April 7, 20162 Vol. 8 • No. 1

April 7, 2016 3Vol. 8 • No. 1

April 7, 2016 • Volume 8 • Issue 1

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

Publisher/Executive EditorLauren Abate lauren@thejambalayanews.com

ContributorsLisa AddisonDanny AllainGeorge ClineDan EllenderBraylin JenkinsRoger MillerFrank McNamaraJustin MorrisTerri Schlichenmeyer David Yantis

Saleslauren@thejambalayanews.com

GraphicsArt/Production DirectorBurn Rourk

BusinessOffi ce ManagerJeanie Rourk

Legal Disclaimer

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

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

COVER16 IBERIABANK: Serving SWLA as the Offi cial Bank of McNeese Athletics

REGULARS5 Tips from Tip

5 Adoption Corner

6 We Are SWLA!

8 Fishin’ Tales

10 This Functional Family

11 Stir Dat Pot

FEATURES12 How to Get a Bank Loan

13 Considering Investing?

14 Eight Easy Ways to Save Money

THE SPICE OF SWLA20 Flea Fest 2016

22 Event Guide

24 Downtown Lake Charles Crawfi sh Festival

26 Wild Beast Feast

28 Cirque du Soleil’s Ovo

30 Family Fun Night at the Movies

31 Bookworm Sez…

32 heART of SWLA

35 Nightlife Guide

36 Lake City Beat!

38 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles

41 Funbolaya

42 Society Spice

2620

3032

11

On Cover: IBERIABANK’s Jason Martinez, Steven Perez and Brian Abshire (Photo: Lindsey Janies)

8

April 7, 20164 Vol. 8 • No. 1

Well, Boston just got them-selves an April snowstorm after a rather mild winter. The poor flowers that managed to poke their heads out of the New England soil are history. The shovels and snow-blowers that thought they wouldn’t see the light of day until next November have been pressed back into action. Lots of grumbling from my friends about the inhumanity of it all. They finally had a decent winter for a change and it all had to end badly.

Even the Boston Common Carousel has suffered. It was

supposed to open yesterday, but no one wants to ride on a merry-go-round when it’s snowing and icicles are dangling from the horses’ mouths. So that’s been put off until this coming weekend. I see it’s going to be a veritable heat wave of 49 degrees on Saturday. Perfect. There was probably ice skating on the Frog Pond yesterday.

Today, it’s a balmy 37 degrees and it’s dropping to 22 degrees tonight. It’s April, folks. April. Mother Nature is really messing with the Northeast. Even the National

Weather Service tweeted an “LOL” on their page when discussing the Boston weather yesterday.

I don’t miss it at all.On Barnes Ave., we had a

coat tree outside our apart-ment door on the third floor. All year round, winter coats would be hanging on the hooks, and snow boots would sit grimly on the floor. In July, it was an unpleasant reminder of what was to come. I’d ask my mother if we could just move them to the cellar for now, but her answer was always, “Oh, why go through all that bother. Winter will be back before we know it.” Great.

We did move our warm clothes to the cellar when winter was finally over (I think around May) and re-placed them with our summer clothes that had been stored down there, but that was only because we didn’t have room in our apartment for everything. It was always so much fun to pull out the light, colorful clothes that we only got to wear for a few months. As a result, they really never wore out—you would only get rid of them when they went

out of style. (Or, if you were my aunt Jeanette, you never got rid of them and wore them for decades, come hell or high water.)

I’m going back to Boston at the beginning of June, and my friend Kelly was a little skeptical about the timing. “My sister’s pool won’t be open yet,” she complained. “It won’t be warm enough.” Can you imagine? Not warm enough in June? Just a few months of summer and then you’re quickly back into mit-tens and coats.

So my Boston friends can harass me all they want about living in the South. They are green with envy over our weather. Last week may have been a little chilly, but it’s al-ways temporary. Spring starts early here; summer ends very late. And there’s no hall tree laden with winter coats. Just the way I like it.

Lauren Abate

Winter in the Spring

April 7, 2016 5Vol. 8 • No. 1

The Society of Creative Anachronism

Having taken a hiatus from writing this column for a few months for per-sonal reasons, I have now returned to my trusty keyboard to share life’s hap-penings with my faithful readers.

I again spent a most pleasant week in the woods of Mississippi with more than 3,600 other medieval re-creation-ists this past March, as I have done in the past and hope to do so again. I have belonged to the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) since the early 2000s and it has given me much joy and fulfillment.

The SCA is a non-profit educational organization that revolves around studying and recreating the time period since the Romans left the now-called country of England (600 AD) up un-til the Renaissance period (1600 AD),

roughly the period know as the Mid-dle Ages. Though originally European in focus, it has rapidly expanded into involving any of the cultures that in-teracted during that time frame. There

was so much global interaction dur-ing that period, and we are contin-

ually learning just how vast the interconnection of various cultures was back then.

SCA members may take on a persona of their own

choosing with an ethnicity and relevant time era existence,

along with a name that should be documentable for that time and loca-tion (not of an actual person but names in use during that particular era). There is a college of Heralds that verifies validity of names and also allows for the registration of a device (commonly referred to as a Coat of Arms).

My persona, Nigel de Rothewelle, is English, circa 1350 and my regis-tered device is “Per pale, purpure and sable, on a chief argent three lozenges each per pale sable and purpure.” (The language of Heraldry is called Bla-zon, which evolved out of old French and was used to describe how a shield would be marked for identification on the field.) For those interested, mine, in simple English, says split vertically in middle (per pale), right side purple, left side black, white area across the top (on a chief argent) with three diamonds (lozenges) across, each of them split vertically with their left sides black and their right sides purple. If you see a shield coming at you marked in that manner, you now know that it’s me.

Supermarket RoundupCrawfish are in abundance and the

pricing of the popular mudbugs has begun to bring them into the range of comfortable affordability. We have priced some of the popular ingredi-ents associated with putting a crawfish boil together for this issue’s shopping survey. This comparison was made on Thursday, March 31 at the following lo-cations: Albertsons-Ryan Street, Market Basket-Ryan Street, Kroger—12th Street and Walmart-Ryan Street. As always, the price reported here was what was posted on the shelf where the product was placed for sale.

Zatarain’s Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab Boil, sizes noted: Albertsons $3.99 (6-pack, 3-ounce bags), Market Basket $1.09 (Single 3-ounce bag), Kroger $1.29 (Single 3-ounce bag), Walmart $3.72 (6-pack, 3-ounce bags). Note: Not all stores carry the same package sizes, makes price comparisons harder. Morton’s Salt, 26-ounce canister: Albertsons $.99, Market Basket $.75, Kroger $.75, Walmart $.78. Lemons, fresh, per each: Albertsons $.79, Market Basket $.50, Kroger $.37, Walmart $.33. Red potatoes, per pound: Albert-sons $.99, Market Basket $.88, Kroger $1.19, Walmart $.98. Fresh sweet corn, per ear: Albertsons $.50 (2/$1), Market Basket $.99, Kro-ger $.50 (2/$1), Walmart $.50.

These two sweeties are going to be one of our few “two-fers” (two dogs for one adoption fee). Missy, though a senior, is a petite, independent little miss who is in excellent health. Mikey, her 5-year-old BFF, is a little pudgy but is also in excellent health. Mikey is totally

dependent on Missy. Their person died, leaving them with her husband. He is devoted to them but, due to complicated life circumstances, is having to

move out of state and cannot take them with him. They have re-cently had health checks, shots update, and Pro Heart shots good for heartworm prevention for six months; i.e., they are good to go! If you are the special person willing to get love and affection for a long, long time, please call (337) 215-0025 (or email la-

paw@bellsouth.net) to connect with their foster mom. Home visit and vet checks required prior to all adoptions.

April 7, 20166 Vol. 8 • No. 1

WCCH Foundation Receives Donation from CitgoCITGO Lake Charles recently presented the West Calcasieu

Cameron Hospital Foundation with a check in the amount of $7,500 in support of the upcoming Mac Burns Golf Tournament to benefit the West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Foundation. The WCCH Foundation is a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) sta-tus. For more information on the activities funded by the grant or to donate to the WCCH Foundation, call (337) 527-4144.

LeLeux Achieves Million Dollar Round Table Membership

Outstanding client service, ethics and professionalism have enabled Janet Le-Leux of Sulphur to achieve membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table — The Premier Association of Finan-cial Professionals. ® LeLeux is a first-year member of MDRT, and attaining member-ship in MDRT is a distinguishing career milestone. It requires LeLeux to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics, focus on providing top-notch client service and continue to

grow professionally through involvement in at least one other indus-try association. For more information contact Janet LeLeux at (337) 625-3018 or janet.leleux@ceterais.com.

‘Leaders Against Litter’ Finishes Strong in LCKeep Louisiana Beautiful and 23 affiliates including Keep

Greater Lake Charles Beautiful - Team Green participated in a statewide litter-a-thon on March 18. Nineteen bags and an estimated 380 pounds of trash, including nearly 1,100 cigarette butts, were col-lected by dozens of community leaders at the third annual “Leaders Against Litter.” Local government officials, business and community leaders joined Team Green SWLA across the one-mile route on 12th Street between Hodges Street and Enterprise Boulevard collecting various forms of litter to beautify the area.

WCCH Receives 2016 Women’s Choice Award®

West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital has received the 2016 Women’s Choice Award® as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety. Th is evidence-based designation is the only patient safety award that identi-fi es the country’s best healthcare institutions based on robust criteria that considers patient satisfaction and clinical excellence among wom-en. Th e award winners, including WCCH, represent hospitals that have exceptional performance in limiting a wide range of hospital- associated infections and complications from surgery and medical treatment.

New Business Administration Degree at SOWELAThe newly minted Associate of Applied Science in Business Ad-

ministration degree will begin this summer in SOWELA Technical Community College’s School of Business and Applied Technol-ogy. Students can earn the degree on campus or online. Due to a compressed schedule for online classes, students can complete two classes every seven weeks, including during the summer months, and finish the program in 20 months. More than half of the courses in this program, a minimum of 33 credit hours, are fully transferrable to four-year universities. Additional credits can be accepted based on the receiving institution. For more information or to apply to the program, call (337) 421-6550 or visit www.sowela.edu/academics/business-administration.

