June 4, 20152 Vol. 7 • No. 4

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June 4, 2015 • Volume 7 • Issue 4

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

Publisher/Executive EditorLauren Abate de Albuquerquelauren@thejambalayanews.com

ContributorsGeorge ClineDan EllenderJulie Ann FayBraylin JenkinsMike McHughRoger MillerJustin MorrisRussell PawlowskiBrian PitreTerri Schlichenmeyer

Salessales@thejambalayanews.com

GraphicsArt/Production DirectorBurn Rourk

BusinessOffi ce ManagerJeanie Taggart

Legal Disclaimer

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

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

COVER STORY16 Cotten’s: The King and the Princess

REGULARS4 We Are SWLA!

6 The Dang Yankee

6 Adoption Corner

7 Tips From Tip

8 Fishin’ Tales

10 This Functional Family

12 The Pirate’s Platter

FEATURES13 L’Auberge Casino Resort Goes to the Dogs!

14 Legendary Dads

28 CVB Honors Partners in Tourism

THE SPICE OF SWLA18 Bayou Rum

20 Event Guide

22 Family Fun Night at the Movies

23 Acting Up!

24 Bookworm Sez…

25 Book Bites

26 Hashtag Dat: Summer Drink Guide

30 Nightlife Guide

33 Lake City Beat!

34 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles

37 Society Spice

39 Funbolaya

12

On cover: Kenny and Kate Cotten (Photo: Burn Rourk)

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June 4, 2015 3Vol. 7 • No. 4

Report card time at St. Laza-rus School, East Boston, circa 1964. Father Settimo Basso, our pastor, visits each grade, one through eight, along with our principal. He stands in front of our class. Our home-room teacher hands him our report cards. We all have but-terflies in our stomachs, except for the “bad” kids, who could care less. I am always called first, because my last name is Abate. I hate that.

Father Basso has called my name. I stand, trembling, as he quickly scans my report card. I wait for the words, delivered in broken English: “Give a good hand.” If I hear it, it means I’ve made the honor roll, and my classmates will politely clap for me. If not, I’m in trouble. But I almost always make it. I think I got a C in math a few times in grade school, which almost killed me. Still, I’m always petrified at report card time, because I’m a nervous kid.

Of course, there is no ap-plause for those who didn’t make honor roll. Because not everyone can do it, and those

that can should be recognized. Let’s fast-forward to the 21st

century, where this would nev-er happen. The 21st century, where every child is a star and every child wins an award for something, anything. He could be the kid in The Omen and there’s an award waiting for him. Step right up, Junior. You win an award for best haircut. I mean shoes. Or, in your case, best killer instinct. Whatever. Here’s an award. Take it. You so deserve it.

And you’ll get this coveted award when you graduate. No, not from junior high or high school; when you “graduate” from one grade to another. That’s right. Every year, you “graduate.” I’ve put it in quotes because you really aren’t grad-uating from anything. You’ve passed your classes and you’ve moved up to the next grade. It was never a big deal. But now it’s a Huge Deal. Enormous. Stop the presses.

I don’t know when this insanity began or who started it all. Our school year ended. That was it. Done. Simple. No

ceremony, no photo-ops, no pulling Dad out of work and dragging Mom and Grandma and 500 relatives to this oh-so-important “ceremony.” And if you didn’t pass, you were “kept behind.” It happened. Oh well. Those were the breaks. That’s LIFE.

Of course we had dance re-citals and class plays and sports (but sports didn’t take up 45 weekends a year and almost every day after school and every night). And you didn’t get “participation” awards for your involvement in extracur-ricular activities, because that’s what you were supposed to do. Participate. Duh. Why should you be commended for some-thing that you’re required to do anyway? What’s wrong with this picture?

We are doing so much more for our kids nowadays. We are bending over backwards and forwards and doing triple somersaults and then some. For what? Is this really doing them any good? Is it helping, or hindering?

There are many pros and cons on this topic. Many say it’s a great thing, that kids need

their fragile egos stroked and built up to give them confi-dence as they mature.

Others claim that it gives them a false sense of accom-plishment; that they’re be-ing set up for failure because they’re not being prepared to face the real world, which is full of disappointments and hardships. You have to pull up your bootstraps and prove yourself out there. You may eventually get your gold stars in the form of raises and promotions, but you have to deserve them. They won’t be handed to you unless Daddy owns the company.

What do you say, readers? I’d really like to hear your take on this. Email me at lauren@thejambalayanews.com. And no, you won’t get an award, but I may mention you in my follow-up article.

A Note From Lauren

Lauren Abate de Albuquerque

What Do You Want, a Medal?

June 4, 20154 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Jack Doland Inducted into Southland Conference Hall of Honor

Legendary former McNeese State University football coach and athletic director Dr. Jack Doland, who later went on to become president of the univer-sity and a Louisiana State sena-tor, was joined by former North-western State president Dr. Randy Webb as a 2015 inductee into the Southland Conference Hall of Honor. Doland and

Webb became the 43rd and 44th inductees to the Southland Hall of Honor since it was originated in 1999. They are also just the third and fourth presidents inducted, joining Lamar’s F.L. McDonald and Stephen F. Austin’s William Johnson, both first-year entrants in 1999. Doland becomes the eighth McNeese representative to be inducted into the SLC Hall.

L’Auberge Donates to Shannon Cox Counseling CenterL’Auberge Casino Resort donated $6,200 to the Shannon Cox

Counseling Center, a division of Family & Youth in the form of a sponsorship for Derby for Dollars. The Shannon Cox Counseling Center provides a wide range of constructive and life-chang-ing services in the form of counseling, consultation, and educa-tion to benefit individuals and families in Southwest Louisiana.

CITGO Sponsors Chennault AirshowCITGO recently

provided a $15,000 sponsorship for the Chennault Inter-national Airshow, which is set for October 24-25, 2015, at Chennault Inter-national Airport. The sponsorship will help bring thrilling high quality acts to the family-friendly event. The Airshow will showcase an ex-citing lineup of gravity-defying aerobatic demonstra-tions and air stunts, a nostalgic array of aircraft of all vintages and kids activities. To learn about the event lineup or to purchase tickets, go to www.chennaultair-show.com.

Meador Named Volunteer of the Year at LAMCSheryl Meador has been named the

2014 Volunteer of the Year at Lake Area Medical Center. Meador has been a Lake Area Medical Center volunteer since November 2012. From the first day on the job, Sheryl has distinguished herself as someone who goes out of her way to display exceptional care and compassion to patients, visitors and employees alike. She has been instru-mental in helping to launch new service offerings provided by the volunteers in-cluding the hands-on training and the development of a best practice model.

PPG Foundation Awards ScholarshipsThe PPG Industries

Foundation has awarded two area high school sen-iors, Brett Bullard and Shannon Dalton, with four-year college scholarships. Bullard, a senior at Sam Houston High School who will be attending McNeese State University in the fall, received a PPG National Merit Scholarship. Dalton, a senior at Saint Louis Catholic High School who will be attend-ing the University of Alabama in the fall, received a PPG National Merit Scholarship and a PPG Plant Scholarship. These scholarships recognize outstanding students selected by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation who reside near a PPG Industries facility, such as the silica manufacturing plant in Westlake, and is the child of an employee at that facility.

Sefcik Wins College Division of Business Pitch CompetitionLance Sefcik, a management major at McNeese State University,

has won the college division of the 3rd annual SEED Center Busi-ness Pitch Competition at McNeese. The Competition offers entre-preneurs from high school, college, general business and technology divisions the chance to compete for a start-up award, office space

Dr. Jack Doland

(L to R) Jessica Saxby, Community Relations Manager for L’Auberge; Julio Galan, President and CEO of Family & Youth; and Candice Young,

Executive Assistant for L’Auberge Casino Resort

(L to R) Airshow Director Mary Jo Bayles, Chennault Director and Airshow President Randy Robb and CITGO Public Affairs Manager Dana Keel

Shannon DaltonBrett Bullard

Sheryl Meador

June 4, 2015 5Vol. 7 • No. 4

and other resources to help their business plans evolve into success-ful career opportunities. Sefcik’s winning business enterprise, Bayou Rentals, LLC, is a property venture that includes purchasing homes in Lake Charles and surrounding areas. After renovations and up-dates to the homes are completed by Sefcik’s company, the company’s next step is to rent out the properties at affordable prices for small families and McNeese students.

Family Foundation Receives Endowment

The Family Foundation of SWLA, the endowment arm of Family and Youth Coun-seling Agency Inc., received an endowment in the amount of $10,000 from Tim Broussard and J&J Exterminating Com-pany. Family & Youth is a fam-ily service organization estab-lished in 1970 to serve children, youth and families in SWLA.

Community Foundation and Sasol Award fi rst 50 ScholarshipsTh e Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana held a kickoff

event recently to award the fi rst 50 workforce resource guide scholarships. Th e pilot program, created by Sasol and managed by the Foundation, sought to award 50 scholarships to individuals who want to pursue careers in support of industry through local training institutions, such as ABC and SOWELA. Th e fi rst 50 scholarship recipients will now begin their workforce journey, alongside their mentor and career counselor to navi-gate the six steps of the SWLA Workforce Resource Guide. Th e Founda-tion and the Resource Guide Steering Committee is actively seeking fund-ing for the second round of scholarships. Contact Sara Judson at (337) 491-6688 or sjudson@foundationswla.org for additional information.

Local Youth Soccer Team Wins Second State TitleTh e Calcasieu Soccer Club Eagles U14 girls recently won the Louisiana Soccer Association AllState Sugarbowl Presidents Cup. Th is state-level championship title is the second one this team has won since 2012 and is also the second state-level championship for the team’s head coach, Jason Holder. Th e team, made up of players from Lake Charles, Sulphur and Moss Bluff , posted a record of 21 wins, one loss and two draws; scored 83 goals and allowed only 11 in the past year of play. Th ey will travel to Lafayette on June 11-14, to play in the US Youth Soccer Region III Presi-dents Cup Tournament. For more information, call (337) 474-6131.

SOWELA Process Technology Fast Track Program RecognizedSOWELA Technical Community College’s Process Technology

Fast Track Program was recognized with an Innovation of the Year Award by the League for Innovation in the Community College. This program is designed to help those individuals that have already obtained an associates degree or higher, to attain the Associates of Applied Science degree in Process Technology within as little as one semester. For information on the program or to apply for admission, visit www.sowela.edu/academics/Process-Technology/Fast-Track.

