Member Minute - wbbeacon.com
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Member Minute - wbbeacon.com
2 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com february >> contents departments 6 10 12 Sports Saints Back on Track Toward Becoming Title Contender 20 Health 24 Groups Art Spotlight on Gretna Artist Becky Fos Outdoors 28 Getting Ready for Spring: “Under the Water and Deep in the Soil” Cancer Center at WJMC to be Featured in Krewe of Grela Terrytown Golden Agers; Woodmen of the World News; Group Sponsors Annual Cook-Off Event For Children With Cancer; Algiers Republican Women’s Membership Open House February 2014 Volume 5, Issue 9 community Entergy Reminds Louisiana Customers to Continue to Be Wary of Scam Artists; AOL Student Wins Speech Tournament; Remember When; Krewe of King Arthur Honors 3 Generations of Queens Publisher The West Bank Beacon Managing Editor Troy Broussard 14 Outdoors 18 Health A Chronological Monthly Outdoor Guide For 2014 30 Entertainment Gretna Author Completes Figure Skating Fiction Trilogy in Time for 2014 Winter Olympics; JPAS Presents Murder At Café Noir At Teatro Wego! Through February 9 Staff Writers Troy Broussard Contributing Writers Joe Darby David Heitmeier Olivia McClure Guy Ralph McDonald Marielle Songy Joseph N. Suhayda Ken Trahan AMD Affects the Eyesight of Older Americans; Smartphones Help Researchers Keep Track of People’s Diets Associate Editor Blair C. Constant STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER King Joe features ©2014 The West Bank Beacon, LLC All rights reserved. The West Bank Beacon 5 9 11 21 536 Lafayette Street Gretna, LA 70053 Carnival Season Brings Wide Selection of West Bank King Cakes Are We There Yet? Member Minute Get to know a LOCAL Jefferson Chamber Member Business: RaceTrac State Library Announces 2014 Teen Video Challenge Email westbankbeacon@yahoo.com or visit www.wbbeacon.com 22 27 Pets Join JSPCA for Kitten Bowl Plaquemines Parish Government Working to Revise Flood Maps Send letters to the Editor to beaconeditor@yahoo.com www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 3 4 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com Contributing Writer Marielle Songy Carnival Season Brings Wide Selection of West Bank W ell, it’s that time of year again, and whether you call it Mardi Gras or Carnival, it translates into fun. Along with going to fancy Krewe balls and seeing how much you can catch at a parade, one of our favorite traditions is, of course, King Cake. It’s the delicious confection topped with sugar and magic that everyone starts to crave as soon as the calendar tells us that twelfth night is upon us. It really seems that no matter how hard we try, we can really never get enough. Since the season is a little longer this year; that means there will be more time to enjoy this delicious treat and maybe experiment with flavors that we haven’t tried before. A long time Westbank favorite for king cakes has been Hi Do Bakery located at 441 Terry Parkway in Terrytown. The king cakes here are described as a special kind of flakey and moist confection. The cakes are in more of the classic brioche style than the typical “cinnamon roll” offering of some other places. Cakes come in sizes of small, medium and large and range in price from $9.99 to $29.99. You can get the cakes plain or filled with such fillings as apple, lemon, strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, and of course, cream cheese. One thing that sets Hi Do king cakes apart from the rest is their unique shapes. If you are looking for something a little different than the usual round king cake, fleur de lis, crab, crawfish, and king crown shapes start at $26.99 for plain and $32.99 for filled. That’s something that is sure to get anyone in the mood for Mardi Gras. Antoine’s Famous Cakes and Pastries located at 1300 Stumpf Boulevard in Gretna offers an assortment of king cakes and queen cakes of all types. Here you can get a king cake called “The Jester”, which is a traditional style king cake. You can also treat yourself to “The Wild Magnolia”, which is a king cake that you can get filled with an assortment of flavors such as apple, strawberry, lemon, pineapple or cream cheese, or if you want a version that is a little smaller, go for the queen cake. The cake itself is moist and not dry, with a little bit of flakiness and topped with a soft icing. Antoine’s Kringle Cake is a traditional praline king cake with cream cheese filling. All of Antoine’s king cakes are available for delivery or they can be picked up in store. One classic king cake that most of us have had at least once is a Gambino’s king cake. Located at 300 Lapalco Boulevard in Gretna, Gambino’s offers a variety of different king cakes as well as Mardi Gras gift packages. They also offer three different sizes of their traditional king cake. Their “Fat Tuesday” size starts at $49, their “King Rex” size starts at $55.50 and their “Big Easy” size starts at $80.70. You can get the cakes in a traditional, unstuffed flavor or you can get the single or double stuffed. Also, if you are looking for something a bit “off the beaten path” from a king cake, Gambino’s also offers Mardi Gras petit fours. Finally, if you are looking for a king cake on the go, I would suggest stopping by your local Rouses and picking up one of the delicious cakes that this local supermarket has to offer. Not only are they flavorful and come in a variety of flavors such as strawberry, cherry, lemon and cream cheese, but at $8, they are perfect for picking up on the go and enjoying at home or at the office. I find the Rouses king cake tasty and I like that the filling is “swirled” into the cake, so that you get a bit in every bite. It’s actually one of my favorites, especially if I am heading to a “parade party” and I need something quick to bring my host and fellow partygoers. It’s simple, but it always seems to be a hit. The Westbank Rouses is located at 2851 Belle Chasse Highway in Gretna. While I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth, I always make an exception for king cake. The Mardi Gras season is a little longer this year, so join me in taste testing all of the different king cakes that businesses on the Westbank have to offer. ICE CREAM KIng CAKES Hot French Bread, King Cakes, Party Trays and Keg Beer See our weekly grocery specials on our website at caseyjonessupermarket.com 50 Years Open 7 Days • 7am–8pm Westbank Expy. at Stumpf Blvd. Gretna • 367-5353 Open and fully stocked through April 2014. Casey Jones celebrating 50 years, 1964–2014. Thanks to all of our loyal customers. GIFT C AvAI ARDS LAbL E ONLY AT 700 TERRY PKWY 392-7007 www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 5 Contributing Writer Ken Trahan >> sports BACK ON TRACK TOWARD BECOMING TITLE CONTENDER I t was not the desired outcome. The end came suddenly, abruptly, sadly. While the sting of losing at Seattle still smarts for many black and gold loyalists, give the New Orleans Saints a solid “B” or “B+” grade for 2013. The return of Sean Payton paid obvious dividends. His persona, his confidence, his winning arrogance was sorely missed. His hiring of Rob Ryan was a godsend. Ryan may have had the biggest impact of any assistant coach in the league in 2013. His defense ended up ranked fourth in the league despite being the only defense in the league not to score a touchdown. The dramatic defensive improvement was the biggest story of the year for New Orleans. The brilliant season of Jimmy Graham was a close second. The emergence of Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette as top-shelf pass rushers in the NFL was huge. The promise of rookies Kenny Vaccaro and Kenny Stills was a real plus. An improved Drew Brees helped. The Saints went from 7-9 and the worst defense in NFL history to 12-6, a playoff berth and a first-ever road playoff victory. The only real negative was their inability to close the season properly. They had every chance to clinch the NFC South and the second overall seed and failed to do so, with a bad loss at St. Louis and a crushing loss at Carolina. Picking 27th overall in the first round of the 2014 draft, the Saints can now put Bounty Gate behind them with the lost draft picks from the punishment levied by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. New Orleans has its picks in rounds one through six. They traded their seventh round selection to obtain Parys Haralson from San Francisco. New Orleans has 21 free agents, including 14 unrestricted, five restricted and two exclusive right free agents. Where are the most significant needs? Specifically, offensive line and cornerback with wide receiver a close third with outside linebacker a concern as well. Offensively, Charles Brown and Brian de la Puente are free agents. Brown was benched and has fallen out of favor and is likely to be gone. de la Puente was beaten physically on several occasions this year. While he has been decent and is inexpensive, you must get better. If the Saints can address the position in the first four rounds, would they be willing to let him walk? They did so with Jeff Faine and Jonathan Goodwin. You cannot do so with de la Puente unless you have a replacement not currently on the roster. Ben Grubbs made the Pro Bowl but did he really play that well? His cap number is high at $9.1 million. He is under contract through 2016 so he is likely to be here. Zach Strief is a free agent. He actually played solid football, for the most part, and is a natural leader, a team captain and spokesman. It is all about cost. Jahri Evans is an All-Pro. After struggling while playing hurt in the first half of the season, he came on to play at a higher level in the second half. He is a sizeable investment with a cap number of $11 million. Terron Armstead is a building block, a potential starter for many years and he will make $525,000 in 2014. His emergence and promise makes it possible to perhaps look elsewhere in the draft if a left tackle is available when the Saints pick in the first two rounds. Bryce Harris is an exclusive rights free agent and he was valuable as a reserve this past season and will likely be retained. Tim Lelito has a couple of years left on his current deal. One player in the draft with a first-round grade that could be available is guard/tackle Zach Martin of Notre Dame. The offensive line did not block the run very well in the first half of the season and allowed Brees to be sacked 37 times in 16 regular season games 6 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com while absorbing many other hits. He was sacked three times in the two playoff games. By comparison, Saints quarterbacks were sacked 23 times in 2006, 16 in 2007, 17 times in 2008, 20 in 2009, 26 in 2010, 24 in 2011 and 26 times in 2012, a previous high. At cornerback, Jabari Greer is coming off of a serious injury and counts $4 million against the cap. In addition, he is going into his tenth year and will be 32-years-old. Patrick Robinson is coming off of a serious injury and counts $2.4 million against the cap. Corey White has not proven that he can play consistently enough. Trevin Wade and Rod Sweeting are unproven and Wade is an exclusive rights free agent. Keenan Lewis was outstanding, a very good free agent signing. One player to watch for is cornerback Jason Verrett (5’10, 176) of TCU. Though not big, Verrett can run quite well and has good cover skills and could be available when the Saints pick 27th in the first round. As for other needs, linebacker is a position to address. Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne played admirably this season though neither is a huge playmaker. Parys Haralson is a free agent. Victor Butler is coming off of a knee injury. Ramon Humber is a free agent. Jonathan Vilma is a free agent and not likely to return. Will Smith counts $13.9 million against the cap, second most on the team to Drew Brees. Rufus Johnson is a development project. In the draft, a pair of outside linebackers are players to watch in the late first round. Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier (6’2, 230) was the leading tackler for the Buckeyes and a good one. Stanford’s Trent Murphy (6’6, 251) had 15 sacks for the Cardinal in 2013 and he was moved to defensive line for the Senior Bowl so he has versatility. Safety could be a need. Malcolm Jenkins is a free agent while Roman Harper has one year left on his deal and he counts $5.9 million against the cap. Look for one to remain and one to depart. Jenkins is a leader, a team captain. His play dropped off after the injuries at cornerback and the Kenny Vaccaro sports << injury. Vaccaro is the future and Rafael Bush, a restricted free agent, proved he can play. Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews is still on the board in the second round, he would become a prime target for the Saints, a big receiver with skill. Running back is an interesting position. Is Mark Ingram a long-term guy? Igram played well down the stretch and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Still, he had 78 carries for 386 yards and only one touchdown and caught just seven passes for 68 yards. At tight end, the Saints will have to be creative, to break the bank and retain Jimmy Graham. Despite his no show in Seattle, Graham had a brilliant season with 16 touchdowns and remains a matchup nightmare for opponents. The Saints will negotiate with him and if they cannot reach agreement with him, look for the franchise tag to be placed on Graham. Another impact wide receiver would make Graham even more valuable. Benjamin Watson was a solid pickup and is a solid guy. Josh Hill showed enough promise to stick. He has missed 11 games in three years and he hurt the Saints big time in the loss at Seattle, dropping a screen pass that would have popped for a first down and sizeable gain on the opening series which led to a Seahawks field goal. Then, when the Saints got the wind at their backs, he had the critical fumble, forced and recovered by Michael Bennett, that led to Seattle going up 13-0. Ingram proved he can play in the league and play well as a solid player. He will never be a star and will never be a big-play back or worth the huge investment the team made in him. Khiry Robinson is an intriguing player, with good vision, cut back ability and quickness. Can he progress to become a receiving threat and handle blitz pick-up? He is very cost effective. Pierre Thomas counts $2.9 million against the cap with one year left on his deal. He remains a solid runner, receiver and pass blocker. Darren Sproles counts $3.4 million against the cap and has one year left on his deal. He is starting to slow down a tad, about to enter his ninth year. He will be 31-years-old next season but he still has value in the passing game and as a kick return man. The Saints’ commitment to the running game late in the season and in the playoffs must carry over into 2014. Ingram aside, the Saints have proven that you do not have to invest in the draft to get a solid running back (Thomas, Robinson). At wide receiver, Kenny Stills emerged and has a bright future. Marques Colston proved that he still has game though he counts $8.3 million against the cap. Otherwise, decisions have to be made. Speedy Joseph Morgan is a restricted free agent but he is expected to be retained, returning from injury to give the Saints a vertical threat that they lacked this year. In addition, Morgan has the kind of elite speed that could factor in the return game. Shayne Graham cannot be blamed for his two missed field goal tries at Seattle. On the first one, holder Luke McCown had the laces out on a very bad hold. On the second (as with the first), Graham was kicking into the wind and rain. Still, look for the Saints to bring in another kicker to challenge him for the job. Thomas Morstead is entrenched as the kickoff specialist and punter. One area which does not need to be addressed is defensive line. With the brilliance of Cameron Jordan, the explosiveness of Junior Galette, the emerging star power of Akiem Hicks and the bright future of John Jenkins, the Saints are solid. Glenn Foster has a couple of years left on his deal while Tyrunn Walker is solid as well. Decisions must be made on Brodrick Bunkley, Keyunta Dawson and Tom Johnson. Bunkley is solid but he counts $6.1 million against the cap; the run stuffer who missed eight games this past season will be 31-years-old in 2014, but his cap situation with dead money makes it unlikely that Bunkley will be released. A Shreveport native, Dawson was not a real factor, playing in just three games. Johnson had two sacks, playing in eight games. Finally, is it time to make an investment at quarterback pretty early in the draft? Brees will be 35-years-old in 2014. He was hit more this past season than at any time in his career. While Ryan Griffin shows some promise despite lacking a big arm and while McCown is okay in a reserve role, neither has the top-shelf potential or ability of Brees. Still, it is not likely that the Saints will do so yet. Perhaps in two years, this scenario would become more likely. Robert Meachem is a free agent and an interesting study. A Payton favorite, Meachem had a nominal season in his return to New Orleans, catching just 16 passes with only two touchdowns though he averaged 20.3 yards per catch. Speaking of Brees, would he be willing to restructure his deal to help keep the likes of Graham and Strief? Mickey Loomis has done an excellent job of managing the payroll while maintaining a contender over several years. Lance Moore is entering his ninth year and will be 31-years-old in 2014. Moore had his least productive season since 2009, falling from 65 receptions for 1,041 yards and six scores in 2012 to just 37 receptions for 457 yards and two touchdowns in 2013. He has two years left on his current deal. Nick Toon is unproven, a big target but the jury is out on him after his poor performance against the Jets though he has physical ability. The Saints had a brilliant off-season in 2013. If they can match or approach that in the 2014 draft and through free agency, they will be back in place to contend with Seattle, San Francisco, Carolina and Green Bay for the NFC championship. Ideally, you would like to get another play-maker at this position. If Ken Trahan serves as sports director of WGSO 990 AM/WGSO.com and is president and general manager of Sportsnola.com. Trahan is the also the general manager and chairman of the board of the Saints Hall of Fame Museum in the Louisiana Superdome, and runs the Life Resources Sports Ministry. 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T By Joe Darby o those of you dear readers who’ve graciously taken the time to peruse my scribblings in the past, you know that I’m not always comfortable with modern technology. I’ll admit that some modern electronic devices are very useful. I even recently acknowledged in these spaces that cell phones are quite valuable for folks who need to track down other folks as quickly as possible. I won’t go again into my feelings on the many other wonders that hand-held implements can accomplish. But this month I want to talk about GPS devices, the ones in newer vehicles that tell you where to go and how to get there. Now I don’t have one, so I can’t speak from first-hand knowledge about them. But I’ve heard from family members and friends that more often than not, a GPS will direct you to some place via a longer, more circuitous route than common sense would indicate you should take. I’m going to quote here from what I think is an excellent example of the fallibility of GPS devices, in a column by Richard Lentinello, the editor of Hemmings Classic Car magazine, my favorite publication for old car guys like me. (For those of you who don’t remember, one of my favorite possessions is my 1939 Chrysler Imperial.) Anyway, Richard says: “Once, when we were driving to the Charlotte AutoFair (from Bennington, Vermont), one of my co-workers turned on the GPS to see which way the satellite would have taken us, and sure enough it would have sent us over to Scranton, down Interstate 81 in western Virginia and over to I-77 into Charlotte; this route easily adds close to two hours to the trip. So instead we took the direct route of I-95 all the way down into Richmond then cut off into I-85 directly into Charlotte.” And I’ve heard so many similar stories. Besides that, we don’t need the darned things. You can pick up free state maps and city maps at many places, or even pay a few dollars for a nationwide road atlas, if you wish. Maps are great and have brought me many pleasurable hours over the years. When The Daughters were young, and the family took nice vacations every summer, I would get out my road maps and carefully plan the route we would take from the West Bank to Virginia or Tennessee. I would sometimes sit late into the night, figuring out where we would spend the night both coming and going and looking for places of interest along the route -- marked off in tiny red print in the Rand McNally books. “Yeah, that looks like a museum that we all would enjoy,” I’d remark to myself, then make a note to stop at the place if we were on schedule. I’d also study the city maps so that we could easily find our motel. I took lots of pride in using just the map, the old eyeballs and common sense to plan our trips. And I almost always got us to our destinations on time and without getting lost. Well, there was that one time when we were on a family vacation in northern Virginia. We were heading for the Washington, D.C., area and were supposed to visit Arlington Cemetery. I was familiar with D.C. because I’d go to Norfolk, Virginia, for my annual two weeks active duty for the Navy Reserve and I’d always drive up to visit the nation’s capital on my middle weekend. So what happened to us should never have happened -- but it did. We were coming up I-95 and I thought