asc april document 07

COMPLIMENTARY
MAY 2013, VOL. 11 ISSUE 3
This husband and wife team now offer Baton Rouge and
Ascension Parish a complete line of dermatology services. Dr.Massengale has over a decade
of medical and surgical dermatology experience while Dr Zedlitz offers the latest in
cosmetic dermatology/skin rejuvenation.
Together, they will share office space in both Prairieville and Baton Rouge.
Publisher / Editor
Mike Strong
Table of Contents
Sales Manager
BERCEGEAY REUNION ...........4
Dottie Godberry
ASCENSION HOUSEWISE .....10
Staff Photographer
SWEET EYES W/ TANYA.... ....12
Jimmy Dunkley
ASK YOUR REALTOR ............. 18
Contributing Writers
KIRK’S HAS THE WORKS....................22
Bill Delaune
JAMMIN’ WITH GOOSIE........ 25
Marilyn Bowman
BILL DELAUNE........................26
Linda Melancon
THOUGHTS FROM BULLY ....29
Calvin Bessonett
ROLAND SWAMP POP............. 34
Ron Baratini
Bully
Goosie Guice
Orhan McMillan
Kellie Seymour
Tanya Stilley
Roland Doucet
Denise Smith
Karlin O’Neal
Jimmy Dunkley
For Advertising
Information Please call:
225-622-1324
E-Mail Comments
to Stronggraphics1@cox.net
www.ascensionmagazine.net
Note: Features in this
publication labeled
“advertorial”
are paid for editorials.
All Rights Reserved.
Opinions expressed are not
necessarily those of the
publisher, editor or staff of
Ascension Magazine
18386 Little Prairie Rd.
Prairieville, LA 70769
FOR MORE INFORMATION
225.622.3262
www.riverparishfoods.com
Bercegeay
Family
Reunion
As far as the 1600’s roots of
the Bercegeay family in
Louisiana can be traced back to
Northwestern France, in
what is now known officially
as the Department of
Loire-Atlantique.
Reunions give families a
chance to come together,
develop memories and look
forward to the next reunion.
For the first time in 22 years,
descendants of Rudolph and
Vella Arceneaux Bercegeay
family got together at St. Amant
Park on Saturday, April 20th,
4
delighted in viewing a giant
continuous slide show of
relative photos taken over half
a century. Some of theactivities
that were enjoyed, included,
music, dancing, a coloring and
play station for young
children, party games, and
2013.
Rudy and Vella had 10
children: Carmon (deceased),
Ozile Babin, Ruby Lee
Roddy-Babin, Elva Mae
Sutton-Nealy, Carbett, Mary
Lee Bourgeois, Wilma
Johnson, Wilfred “Ponk”,
Wibert “Pete” (deceased),
and Valmon; and they had
over 300 descendants (236
people attended this reunion).
Each of the ten families wore a
different colored reunion shirt.
The social and lunch started
at 11:00 a.m. and everyone
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baseball. Cousins also met cousins they
never knew they had.
One of the highlights of the day was
when the elders and their spouses
gathered around a table and talked and
even sang in French. Very few listening
understood much but it was great
to hear.
A reunion requires a great deal of
planning and thanks to the planners
who had the event running like
clockwork. Thanks to everyone for all
your help in making the reunion a
stunning success. Let’s hope everyone
can try to keep in touch with one
another and stay well throughout the
upcoming year.
Next year the reunion is on Saturday
April 27, 2014. Please come join in
planning, as the planners will start
meeting on the first Monday in January.
6
7
We
Have
Blue
Crabs
The Market
with
All you need...
EATEL
AWARDS LOCAL
STUDENTS WITH
TECHNOLOGY
FUND
Seafood Market
Crabs • Shrimp • Fish
Live & Boiled Crawfish
( SELECT CRAWFISH AVAILABLE )
Outstanding scholars from
Ascension and Livingston area
high schools gathered April 10,
2013 for EATEL’s annual
Technology Awards Ceremony,
now in its 27th year. Focusing on
the importance of both technology and academic success,
EATEL presented six outstanding
graduating seniors from
Donaldsonville, Dutchtown, East
Ascension, French Settlement,
Maurepas and St. Amant high
schools with their own laptop
computers. These students plan
to pursue studies in mathematics, basic sciences, computer
technology, information technology, engineering, health sciences,
digital media or business management.
Technology Award applicants must have an overall grade
point average of 3.0 or higher,
actively participate in school and
community activities, and plan to
pursue their studies at a
Louisiana-accredited college or
university. The 2013 recipients
were chosen from a pool of applicants by a counselor from each
school.
“As a recipient of this award
back in 1988, I am especially
proud of the longevity of the
EATEL Technology Awards,” stated Ashley Phillips, Chief
Operating Officer for EATEL.
“Back in my day, we received a
medal, which was wonderful. But
today, to be able to give these
students such a powerful tool for
their college studies and postcollegiate careers is rewarding.”
