22nd edition - may 2012
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Happy Birthday LouisianaTRANSCRIPT
Congratulations Seniors!
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the STARC Art’s Evening. The celebration is open to the public and promises to be an evening of beautiful art, fellowship and fun. The STARC Art Program gives individuals with disABILITIES a chance to earn money as they enjoy personal growth, self expression and a sense of pride and accomplishment. The artists who participate in STARC ART explore their unique artistic talents in a variety of mediums. Their completed works may be matted, framed or otherwise displayed and sold at various outlets throughout the state. Prints from the STARC artist’s works are also used to make note cards which are available for sale through STARC and at various locations throughout the state.
Editor’sLetterBy Kendra Maness
Slidell Magazine
Kendra Maness - Editor/[email protected]
Graphics: Alan LossettPhotography: ImkePhoto.com
Contributing Writers:Rose Marie Sands
Kim BergeronAlex Carollo
Nancy RichardsonThe Storyteller, John Case [email protected], Corey Hogue [email protected] Points, Jeff Perret, DVM [email protected] Slidell, Frank Davis www.FrankDavis.comFood Spy [email protected]
What a great honor! The picture above was taken when I received the STARC Star Award last year for Slidell Magazine’s coverage and support of STARC programs. You will see a whole bunch of STARC activities and accomplishments in Slidell Magazine. Other than being my absolute FAVORITE organization in the whole wide world, STARC is also one of the most active non-profi ts in St. Tammany Parish! Their mission is to provide a lifetime of Training, Advocacy, Resources, and Community Connections for individuals with developmental disABILITIES in St. Tammany and surrounding Parishes.
This year, STARC celebrated its 30th Anniversary!! Think about it…Thirty years ago, STARC started by helping 3 families that had children with disABILITIES. At the time, unfortunately, there were no organizations in our area that offered services to the children and adults with special needs. Now, this amazing organization serves over 1000 families in our parish!
Join me in congratulating and celebrating the wonderful staff and citizens of STARC on May 17th at Patton’s Restaurant for
STARC Art’s EveningPatton’s Restaurant
5-7pm May 17For More Information, visit
www.starcla.org
5
STARC ArtistPatty C. enjoys socializing with her friends and family at church, at home, at work and in the community. Her
favorite activities include art, bowling and music.
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ofVoices
L o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aL o u i s i a n aBy Rose Marie Sand
Since 2005, during the hundreds of times I’ve crossed the twin span on my trek from St. Bernard to Slidell, some version of that sentiment has been in my head. At fi rst, it was during the two hour crawl in post-storm traffi c and bridge debris. Now that I’ve bought a home in Slidell, it’s a fact of life - like so many others, travel is a part of my life and home means something a bit different than it was.
I’m Rose Marie Sand, and I suppose you could say I’m ‘bi-coastal.” There was a time when most of my family lived within 10 minutes of me and I had two businesses in Chalmette. Then came that infamous storm of 2005. These days I work on both sides of Lake Pontchartrain, and thankfully, many of my family members are here in Slidell.
So, I’ve learned that we carry home in our hearts, and no hurricane can change that. But life does change, doesn’t it? It may be a long time before I stop saying things like “Chalmette Memorial Hospital” rather than “Slidell Memorial Hospital,” or calling my subdivision “Chamalette Cove” instead of “Chalmale Cove,” and I may always be looking in kitchen drawers for things that I lost.
“I’m leaving home… to go home.”
Pho
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504-578-0553504-578-6262
850 Voters Rd.Slidell, LA
But one thing is certain - the people of St. Tammany have opened their arms to me, my family, and so many others who moved here when we lost our homes. As I’m a theatre and artistic type, I’ve especially found a family among others with those interests. And almost every time I meet a new person and they ask where I’m from, as soon as I say I’m from Chalmette, everyone seems to have a new neighbor or co-worker from ‘The Parish.’
That’s another interesting thing. In the past, ‘The Parish’ (or maybe ‘da Parish’) was always synonymous with St. Bernard Parish. And that’s from folks on any side of the lake. Now, I have to identify exactly which parish I’m referring to more often, because geographical lines and differences kind of melded together in recent years.
Everyone that I’m close to found themselves stitching the social and business fabric of their lives into new cloth. I banded together in 2006 with some of my friends who are educators and actors to do something purposeful. We called ourselves the Evacuation Theatre Troupe, formed a non profi t called the Voices Foundation - and we decided that since we didn’t have homes and jobs anyway, why not put together a show? Andy Hardy’ish, I know, but we had a higher purpose: to be the ‘Voices of Louisiana’ and to show the other states in the Louisiana Purchase territory, and the rest of the nation, that our story is their story. To put a face to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. And we did just that - in 14 states in 14 weeks, in spaces as diverse as a Catholic School cafeteria in Oklahoma, to Washington Hall at Notre Dame.
We were 7 people in a 37 foot RV we dubbed Queen Isabella. And we had some crazy times, as you might imagine. We ranged in age from 21 to, well, my age. We all played multiple characters (I got to be a pioneer woman, Anne Rice, Governor Blanco, and myself), and there were quick changes of both costume and script everywhere we went. One of my fondest memories of the show is playing Blanco against troupe member Tom Hassinger’s Governor Edwin Edwards. I’d fi nally found a role that suited me, and read off cue cards to give just the right characterization!
The Troupe’s travels were supported totally by fund raisers, including two shows at the Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church in Lacombe. Like everyone else in those days, we knew if we were going to do it, we’d have to do it ourselves. So, like Andy Hardy, we just did.
Fast forward to 2012, and the fl edgling non-profi t we started with roots in St. Bernard Parish has given scholarships to 9 students in St. Tammany and 10 students in St. Bernard! We’ve produced several shows that fulfi ll our mission to preserve the history and the culture of St. Bernard Parish and the surrounding areas, and a book we titled “Serving St. Bernard.”
I’m so proud of the “Serving St. Bernard” cookbook, and the union of the history of our area through our love of food and cooking. We complied stories of our residents with recipes for their family’s favorite foods, including many Slidell family recipes. And the success of “Serving St. Bernard” means that our scholarships now include a culinary arts award!
Pictured to left: A scene from “The Complete Works of Shakespeare, abridged”, with Christian Bordelon, Will Schneider and Barry Lemoine.
7
504-578-0553504-578-6262
850 Voters Rd.Slidell, LA
Let me tell you a bit more about the similarities of both parishes that I call home. Although St. Tammany is much larger, both parishes have been cited among the fastest growing. Both have roots in diverse cultures, and both have embraced the differences in their populations. Although St. Bernard suffered almost total devastation from the storm, St. Tammany’s trials and tribulations from Katrina were extensive and under-reported in the national media. The history of our communities is in our consciousness. That’s what roots are for, and we’re part of the root system that will nourish and replenish our parishes for generations.
But perhaps the most signifi cant similarity is the love of home and family that all of us embody. The down home feel of Slidell, and the people who were not only rebuilding their own lives but welcoming those who were in the same circumstance, helped my transition immediately.
Although I ‘m still lost when an old-time Slidell resident gives me directions that include, “across the street from the Chinese restaurant that used to be on Pontchartrain,” I know I do the same thing in giving directions to new Chalmetions.
On May 18 and 19, our Troupe will bridge the distance between both parishes and reach out to former St. Bernardians as well as Slidell residents with a zany show called, “The Complete Works of Shakespeare, abridged.” The play, one of Shine Production’s most successful shows, is coming to Olde Towne Slidell. Don’t let the ‘Shakespeare’ part throw you off. This is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever produced.
