in tragedy. Enterthe secretary into the room, stageright, with an announcement that thedelivery van carrying our lunch had

apparently suffered the same fate asthe Caddy. And so we were left to for-age on a bag of potato chips and asix-pack of Diet Cokes that I, theunsuspecting hero, happened to havestashed in my desk drawer. It wasn’tmuch, but it was better than fifty-centtacos.

Act Three was much the same. Bythen, it was mid-afternoon. The rainhad moved on, but the waters werenot receding. It became clear to usthat it could be a while before the fatlady sang. LSU was going to be play-ing for the national championshipthat night, and so a touch of anxietybegan to permeate the room. It wasthen that someone finally gestured tothe guy doing the presentation. “Yes!”he replied with enthusiasm. “I antici-pated that these figures might promptsome lively discussion. What is yourcomment?”

“I was just wondering,” he wasasked. “Can you get ESPN on thatprojector?”

In the Final Act, the mystery sur-rounding Michael was resolved. Hecalled into the conference room’sspeakerphone. “Hey, guys!” he greet-ed us cheerfully.

“Hey, Michael! What happened toyou?” one of us asked.

“I’m out here on Rice Avenue. Gotwater in my car up to the seats, butit’s no biggie. I’ve managed to keepmy feet dry, and besides, it’s a rental.”

“Well, don’t that beat all?” a co-worker named Paul remarked. “Wetseats and dry feet!”

“Yeah,” Michael continued, “andyou know what else? I ended up get-ting stuck behind the lunch van. Man,was that brisket good! What did youall end up doing about lunch?”

At that, somebody quicklypunched the disconnect button.

The story came to a happy ending.Ground was finally sighted near theparking lot exit around quitting time.Noah couldn’t have been happierwhen the dove returned to the arkcarrying an olive branch. And so, weall made it back to the hotel lobby forkickoff.

Uh, on second thought, maybe itwasn’t so happy an ending. It wouldhave been better if it had rained a fewmore inches.

Now you can follow The DangYankee on Facebook and Twitter!Facebook.com/TheDangYankeeTwitter.com/dang_yankee TJN


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Experienced Professional Staff • Most Insurance Accepted

The Junior League of LakeCharles, Inc. is proud toannounce that it will be award-ing a Branch Out and GrowScholarship this spring. Thescholarship in the amount of$1,500 will be awarded to a vol-unteer-minded young woman tohelp her pursue her education atany accredited college, universityor technical trade school. This

scholarship helps the JuniorLeague of Lake Charles, Inc. fur-ther its mission of promotingvoluntarism and developing thepotential of women. Visitwww.jllc.net for more informa-tion and an application. Allapplications must be received byFeb. 1, 2012.

Branch Out and Grow Grants

TJN

The start of a new year is a greattime to resolve to be a smarter, saferconsumer. Carmen Million, BBBpresident, states that it is the con-sumer’s right and responsibility totake a stand to protect themselvesagainst scammers.

The Better Business Bureauoffers 10 resolutions for 2012 thatcan help you fight scammers, pre-vent identity theft and save money:

1. Always check out a businesswith BBB. Over 650 local business-es meet BBB standards and arequalified to use the BBB AccreditedBusiness seal. Check with your BBBto find Business Reviews for thou-sands of local businesses.

2. Get everything in writing.Don’t just take a company’s word forit. Get all verbal promises in writingto limit miscommunication andmisunderstandings later.

3. Always read the fine print.The details are always in the fineprint. Take time to read through allcontracts, paperwork and docu-ments in their entirety before sign-ing anything. This will ensure thatyou know what is expected and fullyagree to what you’re signing. Keep acopy for your records.

4. Be skeptical of “job offers”that promise easy money. With ahigh national unemployment rate,scammers are targeting people des-perate to find a job. Beware of anyjob offer, work-at-home scheme orbusiness opportunity that promisesbig money for little work and noexperience.

5. Keep your computer safe. Ifyou have not already done so, installanti-virus software on your comput-er and check regularly for softwareand operating system updates.

Never open attachments or click onlinks coming from unknownsenders.

6. Never wire money to some-one you do not know. Trackingmoney sent via MoneyGram orWestern Union is extremely diffi-cult, and once the money has beenwired, it is nearly impossible to getit back.

7. Fight identity theft. Nevergive personal financial informationor your social security number toany unknown caller. Shred paperdocuments that include sensitivefinancial data and dispose of com-puters, cell phones and digital datasafely. BBB offers tips and checklistson what to shred, and hosts anannual Shred Day event to help youstay safe.

8. Ask your BBB for help. File acomplaint with your BBB if youhave a disagreement with a businessor feel you have been victimized bya scammer.

9. Give wisely. Philanthropistsdonate to charities all year long.Whether donating your time, treas-ure or talent, ask questions and doyour research to ensure your moneyis going where you think it is going.

10. Fight fake check fraud.Thanks to technology, scammershave the ability to create profession-al-looking phony checks. Educateyourself on the common types ofcheck fraud and be extremely waryof checks that come with claims thatyou’ve won the lottery, are eligiblefor a government grant or havelanded a job as a secret shopper.

To check the reliability of a com-pany and find trustworthy business-es, visit www.bbb.org or call theBBB at (337) 478-6253.

Be a Smarter Consumer in 2012Ten Tips from the BBB

TJN

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IF YOU BUILD IT, THERE WILL BE PROBLEMS…

With all the hard work that’s beingdone in downtown Lake Charles andour Civic Center area, I was disheart-ened to learn of some unpleasantnessthat occurred at Millennium Parkrecently. Some teenagers were notbeing kind—shall we say—to some ofthe younger kids in the park. I wasinformed that the police were evencalled because of this errant behavior,which happened over a long weekend.If we are to move forward with bring-ing the heart of our city into favorwith the general public, a sense ofsecurity and friendliness must beparamount in the minds of the citi-zenry.

Perhaps when all the securitycameras are in operation, we’ll feelbetter about visiting that area forrecreation. It’s a sad state of affairsthat our society has to rely on “BigBrother” to watch not only us, but towatch out for us as well. It wouldseem that a widespread sense of self-respect has fallen by the wayside.

THE ‘HOT DEAL’ THAT WASN’TMost everyone loves a good deal.

Some people can’t pay enough forthings, and they usually want you toknow about it. As for the rest of us,well, we like to get full value for ourdollar.

Lately, there has been a prolifera-tion of the “Deal of the Day,” “Today’sHot Deal” type of promotions. Youbuy a coupon for a item or service atusually 50 percent of the everydayprice charged to the consumer. Thefull value of the coupon is usually fora one-time use and comes close to thenormal transactional value for thatpurchase.

However, as always, the purchaserof these coupons must be ever dili-

gent in understanding the fine printthat is part of any promotion. Thereare rules in favor of the issuer of thecoupon—and that is always where therub takes place.

A good friend was excited afterpurchasing one of these deals at alocal restaurant, so several of us wentout for a little socializing, anxious tosee how the deal would work out.When our friend went to settle hertab with the coupon, she was told thatshe had not fulfilled all the require-ments of the coupon and was going tolose money on the deal.

Fortunately, I, by dumb luck, hadinadvertently jumped through theright hoops and could use the couponon what wasn’t the world’s worsthamburger (it compared favorably,though) and traded it out with ourfriend, although no bargain wasachieved for the transaction. Alwaysmake sure you get what you bar-gained for, and always make sure youread and understand the fine print.

UNHAPPY HOURA group of us gets together on a

regular weekly basis at a favoriterestaurant to enjoy the companion-ship and take advantage of specialpromotions for that day. The othernight we were less than pleased todiscover that they had eliminated along-standing special. Now, that itemhas more than doubled in price.

Of course businesses need tomake a profit to survive; but, pennywise and pound foolish changes oftenhurt these establishments. Netflix is arecent example of that type of pricechange malfunction. Customers havethe power to let businesses knowwhen they are making overaggressivemoves in pricing. The consumer is incontrol. If you choose not to pur-chase, you are informing that busi-

By George “Tip” Cline ness of what you expect in the mar-ket. You may rest assured that ourgroup will modify its purchasing tocompensate for the change.

SUPERMARKET ROUNDUPThe shopping report for this issue

was from Wed., Jan. 18. The storesare: Albertsons, Country Club Road;Kroger, McNeese Street; MarketBasket, Lake Street and Walmart,Nelson Road. These are the postedprices on the shelves.

Kraft Creamy French Salad Dressing, 16-ounce bottle:

Albertsons $2.89; Kroger $2.49; Market Basket $2.59; Walmart $2.18.Blackberries, fresh 6-ounce package: Albertsons $1.50, Kroger $2.50, Market Basket $3.99, Walmart out of stock.Taco Bell Taco Dinner, 10.75 ounce box: Albertsons $2.99; Kroger $2.69; Market Basket $2.79; Walmart $2.25.Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 8-ounce package: Albertsons $2.49; Kroger $2.33; Market Basket $2.39; Walmart $2.28. TJN


By Jim Doyle

Well, fellow travelers, I watchedtwo debates on Fox News this weekand my head didn’t explode. Notyet, anyway. But I’m wonderingwhen the public gets to hear thetruth from these candidates?