Groceries
Bread • Snacks •
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Seasonings • Eggs • Milk
Produce
Fruits • Vegetables •
Melons
Beverages
Domestic and Import
Beer
• Chilled Wine
Crawfish Boil
Ingredients
Crabboil • Lemons •
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Potatoes • Corn •
Mushrooms
Propane
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The following students are the
2013 EATEL Technology Fund
recipients:
• Carly Harris of Donaldsonville High School
- 4.2 GPA
- Plans to attend Southern University A & M
College and major in Nursing
• Lance Gisclair of Dutchtown High School
- 3.7 GPA
- Plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University
and major in Information Systems
• Jorge Flores of East Ascension High School
- 3.6 GPA
- Plans to attend Louisiana State University and
major in Graphic Design
• Holly Dicharry of St. Amant High School
- 4.4 GPA
- Plans to attend Nicholls State University
and major in Biology
• Jonathan Cole Gordon of
French Settlement High School
- 4.0 GPA
- Plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University
and major in Biology
• Journey James of Maurepas High School
- 3.52 GPA
- Plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University
and major in Business
EATEL honored six outstanding graduating
seniors with new laptops for use in their
collegiate studies. Pictured are the students
with representatives from the Ascension
and Livingston Parish schools and school
board office.
Front row: Carmen Robichaux,
Donaldsonville HS counselor, Holly Dicharry,
St. Amant HS Technology Award Recipient,
Journey James, Maurepas HS Technology
Award Recipient, Carly Harris,
Donaldsonville HS Technology Award
Recipient, Rhonda Matthews, Ascension
Parish Career & Technical Education
Supervisor, Angela Lee, East Ascension HS
counselor.
Back row: Mia Edwards, St. Amant HS
Principal, Lisa Bacala, Ascension Parish
Supervisor of Secondary Education, Steve
Westbrook, Ascension Parish Asst. Supt. of
Schools, Jonathan Cole Gordon, French
Settlement HS Technology Award Recipient,
Lance Gisclair, Dutchtown HS Technology
Award Recipient, Jorge Flores, East Ascension
HS Technology Award Recipient, Staci
Polozola, Livingston Parish Career &
Technical Education Supervisor, Denise
Graves, Ascension Parish Asst. Supt. of
Schools, Judi Gautreau, East Ascension HS
counselor, Matt Geraci, Donaldsonville HS
Asst. Principal.
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9
Ooh La La Accents
at Highpoint Market
What better way to make a
design statement in a room
than with a fabulous accent
piece! This spring’s home furnishings market at High Point,
N.C. showed off a multitude of
statement-making pieces that
can give any room a distinctive
personality. Tables, rugs and
accent chairs are great ways to
add pizzazz to a room.
Accent chairs in unique styles
and patterns were everywhere
at market. A cool accent chair
The reclaimed materials are
woven with natural materials
including wool, jute and cotton. They are easy to coordinate with what you already have
and you can decorate with
materials that otherwise would
have been discarded.
“American-made” was an even
more prominent theme at this
spring’s market. Surya, known
mostly for its rugs, was promoting itself as “Your complete
source for American-made
accessories,” which includes
poufs, pillows and wall art.
Poufs and ottomans are most
popular with Gen X consumers
(ages 33-48), according to a
recent survey by Home Accents
Today magazine.
ings saying, “the market was
loaded with lots of bold, bright,
fun, colorful fabrics which I
love to see from a design viewpoint.”
Customization was the term I
heard most from both the
upholstery and case goods suppliers. The ability to easily and
affordably add embellishments
and customize colors to suit the
client, and make a statement,
plays right into what we do as
design professionals. Bottom
line, consumers can enjoy our
help putting it all together and
today there are more choices
than ever.
The growing emphasis on
American-made is driven by
can bring a room from boring
to Ooh La La by adding color
and charm! The message: Be
bold!
Drexel Heritage, known much
for its classic style, displayed a
rope wrapped table that makes
a wonderful statement about
organic modernism. Dress up a
dressing area with their ivory,
curvy Hollywood glam bureau.
Is it classic or contemporary?
You decide.
Rugs are always a great accent
piece to add color, character
and charm to a room.
Reclaimed materials, or as
Uttermost calls them ‘rescued
materials,’ are used in a new
line of area rugs that feature
rescued denim and leathers in
blue, black, brown and khaki.
more than a statement about
patriotism. “The color and
design style of U.S.-made products is more in sync with the
U.S. marketplace,” says Seth
King, Surya’s vice president of
sales.
David Haseley, our vice president of merchandising,
summed up the spring show10
Karlin O’Neal
225.673.2052
karlin@decoratingden.com
www.decdens.com/karlin
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11
Sam Richardson, Owner
Ok, so reducing your chances
for skin cancer is a no brainer,
but we all want that sun kissed
look. I love a faux glow! The
latest and greatest is Vita
Liberata’s pHenominal self
tanner is made in Ireland.
What’s different about this
tanner is thatit's a certified
organic product, derived from
beets. The mousse gives an
immediate and long-lasting,
medium golden result with a
completely odorless, light, airy,
and instantly dry application. It
even nourishes the skin with
marine and organic botanical
extracts, smells great and contains no sulfates or parabens.
Crispy Skin
is for Chicken
We’ve truly had a spring this
year. It’s really been nice. In
south Louisiana our weather
goes from freezing to scorchin’
hot in a matter of weeks. A
friend of mine told me it was
because of El Nino, none the
less, it’s been really nice.
With our breezy cool spring,
we'll spend more time outside,
so it's really important to
realize you should protect your
skin at all costs!
When I was in high school, I
remember going to Dolphin
Island. Unfortunately, I didn’t
realize how little shade there
would be. After a long day at
the beach, I ended up going to
the ER for a second degree
burn. I wish I could say I
learned my lesson. Even after
that, I still laid in tanning beds.
I wasn’t the only one. I had
friends that did this too. We’d
go to the tanning bed and then
lay out on a black visqueen with
baby oil on. Are you kidding
me?!
These days my friends and I
lament the fact that we need
botox for our wrinkles. Even
though my skin feels great
being sun kissed, I know it’s
not worth it. I always considered sun kissed skin healthy, but
in reality, any increase in pigment of your skin isn’t good.