Roland Terrell Qualifi es for MDRTTerrell & Associates would like to

recognize and congratulate Roland Terrell on qualifying for the 2016 Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) at the Court of the Table level, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals. Terrell & Associ-ates has been established in the Lake Area since 1981 serving Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. Terrell & Associates, LLC is located at 625 West College Street in Lake Charles (337)474-4025. Securities of-fered through Questar Capital Corporation (QCC), Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Questar Asset Management (QAM), A Registered Investment Advi-sor. GCG Wealth Management is independent of QCC and QAM

L’Auberge Sponsors Volunteers of America’s Soiree L’Auberge Casino Resort donated $11,425 in sponsorship of Vol-

unteers of America’s Beats & Eats Soiree 2016. The Soiree was held in the Event Center at L’Auberge Casino Resort on April 2 and had a masquerade theme to “unmask homelessness in SWLA.” This fund-raiser supports the life-changing programs of Volunteers of America in SWLA, many of which assist people who are homeless and have a behavioral health disorder. For more information, call Volunteers of America at (337) 497-0034.

Memorial Center Earns National RecognitionThe National Committee for Quality Assurance announced that

Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Center & Residency Pro-

Janet LeLeux

Roland Terrell

L to R: Kay Vanchiere, Volunteers of America; Keith W. Henson, Senior VP of Operations & GM of L’Auberge; and Joe Fowler, Volunteers of America

April 7, 2016 7Vol. 8 • No. 1

gram has received a Level 3 NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long-term, participative relationships. This is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. To find clinicians and their prac-tices with NCQA PCMH Recognition, visit http://recognition.ncqa.org.

McDonald’s of SWLA Ribbon CuttingsOn April 1, McDonald’s of Southwest Louisiana

held ribbon cuttings in DeQuincy and Sulphur to celebrate the remodel completion of all ten Calcasieu Parish McDonald’s. The entire market in the parish now has the new look of McDonald’s, both exterior and interior. “The renovation reflects an invest-ment of over $10 million in the community as well as a drive to make its area restaurants, operations and people the best in the McDonald’s family,” said Doug Gehrig, owner and operator of McDonald’s of SWLA. McDonald’s of SWLA consistently ranks in the top 50 privately owned businesses in the parish, and it has employed over 23,000 people since 1972.

McNeese Civil Engineering Team in National Canoe Competition

A McNeese State University student engineering team is headed to the 29th Annual American Soci-ety of Civil Engineering National Concrete Canoe Competition this summer as the winner of the ASCE Deep South Region competition. The national com-petition will be held June 9-11 at the University of Texas at Tyler. McNeese will be competing against 17 other regional conference winners.

Sulphur Ribbon Cutting: Sulphur Mayor Chris Duncan, Chamber SWLA representatives and West Cal Chamber repre-sentatives join Doug Gehrig, owner and operator of McDonald’s of SWLA, and his staff at the Maplewood McDonald’s,

located at 297 N. Cities Service Highway in Sulphur.

DeQuincy Ribbon Cutting: Representatives from the City of DeQuincy and the DeQuincy Chamber join Doug Gehrig, owner and operator of McDonald’s of SWLA, and his staff at the DeQuincy McDonald’s, located at 601 E. 4th Street

in DeQuincy.

A McNeese State University team of engineering students is headed to the 29th Annual American Society of Civil Engineering National Concrete Canoe Competition this summer as the win-ner of the ASCE Deep South Region competition. Students traveling to nationals - along with their crawfish-colored canoe, “Écrevisse” – are, back row standing from left, Lee Butler, Rosepine,

Matthew Mixon, Lake Charles, Caleb Greathouse, Lake Charles, Tory Miller, Withee, Wis., and Zach Roussel, DeRidder; and front row kneeling from left, Dr. Dimitrios Dermisis, faculty adviser, Abigail Soileau, Lake Charles, Ronish Lamsal, Nepal, Kelli Van Norman, Kinder, Trent Hargrave, Lake Arthur, Valentina Aristizabal, Colombia, Drewe Burns, Baton Rouge, and Chani Correa, Ecuador.

McNeese Photo

April 7, 20168 Vol. 8 • No. 1

I finally made my four-hour hog chasing trip. The Archie Collins Memorial Club is located somewhere beyond the middle of nowhere. Oh, it’s some 30 miles from Shreve-port, a short drive from the Red River and 18 miles south-west of Lake Bistineau. But those are just GPS points. One turns in from the highway, hits the gravel, hops onto dirt and just plain grasses it up to the doorstep. There, in forest hill country, the trees stand like guardians along every grassed gas pipeline right of way, forestry trail, or hunter’s path. They even shade the no-long-er-in-use outhouse.

Damon Hanchey and I ar-rived first and unloaded our trailered four wheeler, his Lab Dixie and the gear for a three-day hunt. Walter Wood and Bruce Weaver followed soon after and did the same, except they had no Dixie. We were soon headed out to four-wheeler explore what can only be described as a wondrous wilderness. We could see the sand and brush heaped on and along the trails from the recent Red and Sabine Rivers floods. Old beaver dams were broken, trees blocked trails and even scoured out what had been trails to the various tree stands.

We were there to hunt hogs but that was the secondary reason. A hunting camp is not just a seasonal excursion site, it’s a year-round maintenance, repair and prepare exercise. That came first. This trip was for me to actually see and participate in what it took to have a deer camp. Duck camps I know, but this is a different critter.

Having surveyed our to-do’s for tomorrow and dumping corn at various feeders for the hogs, Damon and I headed back to the camp to prepare for a hog hunt while Walter and Bruce did some camp work and planned tomorrow’s

work and that night’s sup-per. Damon and I soon four-wheeled out and climbed up and into our stand to await a hog’s visit. It was late after-noon, about an hour before sundown. We gazed through the deer stand slits at the feed-er with the corn we’d spread some 50-plus yards away.

The stand actually has a name: “The Three Stooges Stand.” I chuckled, assuming it was referring to Damon, Wal-ter and Bruce. Damon swore it was because everything that could go wrong did go wrong while they were constructing the deer stand and thus the name. After watching their competence over the next two days repairing deer stands, I’ll have to agree with Damon on the name. The “Widow Maker,” “Grandma’s,” “The Fall Down Blind” and the others will have to wait until my next visit as there are over 20 stands and they all have names.

We waited and essentially bird-watched as Rue’s favorite, the cardinals, were the first to delight in the corn. Finches, sparrows and even bluebirds followed, but no hogs. As night set in, we used red and green lights to search the area, nei-ther of which flare the game. It just wasn’t our night for the hogs, who obviously hadn’t found the corn yet. It was our night for pork, though. After

Archie’s Club

Photos by Chris Romero

April 7, 2016 9Vol. 8 • No. 1

we got back, we had a sump-tuous meal of sausage, pork chops, rice, gravy, and red beans with Texas Toast Lite which we discovered meant garlic butter on only one side.

The next morning, Da-mon and Dixie headed out to fish the Big Pond while this old coot slept in. He caught five nice keepers with Dixie’s help. Walter and Bruce, who hadn’t had any more luck hog hunting than Damon and I yesterday afternoon, were busy gathering the materials needed to repair stands and feeders. That was inclusive of chain saws, a power saw, the usual tool box, screws and nails of all sorts, power drills and lumber. The land owner, Archie Collins’ son Tim and Bruce’s brother Mike Weaver joined us. It was his father Archie who, on his death-bed, requested that they keep Damon and the gang on the lease. I was to find out why.

The reason I’d planned this trip was to discover why so many of my old hunting pals had left waterfowl hunting to take up deer hunting. First and foremost, waterfowling has gotten outrageously expensive. Even a rice field blind, if you can find one, runs you at least

$3-5,000. Marsh blinds go for $10,000 and up depending on location. Then, there is the boat, motor, trailer and decoys if you’re in the marsh. Deer hunting, while less expensive, is by no means cheap. If one adds in a hunting camp, you’re looking at maintaining a sec-ond house with all that entails. So, what’s the deal?

Like the duck hunting clubs, it’s the people and it certainly was that at Damon’s deer lease. They took turns cooking, cleaning, blind repairing and game cleaning. Best of all was the camaraderie. By the end of the first afternoon I was one of the guys. We swapped tales, talked hunting, and shared our lives. Damon told me on the way down how hard it was to leave his camp. Having been there now I truly understand and can’t wait to go back but not to deer hunt. I’ll leave that to them. I want to stand in the timber along the Big Pond and shoot squealing wood ducks sailing through the trees at warp speed and surprise mallards sailing in. But most of all, I want to share time with Damon, Walter, Bruce, Mike and Tim. They’re special people in a truly special place.

Shane,�Roger,��Jeanette�&�Glenn

April 7, 201610 Vol. 8 • No. 1

I have a 5th grader and here’s what I can tell you about 5th grade: The school year is one long, slow goodbye to elemen-tary school! Oh, and like many other parents of 11-year-olds, I have learned that no, I’m not smarter than a 5th grader.

The long goodbye started on the first day of school this year when I took pictures of my kids walking down the sidewalk together toward the front door of their school, a tradition we be-gan years ago. My 2nd grader got emotional and shed a few tears as she said, “Oh, no! This is the last year that I’ll have my brother at the same school with me! I’m going to really miss my bubby.” Her brother did what broth-ers do; he laughed. But then he hugged her and assured her that he will miss these days, too.

Shortly after the first week of school, letters began arriv-

ing home in my son’s backpack: reminders of 5th grade gradua-tion, last field trip of elementary school, Thanksgiving party (the last one of elementary school), Christmas Party (the last one), Easter party (last one!), lunches with your child at school, and on and on.

At the 5th grade Christmas party, one of the dads and I began talking and he said, “We didn’t have all of this when I was in school!” I nodded be-cause I knew exactly what he meant. But there we stood, with plates of cookies in one hand and cameras in the other, both really involved in our kids’ lives and both so proud of our 5th graders.

We didn’t have school holi-day parties, a graduation, or any of the other hoopla when I was in 5th grade. Basically, we

just went to school! Still, it was one of my best school years, I had amazing friendships, and a teacher who was encouraging and kind.

I hope that my son will also forever look back with fondness on his 5th grade year and all of the wonderful memories of things he has done and friend-ships he has made.