The Republicans seem to wantonly one thing, and that’s the end ofPresident Obama’s stay in the WhiteHouse. All those still in the raceconsistently exaggerate, or outrightlie, about his record. And that both-ers me, because if they were tellingthe truth, we could make a realchoice about our vote. As it is now,we’re picking the best, and oftenmost expensive, negative narrativeand voting against “that guy.”

Let’s take the “Food StampPresident” line first. According to anarticle in the Washington Post, par-ticipation in the program firstpassed by Republican SenatorRobert Dole and now known asSupplemental Nutrition AssistanceProgram has increased to 72 percentof those eligible, mostly due to apush during the BushAdministration to streamline eligi-bility. Remember, although subsi-dized at the Federal level, eligibilityis up to the states. During the Bushyears, the participation percentagewas 68 percent.

There is little doubt in my mindthat, in a debate in South Carolina,calling the nation’s first African-American to occupy the office the“Food Stamp President” to thunder-ous applause has racial ramifica-tions. Should there be a penalty forthat from the electorate? Particularly

if it’s false? By the way, well over halfthe recipients are not black. Andover half are children under 18.

Then there’s Romney’s commentabout President Obama having nojobs plan, and the formerMassachusetts governor’s claim tohave his own. The current adminis-tration has presented multiple jobsbills to the Congress, the latest voteddown for lack of 60 votes in theSenate in October of last year. I getthat Romney thinks his is better, butsaying Obama has none? Come on!

Unemployment is dropping now,in fact, at a record pace. Accordingto the USA Today, quoting govern-ment statistics, the recession bot-tomed out in February, 2010 with anet loss of 4.2 million jobs. We have,since that date, added 3 million newjobs, the best recovery from a reces-sion since the first Bush presidency.Perhaps more to the point for Mr.Romney, the stock market has risenfrom a Dow Jones average of 7,949on the day of President Obama’sadministration to 12,720 on Fridayof last week. That’s a 50 percentincrease in exactly three years.

And another thing. I really don’tunderstand the idea that the newsmedia is biased for exposing such anobvious scandal as SpeakerGingrich’s unorthodox marital his-tory. The facts have been uncontest-ed in the media for years. He mar-ried his first wife after dating herwhile she was his teacher in highschool. He had an affair with hissecond wife and asked her to marryhim before even asking the first one

When do weHear the Truth?

TJN

for a divorce. And he was having anaffair with a Congressional stafferwhile his party was impeachingPresident Clinton for similar con-duct. His own party forced him toresign.

I believe in redemption, too. It isa central tenet of my faith and Ithank God for it. But there’s some-thing that rings true when RickSantorum, a good man and the bestof the three candidates in my opin-ion, calls the former Speaker “errat-ic” and “unreliable.”

It might be fun to watch SpeakerGingrich, who would be the firstpresident with a Tulane degree, sparwith President Obama. But as some-one pointed out on one of theSunday shows, this guy is going tohave the nuclear codes for at leastfour years.

Makes you think, doesn’t it?Read all you can from as many

sources as you can get before mak-ing your choice, folks. See you onthe flip.


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This is an example of the by-laws atraditional Mardi Gras krewe woulduse in forming a krewe. All krewes’rules vary, along with the duties oftheir board of directors and members.

A. Name of Krewe

B. Membership1. Amount of members (usually

the maximum amount is listed)2. Indicate if the krewe is

specifically for singles, couples,children, etc.

3. List areas krewe mem-bers represent. (i.e., just LakeCharles or Sulphur or fromanywhere in Louisiana, etc.)

C. Board of Directors1. List the amount of

board members who willserve as the guiding

force for the krewe.

2. Will any of the board memberselected by the krewe serve as mem-bers at large for a certain length oftime (such as a year or two)?

3. What happens when a boardmember retires – does the boardelect a new member or does thekrewe?

4. Indicate when board meetingsare held. They may be held at a cer-tain time each year or called anytime,but a majority must be present tovote on any new business.

5. Voting – majority rules, howev-er, in case of a tie, the president orcaptain (or whomever you choose)has an extra vote.

6. Decide if the president of theboard is one of the board membersor if (s)he comes from the krewemembers. Does (s)he vote? How longis the term of office?

D. Krewe Officers1. How are they elected, and do

officers come from the board or fromthe krewe?

E. CommitteesCommittees are important so that

duties can be delegated. They caninclude:

1. Costume2. Parade3. Social4. Decorating, etc.

F. Dues1. Indicate amount. This is subject

to change by the board, based on pro-jected budget.

2. Indicate if board members paya higher fee than krewe members.

4. Date dues are due every year5. Reasons for member disqualifi-

cation.6. List what dues do and don’t

include (i.e., dues generally don’tinclude parade throws, costumes,drinks, favors, etc.)


G. Invitations1. Indicate how many people a

member can invite to the Ball.2. How many can the King and

Queen invite? (Should me muchmore than members)

3. Captain4. Board members5. Dukes and Duchesses6. M.C.7. Outgoing King and Queen

H. King and Queen1. How are they selected?2. Is it kept secret from the

krewe? When is it announced?3. Who pays for the costumes?

What are the King and Queen’sfinancial responsibilities?

I. Dukes and Duchesses1. How many Dukes and

Duchesses?2. How are they picked?3. Do they buy their own cos-

tumes?

J. Debutantes (if you have them)1. Indicate age, how they will be

presented, qualifications, what theyshould wear (most debs wear whitegowns), etc.

K. Ushers1. List all particulars.

All krewes need to register withthe Secretary of State ofLouisiana

Contact Information:Executive - Secretary of State8585 Archives Ave.Secretary of State Jay Dardenne225-922-2880225-922-2003 [email protected]

1. Register Online at FollowingURL: http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/903/Default.aspx

OR2. Find PDF form at the Following

URL: http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/814/Default.aspx

3. The fee for registering is$60 filing fee (online and paper

form)$30 fee for paper form if expedited

There are two Mardi Gras organi-zations in Lake Charles that youmay want to be associated with:

A. Krewe of Krewes, Inc.1. The original Mardi Gras

Association that has representativesof all krewes as members.

i. Example: The captain or presi-dent generally represents the krewe.

ii. Meetings are held as neededthroughout the year.

iii. Membership dues: $0.75 permember or $50 per krewe,

whichever amount is greater.Paid by each krewe in the early

summer to:Krewe of Krewes, Inc.801 W. Bayou Pines Dr.Lake Charles, La 70601

B. Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana

1. The umbrella association thatconducts and organizes the publiccelebration.

i. The krewes of Krewe ofKrewes, Inc. participate in the 12thnight, Gala and the Krewe ofKrewes Parade under the directionof Mardi Gras of SWLA.

ii. The Mardi Gras SWLA Boardis composed of volunteers that offertheir services. Each krewe is wel-come to have a board member rep-resented on the board, which haselections on the second Tuesday ofMay each year.

iii. Mardi Gras SWLA has openmeetings on the second Tuesday ofeach month from Septemberthrough May with all interested par-ticipants invited.

For further information, contact:Anne [email protected]

You’re invited to participate inMardi Gras contests and paradesfor the 2012 season!

• Children’s Parade• Merchants Parade• Krewe of Krewes Parade• Krewe of Barkus Parade• Mardi Gras Shoe Box Float

Contest• Community Mardi Gras Dance

• Gumbo Cook Off• Hot-rods, Classics & Motorcycles

Parade

The deadline to enter theMerchant’s Parade, Children’sParade and the Hot Rods,Motorcycles and Classics Paradehas been extended to Feb. 14—so don’t miss out!

Participate inMardi Gras 2012!

TJN

TJN


With cold weather here, theLake Charles Fire Departmentencourages citizens to keep inmind the following cold weatherand home safety fire preventiontips:

• Check smoke detectors toensure they are free from dustand in working order. If gasappliances or fireplaces are in thehome, a carbon monoxide detec-tor will be needed.

• When heating your home,make sure the furnace is cleanand in proper working order. Ifyou have a fireplace, make surethe chimney is clean, free fromdebris, and the flue is open.When using space heaters, keepthem three feet away from com-bustibles and don’t leave themoperating when children are inthe room unattended, when yougo to sleep or when you leavehome.

• Never use any outdoor heat-ing equipment inside your home.Never try to heat your home withthe burners on your stove oroven. These produce carbonmonoxide, which is tasteless, col-orless, odorless, and a silentkiller.

• If there is a loss of power toyour home, never use portablegenerators inside your home,garage, or any enclosed area.Make sure to locate them awayfrom doors, windows, and vents.

• Additionally, all homes needa working fire extinguisher, andshould have a fire escape plan,which should be practiced. Keepmatches and lighters in areaswhere they are out of the reach ofchildren. If you smoke, don’tsmoke in bed.