Lt. Gov. Dardenne Visits During National Tourism Week

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne vis-ited Lake Charles recently as part of a statewide expedition celebrating National Tourism Week. Traveling in a mini coach wrapped in Louisiana Trav-el’s latest tourism marketing campaign and statistics, he was greeted at the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Conven-tion & Visitors Bureau by tourism em-ployees, Gumbeaux Gator and the Lake Charles Buccaneers. Tourism brought $385 million to Calcasieu Parish last year through travel expenditures.

Barbe Students Paint Helmets for Concussion Awareness

Art students at Barbe High School used their creative paints and paintbrushes to help raise awareness for sports concussions. Twenty-fi ve students each painted a football helmet of their own design. Th e helmets will be auctioned off at the Foundation for Fairplay (F3) Moonlight Cruise to be held September 24 at L’Auberge Casino Resort. Fift een percent of the money raised from the helmets will go back to the art program at Barbe. Th e rest of the money will go to F3. To learn more about F3 or the Moonlight Cruise, call (337) 494-3226.

(L to R) Amanda Johnson, Leif Pedersen – VP of Philanthropy at LCMH, Morgan Manuel, Hannah Guth, Julia Catic, Mrs. Candie Witherspoon, Sydney Morales, Lindsey Scimemi, Mrs. Rebecca White, Macy McElveen, Casey Lanthier and Heidi Perez

Tim Broussard, owner of J&J Exterminating Co. and Julio Galan, President/CEO of Family & Youth

(L to R) Gumbeaux Gator; Michael K. Dees, CVB Board Member; Sam Wilkinson, CVB Board Member; Rick Richard, CVB Board Member; Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne; Shelley Johnson, Executive Director of the CVB; Nic Hunter, President of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury; and Kyle Edmiston, Director of Tourism

The Calcasieu Soccer Club Eagles U14 girls recently brought home the Louisiana Soccer Association AllState Sugarbowl Presidents Cup Championship

June 4, 20156 Vol. 7 • No. 4

I hear a lot of folks say that they don’t like being tagged in Face-book photos. I never understood the concern, especially when I hear it from people who I know wouldn’t be caught dead in Span-dex, thank heaven.

On the other hand, there are those people like my friend Phil, who seem to think that every wak-ing moment in his friends’ lives is worthy for capture on fi lm to share with the entire human race. If you run into him at the supermarket, it’s certain that within minutes, your smartphone will ping with a notice that you’ve been tagged. You open it, and there you are buying a loaf of bread, along with Phil’s caption that makes like it’s the biggest deal since the merger of Exxon and Mobil Oil.

On the fi rst fl oor of my newspa-per’s offi ce, there’s a spot called the Monkey Bar where a small group of us like to congregate. We share a few drinks along with the latest gossip, no big deal. Every time we go there, Phil insists on snapping a photo and posting it to Facebook. At his insistence, we all huddle

around the bar with raised glasses and toothy grins, making out like it’s the most happening scene since Studio 54 in its heyday. I’m sur-prised that the collection of posts hasn’t attracted a line of A-list celebs, maybe even a Kardashian or two, to form outside the build-ing’s front door each evening.

I certainly don’t mind this burgeoning album out there on the Internet with photos of me enjoying an adult beverage. At least I have all my clothes on, which is more than I can say for a lot of people, not to mention certain members of Congress. Still, aft er awhile, I began to think that Phil was getting a bit carried away. I found myself secretly wishing that one of his cats would fi nd his phone lying around somewhere and go bury it in the litter box.

It was during our last visit to the Monkey Bar when I fi gured I’d had enough. When the time came for Phil to take his picture, I decid-ed to make a subtle, silent protest. While everyone else posed as if we were shooting a scene for Animal House, I sat there glowering with

arms crossed.Evidently, Phil didn’t notice,

because he snapped the photo and had it up on Facebook faster than a middle-schooler. It was only af-ter he posted it that everyone saw what I’d done. “Look at you!” my editor, Lauren, said. “You look like a Koch brother at a Greenpeace rally!” Everybody had a good laugh at my expense. It’s some-thing I’m well used to and con-sider it a big reason why people let me hang out with them.

I soon discovered that my ploy had given rise to some unintended consequences. Reacting to a disap-pointing turnout for a party we threw the following weekend, I suggested that it might be due to confl icts surrounding graduation season.

“Maybe, but there’s also a lot of

buzz about that Facebook photo,” one friend confi ded.

“You can’t be serious!” I shot back.

“Oh, yeah. Hadn’t you heard it went viral?”

“But you came,” I told him.“Only because of your wife. She

was smiling in the picture.”So to all you Facebook photo-

phobes out there, you have gained my sympathy. Th e only advice I can off er in dealing with friends like Phil is to maybe invest in a ski mask. I know where you can get one cheap.

Mike McHugh’s column has appeared in The Jambalaya News since 2009. You can fol-low the continuing hilarity about his visit to Costa Rica on his website, thedangyan-kee.com.

Tag—I’m It!

Isabel is a year-old terrier mix who weighs about 25 pounds. This girl loves cats and other dogs and does well with children over five years of age. Her coat is brown with brindle markings. She has done well with housetraining and walks very well on a leash. Isabel can be active at times but has a sweet, loving, and gentle temperament and is a delight to have around. She will need a fenced yard to play in and would be a wonderful

companion for a big brother or sister. Isabel is heartworm negative; her adopter must be committed to continued heartworm prevention. For more information, call or email (337) 244-4563 or lapaw@bellouth.net. Home visit and vet check required prior to all adoptions.

June 4, 2015 7Vol. 7 • No. 4

What’s Taking So Long?

Recently, I wrote about the effect that the Cove Road roundabout was having on the I-210 beach area. After witnessing the Memorial Day overload at Prien Lake Park’s boat launch and parking lot, there can be no longer any doubt of the overwhelm-ing need for the closed facilities to be quickly reopened. Prien Lake Park cannot handle the parking needed for vehicles with boat trailers when only that launch site is avail-able. And think of the fish-ing, dog training, beach fun and other recreational activities that are being missed out on while that area is closed for the con-struction that, hopefully, is nearly complete. We must push our local officials to have these areas reopened as soon as possible so we can take advantage of all that they have to offer.

Crime Deterrent Unit a Great Idea

I will continue to criti-cize those law enforcement activities that are simply

revenue pursuits and not in keeping with the Constitu-tional guarantees we have been brought up to believe in. I will, however, commend Sheriff Mancuso for his CDU (Crime Deterrent Unit) that visits all areas of our parish. His deputies are trying to speak with residents to find out how his office can better serve us.

We were startled at first when the deputies came to the door (too much TV crime drama, I suppose) but the kind assurance of the deputy and his explanation of the program quickly put our minds at ease. Solicit-ing ideas and suggestions to make our neighborhoods safer certainly makes you feel like the Sheriff ’s Department truly cares about the citizen-ry. There is a creeping feeling of distrust of law enforce-ment with the occurrence of several national attention-grabbing events recently, but keeping close relations with our populace will help keep the relationship the way it should be. To protect and serve is the motto of law enforcement departments; Sheriff Mancuso is trying to live up to that philosophy in this worthy program.

Catch a Concert Series Begins

Lake Charles’ third free outdoor concert series, Catch A Concert, started June 1 and will continue the next four Mondays at 7 p.m. on the grassy slopes of the Civic Center Arcade Amphitheater Pavilion. The LC Community Band fol-lows the Live @ the Lake Front series at this popular venue while Downtown at Sundown has moved fur-ther down Ryan Street to the more spacious area at the Parish Courthouse/1911 City Hall environs.

The Community Band concerts have been well-attended and well-received, as have the others. We routinely enjoy all of these events and see many famil-iar faces on these musical evenings. We are fortunate to have these opportuni-ties to enjoy good music, visit with friends and enjoy the lake breeze in our own hometown. Come join us for a relaxing good time.

Supermarket Roundup

Our supermarket sur-vey this issue was taken on Friday, May 29. The prices

were as displayed on the shelf where the products were placed for sale. Our stores are: Albertsons-Country Club Road, Mar-ket Basket-Nelson Road, Kroger-McNeese Street and Walmart-Nelson Road.

Artichokes, per head: Albertsons $.99, Market Basket N/A, Kroger $1.99, Walmart $2.58. Bananas, per pound: Albertsons $.62, Market Basket $.54, Kroger $.57, Walmart $.54. Cucumbers, per each: Albertsons $.50, Market Basket $.50 (2/$1), Kroger $.79, Walmart $.74. Bell Peppers, green, per each: Albertsons $.99, Market Basket $.79, Kroger $.79, Walmart $.64. Chicken breasts, skin-less, per pound: Albert-sons $1.99, Market Basket $3.99, Kroger $1.99, Wal-mart $1.99. Eggs, large, Grade A, store brand, per dozen: Albertsons $1.50 (2/$3), Market Basket $2.39, Kro-ger $2.09, Walmart $2.18.

June 4, 20158 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Fishing with one’s best friend should have its magic moments. After 45 years Charles Crady (Big Charlie: 6’8” 280 pounds) and I have never had a great trip. NEVER. Note the ‘80’s pic.

We were all set to head out in “Wootsie” Senac’s damn near yacht and guess what, we’re go-ing hunting. Oh, we went spec and red fishing in the after-noons but that will be discussed shortly. Even have the pic of Charles with some of his specs.

We left Houma and head-ed south to land’s end and launched. There, the North American Land Company’s vast marsh began. Powered by two 150 outboards, we wound down bayous and canals for an hour and a half to the camp.

The “camp” was the Senac’s double-decker abode formed from two former Intercoastal barges. The bottom level was an open great room dominated by a dinner table that fed 16 people.

The rest was a lounging BS area at one end with the kitchen on the other.

Upstairs were four bedrooms that slept 13 people. The back upper area was taken up by four barber chairs that overlooked the marsh and the distant Gulf that we later surf-fished. I referred to them as my pass out and nap chairs, but they were great for the wildlife views if one was awake.

Charlie, his brother Ned,

their father Charles III and I actually fished the marsh cuts leading down to the Gulf. Charles III and Ned caught fish. Charlie caught a few and I hauled beer out of the cooler between casts and later proved my expertise by falling from the upper deck into the canal while watching the guide clean the fish I didn‘t catch. Well, I actu-ally did contribute two small reds that hooked themselves between my beverage breaks.

In my soberer moments, I did land quite a few fish with Big Charlie during our annual fish-ing trips to Lake Conroe, Texas from 1968 to ’98. In a previous column, I wrote about my best bass fishing trip ever with my favorite Conroe guide. We had 25 bass apiece; none less than two pounds, and we threw back more than we caught.