Chances for skin cancer increases by 75% if you regularly use
tanning beds before the age of
30, and even if you don't lay in
tanning beds, routine skin
cancer screenings are key. A
routine skin cancer screening
should take longer than five
minutes. I’ve been to
dermatologists before that
barely glance over my skin say,
“You’re fine!”. If this is the
case, push the envelope with
your physician. Insist a
thorough examination. Point
out certain spots of concern,
and if that doesn’t work, get a
second opinion.
Sun protection is your best line
of defense from skin cancer.
My go to sunscreen now is
Peter Thomas Roth’s Uber Dry
SPF 30. It feels amazing on
my skin. Before this product, I
used just a regular over the
counter spf, and it worked, but
it always left my skin feeling
greasy. Greasy face means your
makeup has no staying power,
and I need that. This super
lightweight sunscreen that
provides UVA/UVB protection. This sunscreen can be
applied under makeup and
leaves a shine free finish. It's
After proper application, this
self tanner can last last 2-3
weeks, but there’s a catch. The
application process can last all
day. You have to apply the
tanner, wait three hours, apply
again, wait three hours, and
apply a third time and wait
three hours. This longer
process will in fact make your
tan last about three weeks, but
I don’t have time for that. You
can apply the
tanner once and it will last
about a week.
Available at sephora for $54
(Remember this tan last longer,
so it’s worth the investment!)
Take Time
to Appreciate
Your Mom
enriched with Vitamins A, C
and E to help fight against free
radical damage. It’s PABA and
fragrance-free which makes it
great for my sensitive skin.
This Uber dry sunscreen runs
about $26.00 and is available
at Sephora.
12
Mother’s Day is May 12th this
year, so take time out to spend
quality time with your mother,
and tell her how very much you
appreciate all she’s done for
you. Even if you think you
have the worst mom in the
world, she gave birth to you, so
show a little appreciation!
Also, take time to celebrate all
the special “mom” relationships
you have in your life. For
example, you may have a
great relationship with your
step-mom, mother in law,
spiritual mom, even a strong
mentor at work. These
relationships are powerful, so
tell them how you appreciate
them and how they’ve changed
your life for the better.
Isn’t it funny how often we
don’t want to accept the good
advice mother’s give? But if
we're honest with ourselves,
sooner or later, we realize
mom always had the right
advice for our situation and
life's challenges.
all situations.
That's just a few thoughts on
what my mom has taught me.
Take time to think about all the
wonderful things your mom
has done for you. Show those
special women in your life how
much you appreciate them, not
just on Mother's Day but
everyday.
Things
My Mom
taught Me:
• Mom taught me to work for
what I want, so now I
appreciate everything!
• Mom taught me to stand up
straight, have good posture and
to smile.
• Mom taught me to tell the
truth, even when it hurts.
• Mom was always there to
feed me. If I had olives and
mustard in my fridge (during
my bachlorette days) she
bought me groceries.
• Mom always got involved in
big events prom and balls, and
she always made sure I had the
right dress and great hair!
• Mom also taught me to
follow my heart, my gut, and
my spirit concerning
13
14
YOUR ESTATE MATTERS
By Linda Melancon
The
Homestead
Exemption
For Persons
Over 65
Generally, a homestead
exemption is a tax break
provided for by the Louisiana
Constitution. It allows for the
first $7,500 of a home’s
assessed value to be exempt
from property taxes. The
assessed value of a home for tax
purposes is 10% of its fair
market value, meaning that the
first $75,000 of the fair market
value of the home will be tax
free. For example, a $100,000
home would have an assessed
value of $10,000 and with the
Louisiana Homestead
Exemption the first $7,500 in
value would be exempt from
property taxes; therefore, only
$2,500 of the assessed value
would be taxable. All homeowners need to make sure they
are taking advantage of the
homestead exemption by
visiting their assessor’s office
and signing up for it.
However, there are even
more benefits to the Louisiana
Homestead Exemption if the
homeowner id 65 or older. In
January of 2000, a constitutional amendment was passed
that allowed for persons 65 or
older to effectively freeze the
assessed value of their home.
Called a “Special Assessment”,
this freeze keeps the taxable
value of the home the same,
safe from inflating property values. For example, if an owner
turns 65, and their home’s
assessed value is $12,500 that
year, the homestead exemption
15
will keep the first $7,500
non-taxable, and they will pay
taxes on $5,000. However, with
the special assessment, in the
following years, even if the
assessed value increases, the
owners will continue to pay
taxes on only $5,000 instead
of the increased value. To
qualify for the special
assessment, the owner must be
65 or older; must have an
adjusted gross income of less
than a designated amount
($69,430 in 2013); and must
file paperwork attesting to the
fact that he meets the criteria.
The freeze in the assessed
value of the home will remain
for as long as the owner who
applied for the special assessment or a spouse over 55
resides in the home. For the
freeze to continue, the value of
the property cannot increase
more than 25% because of
construction or reconstruction.
There may be some changes
on the horizon for the special
assessment. In the Louisiana
Legislature’s 2013 Regular
Session, House Bill No. 329
proposes to remove the income
requirement when qualifying
for the special assessment. This
would mean that the only
requirement would be that the
owner be 65 or older and file
the necessary paperwork. If this
were to pass, this bill would
take effect on January 1, 2015.