• Never overload electricalcircuits, and always use extensioncords properly.

Cold Weather and HomeSafety Fire Prevention Tips

TJN

Liberty Tax ServiceLaunches Collection for Food Bank

Fighting hunger takes a year-round commitment, and LibertyTax Service welcomes communi-ty and business support to helpthe Lake Charles CatholicCharities Food Bank stock upnow. A 500+ can food driveincentive is underway at theLiberty Tax Service office, locat-ed at 3455 Nelson Rd in LakeCharles, LA, 3125 Hwy. 14 inLake Charles and 824 SamHouston Jones Pkwy in MossBluff.

The Liberty Tax Serviceoffices will be collecting non-perishable food items through-out the tax season in a benefit torestock the pantry at the foodbank and help those in needacross the community.

Here’s how it works:

• Bring in non-perishablefood donations such as cannedfood, cereal, etc. to any of yourlocal Liberty Tax Service offices.

• With a donation of 10+non-perishable food items, thecustomer will receive a $20 dis-count on their 2011 tax prepara-tion fees.

About the Catholic CharitiesFood Bank: With the donationsreceived from community fooddrives, retail partnerships andthe Feeding America network,the Catholic Charities FoodBank works to provide solu-tions to the hunger crisisthrough its innovative pro-grams and services acrossSouth Louisiana. TJN


If your wedding is going to be yourdream come true, then your gown andyour bridesmaids’ dresses have to beperfect. And the perfect place to findthem is at La Belle Femme Dress Shopin Jennings.

Owner Linda LeBlanc has been inbusiness for 27 years. Initially a hair-dresser, she gradually began sellingclothing items in her beauty shop atthe suggestion of a dear friend. “Istarted small,” she said. “The firstitems I had were Plus Size casualclothing and pants suits.”

From there, the business continuedto grow…and grow! Now, Linda dress-es ladies from all over SouthwestLouisiana, from beautiful brides tohomecoming queens. Going to aMardi Gras ball? Is your baby beingchristened? Is your daughter entering alittle girl pageant? You’ll find every-thing you need at La Belle Femme.

“Our shop isdifferent from all the

others because we carrysuch a big selection of sizes—

from 0 to Plus Sizes,” Linda said. “Wehave something for every woman, nomatter her size.”

They also have a variety of formaldresses for little girls, so if you havetoddler in a tiara, this is the place to go!

While homecoming and prom arethe busiest times of the year for the shopthe wedding business never lets up!

There are wonderful styles tochoose from. Some of the labels you’llsee at La Belle Femme include Allure,Private Label, Forever Yours, Davinci,Blush, and Alexis.

“We also sell dyeable shoes andbags,” Linda said. “And we have alarge selection of sterling sil-ver and costume jewelry.There’s really no need to goanywhere else!”

Linda says the best partof her job is helping her cus-tomers find that perfect dress.

But a beautiful dress looks better ifyou’re wearing the right undergar-ments, and the shop has a selection ofSpanx and bustiers.

La Belle Femme now offers com-plete wedding packages. They candress the bride, bridesmaids, flowergirls, and the mothers of the bride andgroom—and offer tuxes for the groomand his ushers. In addition, limo serv-ice is part of the package. How’s thatfor one-stop shopping?

Linda stopped cutting hair six yearsago to devote all her time to her busi-ness. Her friendly staff is eager toserve you—and they’re all family and

BayouBiz

By Lauren de Albuquerque

Find the Perfect Dress atLa Belle Femme

Dress Shop


She’s the only one who appreciatesyour dry humor.

He understands that you and yourgolden retriever are a package deal.

You can’t imagine your future without them in it.

You’ve found the one; now choose a ring that captures how you feel. Choosefrom the Bijoux Collection, an exclusiveselection of unique wedding sets chosenby our jewelry experts. They aredesigned to withstand day-to-day bumpsand maintain their brilliance for years tocome, just like your love for each other.

close friends of hers who’ve beenhelping her out in the shop foryears. She’s proud of her business,and her goal is to grow even bigger.

Remember, “La Belle Femme”means “Beautiful Lady.” And thatmeans you!

La Belle Femme Dress Shop,426 N. Main Street, Jennings.(337) 824-7272. Open 8:30 a.m.-5p.m. Mon.-Fri., and 9 a.m.-3 p.m.on Saturday.

Give yourself plenty of time to plan. The rule of thumb is that youneed to order your gown at least six months before your wedding. So,you should ideally start shopping for your wedding dress around ninemonths or more before you say “I do.”

Be comfortable! You want to look fabulous, but you’ll also want tobe comfortable. You’re going to be dancing, laughing and posing for aLOT of pictures in that gown—for hours. Make sure you can do all ofthese things with ease. It’s no fun tugging at your bodice or havingboning jutting into your ribs.

Think about what type of dress you want. There are certaindetails that every bride believes is essential to her gown, so keep thatin mind before you even start shopping. And make sure you knowwhat your budget is. Consider your body type and what kinds ofdresses generally look good on you. What do you regularly wear thatmakes you feel fabulous? Look for a wedding dress with similar lines.

TJN

TJN


Whether planning a small, inti-mate gathering or a large, lavish cel-ebration, a wedding is a wonderful,magical, amazing time for the happycouple. It’s their big day! But whenyou think of all of the many detailsinvolved that lead up to that long-awaited day, it can be as exhaustingas it is exciting.

As soon as the engagement ringslides onto their fingers, most bridesare contemplating the details of their

impending wedding: Where will ittake place? What time of year is bestto have a wedding? How many peopleshould be invited? Will I ever find theright dress? And as soon as somequestions are answered, even morearise. There are decisions to be madeabout the actual ceremony, reception,cake, flowers, whether to have a sit-down or buffet dinner, and on and on.Planning such a major event in yourlife can indeed feel overwhelming.

SETTING HAS SPECTACULAR VIEWS

That’s where someone like HollyClawson, event planner at GrayPlantation comes in. “We can helpwith every single aspect of the cele-bration whether it includes the wed-ding ceremony and the reception orjust the reception,” she said. “We doeverything from providing vendorand planning lists to helping withcommunication and arrangements

of the ceremony. We start off with aconsultation and there is absolutelyno cost for that.”

What makes Gray Plantationspecial when it comes to having awedding or reception? “I’ll tell you,what sets us apart are the phenome-nal, spectacular views of GrayPlantation!” she said. “It’s a lovelyoutdoor setting that also includesviews of the water. There is just somuch character and atmosphere

By Lisa AddisonPhotos by Emily Fuselier,

Kimberly Pressler and Mary Beth Conner

Samantha & Charlie Bartlett

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with our venue and we really take a lot ofpride in the services we provide as well.”

Those services and the attention to detailprovided by Clawson are things thatSamantha Bartlett is still raving about eightmonths after her wedding and reception tookplace at Gray Plantation. When Bartlett, 25,married her husband Charlie, 27, she got thefairytale wedding of her dreams, which evenincluded arriving to the ceremony by horse-drawn carriage.

Initially a little nervous about having anoutdoor wedding, she recalls that she keptasking Clawson what would happen if itrained on her wedding day. Clawson had aready answer each time: “It won’t!” she would

assure the bride. And it didn’t. Blue skies andsunshine were exactly what she got. “My wed-ding was so incredibly perfect, that I reallydid feel like a princess,” Bartlett said.

When the couple first met, he had beennewly hired as a sportscaster for KPLC-TVand she was a student and Cowgirl Kicker atMcNeese State University. As fate would haveit, the new sportscaster was sent to do a storyon the Cowgirl Kickers. A vivacious youngwoman caught his eye – and soon, he had herheart.

During their engagement, she oftenthought about her desire to have what shecalls a Louisiana-style wedding, one thatwould incorporate the beauty of the outdoorsJosh & Segie Kieffer

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• Large or Small Parties, Banquets or Weddings• Entire Meals • Cakes & Pies• Sandwich / Vegetable / Fruit Trays• Finger Foods & Cookie Platters

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as well as the cuisine that SouthwestLouisiana is known for.

“I knew that if we had it at GrayPlantation, our guests, which includ-ed Charlie’s family from Des Moines,Iowa, would get to really enjoy whatwe love about Louisiana, includingsome great Cajun food,” she said.“Well, all these months later, they arestill talking about what a great timethey had, how good the food was, andhow beautiful the surroundings were.”

PLANNING THE WEDDINGIf you want to have your own

fairytale wedding and moments tosavor for a lifetime, consider GrayPlantation as the setting for the wed-ding and reception. If the ceremonywill be held elsewhere, you can holdan unforgettable reception at the site.

How long does it take to plan anactual wedding? According toClawson, who has more than 12years of experience as a wedding andevent planner, although there areplenty of people who do theirs on ashorter timeline, it ideally takesabout a year.

She has helped couples plan wed-dings or receptions with only a fewweeks’ notice, but she doesn’t recom-mend waiting until the last minute.