Yet no matter where or when Charlie and I went from the dam, to the old creek bed, the bridge, the brush along the north end or even the other sweet spots the guide had shown me over the years, Charlie and I NEVER caught more than a supper for two. The picture that shows Charlie with bass was at our local Gray Estate’s Goose Lake Lodge trip. Great fun after a teal hunt, but those eight fish were Charlie’s, mine, and head guide Steve Koehler’s.

Charlie even came here and we did it up first class with a

BFFL Fishing

Big�Charlie��������with�bass

June 4, 2015 9Vol. 7 • No. 4

guide from Hackberry’s Spicer’s landing. With his sons Chad and Chris, we fished every-where north, east, south and even west of there with the usual minimal success. Even an airboat ride on yet another trek

failed us. I’ll be the first to ad-

mit I lack the touch for fishing. My fish have to hook themselves. But I learned lure placement from the best, along with what to use and where to go. All this

was to no avail. Despite our lack of success we are not cursed. Anytime spent afield or on the water with someone you love is magic. This column is for you, Big Guy. We still have time to finally get lucky.

Big�Charlie��������with�specs

ChadCrady

June 4, 201510 Vol. 7 • No. 4

At 7 and 10 years old, my children are energetic, curious, sometimes rambunctious and happy to be out of school for the summer. They are active, kind, mostly well-behaved, and very much outdoor kids. They defi-nitely have their moments when they act up or don’t listen as well as they should. But they know right from wrong and although they may push the boundaries at times, they typically do what is expected of them.

What’s difficult for a parent is when we encounter situations where adults are behaving poorly in front of our children, which is exactly what happened to me just the other day.

It was the last day of school, so we got ice cream and then headed to Prien Lake Park so they could run off some energy.

I’ve been taking them there and to all of the other local parks since they were babies. We enjoy walking along the boardwalk, having picnics, fishing, and hanging out at the playground.

As we were walking past one of the lovely fountains, I couldn’t believe the scene that we came upon: a man and woman who looked to be in their late ‘20s, swimming around in the foun-tain with their toddler son. They weren’t dangling their feet in the water or leaning down to splash their hands; they were in the fountain swimming. There are several signs that clearly state the fountains aren’t for swimming. Taking the bad behavior a step further, the man removed all of the coins from the fountain and reached outside the fountain to put the coins in his wife’s purse.

You might say to yourself: “Oh, so what? They were just cooling off and having fun!” Well, what if we all did exactly what we wanted to do every time we felt like it? Imagine the kind of world we would live in if none of us exercised restraint, if children had no discipline, and if there were no rules or laws. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live in that kind of world, and I’m not raising my children to live in that “anything goes” kind of world.

I didn’t know how my kids would react when they saw these adults behaving this way, and I was worried that they might jump right in the fountain, too. But I was very proud of how they both behaved. We walked past the spectacle and as we got further away, they each had comments.

“Don’t they know they aren’t supposed to be in the fountain?” my daughter observed. “They aren’t even kids; they are adults! And they stole money that people put in the fountains for wishes. That means they stole the wishes that people made!”

My son added, “It might feel good to be in the water because it’s hot but I know that it’s wrong to swim in the fountain so I’m not going to do it!” I thought those were excellent observa-tions from both of them.

Now, when my son was around two or three, he sat on the edge of that very fountain dangling his feet and splashing

away and then, with a mischie-vous look and a twinkle in his eyes, jumped right in. But he wasn’t an adult; he was a toddler. And it was the only time he did that. My daughter did the same at that age. She swung her legs back and forth, splashed herself and me, and then before I could stop her, she was in the fountain.

Toddlers are going to act like toddlers. But shouldn’t adults act like adults? My kids asked a similar question of me about the couple in the fountain. They simply wanted to understand why they didn’t know any better. My daughter said, “Maybe their parents never told them that you have to behave and not do things you aren’t supposed to do!” Per-haps she’s right.

The thought occurred to me that even if no one else was around to see that couple, their child saw it. And what they are already teaching their young son is that they have no problem making their own rules and dis-regarding those that are already in place. I wonder how they are going to feel if or when their son does the same thing in the years to come.

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

Adults Behaving Poorly

June 4, 2015 11Vol. 7 • No. 4

June 4, 201512 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Cajun cuisine was inspired by classical French cuisine with its rich sauces and celebration of food. The Pirate travels all the way back to where it started in France. This dish is cooked by many Louisianans without them even knowing the name. We have served this traditional French masterpiece at our camp many weekends.

Ingredients

PreparationRemove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (rectangles 1/4-

inch across and 1 inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry. Sauté the bacon slowly in hot but-ter until it is very lightly browned. Remove to a side dish. Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole. Season the chicken. Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside. Pour the wine into the casserole and add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a sim-mer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 ¼ cups. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (buerre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

Arrange the chicken in the casserole and baste with the sauce. If you are not serving immediately, film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered. It can now wait indefinitely.

Shortly before serving, bring to simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is hot enough. Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with parsley sprigs.

Serve with sautéed mushrooms and onions.Feeds 4 to 6 people. Enjoy!

Coq Au Vin(Chicken in Red Wine)

One 3- to 4-ounce chunk of bacon A heavy, 10-inch, cast iron casserole2 tablespoons butter2 ½ to 3 pounds cut-up frying chicken½ teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon pepper1 tablespoon of Cajun RedHead (we had to throw a touch of La. in there)1/4 cup cognac3 cups young, full-bodied red wine such as Burgundy or Beaujolais

1-2 cups brown chicken stock, brown stock or canned beef bouillon½ tablespoon tomato paste2 cloves mashed garlic1/4 teaspoon thyme1 bay leafSalt and pepper3 tablespoons fl our2 tablespoons soft ened butterSprigs of fresh parsley

June 4, 2015 13Vol. 7 • No. 4

If you’ve visited L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, you’ve seen the beautiful splash-ing fountain in front of the main entrance. A lot of visitors like to throw in coins for good luck, hoping to win big.

But recently, it was a local non-profit organization that won big. Dr. Dogs Pet Therapy dogs received a much-appreciat-ed check after the fountain was cleaned and close to 7,000 coins were collected in three huge buckets, adding up to almost $1,000.

Dr. Dogs Pet Therapy is a local group of certified therapy pets and their owners that vis-its hospitals, nursing homes, schools and counseling centers to spread happiness and offer hope to those who need it the

most. It started in 2007 with one dog, a rescue from Hur-ricane Rita, and has grown by leaps and barks to almost 40 caring canines. All dogs and their owners are certified and registered by a national or-ganization.

Fifteen dogs and their owners showed up for the check presen-tation by the fountain, including Kayla Rigney with Millie, a lively standard poodle. And Lydia Crochet brought Jeanie the 3-Legged Pooch, who has her own Facebook page with over 9 thousand likes.

Group members are all volun-teers, so the donation will come in handy to help with expenses, such as printed material, group shirts, etc.

L’Auberge senior vice presi-dent and general manager Keith Henson was excited to donate the money to this deserving group. “They’re doing great work in the community,” he said. “Our team members are passion-ate about dogs and this is just one more way to give back.”

For more information about Dr. Dogs Pet Therapy, go to www.drdogspetherapy.com and like them on Facebook.

L’AubergeCasino Resort

Goes tothe Dogs!

Kayla Rigney with Millie

Keith Henson with Jeanie

Dr. Dogs Pet Therapy

June 4, 201514 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Randal Owen, founder and owner of Owen & As-sociates Real Estate, has been a business leader in the Lake Area for over 30 years. Partnered with his wife of 57 years, Patti, they have built a company that truly lives up to its mission statement: “We are BIG enough to SERVE you and small enough to KNOW you.”

Randal is a completely devoted family man. He has two daughters, Vicky Owen Hood and Suzanne Owen

Fong; six grandchildren, Amy Lopez, Jeremy Hood, Amanda Hood Keller, Josh and Jake Hood, and Steph-any Fong, and eight great grandchildren: Elena Perez, Tyler Hood, Izzy and Immy Hood, Andrew and Kara Hood, Nicolas Garibay and Victoria Keller.

An Army veteran, Randal continues to be a man of service. He is a longtime member of the LC Kiwanis Club and assists Pearl Cole at Abraham’s Tent on a regu-

lar basis. He prides himself on doing the best job pos-sible for every client, priori-tizing their needs and going above and beyond the line of duty. Randal is always

looking to help people in any way that he can. Says his daughter Suzanne, “He is an exceptional father and the best Paw Paw any one could dream of having!”

Randal Owen

June 4, 2015 15Vol. 7 • No. 4

Andy McGregor is a life-long resident of the Lake Area. He resides in West-lake with his wife Heather, and four children, Liam, Max, Robert and Taylor. Going through the strides of providing for his fam-ily and having worked for the Lake Charles Fire Department as a captain for several years, he saw

a real need for service in the community. Accord-ingly, Andy has been run-ning Find It & Fix It home inspection and repair since 2007. Focusing on providing quality serv-ice at an affordable cost is not exclusive to Andy’s home repair service. At the beginning of 2015, he purchased Putters Deli,

Bar & Driving Range, and has since made major im-provements to its location and services.

Andy and his family are

members of Moss Bluff United Methodist Church, often participating in mis-sion work and youth devel-opment activities. Andy’s dedication to his family and his commitment to community service, while building an inheritance for his children, is what he feels to be his greatest achievement in life.

AndyMcGregor

June 4, 201516 Vol. 7 • No. 4

By Brian PitreThe origin of blending a variety

of ground meats, forming them into patties, and grilling them to a juicy, well-done consistency is often debat-ed. Deriving its name from the second largest city in Germany, the hamburg-er made its debut in the culinary world over a century ago by way of a small lunch tavern in New Haven, Connecti-cut. Gaining popularity from the day of its introduction, the “hamburger sandwich” spread across the United States like wildfire, popping up in din-ers and drive-ins all over the country, eventually becoming the nation’s most sought-after meals.

Picked up by a drive-in service in the late ‘50s, the McDonalds brothers brought hamburgers to the industrial level. Incorporating the assembly belt into the burger-making process allowed the brothers to spread the burger craze further than ever im-aginable. However, many people still longed for the love and care that’s put into burgers they crave at their fa-vorite grill stops.

Here in the Lake Area, we have our own innovator in the burger world. Cotten’s king of the grill, Kenny Cot-ten, opened Cotten’s Burgers & Fries in 1982 shortly after his daughter Kate was born.

His motivation? After working for the Yianaridis family at the Colonial Inn and Mary Ann’s Café for several years, Kenny saw an opportunity to of-fer locals a burger they couldn’t refuse. Grinding his own meat and keeping the cooking process simple but unique, Kenny put together a burger even his biggest competition couldn’t outlast. Often imitated, never duplicated, the Cotten’s brand became an instant success. And by putting his adorable daughter at the forefront of his ad-vertising, he unknowingly designed a marketing template from which many other local ads took inspiration.