One of his proudest achieve-ments has been being a member of a small group of kids who form The Green Team. Those students get to school early and they stay late. They have been responsible for keeping the cam-pus clean, planting and tending to a garden of vegetables and fruit, watering and taking care of plants and flowers, picking up trash, and many other respon-sibilities. Seeing him standing taller and being more confident

this year have been worth the sacrifices made for him to take part in this endeavor.

On the recent field trip to Port Hudson State Historical Site in St. Francisville, I walked around with him and his friends as we checked out exhibits, went on a hike, looked at can-nons, soaked up history, and ate lunch together outside on a grassy hill. I doubt that any of them thought about the future in those moments but I did. As I took a photo of his group, I thought to myself, “Enjoy these moments because they won’t come again. Tuck the memories of this day away and pull the photos out later to savor these experiences.”

As for that 5th grade gradu-ation, it’s getting closer and the days are going way too fast. Committees have been formed and along with other moms and dads, I have volunteered to help out with decorations and food. Yes, it’s going to be quite the cel-ebration! I guess you could call it a practice run for high school graduation in a few years.

Some of us parents have laughed about the fact that there will be a 5th grade graduation, but at the same time, we are beyond proud of our children! At the big event, as my son tran-sitions toward middle school and says goodbye to elementary school, I’ll be the one smiling through my tears and taking lots and lots of photographs.

Lisa Addison wrote her first short story when she was 7 years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. She has two young children, enjoys trying new recipes, and loves going on adventures with her kids. She blogs at: http://swlama-ma.wordpress.com.

The Long Goodbye

April 7, 2016 11Vol. 8 • No. 1

Hello, everybody! I thought I would introduce y’all to a traditional Greek

dish called “Stifado” that comes from the island of Corfu. Stifado can be any meat dish built around onions and toma-toes. I have eaten this with lamb, chicken and occasionally pork. But today we will be making it with beef.

What You’ll Need1 pound canned tomatoes (please drain them fi rst)3/4 cup beef stock2 tablespoons olive oil1 pound shallots (peeled)you can use small onions if you prefer

2 cloves garlic (chopped)1-1/2 pounds of beef stew meat cut into 1” cubes1 or 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary1 bay leaf2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 pound of potatoes cut into fourthssalt and pepper to taste

What You’ll DoMix the tomatoes and beef stock in a bowl and set aside.Heat the oil in a large skillet. Make sure it has some depth

and a lid. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about seven minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently for 5-8 minutes or until browned. Return the shallots and garlic to the pan and add the tomato mixture, herbs and vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for about an hour and a half. Add the potatoes and re-cover and

Stifado

cook for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf and serve. This dish usually serves six. Since we are in Louisiana, feel free to serve over rice (which means you’ll be able to serve 6-8).

That’s all for now, so until next time, don’t forget to--Stir Dat Pot!

April 7, 201612 Vol. 8 • No. 1

There are various reasons to take out a bank loan. The most common are for a home mortgage, a new car, or for your business. Here are some impor-tant steps to follow to ensure the loan can be processed without any delays or problems:

Understand What You Need

Before going to your bank, check out loan pack-ages online and see what competitors are offering. Be clear on what type of loan you need, the terms you can realistically afford, and your goal for paying off the loan as soon as you can. If you are looking for a specific type of loan (auto, mortgage, personal) make sure you find the best deal. We’re all inundated by loan offers in

the mail, but make sure you read the fine print.

Ask questionsWhen you find the loan

package that could work for you, contact the bank directly to determine your eligibility. You may have to

make an appointment in person to discuss everything it will take to get you started on the approval process.

All banks have different requirements, so you

will need to know what they are upfront to be prepared.

Review Your Credit History

If you are trying to get a loan, you should already be aware of both your credit history and your current score. The bank

should tell you the range of credit scores required for loan approval. Request a copy of your history and score several weeks before you apply so you can re-view your credit history for accuracy and give yourself enough time to correct any errors you may find. If there

are mistakes on your report, you may end up with a lower score, which may hurt your chances of loan approval. And always apply for the loan based on your financial ability to make repayments you can afford.

Create a ChecklistThere’s a lot of paperwork

involved when you’re trying to secure a loan. It’s a good idea to create a checklist of the all the documentation needed for the loan ap-plication. It can take some time to obtain the necessary information from credi-tors, your employer, and other financial resources. Incomplete applications can be cause for loan denial, so make sure you’ve covered all the bases.

Have the Right Expectations

Loan officers have a certain procedure for ap-proving a loan and getting you the money. When you sit down with your loan of-ficer, discuss the sequence of events so you’ll know when to expect an answer. While some loans can be pre-ap-proved upfront, the specifics may take a few weeks. Ask when you should follow up. Ultimately, your goal is to obtain a loan you have the means to repay.

The loan process can be daunting. If the loan you applied for is not approved, the lender may provide the reason for the denial. And remember, it can be danger-ous to your credit to con-tinually apply for loans. Too many loan applications can ruin your credit, as well as your chances of obtaining a loan in the near future.

April 7, 2016 13Vol. 8 • No. 1

by Frank McNamara, Investment Executive, First Federal Investments

When you are considering investing, there are many questions that come to mind. A few on the top of that list might be:

• What type of investment should I use?• Is it best to meet with an advisor?• What if my value goes down? The answer to each of these questions is

unique to each investor.The first thing to consider is always

the same: what am I investing for? Am I setting up a college fund for my newborn child, investing for the purchase of a first home, a vacation to Europe, or retirement? Whichever of these, or countless other goals, are most important to you, there are a few more points to mull over. What is my timeframe, or when will I need the funds? What is my risk tolerance? What Financial Advisor should I contact or should I just do it myself ? These are all valid questions, so let’s discuss them further.

Your timeframe for your investment will often dictate what options are viable vehi-

cles. The longer the timeframe, the more investment options you have. An example would be the investor who wants to set up a college fund for his 16-year-old daughter. These funds will need to be available in two years, so even a moderate investor will have to keep most of the funds in a safe, fairly liquid account.

Risk tolerance dictates the investment ve-hicle you put your funds into. Some invest-ments, such as a bank Certificate of Deposit or a US Government Bond, have very little risk, but often, little opportunity for gain. On the other hand, a mutual fund indexed to the S&P 500 can give investors an op-portunity for growth over time. However, mutual funds will also have a period in time with loss of value as the market fluctuates. Neither of these scenarios are right for eve-ryone, ultimately it depends on each per-son’s comfort level with their investments.

Should you use a Financial Advisor or just go online and do it yourself on one of the literally dozens, if not hundreds, of investment sites? Well, I have a ladder and

hammer in my garage, but just because I have the tools available, that doesn’t mean I’m going to climb up and shingle my roof. A trusted Investment Advisor with knowl-edge and experience can guide you through the process and help you select an invest-ment portfolio that will meet your needs in a manner in which you are comfortable.

Stop by my office at 2250 Maplewood Drive in Sulphur, or give me a call at (337) 625-6688. There’s a solution for everyone. Let’s start working on yours today.

Securities and insurance products are offered through Cetera Investment Serv-ices LLC (doing insurance business in CA as CFGIS Insurance Agency), member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services are of-fered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Neither firm is affiliated with the financial institution where investment services are offered. Investments are: *Not FDIC insured*May lose value*Not financial institution guaranteed*Not a deposit*Not insured by any federal gov-ernment agency.

April 7, 201614 Vol. 8 • No. 1

Often, the most difficult thing about saving money is simply getting started. This guide can help:

Record your expensesThe first step in saving money is to

know how much you’re spending. For one month, keep a record of everything you spend. Everything—from a candy bar to toothpaste. Once you have all the information, organize it by category—for example: gas, groceries, mortgage and so

on—and get the total amount for each.

Make a budgetNow that you have a good idea of

what you spend in a month, you can build a budget to plan your spending, limit any over-spending and make sure that you put money away in an emer-gency savings fund (very important). Don’t forget to include expenses that happen regularly, but not every month, like car maintenance check-ups, etc.

Plan on saving moneyTaking into consideration your

monthly expenses and earnings, create a savings category within your budget and try to make it at least 10-15 per-cent of your net income. If you can’t save that much, maybe it’s time to cut back on non-essentials such as en-tertainment and dining out—before thinking about saving money on essen-tials such as your car or home.

Set savings goalsSetting your savings goals makes it

easier to get started. Decide how long it will take to reach each goal. Some short-term goals (which can usually take one-three years) include:• Starting an emergency fund to cover six months to a year of living expenses (in case of job loss, illness, etc.)• Saving money for a vacation or new car• Saving to pay taxes (if they are not already deducted by your employer)

Long-term savings goals can be several years or even decades away and include:• Saving for retirement• Putting money away for your child’s college education• Saving for a down payment on a house or to remodel your current home

Set your prioritiesWe all have different priorities when

it comes to saving, so it makes sense to decide which savings goals are the most important to you. It’s important to decide how long you can wait to save up for a goal and how much you can put away each month to help you reach it. Prioritize your goals and set money aside accordingly in your monthly budget. Remember that setting priori-ties means making choices. If you want to focus on saving for retirement, for example, some other goals might have to take a back seat.

April 7, 2016 15Vol. 8 • No. 1

Different strategies for different goals

If you’re saving for short-term goals, consider using these FDIC-insured deposits accounts:

• A regular savings account, which is easily accessible• A high-yield savings ac-count, which often has a higher interest rate than a standard savings account• A bank money market savings account, which has a variable interest rate that could increase as your sav-ings grow• A CD (certificate of de-posit), which locks in your money at a specific interest rate for a specific period of timeFor long-term goals con-

sider:• FDIC-insured IRAs, which are built for purposes such as retirement savings. If you’re not sure how much money you should set aside for retirement, give the Mer-rill Edge retirement calcula-tor a try.• Securities such as stocks and mutual funds. These in-vestment products are avail-able through investment ac-counts with a broker-dealer. Remember that securities, such as stocks and mutual funds, are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of a bank and are not guaranteed by a bank, and are subject to investment risks including the possible loss of principal invested.

Make saving money easier with automatic transfers

Automatic transfers to your savings account can make saving money much easier.

By moving money out of your checking account, you’ll be less likely to spend money you wanted to use for sav-ings. There are many options for setting up transfers. You choose how often you want to transfer money and which ac-counts you want to use for the transfers. You can even split your direct deposit between

your checking and savings accounts to contribute to your savings with each paycheck. Thinking of saving as a regu-lar expense is a great way to keep on target with your sav-ings goals.