“To make sure that you get the kindof wedding you want, with every-thing you’d like to see included, it’sbest to start the planning as soon asyou know the date of your wedding,”she said. “Gray Plantation is one ofonly a few places in this area thatoffers outdoor ceremonies, alongwith onsite reception facilities.”

Emily Breaux Pettaway is thrilledthat she had her wedding and recep-tion at Gray Plantation. “Planningmy wedding was easy and relaxingwith all of Gray Plantation’s help,”Pettaway said. “Their wonderful staffand event coordinator HollyClawson took care of everything,from setting up the rooms to coordi-nating the wedding party’s arrival. Icouldn’t have been more pleasedwith the service and attention thatwe received while planning and dur-ing the reception. This is the bestwedding that I have ever been to,and I am so happy that it was mine.”

Clawson takes her job seriously,and is there for every step of thebride and groom’s special day: fromthe initial planning all the way up tothe actual ceremony. “We love theopportunity of getting to be such anamazing part of wedding memories,”Clawson said. “The best part of my

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job is the hug I get from the brideand groom before they head off forthe night after their wedding. And,just the look on the bride’s face whenshe gets to see her vision come to lifeis amazing to witness as well.”

She added that some people maynot be aware of the fact that GrayPlantation offers services to bothmembers and to the general public.“And our prices are comparable tofacilities in the surrounding area,”she said. “But I think what really setsus apart is our attention to helpingour guests plan their events, theadded features of the golf course, theexceptional views and facilities, andour fabulous dining experience.”

BREATHTAKING SCENERY A BIG DRAW

Combining sleek sophisticationwith quaint Southern charm, GrayPlantation is indeed the perfect placefor brides and grooms to have thewedding that they have dreamedabout. Graywood Park, the venue forthe outdoor ceremony, is lovely, pic-turesque, and spacious.

The magical setting where thecouple exchanges rings and says theirvows to one another is amid soft,tented lighting, where they are sur-

rounded by gorgeous flowers, tower-ing oak trees, and a great view of aserene body of water.

Following the ceremony, guestscan enjoy the ambience of GrayPlantation’s clubhouse in the invitingEvergreen Room. The chefs atCypress Grill know how to teasetaste buds with their delectable cre-ations and are able to create menusto accommodate most budgets. Aspecialized event menu gives thebride and groom options to choosefrom: a cocktail party, buffet or din-ner reception with formal seating fortheir choice of dining. All of themenus have a large variety of optionsincluding seafood, beef, and poultryselections that can be tailored to suitthe taste, style, and budget of most.

SHRIMP WAS SAVORY In fact, one family of a bride who

held her reception at Gray Plantationis still getting rave reviews about thefood that was served.

“Autumn played in a golf tourna-ment shortly after Gray was built,”said Talicia Andersen. “We fell inlove with the surroundings anddecided that day if or when she gotmarried, Gray would be a part of herspecial day. We are still getting com-

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pliments on the shrimp that wasserved!”

As delicious as the cuisine is, theOld World charm of the EvergreenRoom is also a wonderful backdropfor beautiful wedding photos, cap-turing once-in-a-lifetime momentsto treasure in the years to come.Only minimal decorations are need-ed since the Evergreen Room has itsown naturally elegant décor, whichincludes pillared columns, high ceil-ings, a spacious dance floor, and aglass-encased wine cellar that helps

to set the tone for a perfect weddingreception.

Linda Kieffer is so happy that herfamily had their memorable weddingreception amid those gloriousamenities and incredible scenery.

“Our reception at Gray Plantationwas wonderful!” she exclaimed.“From the golf carts picking up thebridal party upon arrival to the limoswhisking them to the 18th green fora sunset photo to the throwing of therose petals as Josh and Segie steppedback into the limo to begin their life

together, everything went flawlessly!”She said that her daughter Segie’s

dream was to have a plantation wed-ding, and Gray Plantation and Hollyfit the bill perfectly.

“Holly’s attention to Josh andSegie’s wishes were very welcomingand calming,” Kieffer said. “The pro-fessionalism with a personal touchwas very much appreciated. And, thefood was delicious. For a beautifuland carefree reception, GrayPlantation and Holly Clawson canmake your dreams come true!”

To help make your own dreamscome true, and to get started onbooking your event or special day,call Holly Clawson at (337) 562-1206. To contact the Golf Pro Shop,call (337) 562-1663 and the SportsClub, at (337) 477-1114. GrayPlantation is located at 6150Graywood Parkway in Lake Charles.

TJN

Photos by Mary Beth Conner


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• I have to say that the days of sit-down dinners with assigned seats forwedding receptions have come to anend! Today’s trends show that acocktail party with heavy appetizers,lounge-style seating, bistro tablesand a dance floor is the way to host areception. But a sit-down dinner isperfect for the evening of therehearsal dinner. This creates a moreintimate atmosphere for family andfriends that are a part ofthe wedding,have helped inwedding plans orhave traveled fromfar away to be withyou on your spe-cial day.

• Weddings areyear-round, butnational statisticsshow that in 2011,the months of May-October hosted themost weddings, whilethe remaining monthswere close behind.Today’s bride is savvyand budget-conscious,so they should keep inmind that some vendors have a dif-ferent pricing structure for Fridayevening or Sunday afternoon wed-dings. There are many options forbrides and grooms than just aSaturday in June!

• Sometimes, I wonder if peopletoday even know what RSVP means.It’s the acronym for a French phrase,“repondez, s’il vous plait,” whichmeans “please reply.” Brides, don’t besurprised if you don’t receive verymany responses! My advice? If there

are guests that you don’t hear fromand you’re just not sure whether theywill be attending, it’s time to callthem. Since the caterer needs themost accurate count possible, it’ssomething that needs to be done. Forthose of you that forget to RSVP, thisis our plea: Please, please, pleaseremember to RSVP from this dayforward!

• When it comes towedding trends, wewill be seeing yellowin various shades in2012, from bright yel-low to a pale pastel.Also, black is back!Designers are goingblack for fall andwinter. How excit-ing, because whodoesn’t look fantas-tic in black?

• Natural andrustic décor with asoft woodsy vibewill be popularthrough thespring. Branches

coiled in your flowers andeven potted trees throughout thevenue are great ways to create thatatmosphere.

• Photo booths and staged photoareas are an emerging trend that Ijust love! The photo booth by nomeans replaces your photographer,but enhances your photos.

• Multiple small vases withassorted flowers to create a center-piece are up-and-coming this year.This type of centerpiece will add amore modern feel to yourtablescapes.

Holly Clawson

TJN


Sports Report

By Brandon Shoumaker

Boy, am I glad that’s over.Not that LSU’s roller-coaster of

a football season wasn’t fun, but,honestly, it really feels good tomove on, doesn’t it?

Don’t get me wrong. I was

thrilled as the Tigers tore throughranked opponent after rankedopponent. It looked like LSUwould overcome all of the dramaof Steve Kragthorpe’s tragic presea-son medical diagnosis, of curb-stomping Marines at Shady’s Bar,of players smoking artificial turf,and of quarterback controversies.

Then came the disaster that wasthe BCS National ChampionshipGame when it all dumped on theTigers’ heads like a crimson sludge.

But, I’m sure you’ve heardenough about that.

I’m here with the good news.LSU is going to be fine. The Tigersare armpit-deep in talent, evenconsidering the early departures tothe NFL. The offense, which nextyear will be led by an actual, real-life quarterback, will be muchimproved while the defense looksas formidable as ever.

And, I’m happy to say, some ofthe team’s biggest problems won’tbe back. Most importantly, theteam’s biggest knuckleheads,Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee,are gone pecans.

Sure, they’re really the only twoquarterbacks on the roster withgame experience (not countingZach Mettenberger’s garbage timeagainst Ole Miss), but tell me whatLSU is really going to miss fromthese two jokers?

In Jordan Jefferson, the Tigersare jettisoning a quarterback whois athletically talented but patho-logically indecisive (leading to hispatented triple-pump fake, run fortwo yards move…not quite ascatchy as the “Discount DoubleCheck” to be sure), hopelessly

Sports Report

Moving on: LSU’sBiggest ProblemsWon’ t be Back


Lee got the hook in favor ofJefferson? Of course. But be aleader, be a man. Suck it up andhelp your team or get out.

Speaking of daddy issues, goodriddance also to T-Bob Hebert andhis village idiot father, one formerNew Orleans Saints quarterbackBobby Hebert.

T-Bob’s sole career contributionof note was snapping the ball beforeTennessee could get their 42 some-odd players off the field in their2010 meeting. Meanwhile, his mainon-field contributions were drawingpenalties, temper tantrums (likethrowing his helmet), and beingflattened by superior defensive line-men. Nevertheless, ole’ Bobby got acase of “le derrière rouge” after thecoaching staff benched little BobbyJoseph III and, after the Tigers’ atro-cious BCS performance, decided toconfront Miles in the post-gamepress conference.