All homeowners should take
advantage of the homestead
exemption from property taxes
available by the Louisiana
constitution. However, those
over 65 should also make sure
they have applied for the special
assessment which allows for a
freeze on the home’s value so
taxes don’t increase from
re-assessment. To find out
more about the special
homestead exemption rules or
other issues relating to planning
your estate to protect your
assets, you should consult with
qualified estate planning and
elder law professionals.
Ms. Melancon has engaged in the
practice of law in Louisiana for the
past 14 years. The primary focus of
her practice is estate planning, special
needs planning, elder law and probate. She is also accredited by the VA
to give advice regarding veterans’
benefits. For more information,
please contact her at 744-0027 or visit
her website at
www.LegacyCenterLa.com or her facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prair
ieville-La/Legacy-Center-ofLouisiana/267942070212.
Geoff LeJeune, PT
We are Your Community
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Physical Rehabilitation.
• ASTYM Certified
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• Clinic hours to fit your
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• Accepting most insurances.
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Dutchtown Physical Therapy
36501 Mission Street, Suite A
Prairieville, Louisiana 70769
(Inside Fusion Health & Fitness)
CONTACT
OUR OFFICE:
CHASE ROY, DPT
Scott Larson, PT, OCS
36501 MISSION ST. Suite A (Inside Fusion Fitness) •Prairieville, Louisiana 70769
(225) 744-3631 •FAX (225)744--3647
225.744-3631 • Fax 225.744.3647
Celebrating 5 Years of Commitment to Service in the Dutchtown Community
16
C U S T O M E R A P P R E C I AT I O N D AY C R AW F I S H B O I L
BY DUTCHTOWN PHYSICAL THERAPY
Remeber the Ones that
Love You the Most
Taking Saturday Appointments
Cherryl’s
DOGGIE DAY
17
SPA
Call now for appt
225-644-3373
Late Appointments Available
M-F 7am - 5:30pm
r
o
t
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Rea
ASK
YOUR
with Marilyn Bowman
As a REALTOR, we are asked
many questions and this is one
that my neighbor recently ask
me. I thought that the
information obtained from the
House Masters Library may be
interesting for my readers if
you happen to be experiencing
the same problem.
Why Are My
Pipes Banging?
Question: When I use the
faucets in my kitchen and
bathroom sinks, I hear
banging in the walls that
seems to come from the water
pipes. I heard that this is
caused by air in the pipes. Is
there a simple solution?
Answer: Banging or rattling
noises associated with water
pipes is often due to a
condition called water
hammer. Water hammer is
caused by lack of air in the
pipes (not the presence of air).
The banging usually occurs
when faucets or valves are
quickly closed. The pressure of
the water, with no air in the
pipes to cushion it, makes
noise when it slams against a
closed valve. Loose piping also
contributes to the noise as the
vibrations created in the pipe
by the sudden stoppage can
also cause pipes to knock
against structural elements. In
addition to noise, the water
pressure can cause premature
damage to sensitive valves in
appliances and fixtures. Water
hammer can sometimes be
18
stopped by introducing some
air into the pipes. In many
homes, this can be done by
closing the main water valve
and opening the lowest
faucet in the house (usually a
basement or outdoor faucet)
and several other faucets. Let
the water drain out for about
five minutes, until water stops
coming from the faucets.
Then close all the faucets and
reopen the main valve. As the
pipes refill, air pockets may
form at points in the system to
provide the cushion needed.
If the noise persists, one or
more devices called waterhammer arresters might need
to be installed. An arrester
maintains the air cushion that
is needed to prevent the noise.
For more information on
water hammer and arresters, as
well as many other plumbing
products and issues, check the
plumbingsupply.com Web site.
Remember, these tips are only
general guidelines. Since each
situation is different, contact a
professional if you have
questions about a specific
issue. If you have a specific
question you would like
answered in a future article,
feel free to email to me at
marilynb@remax.net and I will
do my best to get the answer
for you. If you are having a
problem with something in
your home, it is very likely
that someone else has the
same problem.
The Introduction of Esthetician,
Beverly Shread at the Open House,
on May 2nd was a Big Success.
Thank You to Our Customers.
622.5085
44253 Hwy. 42 ( 1 m i l e f r o m P o r t V i n c e n t )
19
Baby Bottle
Tooth Decay
By Calvin Bessonet, DDS,FAGD
Even though they are
temporary, your child's baby
teeth are important, and are
still susceptible to cavities.
Tooth decay in infants and
toddlers is often referred to as
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, or
Early Childhood Caries.
Children need strong,
healthy teeth to chew their
food, speak and have a
good-looking smile. Their first
teeth also help make sure their
adult teeth come in correctly.
It’s important to start infants
off with good oral care to help
protect their teeth for decades
to come.
What causes Baby
Bottle Tooth Decay?
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
most often occurs in the upper
front teeth, but other teeth may
also be affected.
There are many factors which
can cause tooth decay. One
common cause is the frequent,
prolonged exposure of the
baby’s teeth to drinks that contain sugar. Tooth decay can
occur when the baby is put to
bed with a bottle, or when a
bottle is used as a pacifier for a
fussy baby.
Tooth decay is a disease that
can begin with cavity-causing
bacteria being passed from the
mother (or primary caregiver)
to the infant. These bacteria are
passed through the saliva.
When the mother puts the
baby’s feeding spoon in her
mouth, or cleans a pacifier in
her mouth, the bacteria can be
passed to the baby.
If your infant or toddler does
not receive an adequate amount
of fluoride, they may also have
an increased risk for tooth
decay. The good news is that
decay is preventable.
Preventing Baby
Bottle Tooth Decay
Try not to share saliva with
the baby through common use
of feeding spoons or licking
pacifiers. After each feeding,
wipe your child’s gums with a
clean, damp gauze pad or
washcloth.