Watch your savings grow

Check your progress every

month. Not only will this help you stick to your per-sonal savings plan, but it also helps you identify and fix problems quickly. With these simple ways to save money, it may even inspire you to save more and hit your goals faster.

Good luck, and stick to your goal!

April 7, 201616 Vol. 8 • No. 1

Going the DistanceIBERIABANK is the largest bank-holding company headquartered in Louisiana, and has been serving Louisiana for

over 129 years. IBERIABANK Corporation is a financial holding company with 299 combined offices, including 199 bank branch offices and three loan production offices in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Florida, and Georgia, 22 title insurance offices in Arkansas and Louisiana, and mortgage repre-sentatives in 67 locations in 10 states. The Com-pany has seven locations with representatives of IBERIA Wealth Advisors in five states, and one IBERIA Capital Partners, L.L.C. office in New Orleans.

IBERIABANK proudly serves the Southwest Louisiana region with 12 convenient branch locations. The Company provides a compre-hensive financial product line including Retail, Commercial, Private Banking, Mortgage, Treas-ury Management, Online Banking, and Invest-ment Services. IBERIABANK Corporation is a shareholder-driven company, with a philosophy to exceed client satisfaction by delivering unpar-alleled customer service at every point of con-tact. The Company offers products and services to meet the financial needs of each client. Our All-Star Team in Southwest Louisiana is led by Phil Earhart, IBERIABANK President. Several of the team’s experienced bankers are featured on the cover of this issue and include Brian Abshire, Steven Perez, and Jason Martinez.

April 7, 2016 17Vol. 8 • No. 1

Brian AbshireBrian Abshire serves as Vice President of Private Banking and has

over 20 years of banking and finance experience. He attended McNeese State University, majoring in Business Administration, and has attend-ed numerous banking and commercial lending schools. Abshire is very active in the community where he serves as President of The Rotary Club of Lake Charles, Chair for the Christus St. Patrick Foundation Board where he was recently honored at the National Philanthropy Day, and is a past board member for the Louisiana Bankers Education Council. Abshire is an avid McNeese sports fan and enjoys attending all sporting events with his children.

Steven Perez Steven Perez serves as Vice President and

Treasury Management Officer and has been with the Company for over five years. He is a gradu-ate of McNeese State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance, as well as a Master of Business Administration, and cur-rently teaches finance classes at McNeese. He is involved in the community where he serves on the board for the Lake Charles Symphony and the Children’s Museum, and is a current member of the Chamber’s Leadership Southwest Louisi-ana program.

Jason Martinez Jason Martinez serves as Senior Vice President and Busi-

ness Banking Group Manager, with over 18 years of finan-cial and commercial lending experience. Martinez has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from McNeese State University. He is currently a member of the McNeese Pet-rochem Club, McNeese Alumni Association, United Way Community Investment, and American Heart Association.

At IBERIABANK, the communities we serve are at the heart of everything we do. Our associates are local people who know and understand their clients. Many IBERIABANK associates are long-time residents of Southwest Louisiana and are alumni or current students of McNeese State University.

April 7, 201618 Vol. 8 • No. 1

April 7, 2016 19Vol. 8 • No. 1

Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA

Arts Fest

Calcasieu Community Clinic

The Children’s Museum

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

Done in a Day(now Impact Support)

Many people are unaware that the Junior League was a catalyst for the creation of many well-known programs,

agencies and fundraisers, including the following:

Home PlateSarita Scheufens serves as Senior Vice President and Retail Market Manager for Southwest Louisiana and is pictured at

the McNeese branch. She has over 22 years of banking experience and is actively involved in the community. Scheufens currently serves as Co-chair for the Chamber workforce development and education committee, Secretary of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury workforce development board, and board member for Court Appointed Special Advocates. Scheufens and the IBERIABANK branch associates strive to create a friendly and inviting atmosphere across the 12 Southwest Louisi-ana branches.

IBERIABANK is the Official Bank of McNeese Athletics and the depth of the community partnership runs throughout the entire university where associates serve as volunteers in many of the university’s efforts. McNeese students can take advantage of the Cowboy Checking ac-count offered at any Southwest Loui-siana location.* The IBERIABANK branch at the foot of the McNeese campus also conveniently serves the banking needs of clients who are stu-dents, faculty, and administration, as well as serving the surrounding busi-nesses and neighborhoods.

IBERIABANK has established a reputation for efficient, professional, and personal service. The clients expect and deserve nothing less. For more information please visit www.iberiabank.com or visit one of the 12 Southwest Louisiana branches today.

*All products subject to approval, including credit approval.

Teamwork Makes the Dream WorkIBERIABANK supports charitable, educational, cultural,

and business development efforts that enhance the quality of life throughout the regions it serves. A local Advisory Board comprised of community leaders is also a valuable resource for our team. The Company remains a leading contributor to Southwest Louisiana by supporting many community organizations. The Company provides finan-cial resources and in-kind donations to community part-ners. Many IBERIABANK associates volunteer their time to serve on numerous community organization boards.

The Company’s primary focus is education, the arts (both performing and visual), cultural endeavors, eco-nomic development, and healthcare. Since joining the Southwest Louisiana region in 2011, IBERIABANK has donated over $1 million to area organizations such as Family and Youth Counseling Agency, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Calcasieu Community Clinic, Habitat for Human-ity, McNeese State University, Banners, United Way, and numerous schools throughout Calcasieu, Cameron, and Allen Parishes.

IBERIABANK associates are supported and encouraged to participate in teaching financial literacy throughout the communities it serves. Associates in Southwest Loui-siana have donated hundreds of volunteer hours to area organizations, including 200 hours in the first quarter of 2016. Over 150 of these volunteer hours were dedicated to Junior Achievement of SWLA, which offers volunteer-

delivered financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepre-neurial classes to the students of Calcasieu Parish.

IBERIABANK associates support over 60 local non-profit organizations and schools, including McNeese and SOWELA Technical Community College, by providing financial education and active participation at fundraising events. Additionally, associates offer seminars to busi-nesses who wish to add financial education to their list of employee benefits.

IBERIABANK associates are motivated to engage and educate children on financial responsibility. IBER-IABANK will join the American Bankers Association’s Teach Children to Save program in April to show con-tinued commitment to financial literary. In 2015, IBE-RIABANK associates taught the program to over 4,000 students. In Southwest Louisiana, parents can enroll their children in the Moolah Mallard savings account program which assists parents with teaching children the value of saving money while earning prizes.

“One of IBERIABANK’s hallmarks is supporting the communities we serve,” says Phil Earhart, IBERIABANK Southwest Louisiana President. “Through contributions, sponsorships and volunteerism, we strive to enrich the lives of our associates, clients, and our community. With the current growth of IBERIABANK Corporation, especially in Southwest Louisiana, we are able to do that even more.”

April 7, 201620 Vol. 8 • No. 1

Dust off your shoppin’ shoes! Flea Fest is back! One of the most unique festivals of its kind, the “bargain hunter’s dream” fea-tures nearly four covered acres of anything and everything. The semi-annual event has grown dramatically since its 2013 inaugural show to become one of the preeminent stops on the often tight-knit vendor circuit, with vendors specializing in a myriad of unique merchandise from as far away as Kentucky, Arizona, and Colorado. The upcoming spring show is expected to be the biggest yet, featuring over 300 vendors and thou-sands of frenzied shoppers.

Boasting vendors of all types, Flea Fest’s offerings include antiques, retro & vintage, handcrafted items, toys, collectibles, cloth-ing, art work, comic books, furniture, gifts, jewelry garage sale items, and other flea market style goods. A live DJ spins clas-sic rock ‘n roll tunes as shoppers search for treasures and haggle for deals. There’s even a petting zoo, face painting, and pony rides to entertain the kiddies. In addition, shop-pers can enjoy a smorgasbord of unique festival foods offered by vendors in the Flea Fest Diner.

Flea Fest is set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 23-24 in the Burton Complex Event Barn, with a special “Early Bird” hour from 8- 9 a.m. on Saturday only. Adult tickets are $5, with the exception of the Early Bird hour when tickets are $10. Kids 12 and under are admitted free at all times. Tick-ets are available at the gate. The venue is entirely covered, so the event will go on rain or shine! Visit www.FleaFest.com to learn more.

O N E B I G H A P P Y F L E A M A R K E T E V E N T

April 23-24: Flea Fest

April 7, 201622 Vol. 8 • No. 1

Railroad Days Festival April 7-9Louisiana Railroad Days Festival is an alcohol-free, family

friendly, three-day event. There is no admission fee or park-ing fee (there is a fee for carnival rides). The Louisiana Railroad Days Pageant will be held on Thursday and a parade will be held on Friday to kick off the festival, followed by Gospel Night with gospel music for everyone to enjoy. Saturday highlights include a 5K run and live music. A variety of bands will be playing Saturday. Go to www.larailroaddaysfestival.com for a complete schedule of events.

Cirque du Soleil “Ovo” April 8-10Cirque du Soleil will be performing in Lake Charles for the

first time ever with OVO, its newest touring show in arenas. The production will be presented at the Lake Charles Civic Center from April 8 to April 10 for three performances only, as part of a global tour in arenas around North America. Thrilling more than 4.5 million people worldwide since the show premiered in Montreal in 2009 as a Big Top show, OVO will embark on a new journey, performing the same captivating production, but now in arenas, giving more people the opportunity to enjoy a Cirque du Soleil show in their own town. Tickets are available at www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo.

Tuna Does Vegas April 8-24The inhabitants of Tuna, TX, invade Las Vegas in this fourth

installment of the series soon to be showcased at the Lake Charles Little Theater. Enjoy many of the characters from past productions as well as several new ones from April 8 through April 24 on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit thelclt.com or call (337) 433-7988.

CyPhaCon April 8-10

CyPhaCon will be bringing SWLA another Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Gaming culture convention April 8-10 at the Civic Center Week-end memberships for children ages 7-13 are $15, children 14+ and adult, $40. Single-day membership rates: children 7-13 are $15, children 14+ and adults: Friday, $20; Saturday, $35 and Sunday, $15. Children 6 and under attend free. Member-ships can be purchased at Paper Heroes on Ryan Street in Lake Charles, and on the CyPhaCon website via the Eventbrite link. www.CyPhaCon.org.