Ostensibly, Bobby’s screed,using the stupid jock logic that “heplayed pro football for 15 years,”was about whether Lee shouldhave played instead of Jefferson.Fair enough, lots of LSU fans wereasking themselves the same ques-tion. But, are you seriously tellingme that was his only reason forcalling Miles out in front of ahorde of real-life professionalreporters?

No, I think Hebert was simplyin a position, working as a talkinghead for WWL, to embarrass Milesin front of a national audience overhis staff ’s treatment of poor T-Bob.

In any case, fare thee well, losers.You are gone and Miles is still

coach. LSU looks like it will justreload and is the preseason favoritenext year.

And the good news is, withoutyou guys, next year’s run at thechampionship looks to be astraight shot instead of a carnivalride.

Brandon Shoumaker is agraduate of McNeese StateUniversity and has coveredsports for more than adecade for various publica-tions. Coaches or parentswith story tips or commentsmay contact Brandon [email protected] orsend him a message onTwitter (@bshoumaker).

clueless against any sort of defen-sive voodoo (once you take awayhis first pass option, he’s a lostpuppy), and criminally immature(Shady’s Bar, anyone?).

A caveat: please don’t buy intoall the rumors that Jefferson wasout partying at Harrah’s until 4 a.m.the night before the big game andblah, blah, blah. Believe me, if anLSU fan, and I’m sure there wereplenty around, saw Jordan Jeffersonat the time and place Jefferson wasalleged to be, his picture would beon the front page of every newspa-per and sports website in America.As there is no such photo, andnone appeared in the days after theBCS debacle, I would advise younot to believe the hype.

However, one needs only judgehis maturity level by his reaction tohis interception against Alabamain the BCS title game. I literallystopped watching the game afterthat play. I couldn’t see anymore.To sit there and blame SpencerWare, one of the best runningbacks in the SEC, for blockingdownfield instead of reading yourpea brain and turning around tocatch an impromptu shovel passwas the pinnacle of Jefferson’sknuckleheadedness.

I don’t think any quarterbackhas been so universally hated inthis state since former Saints jokeAaron Brooks (not that hecares…is that a smile I see?). It’sbeen since Josh Booty (and hisinfamous audible to a made-upplay against mighty Alabama-Birmingham) that an LSU quarter-back has engendered so much vitri-ol. Destrehan should be so proud.

And good riddance to JarrettLee, too. The man who single-handedly changed the state’s offi-cial motto from “Union, Justice,Confidence” to “Put Lee In” (and,for one abysmal year, “Take LeeOut”) is now free to join the ArenaFootball League team of his choos-ing. No more whiny-baby act on the sidelines,sulking at the far end ofthe bench like a five-yearold while daddy calls upwhoever will listen tocomplain about his wit-tle boy’s playing time.Did Lee lead the team toan 8-0 start this year?Yes. Was it unfair that Brandon Shoumaker Sports ReportTJN


China / Crystal / Flatware / Linens & Home Accessories / Jewelry / FragrancesWedding Albums / Gourmet Treats / Custom Printed Party Accessories

I have the perfect prescription forthe mid-winter doldrums: a couple ofheartwarming novels that offer anescape to far-off lands in another time— with a bonus of lively charactersyou won’t soon forget.

Wildflower Hill by KimberleyFreeman takes us from the city ofGlasgow, Scotland, to a sheep farm inAustralia. The events take place intwo different time periods: 1929 and2009.

In the modern scenario, youngEmma Blaxland-Hunter is a famousballet dancer in London. She hurts

her leg shortly after her boyfriendwalks out on her, and then she learnsshe has inherited a house in Tasmaniafrom her grandmother Beattie, themagnate of a woolen mill dynasty.

Emma travels to Australia to cleanup and get the house ready for sale,and while going through her grand-mother’s old papers, she learns thetruth about her dynamic ancestor.

Meanwhile, in an alternating nar-rative, we meet the grandmother our-selves, as a spunky young womanwho captured my interest from thestart.

By Mary Louise Ruehr

Beattie Blaxland’s story starts in1929, when she leaves Scotland, preg-nant and unmarried, to start a newlife in Australia. The baby’s fathergoes with her, but he’s married toanother woman back in Glasgow. InTasmania, Beattie lives as Henry’s“wife” with daughter Lucy, whoadores her father. But he’s irresponsi-ble and abusive; he drinks, bringshome his unsavory friends, and gam-bles away all the money.

Beattie, who starts out an innocentyoung girl dependent on a man whotakes advantage of her, turns out to bea strong, resilient, independentwoman who does what she has to doto take care of her daughter. She endsup working at Wildflower Hill, a bigsheep farm, in the kitchen and laun-dry, where one day a wager changesthe path of her life.

We find out some of her life in hernarrative, and then we learn moresecrets through Emma’s research intoher grandmother’s past.

The writing is easygoing and love-ly: “It was a fine March morning,briskly cool, yet the sky seemed wideand sunny. Doris Penny from nextdoor beat a rug on her front patio,and the rhythmic thump echoed

between the houses on the narrowstreet and sent clouds of dust up inthe air to catch the sun. Beattieretrieved a single envelope from theletter box, flipped it over, and didn’tsee the name of anyone they owedmoney to. Her relief was short-lived.Because the name was far worse thanthe name of a creditor.”

Beattie’s story is followed to theend of her life, and Emma has a kindof epiphany of her own. But I don’twant to tell you any more. There aresome real surprises in the story line,including romance, murder, somenasty characters, some wonderfulcharacters, and several events thatmade me gasp aloud.

I really liked this book. TheAustralian scenes are reminiscent ofThe Thorn Bird” and A Town LikeAlice.

A Dublin Student Doctor byPatrick Taylor is the sixth book in theIrish Country Doctor series. But thisis actually a prequel to the earlierbooks.

Through flashbacks, Taylor takesus to Dublin in the 1930s, whenFingal Flahertie O’Reilly, who wouldlater become the curmudgeonly chiefphysician of the northern Irish townof Ballybucklebo, was going to med-ical school.

Heartwarming NovelsOffer an Escape in Time


We meet Fingal’s family and findout that his father wanted him to getan academic degree in nuclearphysics, but Fingal had his heart seton medicine. His father refused topay for Fingal’s medical school educa-tion, so Fingal went to sea for fouryears, where he earned and savedmoney to study to become a doctor.

Finally, at Trinity College inDublin, he meets friends his own ageand doctors who will become hismentors, and he romances youngnurse Kitty O’Hallorhan, the womanwho will become his enduring love.Meanwhile, he plays rugby, steps intothe boxing ring, and has a good timedrinking and carousing with hisfriends, all while learning his profes-sion. But school isn’t easy, and he hasa few setbacks.

Although his teachers tell him toremain aloof with his patients, theyoung doctor shows compassion forthe people of Dublin, going out of hisway to learn their names, taking timeto explain their illnesses and what thetreatments involve. The impoverishedpeople of the city’s tenements come toappreciate and respect him: “Fingaland Bob got out. Immediately theyand the car were surrounded by athrong of kids, little boys in raggedshort pants, hand-me-down shirts,threadbare woollen pullovers, bat-tered caps; girls in ankle-length dress-es worn under grubby grey linenpinafores. Not one child, as far asFingal could tell, wore shoes, andtheir feet were black from the filth onthe cobbles. All the youngsters’ eyeswere oversized for their pinchedfaces. Their shouts filled the air likethe babbling of a flock of starlings.”

When a relative becomes ill, hisfamily experiences Fingal’s medicinalexpertise first-hand. The old medicaltreatments are interesting, and it’sboth frustrating and encouraging toknow that in a few decades, some ofthe incurable diseases Taylor men-tions will be treatable.

Like the other Irish CountryDoctor books, this one is filled withlively, sometimes eccentric characters,incidents of illness and treatment,and fun surprises. Taylor definitelymakes us feel we’re in Ireland, wherewe can sit in the corner of the pubwith the medical students, go alongon house calls in the rain, and watcha rugby match.

Taylor also hints at what happensto Fingal during the war years thatfollow. Do not let the colorful lan-guage of the medical students turnyou away. This is a glorious series.

Copyright © 2012 by Mary LouiseRuehr. TJN


F LLYNBU AO AHERE COMES THE BRIDE! - WORD SEARCH

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The Dot GamePlayers take turns connecting two dots. When you make a square, put your initials in the

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M H E P N F B T O G E M T E D

O N S R Y B H I R R Y M G A E

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Bachelor PartyBest ManBrideCeremonyFlower Girl

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Beauty and the Beast 3D(Disney, 2012)

In its latest bid to make moneyfrom older films, Disney has re-released Beauty and the Beast for thebig screen, this time in 3D. The mostrecent venture was the Lion King in3D. So what’s the deal?

From what I can tell (I wasn’t afan of the original), this release isidentical to the original B&B, withthe exception of the added 3D glasses.We have the classic plot of the hero-ine Belle saving her father by agreeingto stay with the Beast to do his bid-ding, perhaps forever.