I’d make an easy exit into Arlington. But somehow, I missed a turn and we drove into DC itself but then came back out into Virginia -- no big deal because it was only mid-afternoon. We passed the Pentagon, so I pointed out to The Daughters -- “Look girls, there’s the Pentagon, where the top military officers of the United States work.” They seemed duly impressed, as I kept driving. But the second time we passed the Pentagon, The Daughters started to chuckle. And the third time we drove by the huge building, they were laughing out loud at me and said they doubted I would ever get to Arlington Cemetery. Wel l, t hey were r ig ht. I had to head to ou r motel, as da rk was rapidly approaching. And, by gosh, there was one other time when my map-reading abilities failed me, right in the same area, wouldn’t you know. The Wife and I were staying in Alexandria, Virginia, a few years ago, having visited Virginia Civil War battlefields and were on our way to Gettysburg. And being baseball fans, we drove into D.C. that night to see the Washington Nationals play the Cubs in old RFK Stadium. Now I carefully mapped out my route through D.C., and we got the stadium fine, with plenty of daylight to help guide our way. After the game, when it had turned dark, I figured all I had to do was to reverse our route back into Alexandria. But one of the key streets I’d counted on using was one-way and that was enough to cause an unpleasant evening. Having to divert from my planned route, I got on some interstate or interstate-like highway that took me back into Virginia and we drove -- and drove -- and drove, with no sign of Alexandria. It was a very dark night and 18-wheelers were zipping by me as I strained to find some sign of where we were. Well, I finally saw an exit sign for an Air Force Base and I headed for that installation. The courteous young airman at the gate informed me that we were about 20 miles from Alexandria, but told me how to get back. His directions were excellent, I must say. Okay, people are not perfect, but I still say we’re a lot better than GPS devices. Besides, reading maps can be fun, educational and enlightening -- as long as you’re not in Virginia, just outside D.C. Jo e D a rb y, a f o r m e r longtime West Bank resident and a newspaper reporter for more than 40 years, retired to Natchitoches, La., in 2006. He writes for the West Bank Beacon on experiences common to all of us, no matter where we live. He can be reached at jdarby9@suddenlink.net. www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 9 >> art Spotlight on Gretna Artist Becky Fos By Marielle Songy B ecky Fos is a Texas born artist and mother residing in Gretna with her husband Jeff Fos, and their son Jude. When she decided that the plain white walls of her home needed a “little something”, she discovered a hidden talent; she is an adept painter. Becky got her start as a skilled hair stylist, and while studying stenography found that she has an eye for art.. How did you first realize that you wanted to paint? When the sterile, white, naked walls of my house started crying out for art, that’s when I first realized that I needed to paint. I painted what I wanted to see on my walls, and I loved it! Who or what inspires your work? Many things inspire me as an artist! I am inspired daily just by living here in this magical city! I love to walk uptown, downtown, the French market, and especially my neighborhood, Old Gretna, to just encounter the magic that this city is all about. I am inspired by the musicians that fill the street (especially those on the street corners with their tip buckets). How did you come up with your particular style? I started painting on my own just sitting on the floor with my canvas propped up against the cabinets in my kitchen. I think that my style is evolving daily because I look at what I first created, with one of my son’s paint brushes and acrylic paint, and now I am using a pallet knife and oil to mold the paint to create texture. I still love acrylic because it dries so fast, but I love oil because of the texture that you can add to a piece. I love color too. I was actually told that I use way too much color and that it’s not going to appeal to the majority of people, but I just can’t help being me. I love color and I paint for myself and I’m just blessed that others would like it too. Which of your pieces would you call your favorite? I think that it would have to be a toss-up between my James Booker piece and my Big Chief Monk Boudreaux! They are both inspirational as human beings, and I got the biggest rush while creating them. I really couldn’t put down the paint. The “Big Chief Monk Boudreaux” was actually a collaboration with photographer Joe Marino. The way that he was able to capture all of his spirit in one photo to was just magical. 10 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com Who is your favorite artist, local or otherwise? I love the creations of local artist Terrance Osborne, Debra Hurd, Bruni Sablan and of course, Vincent Van Gogh. You are a mother and you are also studying stenography. Do you have any advice for a mom who would like to create but can’t seem to find the time? I actually found the time by painting with my son after all of the homework and extra-curricular activities. That was the only way I found time, and it was fabulous. I got to relieve my stress and spend time with the apple of my eye, as well as create art for my naked walls! I cherish these moments. We would set up shop in the kitchen, put the sheet down on the ground and go to town. Sometimes I would get so wrapped up in what I was doing that I would go back to it after Jude was fast asleep! Café Hope recently commissioned you for a portrait of John Besh. That’s quite the honor! How did that come about? I was commissioned by Cafe Hope to paint the portrait of John Besh as a thank you for all that he has done for the foundation. It was a huge honor and I was so excited. They asked me if I would like to display art in their newly renovated dining room a few months ago and that’s how they came about asking me! I was thrilled to present it to him at his gala in December. What would you say to a young person who is eyeing a career in the arts? I would say to follow your dreams and listen to your heart. Go with whatever makes you happy. I was never “classically trained” in art. I never went to an art college. I went to John Jay to study hair and I love doing hair. In fact, I only do wedding hair because it’s my passion. I have many hats that I like to wear. They all make me happy and have molded me into the person that I am today. I am still studying stenography; it’s just going to take me longer to achieve that dream as well. Who knows what could happen? Where can we see your work? Do you have any showings coming up? I have original paintings at Classic Frame and Mat in Old Gretna, Cafe Hope, Make Me Up on Magazine St. and The Nation on Magazine St. I have prints for sale at Creative Hang-ups on Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey and Charles Jacob Design on Metairie Rd. I also have a website: www.eighty-oneartistry.com Member Minute Get to know a LOCAL Jefferson Chamber Member Business Keep your website at the top of the “to view” list At Damonaz Designs, we specialize in SEO (Service Engine Optimization) Web Marketing Services, but do a lot more. Damonaz works to increase a company’s rankings on: • Search engines • Social media • Article marketing • Pay-per-click campaigns • And drive traffic to the company’s website Damonaz can also develop and design your website. Our goal is to help companies gain exposure through online marketing. FREE Rankings Report Available for a limited time only. Let us break down the productivity of your website, and show you where it ranks within search engines. To learn more about Damonaz Designs, contact West Bank native and UNO alum Luis Campos at (504) 265-9380 or dz@damonazdesign.com. When you want to make sure your website gets seen, make sure you see the good folks at Damonaz. Damonaz Designs, LLC www.damonazdesign.com • (504) 265-9380 W e recently caught up with Jason Kilpatrick, the Louisiana Marketing Manager for RaceTrac. Please read what he had to say about what RaceTrac has been up to on the West Bank. Q: How many RaceTrac locations are on the West Bank? A: RaceTrac has two locations on the West Bank, one in Avondale and the other in Gretna. Q: How many total employees are employed by West Bank RaceTrac locations? A: RaceTrac’s West Bank locations employ approximately 35-40 team members. Q: What is the most important aspect of a RaceTrac location’s success? A: At RaceTrac, our people are our competitive advantage and our store team members look forward to serving the guests who visit RaceTrac every day. RaceTrac team members deliver a WOW experience to our guests by displaying the RaceTrac Way: a warrior’s passion, a humble attitude and living for fun every day. Q: What has been your region’s biggest accomplishment this past year? A: RaceTrac’s biggest accomplishment in Louisiana has been the addition of our newest store prototype, which can be seen at our Avondale location. This 6,000 square foot store features our Swirl World frozen yogurt bar with 10 flavors and more than 40 toppings, a beer cooler, fresh salads, sandwiches and fruits, as well as endless beverage options, including an expanded and completely customizable coffee bar. Q: What is your company looking forward to in the new year? A: RaceTrac is continuing to put people first as well as offering our services and products at a value. Q: In what ways does RaceTrac give back to the local community? A: RaceTrac strives to be a great partner in every community in which we serve, and has given back to the West Bank community in several ways, including supporting Positive Behavior Programs at Catherine Strahle Elementary and LW Higgins High School. We have also participated in Cash Back programs with many schools, not only on the West Bank, but across the entire region, where schools receive a percentage of our sales. During our Teacher Appreciation celebration, we provided all of the teachers in the Avondale area with free RaceTrac Teacher Appreciation coffee mugs, and Swirl World and coffee coupons. Q: Why is RaceTrac a member of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce? A: The Jefferson Chamber of Commerce has been a great partner for us in the West Bank area and we look forward to continuing the relationships we have established thus far. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, RaceTrac has been serving guests since 1934 and now operates more than 360 convenience store locations in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. In January 2012, RaceTrac introduced its new 6,000 square foot store design, featuring 24 hour Swirl World frozen yogurt, fresh salads and sandwiches, up to 24 fueling stations and more than 4,000 items to satisfy the needs of its guests. www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 11 GETTING READY FOR SPRING Contributing Writer Guy Ralph McDonald >> outdoors “Under the Water and Deep in the Soil” G reetings all ye purveyors of sun and sand or soil caked under your fingernails. I’m baaaaack! Today, there’s a big grin on my face, fat specks, and two flounder perfect for stuffing. In the Igloo, there are 4 redfish, 1 over 27 inches, and 3 others, 16 to 18 inches, and the 12 specks are all 1-2 pounds, most full of roe. It’s January 2014, the temperature is moderately cool and there is a light fog along Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish. I had a ball all by myself and didn’t take my boat because everybody else I fish with was working at their regular jobs. So I decided to fish the deeper canals along Highway 23 south in Plaquemines Parish, from the bank: the Tenneco canals and the dead ends at the new waterfront canals near Ironton, even the Buras Canal. I would have fished the river below Boothville if the Carrolton River gauge was less than 3 feet: it wasn’t. The River starts to rise in December is very silt laden at this time of year. Fish there from July through November. FYI: I call that fishing the saltwater wedge. Now the latter doesn’t apply the further south one goes. As I pull into the driveway of my home in Harvey after the trip, I look forward to some fresh fish: the bonus is smoked redfish and tasty speck filets. And I don’t have to unhook or wash the boat. Wow! Just a little knowledge goes a long way about fishing all venues regardless of weather conditions, with or without a boat. Each year, as long as I can remember, specks, flounder and reds inhabit the deep canals where the water is warmer and the fish are feeding. So let’s understand what my nonsensical, apparent giddiness is all about. I love the subtle but positive changes in our ecosystem onslaught of springlike conditions with its west northwest winds that occasionally coming down the pike a bit early. Traditionally, from mid-February on, a Chinook wind that blows down the Rockies from the northwest Pacific heralds warm weather ahead to our area. Anytime there is clearing, warmer temps after a rough winter, there exists a warm feeling. I’m relatively sure that same feeling pervaded the first Americans, the Indians, who later passed the Chinook interpretation to us before planting their maize, corn. In our area of the United States, sports people and home gardeners, like me, also take in this feeling that spring is around the corner. No time for dilly dallying, just like preparing for winter, we have to make sure our readiness is fairly complete for the long fishing and gardening seasons ahead. BOATS, ENGINES, TRAILERS, TACKLE Let’s look at some basic stuff. Most outdoor, gung ho sports people who live in south Louisiana have some kind of watercraft. Let’s start at the bottom: That is, your boat trailer tires and wheel bearings. When is the last time you pulled those bearings out, cleaned and greased them? Was it one year ago two, maybe three or more years? Take it from this old salt, I learned the hard way. On a trip to Bay Adams out of Empire some time back, I had three flat tires on the way back home and burned bearings, which literally ripped one tire to pieces from slag inside the internally corroded rim. I had one spare and thought that was enough. It wasn’t. My partner and I replaced the tire with a spare. That got us halfway home. The other one blew out from the same thing. I stayed with the boat and my fishing partner had to purchase two new tires and rims. It’s hard to forget those circumstances. As we all know, marina operators, for the most part, do not operate their hoists any more, at least most on the West Bank. That’s bad news for boat owners. Ever since Katrina tore up their hoists, most do not offer lift service anymore. Sid Bourgeois over at Joe’s Landing in Lafitte told me this. He said that the insurance rates are so high now, they cannot afford it. Its business and I understand that. So it’s more important than ever to make sure 12 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com your tires wheel bearings and rims are all in good shape. You may be sure I service mine. It’s easy and cheap if you do it yourself. And it’s not hard. What about your electronic devices, Loran’s, depth finders, batteries. Are your 12 volt batteries fully charged and those older batteries filled with distilled water? Do you check for corrosion on your battery cables? How about your paddle, communication device, first aid kit, and mosquito/gnat head net? What about your drain plugs, do they need to be replaced, oil in the lower unit? How about running lights, steering system, greased or no? Do you have your new maps with coordinates for your direction finder you perhaps got as a Christmas gift present as I did? Don’t get high or dry on mud flats. Do you have a duck bill push pole for those bad times and cause engine overheating. Just a thought: watch out for saw grass sticking out the water in seemingly open water, they are probably sitting on a mud flat at low tide. A rule of thumb is to fish toward the grass line from a distance in deeper water. Flounder frequent those flats. How about your gaff for that 25 pound bull black drum, landing net? Now that all of those chores are done start your engine and let it run for a bit. Now you’re in the mood if that engine cranks off from a long winter hiatus. Did you think to add a gas stabilizer to that leftover gas from your last trip two months ago? Ok? Let’s turn to your rods, reels, tackle. Do you need new line; do you have enough hooks, lures, and beetles whatever? Anyway, good luck with your prep work. It is necessary so you won’t have a busted trip. You see I made all those faux pas’ as we say. First Annual GARDEN PREP TIME ALSO BEGINS NOW If you’ve read my columns in the past, you’d know that spring, now only two months away, is planting time. Are you ready? SOIL Make sure you lay out your rows and/or above ground planters, usually 4X 3X 8 foot or 30 gallon plastic containers. Good friable soil is a must. Use a mixture of bulk garden soil for your base; add some peat moss and or compost if you have it. If you don’t now have compost bin, 3 pieces of chicken wire rolled into cylinders will do nicely. You should make 3 of them, the first for raw vegetable matter from your kitchen table, the second and third is when the number one bin has filled; dump into the second, the third. That takes about six months to make usable compost... Grass clippings and mulched leaves are great. Keep you mulch wet and when you fertilize your garden rows throw a little of that 13-13-13 into your compost. Don’t be alarmed if you see smoke rising from heap. That means bacteria are eating the waste and transforming it into a friable soil equal or better than any soil you can imagine. One can start plants like tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers . . . in peat pots inside a shed or protected source. Or, if you wish, buy them, when available through your feed stores, catalogs or home improvement stores. Good gardening, good fishing and I’ll see you in the marsh, a cleaner marsh. Saturday, February 15, 2014 At Gretna Farmer’s Market Teams will begin set up 7:00AM. Teams begin cooking 8:00AM. Judging begins 11:30AM. Soup will be sold to the public 11:30AM until 3:00PM. $5.00 per person to taste them all! Tickets will be available at the market on Saturday Morning. COVETED “MAGIC LADLE“ AWARD THE MAGIC LADLE In the right hands it can turn a pot of water into an award winning soup. To become a cook-off participant Contact Ernie Elfer ernieatthemarket@att.net For registration information Dine In • Carryout • Party Tray Open 7 Days a Week: Monday • Lunch: Closed | Dinner: 5pm-10pm Tuesday – Thursday • Lunch: 11am-3pm | Dinner: 5pm-10pm Friday • Lunch: 11am-3pm | Dinner: 5pm-11pm Saturday • All Day | 12pm-11pm Sunday • All Day | 12pm-10pm Please order by number and 30 minutes before closing time. Cook-off prizes awarded in 2 categories Cream Soup & Broth Soup Team Categories #1 Organization Team Entries 5 gallons of soup required for entry $75.00 for 4 person team #2 Family Team Entries 3 gallons of soup required for entry $30.00 for 4 person team The Farmer’s Market will be open 8:30AM until 3:00PM. Gretna Market Place • Huey P. Long Avenue & 4th Street For more information, call 504-361-1822 or visit www.gretnala.com. 1130 Behrman Hwy. Gretna, LA 70056 Tel: (504) 394-2820 Fax: (504) 393-6547 www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 13 Contributing Writer Guy Ralph McDonald >> outdoors A Chronological Monthly Outdoor Guide For 2014 O K. We should all have survived the deep freeze of January 2014. Maybe a few broken pipes and bone chilling have affected some, but all in all we came through the siege. I am now 81 and have survived 2013 and look forward to all that the year 2014 will offer us in the great Louisiana outdoors. That includes this old salt. It will be a new look at old problems and how to deal with adversities. Old Outdoors with Mac is still alive and kicking and wishes to impart to my faithful readers what we can reasonably expect, month by month this year. The following is my interpretation of outdoor events that normally occur each month of the year. I’ll outline normal weather parameters obtained from actual experience, ocean and weather almanacs. Farmer’s Almanac with historical data about our area, and my own prognostications are included. In short, the skinny on everything outdoor related. On a sad note, everybody’s go-to friend, chef, outdoor and cookbook author, columnist and entrepreneur, Frank Davis, was called home to our father in Heaven. He was “Naturally N’Awlins” television personality on WWL-TV and radio shows and so much more. I am happy to say that Frank and I rubbed shoulders many times with our reporting of outdoor fishing rodeos, on radio, television and the print media: events such as the Italian-American Fishing Rodeos, the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeos and others. Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Mary Claire, and to their entire family. God love you Frank! I’ll miss you, buddy! Save a good fishing spot for me up there. GENERAL AND UNNATURAL WEATHER PATTERNS Weather in the greater New Orleans area for the coming year, according to meteorological experts, will be hard to predict because of the always unpredictable El Nino and La Nina weather patterns. Suffice to say, the western part of the South Pacific from off the California coast south to the Panama Canal is a big player. Warmer/ colder ocean water depths haven’t stayed within normal temperature parameters in the last few years, probably because of global warming and/ or erratic pole deviations; i.e.) the Polar Vortex. Obviously, this has happened before; but it is now more prevalent, however, since global warming became an issue in the general meteorological scheme of weather prognostications. It is, essentially, too much hydrocarbons in the atmosphere caused by the usage of fossil fuels with no regard to the consequences. Anomalies in weather patterns for an El Nino type year would have the southwestern jet stream blowing the tops off thunderstorms that would 14 Photo contributed by John Hickman. John John, my 12 year old great grandson, caught some of these with his father. John Sr. is an avid saltwater fisher. Redfish and Black Drum. cause fewer tropical storms to form. Good for south Louisiana, us, but not for other parts of the planet. Vis-à-vis, there would be winds that emanate from the South Pacific blowing more consistently all year from the southwest. During normal periods, no El Nino or La Nina, persistent east to west wind is the norm. The reason, a strong Bermuda High pushes west into the Gulf. We all know what that means, more pleasant weather, from east to west. Storms rotate along its periphery. A strong La Nina effect, cooler than normal Pacific waters, suggests California will have a wetter season. Louisiana will have a drier season that somewhat cancels the effect of any El Nino. So what does all of this gibberish mean for the Louisiana outdoor enthusiast? Read on! PROGNOSTICATIONS, JANUARY, 2014 Until we hear from the National Weather Service as to what we can expect from their long range weather prognostications, this writer will start with my past general experience, some 65 years at last count. The month of January will have below-average daily air temperature. For your information, some of the coldest weather traditionally happens each January, so say the weather almanacs. In the past few years, temperature was seasonal and followed variations The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com that sometimes occur with an El Nino or La Nina year. It’s all about how the jet streams perform that determine extremes for the Deep South. I can recall a low of 14 degrees Fahrenheit here in 1959. So what does temperature have to do with fishing or hunting this month? SALTWATER FISH GO DEEP WHEN IT’S COLD Fish are cold blooded animals, but seek the warmest water they can find in the interior marsh to support their metabolism, especially speckled trout. They don’t feed much during periods of prolonged cold surface water temperature and move sluggishly near the bottom or the depth that best suits them. If you’re a winter fisher, the following might help you: When the water warms sufficiently at a comfortable depth, fish begin feeding. As the surface water temperature warms bait fish begin moving nearer the surface to feed. But first, probe the water near the bottom, retrieving very slowly (the latter coincides with the fish’s normal feeding pattern) with your favorite artificial bait. I still like the silver sidewinder with a chartreuse tail, a trailer pork rind or white turkey bacon strip; a green beetle with a black stripe and gold spinner is great too. Big reds and black bass love the latter combination Conversely, as the air temperature begins to rise after old sol shows its face, think popping cork rigged with a single or double soft plastic. I prefer a chartreuse beetle on the top and a purple, pink, or glow on the bottom. Pop the rig vigorously and let it set for a few seconds after the cork returns to the perpendicular position. Many times a speck, red or flounder will strike it viciously at that point. I don’t know why, but surmise it’s because the beetles now seem helpless in the water; a wiggle of the popping cork with the rod tip sometimes helps initiate a strike. Deeper water is warmer and harder to find in lots of locations like bays because the strong northerly or west winds blows the water out and drops the water table appreciably. Negatively, there would be more suspended silt present. We should all know that turbid water rarely supports game fish. So seek a canal or bayou that has at least six or more feet of water, preferably a dead end. The water should be clear or “root beer” colored. Ideally, one of these dead ends should have an opening or two, or washout that is connected on the other end to an open bay. What I’m saying is egress and outflows; I know several of these in the Lafitte area. They are best. Tidal flow between the two helps move bait fish and shrimp. Dead end pipeline canal with no outflow but deep water is good too. Don’t forget that on a cold day of fishing when you get in your boat, first look for diving seagulls, especially in a waterway that has a channel, such as Bayous Rigolets, St. Denis or the channel between Bayou Norman due east to Bay Round. Gulls seem to like these waterways because they’re sufficiently deep to hold moving bait and feeding specks during the winter. Another location would be Turtle bay to the opening of Harvey Cut. If you are up to it and do what I just outlined, you will catch specks and sometimes reds and flounder more often than not. If you are well dressed for the cold weather, try fishing the deep holes this winter. I’ll come back next month and tell you what to expect for February. Send your remarks and pictures to us if you find the information useful. We may publish your pictures and text, subject to editing. By the way, we solicit ads, pictures and sponsors. Thanks and God bless. Have a great month. And as usual I’ll see you in the marsh, a cleaner marsh. www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 15 16 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 17 Contributing Writer Dr. David Heitmeier >> health AMD Affects the Eyesight of Older Americans A ge-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 10 million older Americans, continues to be the leading cause of vision loss in the United States. The global cost of the disease according to a recent report by AMD Alliance International (AMDAI) is estimated at $343 billion, underscoring the need for swift actions to raise awareness of prevention and treatment options. “This is a promising time for patients as preventative measures and effective, timely treatments have the ability to alter the disease tremendously,” said AMDAI’s Chairman Don Curran. “But macular disease is only as preventable and manageable as people are knowledgeable. Knowing the facts can significantly improve a person’s chances of maintaining healthy vision and a better quality of life.” The National Institutes of Health projects the number of AMD diagnoses to double to 20 million by 2020. Losing vision has devastating consequences to an individual’s daily life and those affected by the disease often suffer from severe depression and loss of independence. However, those at-risk and AMD patients can take steps to reduce needless sight loss. Specially formulated vitamins for those affected by the disease may help, and effective clinically-approved treatments are available for the most severe form of AMD. For more information on treatment options, visit http://www.amdalliance.org/treatments_overview.html. In addition, low vision rehabilitation and support services can significantly help patients live with the disease and make the most of their remaining vision. MORE ABOUT AMD Age-related Macular Degeneration - or AMD - is an eye disease that causes loss of central vision, leaving only peripheral, or side, vision intact. It usually does not lead to total blindness, but rather may cause foggy or blurred central vision and varying degrees of usable peripheral vision. Whether you have the more common “dry” (early) form of AMD, or the more severe (late stage) “wet” form, it is important to know the facts about AMD and what you can do to make the most of your sight. If you take certain measures to keep your eyes healthy, you can prevent AMD or slow its progress. AMD Alliance International suggests taking the following three steps to help prevent and manage AMD. Understand the risk factors for AMD • If you are 50 or older, you’re at risk of developing the disease. Having a family member with AMD can also increase your risk. • Smoking, a diet high in saturated fat, obesity, and having high blood pressure are risk factors associated with AMD. Ask questions and know your treatment options Get regular eye exams and manage your eye health • Know your exact diagnosis and all available treatment options. Learn more about treatment options at http://www.amdalliance.org/en/100311_1236/ treatments_overview.html. • Routine exams can help identify AMD and other eye problems in their early stages, when many diseases are more easily treatable. • Don’t smoke, eat a healthy varied diet, take exercise and use UV certified sunglasses in bright sunlight. The preceding article, brought to you by Dr. David Heitmeier, was a news release from www.preventblindness.org. For further questions please contact Heitmeier, Armani, Langhetee and Cangelosi Medical and Surgical Eyecare at (504) 368-7081. 18 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com health << Smartphones Help Researchers Keep Track of People’s Diets K By Olivia McClure eeping track of one’s diet doesn’t have to be boring. With the help of camera-enabled smartphones, visual food diaries are easy to create and more effective for nutrition researchers. The LSU AgCenter and Pennington Biomedical Research Center began a joint study of remote food photography in 2012. Participants used smartphones to photograph each meal they consumed in a three-day period. The photos were sent to a custom-built server at Pennington, where dietitians compared them to images of certain portion sizes and components. Georgianna Tuuri, an associate professor in the LSU AgCenter’s School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, said the goal was to compare how much energy and how often people of different ages eat. Pennington gathered data from adults, while the AgCenter worked with a group of about 20 high schoolers at University High School on LSU’s campus. Popular belief suggests young people snack more often, but the study found the opposite was true, with some adult participants eating as often as 10 times per day, Tuuri said. Young people are constrained by class schedules at school, she explained, causing them to eat fewer but more energy-dense meals. There is always human error in reporting dietary information, whether using photos or traditional methods such as food diaries or interviewing participants about what they ate. Tuuri pointed out that “there is no good way to collect dietary information” because people sometimes forget or choose not to report certain foods they eat. It is also difficult to analyze ingredients such as salt, which some people are not sure how to record in a diary and cannot be seen in photos. Smartphone photos do have advantages, however, in that they conveniently and precisely document exactly what people eat and how often, Tuuri said. Remote food photography harnesses popular technology to more accurately investigate eating patterns and nutrition as well as