Movies Under the Stars April 8, 15, 22Movies Under the Stars features a peek inside a little girls

mind, some fast-talking woodland creatures and a lost di-nosaur searching for his family. On April 8, they will show Inside Out. On April 15, they will show Open Season: Scared Silly. On April 22, they will show The Good Dino-saur. Each movie begins at dusk around 7 p.m. at Prien Lake Park, located at 3700 West Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. Admission is free to the public. Patrons may bring their own food or they can purchase tasty treats on-site from Tikiz Gulf Coast and Mr. Gatti’s Pizza. Residents are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair. In case of inclement weather, the event will be canceled.

Lian Quan Zhen Reception April 8View breathtaking original paintings by Lian Quan Zhen at St.

Andrew Presbyterian Church on Hodges St. from 7-9 p.m. on April 8. Sales of the paintings will benefit the missions of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Lian Quan Zhen was born in China and earned a degree from the University of California and a master’s degree in architecture from MIT. He has authored ten books including a coffee table art book and has won many inter-national awards. For more information on Lian Quan Zhen, visit www.lianspainting.com

Family Fun Day April 9Families Helping Families is hosting their third annual Fam-

ily Fun Day on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VFW Post 7321 at 2668 Highway 171 North in Moss Bluff. Family Fun Day is for individuals with disabilities and their families. There will be food, fun, and fellowship! Agencies and organizations are invited to attend and provide information as well as a fun activ-ity for ALL to enjoy! If your agency or organization would like to provide a fun activity contact Families Helping Families of SWLA

April 7, 2016 23Vol. 8 • No. 1

at (337) 436-2570. Registration is limited to 200 participants! You must register to attend! For more information, contact Su-san Benoit at info@fhfswla.org or 337-436-2570.

Downtown Crawfish Festival April 15-16Celebrate at one of the spiciest events in Southwest Loui-

siana! With crawfish season in full swing, get hungry for over 10,000 pounds of hot, boiled crawfish at the Downtown Crawfish Festival April 15-16. Other events include live music, a queen’s pageant, parade, and the Mitchell Brother’s Carnival, all at the Lake Charles Civic Center. For more event information, visit www.downtowncrawfest.com.

Realliety Challenge April 16Lake Area’s 5th annual Realliety Challenge obstacle course/

mud run will be held April 16 at Chennault International Air-port, 3650 Senator J. Bennett Johnson Ave., Lake Charles. Participants ages 13 and up will be faced with approximately 3.5 miles of obstacles created to parallel military training condi-tions. This year’s Challenge will have a free mini mud course and an inflatable obstacle course for young warriors ages 12 and under. Register on-line at www.reallietychallenge.com. On-line registration closes on April 10. On-site registration avail-able ($75).

HALOS Presents ‘Joy Comes in the Morning’ April 16

Healing After Loved Ones Suicide is a monthly support group for those left behind. This month, it will be held April 16 from 9 -11:30 a.m. at the Governor’s Mansion, 1025 Broad St., Lake Charles. There will be guest speakers and refreshments will be served. For more information, call 794-3113.

Lake City Improv April 22The Southwest Louisiana AIDS Council (SLAC) presents Lake

City Improv on Friday, April 22, starting at 7 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. This spectacular night of comedy headlines Cocoa Brown, is hosted by Jeff DeRouen, and features local comedians Zack Locke and Kristine Lopez. Lake City Improv is presented by SLAC in an effort to support its innovative pro-grams and generate greater community awareness for HIV/AIDS. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at the Lake Charles Civic Center Box Office in advance or the night of the event. This event is 18 and over. Visit www.slac.org for updates and more information.

Dragon Boat Races April 23The CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation will host the fourth an-

nual Dragon Boat Races on Saturday, April 23, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center Seawall. Up to 35 teams will compete to be awarded the 2016 Dragon Boat Race winning team. During the races, Kohl’s Kids Club will hold a Healthy Liv-ing Fair at the Lake Charles Civic Center Seawall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be activities for the entire family that encour-age good nutrition and healthy choices. There will be food and drink vendors, music, karaoke and a family-friendly atmosphere. For more information or information on volunteering for the race, visit www.stpatrickfoundation.org or call (337) 430-5353.

SOWELA Flying Tigers Car Show April 23Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! On Saturday, April

23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the 2016 Flying Tigers Car Show will be held at SOWELA Technical Community College. Early bird vehicle registration is $30. Tickets are $5/each, children 12 and under are free. All proceeds benefit student scholarships. For information or to become a sponsor, visit www.sowela.edu/carshow or call (337) 421-6903.

Art Walk April 29Cafés, restaurants, music venues, and vacant properties

will be transformed into art galleries on April 29 for the Spring Art Walk. In addition, artists--both individual and teams—are invited to create a mural live in front of an audience in an hour at one of the Art Walk locations. Attendees will vote on their favorite mural by depositing tips into each team’s tip jar, and 50 percent of the tips will go directly to the team. All of the murals will be featured in the night’s silent auction, and the artists will receive 70 percent of their sales. The winning mural will be dis-played at the Central School Arts & Humanities Center. The Art War will be from 6-7 p.m. Call the Arts Council office at (337) 439-2787 for information or questions. Rain or shine!

Bowl for Kids Sake May 7Big Brothers, Big Sisters of SWLA is ready to get the ball roll-

ing for Bowl for Kids Sake on Sat., May 7, at Petro Bowl in Lake Charles! Form a team, raise pledges and then come to our bowl-ing party to enjoy entertainment, music, prizes, and fun. This

April 7, 201624 Vol. 8 • No. 1

year’s theme is SUPERHEROES. There wil l be prizes for best team costumes and T-shirts, and even more prizes for top fundraisers! Register your team onl ine at: bbbs-swla.kintera.org/bowl2016 or contact Sal ly McPherson at (337) 478-5437, ext. 114.

Derby for Dollars May 7Friends of Shannon Cox are hosting Derby for Dollars at The

Stables at Le Bocage on Saturday, May 7, to benefit Family & Youth’s Shannon Cox Counseling Center. The afternoon will begin at 3:30 p.m. with food from the Lake Area’s finest restau-rants, spirits, music, televised Kentucky Derby action, eques-trian jumping exhibition, and contests for the best hat and best derby duds. Tickets are $125 each, limited tickets available. Visit www.fyca.org or contact Roxanne at 337-436-9533 for tickets or information.

Lake Charles will host the 2016 Original DownTown Lake Charles Crawfi sh Fes-tival April 15-17 at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coli-seum on 900 Lakeshore Drive. Folks of all ages can enjoy the best of Zydeco and Cajun mu-sic, a midway carnival spectac-ular, parade and over 10,000 pounds of boiled crawfi sh.

Th e main event is on Sat-urday with headliners Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band and Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie. Ven-dors from Texas, Mississippi and Alabama will sell art, clothes, gift s and a variety of food. Th e carnival begins at 4 p.m. on Friday and ends at 10 p.m. on Sunday. Th e parade starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. General admission is $10 and free for kids ages 10 and under.

The festival draws in over 4,000 people a year to Lake Charles and is known as one of the largest indoor/out-door festivals in Southwest Louisiana. It won the recog-nition of Top 55 Gulf Coast Destinations in the Month of April and Top 20 Event in the Southeast.

“The DownTown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival is a party with a purpose,” says Eligha Guillory, Jr., one of DTLC Crawfish Festival organizers. “It is dubbed the ‘Spiciest Event in SWLA’ be-cause it brings together family, food, arts, musical entertain-ment, parades, and most of all steaming hot boiled crawfish!. What is better than that?”

This is an affordable,

family-focused, fun event where good food and great fellowship abound. “This event makes it possible for the Eljay Foundation to continue its programs to improve the quality of life of patients and families affected by Parkinson disease,” Guillory explains. “All proceeds raised from this event benefits the Parkin-son Foundation of SWLA to provide for patient and family support, education, research, and outreach programs.”

The Parkinson Foundation is celebrating its 16th year of service to Southwest Louisi-ana and Southeast Texas, and this is the 7th crawfish festival hosted in its honor. Parkinson disease is the 14th leading cause of death among Ameri-cans and can affect a person

regardless of age, gender, or race. An estimated 1.5 million people are affected, which is more than Lou Gehrig’s, and Multiple Sclerosis combined. Ten percent of those affected are below the age of 50. Nearly five in 100 Louisiana citizens are diagnosed annually with the disorder.

Tickets can be purchased at www.downtowncrawfest.eventbrite.com or at the Lake Charles Civic Center Box Office. For more informa-tion, contact Leslie Chavis at (337) 580-9703 or go online to www.downtowncrawfest.com.

The Original DownTown Lake Charles Crawfish Festi-val promotes awareness of the crawfish season, its history, and how the seafood industry has benefited Louisiana in the past 200 years.

The Original Lake Charles Crawfish FestivalLake Charles Heats up With the Spiciest Event in SWLA!

April 7, 2016 25Vol. 8 • No. 1

April 7, 201626 Vol. 8 • No. 1

By Lauren AbateApril 2 was gloriously sunny—and the perfect day for the Wild

Beast Feast! Held in the courtyard of the Calcasieu Marine Bank Building, the event benefitted the Lake Charles Symphony and brought out scores of supporters who couldn’t wait to sample the beastly delights created by Beast cooking teams who fed the crowd and competed for honors. The Jam’s own David Yantis, along with Mario Pacetti and Roman Seigel, had the difficult task of judging the competition.

First Place went to Restaurant 1910, who dazzled us with their beef cheeks with horseradish. Melt-in-your-mouth divine. Gulf Coast Rubber and Gasket snagged Second Place with their fried catfish and homemade potato chips (which I couldn’t stop eating!). And the colorful Spice Man’s kale salad, topped with cranberries and smoked fish, came in Third. The People’s Choice Award went to the JD Bank team, whose shrimp, sausage and grits concoction was a meal in itself !

The Edgemont Happy Hour Crew manned the bar, which was a popular spot to belly up to. Their special Beast Punch was the per-fect accompaniment to the culinary offerings of the day. And I had the honor of working the dessert table, where everything was sin-fully delicious.

“After each event, I think ‘this is going to be hard to beat,’” says Symphony director Shelly Appleby. “But each year, it seems to just get better and better. To me, in addition to the great food, fun mu-sic, awesome auction items, the return of old friends along with new ones, what really put this year over the top was the great fit of the outdoor venue coupled with the perfect weather. What more could we ask for?”