Disney adds to the drama with itsaddition of the macho characterGaston, who even gets his own song.(“As you see, I’ve got biceps to spare,and ev’ry last inch of me’s coveredwith hair!”) This is the type of guywho kicks sand on the poor skinnyguys at the beach, and he’s intent onbullying Belle into marrying him.

Meanwhile Belle is locked up inthe Beast’s castle. Of course, the Beastwas once a handsome prince who hasa spell keeping him in a hideouswolfish body. Adding some urgencyto his condition, he’s running out oftime to fall in love with an eligiblemaid and break the spell, otherwisehe’ll be a Beast forever. The animatedcandles, clocks, pot and pans andother furnishings in the castle are thematchmakers in this story. They’refeatured in at least two of the musicalnumbers—which could be argued arethe best numbers.

By Dan Ellender

Director of the Children's Museum

The romance between the Beastand Belle is the focus of the story, andhandled in good, old-fashioned style.And that’s what you really have to sayabout Beauty and the Beast. Eventhough it was released in 1991, insome ways, it seems as dated as SnowWhite.

Back at the time of the originalrelease, Disney had gotten away fromthe classic symmetrically drawn char-acters and was experimenting withmore irregular and plastic faces andfigures. Beauty and the Beastremains a classic example of this style,which was made popular by the moreeconomically produced Saturday car-toons. As a result, some of the scenesand close ups of characters are a littlebizarre. On the other hand, this stylelends itself to more intense, if distort-ed, facial expressions. The result is arather strangely creepy movie,enhanced by the darkness that the 3Dtreatment puts on the film.

The pacing of the movie is alsomuch slower than children these daysare used to, but I expect they’ll be fas-cinated by jokes and action thatmoves at less than lightning pace.Charming indeed.

As stories go, I always thoughtBeauty and the Beast was sort of anafterthought to Disney’s Cinderella,what with all of the servants in the

Beast’s castle transformed into furni-ture. In my opinion, the 3D addsinterest to the old film but otherwise,is just there as a marketing ploy.

Small children will be delightedwith this movie, as will admirers ofthe original. Angela Lansbury singingthe title song is classic as ever, and themusical number “Be Our Guest”remains the highlight of the 3D ver-sion. But I wouldn’t expect older kidsto have much patience for this film,unless of course, they’ve been watch-ing it on video through the years. Inthat case, they should be thrilled.

It goes without saying that boysare going to be somewhat put off bythe romance in the film, although theaction scenes and wolves and such aregood and scary. I noticed that Beautyand the Beast 3D was released inAustralia two years ago, so its safe tosay Disney is filling up the pipeline.Get ready for Finding Nemo 3D next.Remember to bring the kids.

TJN


Donna Johnson, Charlie Williams and Phyllis London

Celeste and Steven Richard

Latonya Murray, Connie Jacobs and Nichol Guillory

Lori Kasak and Martha Polk Anna and Andre Gautreaux

Rose Tellez, Eric Sheeley and Sue Ann Stodder Renee Hill and Lori Harmon

Brandon Johnson, Korey Louvier,Nicholas Lawson and Chris Gaspard

21ST ANNUAL HOME SHOWIt was a busy weekend at the 21st annual Home Show at theLake Charles Civic Center, sponsored by the Home Builders

Association of Southwest Louisiana. If you’re building orremodeling your home, this was the place to be! Exhibitors

showcased home décor, furniture, contracting and landscap-ing services, appliances, bath fixtures and so much more--everything to make your house a dream home. Next year

promises to be even bigger and better! Don’t miss it!

MLK FAMILY DAY The celebration honoring thecourageous efforts and sacri-

fices of Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. kicked off with a

parade on the Lake CharlesCivic Center grounds. Thecrowd enjoyed live music,delicious Creole and Cajun

food, crafts vendors and thegumbo/sauce piquant cook-off. A great day to remember

a great man!

Dillon Jones with Kelsy, Klair and Kyndal Kohnke


Trinity, Jeremy and Drake Taylor

Latashia and Patsy Reeder NaMahnie Adams and Semaj Malveaux

Kortlin and Trace Kyle Kahlee Thibodeaux and Elizabeth Reed

Alexandra Hebert and Jaeda Racca Ashlynn Taylor and Joi Broussard

Sierra Price and Ladajia Davis

Reese Stevens, Klaire Clendening and Tanner Lestage

Joseph Irias and Colton Hanson

Will, Yvette and Andrew Garner

CHILDREN’S MUSEUMThe Children’s Museum’s “Diversity

Workshop” brought kids and their familiesto the ArtSpace studio for some hands-onfun as instructors assisted them in creat-ing and painting their own giant personshapes in a variety of individual colorsand styles. Imaginations were running

wild as they explored three floors of funfrom a ride on a fire truck, rock climbing,

the wet and wild action-packed waterexhibit, a visit with Iggy Iguana, and somuch more! If you haven’t been to theChildren’s Museum, you’re missing out!


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MSU SOUTHLANDCONFERENCE GAME

McNeese State Cowboys hostedSoutheastern Louisiana Lions recentlyat Burton Coliseum before a fired-up

and ready for some action crowd! TheMSU Basketball Pep Band, Cowgirl

Kickers and those high-spiritedcheerleaders kept them Polks going,

creating a home-court advantage.The Polks went to work early as they

led throughout the game. TheCowboys were red-hot as they cagedthe lions with a 61-47 Southland con-

ference basketball victory! TJN


MARCH OF DIMES BENEFIT NIGHT JAN. 26What’s Lady Liberty doing working at the

McDonald’s drive-through window? She’s there toraise support and donations for the March of Dimes!

On Thur., Jan, 26, from 5-8 p.m., McDonald’s at 625 E.Prien Lake Rd in Lake Charles and Liberty Tax Service will

partner to host a fundraiser, with McDonald’s donating 20percent of the total sales for Jan. 26 to the March of Dimes. So

come by and support a good cause!

‘SOUP FOR THE SOUL’ JAN. 27The Beauregard Christian Women’s Job Corps will have its eighth

annual “Soup for the Soul—Sowing Seeds of Hope” at 11:30 a.m. Jan.27 in the First Baptist Church Gymnasium in DeRidder. Tickets are $10

and include a gumbo lunch, door prizes, a silent auction and entertain-ment by Erika Anderson. The organization offers two free 12-week classsessions in life and job skills for women over 18. For more information,contact Mary Koehn at 463-4451 or go to www.beauregardcwjc.prg.

ICM’S ‘ANDY WARHOL: CELEBRITIES’ EXHIBIT OPENS JAN. 27The Imperial Calcasieu Museum is proud to present “Andy Warhol:

Celebrities,” organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art. The ICM is thefirst museum in SWLA to exhibit the priceless works of the “Original Kingof Pop Art.” This iconic collection of 15 large silkscreens features some ofWarhol’s most well-known pieces, including Marilyn Monroe, MickJagger, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Elizabeth Taylor. The exhibit willopen to the public at noon on Fri., Jan. 27 in the Gibson-

Barham Gallery, and will continue through March3. Museum hours are Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Rates are $7\adults, $5\seniors, $2\children andstudents. Please contact the museum at 439-

3797 if you would like to schedule a free schoolgroup tour, which must be booked in advance.

CALCASIEU CINEMA INTERNATIONALPRESENTS VIVA CUBA JAN. 27

Viva Cuba, a 2005 Cuban film, willbe presented free at 7 p.m. Fri., Jan.

27, in the auditorium of the Central

School Arts and Humanities Center by the newly estab-lished Calcasieu Cinema International. The film, whichreceived the Best Children’s Film award at the Cannes

International Film Festival in 2005, was written and directed bynative Cuban Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti. The story centers

around two preteens, Jorgito and Malú, and their love and friend-ship. The adults play a smaller role but are still strongly projected by

the director. For more information, call Corliss Badeaux, secretary of theCouncil for International Concerns, at 475-5310.

BURNS NIGHT JAN. 27The Celtic Nations will be holding its annual Burns Night on Fri., Jan.

27 in Lake Charles at Brick House Catering and Events, 410 W. Pine Street.The evening will include a great meal, poetry readings, pipers, music, anda celebration of Robert Burns and all that is Scottish. The cost is $25 aperson and the event will begin at 7 p.m. For any questions or to inquireabout tickets, please write to [email protected].

MONTGOMERY GENTRY AT L’AUBERGE JAN. 27Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of

vocalists Eddie Montgomery (brother of country singer John MichaelMontgomery) and Troy Gentry. They will be playing a live concert atL’Auberge du Lac on Jan. 27 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and up, and noone under 21 will be admitted. For more information, call (337) 395-7777or go to www.ldlcasino.com/entertainment/montgomery-gentry-2/.