Though building a burger is more than just grilled meats and toppings, sharing the business and what it takes to keep it alive is no easy task.

Father to not just Kate, but Krysta and Karina and son Illya, Kenny involved his children in his life as king of the grill as much as possible.

Daughter Kate began manning the grill when she was only 18. One Satur-day morning when a fry cook failed to show up for his morning shift, the res-taurant was faced with the ugly pos-sibility of not opening for the day. Un-prepared for a busy shorthanded shift, the manager nearly folded under the pressure. Since Kenny was out of town, they would be left without a back-up. “I jumped at the opportunity, and our manager had no other choice than to give me a shot,” she remembers.

From that day forward, Kenny and his daughter continued to build their relationship stronger, burger for burg-er. While the rest of the family han-dled the management and marketing sides of the business, Kate absorbed every bit of Cotten’s that she could. Less than 20 years later, Kenny led

June 4, 2015 17Vol. 7 • No. 4

his daughter into the eat or be eaten world of owning her own very own grill. Father first, business partner second, Cotten saw in his daughter what he saw in himself.

Hardworking, dedicated, and true to her craft, it was easy to see that she could survive on her own. “If my daddy is the king of the grill, then I guess that makes me a princess,” was the famous tag line of that old com-mercial, and Kate has since accepted her crown as queen and placed it on top of the logo for her new downtown location.

Shortly after completing her stud-ies at McNeese, Kate set out to take the honed skills her father taught her and turn it into her very own power-house. Purchasing the old Mary Ann’s Café and running it as her own had been her dream since she first shad-owed her father as a little girl. After

taking up the reigns in her father’s old training grounds and working around the clock to get the doors

open and business flowing, Kate found that she truly began to under-stand the man who is her father.

“You know, as a kid, you never see the work as work, it was always just what dad did. We didn’t understand his passion,” Kate remembers.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Kate has designed her menu to mimic that of the Oak Park location while maintaining the feel and look of the diner. Kate says that being in the new location is supremely nostalgic for her entire family. “This may not have been the dream my father had for me because I know how much of struggle it is and the amount of work it takes, but I know he loves this place and it has always been a dream of his to own it.”

Through the course of history, many sought

bragging rights for their burger feats and feasts, though one’s reason for being well-known or famous is of-ten short lived if their intention is merely fame. The burger has always been, and will always be much more than just a notable collection of meat, cheese, and grilled onions for the Cottens. Like the lightly toasted bun that holds together each of their sandwiches, the burger is the tie that binds their family.

Cotten’s Famous Hamburgers2001 Oak Park Blvd. Lake Charles(337) 477-9759

Cotten’s Downtown110 W. Broad St. Lake Charles(337) 436-9115

June 4, 201518 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Unless you don’t get out much, you’ve heard of Bayou Rum, born and raised right here in South-west Louisiana. Th eir wonderful distillery in Lacassine off ers tours and tastings and is something to see. We spoke with owner Trey Litel about his fabulous brand that has taken the state (and be-yond!) by storm.

JAM: What made you start Bayou Rum?

TL: It started with an idea that came out of a duck blind conver-

sation near the Lacassine Wildlife Refuge and the local sugarcane fi elds. My brother Tim Litel, our good friend Skip Cortese and I wondered how it was possible that Louisiana, a state that pro-duces more sugarcane than any Caribbean island, with a reputa-tion for good times and good food, did not have a world class rum. Th e next thing we knew, Louisiana Spirits was born. We decided to build a great, authen-tic Louisiana rum and do it in a way that supports our state and

our unique culture. Louisiana was known as ‘Th e Bayou State” while I was growing up on Contraband Bayou. Good memories inspired us to celebrate our state by naming our product Bayou® Rum!

JAM: How many visitors do you get per month?

TL: We generally have be-tween 2,000 to 3,000 visitors a month. Last year, we estimate that approximately 30,000 visi-tors came to visit the Bayou Rum Distillery. We off er tours Tues-day through Saturday at specifi c times and folks can make reser-vation at www.bayourum.com/distillery for a guided tour. Th e distillery site includes state-of-the-art distilling equipment, a gallery celebrating the state’s historic role as a sugar cane producer, a tasting bar and an in-comparable gift shop. We strive to make all visitors feel welcome.

JAM: Are you in other states now?

TL: Louisiana natives live all over the USA and we have fans asking for Bayou Rum almost dai-ly on our Facebook page and by email! We are in seven states now with a few more on the way later this year. You can fi nd Bayou Rum in Texas, Louisiana, Missis-sippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Maryland, pus Washington D.C. Nine if you include two provinces in Canada! We believe that Bayou® Rum will be Ameri-ca’s Rum® before too long…

JAM: Tell me about your new Reserve Rum.

TL: We have just recently re-leased our fi rst barrel-aged rum, Bayou Limited Edition Select Barrel Reserve, batch 1501. Th is is a special blend of barrels, some dating to the beginning of our company when we were doing test batches on a 10-gallon pot

still. Bayou Select has been aged up to three years in charred oak bourbon barrels, which trans-form the spirit over time into a smoother, mellower, and more fl avorful rum rivaling the best sipping rums in the world. In a blind taste test, Bayou Select earned a GOLD medal from the Consumer Rum Jury at the 2015 Miami Rum Festival.

JAM: What’s ahead for Bayou Rum?

TL: We will continue to strive for excellence and consistency in distilling, to provide a fun atmosphere for tourists who visit our distillery, and to grow our distribution to more states and internationally. When I visit most liquor stores, bars, and restaurants and ask what kind of rums they off er, it is all imported. We want to change that by of-fering our handcraft ed original Bayou® Rum!

JAM: Anything else you want people to know about Bayou Rum?

TL: Fun drinking quiz: How many times does T-Boy appear on the Bayou Rum bottle?

Not so fun fact: Bayou Rum receives no subsidies. We make our rum from Louisiana sugarcane, mature it, bottle it, sell it and pay Federal excise taxes on every bottle. Rums from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are given a refund of their Federal excise taxes and a payment of all imported rum taxes collected from the US gov-ernment! Tell your US Congress-man and US Senator that this madness has to stop, or make the US government recognize Louisi-ana as a “US Territory!”

June 4, 201520 Vol. 7 • No. 4

‘Works of Women’ Art Exhibit Through June 19

The “Works of Women” exhibit at the Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur features over 140 individual pieces of art created by over 35 local female art-ists. The exhibit will run until June 19. Located at 923 South Ruth St., Sulphur. Hours are M-F 10 a.m. -5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (337) 527-0357

Ceramic Art Show Through July 3“Where Chaos Meets Order,” a ceramic art show by local artist Tracy LeM-

ieux, will run through July 3 at the Arts Associates Gallery on the second floor of Central School, Lake Charles. (337) 540-2968.

Good Shepherd Summer Music Festival June 9, 16, 23

The Summer Music Festival at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 715 Kirkman St., continues on Tuesdays, June 9, 16 and 23. Each performance begins at 7:30 p.m. and is followed by a reception to meet the musicians. Tickets for each performance are $10 and may be purchased at the door; children under 12 are free. On June 9, join soprano Annamarie Zmolek, tenor Patrick Perez, and pianist Nicholas Bergin for a thought-provoking evening of evocative music. The series continues on June 16 with “The Turning of the Year,” with soprano Laurie Robertson and organist/pianist Sigurd Ogaard. The final performance on June 23 will consist of a 12-piece string orchestra conducted by Wendy Isaac Bergin. (337) 433-5244.

Cheniere’s Cheritable Golf Classic June 12The Golf Classic will be held on Friday, June 12 at the National Golf Club in

Westlake. Proceeds will benefit Abraham’s Tent in Lake Charles. Registration is $350 per team and there will be a four-player scramble at 8 a.m. Send your check to US Submarine Veterans, Inc. - GTB, c/o Cheniere SPLNG, 9243 Gulf Beach Hwy, Johnson Bayou, LA 70631. If you would like to cook for the event or sponsor a hole, call (337) 569-7708 or email cindy.mcgee@cheniere.com.

Lake Arthur Regatta June 12-13Louisiana’s best-kept secret! Come have a toe-tapping, windsailing good

time with us in our hometown! Cast your sails and find a shady seat under the majestic oak trees in our beautiful park for the weekend. Tempt your taste buds with some good ole’ Cajun favorites and see some of the hottest regional and national bands playing your favorite music. Miss Sizzlin’ Sailor Bikini Contest and Mr. Sizzlin’ Sailor Swimsuit Competition will be held on June 13. Admission: $10; 5 years and under free. www.lakearthurfestivals.com.

‘Walk to Zero’ June 13For nearly four decades, Oasis A Safe Haven has been providing free and

confidential services to the victims and survivors of domestic and sexual vio-lence in Southwest Louisiana. Oasis will be hosting “Walk to Zero” on Sat., June 13. The concept behind the walk is to join local residents in the area’s ongoing march toward zero tolerance regarding domestic and sexual assault. It will be held at the Barbe High School athletic field. Registration is from 8-9 a.m. and the walk will begin at 9 a.m. www.walktozeroswla.eventzilla.net.

Confederate Monument Anniversary June 13

The South’s Defenders is the Confederate Monument on the Calcasieu Par-ish Courthouse lawn in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The statue was dedicated on June 3, 1915 by Robert E. Lee Chapter 305, United Daughters of the Con-federacy. The purpose of this event is to commemorate the monument in the spirit of healing and reconciliation while emphasizing the historical signifi-cance of the landmark. James White, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, is to deliver the keynote address and KPLC’s John Bridges will serve as the MC for the event. 10 a.m.-noon.

Prom Date: Back to the Fifties June 13The Mines Dinner Theatre presents Prom Date! This interactive dinner

event will be held at Sulphur High School, 100 Sycamore St. Enjoy a car show, a delicious meal, keepsake prom pictures, dance contest, crowning of

Thursday, June 4: Meet the Dr. DogsJoin us at 11:30 a.m. and meet the Dr. Dogs Pet Therapy Team! These therapy dogs have wonderful temperaments that provide comfort and aff ection to people in stressful situations. The therapy dog group volunteers at retirement and nursing homes, hospitals, McNeese State University, Calcasieu Parish schools, counseling centers and various commu-nity events.

Saturday, June 6: Wibbly Wobbly Timey WimeyJoin us at 11 a.m. for CyPhaKids and discover Doctor Who! Kids will explore the solar system while doing a galaxy painting and creating a paper fez.