When your child’s teeth
come in, brush them gently
with a child-size toothbrush
and water. Be sure to consult
with your child’s dentist or
physician if you are considering
using fluoride toothpaste before
age 2.
Brush the teeth with a
pea-sized amount of toothpaste
from the ages of 2 to 6.
Supervise brushing until your
child can be counted on to spit
and not swallow toothpaste—
usually not before he or she
is 6 or 7.
Place only formula, milk or
breastmilk in bottles. Avoid
filling the bottle with liquids
such as sugar water, juice or
soft drinks.
Infants should finish their
bedtime and naptime bottles
before going to bed.
If your child uses a pacifier,
provide one that is clean—
don’t dip it in sugar or honey.
Encourage your child to
drink from a cup by his/her
first birthday.
Encourage healthy eating
habits.
When your child’s first tooth
appears, talk to your dentist
about scheduling the first
dental visit. Treat the first
dental visit as you would a
well-baby checkup with the
child’s physician. Remember:
starting early is the key to a
ylifetime of good dental health.
HEALTHY
SMILES FOR
THE WHOLE
FAMILY
EMERGENCIES WELCOME
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• Laser-Assisted Decay Detection
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13375 Hwy 73, Suite 1 • Geismar, LA 70734 • Call:
20
Ascension
PREMIER DENTAL
Calvin G. Bessonet, DDS, FAGD
866-933-2703 • www. AscensionDentist.com
21
Join Us at
Our New Location
1205 N. Airline Hwy
In 1969 Vincent Napoli decided his future
success would be best served by opening his
own business. ‘Nap’, as he was known, had an
extensive background in the auto parts industry.
NAPS Auto Parts & Body Shop was destined to
become an icon of the business world in Baton
Rouge. ‘Naps’ location on Scenic Highway, near
the fairly new ‘ESSO’ (now EXXON) refinery was
situated in a center for economic development
and community growth at that time. The
business grew steadily through Napoli’s
entrepreneurial drive and his spirit of
customer service.
Over the next couple of decades ‘Nap’ involved
his family in his work and son Kirk would
eventually evolve into the leader of the family
business. “My dad always stressed the importance
of developing the business through three basic
principles. He believed we should: keep an
extensive inventory of quality products, assure
that we maintained the most educated staff
regarding those products, and shape the
operations of the business with the greatest
emphasis on customer service”, said Kirk.
Kirk entered the business at the ripe old age of
11 and worked in every aspect of his father’s
company. He paid attention to his dad’s
principles and he learned the landscape of the
KB and Smitty Invite You to Visit Our New Location
1205 NORTH AIRLINE HIGHWAY • GONZALES • 225.673.2023 • 9555 AIRLINE HIGHWAY • BA
Kirk’s has the Works in Gonzales
business world. As he grew, Kirk saw that the
real opportunity for growth and success would
be in the automotive accessories sector of the
industry. By 1973 the emphasis of the
organization gradually changed and that
segment of the business grew while the parts
and body shop were phased out. “There was no
denying the competitiveness of the auto parts
business”, Kirk continued. “My feeling was that
for the future, the accessory
market was our most promising
direction and would hold our best chance for
long term success.”
That decision proved to be a wise one for the
Napoli family’s business. In 1981 ‘Kirk’s Tires
and Accessories’ opened for business on Florida
Blvd. near Ardenwood Drive and during the next
decade Kirk Napoli would become the family’s
business leader, growing Kirk’s into one of Baton
Rouge’s most recognizable businesses. Then in
1991, Kirk moved his operation to 9555 Airline
Hwy, a site which is now the largest auto
accessory retail store in the South. “We are very
proud of what we have done in Baton Rouge.
My son Blake and my daughter Amy work with
me every day and I feel very blessed to have
them around. They understand the
principles that the business was built on
and they have a real dedication for
customer service.”
Eventually, like so many other longtime
residents of Baton Rouge, Kirk heard the call
from the wonderful area developing just south
of him, in Ascension Parish. “Doing business with
the people of Ascension Parish was a
wonderful feeling and moving my family down
here was an incredible experience. We actively
sought the right time and opportunity to open a
store here in order to better serve the great
people of Ascension and in 2005 we felt the
time was right. A large part of that decision was
finding the right leadership for that store and
we really were fortunate to get the perfect
person for the task. ‘Smitty’ and my son KB
have done a great job of continuing the legacy
of Kirk’s in Ascension.”
‘Smitty’ is Mr. David Smith, who has more
than 20 years of experience in the industry and
has now been with the company for 6 plus
years. He and KB have continued the family’s
philosophy stressing customer service, a very
important aspect to their neighbors in and
around Gonzales. “I live in this community”,
Smitty said. “I have for many years and I love
the people here. There is simply no better place
and no finer people than in Ascension Parish.
KB and I are dedicated to providing this
community with the great products and service
that they deserve and we stress this to our
entire staff. This is a family business and we run
it that way. We have an extremely low turnover
rate among our employees as a result of that
closeness. We are committed to them and they
are in turn dedicated and loyal to us. The result
is a company that is second to none in customer
relations and product knowledge.”
Owner Kirk Napoli states, “We’ve enjoyed
being in Gonzales since 2005 and watching
Ascension parish grow. Kirk’s is a part of that,
and we look forward to growing with the
Gonzales community for years to come.”
It really is true…Kirk’s has the Works!