Pictured above:The Evacuation Theatre Troupe in 2010’s “The History of St. Bernard, abridged.”L-r: Will Schneider, Christian Bordelon, Barry Lemoine, Rose Marie Sand, seated Annette Campo and Katie Bordelon
8
Al Shea, of WYES “Steppin Out”, said this of the play:
“In less than two hours, three young and super energetic clowns take us on a whirlwind jaunt through many of the Bard’s great works. It is all performed like a speeding bullet, with
the boys playing all of the parts, falling over each other to enter and exit with and without wigs and funny hats. It is reminiscent of the Three Stooges. The audience loves their silly shenanigans and laughed out loud from start to fi nish.”
What better venue to bring the ‘Three Stooges meet Shakespeare’ aspect of this production than to Slidell’s DuBuisson Gallery? Mary and Eric DuBuisson are ardent supports of community efforts. Along with the Voices Foundation, they hope to not only give you an evening of laughs, but to provide a time and place to get to know one another even more closely. Theatre has a way of doing that.
Pictured to left:The Evacuation Theatre Troupe performs during their 2006 road tour of 14 states in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. Pictured are Rose Marie Sand, Tom Hassinger, Christian Bordelon, Barry Lemoine and Will Schneider
The Voices Foundation, along with DuBuisson Gallery and Shine Productions
Friday May 18th & Saturday May 19th
“The Complete Works of Shakespeare, abridged”,starring Barry Lemoine, Christian Bordelon
and Will Schneider
For More info. contact:
Rose Marie Sand 504.666.1220
www.VoicesofLouisiana.org
Dubuisson Gallery300 Robert Street, Olde Towne Slidell
$20 per ticket
7:30pmHappy Half Hour of wine and conversation
8:00pm Show Time!
9
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In the early 50’s Saturday was shopping
day in my rural south Mississippi hometown. Al l the people from out in the county came to town to buy groceries, farm suppl ies and to socialize with one another on the s t reet c o r n e r s . I t was an all day happening, and most of these folks only had the opportunity to come once a month.
Their transportation to town could be almost anything. Some would come on school busses that rounded up those without cars. A very few still came with mules and wagons, but nothing was as odd as the vehicle I saw at the intersection of Jackson Street and Cherokee.
It was a very old truck and probably not just one truck. It was probably assembled from the cab of one manufacturer and the rear part of another. Rust, wear and numerous collisions had left it without doors or fenders and the seat was a wooden bench. There was no hood, and the back
of the truck was crudely constructed of cast-away lumber, known as slabs, from a saw mill. This was the newest part of the vehicle and I assumed it was used to haul small loads of pulp wood. That was a main source of income for those that did not farm, and some folks did both just to make ends meet.
I saw this truck as I was exiting the Haven Theatre. In those days, a favorite past time for kids about my age (seven or eight), was to go to the movies on Saturday. Televisions were not a household item then and the silver screen was still the king of cinema.
I l ived in the country and when I came to town on Saturday, my routine was to see a double header at the Haven. Or maybe one show there, and another a t t h e D i x i e , the compet ing c i n e m a . W e c a l l e d t h e m p ic ture shows then. That was my plan for the rest of the day.
I cont inued to watch the truck as it crept through the stop sign and past me, heading east in the same direction I was
walking. It was occupied by a man and a woman, probably in their early to mid-40’s, but looking much older. He wore carpenter’s bib overalls with no shirt underneath and brogans that were not laced. The tongue of the shoe fell forward to reveal that he wore no socks. The woman had on a loose fi tting black dress and no makeup, her hair was braided and pinned tightly to her head. She had sort of a Pentecostal look. Her complexion and hair revealed many hours of hard work in the hot sun. There were two teenage boys riding in the back of the truck, dressed much like the man whom I assumed was their father.
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My destination, to kill time until the movie started, was my uncle’s dry cleaning plant, the Quality Cleaners, located just on the other side of the railroad tracks. I stopped and watched as the family (or I assumed they were a family) parked in front of Lofton’s department store next to the train depot. The man got out of the truck and approached the station master. After a brief conversation, he went to the track and looked north. I then continued toward Quality Cleaners.
My uncle Estus was standing in the entrance door and watched me as I approached. It seemed as if he had been waiting for me.
“Johnny, you’re just in time to see our boys come home,” he said.
I had no idea what he was talking about, but he explained that a couple of our boys from the community had been killed in Korea and their bodies were coming home on the train.
All this was foreign to me, as the words “Korea” and “career” were one and the same in my vocabulary. My preference was to go to the Dixie, but somehow I could tell that he wanted me to see whatever it was that was going to happen.
Brookhaven is located at the crossroads of US Highway 84 and US 51. Combined with the fact that the Illinois Central main line from Chicago to New Orleans comes through the center of town, it was a popular stop for the train carrying passengers or cargo. It was not uncommon for a crowd to be on hand to meet the passenger train and, as we approached, I could tell the crowd was larger than normal.
The area surrounding the depot was paved with dark bricks laid in a herringbone pattern and, on this surface, was parked a number of freight wagons. They had large iron wheels and a fl exible steering tongue, similar to a child’s red wagon but much larger and painted a rusty brown. They were pulled by hand by the railroad attendants.
I noticed that two of the carts had been pulled to a certain spot on the track and parked some distance from the other carts. I also noticed the family’s unusual truck as it entered the paved area north of the depot, but stopped before proceeding to the area where the carts were parked.
Finally the train came and the doors were opened by the conductor but no one unboarded. The crowd was eerily quiet and even the traffi c on the street stopped and shut down their engines. Finally four Marines dressed in full dress uniforms stepped off the train.
In almost mechanical precision, the Marines marched to a car in the middle of the train. An attendant opened the door and a fl ag-draped box was moved to the opening. In a moment, another identical box was visible beside the fi rst one.
The Marines carefully lifted the fi rst box and placed it on the cargo cart. Then they lifted the other and placed it on the other cart. The wind momentarily lifted the fl ag from the box and I could read an attached sign that said “Do Not Open”.
A black hearse from Hartman Funeral Home slowly approached and one of the boxes was placed in it and it slowly left the platform. As it drove away the men in the crowd removed their hats and the women placed their hands across their hearts.
Then the old truck approached. Its engine sputtered and popped and it rattled as it came down the pavement. With just as much care and ceremony, the Marines placed the remaining box on the truck’s bed and the young men who were riding in the back of the truck secured it with hay bailing twine.
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As did the hearse, the truck slowly left the platform. The crowd displayed the same respect. In the cab of the truck, I saw tears on the driver’s face, and heard sobs from the lady sitting beside him. The boys in the back just sat with rigid stares.
The truck proceeded south and, just in front of the Dixie Theatre, it backfired and smoke rose from the hoodless engine compartment. The driver tried desperately to restart the engine.
My uncle and I, along with a few other men, walked down the street to see if we could be of some assistance. I heard the driver say, “Ain’t no use. Slung a rod.”
Hartman’s Funeral Home was located less than a half block from the stalled vehicle and without hesitation, my uncle said, “Johnny, come with me.”
The funeral home was a gigantic old frame building that sat by the railroad tracks. As we entered, the wooden fl oor squeaked in an eerie manner. When we entered the offi ce of the funeral home, a distinguished employee was at his desk. He had (what I have since learned) the composure of an undertaker. Cordial, well-dressed, but somewhat distant.
Greetings were passed and my uncle asked him to volunteer one of his hearses to take the soldiers body home. The gentlemen agreed and we went to the garage behind the funeral home. Inside was an old hearse that was just a few steps above the condition of the stranded family’s vehicle. Beside it was a brand new hearse that you could tell had never been used. The undertaker instructed one of his employees to take the old vehicle to assist the stranded family. The attendant began to remove months of collected dust from the hood and windshield.
“You’re not going to do that, James,” my uncle interrupted. “Half my family and all of my wife’s family have used this facility for fi fty years. You have made enough money on us to send this soldier home in style. Use the new one for the body and take the rest of the family home in that limousine over there,” my uncle said, pointing.