Montgomery Gentry

Andy Warhol:

Celebrities’ Exhibit


LA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY WINTER MEETING JAN. 27-28

The Gulf Coast Bird Club of Lake Charles will host theLouisiana Ornithological Society’s winter meeting Fri.-Sat., Jan. 27-28

at LaQuinta Inn & Suites’ Contraband Room. The evening programs willfeature two endangered birds, the Red Cockaded Woodpecker and theWhooping Crane. Field trips for participants include a visit to theCameron Parish coast, the Lacassine National Refuge and the rice fields ofthe Thornwell area. Saturday evening begins with dinner at 6:30 p.m. fol-lowed by a program on the Whooping Crane repopulation in SouthLouisiana. For more information, contact Marilyn McDonald at [email protected] or Pete Lund at 855-2023.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS EVENT AT COUSHATTA JAN. 28G1Fights will be presenting “Sovereign Valor” – Team Japan vs. Team

USA on Sat., Jan. 28 at The Pavilion at Coushatta Casino Resort. For thefirst time ever, a team of elite Japanese MMA fighters will be matched upagainst some of the best talent from the United States in a team chal-lenge concept. The undercard will feature fighters from the SoutheastTexas and Southwest Louisiana region. Bell time is 7:30 p.m. For moreinformation, go to www.coushattacasinoresort.com.

SW DISTRICT LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO JAN. 29-FEB. 4The 73rd annual SW District Livestock Show and Rodeo will be held at

Burton Coliseum Jan. 29-Feb. 4. It is host to world-class competition,drawing more than 500 PRCA competitors, including World Championsand national finals contestants. Rodeo tickets are $8-$20 for ages 13 andup, with discounts for ages 4-12. Discount coupons for all shows exceptfor Sat. night are available at Jeff Davis Bank branches. Tickets are on saleat www.southwestrodeo.com, Baskin’s, Cotton’s Boots, Meaux’s WesternWear and starting Jan. 30 at Burton Coliseum.

‘MOULIN ROUGE -THE BALLET’ JAN. 31

Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Balletpresents “Moulin Rouge - The Ballet” at theLutcher Theater in Orange, Texas on Jan. 31 at7:30 p.m. Along with a rousing French soundtrack,“Moulin Rouge – The Ballet” features high-kicking cho-reography and a passionate story of love, ambition andheartbreak. This ballet has been seen by close to 60,000people across North America and has elicited cheers and ova-tions wherever it tours. Tickets are $35-65 and can be obtainedby calling (409) 886-5536 or visiting www.lutcher.org.

FICTION READING AT FIRST FRIDAY FEB. 3On Fri., Feb. 3, the First Friday Reading Series will present a fiction

reading by J.D. Hibbitts and Scott Thomason at 7 p.m. at the Porch CoffeeHouse & Café in Lake Charles. Hibbitts is currently an MFA candidate inMcNeese State University’s fiction program. Thomason holds a BA and MAin American history from the University of North Carolina at Greensboroand is also an MFA candidate at McNeese in fiction. The Porch is located at4710 Common Street in Lake Charles, and live music follows each reading.For more information, contact the Arts Council at (337) 439-2787 or visitwww.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

HOBO HOTEL ART AUCTION FUNDRAISER FEB. 11The Hobo Hotel and Spankey Halfway House for Cats and Kittens , a

local non-profit rescue group, is holding the Sweet Art Silent Auctionon Sat., Feb. 11 at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum from 11 a.m. – 2p.m. The event is free to the public and will feature works of art invarious mediums, including paintings, pottery, jewelry, furniture


MCNEESE MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. CENTRAL ARKANSASSun., Jan. 29, 2012 @ 3 pm in the Lake Charles Civic Center ColiseumPrices: $11.50, $9.50, $6.50, and $5.50

MCNEESE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SAM HOUSTON STATEWed., Feb. 1, 2012 @ 7 pm in the Lake Charles Civic Center ColiseumPrices: $11.50, $9.50, $6.50, and $5.50

MCNEESE MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTINSun., Feb. 5, 2012 @ 3 pm in the Lake Charles Civic Center ColiseumPrices: $11.50, $9.50, $6.50, and $5.50

BEHIND THE PULPIT STAGE PLAYWednesday, Feb 15th, at 7:30 pm / Prices $29.50 and $23.50

MARDI GRAS GALA 2012Monday, Feb 20th

AMP TOURS “THUNDER SLAM” MONSTER TRUCKFriday & Saturday, Feb 24th & 25th, at 7:30 pmPrices: In Advance $14.00 Gen Adm. Child & $19.75 Gen. Adm. Adult

LAKE CHARLES SYMPHONYSaturday, Feb 25thPrices: $20.00 Gen. Adm. Adult & $15.00 Students, Senior & Military

L’AUBERGE CASINO RESORT PRESENTS CHRIS DAUGHTRYSun., Feb. 19, 2012 @ 7:30 pm in the Lake Charles Civic Center ColiseumPrices: $81.50, $71.50, $51.50, and $41.50

Spring Specials: Join Now for 1/2 PriceAnnual Dues of $12.50 through Aug. 2012.

FREE for Three: Bring in 3 New Membersthrough Aug. 2012 and receive a Full YearMembership in the 2012-2013 year for FREE.

Luncheons • Book Club • Bunko • PlaygroupLadies Night Out • Opera Club • Movies

LUNCHEON FEB. 13Please call to RSVP

(337) 496-7490www.lakecharlesnewcomers.org

We make your eventa celebration to remember!

• Full service catering for any occasion• Custom Wedding Cakes• Groom’s Cakes

202 South Pine St., DeQuincy, LA337-274-2688

www.celebrationscakesandcatering.comOPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

and more. Proceeds willprovide Hobo Hotel’s “residents”with food, shelter, medicine and suppliesas they wait for adoption. For more informationor to donate a piece of artwork, call Robin Andersonat 477-3757 or e-mail [email protected]. The dead-line for submissions is Feb. 1.

THE LITTLE MERMAID FEB. 10-12Tickets are now on sale for The Children’s Theatre Company’s pro-

duction of The Little Mermaid. Performances will be held at theCentral School Arts and Humanities Center at 809 Kirby St. in downtownLake Charles. The show will run Fri., Feb. 10 and Sat., Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.and Sun., Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for stu-dents. To order tickets, call 433-7323 or e-mail [email protected].

CHRISTIAN WRITER’S RETREAT MARCH 1-3“The Creek,” a writer’s retreat, will be held March 1–3 at Dry Creek

Baptist Camp. Guest speakers include DiAnn Mills, winner of the 2011Christy Award, and Frank Ball, founder of North Texas Christian Writer’sGroup. The retreat is open to all writers and is especially designed forwriters with a Christian worldview. The cost to attend is $250, whichincludes lodging at the historic White House on the grounds of the DryCreek Baptist Camp, meals, seminars and discussions. Commuter price is$175 and the pre-registration fee is $50 for all attendees. The CreekWriter’s Retreat is hosted by Creekbank Stories and Curt Iles. To registeror for more information, visit www.creekbank.net, or call (337) 396-5372

‘BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE’ MARCH 3Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana’s annual fundraiser

“Bowl For Kids’ Sake” will be held on Sat., March 3, at Petro Bowl in LakeCharles. The theme for this event will be “The Big Easy: It’s Easy To Be ABig.” A team consists of six people with a minimum pledge of $30 perbowler. Each team will bowl one game and have seven bowling times tochoose from (the times are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis).Prizes are awarded based upon the amount a bowler raises, and are alsogiven for Best Team Costume and Best Company T-shirt according to thetheme. Traveling Trophies are awarded to organizations raising themost money in various categories. For more informa-tion on this big event, call your local BBBSagency at 478-KIDS (5437)-Lake Charles, 460-KIDS-(5437) DeRidder or 824-HUGS (4847)- Jennings.The agency delivers teampackets. Get started today!

TJN


The

Sponsored by

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25• Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.• Aron Shires/Chris Pickering @ Luna Bar & Grill,

8 p.m.• Judd Bares @ Huddle Up Sports Bar & Grill, 8 p.m.• The Posse @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri

Casino, Westlake, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26• Travis Benoit & Allons Dancer @ DI’s Cajun Food

& Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.• Big J & Zydeco Dogpound @ Mikko, Coushatta

Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.• John Cessac @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder,

7:30 p.m.• Static @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino,

Westlake, 8 p.m.• Ryan Jenkins @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill,

L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27• Briggs Brown & The Bayou Cajuns @ DI’s Cajun

Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.• Joe Simon & Louisiana Cajun @ Aucoin’s Cajun

Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m.• Mark Mestre @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen, DeRidder,

7:30 p.m.• The Honey Island Swamp Band @ Luna Bar &

Grill, 8 p.m.

• Brad Brinkley @ Huddle Up Sports Bar & Grill, 8 p.m.

• Montgomery Gentry @ L’Auberge Event Center, L’Auberge Casino, 8:30 p.m.