ATON ROUGE • 225.927.1620 • 321 NORTH MORRISON BLVD. • HAMMOND • 985.549.0707
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(Saints & LSU available)
ON-SITE TIRE REPAIR
I Don't Have Anywhere To Go
The work week had come to
an end and I asked one of my
work buddies if he was going
fishing over the weekend. His
reply was "I don't have
anywhere to go". I thought
about that statement for a
second and said, "Man, there's
always somewhere to go if you
really want to". I've been told
many times by people that don't
own boats that they don't have
any place to go fishing. That is
basically an untrue statement.
Most people probably don't
realize how much fishing
opportunities there actually is
for people who don't own
boats. I’ll agree that this state
should provide more places for
the boat less angler, but for
those that really want to fish
there's several places available.
Fishing and crabbing off the
side of the road in all our
coastal parishes can be very
productive. I fished and crabbed
off the side of the road in the
Fourchon, Grand Isle this
summer and was very successful
in doing so. I even won the
flounder division in a fishing
rodeo on that trip. A friend of
mine had an unsuccessful
charter trip in the Delacroix
area this past summer. After the
trip was over he and his crew
fished off the pier on the side of
the road near the boat launch.
The results were two ice chests
full of beautiful blue cats.
Recently, I was chosen to be the
weighmaster for a tournament
for our job site. Instead of
fooling around with a boat that
day, I decided to fish off the
rocks at Lake Poludre to kill
time before the weigh-in.
Between my partner and I we
caught thirty two nice bluegills
that morning. Not bad at all.
We both had a nice mess of fish
for supper.
I don't know all the places for
people without boats to fish but
add to the mix some of the
following places along with the
ones already mentioned. The
Bonnet Carre Spillway. The
fishing pier on the north shore
of Lake Pontchartrain at
Mandeville, there's also a pier at
the mouth of the Tchefuncte
River. In Morgan City, there's a
fishing pier called Fisherman's
Wharf on the Atchafalaya River.
Fishing can also be done from
the opposite bank of the river.
The fishing pier on the Slidell
end of Lake Pontchartrain is
now complete and is an
excellent place to spend the day.
If you know someone who has a
pier on any of our local rivers
ask permission to go fish there.
Lamar Dixon's ponds are now
open and many local ponds can
be fished with permission. You'll
be surprised what you might
catch. You might even want to
spend a day at the Holden
catfish ponds.
I really enjoy fishing from a
boat, but there's times when I
don't want to mess with the
hassles of a boat. On those days
I load up my pickup and head
out for some bank fishing or
crabbing. Very seldom am I
disappointed with my catch
without the use of a boat. The
first move to make is to get off
the couch and give it a try
because there's no such thing as
"There's no place to go".....
Locally Owned & Operated
by Oscar, Linda, Dean & Neal Mire
Call for Appointment
225.445.3635
24 Hr. Emergency Roadside Service
WE ARE THE SEAFOOD SPECIALIST
Now Serving Boiled Crawfish
• Oysters By the Sack
• Fresh Shrimp
• A Wide Variety
of Fish and Seafood
• Snow Crabs
• Turtle Meat
Until next time,
James "Goosie" Guice dem
Ascension Outdoors Air Times
THE PELICAN - CHANNEL 113
SAT. - 9:00 - A.M.
SUN. - 7:30 - P.M.
MON. - 9:00 - P.M.
Ask for Sally’s stuff crabs.
You’ll love them.
EATEL - CHANNEL 4
SAT. - 6:30 A.M. & 1:30 P.M.
SUN. - 1:30 P.M.
WED. - 10:00 P.M.
FRI. - 8 - P.M.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN
ADVERTIZING PLEASE CALL
225-485-7997
• All tires from ATV to
Commercial Machinery
• All brands to fit autos, trucks and
18 wheelers, including tractor/
construction equipment tires
• Emergency road service
assistance-Commercial Only
• Locally owned and operated
since 2004
• New used and retreads
• Great prices!
25
Doug & Sally
Old Friends,
Old Stores,
Old Memories
I was talking to my good
friend Randall the other day-aw,
you know Randall-Layton and
Bernice’s boy. Good-looking
sisters, his older brother
Winston played quarterback at
Dutchtown and his younger
brother Eric broke a family tradition and went to Gonzales and
later starred in baseball at East
Ascension.
Anyway, we were talking
out of school and sitting on the
porch at Uncle Jack’s store listening to the old-timers argue
about sports and politics and the
changing times or complaining
about the price of Cokes jumping from a nickel to six cents.
“Man, I wonder what we’d be
telling the young people of
today if we’d be sitting on that
porch (or the one at Uncle
George’s in Oak Grove) if they
attention is to not go too far
back and to not tell them stuff
that they already know.
We decided 10 years was too
short-not even out of the 21st
century-and that 50 years was
too long ago.
Besides, who wants to
remember 1963-a disastrous
year for the country, for our
beloved Yankees and for rock
and roll music.
That was the year that
President John F. Kennedy was
assassinated in Dallas and the
country mourned…
Yankee fans also went into
mourning after the hated
Dodgers- behind ace southpaw
Sandy Koufax- swept the Bronx
Bombers in four straight games
to win the World Series.
To add insult to injury, the
final game was decided when
Yankee first baseman Joe
Pepitone lost a throw from third
about how when we first started
playing golf at the old Gonzales
Country Club that we used to
laugh at all the “old farts” and
now we’ve become the “old
farts” that today’s youngsters
are making sport of.
And we were remembering
the summer days when we were
inquired about the years we’ve
seen,” I said.
“Would we bore them with
stories of the past or would they
consider it a valuable lesson in
cultural literacy?”