Monday, June 8: Mary Poppins Join us for the showing of Mary Poppins at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9: Wiggly SnakesPaint your own wiggly snake in the ArtSpace. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and noon and are limited to 20 children, ages 3 and up. Thursday, June 11: Storytime with Rachel WindhamJoin us for story time with Rachel Wind-ham at 11:30 a.m. She will read her book I Pray. A book signing will follow. Saturday, June 13: Sasol’s Second Saturday Science ShowSasol continues its 5S Project with “Ex-

ploring the Human Senses” at 11:30 a.m. Rebecca Sanders will perform demon-strations that include tasting, touching, hearing, seeing and smelling. Monday, June 15: The Little MermaidJoin us for the showing of The Little Mermaid at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 16: Butterfl y Wind ChimeMake a butterfl y wind chime to hang on your porch. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. and are limited to 20 children, ages 4 and up. Thursday, June 18: MAD HATTER ScienceThe famous MAD HATTER, Joan Vallee Rettke, will present “Science at the Beach” at 11:30 a.m. Hands-on activities include the density of salt water and fresh water, the nature of waves, the importance of sunscreen and glow in the dark sea creatures. Saturday, June 20: Father’s Day TiesSaturday, June 20: Father’s Day TiesMake your dad a special tie he will always cherish for Father’s Day. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and noon and are limited to 20 children each class. Monday, June 22: MulanJoin us for the showing of Mulan at 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23: Ceramic Robot BanksPaint your own ceramic robot bank to store your savings. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and noon and are limited to 20 children each, ages 4 and up. There is a $1 fee for non-members for this new workshop.

Thursday, June 25: Gardening w/GreengateGreengate Garden Center will join us at 11:30 a.m. to teach about the importance of plants and how to care for them, and will help us plant one to bring home. Saturday, June 27: Kid’s ChoiceThis workshop uses extra projects that were leftovers from previous workshops and weekly projects. Projects will be on a fi rst come, fi rst serve basis and will be available from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Limit one project per child. Monday, June 29: FrozenJoin us for the showing of Frozen at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30: Beaded USA NecklacesGet ready for the 4th of July by making a USA beaded necklace. Classes begin at 11 a.m. and noon and are limited to 20 children each class.

Saturday, June 4: CLOSED for Independence Day

The Children’s Museum is located at 327 Broad Street downtown Lake Charles. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7.50 for children and adults. Call 337-433-9420 or visit www.swlakids.org

June 4, 2015 21Vol. 7 • No. 4

the Prom Queen and so much more! Fifties attire encouraged! Begins at 6:15 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance @ www.theminestheatre.org via Paypal, (337) 215-1602 or the Brimstone Museum Office – 900 S Huntington St., Sulphur $50/person – Must be 21 or older to attend.

BayouCon June 19-21BayouCon, the Anime, Sci-Fi, Comic Book and Gaming Convention returns

for its 7th year at the West Cal Event Center in Sulphur. Come out and be a part of Southwest Louisiana’s only pop culture, fan-produced convention. For schedule of events, go to www.bayoucon.net.

Juneteenth Celebration June 20KZWA 104.9FM presents the Juneteenth Celebration Family Fun Day “Remem-

bering the Broken Chains” on June 20 at the Lake Charles Civic Center. There will be a host of activities such as Baby Zone, Kids Zone, musical tributes from local and nationally known artists, the annual Celebrity BBQ Cook Off, vendors’ courtyard, performances by the Elite Dance Group and more. KZWA is accepting applications for the BBQ Cook-off and vendor space. (337) 491-9955.

Lake Charles Shrimp & Jazz Festival June 20This inaugural event feature’s Grammy nominated jazz artist Mickey Smith,

Jr. and will showcase other jazz musicians, artists, events, and a wide variety of shrimp and other good foods. Bring your families out on June 20 to the Lake Charles Civic Center to enjoy some jazz and a good time! Adults $5, kids under 12 $2. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. www.SWLAShrimpnJazzFest.com.

Jennie Finch Softball Tournament June 25-28The first Jennie Finch World Series Youth Softball Tournament will be held

at Frasch Park in Sulphur from June 25-28. Age categories are 6 and under, 8 and under, 10 and under, and 12 and under. Opening ceremony will be held on June 25. Over six states will be represented. (337) 527-2526.

LC Men’s City Golf Championship June 26-28Mallard Cove Golf Course will host the 38th Annual Lake Charles Men’s City

Golf Championship sponsored by IBERIABANK June 26-28. The entry fee is $125 and forms can be picked up at all IBERIABANK branch locations in Calcasieu Par-ish and at Mallard Cove Golf Course. Entry deadline is June 19 at 5 p.m. or after the first 160 paid entries have been received. The golf course is located at 4300 Mallard Cove Drive at the Chennault International Airport. (337) 491-1204.

Patriot’s Ball June 27The ninth annual Red, White, Blue, and You Patriot’s Ball will be held Sat., June

27 at the Lake Charles Civic Center Contraband Room. A social half-hour will kick off the event at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m., an awards ceremony and dancing to a nine-piece band, Souled Out ’72. Proceeds support area veterans and patriotic projects and activities. (337) 491-1256, www.orleck.org.

SWLA Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo July 3-5Enjoy your 4th of July by participating in this 3-day fishing tournament.

Entry fee for adults: $35; junior anglers: $10 (spectators free). On June 26, head out for Captain’s Night at 6:30 p.m. to hear the rules explained and get chances at door prizes (cost of admission is a Rodeo Ticket at a discounted price of $25.) This year also includes a kayak division. SWLA Fishing Club. www.swlafishingclub.org.

Red White Blue & You July 4The City of Lake Charles is making plans for the annual Red White Blue & You

Celebration. Join in the fun for the parade, concerts and fireworks. The parade will roll from Mill Street heading south on Ryan Street toward Lock Park/7th Street. If you’d like to join in the parade, decorate your floats, vehicles, golf carts, bicycles, etc. Spectators are encouraged to line the streets for beads and candy. For more information and parade entry forms, call (337) 491-9159 or go to www.cityoflakecharles.com.

June 4, 201522 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Tomorrowland is, of course, one of Disney’s more infamous theme park rides, presenting a dated view of the future. Unfortu-nately, it will still seem dated aft er you see this movie, because we still don’t know what the future holds. But Disney thinks they do.

Casey Newton is a high school senior who is sick of all the emphasis on the coming end of the world. Her teachers don’t understand her when she asks them how we are sup-posed to fix climate change and riots and anarchy and the Apocalypse. No one knows. But Disney thinks THEY do.

Frank Walker is a brilliant man, judging by his childhood. He looks like a young George Clooney, and by golly sounds like him, too. Young Frank brings a homemade jet pack to the 1964 World’s Fair to be judged in the Inventor’s Contest. While there, he meets a young girl named Athena. Th is mysterious child convinces him to follow her on a ride (It’s a Small World), which ultimately changes his life.

Casey and Frank are from two different time frames with different stories. Both will be getting a taste of Tomorrow-land. So what is Tomorrow-

land? It’s Disney’s version of the future, of course! Yes, these two get to see the future, and it’s a whole city with flying trams, and jet packs that actually work, and robots. It’s all much cooler than the theme park ride.

But Tomorrowland has a dark secret. No, I’m not going to tell you what it is, but Athena is try-ing to fi x it, and she’s recruited Frank and Casey to help her.

Now, as I’ve laid it out, this is a really cool story. And believe me, Disney has outdone itself bring-ing its view of the future to life. Tomorrowland is full of break-neck action, chases, villains, and violence (Yes, violence. People getting disintegrated, blown to non-bloody shreds.) We even get to visit the Eiff el Tower. (Some people have said that Paris is a theme park for adults. Let’s go!)

But with all the great care and craft that have gone into Tomorrowland, the characters and story somehow leave us a little flat. Maybe those of us reviewing this movie are just a little too old for it. But I have a feeling that Tomorrowland will strike children with wonder, just as The Absent Minded Professor and other Disney classics did in

our own childhoods. You see, Tomorrowland really

approaches the world and the future the way a child would, and that’s because of the vision of Walt Disney himself. Kids won’t mind that we don’t exactly know where Tomorrowland is, or how we get there. Th ey won’t be both-ered by Frank and his unlikely Electrolux jet pack. And they won’t dwell on the fact that adults can’t agree on what to do about the future.

What they will see is magic. And they will believe Disney’s vi-sion, because every child believes in Disneyland like they do Santa Claus. Children believe there is hope. Tomorrowland, which sets itself up as the messenger of that hope, somehow rings flat to us jaded, tired adults. But the kids are going to love this one. For them, this movie hits it out of the park.

So round up your kids, at least 9 or 10 years old (there’s a lot of violence) and take them to see this movie. They deserve a happy ending that isn’t just a booty dance.

Tomorrowland is rated PG for intensity and people getting disintegrated. Enjoy!

Tomorrowland (Disney, 2015)

June 4, 2015 23Vol. 7 • No. 4

Before TMZ and social media, movie fans used to get their celebrity gossip from “Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood” or Louella Parson’s radio program “Hollywood Hotel.” And instead of following Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ trip to Starbucks, they were following couples like Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart at their next glamorous movie premiere.

This summer, you can re-live the magic when every ce-lebrity move wasn’t scrutinized on social media and Hol-lywood couples had an air of mystique about them. Begin-ning Tuesday June 30 through Tuesday July 28, the McNeese Leisure Learning program will screen five movies featuring famous couples of yesteryear.

Doris Day and Rock Hud-son had such great chemistry that a few years ago, a movie tried to copy their magic in a highly stylized ‘60s romp full of clever puns called Down with Love. You’ll get a chance to see one of the original films that inspired that movie on June 30.

Pillow Talk, made in 1959, is a comedy about a man and a

woman who absolutely cannot stand each other. Except they both share a telephone line and by that I don’t mean a cell phone family plan!

In spite of the fact the man despises her face to face, he can’t help himself from devil-ishly romancing her over the phone by disguising his voice. Their witty repartee’ was so good the film won an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

Interestingly, Rock Hud-son had turned down the film three times because he felt the script was too risqué. I guess Oscar felt otherwise. Also, the studios at the time con-sidered the movie a risk because they thought audi-ences wanted to see more war movies, not sophis-

ticated romantic comedies. Not only was the movie a knock-out smash hit at the box office, but actor Tony Randall accidentally did get knocked out when he got decked in the face during one of the scenes. It turned out to be the best take of the bunch, so watch for it in the movie.