minimize problems researchers and participants have with paper documentation. Another benefit is being able to communicate with study subjects in real time, allowing researchers to catch errors or ambiguities that may skew data. “If the dietitian looks at the pictures and sees a glass of milk, and she doesn’t know what kind of milk, she can text them and say, ‘What kind of milk was that?’” Tuuri said. Smartphones also enable people to make better decisions about food on the go. For example, someone dining at Subway could use mobile Internet to quickly determine how many calories EliminatE stickEr shock! avoid pagEs & pagEs of Bills! People ask, “Why is the price from a hospital imaging center so much higher compared to the price from DIS?” Hospitals often charge higher fees for their services to offset the costs of their 24/7 operations. Hospitals also may charge much higher fees for imaging exams, such as MRIs, to subsidize other poorly reimbursed services. Hospitals are allowed to charge Medicare and other third-party insurers a “facility fee,” leading to even more price inflation. in a sandwich, Tuuri said. Now that researchers have accumulated a library of food photos, Pennington is working to automate the process of comparing participant and database photos. Tuuri said this could cut costs in future studies because dietitians spend hours analyzing photos and other data, which is expensive. The preceding article was produced by the LSU AgCenter. For more information, visit www. lsuagcenter.com. Dreaming of a Sensational Smile? Visit New Orleans Dental Center and make it a reality! New & Existing Patients dental visit $50 OFF any of $100 or more Must bring this coupon. Limit one coupon per patient per valid period. Some restrictions may apply. Offer expires 3-15-2014. FAMILY DENTISTRY Dwight D. Landry, D.D.S • Wendy M. Maes, D.D.S. 1901 Manhattan Blvd. Bldg. F, Ste. 201, at Fountain Park Centre 504-347-6000 www.NewOrleansDentalCenter.com • DIS has no separate fee for the radiologist • DIS does not charge an additional facility fee • DIS does not have any other add-on charges or costs One bill for all services • Say YES and spend LESS at DIS 925 Avenue C • Marrero LA 70072 | Call 504-883-5999 | www.disnola.com No multi-story parking garage | No elevators | No stairs | No crowded hallways www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 19 >> health Cancer Center at WJMC to be Featured in Krewe of Grela T he West Jefferson Hospital Foundation is sponsoring a float in the Krewe of Grela on Mardi Gras Day for the Cancer Center at West Jefferson Medical Center. The single-decker float symbolically encourages hope for persons with all types of cancers. Some 16 patients and loved ones will ride on the cancer awareness float. In addition, watch for cancer survivors and their loved ones on the Captain’s float riding with Krewe of Grela captain Russell Lloyd. The Foundation has supported the facilities of the Cancer Center at West Jefferson Medical Center and special projects such as support groups for patients and families, art prints and framing in the Cancer Center, the start up of a transportation fund and the annual Pink Tea for breast cancer survivors. “We are pleased to help make the Center a very special environment for those undergoing cancer treatments,” Jack Stumpf, Foundation president says. “Patients, their loved ones, and the community have embraced us in our helping the new Center. The West Jefferson Hospital Foundation is very pleased to lend its support to cancer awareness, cancer outreach and special programs for the patients and their loved ones.” “Our physicians and staff appreciate the encouragement of our patients, their family and friends, the Foundation and other donors who continue to make a tremendous contribution in the journey our patients and their loved ones travel,” Vanessa Batson, Oncology Service Line Director adds. “These individuals make a tremendous difference in the care and services we are able to provide.” To donate beads for the King of Hope float initiative or to make a contribution to the Cancer Center thru the Hospital Foundation, call (504) 349-2051 or visit http://www.wjmc.org/Foundation/WJH-FoundationMake-A-Donation.aspx Join the Krewe of ALLA The Krewe of Alla will parade on Sunday, February 23, 2014 at 1pm on the Uptown New Orleans route For more information call 394-0321 or email fborne@cox.net. Sign up online at kreweofalla.net. Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late! CoMPLeTe oIL & fILTeR SeRVICe InTake ManIfoLD TUne-UP CoMPLeTe fRonT BRake JoB Up to 4 Qts. Oil Improve fuel mileage Save at the pump 8 Pt. Brake System Check 18.95 $79.95 $119.99 $ Expires 2/28/14 Expires 2/28/14 Expires 2/28/14 Lucky Rogers Express Car Care Inc. 366-7500 Monday–Friday • 7:30am–6:00pm 1529 8th Street • Harvey, LA 70058 (Near Best Buy) luckyrogers.com • lucky13for@aol.com 20 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com State Library Announces 2014 Teen Video Challenge T 10 Street Cafe’ th 423 10th Street, Gretna, LA 70053 Monday-Wednesday 11:00am-3:00pm • Thursday-Friday 11:00am-9:00pm Saturday 5:00pm-9:00pm p Home of the boudin stuffed pork cho specials ch lun ly dai Serving great seafood, po-boys and 10 % OFF he State Library of Louisiana will again participate in the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s Teen Video Challenge, a national video competition for teens to get involved with reading and their public libraries’ summer reading programs. Teenagers may enter the competition by creating a public service announcement that encourages teens to read and visit libraries during the summer using the theme “Spark a Reaction.” The deadline for video submission is March 10. The winning video from each participating state will be announced in spring 2014 and used by public libraries nationally to promote summer reading. The creators of the winning state video will be awarded $275 and their associated public library will receive prizes worth $125 from the CSLP and Upstart. The CSLP is a grassroots consortium of 48 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, the Mariana Islands, Cayman Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia that provides children, teens and families with a summer reading program. It also supplies public libraries with promotional materials. To view the 2013 videos and additional information, visit www.cslpreads.org. Rules and details for the challenge can be found on the State Library’s website, www.state.lib. la.us. Click Literacy and Reading, then Summer Reading Program and scroll to Teen Video Challenge. The winning videos may be used by teens and public libraries to promote summer reading nationwide. *Excludes Alcohol www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 21 >> pets Join JSPCA for Kitten Bowl By The Jefferson SPCA A mong 5,000 animal welfare organizations Jefferson SPCA was selected as one of ten groups to participate in the first ever Kitten Bowl. Kittens and Football go hand and paw and we are very excited to announce our local Kitten Bowl event in the agility training area of Jefferson Feed. Enjoy free food, giveaways, raffle and much more in a space that we’re transforming into the Mew Orleans Supurrdome. About Hallmark Channel’s Kitten Bowl 2014 Sunday, February 2 at 12/11c “Kitten Bowl” is the greatest feline showdown in cable television history. The competition will consist of two preliminary playoffs and a championship match. Along with basic obstacle courses of hurdles, tunnels, hoops, jumps, weave poles, lasers, lures and toys on strings, “Kitten Bowl” will feature clever locker room strategies, player profiles and “interviews,” and camera work and audio recordings from the athletes as they play the game! This inaugural three-hour special event, in Association with North Shore Animal League America, will be hosted by TV personality and activist Beth Stern, and emceed by John Sterling, the legendary radio voice of the New York Yankees. All of the kittens participating in the competition are guaranteed forever homes through Hallmark Channel’s partnership with North Shore Animal League America whose innovations in animal welfare have saved more than 1,000,000 pets – and counting! “Kitten Bowl” guarantees the 60-70 kitten participants will join the list of pets adopted into loving homes and will significantly raise the awareness of the plight of shelter animals across the country. If you are interested in volunteering for this event please email jacob@jeffersonspca.org 22 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com NESOM TAX SERVICE Small Business Services Reasonable Rates 2016 Alejo del sur Harvey, LA 70058 phone: 504-214-3640 fax: 504-366-3655 email: roynesom@yahoo.com Have a Safe Helping Our Neighbors Grow! Offering small business lending on the West Bank at all our branches. Mississippi River Bank BELLE CHASSE P.O. Box 607 / 8435 Highway 23 Belle Chasse, LA 70037 504.392.1111 & Happy Mardi Gras! PORT SULPHUR 27104 Hwy. 23 Port Sulphur, LA 70083 504.391.6995 HARVEY 1440 Lapalco Boulevard Harvey, LA 70058 504.391.6965 www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 23 >> groups Terrytown Woodmen of Golden Agers the World News T errytown Golden Agers celebrated January birthdays for Margie Falcone and Jean Honold. Not pictured are Earl Hemenway and Dolores Plaisance. Everyone enjoyed ice cream and cake, and of course socializing. Jefferson Parish Seniors, 50 and over, are welcome to come and check out the club on Heritage Avenue in Terrytown at 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays. 24 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com W oodmen of the World, Westwego – Chapter 620, dedicated to the City of Westwego three flagpoles and an American Flag for the new Park area in Westwego on December 6, 2013. Pictured from left to right: Carol Reaves, Assistant to Westwego Mayor; Chad Usea, Park Administrator; Eulene Boudreaux, Edward Boudreaux, Jr., Christine Boudreaux, Pamela Boudreaux, Chapter 620 members, Johnny Nobles, Westwego Councilman; and John Nocito, Chapter 620 member. groups << Group Sponsors Annual Cook-Off Event For Children With Cancer I magine your world turned upside down in a heartbeat by four little words. “Your child has cancer” is a diagnosis that no parent wants to hear. Those words are heard all too often in this country and particularly in south Louisiana. Those were the words that changed the Sarrat’s family forever on November 12, 2008. Ben Sarrat Jr. was a happy, full of life 4 year old boy. His parents had begun to notice something wrong with their son several weeks before. He would not eat right and began having difficulty walking, so off to Children’s Hospital it was. Test after test was performed and then came the news, Lil Ben was diagnosed with a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma or DIPG. DIPG is an extremely rare very aggressive form of brain cancer. There is no known