• The Molly Ringwalds @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.• X-It 43 @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri Casino,

Westlake, 9 p.m.• BB & Company @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs,

Vinton, 9 p.m.• Karma @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.• Red Moped @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge

du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28• Asian Concert @ L’Auberge Event Center,

L’Auberge Casino, 5 & 9 p.m.• Scotty Pousson & The Pointe aux Loups Playboys

@ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.• Joe Simon & Louisiana Cajun @ Aucoin’s Cajun

Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m.• Second Nature @ Cecil’s Cajun Kitchen,

DeRidder, 7:30 p.m.• Jason Stutes @ Huddle Up Sports Bar & Grill,

8 p.m.• Damon Troy & Final Five @ Yesterday’s, 9 p.m.• Crossroads @ Caribbean Cove, Isle of Capri

Casino, Westlake, 9 p.m.

• BB & Company @ Gator Lounge, Delta Downs, Vinton, 9 p.m.

• Karma @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.• Red Moped @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge


SUNDAY, JANUARY 29• The Ken Marvel Band & Jivin’ Gene @ Yesterday’s,

5 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1• Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2• T-Joe Romero @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile,

6:30 p.m.• Consequence of Silence @ The Porch, 7 p.m.• Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners @

Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.• DJ Cage @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3• Tim Norris @ Stellar Beans Coffee House &

Edibles, 6:30 p.m.• Howard Noel & Cajun Boogie @ DI’s Cajun Food

& Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.• Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys

@ Aucoin’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m.• Odyssey @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino,

Kinder, 9 p.m.• The Flamethrowers @ Jack Daniels Bar &

Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

To list your event e-mail: [email protected]


SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4• Mack Manuel & The Lake Charles

Ramblers @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys @ Aucoin’s Cajun Restaurant, Hayes, 7 p.m.

• Odyssey @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 9 p.m.

• The Flamethrowers @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8• Alvin Touchet @ OB’s Bar & Grill,

7 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9• Don Fontenot & Les Cajuns de la

Prairie @ DI’s Cajun Food & Music, Basile, 6:30 p.m.

• Warren Storm/Willie Tee & Cypress @ Mikko, Coushatta Casino, Kinder, 7 p.m.

• DJ Epic One @ Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge du Lac Casino, 10 p.m.

TJN


The last column I wrote before the

New Year started with me bemoaning

running behind in my critical obliga-

tions, having already missed the deadline

for one of the “bests of ” music ballots I

was supposed to fill in for early January

print. Turns out, I was not the only one

of the critics solicited for their opinion

who was confused. A few days later came

an e-mail notice that balloting had been

reopened to satisfy the rest of the per-

plexed and unready. So I got crack at it

number two, and you can check out my

actual votes in three of this year’s polls on

my website, www.leslieberman.com.

When I wrote regularly for The

Village Voice, I agonized over votes for

their annual Pazz & Jop poll. My then-

husband was for many years the assistant

Poobah (a mocking title coined from a

character in Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta

The Mikado to indicate someone in an

exalted position) to Bob Christgau, editor

of the Voice’s music section, and the

Grand High Everything of serious music

criticism, known affectionately as the

“Dean” of America’s rock critics. Tom

and Bob would spend hours calculating

the scores that hundreds of balloteers had

allocated to this band or that record, until

they were able to make definitive pro-

nouncements about who and what were

the best of the previous year’s popular

musical output.

The madness had some method to it,

and these days, other ballots I sometimes

indulge in are graded similarly. Bob had

figured out that it was not enough to put

Traffic’s John Barleycorn Must Die in the

number one slot on your list, because it

might happen that Traffic would be in

different positions on other critics’ lists.

How to add up the apples and oranges?

Weight the ballots! Assign point values to

each vote, then add all the points

assigned by each critic to each artist, no

matter what position the artist might

hold on different ballots.

At the Voice I got 100 points to divide

among the ten best albums. I could give

up to 30 points to one act, but no fewer

than five points to any act on my list. The

mathematically lazy, like me, could vote

their list in descending order – 15 points

for the top slot, 14 for the second slot, 13,

for the third, etc. But for those even

lazier, the Poobahs would assign 10

points to each act if you hadn’t point-

graded your list.

So now, with the mechanics out of the

way, all I had to do was choose my bests

from the prior year. Well, no, not exactly

the prior year, because we were voting

before the year was over, and albums

released near the end of the year might

have been overlooked entirely.

The Voice’s Pazz & Jop Awards, The

Nashville Scene’s Country Music Critics’

Poll, and the National Academy of

Recording Arts and Sciences’ GRAMMY

Awards all calculate the eligibility period

for any year’s awards differently. Some

say the record must not have been

released before or after certain dates, and

no two use the same dates. Others say the

record’s “year of impact” on the public

must have been during the eligibility

period, even if the record was released

more than 12 months before the voting

year during which the impact was felt.

The GRAMMYs are a horse of a dif-

ferent stripe altogether. For each award,

the voters are given choices that have

either been selected from two previous

rounds of nominating ballots submitted

by as many NARAS voting members as

wish to, or that have been nominated by

a committee spe-

cializing in a particular

craft category such as “Notes,”

“Package,” or “Production” where the

general voter would have little or no

familiarity with those works deserving

nominations. There are no write-in votes,

so if you object to the choices you’ve got

on the final ballot, you have to vote with

your feet to show disapproval. Of course,

the awards committee might not get your

point, and simply think you were too

lazy, too stoned, or too busy to respond

in time.Like many other NARAS members

with musical tastes and businesses out-

side the mainstreams of pop and rock, I

was of a mind to complain about this

year’s abrupt and numerous changes to

the awards. One big difference is the loss

of many award categories, caused both by

combining a few arguably redundant

awards, and by simply dropping others.

When there were more award categories,

more artists had a shot at winning a

GRAMMY (among the casualties was the

short-lived Cajun and Zydeco award that

Terence and Cynthia Simien led a long

hard fight for), especially in a relatively

esoteric area. (There were separate cate-

gories for Hawaiian, Native American

and Polka Music, but now, all those

styles compete with each other, along

with Cajun, Zydeco and whatnot for a

single Regional Roots award). I sus-

pect from the grumbling I’ve been

hearing there might be calls to

Occupy the GRAMMYs next

month.One change I thought I’d hate

turned out to be better than the

old way we’ve been voting on the

GRAMMYs since long before I

joined up in 1994. A voter used

to be limited to eight categories

of music and crafts out of

about 28 such designations.

You could vote for all awards

Leslie Berman’s career in music spansfour decades, and includes stints as afolksinger, music teacher, coffeehousebooker, concert promoter, publicist, fes-tival director, music journalist, albumnotes writer, artist managerwwwww,trade organization president, enter-tainment attorney, and president ofthe Music Museum of SouthwestLouisiana. She prefers all thingsmusically eclectic, and votes on the

GRAMMYs as a member of theRecording Academy. She can be

reached at [email protected].

‘The Votes Are In’


Killin’ Time Crossword

ACROSS1. Boxing prize5. Massage locale8. Juice drinks12. Flu source13. Antediluvian14. Lima's land15. Annulled17. Litmus reddener18. Small round fruit20. ___ Alamos21. Trawling equipment22. Showed25. Tags26. "___ Believer"29. Food additives33. Trouble34. Pivotal35. Places for props36. Has markers out38. Dairy farm sound40. Manufacturer46. Coconut fiber47. Machine controler48. Half of binary code49. Former White Houseinits.50. Radial, e.g.51. Hatchling's home52. Suffix with lion53. Villa d'___

DOWN1. "Goldberg Variations"composer2. Brother of Jacob3. "The Mod Squad" role4. Takes on5. Shoe parts6. Commoner7. Supplements8. In pieces9. Conclusive10. Cleveland's lake11. Lather16. "Don't Bring MeDown" grp.19. Others22. Tax pro, for short23. Bush spokesmanFleischer24. Tunes25. ___ League27. Bumped into28. Stubborn one30. Just makes, with"out"31. Do museum work32. Quarantine37. Sausage38. Appearances39. Scull40. Clickable image41. All's opposite

42. Tach readings43. "How sweet ___!"44. Breed45. Elder, e.g.

© Lovatts Publications Pty Ltd

To purchase more puzzles visit our websitewww.lovattspuzzles.com

within a category group – BestCountry Vocalist, Best CountrySong, Best Country Album, etc. –but some categories might haveonly one award (for example,Best New Age Album), so youroverall options were limited.

This time, post changes, Igot to cast 20 total votes forindividual awards no matterwhat stylistic or craft categorygroup they were in. And I dis-covered that while I cared about

Best Rock Album, I really didn’tcare about the Best Hard RockAlbum award, so I gave it amiss, and used my vote inanother musical genre which Ihadn’t had the luxury of votingfor under the old system. Tunein to my website and check tosee how much or little I’m insync with the rest of theAcademy (and you) when theawards are telecast Feb. 12.

TJN

The Jambalaya News - Vol. 3 No. 21

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Transcript of The Jambalaya News - Vol. 3 No. 21