If detective movies are more your style, then look no fur-ther than the sassy Song of the Thin Man being shown on July 7. It’s one movie out of a whole series of Thin Man movies, all of them featuring a civilian de-tective couple. Myrna Loy and William Powell acted in mov-ies together 14 times and six of them were in this series. Th is installment is appropriate for our area as the murder mystery takes place onboard a gam-bling ship. Watch mobsters, mayhem and a funny quip or two as the couple sets out to fi nd out whodunit before they become “who-done-in.”

On July 14, Cary Grant and Irene Dunne fans can follow Grant’s worst wedding night-mare in My Favorite Wife. His first wife, who died seven years ago in a plane crash, turns up alive and well on the day of Grant’s wedding! If the plot sounds familiar it was inspired by Alfred Lord Ten-nyson’s poem, Enoch Arden which also inspired five prior films before My Favorite Wife was made.

Before celebrity couple names got really crazy with

“Brangelina” and “Ben-

nifer” there was Bogie and Bacall. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s romance off screen made their on-screen chemistry all the more fun to watch. On July 21, you can check it out yourself in Dark Passage. A film noir about a hitchhiker with a past marks the third film they made together. Rumor has it the Warner Brothers studio was not pleased when they dis-covered that Bogart’s face is hidden during the first half of the movie.

Another famous couple, Katherine Hepburn and Spen-cer Tracy, duke it out at a TV network in Desk Set show-ing on July 28. The network is getting computerized and that fuels the comedic clash between Hepburn and Tracy’s characters. Watch for the scene where Tracy pulls his hat over his ears, untucks his shirt and wanders into a scene talking crazily. The women’s laughter and Hepburn falling out of her chair are all real as Tracy im-provised a scene that was not in the script.

If all these films sound like a fun frolic, it’s easy to get in on the hi-jinks. Folks can bring snacks and drinks for the shows in the Burton Business Center, Room 121 on the Mc-Neese campus. To sign up, call May Gray at 475-5130 or sign up online at www.mcneese.edu/leisure. The cost to see all five movies is $25. Until next time, save me some popcorn!

Move Over, Brad and Angelina

June 4, 201524 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Sometimes, you have to choose sides.

Republican or Democrat? For something, or against it? Grateful for what you have or irritated by what you don’t? And do you want fries with that?

Sometimes, you choose your sides, and sometimes they’re chosen for you. And in the new book Corruption Of-ficer by Gary L. Heyward, the preferred option is outside.

“Big Hey” had “the shakes.” Evenings, he spent almost

all his paycheck shaking dice, winning some nights and some nights, not. He still lived with his Mom because of that, which was shameful – he was 29 years old, a Gulf War veteran – but, though a good friend urged him to job-search, Heyward figured that better employment was out of reach.

When he learned that his application to the Correc-tions Academy was accepted, he grabbed his mother and danced in their kitchen. “Hello, pension,” he says.

Hello, Rikers Island.

In the first days of Acad-emy, Heyward had plenty to learn: inmates knew how to intimidate, which corrections officers were taught to ignore. Counting “mates” was essen-tial, avoiding “undue familiar-ity” was important, the hours were lousy, but the money was good. Heyward was flush with cash for the first time in a long time. He bought a car.

Then his Baby Mama took him to court for child sup-port.

Weeks later, shortly after his paycheck amounted to $68 post-deductions, after the “hood booga” said she was pregnant and his car was repo’ed, Heyward started hearing temptation.

Inmates had been bug-ging him to smuggle in cash, drugs, and smokes. He’d done it once; the money was there and he knew it was easy. Other COs got away with bending the rules, and just about every male guard was doing whatever he could to pay child support. If they did it, why couldn’t Heyward do it, too?

“I begin to panic,” Hey-ward says. “I got to get this money up.” And so, he went in search of someone to intro-duce him to an inside partner, a move that would prove dan-gerously, devastatingly risky…

At first, I was quite unim-pressed with Corruption Of-ficer. There’s a lot of profani-ty in here, and what’s left after that is mostly sophomoric. I kept waiting for this book to grow up.

And then it hit me: it didn’t need to. This memoir of jail from both sides of the bars is really better suited for a young audience anyhow, since it’s ultimately more cautionary tale than not. In the end of his story, author Gary L. Heyward even writes, “Prison should be feared at all times. [It] should

be thought about every time a person thinks about doing something wrong.”

Doesn’t that put a different spin on what, in its first many pages, felt like a jokey book? That sure seemed the case to me, as I read Corruption Of-ficer in one sitting, alternately horrified and fascinated.

Grandma isn’t the targeted audience for this book. Young people are; they’ll like read-ing it and it may scare some straight. They’ll find that Corruption Officer has very powerful words inside.

“Corruption Offi cer” by Gary L. Heyward©2015, Atria$16.00 / $18.99 Canada276 pages

Corruption Offi cer

June 4, 2015 25Vol. 7 • No. 4

Erin Casteel is a native of Southwest Louisiana. Erin is an art teacher, creator of the comic strip Ignorance is Bliss, and illustrator of numerous books. Erin loves to create art, read, and juggle in her spare time.

The Ignorance is Bliss comic strip is a project Erin started in 2008. She posts weekly a new comic on a art sharing website: http://nireleet-sac.deviantart.com/ And contin-ues the comic to this day, which has already surpassed 300 strips.

Erin loves fantasy, science fiction, and all forms of imagina-tive stories. She likes to create art based on books or movies using different and interesting styles. She brings her love of creativity to her illustra-tions. Look for robots hidden in her book I Pray by Rachel Windham.

Erin regularly partici-pates in the “Chaos

Theory” art exhibit at the Henning Cul-tural Center in Sulphur. The next annual exhibit opens on October 22, and will con-tinue to be on display until November 27.

You can see artwork by Erin as well as a number of local artists, in a variety of media, all inspired by pop culture including televi-sion shows, movies, books, video games and more.

As an art teacher, Erin loves inspiring children to create their own exceptional and personal artwork.

Erin Casteel: Local IllustratorWith Tommie Townsley

I Pray

Tortoise and his Hair

Kyser the Singing Schnauser

June 4, 201526 Vol. 7 • No. 4

“TThiiss iss hhommee.. II ccoouuldnn’tt immagginne

baarteenddinngg aanyywhherre eelsse.””

SaSarah h BBrowwn, BBarrtendn eer

LUCKY PIERRE’S

CUCUMBERMARTINI

OCEANWATER

BUDWEISER

HHAASSHHTTTAAAGGG DDATT SSPPEECCCIIAALL EDITION

Byy BBriaan PPititree

Needing a night of chill? Looking for big fun on a smaller scale? Check out the most prestigious bar on Prien Lake! Lucky Pierre’s is nestled in a quaint commercial business area near one of the Lake City’s most well-known diners. Opening early and closing late, Lucky’s has maintained the traditional bar feel while still keeping it classy with a brass bar and leather seats.

The modern-style cocktails and their impressive selection of whiskeys, bourbons, and top shelf scotch are what make Lucky’s the place to be after a long day.

One of their signature creations is their Cucumber Martini. A refreshing blend of green apple vodka muddled with fresh cucumbers and a twist of lime, the taste is light and deeply refreshing, exploiting the sweet melon flavors in the cucumbers. It sends your mind and tastes buds into a whirlwind from sight to sip. Everyone at Lucky’s is a regular; even if it’s your first time there, you’ll still be treated as family. Lucky’s low-key location, low-light atmosphere, and low prices equal high times on Prien!

Lucky Pierre’s238 W.Prien Lake Rd. Lake Charles(337) 478-6777

BOURBONZLooking for the perfect place to bring

your friends to experience a Real Deal Loui-siana bar? Visit Bourbonz! The blues/rock accompanied by the sound of billiards and bottles clinking together paints the perfect background for taking shots and telling stories. One-of-a kind cocktails, incredible drink specials, and some of the best food in the city are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the reasons you should visit Bour-bonz. Their 16-ounce margaritas are only

$4 until 3 p.m. every day, so if you’re having a bad day you’re in the right place. Almost everyone at some point in the night is found guilty of drinking and dancing, but at Bour-bonz that is a welcomed offense!

Bourbonz3436 Ryan St.Lake Charles(337) 474-2294

DANCE BAR & GRILL

“BLAIR”HAWAIIAN

“If you have not ttriiededde ttheeeh LLoononng gg IsIsIslalannddn , ththht eennn yy oouu haven’t fully experienced Bourbonz.” Priest Magby, Chef

June 4, 2015 27Vol. 7 • No. 4

Your one-stop shop for eve-rything cool, from frozen fresh daiquiris to live music to great pizza! The Tiki bar atmosphere with the sports fan touch offers a much chiller environment for game day festivities. Attract-ing big name musicians such as Kylie Frey and Jaryd Lane, Coolers is becoming the go-

to venue for visiting and local artists. Their signature drink “The Swamp Thing,” an intricate blend of liquors and the famous Hurricane Daiquiri is the per-fect mixer to get your frozen fix. With a wide selection of shots, beers, and experienced bar staff, they leave no stone unturned when it comes to providing you

with the perfect drink. Possibly the coolest part about Coolers is their cabana-style patio lounge. Nothing goes better with a daiq-uiri than a breeze!

Coolers Ice House3622-1/2 Ryan St.Lake Charles(337) 477-1957

COOLERS ICE HOUSE

ROCKET FUEL

THECAJUNSTORM

THE SWAMP THING

““YYYooouuu wwiilll nnoott fififi nnnddd aaa bbeetttteerr mmmiixxxeeddd

ddaaaiiqquuiirrii!!”” Kevvinn VVeerrreett,

Baarrtteennddeerr

June 4, 201528 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Th e Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visi-tors Bureau honored partners in tourism who have made signifi cant contributions to the tourism industry in South-west Louisiana at the award ceremony held recently. Kyle Edmiston, director of tourism under the Lt. Governor’s Of-fi ce of Culture, Recreation and Tourism was the guest speaker for the event.

Th e following community

leaders received Partner in Tourism Awards:

Chef Lyle Broussard, L’Auberge Casino ResortMike Cironi and Jason Oertling, St. Louis Showcase of SoccerHarold McReynolds, Tourna-ment of the Stars.Cynthia and Larry Eagle, Th e

Lost Hollows Haunted At-tractionAdrian Moreno, West Cal Arena & Events CenterPat Credeur, Louisiana Rural Water AssociationTh e Mardi Gras Museum, founder Anne Monlezun & executive director Cathie Miller ShreveKatie Harrington, Executive Director of Mardi Gras of Southwest LouisianaA.C. Bourdier, Historic Tour GuideAd & Press ClubKaren Hackett, Hackett’s Cajun KitchenRoger Fontenot, L’Auberge Casino ResortHarold Guillory, Louisiana Zydeco TV Show and WebsiteSheriff Ron Johnson, Cam-eron Parish Sheriff ’s Offi ce

Th e Sales Partner in Tour-

ism Awardee for 2015 was Tracy French with Holiday Inn Express & Best Western Plus in Sulphur

Th e Media Partner in Tour-ism Award went to Th rive with Katie McDaniel Stevenson, business manager, accepting the award.