cure for it, the average survival time is nine months from diagnosis, and the only treatments of chemotherapy and radiation therapy can only help buy time. Lil Ben did everything imaginable during his treatments. He traveled, had every imaginable party, went on a Make-A-Wish®Disney cruise, was a New Orleans Saints junior captain, a WWLTV quiet Hero, and even rode in a Mardi Gras parade. Lil Ben did something else that he did not even realize during his battle. He inspired others to live life and to help others. Rene Louapre and Becker Hall wanted to have a pig roast and share it with their friends. Lil Ben’s battle inspired them to put a charitable mission behind their party and Hogs For The Cause was born. On March 29, 2009, they gathered with their friends and family and roasted one pig on a spit all day. That first year was a success and Ben continued to battle, all the while with a smile and often times a joke. Tragically, Ben lost his battle a week before the second Hogs for the Cause in 2010. Ben’s story only solidified Becker and Rene’s desire to do whatever they could to help families struggling with the financial burdens of taking care of a child battling brain cancer. Hogs For The Cause has grown and, now entering its 6th year, the event has become one of the top BBQ festivals in the country. March 28 & 29 “City Pork” will attract almost 100 teams to compete in the Ben Sarrat Jr. High On The Hog Cook Off, and boast 11 live bands. Teams cook for 2 days in traditional categories and the nontraditional “Porkpourri” category which includes anything pork. The mission behind Hogs has not changed even though the scale and location have. As a result, Hogs has been able to support close to 100 different families since the event and has established the Hogs for the Cause fund at Children’s Hospital which will work to support families with children with all types of cancer. Lil Ben’s dad, Big Ben, continues to cook and compete every year with a team of friends and fellow chefs. One of Ben’s teammates is another Hogs grant recipient. His daughter was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at the tender age of 5 months. Together the teammates attempt to raise awareness and solicit corporate and individual donations all year long. Please send donations to Hogs For The Cause, 760 Magazine Street Unit 214, New Orleans, LA 70130 notation: Hog Dat Nation For tickets or more information on the event please visit www.hogsforthecause.org To learn more about pediatric brain cancer research please visit www.thecurestartsnow.org Algiers Republican Women’s Membership Open House From left to right: Colonel William Davis, Commandant of New Orleans Military Maritime Academy; LFRW president, June Williams; ARW President, Connie Forstater; Command Master Chief, Retired, Norman Umholtz; LFRW Region 1 Vice President, Rose Marie Meehan; and Cathy White, Immediate Past President. A ARW members gather with host, Dr. Marc Behar. From left: Rose Marie Meehan, Kelly Camp, host, Dr. Marc Behar; Irene Burrus, Ruth-Anne Hammond, Ann Marks, Lynn Ward and associative member, Ron Ward. lgiers Republican Women held their annual Christmas/Membership Open House at Dr. Marc Behar’s historic Garden District home. Dr. Behar is an active Republican leader and an ARW associative member. Members enjoyed holiday camaraderie with guests and community leaders. The highlight of the event was the presentation of gift cards that were given to local military families. This venture is part of ARW’s “Support the Troops” Community Service project which began in 2007. ARW President Connie Forstater presented four gift cards to Command Master Chief U.S. Navy, Retired, Norman Umholtz The weather outside was frightful but inside was delightful for ARW members; from left: Denise Bergeron, Yvonne Abadie, Carol Landry and in back, Mary Carlsen, prospective member. who worked with the Command Master Officer of the Joint Reserve Base of Belle Chasse to identify the families that would benefit the most from ARW’s gift. The Command Master Officer presented the cards individually to the selected recipients and reported that each entered his office apprehensively, but left with much expressed appreciation and gratitude for ARW’s donation. In addition ARW donated a gift card to Military Advocacy Project of Louisiana, formerly known as NOLA Patriots, who through their work identified a local veteran and his family living homeless that received ARW’s donation. www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 25 and ate sued l p e ait! n is ens Lic tratio you w is le reg e whi t si on- Your One Stop Shop For All Your Notary, Auto Title And Insurance Needs! Full Service Notary Public: • Affidavits • Incorporations/LLCPreparation • PowersofAttorney • HandgunPermits • ApplicationsandLicenses INSURANCE SERVICES: • Affordable Auto Insurance • Homeowner’s, Flood, Rental • Business General Liability & Worker’s Compensation • Health and Life Authorized DMV Public Tag Agent • InState/OutofStateTitleTransfers • ActofDonation • LicensePlate/StickerRenewal • PlateCancellationandTurnIn • DuplicateTitlewithFast Titles issuednextday! Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm Sat. Call for Appt. Sun. Closed 504-368-4264 City of Gretna, Louisiana 1801 Lafayette Street • Gretna, LA 70053 Visit Our Website: bpcins.com How Do You Reach The West Bank? • Bring your business into over 23,000 home mailboxes and over 75 Jefferson, Orleans and Plaquemines Parish newsstands. • The good news is The West Bank Beacon reaches West Bank residents with purchasing power. • With The Beacon’s competitive ad rates and design assistance, you are sure to run an effective ad that gets results. • Contact our Ad Sales Team today to begin advertising and reach the West Bank! 504-615-9475 westbankbeacon@yahoo.com • www.wbbeacon.com 26 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com Plaquemines Parish Government Working to Revise Flood Maps By Joseph N. Suhayda P laquemines Parish has historically relied exclusively upon a system of levees and pumps for hurricane flood protection. However, the Parish has recently received preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) that indicate that this system currently does not provide the 100-year flood protection the Parish needs. According to these maps, substantial increases in the base flood elevations in the area of the Parish below Belle Chasse can be anticipated in the future. Under the leadership of President Billy Nungesser, the Parish has developed a plan to obtain additional flood protection by maximizing the flood protection benefits of coastal restoration projects. This plan, referred to as Plaquemines Parish Strategic Implementation Plan (PPSIP), acts as a guide for the Parish in identifying and implementing levee and coastal restoration projects that will initially reduce the risk of flooding and eventually achieve protection from the 100-year flood, also known as the 1-percentannual-chance flood, for areas south of Belle Chasse. The current activities of the Parish include an appeal of the new DFIRMs, a remapping of the flood threat, and the construction of several strategically placed forested ridge projects, more formally known as the Ridge Restoration Program. Appealing the DFIRMs The DFIRM appeal will identify the scientific and technical deficiencies contained in the preliminary DFIRMs. The appeal will involve a review of the technical information that was used in preparing the DFIRMs as well as the setup and running of the new computer models used to forecast the hurricane flooding risk. Map data for the preliminary Plaquemines Parish DFIRM was issued Nov. 9, 2012. It can be viewed at http://maps.riskmap6.com/LA/Plaquemines/. This map is not an official FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) to be used for insurance purposes. Updating the Flood Maps The DFIRMs will have to be periodically updated to reflect future changes in the flood risk and flood protection in the Parish. DFIRM revisions will allow the Parish to obtain credit for the benefits of the coastal restoration projects once they have been completed and have been analyzed for their performance during the 100-year flood. DFIRM revisions will also be required for any certified levees that will periodically have to be recertified. Changes in the risk of flooding to the Parish involving sea level changes, climate change, subsidence and coastal erosion will also have to be periodically evaluated. The new DFIRMs will have to be revised according to the FEMA procedures presented in LAMP. Remapping Flood Risk The remapping process will update the assessment of the flood hazard for areas south of Belle Chasse. This remapping will include updating the topography, vegetation information, hurricane statistics, modeling, and application of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedures (LAMP). Plaquemines Parish is part of a LAMP Pilot Program that also includes four other Louisiana parishes: Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Tammany, and St. Charles Parishes. The current LAMP process involves evaluating the flood protection potential of each section, or reach, of a levee system separately. The reaches are distinguished by their ability to withstand the flood hazards posed by a 1-percent-annual-chance flood. In addition to those levee reaches, the Parishes’ LAMP Pilot Program seeks to give the Parish the opportunity to identify and incorporate all natural and man-made landscape features that will provide hurricane flood protection, including: • Levees • Railroads • Marsh • Floodwalls • Dunes • Trees • Buildings • Ridges • Roads • Ponds • Other non-levee embankments Through this Pilot Program, Plaquemines and its sister Parishes seek to have FEMA more fully recognize and account for the benefits of “multiple lines of defense” approach to an integrated protection system. The Ridge Restoration Program The Parish’s proposed Ridge Restoration Program of man-made vegetated ridges is one type of feature expected to increase flood protection along the East and West Banks of the Parish, outside of Belle Chasse. These features are anticipated to be included in the updated flood mapping analysis. The projects will consist of a series of ridges located in front of the hurricane protection back levees and covered with vegetation to act as a barrier to storm waves and reduce the amount of wave action reaching the levees. This reduction on wave action will reduce the amount of wave overtopping of the levees and lower the base flood elevations within the protected areas. *Actual prices set by Retailer. Rainbow Mitsubishi 504.367.1712 1712 West Bank EXPY Harvey, LA 70058 www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 27 >> community Entergy Reminds Louisiana Customers to Continue to Be Wary of Scam Artists E ntergy reminds you of a scam still targeting customers in Louisiana. As they have since late spring, con artists give