The undertaker looked embarrassed and began to explain that the shiny new hearse had never been used. But then he stopped and smiled and said, “Estus, you’re right. I don’t suppose they will mind if we stop and gas it up.”
By this time, the sheriff had heard about the problem and sent two patrol cars to escort the entourage home. The crowd applauded as the body was transferred from less than basic transportation, to the most elegant vehicle in the mortuary industry.
Later that day, my uncle had the dilapidated truck towed to Kees Motor Company and repaired. I suppose he paid for it but he never said so. He never would, that is just the way he was.
Years later, I found a follow-up to this story. But that’s a story for another time...
14
John CaseMay 2012
Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the fl owers fade but the Word of our God remains forever.”
Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the fl owers fade but the Word of our God remains forever.”but the Word of our God remains forever.”
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Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the fi les of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of fi ve sons who have died gloriously on the fi eld of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours
to have laid so costly a sacrifi ce upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln
15
Editors Note:
Memorial Day is celebrated throughout the US on the last Monday in May. “Decoration Day”, as it was originally known, was a day set aside to decorate the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers in honor of their service and sacrifi ce. After World War I, the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fi ghting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fi ghting in any war. It is remembered as a day of gratitude and respect and is recognized as a national holiday.
Since the founding of our country, American parents have lost their children in war. Below is a copy of the famous “Bixby letter”, a letter written by President Abraham Lincoln to the bereaved mother of fi ve sons who were thought to have died while fi ghting for the Union in the American Civil War. The brief, consoling message was written in November 1864 to Lydia Bixby, a widow living in Boston. The Bixby letter and this month’s Storyteller are beautifully written reminders of the sacrifi ces made by millions of American families to preserve our freedom.
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L ast month, I wrote that a lot of people live by default, rather than by design, just letting circumstances
dictate how things affect them. Whereas this “muddling through”, as I call it, can sometimes work for us, it rarely works well, especially when it comes to money. Muddling leads to mediocrity, and fi nancial mediocrity
leads to a lack of fi nancial well-being. It amazes me that a person could know more about Lindsay Lohan’s arrest record than about how his or her 401(k) works, but that’s often the case for a lot of people. This is fi nancial mediocrity at its worst, and we at Pontchartrain Investment Management are determined to fi ght it. Here are some of the things we want our clients to do:
ast month, I wrote that a lot leads to a lack of fi nancial well-being. It
Fighting Financial Mediocrity
Making entsby Mike Rich
₵Making entsMaking entsby Mike Richby Mike Rich
Making entsMaking entsMaking ents₵Making entsMaking ents₵Making entsof your money
16
1.) GET ORGANIZED: If you are like a lot of people, you already have a bunch of fi nancial advisors. Don’t think so? Let’s count ‘em. If you have homeowner’s insurance, you have a fi nancial advisor. If you have a checking account, you’ve got another advisor at your bank. Do you have a mortgage on your house? Well, the person who helped you get it is your advisor. Does a CPA do your taxes, or has an attorney written a will for you? Chalk up two more. In fact, most people have four or fi ve fi nancial advisors, and that doesn’t even count the person who might be helping with investments and retirement planning. The problem is that not one of these advisors is likely to know what the others are up to, so it’s rare that any coordination takes place. Ask yourself this question: “When was the last time my advisors came together in a room and helped me plan my year to make my family’s fi nancial life better?” If you don’t like the answer, it’s time to get organized, and we can help. As LPL Financial Advisors, our job is to help our clients sort through the noise, challenge conventional thinking, and coordinate with your other advisors to make sure the moving parts of your fi nancial life are moving in the right direction.
2.) ACCEPT THAT THE TRUE COST OF LIVING IS BIGGER THAN WHAT ANYONE THINKS: Here’s something you probably know from experience: many of the things you buy today cost more than they did last year. Infl ation is invisible and insidious. It’s the hidden tax we all pay, and it’s not likely to go away. It contributes to the cost of living. So do taxes, and they’re certainly here to stay. But, what about new technology and lifestyle upgrades?
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17
Here’s a sad fact. Fully 56% of workers who responded to the Employee Benefi ts Research Institute’s 2011 Retirement Confi dence Survey reported that they have less than $25,000 in savings and investments. It’s pretty clear that fi nancial mediocrity is epidemic in our country. However, it doesn’t have to affect you. Call us, and we’ll help you live your fi nancial life by design, not by default.
They contribute to what we call the “true cost of living.” I remember when my wife and I purchased our fi rst microwave oven. It cost about as much as our house note and took up half our kitchen counter. When I saw Mary boil a cup of water in it for tea, I wondered what I had been thinking when we bought that monster. Well, I found out ten years later, when we were in a panic one Thanksgiving day when our newest microwave broke. Thanksgiving in an American kitchen without a microwave? Unthinkable! So, guess what? That luxury is now a necessity and it, along with all the other things we can’t seem to live without, have forever increased our cost of living. Think cell phones, cable TV, and high-speed Internet, to name a few. Does it sound like your house? It’s the true cost of living, folks, and it’s growing as new technology and “must haves” enter our lives. And I haven’t mentioned health care and long term care costs.
3.) LET GO OF FINANCIAL MYTHS: There’s an entire laundry list of fi nancial myths that people have been led to believe by the popular media, friends and family, bartenders, and other “experts.” I don’t have enough room to consider them all, so let’s look at just a couple of them. A client recently lamented to me that “Almost all of my money is tied up in retirement accounts.” Unwittingly, he was describing one of the biggest fi nancial myths out there: “Deferring income taxes on my money is the only way to save for retirement.” Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with tax deferral, and, if you have a 401(k) with an employer match, by all means, we want you to get that match. But keep in mind that you will eventually have to pay income taxes on all of that deferred money and its earnings. If your tax rate 10, 20, or 30 years from now is the same as or less than it is today, it’s less of a problem. But, what if it’s higher? What if it’s a lot higher? If so, it might make sense to pay your taxes sooner, rather than later. Which brings up another fi nancial myth: “I’ll be in a lower tax bracket in retirement.” That one always makes me smile because it begs a couple of questions. Number one, “Why would you want to be?” And, number two, “How do you know?” Here’s a little research project for you. Get on the Internet and type “income tax rate history” into your browser. Click on one of the links (the Tax Foundation is one), and then fi nd the tax tables going back through history. You’ll fi nd there’s a lot of precedent for higher income tax rates in our country. There’s no guarantee that we’ll keep enjoying the low rates we have today. After all, who’s going to pay for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veteran’s benefi ts, the Farm Bill, health care, national defense, interstate highways and all the other things Americans have come to expect?
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SAT, MAY 12th The Meanies8pm
SUN, MAY 13th Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch11am
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When was the last time you leaned back in
your chair at the dinner table, either at home or at a favorite restaurant, and reminisced with your foodie friends about all the great places in Slidell that you regularly went to eat while you
were growing up? I know you did it! What’s more, my
friends and I still do it at least a couple times a month. No matter
where we gather to eat, recollection is as much a part of the meal as the menu. But of course, because of our ages, many of the places we recollect—as Benny Grunch would say—“Ain’t Dere No More.” And make no mistake about it, Slidell has a long laundry list of popular, formerly favorite food haunts. Let’s see how many places that I’ve listed actually conjure up special memories for you. So I ask. . .
Remember The Last Time You Ate At. . .
The St. Christopher’s Curve In: It was “the place” to congregate after sporting events, Mardi Gras parades, fi shing rodeos, and anytime you needed a hang-out spot for you and your buds! Curve Inn, as it was usually referred to, sat tight at the intersection of Pontchartrain Drive and Front Street. What I remember most about it - even though they were both located in the same big room, the relatively quiet restaurant area was separated from the raucous bar area by a 6-foot-high wall of empty cardboard beer cases!