All in all, it was a first-rate event that brought in much-needed dollars to our wonderful symphony. The next concert will be held on April 16 at the Rosa Hart Theatre. For tickets, go to www.lcsym-phony.com.

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

Wild Beast Feast 2016!

Judges David Yantis, Mario Pacetti and Roman Seigel

Angel Mefford and Angela Guth of JD Bank

Edgemont Happy Hour Bar CrewEric Mire of First Federal Bank

April 7, 2016 27Vol. 8 • No. 1

You know it’s going to be an amazing event when Leif Pedersen, Senior VP of Philanthropy for Memorial Hos-pital, is at the helm! The Foundation at Memorial Hos-pital held a benefit recently at the Blue Dog Café in Lake Charles. There were passed hors d’oeuvres, a delicious buffet, signature drinks and a fashion show—and to top off the evening, a stellar performance by the one and only Marcia Ball. Well done!

T H E F O U N D A T I O N A T M E M O R I A L H O S P I T A L

Leif Pedersen, Sr. VP of Philanthropy; Tom Shearman, Memorial Health System board member; Larry Graham, Memorial Health System president & CEO; Jackie Roe, Foundation Chair; Steve Santillo, co-owner, Blue Dog Café; Jacque Rodrigue, co-owner, Blue Dog Café and Wayne Fernandez,

Development VP, George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts.

The Calcasieu Parish Public Library is seeking local art-ists to redesign the Children’s & Teen areas inside Central Library located at 301 West Claude Street in Lake Charles.

Artists are encouraged to submit a project proposal. The winning designers will receive $1,500 and the chance to recreate their idea for all to see (PLEASE NOTE: The li-brary will only award $1,500, so any cost over this amount will be covered at artist’s expense).

The library will select one design for the Children’s area and one design for the Teen area ($1,500 each).

If you are interested in presenting proposals for both, please submit them as separate proposals.

“We want our children and families to feel like they are stepping into a magical place, a place where books and great stories come to life. And we want our teens and young adults to feel like they have a place just for them, a place that inspires their ability to dream the impossible” said Clare Coleman, Central Library Branch Manager. “If you’re an artist and you want to have your design seen by over 250,000 patrons that come to Central Library each year, we encourage you to apply!”

All interested parties must complete the Central Library Art Project form by 4 p.m. on April 30, 2016 to be consid-ered.

The link to the form and instructions can be found on the library webpage at www.calcasieulibrary.org.

Applicants are encouraged to stop by Central Library to view the areas for inspiration and may contact Clare Cole-man at ccoleman@calcasieu.lib.la.us to schedule a tour or for more details. For more information, call Central Li-brary at 721-7116.

Visual Artists Needed to Redesign Central Library

More than 75 cyclists will leave Houston headed for New Orleans in the 8th Annual Tour du Rouge, May 1-6, with a pit stop in Sulphur on Monday, May 2. The 533-mile cycling adventure raises awareness and money for American Red Cross services along the Gulf Coast and benefits seven Red Cross chapters, which provide sup-port for communities in need.

Volunteers will be needed on May 2 to ensure a suc-cessful event and showcase Southern hospitality. There will be a variety of duties needed throughout the event in the hospitality area from set up to serving refresh-ments to cheering on the participants.

Volunteer times will be available in increments of four hours to allow for a steady stream of at least a dozen vol-unteers at any given time. Those who are unable to work a full shift are still encouraged to come out and help whenever they can.

To register to be a volunteer or for more information, please visit www.visitlakecharles.org/tourdurouge.

Call for Volunteers:Tour du Rouge

Coming to Sulphur

April 7, 201628 Vol. 8 • No. 1

By Lauren AbateThe JAM was recently invited to

see some of the acts of Cirque du Soleil’s OVO rehearse at the Lake Charles Civic Center on a rather gloomy day. I was feeling pretty gloomy myself; it was one of those “I’m-not-in-the-mood” kind of days. Let’s just say that mood passed shortly after I walked into the Coliseum—into another world.

Ovo premiered in Montréal in 2009. The show takes inspiration from the world of insects, with creatures flying, leaping, bound-ing, and crawling to the accompa-niment of a score inspired by the music of Brazil. OVO means “egg” in Portuguese and represents the underlying thread throughout the show. And what a show it’s going to be. After performing under the “Big Top” in Montreal, Cirque is

now hitting the road, giving more people the opportunity to enjoy it in their own town.

The cast and crew have been rehearsing here for almost six weeks. With 50 performing art-

ists from 15 countries specializing in vari-

ous acrobatic acts, OVO promises to be nothing

short of spectacular.Backstage was buzz-

ing. The “Ants” –-a troupe of tiny Asian girls--were rehears-ing their act, foot

juggling corn cobs and kiwis and one an-

other, with their coach prompting them to change positions every few seconds with a loud com-mand. The “Fleas” were trying out what appeared to be a new piece of their act—over and over again. Everyone seemed to be having a great time while working very, very hard. Their agility is pretty astounding.

The troupe travels with their

own gym, their own cooks and their own wardrobe people. It’s like a moving village. They go from venue to venue by bus if it’s only a drive of a few hours; any-thing longer than that and they charter a plane.

Alana Baker is a British gym-nast who has been with Cirque for several years. She plays the Black Spider, and you will be seeing a lot of her in the show. “I’m here, there and everywhere,” she laughs. “I pop up all the time.”

Baker was “discovered” by Cirque scouts at the World Gymnastics Championships. She clearly loves what she does and is looking for-ward to starting the tour. “OVO is so happy, colorful and full of joy,” she enthuses. “It’s something for the entire family. Everyone will love it.”

OVO will be at the Lake Charles Civic Center April 8-10 and then proceeds to Baton Rouge. The per-formers will be on the road until October. Seriously, don’t miss this show! Go to www.cirquedusoleil.com and get your tickets today.

@ T H E L A K E C H A R L E S C I V I C C E N T E R

Cirque du Soleil’s OVO

April 7, 2016 29Vol. 8 • No. 1

April 7, 201630 Vol. 8 • No. 1

As a rule, I don’t like ethnic comedy (Is Greek an ethnic-ity? I’m such a hopeless WASP) and I don’t like ensemble family comedy (where every star can be a star, just for showing up), and I don’t like movies about weddings. But since I’m married and have a sense of fairness, we went and saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 instead of Batman vs. Superman this weekend. I was pleasantly surprised.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

1 ended with Tula Portokalos and her new husband driving from their newlywed house to her parents’ ultra-Greek house (Greek columns and a portico, think your worst Parthenon nightmare) for a visit. Right next door.

Wedding 2 begins with Papa Gus (Michael Constantine) driving next door and pick-ing up his grandchildren for school. Right next door are more grandkids to pick up. And next door to that. The rest of the movie is much the same,

excess upon excess. And it is this overwhelming over-the-top-ness that makes the movie so funny, because you real-ize no one could make all this up. Even the grandsons, still in grade school, are playing Grandpa’s Greek Word game in the car. Pick a word, any word. They’ll break it down to its Greek roots and prove the concept came from ancient Greek culture. While Gus is playing along, he reminds his granddaughter, Paris, that her biological clock is ticking and she needs to be looking for a nice Greek boy to marry. Paris is a senior in high school.

Don’t expect another Greek Cinderella, boy meets girl mar-riage story. Yes, Paris meets a boy but that’s not what this movie is about. First of all, forget anything predictable in this movie except the fact there is a wedding and there are a lot of big, fat, big-, loud, old, and young Greek women, burly Greek men and lots of food and dancing. But who expects an elderly aunt to come in and tell her adult niece how to kindle romance with her husband, including the red nightie to go with it? Who knows what hap-pens when Grandpa gets himself stuck in the bathtub? What do Greek women talk about at the beauty parlor?

So most of story is built

around Tula and Ian (her non-Greek husband), and their daughter Paris, who can’t stand being in a Greek family. And then there’s her big, huge ex-tended family, like Gremlins, who manage to get their noses into every single private event Paris has going on in her life, from school, to prom, to apply-ing for college.

Michael Constantine, back again as Gus, the Windex-spraying patriarch of the family, is convinced he is descended directly from Alexander the Great, and sets about to prove it. His family spends hours trying to teach him the Internet so he can search his family tree. He even writes a letter to the Greek government for proof. And his daughter Tula, who got married in the first movie, alternates between trying to fix her daugh-ter’s life and trying to let go, while fixing her whole family’s life as well.

While there is indeed a wed-ding in this movie, I can’t tell you who’s in it. That, I under-stand, is a major plot spoiler. Let me just say it brings the movie to a level I didn’t expect.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is rated PG-13 for some good-natured trashy talk and things popping out at you. Good thing it’s not in 3D, but I still wouldn’t sit too close. Be prepared to laugh out loud. Enjoy!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

(Universal, 2016)

April 7, 2016 31Vol. 8 • No. 1

You’ve been told it’s impos-sible.

No one can do it. You may as well not even try because it’s never been done before. Not possible - except when it is, because there’s no other way. It’s a live-or-die matter, as in the new book I Had to Survive by Dr. Roberto Canessa and Pablo Vierci.

Growing up in Uruguay, the privileged eldest son of two professionals, Roberto Canessa was high-spirited, spoiled, and a little wild. A group of Irish Christian Brothers finally tamed him, proving to him that he was truly a leader

At 16, Canessa was a rugby star; at 18, he was a member of the Uruguayan national rugby team, though his passion was medicine. He was, in fact, a 19-year-old second-year medi-cal student on the afternoon of October 13, 1972, when the plane in which he was riding crashed into a remote part of the Andes.

Of the 40-odd passengers and crew aboard, many were killed instantly or died soon after the crash. The cold was relentless and, because they

figured someone would be looking for them, those that remained “began to transform into a single organism” as they worked together to stay warm and hydrated. Survi-vors devised ways to keep one another alive through clever inventions, repairs of damaged equipment, and adaptations of the meager items that were not destroyed in the crash. Canes-sa became the group’s doctor. Three cousins took unofficial leadership roles.

But as days turned to weeks and supplies slowly disap-peared, weaker individuals died, one by one, of starvation. Canessa only hints about who first suggested that they “nour-ish ourselves with the bodies” of those who died but it was a “simple and audacious” idea that sustained the remain-ing survivors until they were rescued.