Th e Hospitality Arts Tour-ism went to the late Denver Kaufman, assistant manager of the Lake Charles Civic Center, who worked with the com-munity to bring to life stage productions and events for many years.

Th e late James Mayo, Cal-casieu Parish Police Juror and assistant director of the Lake Charles Civic Center received the 2015 Public Service Award for his community involve-ment and commitment to making Southwest Louisiana a better place to live, work and visit.

Named aft er a former CVB employee, the Rhea Barnes Travel Industry Award was given to the late Marty My-ers who was the creative force behind the caricature of Gum-beaux Gator, Southwest Loui-siana’s Goodwill Ambassador.

Th e 2015 Tourism Lifetime Service Award went to Joe Toups, the former executive director of the Lake Charles Civic Center.

Another Tourism Lifetime Service Award was garnered by the late Faye Blackwell, the only female, minority owned radio station in Louisiana who was also involved in promot-ing special events and attrac-tions, including the Martin Luther King, Jr., Festival and Juneteenth.

Photographer Victor Mon-sour also received a 2015 Tourism Lifetime Service Award for decades of work, capturing the best of South-west Louisiana with his iconic images and rare talent.

Th e 2015 Tourism Partner of the Year went to the LHSAA Top 28 Championships Local Organizing Committee.

Th e Volunteer of the Year was Otis Boudreaux.

Th e 2015 Tourism Lead-ership Award went to Kyle Edmiston, director of tourism under the Lt. Governor’s Of-fi ce of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.

For more information on the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visi-tors Bureau, log onto www.visitlakecharles.org.

CVB Honors Partners in Tourism

June 4, 2015 29Vol. 7 • No. 4

June 4, 201530 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Thursday, June 4Happy Hour4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Amanda Walker6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Joe Harmon & the Harmonics7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Big Data and Cowboy Mouth@Party by the Pool7 p.m., L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Swagger8 p.m. – midnight @ Blue Martini

Golden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

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

Karaoke Night9 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Ladies Night 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Friday, June 5Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Crush6–9 p.m. @1911 Historic City Hall1001 Ryan St., LC

Amanda Walker7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Flashback7:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, Lake Charles

Swagger9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

3-H-G9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

June 4, 2015 31Vol. 7 • No. 4

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

Neal Smith9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC

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

LA Express9 p.m. @ Gator LoungeDelta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Mr. DJ9 p.m. @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Dance Night9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Madfro10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Saturday, June 6Amanda Walker7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

3 Hour Tour8 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, Lake Charles

Luke Cooper9 p.m.– midnight @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC

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

Swagger9 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

3-H-G9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

LA Express9 p.m. @ Gator LoungeDelta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

Mr. DJ9 p.m. @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Blackheart Saints10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Sunday, June 7Street Side Jazz Band11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill710 Ryan St., LC

Kevin Lambert11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

@Jack Daniels’ Whiskey BrunchL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Kory Fontenot4 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

Kris Harper5-9 p.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

Monday, June 8Open Mic Night9-midnight @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

June 4, 201532 Vol. 7 • No. 4

By Braylin Jenkins

Wholesome Karaoke NightHosted by Lynch & Cornbread10 p.m. @ MyPlace American Pub630 W. Prien Lake Rd. Ste. G, LC

Tuesday, June 9Guys Night @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Jazz Night with Mickey Smith6:30 @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

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

Two for Tuesday on Everything!9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Wednesday, June 10Chris Miller & Bayou Roots6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads

3748 Hwy 305, LC

Mike & Amber7:30 – 11:30 p.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Gabriel’s Last Breath8 – 11 p.m. @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC

Brandon Green8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Talent Night9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Thursday, June 11Happy Hour4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz

Congrats to The 94’s!Southwest Louisiana, how you doin’? That’s usually the first words you hear

from me when I begin addressing a crowd at a large event on the microphone. I was honored to emcee L’Auberge’s Liquid Soci-ety’s Party by the Pool’s kickoff “Battle of the Bands” event and I began by greeting a nice-sized crowd.

By the end of the night, you would have thought one of the big names that are set to grace the stage in the upcoming months had arrived in town early. Let me start by saying that only four bands were able to compete and considering how many talented local bands we have, the four who were selected definitely deserve a round of applause.

Slim Harper, Team Theory, The 94’s and Watchers rocked out on stage, each compet-ing for the grand opportunity of opening for Blues Traveler when they perform on August 6. Each band brought their own style to the stage and it was apparent that they were all grateful to perform in front of such a beautiful crowd. While there were three judges tasked with rating each band based on certain criteria, the public was able to submit their own individual vote via text message, which, once compiled, created the People’s Choice Vote.

In the end, the Southern rock band

known as The 94’s won, marking a huge victory for the Sulphur-based band. Con-gratulations to band members Lee Foreman, Jared Dartez, Nick Boudreaux and Nicholas Scott Woodley, and to each band who took on the challenge. Mark your calendars for August 6, when The 94’s open for Blues Traveler and be sure to partake in the full Liquid Society lineup throughout the sea-son.

#HBJArtistoftheWeekSince we are talking about local bands, I

would like to feature even more Louisiana musicians than I have done in the past. On heybrayj.com, we have our “Hey Bray J Artist of the Week” identified as #HB-JArtistoftheWeek on social media, which selects a few bands from across the state including here in the Lake City. It allows you to decide who should be featured on-line and on the show “Hey Bray J Live in Studio” with Martika Wilkins and I.

Team Theory helped us kick off the return of this feature as our honorary band prior to their performance at Liquid Society. They recently performed on KBYS for our “Lake Charles Live & Local Series,” which is where I became acquainted with them.

The goal is to share a little information about the musicians/bands with the hope that you will check them out, give them a like and potentially follow their growth.

Music Music MusicI am a firm believer that music is one

of the best ways to get our community in-volved and hopefully, I have proven that it helps greatly. We kicked off our #Commu-nityLives campaign following the release of my video that had many thinking I was announcing candidacy for public of-fice. No, the purpose was to get those not involved to become active and invest their

time, energy and money into our region in a way they have not done before.

At our mixer, a new band performed that is currently going under the name The Old Folks. We love having musi-cians at our events and I’m always open to meeting new talent. Of course, we will kick off our MAS (Music Artist Showcase) Summer Series this month and it will take place through August at Tipitina’s Music Office Co-Op at 2128 Hodges Street. If you know a musician or other performer in their teens that should be featured, please let me know by e-mailing hey-brayjlive@gmail.com. Visit heybrayj.com for our latest projects, shows, guests and community-focused highlights.

Luke Wade at Luna’sOn Saturday, June 13 at 10 p.m. Luke

Wade, pop/folk/singer-songwriter and Texas native best known for his recent stint on NBC’s “Th e Voice” is coming to Lake Charles. He and his band are perform-ing at Luna Live to promote “Th e River” which he released last spring. While he didn’t take home the win for the Season 7 competition, he’s scored major points that have kept him in the race as a professional musician on the road to success.

Wade is no stranger to SWLA having played at The Porch and Dharma during their heyday. It was Alyssa DiNatale, mu-sic enthusiast/supporter, also the former owner of Dharma who encouraged me to interview Wade on KBYS while he was competing in the national music competi-tion. Based on the interviews that I have done with Wade it is easy to see that he is humble, wise and taking each step with grace and appreciation.

When talented types like Luke Wade come to Lake Charles, it is so important that we give them a warm SWLA welcome and actually show up to see them perform

June 4, 2015 33Vol. 7 • No. 4

3436 Ryan St., LC

John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Bernie Alan & Bayou Katz7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort

777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Andy Grammer7 p.m. @ Party By the PoolL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Electric Circus8 p.m. – midnight @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Brandon Green

8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden 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 Night9 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

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

Friday, June 12John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Reed Planchard7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

Mark Reeves & Twisted X8 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

Electric Circus8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Joe Harmon & the Harmonics9 p.m. @ Gator LoungeDelta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

AM Push9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Stellar9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Kade Fontenot9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC

Karaoke 9 p.m. @ Coolers3622 1/2 Ryan St. LC

Dance Night9 p.m. – 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

Sam Pace & the Gilded Grit10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

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

Saturday, June 13John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Drivin Dixie7:30 @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

so that they not only return, but tell their friends across the nation how great their experience was while here. I will be sure to see you at the show. To get a head start on learning about Wade and the lyrics to his music, visit www.lukewademusic.com.

‘Walk to Zero’June 13 Also, be sure to mark your calendar for an upcoming event that helps save lives. I recently spoke with Yvonne Manning and Gecyka Wil-liams about Oasis, a Safe Haven for Survivors of Do-mestic and Sexual Violence on 88.3 KBYSA. This non-profit organization has been providing a much-needed service to our community for years, providing shelter and counseling to abused women and their children. With staggering numbers of do-mestic violence being report-ed around the state, Oasis is inviting the public to attend “Walk to Zero” to end do-mestic violence. You can get involved as a walker, team captain or even a sponsor. Walk to Zero’ will take place at the Barbe High School Athletic Field at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 8 a.m. For more information, contact Oasis at (337) 436-4552. Continue supporting local, Southwest Louisiana. The fruits are even more plentiful when we do.

June 4, 201534 Vol. 7 • No. 4

The Thrill is Gone.The Thrill Has Gone Away...

This is going to be a slightly unusual column for me. I usually find some lo-cal event that I urge you all to go and see and then I find some (hopefully) compelling anecdote to talk about some greater artistic ideal or grand idea of some persuasion that themati-cally leads me into said upcoming lo-cal event.

Not this time, gang. This time I have a little something

to say about a man that has influ-enced me, inspired musicians and music around the globe and showed me a special level of kindness that is indicative of how we as human beings should strive to treat each other: bear-ing no pretense or expectations, but presenting a genuine caring and vested interest in another human being and finding a way to connect with another person regardless of status or station.

It’s been some 15 years now since I had the pleasure of meeting B.B. King. I was all of 19 or 20 when he came to the Lake Charles Civic Center and

my girlfriend at the time had gotten a pair of tickets for a couple of really good seats to go see one of the most loved and respected musicians in modern music. I was (obviously) over the moon at the prospect so we got all dolled up for a night on the town and went to see the one and only B.B.