The White Kitchen (s): There were two of them—one on Front Street and its identical twin on U.S. Hwy 90 between the Chef and the Rigolets. I mostly hung out at the one on Front because bar none, every Tuesday night, they served the best danged all-you-can-eat fried chicken in the South. It seemed as though the entire city ate at The White Kitchen on Tuesday nights. And the most popular waiter/maître d was an ever-jovial character named Warren!
The Frost Top: Back in the day, it was generally considered to be Slidell’s earliest drive-in and it served a killer home-made style hamburger dubbed the “Lotta-Burger!”Pair that with a frosted mug of Birch Beer and you had a winning combo. If I remember correctly, it was on Front Street at the intersection of Gause Boulevard and was owned and operated by a man named Floyd Fogg. Oh, wait! Maybe I’m getting that mixed up with his brother Milton Fogg (who I think later opened the Tiger Drive Inn on Pontchartrain Drive). But then again, Milton Fogg might have been the insurance agent. Or was it the other way around? All I remember for sure is that I’d always stop at the Frost Top for a Lottaburger and a Birch Beer and at the Tiger just for the old-time chocolate malts. Wow!
Thonn’s Seafood Restaurant: Another favorite restaurant with a place of honor back in your past. This relaxed, laid-back seafood restaurant was also on Pontchartrain Drive, right next door
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hen was the last time you leaned back in
your chair at the dinner table, either at home or at a favorite restaurant, and reminisced with your foodie friends about all the great places in Slidell that you regularly went to eat while you
were growing up? I know you did it! What’s more, my
Remember The Last Time You Ate At. . .
The St. Christopher’s Curve In: The St. Christopher’s Curve In: It was “the place” to congregate after sporting events, Mardi Gras parades, fi shing rodeos, and anytime you needed a hang-out spot for you and your buds! Curve Inn, as it was usually referred to, sat tight at the intersection of Pontchartrain Drive and Front Street. What I remember most about it - even though they were both located in the same big room, the relatively quiet
The Frost Top: The Frost Top: Back in the day, it was generally considered to be Slidell’s earliest drive-in and it served a killer home-made style hamburger dubbed the “Lotta-Burger!”Pair that with a frosted mug of Birch Beer and you had a winning combo. If I remember correctly, it was on Front Street at the intersection of Gause Boulevard and was owned and operated by a man named Floyd Fogg. Oh, wait! Maybe I’m getting that mixed up with you did it! What’s more, my
friends and I still do it at least
When was the last time you leaned back in
your chair at the dinner table, either at home or at a favorite restaurant, and reminisced with your foodie friends about all the great places in Slidell that you regularly went to eat while you
were growing up? I know you did it! What’s more, my
FranklyFranklyFranklyFranklyFranklyFranklyFranklyFranklyBy Frank Davis“Ain’t Dere No More.”
or so from what used to be Radio Shack. You entered on the right side of the building through the seafood market/bar; but if you took an immediate quick left, it led you through a small door into the restaurant. I remember outstanding overstuffed shrimp, oyster, and soft-shell crab po-boys! Mostly though, if you didn’t get there early, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, there was a good chance you’d have a really long wait. Oh—and the seafood gumbo was terrifi c!
Vera’s: From the beginning, it always sat on Lake Pontchartrain at the end of Rat’s Nest Road. But then, along came Katrina! And that’s when owners Donnie and Dena Matherne decided it was time to fi nd a new location (the Rat’s Nest location was destroyed numerous times before). Still operating on US Hwy 190 West out near the mall, it remains a popular dining haunt, but not a soul would admit they don’t miss the “over-the-water” restaurant. . .including Donnie and Dena.
Kelly’s Catfi sh Corner: Over on the complete opposite side of town, where U.S. Hwy 11 leads up to the Five Mile Bridge approach, stood yet another popular Friday and Saturday night seafood spot. Owned and operated by the Ronnie McCloskey Family at North Shore, Kelly’s was noted and famous for its huge catfi sh platters. And just in case you never knew how the restaurant got its name, Kelly was Ronnie’s daughter.
But even though their physical addresses are no longer on the offi cial city map, few of us doubt that we’ll ever forget where they were and how much a part of our lives they really were. And that’s because these places in our minds will always defi ne for us. . .Slidell!
Bosco’s Restaurant: Probably the most recognizable former restaurant and nightclub in Slidell, it sat across Pontchartrain Drive for what seemed like eons. Nary a present nor past resident to Slidell couldn’t tell you precisely where Bosco’s used to be. And those who can’t remember how good the food was most defi nitely can tell you all about the nightclubbing that went on there. Oh, yeah. . . I spent many a night sitting and singing at the piano bar, which often proved as popular as the food. And just in case you forgot, the famous landmark was the brainchild of Sam Bosco.
Finally, there were a few more haunts that I absolutely must include in this culinary laundry list. Remember: Buster’s - She-Crab SoupSalvaggio’s - Filet Mignon with BordelaiseThe Ice House - Seafood PlatterEden of King - Mandarin DuckThe Shrimp Box - what else but the overstuffed fried shrimp poboy?And what about The Carafe and Draft inside the old Tammany Theatre?
Some of these places simply disappeared by attrition. Others succumbed to Hurricane Katrina.
19
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ouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaLLLLLLLLLLLL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaLLLLLL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaL ouisianaouisianaouisianaHappy Birthday
By Alex Carollo
In 1803, the United States purchased over 800,000 square miles of land from the French government for roughly 15 million dollars, costing less than three cents per acre. One of the most famous real estate acquisitions ever, this deal – known as the Louisiana Purchase – nearly doubled the size of the United States, extending from the Gulf of Mexico and jutting northwest into what is today Montana and part of Canada.
In 1804, the Louisiana Purchase was divided into many territories. President Jefferson selected William C. C. Claiborne to govern the Territory of Orleans, which would later become the State of Louisiana. For a territory to become a state, the 1802 Enabling Act required that the desired territory must have a population of 60,000 people. The Territory of Orleans only had a population of 40,000 people, but in 1810, after the mass immigration of slaves to New Orleans, the territory met the requirements for statehood.
Wanting the political rights that were guaranteed by statehood, many of the Territory’s prominent citizens, including French-born congressman Julien Poydras and American attorney Edward Livingston, convinced Claiborne to apply for statehood. On April 30, 1812, two hundred years ago, President James Madison signed the bill that admitted Louisiana as the 18th State in the Union. Claiborne was elected as Louisiana’s fi rst Governor.
200 years later, Louisiana remains the most unique state in the nation. What other state has world-class cuisine, Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street, outrageous politics and all that jazz? When people across the globe think of Louisiana, they usually think of New Orleans. An easy assumption – New Orleans is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the US. As we commemorate Louisiana’s bicentennial, let’s take a look back and celebrate 200 years of New Orleans’ rich culture, heritage and history and honor some of the unique treasures we have shared with the rest of the world.
Air ConditioningWhen you think back on 200 years of Louisiana history, you have to wonder, how did anyone survive living in Louisiana without air conditioning?
Well, the answer is quite simple - our architecture. Shotgun homes started appearing in New Orleans and the South in the early 1800s. Inspired by African architecture, these long, narrow homes often had large rooms with high ceilings. The air would enter through the door and windows, sweep through the house, allowing the hot air to rise and keeping the lower, living areas cool. The lack of hallways allowed for effi cient cross ventilation in every room.
Plantation homes were also designed with cross ventilation in mind. These large homes were often built under sizeable oak trees which blocked the sun and kept the
20
homes cooler during the day. Rooms were designed to open up with French doors, allowing a nice breeze to enter the home, fl ow through the long hallways and push out the hot air through the dormer on the roof.