Randall replied that the trick
to holding the attention of this
remote-control generation’s
in the white-shirted crowd’s
background (Yes, people used to
dress up for sporting events.) to
allow the winning run to score.
And music had sunk to an alltime low with Jerry Lee and
Chuck Berry in one kind of
trouble or another leaving the
number one Billboard hit of
by Bill Delaune
26
1963 to a bubble-gum number
called “Sugar Shack”.
Thank Apollo, the Beatles
arrived shortly after to save our
musical souls.
Randall suggested some date
in the middle-maybe a 25-year
reunion of events from 1988
that might please the storeporch crowd-especially if we
bought the Cokes and Stage
Planks.
I agreed-pointing out that we
could use the Presidential
Election of that year as a springboard, assuring our young audience that even back then, the
two major parties had trouble
deciding on viable candidates.
The Republicans chose
standing Vice-president George
H. Bush-even though a standing
Veep had not been elected
President in 152 years-and the
Democrats went with
Massachusetts liberal Michael
Dukakis.
“Dukakis?” sneered comedian
and perennial candidate Pat
Paulsen. “What kind of name is
that for a President? Where are
the Washington’s, the Jackson’s,
and the Jefferson’s these days?
All in the NBA, I guess.”
The highlight of the entire
campaign came during a Vicepresidential debate between
Bush’s running mate Dan
Quayle (who had misspelled
“potato” while visiting an elementary school) and the politically savvy Democrat Lloyd
Bentsen of Texas.
When Quayle claimed he had
as much experience as JFK did
when he ran for President,
Bentsen shot back, “I served
with Jack Kennedy. Jack
Kennedy was a friend of mine.
Any you, sir, are no Jack
Kennedy.”
Bush won in a landslide
although one independentthinker from West Virginia cast
an Electoral College vote for
Bentsen who was probably the
best of the bunch.
If politics didn’t interest them,
we could always switch to the
scandals of 1988 which had
everybody talking. We could
describe in great detail how
Baton Rouge televangelist
Jimmy Swaggert was not exactly
practicing what he was preaching when he was caught with a
New Orleans prostitute in a
seedy Airline motel.
Or how the ’88 Olympic 100meter champion Ben Johnson
was stripped of his medals (a lot
of stripping involved in both
cases) for using an illegal substance we were unfamiliar with
at the time-steroids.
Or maybe we could try some
modern-day irony by telling
them how the United States collectively chuckled in 1988 when
its bitter Cold War rival Russia
was forced to withdraw from a
war it couldn’t win against a tiny
country called—Afghanistan.
How about we accentuate the
positive a bit on the sports scene
with a feel-good story about a
New Orleans horse named Risen
Star winning two legs of the
Triple Crown-the Preakness and
the Belmont.
The son of Secretariat would
have probably won the Triple
Crown but drew the dreaded
number one post position in the
Kentucky Derby and jockey
Eddie Delahoussey had to circle
19 horses just to get third.
The Dodgers were back in
the World Series in 1988 but
slugger Kirk Gibson was not
supposed to play. In fact, he
was getting treatment on his bad
knee and pulled groin during
the first game with L.A. trailing
4-3 when manager Tommy
Lasorda sent a note to the
clubhouse to see if he could
pinch-hit.
With two out in the ninth and
a man on second, Gibson
limped to the plate, worked the
count to 3-2 and then lined a
game-winning homer into the
right-field seats.
As he stumbled around the
bases pumping his fists, Gibson
could not hear legendary
Dodger announcer Vin Scully
proclaim-“In a season of the
improbable, you have just seen
the impossible.” The Dodgers
went on to win the Series in five
games and they haven’t won
since. It was Gibson’s only atbat in the Series.
If the kids needed a hero a little closer to home to hold their
interest, we could bring up
Grambling’s own Doug
Williams who in 1988 became
the first Afro-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Williams was the MVP while
leading Washington to a 42-10
rout over Denver, but the most
memorable quote of the week
came in a pre-game interview
when Williams was asked, “How
long have you been a black
quarterback?”
Of course, they’d all be on
their smart phones by now so
we could recommend some
classic 1988 movie scenes on
YouTube to show them what
Hollywood used to produce
before endless “Fast and
Furious” car chases and spectacular explosions took over.
I mean, who wouldn’t be
impressed with Dustin
Hoffman’s amazing portrayal of
the autistic “Rain Man” (“I’m
an excellent driver.”) or Eddie
Murphy playing multiple roles in
the barbershop scene in
“Coming to America” (“Rocky
Marciano. Rocky Marciano.
Every time we talk boxing, you
white folks pull Rocky Marciano
out of your…”).
Still no reaction? Then conjure up a little “Beetlejuice” and
levitate the entire assembly to
the old Calypso classic “Banana
Boat” (“Day-o, Day-o…”) like
Michael Keating did in 1988.
By now, the earphones would
be out and all the youngsters
would be listening to some
wannabe thug rapping about
what he’s going to do to his
“bitches” with “hard-k” words
abounding.
So we could counter with how
Paul Simon went all the way to
South Africa to record a certain
style of bass guitar for his
“Graceland” opus which won
“Song of the Year” in 1988.
Not quite as good as scratching a record needle over a
turntable but you have to appreciate the effort.
Maybe the catchy Beach Boys’
tune “Kokomo” would strike a
nerve with the rhyming island
names-“Aruba, Jamaica, ooo I
wanna take ya-Bermuda,
Bahama, come on pretty
mama…”
And they might be impressed
to know that the same group
had number one hits like
“Surfin’ U.S.A.” in 1963, some
25 years before that ’88 single.