you a call citing problems with your bill payment history and saying that you must make a payment through one of several means. All this is geared to getting your personal account information and scamming money from you. Beginning in the spring and continuing into the summer, scammers called some Entergy and other utility customers to say that their electric bill payments were past due, and that their service would be disconnected within the hour if they didn’t pay up. The customers were then directed to transfer funds electronically, sometimes through the system known as “MoneyPak.” Other variations on this scam have since continued, even into the Christmas holidays. Recently, scammers have called customers saying that their last Entergy payment did not go through and was being returned, and the customers must purchase several “Green Dot Cards” to make immediate payment. The scammers are targeting not only residential customers, but also business customers, so Entergy encourages everyone to be wary and heed these reminders so you don’t fall victim to the continuing scams. • While the company does place courtesy calls if you are at risk for disconnection, these are recorded calls, and are not calls from live customer service representatives. Entergy NEVER demands immediate payment. • While you may pay your Entergy bill by phone or credit card, it is ONLY through BillMatrix, a third-party vendor we use for this purpose. • You shouldn’t give your personal information to strangers. If a call sounds suspicious, call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) to speak with an Entergy customer service representative. Also, you can manage your Entergy account and review account alert options to stay better informed by downloading the free Entergy smart phone app or visiting entergy.com to register for myAccount. If you believe you’re a victim of this scam, you should notify the proper authorities, such as the local police or the state attorney general’s office. If you believe your Entergy account has been affected, call 1-800-ENTERGY (1‑800‑368‑3749) to speak with an Entergy customer service representative. Remember When Westside Shopping Center 1960 AOL Student Wins Speech Tournament A cademy of Our Lady junior India Paige of Gretna recently won First Place Novice in the Lincoln Douglas debate category at Jesuit High School New Orleans Speech Tournament. Her topic was the conservation of natural resources. Krewe of King Arthur Honors 3 Generations of Queens O n February 23, 2014, Natasha Tara Shaw will reign as Queen Guinevere XXXVII of the Krewe of King Arthur, parading its expanded uptown route in New Orleans. Eighteen years prior, her Mother, Dawn T. Shaw Tabor reigned as Queen Guinevere XVIII as the parade traveled the 1995 West Bank route. Matriarch of the family, Vera Plaisance Vedros, Mother of Guinevere XVIII and Grandmother of Guinevere XXXVII, reigned over her subjects on the West Bank route in 1986. The Queens expressed their thanks to Captain Philip F. Fricano Jr. for the opportunity to reign for three generations. 28 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com The Beta Group’s top quality •Bringyourbusinessintoover employees, professional service 23,000homemailboxesand over75Jefferson,Orleansand and our commitment to client PlaqueminesParishnewsstands. •ThegoodnewsisThe West Bank satisfaction set us apart. Our reputation has BeaconreachesWestBank residentswithpurchasingpower. made us a well respected firm •WithThe in highBeacon’scompetitive demand. When precise adratesanddesignassistance, youaresuretorunaneffective results are required, adthatgetsresults. companies throughout Louisiana •ContactourAdSalesTeam todaytobeginadvertisingand count on The reachtheWestBank! Beta Group. P.O. BOx 2203 • Gretna, La 70054 504-227-2273 F ountain P ark C entre 1901 Manhattan Boulevard • Harvey FOR LEASE RETAIL/OFFICE AVAILABLE 500-11,000 SQ FT BUILT OUT OR BUILD TO SUIT CALL JOhn FRAnk OR ChAD GUIDRY (504) 348-1747 WWW.FOUnTAInPARkCEnTRE.COM Book your Bridal or Baby Shower at the Royal Palm and receive a Complimentary mimosa for your guests. Try Our NEW Daily Order your King Cake or Valentine’s Triple Berry Cake Today! Lunch Special Buy 1 Daily Lunch Special Get 2nd Lunch Special ½ Price Coupon expires 4/15/14. Coupon valid Monday thru Friday. Dine-in only. Limit one coupon per visit per table. 504-362-9780 WWW.PARROTPETES.COM Free Wifi Hours: We are now serving breakfast & lunch 7 days a week until 4pm www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 29 >> entertainment Gretna Author Completes Figure Skating Fiction Trilogy in Time for 2014 Winter Olympics F ight ing for th e E dg e , t he third book in author Jennifer Comeaux’s Edge series of romance titles, has been published by Astraea Press. Life on the Edge and Edge of the Past were published in 2012. The titles, which have attained best-selling status and follow the lives of young friends finding love and chasing the dream of winning Olympic gold, are set in the world of figure skating and were inspired by Comeaux’s travels to ice skating competitions throughout the U.S. and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. “Even though I’ve lived in south Louisiana all my life and have only stepped on an ice rink once, I am a passionate fan of figure skating and follow the sport closely. This passion spurred the idea for a story, a romance between a skater and coach, and after years of toying with the idea in my mind, I finally put the story down on paper,” She said. “It started as a fun project to share with friends, but then I realized I wanted to share the book with a wider audience. I buckled down and learned how to be a better writer, and through many hours of writing and rewriting, the story came alive.” Life on the Edge Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream-to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history. Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily’s dreams of gold. Edge of the Past Emily’s skating career and personal life have never been more golden. She and her partner Chris have won every competition they’ve entered this season, and she’s found the man of her dreams in her coach Sergei. But when one of the biggest competitions of the year takes Emily and Sergei to Russia, Sergei’s past explodes into the present and makes Emily doubt everything in their future. Fighting for the Edge Ice dancer Aubrey London scoffs at romance. She’s focused on winning a medal at the upcoming Olympics and uses that as her excuse to avoid serious relationships. But when she and longtime friend Chris Grayden are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, Aubrey finds herself questioning everything she’s ever known about love, complicating her life both on and off the ice. Pairs skater Emily Petrov embraces romance. She and her husband Sergei still act like honeymooners two years after their wedding. As Emily’s coach, Sergei provides constant support while she prepares to challenge for gold at the Olympics. But Sergei’s support might not be enough to help Emily overcome the one challenge she never saw coming. With the Games only weeks away, Emily and Aubrey are on the verge of realizing their dreams. But one snowy, stormy night sets in motion a series of events that will test them in ways they never imagined, giving them more to fight for than Olympic medals. Comeaux, of Gretna, graduated from Tulane University and is a Certified Public Accountant who serves as the Tax Compliance Manager for Poolcorp in Covington. All three books are available in electronic and paperback format via www. Amazon.com, www.BarnesandNoble.com, or the publisher’s web site, www. astraeapress.com. For more information about Comeaux and her books, log on to jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com and follow her on Facebook. JPAS Presents Murder At Café Noir At Teatro Wego! Through February 9 T his forties detective story comes to life featuring Rick Archer, P.I. who is out to find a curvaceous runaway on the forgotten island of Mustique - a place stuck in a black and white era. The owner of the Cafe Noir has washed ashore, murdered, and Rick’s quarry was the last person seen with him. He employs his hard boiled talents to find the killer. Was it the French Madame and club manager, the Voodoo Priestess, the shyster British Attorney, the Black Marketeer or the Femme Fatale? The audience votes twice on what they want Rick to do next and 30 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 >> www.wbbeacon.com these decisions change the flow of this comic tribute to the Bogart era. The production features the talents of actors Robert Facio (A Tuna Christmas and Avenue Q), Allee Peck (Avenue Q, Goodnight Moon, Petite Rouge), Kali Russell, Bob Murrell, Elizabeth Gutherz, Kyle Daigrepont, and Logan Faust. Performances will run through February 9 at Teatro Wego! located at 177 Sala Avenue in Westwego on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 3:00 p.m. For tickets, call 885-2000 or visit www.jpas.org. Since 1962 Regis Radiator Service The Best Place To Take A Leak Since 1962! FAST 1 DAY SERVICE & PICK UP & DELIVERY AUTO - SALES & SERVICE “24 HR” Service We S e ll a le W h o le s To T h e P u b li c • New & Rebuilt Radiators in Stock • Gas Tanks • A/C Condensers • Water Pumps • Heater Cores • Belts • Hoses • Plastic & Aluminum Radiators • Thermostats • Air Conditioning • Ultra Sonic Cleaning INDUSTRIAL & OIL FIELD Copon & Solder Coated Radiators • Heavy Equipment Specialists Service & Repair On Heat Exchangers & Oil Coolers 341-9118 348-2719 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm 1101 Avenue A Marrero (next to West Jeff) The Gretna Economic Development Association invites you to Explore Downtown Gretna We would like to congratulate the 1st place winners of the Christmas Home Decoration Contest. February Calendar 4 – GEDA Meeting 6:30pm 5 – JP Council Meeting 10am WB Debbie Eskine and William Walden 8 – Gretna Art Walk 12 – Gretna Council Meeting 5:30pm Joseph Miller III 14 – Valentine’s Day Weddings Jamie Marceaux 15 – Gretna Farmer’s Soup Cook-off Joy and Tony Gundlach 1, 8, 15 & 22 – Gretna Farmer’s Market Diane Rico Please support our GEDA Business Members: AA Screens & Glass, Inc. 2511 Lafayette Street, Suite B 362-1819 Classic Frame & Mat 838 Lafayette Street 361-5141 Daul Insurance Agency 94 West Bank Expressway 362-0667 Szabo’s Party Supply 1704 Franklin Avenue 367-1156 Cook Notary & Auto Title, Inc. 1801 Lafayette Street 368-4264 GEDA invites you to join as a Business Member for $75/yr and see your company listed in our ad! For more information on these events and more, please call 504-361-7748 www.wbbeacon.com << February 2014 << The West Bank Beacon 31 The West Bank Beacon >> February 2014 P.O. Box 2246 • Gretna, Louisiana 70054 Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Permit #289 N.O., LA
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