Plantation homes, like the shotgun home, had high ceilings which allowed for the hot air to rise and the rooms to stay cool. Many plantations and buildings in New Orleans were built with bricks made from the mud and clay from the banks of the Mississippi River. These masonry walls absorbed the humidity and heat keeping the rooms at a less stifl ing temperature, though it did make the paint peel.
The place to be on a hot summer day or evening was on the porch to escape the heat trapped in the home. That’s why so many homes in the South have long, inviting porches with comfortable seating. Of course, people fanned themselves constantly and learned to endure the heat and humidity.
The fi rst sign of relief came in the 1880s, when the electric ceiling fan was invented. Soon after, fans found their way into public buildings, hotel lobbies, restaurants, theaters and homes of the wealthy. In 1902, Willis Carrier invented the fi rst air condition. Clunky, loud and containing toxic chemicals, these units were used mostly in the textile industry. Air conditioning didn’t catch on for human comfort until the 1920s and 30s, when movie houses began installing them in theaters and experienced packed houses with people clamoring for relief on humid summer days. But for home use, many people considered it to be an overpriced luxury. It would still be several decades, after the invention of Freon, before widow units and central air conditioning became popular and affordable for the home.
Dixieland Jazz and Louis ArmstrongBesides Mardi Gras, one of Louisiana’s lasting legacies is Jazz. Dixieland, as it was known back in the early 1900s, was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. Early bands played in the streets of New Orleans and Congo Square, and groups like the Original Dixieland Jazz Band spread the music to cities like Chicago and New York. From there, the music spread to the rest of the world. Now famous songs, such as “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Basin Street Blues,” were some of the fi rst popular Dixieland Jazz songs played by bands and artists like Louis Armstrong.
A New Orleans native, Armstrong was a trumpeter and vocalist who helped defi ne Jazz music. His deep and distinctively gravelly voice, paired with his dynamic stage presence, ear for improvisation and famous trumpet solos, allowed him great success at a time when African Americans had few civil liberties.
Armstrong was able to “cross over” into the world of entertainment, where he appeared in over 30 feature fi lms and even graced the cover of Time Magazine in 1949 – a rare feat in a nation that was so racially divided. He had numerous hits and his song “Hello Dolly” even knocked the Beatles off the number one spot on the Billboard music charts.
Armstrong continued to tour all over the world, sharing his love of jazz. He suffered a fatal heart attack in 1971 and was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Music Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
21
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The Po-boyLouisiana is world-renowned for its rich and spicy cuisine. There are plenty of famous New Orleans foods: gumbo, jambalaya, beignets, etouffee–and no Monday washday is complete without red beans and rice–but the food with the most interesting history must be the po-boy.
Bennie and Clovis Martin, two brothers from Raceland, La., moved to New Orleans in the 1910s. They worked as streetcar conductors until 1922, when they opened their own coffee stand in the French Market.
During the transit strike of 1929, which shut down public transportation in New Orleans for weeks on end, the Martin Brothers showed their support to the “poor boys” on strike. They wrote letters of support and promised that no worker on strike would go hungry on the picket line. The Martin brothers worked with local baker John Gendusa to bake a new type of French bread that was easier to cut in to individual sandwiches. They brought 40 inch loaves of French bread sandwiches to the strikers on the line. The “poor boy” name stuck, and the generosity of the Martins earned them many loyal customers.
During the Great Depression, many wanted cheap eats and the Martin brother’s famous oversized po-boy sandwiches were a great way to feed a large family. Many restaurants copied the brother’s popular sandwiches, and they are now a New Orleans staple.
Audubon Zoo - They All Asked For YouI went on down to the Audubon ZooAnd they all asked for youThe monkeys askedThe tigers askedAnd the elephant asked for you“They All Asked For You”—The Meters
The 1984 World’s Fair was considered to be a disappointment by many people. It was a fi nancial disaster, losing over $100 million dollars for its investors, and major attractions such as the 200-foot high gondola ride, didn’t remain permanent fi xtures of the city.
Go back 100 years to the 1884 World’s Fair, and the results are quite different. Audubon Park was the site of several animal exhibitions during the fair. The popularity of the exhibit sparked discussions, and proposals for a zoological garden in the park were raised in the years that followed.
In 1916, an aviary became the fi rst permanent animal exhibit in Audubon Park. In the years that followed, the zoo expanded with the addition of an elephant house in 1925, a lion house in 1927, and a sea lion pool in 1928. The neo-classical columns of the pool can still be seen today.
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In 1869, the Schwegmann brothers opened a small store and used a horse and buggy to deliver groceries in the French Quarter. In the next century, the Schweggmans opened supermarkets in New Orleans and the surrounding areas.
Like Wal-Mart stores today, the front of each Schweggmans store featured small businesses – banks, jewelers, bakeries, video rentals and even shoe stores – making Schweggmans a one-stop shopping experience. As lagniappe, Schweggmans’ grocery bags advertised everything from community events to ads
for local businesses, and the bags were very popular during crawfi sh season. They were also iconic head dressing during the dark days of “The Aint’s”.
Schwegmanns was a successful supermarket for over a century. After a failed expansion into other markets, the Schwegmann family sold the stores in the 1990s. Many people still have fond memories of “making groceries” at Schweggmanns.
During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration assisted with a $400,000 zoo expansion, which included the addition of a man made mound called “Monkey Hill.” Rumored to be the highest point in New Orleans, children of all ages still enjoy playing and rolling down the hill. It quickly became a highlight of the park.
By the 1970s, Audubon Zoo was in a state of decay. The archaic cages the animals were confi ned to were considered to be too small by modern standards. Critics called for the zoo to close its gates. The City of New Orleans, local businesses and citizens rallied together and the Audubon Zoo received a radical makeover. Gone were the small cages. The animals were now housed in open area habitats that more resembled their natural surroundings.
In the 1980s, Audubon Zoo received some much-needed exposure when eighteen rare white baby alligators discovered in the wild were brought to the zoo. Some of the gators were later transferred to Audubon’s Aquarium of the Americas, which opened in the French Quarter in 1990.
The Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, and now the Audubon Insectarium are a few of the most popular tourist destinations in the state for families.
Making GroceriesFor years, folks frequented New Orleans shopping institutions, stocking up on ice cream and fi lling prescriptions at K&B, buying “day old” pastries at McKenzies and making groceries at Schwegmanns.
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Slidell’s Space RaceIf it weren’t for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Slidell might have remained a small bedroom community. At the dawn of the space race in the 1960s, Slidell’s population boomed when NASA opened the Michoud plant in East New Orleans, Stennis Space Center in Hancock County Mississippi and a large computer complex in Slidell. These facilities created thousands of jobs and many people moved to Slidell from across the country to work for NASA.
At the height of the space age, all three facilities played a major role in bringing mankind to the moon. The Michoud plant built the Saturn rockets, which carried astronauts to the lunar surface. Those rockets were tested in Mississippi and the computer facility in Slidell provided technical support.
The NASA facility in Slidell closed in the 1990s and the building was donated to the City of Slidell. The city now leases the building to Textron Marine and Land Systems, which manufactures specialty vehicles for the United States military.
Louisiana’s St. Tammany Bicentennial CelebrationYou can celebrate Louisiana’s Bicentennial right here in Slidell at Heritage Park on Friday, May 19, at the Leadership Northshore’s St. Tammany Louisiana Bicentennial Festival with special guest Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne. The festival is a celebration of the rich culture and history of our state. There will be live entertainment featuring LeRoux, Christina Serpas and Ghost Town, and other great entertainment as well as food and drinks, children’s activities and community showcases. Admission is free.StTammanysLouisianaBicentennial.com
24
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1 5 2 0 G a u s e B l v d . S l i d e l l ( N e x t t o A r b y ’ s )
LeRouxLeRouxLeRouxLeRouxLeRouxLeRouxJourney through the mind of a musician
By Kim Bergeron
Some people are naturally born musicians. Leon Medica is undoubtedly one of those people.