Indeed, audacity was man-datory: more than two months after the crash, Canessa and his friend, Nando, undertook a daring trek that took them across sheer ice, on tiny ledges above crevasses, and down avalanche-prone snow to a val-

ley of flowers.It was there where, weak

and barely alive, they found the man who rescued them…

Today, author Roberto Ca-nessa is a renowned pediatric cardiologist in Montevideo, which may seem like a tenuous tie to his early story. Part of the explanation for that incon-gruity comes in chapters writ-ten by patients and thankful parents of children he’s saved – chapters that might be more compelling, were they not so repetitive or frequent. As it is, because they’re too similar and too many, those outside testi-monials lose their effect.

Instead, what moves this book along is the re-telling of the tragedy, woven between intimate chapters on how it deeply affected the way Canes-sa lives his life. That almost-

44-year-old endurance tale is a nail-biter which, paired with insight from Canessa, his father, and other rescuers, offers up the best part of this book, bringing the grueling story to a new generation un-familiar with the Andes crash and updating it for those who remember it well.

And if you fall into either category, ignoring I Had to Survive could be impossible.

“I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives” By Dr. Roberto Canessa and Pablo Vierci©2016, Atria Books$26 / $35 Canada291 pages

I Had to SurviveHow a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives

April 7, 201632 Vol. 8 • No. 1

By Danny AllainDepending on whom you ask or what

you reference, Steampunk can mean a few different things to different people. One source states Steampunk as an inspired movement of creativity and imagina-tion. With a backdrop of either Victorian England or America’s Wild West at hand, modern technologies are re-imagined and realized as elaborate works of art, fashion, and mechanics. Needless to say Steampunk is an interesting and unique way to see the world. And a local group of artisans is go-ing forward full-steam ahead.

Snake and Monkey Studios is a team of two that have been around for the past four years. Kelli Sargent and Leah Dubois work

together and take vintage, non-working watches, pocket watches and clocks and repurpose, reuse, and create new pieces of jewelry. In addition to their regular line of jewelry, the duo also does custom, personal-ized memorial items.

We all have a moment in our lives when it felt as if time stood still. Snake and Monkey Studios can take a watch that was passed down from family, or one of their 50-100 year old watch-es, and transform it into a new item to mark a special date or time for a loved one or to commemorate a date of personal significance.

JAM: Kelli, is Snake and Monkey Studios just you two? Do you have others who work with you? Do you have an army of steam work automatons that do your bidding?

KS: We are the collaboration of Leah Dubois and myself.

JAM: Would you consider your work Steampunk?

KS: Our jewelry is what we think of as everyday wearable Steampunk. Our items are not the typical over-the-top cosplay Steampunk items; our jewelry is something anyone can wear with any attire. Now, don’t count us out on doing

cosplay accessories. We have made quite a few commissioned

items for cosplay events but we focus on making something that you

can wear every day.JAM: What materials/tools do you

use to make such intricate pieces?

KS: The watches that we use are vintage, all being 50 years old and older. They are all items that just about everyone has in the bottom of a jewelry box, an old wind-up watch that no longer works. Why toss it in the trash when so many craftsmen went into

creating a beautiful timepiece. We can create something another generation

can cherish.

JAM: Where did you learn how to make pieces like this?

KS: We are completely self-taught. We started with a few personal watches, pulling them apart, taking each little

gear, hand, dial, everything out and then we start placing those

little items together to make a new piece of jewelry.

JAM: Do you have any favorite artists that inspire you?

KS: We take our inspiration from so many things, not just one artist or one style.

JAM: What do you do when you aren’t creating?

KS: Leah works as a dog groomer when

Snake and Monkey StudiosBringing Steampunk to the Lake Area

April 7, 2016 33Vol. 8 • No. 1

she’s not making jewelry or upcycling vin-tage jewelry boxes and I work for a surgeon.

JAM: OK... Lightning round! Peanut butter jelly sandwich, toasted or

untoasted. KS: Untoasted,

JAM: Who from history would you want to punch in the face?

KS: And take a chance in breaking a bone? No way.

JAM: Marvel or DC?KS: DC.

JAM: Even numbers? Or odd? KS: Always odd.

JAM: Super power. Fly or invisibility?

KS: Invisibility no doubt.

JAM: Rain or shine?

KS: Shine.

JAM: Where can we find your work and what is your contact info?

KS: Our jewelry is currently located inside Flock of Five Gift & Art Emporium at 217 East Thomas Street in Sulphur. We share a space with Tab Typewriter Key Jewelry. You can find us on Facebook and we partici-pate in a lot of local events such as Flea Fest, Arts and Crabs Fest, Arts and Humanities events, Chuckfest, Shrimp and Jazz Festi-val, and Steampunk and Makers Faire in

Lafayette. I’m sure there are others that I have forgotten but when we are participating in an event, we list it on our Facebook page, so you can keep up with where you can find us.

JAM: Is there anything else that we should know about Snake and Monkey Studios?

KS: If you are looking for a unique item, one with history, one that celebrates a moment that is special to you, we can provide you with a

wide selection to choose from or de-sign something just for you. Don’t

toss that broken vintage watch in the trash-- let us transform it into something new!

So there you have it, folks. If you’d like a highly detailed and original gift, or you just wanna “treat yoself,” Snake

and Monkey Studios definite-ly has something for everyone. SWLArt Group is a collabora-

tion of a variety of local groups & artists, to support the development

and improvement of their quality of life & business as well as strengthen the over

cultural growth of the community. For more information about SWLArt Group, artists, or events visit their official Face-book page at www.facebook.com/swlart. Also be sure to follow them on Instagram and Twitter @swlart.

April 7, 201634 Vol. 8 • No. 1

April 7, 2016 35Vol. 8 • No. 1

Thursday, April 7Kay Miller and Aaron Horne5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

TK Hulin7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Orphan Annie8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

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

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

Friday, April 8Kay Miller & Aaron Horne5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Mike Fulmer7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059 LC

Big Jimmy & Reckless Band7 p.m. @ Junction 1712600 Moeling St. LC

KC & The Sunshine Band8:30 p.m. @ The Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are on sale now at www.

ticketmaster.com and/or by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets can also be pur-chased on performance day begin-ning at 2 p.m. at the Golden Nugget Box Offi ce.

Prime Time9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

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

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

Orphan Annie9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

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

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

Saturday, April 9Kay Miller & Aaron Horne5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Travis Tritt8 p.m. @ The Grand Event Center

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com and/or by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets can also be pur-chased on performance day begin-ning at 2 p.m. at the Golden Nugget Box Offi ce.

Larry Tillery & the Vagabond Dreamers7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059 LC

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

Idol Minds9 p.m. @ Junction 1712600 Moeling St. LC

Prime Time9 p.m. @ The Gator Lounge Delta Downs Racetrack Casino2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

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

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

April 7, 201636 Vol. 8 • No. 1

The Slags9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Sunday, April 10Chester & Jarius DaigleJD’s Whiskey Brunch@11 a.m.- 3 p.m.L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

John Cessac4 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059 LC

Server Industry NightSunday Funday Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse

2600 Moeling St. LC

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

Sunday Funday Karaoke Night9 p.m. @ Junction 1712600 Moeling St. LC

Monday, April 11Stacy Bearden5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

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

Tuesday, April 12Kevin Lambert5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar

L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

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

Trivial TuesdaysLive Team Trivia7:30 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St.

Matt and Katie8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Wednesday, April 13Chester Daigle5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

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

The Fuse8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Thursday, April 14Amanda Walker5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort

By Braylin Jenkins

Random ThoughtsI appreciate the weather in its

many forms in Southwest Louisi-ana. It’s like multiple versions of a story being told about our lives, but in different climates. As I write this on a beautifully crisp Sunday afternoon, I cannot help but wonder what next week will be like. Mo-ments like this give me a far bet-ter appreciation for being in the moment and making each minute count. Did I stay indoors and miss out on the one beautiful day we had

this week or did I round up friends and create a ball day or picnic in the park? That’s how I find myself thinking lately.

Our area continues to grow. We are probably the closest

we have ever been to having a dog park in the downtown

area. An indoor trampoline space is coming, which is some-

thing that many major cities cov-et. I wonder if this is exactly what

we really want here, or if we are we just excited to have something new.

Cirque du Soleil, an internation-ally recognized entertainment com-pany selected the Lake Charles Civic Center as its base for establishing its next tour, which will be a first of its kind for them. Other innovative companies are either slowly moving into the area or seriously consider-ing expanding here.

I usually outline all of the new companies coming into the Lake Area and share any surprises that haven’t necessarily gotten out to the mass public yet, but what has

become more important to me is what I often ask myself: “How ap-preciative am I to be alive during all of this newness occurring right in front of my eyes?”

In conversations, I find myself referring to our area as a “trend region.” A new restaurant or store opens up and we go--but for how long? Do we have any interest in actually becoming a loyal consumer? Why should businesses go through the trouble of planning and push-ing out money for marketing if they won’t be here longer than a year? It’s not because the market wasn’t right, but rather, because we have become a trend city. We simply move on to the next cool new thing that catches our attention and we can’t make enough room in our schedule to ac-commodate every business we say we love. We really need to show our support and loyalty and keep fre-quenting these places—otherwise, they won’t be around for long.

There was a time when I enjoyed knowing every new entity that was

April 7, 2016 37Vol. 8 • No. 1

777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

The Fuse8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Encore9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Louisiana Express7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Friday, April 15Amanda Walker

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

Dustin Landry & Travis Corbello7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059 LC

Jerry Dee & Charles Mann8 p.m. @ 171 Junction Roadhouse2600 Moeling St. LC

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

The Fuse9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Encore9 p.m. – 1 a.m. @ Blue Martini

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

QRISIS9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

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

Rusty Metoyer 9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Casey Walters11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, April 16Amanda Walker5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Mark Reeves & Twisted X7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059, LC

Toe-Up8 p.m. @ Junction 1712600 Moeling St. LC

Aaron Neville8 p.m. @ The Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com and/or by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased on performance day beginning at 2 p.m. at the Golden Nugget Box Offi ce.