The show was stellar. He brought such a persona to the stage. He brought hits and humor and a life-time’s worth of stories to that everyone in attendance hung on to like it was their last breath. He laughed and joked and played and sang like it was his last show, even that long ago, because that was just the nature of the show he did. It was honest, it was real and it was di-rect: A true definition of blues music, if ever I’ve heard it.

His performance was so genuine it felt like more of a conversation with a familiar friend, not a performance for a room full of strangers, recounting stories of days gone by with a famil-iar laugh that seemed to say “Yeah, those were the days” in every chord he played and every word he spoke or sang. There was no question that this was as genuine an article as there ever was and that reality was yet to become

fully clear to me. Not until after the show was done...

Still basking in the glow of one of the greatest shows I’d seen, we made our way to the parking lot with full in-tentions of getting to the car, heading home and calling the night a “win.” However, I happened to see a shiny motorcoach sitting behind the LCCC with a line of people filing back from its doors. There was no question as to whom the bus belonged and there was no question that I would find my way into this line to get my few moments with the man himself.

In haste, I pulled a locally printed, black and white poster advertising the show off the doors of the Civic Center itself and jumped in line with all the other VIPs in attendance. Now, my subsequent years of putting on main-stage shows with bona fide artists has now led me to know about the “meet and greet” clause present in most contracts. I didn’t know then what that even was, much less the fact that it is always very specific as to how many people are allowed into said meet and greet. All I knew was there was a line to B.B. King’s bus and I was jumping in whether I belonged there or not.

Jack Goes Back to the ‘70s8 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

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

Joe Harmon & the Harmonics9 p.m. @ Gator LoungeDelta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton

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

AM Push9 p.m.- 2:30 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Joe Ecker9 p.m.-midnight @ Cigar Club1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC

Stellar9 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

Luke Wade10 p.m. @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

DJ Crush11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark

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

Sunday, June 14Glenn Zeringue and Caleb Fontenot11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

@Jack Daniels’ Whiskey BrunchL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC

June 4, 2015 35Vol. 7 • No. 4

As the line shortened and I found myself closer and closer to the front of the line, I admittedly got nervous. I knew I didn’t “belong” there and wondered what was go-ing to happen when I finally found myself at the front. All I could do was keep cool and wait to see what awaited me when my time came.

Well, I soon found myself staring at the greatest blues guitarist in the history of modern music simply sitting on the steps of his bus. I was doing everything in my power to act as if that was exactly where I was supposed to be. As I was waved for-ward, one of his two massive bodyguards noticed that I didn’t have a pass and both men moved in between us. As the guards

started to hem me up, the man himself laughed and said, “No, no. It’s all right. Let him come up.” The guards seemed a bit put off at the idea but they obliged and stepped aside as one of my heroes looked at me, smiled and waved me to his side.

I only had a few minutes, though it felt as if I stood there for a year. He shook my hand, asked my name and reached for the poster clutched in my hand as I fumbled hopelessly for words. He simply laughed and encouraged conversation that eventu-ally led to talking about guitars, particu-larly “Lucille” (who sat right next to him on the steps of the bus as we spoke) and all the things I wished to accomplish as a novice guitarist.

His humor was charming, his words en-couraging and his manner was so receptive and welcoming, certainly to the young guy who should have been kicked to the curb as soon as it was clear that I didn’t have a pass. He genuinely made every effort to not just make me feel welcome but to make

me feel wanted and that all

my gush-ing to a

guitar hero didn’t just fall on deaf

ears but was appreciated and loved. He made me feel

that he sincerely loved hearing it and loved having a chance

to meet those whose lives he and his music have touched.

And now, he’s gone.One headline was all it took

to bring that night a decade and a half ago back home to me in a very real way, making me infi-

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

Paul Gonsoulin4 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

Kris Harper5-9 p.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

Monday, June 15Open Mic Night9-midnight @ Luna Live710 Ryan St., LC

Wholesome Karaoke NightHosted by Lynch & Cornbread10 p.m. @ MyPlace American Pub630 W. Prien Lake Rd. Ste. G, LC

Tuesday, June 16Guys Night @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Jazz Night with Mickey Smith6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

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

June 4, 201536 Vol. 7 • No. 4

nitely sad for the world at large that such a giant of a human was with us no more. Every description I’ve heard from those that called him friend was lauding in the infinite amount of kindness that was that man. Though my time with him was fleeting, I can only say the same.

He was an artist that excelled, a man who cared and a heart that loved. I saw it all with my own eyes and felt it confirmed when I shook that massive hand that has turned out some of the greatest blues music this world has ever known. As sad as I may be that this great musician is gone, I’m devastated all the more over the man who was welcom-ing and kind and more than will-ing to talk to a young fan in hopes of giving some encouragement to what could be the next generation of musician that just might set the world on its ear like he did so many years ago.

The thrill is not gone. It’s with us and will be with us always because this man lived above and beyond his music and has left this world with something truly worth missing.

Miss you we do, Sir. And miss you we ever will.

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

Wednesday, June 17Chris Miller and Bayou Roots6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, LC

Karaoke with DJ Cornbread7 p.m. @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Mike and Amber7:30 – 11:30 p.m. @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd., LC

Allison Collins8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Kory Fontenot8 – 11 p.m. @ Cigar Club

1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC

Karaoke with Avid Sounds9 p.m. @ Coolers3622 1/2 Ryan St. LC

Talent Night9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s112 Broad St., LC

Thursday, June 18Happy Hour4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz3436 Ryan St., LC

Katie Whitney & Chip Radford6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine BarL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Willie Tee, Warren Storm & Cypress7 p.m. @ Mikko LiveCoushatta Casino Resort777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder

The Flamethrowers and the Yams@Party by the Pool7 p.m., L’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

The New Waves8 p.m. – midnight @ Blue MartiniGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

Allison Collins8 p.m.- 1 a.m. @ RushGolden Nugget Casino Resort2550 Golden Nugget Blvd. LC

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

Karaoke Night9 p.m. @ Crystal’s112 W. Broad St., LC

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

Friday, June 19Katie Radford & Chip Whitney7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Reed Planchard7 p.m. @ Loggerheads3748 Hwy 305, Lake Charles

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

Killawatts8 p.m. @ Jack After DarkL’Auberge Casino Resort777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC

Friday, June 5Downtown at Sundown Featuring Rusty Metoyer and the Zydeco Krush @ 1911 City Hall

This is the final installment of the 2015 DT@SD and it is featuring a very special young talent that you should all see if you haven’t by this point. Rusty Metoyer and his Zydeco Crush are just back from Europe where they shared our special SWLA breed of Zydeco with the fine folk of The Netherlands. Rusty and crew saved a little Creole love for all you good folk and will be sending DT@SD off in a very big way. The fellas take the stage June 5 on the front grounds of the 1911 City Hall starting at 6 p.m. GO SEE THEM!

Monday, June 8Summer Catch-a-Concert Series with the Lake Charles Community Band @ Arcade Pavillion

The Lake Charles Community Band continues its 2015 edition of the Summer Catch-a-Concert series with its second installment of the season at Arcade Pavil-ion on Monday, June 8. Bring a lawn chair and even a family picnic, if you’d like, and listen to these talented musicians end a Monday afternoon in a very special way. It takes place every Monday through June 29. GO SEE THIS!

Something’s Happening Here...Coming up over the next couple of weeks, you have a chance to go see

some talented musicians and some exemplary human beings. As always, I strongly encourage you to GO SEE THEM!

It’s Great to be the King...I’m sure it had to be, but I know it was great getting to know him, if but for

a brief minute. I’ll treasure that minute until the day I die. But, until then, I plan to keep rocking and rolling the best I can with what time I have to do it in. I hope you all do the same. Until next time, I’ll see you at the show!

June 4, 2015 37Vol. 7 • No. 4

Ryan Tharp and Heather Hamilton Nathan Horton and Hali Habetz

Nicole Butler, Roxanne Trahan and William Lynch Keys Le and Emma Clatworthy

Stacy Mack from M&M Ranch

CASH AND CARRY FARMER’S MARKETA beautiful Tuesday afternoon welcomed back the

weekly Cash and Carry Farmer’s Market. The historic locale now serves as an event space, but returns to its grocer’s roots once a week to welcome local vendors, farmers and artisans offering fresh produce, pre-made meals, handmade beauty products, craft popsicles and

plenty more. They are there every Tuesday from 4-6 p.m., so make sure you pay them a visit!

(Tell ‘em Society Spice sent ya!)

Loren Lee LeBleu and Ryan Miller

Aimee Cormier and Collise DupontShannon Simmons and Amie Herbert

Derek Hasha and Jessica Owens

Cody Sonnier, Matt Broussard and Emily Tanner

CIGAR CLUB’S PROHIBITION BASHCigar Club was channeling its inner speakeasy with a ‘20s-themed bash celebrating nine years of business.

Gangster-themed “Wanted” posters, booze barrels and more decorated the local lounge. The event featured a craft-

constructed “Mobster Cocktail,” games and a prohibition agent “raid” at midnight where instead of getting arrested,

attendees, were tossed goodies and gifts by the raiding “agents.” Looks like all the ‘shiners and mobsters got away

unscathed, which means they’ll all be back next year!

June 4, 201538 Vol. 7 • No. 4

Jarius and Chester Daigle

Bryan Daniel and Chelsea Birchfi eld Lindi and Kenny Braddock

Sarah and Rawleigh Fisher Ava Coleman and Morgan Lymon

JACK DANIEL’S WHISKEY BRUNCHChampagne brunches are great, but some Sunday

mornings, champagne just will not do. Jack Daniel’s Bar and Grill has just the tonic for ya with their Whis-key Brunch every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This week, patrons were entertained by the great Ches-ter Daigle and his insanely talented son Jairus while enjoying their choice of tasty brunch off erings and

madcap Bloody Marys that could feature any number of pickled monstrosities, cucumber and Serrano pep-per vodka, thick slabs of applewood bacon or even

shrimp roughly the size of Morgan City. Bottoms up!

Mike and Lisa Hill Daron and Christy Charles

Danny and Cathy CryerGlenda LeDoux, Joyce Stewart and Kristi Bult

JAZZ IN THE ARTSThe Jazz In The Arts Summer Workshop wrapped up on May 30 with a night of jazz at the auditorium located in downtown’s Historic Central School Arts and Humanities Center. Friends and family came out to see the results of all the hard work put on by these young musicians under

the direction and tutelage of some of the Lake Area’s fi nest. This non-profi t is committed to educate young musicians in the great ways of jazz and provides them performance opportunities. A big congrats on a great

show to these talented young musicians. Keep playing!

Christy Levingston and Gage Richardson

June 4, 2015 39Vol. 7 • No. 4