A chat with the LeRoux bassist and manager is like traveling through time: meandering from an Grosse Tete farmhouse in the ’60s, through the mystic evening luminance of Louisiana’s swamps, to Broadway and London in the ’70s, up to Tennessee in the ’80s (where he currently resides,) then back to the place it all began - a recording studio deep in the heart of Louisiana, where LeRoux will soon be cutting a new album.
It’s a journey of unexpected encounters with legendary thespians, concert surprises with rock superstars and successes from the most unexpected of sources.
A perusal through LeRoux’s website reveals the extensive discography, songwriter’s credits and numerous awards bestowed upon Medica and his bandmates, both collectively and individually, including Grammy and American Music Awards and induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, plus information about the many other musicians whose careers he has helped shape. What you won’t fi nd there, however, are the anecdotes which
have woven the tapestry of the musician’s life, an oft surreal existence that has left no one more surprised than Medica himself.
For his upcoming performance with LeRoux at St. Tammany’s Louisiana Bicentennial Festival, to be held in Heritage Park on May 19, Medica will be joined by Jim Odom and Tony Haselden, both on guitar, and Rod Roddy on keyboards, all of whom are original members of the band. More recent members Nelson Blanchard on keyboards, lead vocalist Keith Landry (formerly of Toto), Mark Duthu on percussions and Randy Carpenter, drums, replace original members Jeff Pollard, lead singer and guitar, drummer David
Peters and Bobby Campo, fl ute and percussions. The upcoming event provided the perfect
opportunity to sneak a peek into the chapters of Medica’s life,
and share a few of the many gems from a treasure chest that clearly overfl oweth.
An early chapter in Medica’s story begins in 1969, when his
band, Flaming Cat, scored the opportunity to open for Creedence Clearwater Revival in the Baton Rouge
Coliseum, and he invited the rock superstars to stay on his band’s farm for a week.
“Here was John Fogerty and the rest of the band, enjoying the success of ‘Born on the Bayou,’ yet they’d never even been to the bayou,” said Medica. “I knew we had to fi x that. So we headed to the swamp, in the middle of the night. There was an eerie green glow, created by marsh gasses, rising up through the waters. I’ve got to tell you, we were all a little bit scared by it. But we had a wonderful time.”
Though Fogerty and crew departed a few days later, it would not be their last encounter.
LeonMedica
of
26
In 1972, Medica and his new band, Goatleg, landed gigs acting and playing music in a Broadway play called the Earl of Ruston, a venture that led them to performances at the Vick Theatre in London. It was here that Medica e x p e r i e n c e d what he calls the thrill of a lifetime.
“I was backstage and I spotted another actor and my jaw just dropped,” said Medica. “I guess he saw that I was standing there looking a bit dumbfounded, because he walked over and introduced himself to me. He said ‘Hi, I’m Lawrence, and I’d like you to meet my friend, Vanessa.’ …Lawrence. As in Sir Lawrence Olivier. And Vanessa Redgrave. You have to understand, he was my idol. My hero. I thought to myself, ‘Is this really happening?’ It was just a passing moment, but for this simple guy from Alexandria, that was one of the highlights of my life!”
Medica was soon lured back to New York, where for the next year he honed his acting skills performing in Iphigenia, a Greek tragedy, alongside a carpenter by day, actor by night, who embraced the role of Achilles with a striking passion. That aspiring thespian was Tommy Lee Jones, who shortly after that performance would explode onto the big screen and become a Hollywood megastar.
Fast forward to 1987, through fi ve LeRoux albums and tremendous success with the band credited with the song that would ultimately be named Gambit Magazine’s Song of the Century: New Orleans Ladies. When the band was on hiatus, Medica was performing onstage on a riverboat, opening for Allen Touissant, and he heard a familiar voice. “Hey, Leon, remember me?” He looked down and there stood John Fogerty. After the performance, the two had a chance to chat, and Medica invited his old friend to a festival at which he was performing a few days later with popular francophone musician Zachary Richard. To his surprise, Fogerty accepted, with one caveat: he wanted to sit in with the band anonymously, just to have fun performing.
“So he came, and he brought a friend, a big, tall guy, who stood alongside the stage as we performed. We introduced Fogerty as our friend, ‘Elmo,’ and he performed our whole set. Then I looked over at him and he was grinning and nodded at me, so I replied, ‘Hey, Elmo, want to play one of your songs for these people?’ He gave me this ‘Oh, what the hell’ look and started playing ‘Born on the Bayou’ and the rest of the band jumped in. When he fi nished, you could have heard a pin drop. About 12,000 people, and no one knew what to say. They were just mesmerized. So Fogerty broke out into ‘Proud Mary’ and the place went nuts. They knew they’d been had. I’ve never, ever, been on
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a stage with the spirit of that audience at that moment in time. Oh, and the guy standing alongside the stage turned out to be none other than Jann Wenner, the editor of Rolling Stone Magazine. It was an amazing night.” About the same time, Medica started writing and producing songs for movie soundtracks, and had an opportunity to produce a song featuring Tom Johnston, lead singer of the Doobie Brothers, for the soundtrack of a movie project about a young rich girl who falls for a dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks. “I really didn’t expect much at the time,” says Medica. “The song was ‘Where Are You Tonight?,’ and the soundtrack, Dirty Dancing, went on to sell over 52 million copies, becoming one of the best selling sound tracks of all times. That movie changed my life.” The song continues to net Medica royalties every time the soundtrack is sold or the movie airs on television. “There are so many more stories, so many memories,” says Medica. “I’ve led a very charmed life. Sometimes I still can’t believe it. I am blessed.” And with that, we ended an interview that spanned hours of tales, each more fascinating than the one which preceded it. The stories will soon be shared in the musician’s memoirs, Bayoudegradable, a digital book and dvd scheduled to be released later this year. And though it sounds cliché, this writer can’t help but share a fi nal sentiment—can’t wait to read the book.
For more information about
LeRoux and its members’ many experiences and accolades, visit
www.laleroux.com
O
EDITOR‛S NOTE:Slidell Magazine and Slidell Athletic Club are proud to introduce “Jockularity”, our new sports opinion feature. Louisianians are passionate about their sports and we‛re not shy about our opinions. So, every month, we‛ll bring you the outspoken insights of sports enthusiast and afi cionado, Corey Hogue. We‛d love to hear your opinions too! Send us your feedback: [email protected]
Ok, the NFL draft is over but let’s think about it for a moment. It is a glorifi ed lottery, getting-offered-a-job hybrid. It’s a bunch of men sitting around, making calls, giving calls, and talking about guys who play a sport. It is also the fourth most watched sporting event on TV, next to ACTUAL sports like the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Why do we care so much? Because we know how good our team is, we know we can get that championship trophy, and we know that it only takes
that one guy to get us there. Afterwards, we get to bask in the glory of how well we did or scream for hours about how a bunch of “idiots” like our coach, general manager, or owners actually got their jobs. In the end, we shouldn’t forget that we are watching the future of the NFL and the realization of years of work and dreams. I know that for me, its all about the drama. We crave the crazy things teams will do to make their team better. Crazy trades have become a spark that keeps people watching football - in the “off” season. The NFL draft isn’t like being drafted into the Army. Players can refute an offer from the team that drafted them. (Doesn’t make them a fan favorite for the shunned city, but a few seasons - and Superbowls - usually help to heal the wounds.) Do you remember how John Elway became a Bronco? He refused to play for the Colts, the bottom-dwelling team who picked him fi rst-overall in the 1983 draft. He threatened to play professional baseball instead. Eventually the Colts relented and the Broncos got a Hall of Fame quarterback. The same thing happened with two-time Superbowl MVP quaterback Eli Manning. He let it be known from the start that he wouldn’t sign with the Chargers, who had fi rst pick in the draft. The Giants put together a package to trade for him and the rest is history.