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

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

Encore9 p.m.– 1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

The Fuse9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

QRISIS9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Casey Walters11 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

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

Sunday, April 17Street Side Jazz Band11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill710 Ryan St., LC

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

Rod Richard4 p.m. @ Loggerheads

coming to the area long before it happened. Now, I find myself loving the surprise when the sign goes up. Aside from the major chain stores that we see when we’re on vacation, what are some places you would like to see here? To me, the benefit of living in a city like Houston or even one of its suburbs is that they are literally build-ing everything you need moments from where you live, which creates an ideal living situation. Due to the size of our city, will that ever happen? Or will we always have to travel across town to get to some of the places we love? When someone says “Oh, I never go to that part of town,” it really surprises me. Lake Charles is al-ready so small to begin

with that I can’t imagine limiting your life to a five-mile radius.

Just as I often wish I could be with radio lis-teners to hear what they hear and see how they respond to what I put on the air, I wish that I could ride around with random people just to see what they noticed during their commute or how they get to their destination.

Thinking of my friend Joe Cironi, this would be my version of “Random Thoughts While Shaving” if I had such a show. If you have random ques-tions or thoughts and don’t mind sharing them, please send them my way. It may cause me to do a follow up in one of my upcoming columns. My email is heybrayjlive@gmail.com.

April 7, 201638 Vol. 8 • No. 1

I Have Left a Sweetheart North of Whiskey Bay. True Love

Waits Down Louisiana Way...The sounds and stylings of Louisiana

music have had an impact and influ-ence, not just on our native genres, but also on others near to and far from our beloved Bayou State. The recorded early history of blues, for example, reached out to the world through the music of native son Huddie “Lead-belly” Ledbetter. New Orleans gave us legends like Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino, and Elvis broke into history via Shreveport’s Louisiana Hayride. Then there’s Mickey Gilley, Harry Connick, Jr., Dr. John…even Hank Williams, Jr. started his life on Louisiana soil, so even styles of music that aren’t Cajun, Zydeco, Dixieland or what have you, have been ever changed

by the artistic contributions of those hailing from this very unique place we call home.

An example that amuses me is the Alabama hit “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (Ya Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band).” The line to immediately follow the title in the chorus “That lead guitar is hot but not for a Louisiana man, is a neat little nod to our side of the Sabine that recognizes the cultural and musi-cal crossover of Cajun and country music, probably no better embodied by our very own Jo-El Sonnier who brought his very Cajun sound to the top of the country charts.

Other well-known songs that send a thumbs-up our way would include Mel McDaniel’s “Louisiana Saturday Night,” The Oak Ridge Boys “Leavin’ Louisiana in the Broad Daylight” (as seen and heard on The Dukes of Hazard, actu-ally) and The Band’s “Up On Cripple Creek” which even throws some love to the good ol’ Lake City, specifically. It is

all a testament to the fact that our way of life has inspired artists to create and tell their audience tales from good ol’ Louisiana.

You’re Just Like Rain to a Love in Bloom so, Shine on Me

Ol’ Cajun Moon...I guess my point here is that the

art you create doesn’t have to be of “the sound of the place,” as it were in this case, to be important and influ-ential and to possibly reinforce the impact that we as Louisianans have on music and art as a whole. Various projects have had me thinking about such things a lot these days. It’s not a matter of seeking validation for what we bring to the table artistically and culturally, but rather, trying to better understand what we do that makes us so special.

By better knowing what those ele-ments are, we are able to not only reinforce their importance but also

3748 Hwy 3059 LC

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

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

Monday, April 18Bryan Trahan5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

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

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

Tuesday, April 19Chip Radford5:20 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Clint Faulk7 p.m. @ Loggerheads

3748 Hwy 3059 LC

Trivial TuesdaysLive Team Trivia7:30 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St.

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

The Strangers8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort

2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

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

3-H-G8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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hopefully, get others excited to perpetuate their influence in the years to come.

And what can we do about it? Well, at least embrace it, if you can. Try to support it and support those who have that drive to create and who all, each in their own way, share and exemplify who and what we as Louisianans are through their various mediums and media. Hell, be a part of it. Even if you are not the crea-tive type, your time, your dollar and your support can go a long way to ensuring that these creative endeavors con-tinue to happen and inspire others who may find them-selves with the desire to do the same, regardless of how they choose to do it.

Please remember that we do have something special here that you will not find anywhere else. We are Loui-siana. We are South Louisi-ana. We are Acadiana. We are Calcasieu. We are Lake Charles. Let’s be proud of that and continue to give our-selves and our children and our children’s children every single reason in the world to be just that.

Something is Happening Here...It’s true! Something IS happening here and I’m very excited to be sharing the next couple

of implicitly Lake Chuck events coming up in the next couple of weeks STARTING WITH...

April 16: The Original Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival Lake Charles Civic Center

Well, you’re kinda hard pressed to find anything much more “SWLA” than good old fashioned crawfish and the O.D.L.C.C.F. is bringing over 10,000 pounds of it to the table! This annual affair will also feature live music, the Mitchell Brothers Carnival, Queen’s pageant and parade and a weekend of spicy fun! For more information, please visit www.downtowncrawfest.com or call (337) 310-0083. If you are a self-respecting Southwest Louisianan (and well, not allergic or anything) GO EAT SOME CRAWFISH, SHA!

April 21: Roots Revival: A Celebration of SWLA Music History Central School for the Arts and Humanities

I couldn’t quite imagine another event that captures what I said above than this one right here. This project, many months in development, is bringing the Lake City’s musical history’s past and present to the stage with a very special evening in Central School’s Ben-jamin W. Mount Theater. It will be welcoming the likes of GRAMMY winner and Cajun music legend Jo-El Sonnier, Boozoo Chavis family legacy band “The Dog Hill Stompers,” Buz Clark of “The Bad Roads,” Alyssa Laughlin, Leigh Howard-Robinson (star of Itinerant Theater’s Nellie and Young Band Nation’s performance of Dolly Parton’s “Puppy Love” that was recorded right here in the good ol’ Chuck. This show will also feature local favorite “sinners,” who will be the house band for the evening and who have been instrumental to making this event happen. For information on this very special show, please visit www.artscouncilswla.com or call (337) 439-2728.

Also as part of this event, Itinerant Theater is presenting An Evening of Nellie Lutcher at The Foundation House on April 23, 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. and on April 24 at 2 p.m. This is a very special affair that I hope with all of my heart you guys support. I genuinely hope to see all of you there. I urge you, GO SEE THIS SHOW!

They Used to Walk On The Banks of The Mighty Mississippi...And so it goes for yet another fortnight here in yon Chuck. Keep being cool cats and

kittens and I hope I run into you out at all the wonderful things this groovy little burg has to offer us. As always... I’ll see you at the show!

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

Thursday, April 21Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Roots RevivalA Celebration of SWLA’s Music HistorySinners, Jo-El Sonnier, Dog Hill

Stompers, Buz Clark, Alyssa Laugh-lin, Leah Howard-Robinson and Young Band Nation7 p.m. @ Mount theatre at Central School, 809 Kirby St. LCTickets are available at Eventbrite.com

Leroy Thomas and Zydeco Roadrunners7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

3-H-G8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort

2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

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

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

Friday, April 22Rusty Yates5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Big Jimmy & Reckless7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059 LC

Joe Purvis & Talon8 p.m. @ Junction 1712600 Moeling St. LC

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Belinda Carlisle8 p.m. @ The Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com and/or by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets can also be pur-chased on performance day begin-ning at 2 p.m. at the Golden Nugget Box Offi ce.

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

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

DJ Jose Mata9 p.m.- 3 a.m. @ Blue Martini

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Rapture9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Flamethrowers9:30 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

LA Express9:30 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark

L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Saturday, April 23Kay Miller & Aaron Horne5:30 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Clayton Rougeau and the Wild West Band7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 3059 LC

Big Jimmy & Reckless7 p.m. @ Junction 1712600 Moeling St. LC

ZZ Top8 p.m. @ The Grand Event CenterGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LCTickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com and/or by phone

through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets can also be pur-chased on performance day begin-ning at 2 p.m. at the Golden Nugget Box Offi ce.

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

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

Flamethrowers9:30 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

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

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April 7, 201642 Vol. 8 • No. 1

Katrina Pitre and Whitney Tate Kate Fontenot, Dillon Richard and Kevin Goode

Alicia Vinson, Rachel Cooley and Lydia EarlUlyssia Simien, Shelia Handy

and Sharon Carter

John O’Donnell and Brian Pitre

Brittaney Caudell, Lyd Rawls and Eden YoungSteven Halker and Ashley Mageau

CIGART It was a night of craft from tobacco, to canvas, to pottery wheel and

beyond as Cigar Club teamed up with SWLArt to present the very first CigArt opening. A half dozen talented local artists created works themed around the logos and color schemes of numerous cigars and cigar. This will happen again and you don’t want to miss it! Bravo all!Tricia Bruns and Amber Caillouet

Sabra Fruge, Amanda Shearer, Heather Boston and Chris Berryman

Erik and James Jessen

WINE DOWN AT SUNDOWN Fans of the vine turned out in force to attend Wine Down at Sundown

at 121 Bistro last week. Guests all but overwhelmed the veritable buffet of fine wines and assorted edibles. Anyone who was there can tell you

it was worth the wait in line. Cheers!

Gene and Carrie Naquin with Lori and Danny Baudoin

Randy Duplechain, Nicole Hidalgo and Norman Parker

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The Kadillacs

Mario and Chelsea Pacetti Bob Goodson and Julie Fay

Jennifer Matte, Wallace, Julie Hughes and Ray Wood Lauren Abate and Celia Broussard

WILD BEAST FEAST The pits were fi red up again for the annual Wild Beast Feast at the Historic Calcasieu Marine Bank. Patrons indulged in a plethora of

countless wild culinary creations prepared by local chefs and cook-ing teams. All the proceeds went to support our beloved Sympho-ny, so that sounds like a “win” all around” Bon appetit, everyone!

LEON RUSSELL AT GOLDEN NUGGETA night of great music awaited fans who came out to see the one

and only Leon Russell at the Golden Nugget. This musical icon turned 74 the night of this show and passed an intimate and incredibly entertaining evening sharing his 50 years of music

with the good folk of SWLA!

Jim George and Lorraine Stewart Eric Nielsen and Janie Jacobson

Lori and Tim Strickland Amanda Cloud and Judi Rowell Lori Nelson, Jerry Hammers, Dee Linsdon and Mark Spronss