The 1999 NFL Draft is remembered as one of the craziest in history, and New Orleans was smack dab in the spotlight of insanity. Saints head coach Mike Ditka was obsessed with Ricky Williams, the Heisman trophy winning running back from Texas who had set tons of NCAA records. Ditka was in the hot seat because of his lack of success and he just couldn’t stop thinking about confetti paving this running back’s way to the Lombardi Trophy. Ditka wanted Williams so bad that he offered the Bengals nine – NINE - draft picks to trade up. Sadly for Bengals fans, the offer was rejected but the Redskins were more than willing to take the deal. The Saints were taking a skydive jump and the Redskins were happy to take the parachute we were offering. Ditka gave up EVERY PICK in the draft PLUS the fi rst pick in the next year’s draft for ONE PLAYER. In the following weeks, the Saints were solidifi ed as the laughing stock of the NFL (not that we weren’t already when we gave up our entire draft) when Ditka and Willams posed as bride and groom in one of the most bizarre pictures ever. The August 1999 issue of ESPN Magazine hit stands and sent shock waves through the sporting world. Greg Heisler, the cover
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draft. The Giants put together a package to trade for him and the rest is history. draft. The Giants put together a package to trade for him and the rest is history. draft. The Giants put together a package to trade for him and the rest is history.
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photographer, said of the shot, “That’s one of my favorite pictures. It was so tender and beautiful.” Greeeeat… that’s just the way we want our coach and star player to be described.
By the way, how is it decided what a player is worth? Who decides how to “value” a player? I know there are stats and charts and workouts but, in the end, does the front offi ce just say, “Oh yeah, he’s worth three fi rst round picks and a second round pick”? Is that like throwing in your watch to sweeten the pot at a poker game? Or is “value” measured like grading cow meat? If the players weren’t getting millions of dollars to play a game, I would feel sorry for them. It’s trades like these that make us stand up and notice the draft. Sometimes, though, a trade can actually be a perfect match. This seems to be the case with the Saints draft last year. Do you remember why we didn’t have a fi rst round pick this year? Last year we wanted two things: a defensive end who could replace the boring Alex Brown and a running back to replace the underwhelming Reggie Bush (*insert sigh here*). While we are on the subject, may I just say, what a bust. Reggie was supposed to be such a dangerous threat coming out of the backfi eld. I always defended him... give him another year... he’ll lower that shoulder... he’s looking better... blah blah blah. He always disappointed me, even when I thought he had turned a corner. We’re lucky we got anything for him when we traded him. What was I thinking?... So, there we were last year. I felt confl icted when the Saints drafted Cameron Jordan. On one hand, I had studied the kid a bit and he was a great pick for our defense. It’s likely that he’ll be a solid defensive end for years to come. But I was let down that we hadn’t chosen Mark Ingram, the Heisman trophy winning running back from Alabama.
Somehow though, I just KNEW we would trade back into the fi rst round and pick the superstar running back. Sure enough, the Saints did just that and I remember feeling not just relieved but validated. Who can see the football future? Apparently, ladies and gents, I could.
Speaking of Heisman running backs, the Saints draft a lot of them. Are they that much better than other running backs? Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to stick with undrafted studs like Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory. Heisman runners tend to get a little dinged up by the time they reach the NFL. Think about Reggie Bush, who has never fi nished a whole season as a starter because of injuries.
The Heisman does not necessarily qualify a running back as a good pro, it just means that they were awesome in college. Then again, come to think of it, Reggie Bush had to give up his Heisman didn’t he…ouch… All of this just goes to show you that the draft, with all of its drama and excitement, can be a total crapshoot. Some trades can make a team tick, while other trades can just blow up. But we still watch, wishing the bad teams will get good and the best team will win a Super Bowl. Like the lottery, we hope our teams get rich on the players they pick. Hopefully, though, no more Mike Ditka types leading a team toward their future. Football players in wedding dresses…Yuck.
Corey HogueMay [email protected]
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1978The movie blockbuster “Star Wars” is released.
As of March 2012, Star Wars total franchise revenue was $27,000,000,000 (yes, 27 Billion)!
May 1, 1931The Empire State Building was dedicated. Designed to serve as a lightening rod for the surrounding area, it is struck by lightening about 100 times per year.
May 5, 1961Alan Shepard rides “Freedom 7”
to becomes the fi rst American in space.
May 18, 1804Napoleon Bonaparte becomes
Emperor of France
May 11, 1916Albert Einstein presents his
Theory of General Relativity.
1886The syrup for Coca Cola is invented by Atlanta Pharmacist J o h n S t y t h Permerton. Today, Coca Cola’s $35.1 billion in annual revenue makes it the 84th largest economy in the world, just ahead of Costa Rica.
1940Nylon stockings hit the market for the fi rst time.
Previously, stockings were made exclusively
from silk.
1888George Eastman patents
the Box Camera. He created the name Kodak
because it could not resemble or be associated
with anything but his company.
1952
hits the newsstands. To date, only a dozen Mad covers have not
depicted Alfred E. Neuman, their notorious
mascot, since his appearance on Issue # 30.
1919The pop-up toaster is patented.
This MonthIn
History
“Yesterday, today, right NOW is the time to buy a house or refi nance!” Lisa Harris of Advance Title laughs as she shows the latest interest rates. Rock bottom rates, bank incentives, and a real estate market that’s chock full of beautiful homes has kept Advance Title busy this past year. Co-owners and sisters, Lisa Harris and Charmagne Simon, are enjoying the rebound in the real estate market. “We love St. Tammany Parish - living here, working here,” Charmagne says. “We want people to see how great this area is and move here, buy homes and help our community to thrive.” Lisa adds, “Whatever we can do to make that process easier for the homeowner, we’re going to do it.”
Lisa and Charmagne have helped homeowners of St. Tammany Parish since opening Advance Title, LLC in 1999. With more than 80 years of collective experience in the real estate industry, Charmagne and Lisa believe that their company’s strength lies in the experience and reputation of the owners and the staff.
Charmagne, a Loyola Law School graduate, is the closing attorney while Lisa serves as Notary Public and coordinator between seller and buyer. Lisa’s 20+ years of experience in real estate and title work made the partnership between the sisters a Slidell business success story!
When asked to describe what separates them from other title companies, time and again their clients site the core values that form the foundation of Advance Title:Combined experience & knowledge of the Title IndustryRelationships with the CommunityReputation of the Owners and StaffCommitment to Excellence in Customer Service
• Real Estate Searches • Policy Production• Issuance of Title Policies • Powers of Attorney• Real Estate Examinations • Solving Title Problems• Notarial Services • Other Related Legal Services
Advance Title, LLC
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Buying a home is probably one of the most substantial investments you will ever make. An Owners title
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Most lenders require that you purchase a Lenders Title Policy to protect the lenders
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GGulf South Leadership Institute is a non-profi t organization committed to leadership training and development. Inspired by the premise that community development happens in the context of people development, GSLI believes that training one leader at a time adds quality to the communities around us. Healthy, creative, and safe communities are a result of innovative and progressive leadership. For this reason, the team at GSLI serves as a leadership and management resource center for individuals and organizations within the Greater New Orleans Area.
The GSLI Youth Development Program partners with the adult professional community to mentor teenagers. Professionals are drawn from different professions such as health care, wellness and fi tness, city government, banking, technology development, industrial science, engineering, wildlife and fi sheries, theater and fi ne arts. The program focuses on helping teenagers mature to:• comprehend the complexity of skills,
knowledge, and understanding needed for effective leadership
• have a basic knowledge of the community in which they live and the issues facing that community
• have the intellectual capability, creativity, and human relations skills to be involved in planning and conducting service projects in the community
The need for youth leadership training has never been greater. According to Louisiana Fact Book 2011 statistics, at least 15, 000 students in grades 7-12 dropped out of school during the 2008-2009 school year. In the last four years, the numbers have accumulated to 65,000 kids who dropped out of schools. Furthermore, “65% of the nationally incarcerated population does not have a high school degree. Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the nation and is at the top with regard to many crime statistics.” 1 With such shocking numbers, it’s a recipe for disaster, and it is a challenge to those of us who care enough and are able to mentor these young men and women to change those statistics.
Research has shown that that today’s youth learn better when they are engaged in some activities that are consistent with their interests, and Leadership Legacy Youth Development Summer Institute takes advantage of these fi ndings in program delivery. This summer program is a weekly seminar style youth interactive learning platform designed for teens 14-16 years old, and offered over a six-week period. During the six weeks, different groups of participants engage in innovative, educating, equipping, interactive, technical, scientifi c, artistic, cultural, and athletic events with their peers while learning to be responsible community leaders, creative problem solvers and visionary citizens. There is no limit to the amount of weeks that participants can be a part of the program, as long as they can afford the cost and time for the weeks they commit to be involved.
The main goal of the program is to connect the youth in our community with the professional community to help build concrete life skills that facilitate educational pursuits, healthy decision making and effective career path development. It is a structured program with experiences that aid trust building, honest communication, self-respect, tolerance, pursuit of a drug-free lifestyle, and healthy relationships with adult mentors and peers.
A review of the research on youth development (Sanders and Coleman, 2004) indicates that students who participate in such programs:• make better life choices during high school,
including a lower incidence of substance abuse and disciplinary referrals for inappropriate behavior
• participate in more co-curricular activities• have lower rates of absenteeism and school
dropout• are more likely to apply for a post-secondary
school experience (college, university, or technical school)
• are more likely to participate in community-based activities, including community service, during their post-secondary experience
• are more likely to go to either graduate school or get a job directly after fi nishing college.1 CABL (Council For A Better Louisiana).
Louisiana Fact Book 2011 – Louisiana’s Education Needs
Executive DirectorWimbai Mutonono
For Information or Registration
985-641-8427www.GulfSouthLeadership.org G
SL
I
Want to hear an insider secret from the world of veterinary medicine? There are certain people we can’t wait to see walk through our doors with their pets. When they call, we’re happy to hear their voice on the phone, and when their pets’ names are on our appointment books, we look forward to seeing them. As health professionals, we’d never offer them better medical care than anyone else; however, I do admit that these folks are shown the red carpet.
What makes these clients VIPs, how can you become one, and what will you receive in return for your efforts? The more items you tick off this list, the higher your ranking as a veterinary VIP client:
• You’re always on time, or even a little early for your appointment.
• You limit walk-ins to true emergencies, and you always call ahead for an appointment if at all possible.
• In the event you can’t make it in for your appointment, you call ASAP to let us know.
• You treat the entire staff with respect, warmth and good humor.
• You come armed with a full history of your pet’s current medical problem, the more detailed the better -- e.g., vomited three times yesterday; it was slimy, yellow and contained bits of cardboard packaging.
• You encourage your pet to welcome, not fear, a veterinary visit, and you’ve gone through gentling techniques with your pet, so we can easily examine everything.
• You accept our recommendations after an honest, open discussion.
• You pay your bills.
• If we exceed your expectations, you recommend us to your friends and neighbors with enthusiasm and frequency.
• On occasion, maybe for no special reason, you bring us a plate of brownies or cookies.
In return you’ll get:• Staffers who fi ght to take your call and a veterinarian who strives to keep you as his client.
• A veterinary team that lights up even brighter when you walk through the door.
• Somehow we find a spot on an overbooked schedule for you or fi nd a place to board your pet over a holiday, even though we’ve been booked full for months.
• We don’t watch the clock as closely when it’s your turn in the exam room.
• We’re willing to consider staying a little past closing time, or come in a little early, to accommodate your schedule, in a pinch
• We’ll invite you to share the brownies or cookies that the last VIP client brought!
Little things mean a lot, and they all add up. With respect and a positive attitude on both sides, your relationship with your veterinarian will mean the best experience possible for all, including your pets. And that’s who it’s really all about.
Jeff Perret, DVMwww.VeterinaryMedicalCenterSlidell.com
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Funny title for an article right? Well in this industry, it’s a fact that this is the time of year that we start to see Formosan termites. Yep, the same time that we are faced with choosing the perfect gift for the best mom the world has ever known, some of us are faced with having to choose a reputable pest control company to assist us with a Formosan termite infestation. It doesn’t seem fair.
They say that in the south, there are only two types of houses: the ones that have termites and those that will get termites. It is a sad fact but one that should not cause stress especially for Mother’s Day. The seasonal phenomenon of a Formosan termite swarm
is harmless and simply means that a portion of their colony is moving about. The experience of a termite swarm can cause you to come unglued but you need not worry unless the swarm is inside of your home.
If you are concerned that your home is infested, do a thorough survey of the property, although signs of infestation by Formosan subterranean termites may not be obvious. Concentrate your efforts on areas that hold water or soft moist spots in walls, fl oors and around windows. Look for bulges or blistering wall paper. These areas are what we call “conducive” and may indicate termite activity. As night begins to fall remember to keep the outside lights turned off since they are attracted to the light and may be drawn to your home.
Alright, now take a walk around the exterior of your home, look for the mud “tubes” that termites form. Although Formosan termites are subterranean, which means they live under the ground, these tubes shelter termites when they crawl above the ground. Within these tubes is a termite highway. The tube offers moisture so they are protected from drying out, predators can’t penetrate it, and they can carry water from the colony
underground to the satellite nests in the walls of our homes. If you come across a mud tube, simply break it open to check for Formosan termite activity.
Formosan termites swarm typically between May and June, and although you may see them while out, they may not be coming from your home. Stay calm, inspect your property and place a call to a reputable Termite company like the professionals at Blue Star Pest Control. (985) 641-3797
Now back to our moms - how long has it been since you’ve seen your mom? If you are blessed to still have her with you, call or simply visit her to let her see your face. If she has passed on, take some time to refl ect on sweet memories of her.
Termites for Mamma?Formosan Termite Season
By: Carol Ruiz – Blue Star Pest Control
www.BlueStarBugs.com
Happy Mother’s Day to the moms
in our lives!
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Mark Frost of Frank‛s Auto Body plays a Muppet for the Rotary talent show.
He‛s such an ANIMAL!Joe DiGiovanni, Certifi ed Public Accountant, the way he looksAFTER tax season – pooped!
Mark Frost of Frank‛s Auto Body plays a Muppet for the Rotary talent show.
Jeannie and Bill Murphy with Slidell‛s favorite pony, Nemo, at the Chamber of CommerceExpo in the Harbor Center
Bobby Ohler always gets us dancing! Bobby and
his band perform for the record-breaking crowd
at the 20th Annual Jazz on the Bayouhis band perform for the record-breaking crowd Drew Franzo of Esyncs poses for
his “professional” photo. Obviously, it was just a head shot!
YAY!!! Kendra graduates Rotary Leadership School! Pictured with District Governor, Betty Gill
Kendra is named an Honorary Submariner by the members ofRedfi sh Base. Dr. John Gardner
presents her certifi cate.
Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog
(Vicky Magas and Rene Arcemont of
Slidell Rotary Club) at the Rotary
District Conference talent show
22nd EditionSlidell Mag