We might even get a chuckle
from the Rascal Flatts crowd
when we talk about country
music from 1988 when George
Jones was trying to drown his
troubles by drinking whiskey
from an Elvis decanter in a
Flintstones glass in his hit
“Yabba Dabba Doo, the King Is
Gone and So Are You”.
Maybe they’d prefer a
sarcastic Billy Joe Royal’s
parting shot-“I’d Pin a Note on
Your Pillow or You Might Not
Even Notice That I’m Gone”.
Not that we didn’t have
mournful country hits back in
1988. Vern “The Voice”
Godsin could fill your beer with
tears when he cried, “You don’t
know about lonely-til it’s
Chiseled in Stone…”
Well if you’re still with us,
faithful readers, you probably
lasted longer than our young
crowd would have made it.
Please forgive Randall and Bill’s
excellent adventure back to
1988 in our Wayback Time
Machine but it’s something we
have to do from time to time to
keep our wits in this mad, mad,
mad, mad world.
You see, that year was the last
time we celebrated our birthdays-mine on March 19 and
Randall’s three days later.
I turned 39 in ’88 and have
been celebrating anniversaries
ever since. For example, this
year was the 25th anniversary of
my 39th birthday. Just sounds
younger.
Randall wasn’t so lucky. Sgt.
Randall P. LeBlanc’s 39th birthday was also his last as he died
on May 14, 1988-25 years ago
this month. A true American
hero and a hell of a tough guy,
he won the Bronze Star in
Vietnam. And though his name
does not appear on any wall, the
cancer that killed him was a
direct result of the chemical
Agent Orange sprayed on jungles-and soldiers-to kill the
enemy’s underbrush hiding
places.
It was good talking to you,
old buddy. Stop by and see us
some time if you’re in town.
You won’t believe how much
Prairieville’s changed in the last
25 years. Sure, the old store’s
gone. But the music’s still
country and the beer’s still cold.
Miss you, pards.
Hey Dr. Rob,
I Love What You
Do for Me.
ASCENSION PA RISH
A N I M A L H O S P I TA L
225.7 44.4905
27
Monday
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& NUDE KARAOKE
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Useless Random Facts
with Kellie
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Tuesday &
Wednesday
•
Banging your head against a wall uses
150 calories an hour.
•
A person cannot taste food unless it is mixed with
saliva. For example, if strong-tasting substance
like salt is placed on a dr y tongue, the taste buds
will not be able to taste it. As soon as a drop of
saliva is added and the salt is dissolved, however, a
definite taste sensation results and this is true
for all foods.
DJ MUSIC / KARAOKE
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Weds. VIP Special $4 Vegas Bombs
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5/23
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Jennifer James
& Dustin
6/6
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Humans are the only primates that don't have
pigment in the palms of their hands.
$4 Jager Shots
for Our VIP’s
•
Contrar y to popular belief, polar bears are not
actually left handed.
CAM & MIKE
•
10-12 KARAOKE & DJ MUSIC AFTER
-The longest recorded flight of a chicken
is thirteen seconds
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PAT-E & RYAN
6/13
SENOR’ PUPPET
•
10-12 KARAOKE & DJ MUSIC AFTER
The fingerprints of koala bears are virtually indistinguishable from those of humans, so much so
that they could be confused at a crime scene
10-12 KARAOKE & DJ MUSIC AFTER
Friday
•
There was an estimate that 84.5 million women in
America are mothers.
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5/17 ... BACKLIT
STEREO
5/24 ... TRUE SPIN
5/31 ... PHUNKY
6/7 ... TRUE
SPIN
6/14 ... PHUNKY
•
150,000 house fires are caused by
home appliances.
MONKEYS
MONKEYS
•
Saturday
The flowers bought for mom have a good chance
of having been grown in California. Among the
15 sur veyed states, California was the leading
provider of cut flowers in 2009, accounting for
75 percent of domestic flower production
($269 million out of $359 million at wholesale
value) in those states. (The data pertain only to
operations with sales greater than or
equal to $100,000.)
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Every Sunday
DJ MUSIC & KARAOKE ...
•
Percentage of mothers who expected to book their
own Mother's Day brunch reser vations in 2012,
according to an OpenTable sur vey: 65.
VIP $2.75 Domestics!!
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MEGATOUCH, FOOSEBALL AND POOL TABLES.
In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period
of 80 years, no one reported a single case where
an ostrich buried its head in the sand
E V E R Y D AY AT H A P P Y H O U R ,
T R Y Y O U R L U C K AT R O L L - A - D AY !
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“ L I K E ” U S O N FA C E B O O K
More than 50% of the people in the world have
never made or received a telephone call.
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28
Committed
to Healing
Hair &
Planet
Earth
Thoughts from Bully
“Baseball,
Baseball,
Who has the
Baseball?”
This past week my son needed
three references for a research
paper entitled ‘The history of
baseball’. We started by checking
the internet, then a baseball trivia
book helped us find critical facts
but we needed some current
baseball information. We haeded
to a super sized retail store to
find current magazines about
todays baseball. I was sure they
had what we needed.
We entered the magazine and
book department where we
began my quest for a magazine
that covers baseball.
There were magazines for
men. There were magazines for
women. There were magazines
for your furniture, your sex life
and for hunting. After a few
moments I realized the titles
were in alphabetical order. I
headed for the B’s. There was
boxing, biking and Buff. Beauty,
Brides and B.E.T. Soon I was in
the ‘C’ section, Cars, Cooks and
Crafts, Coins, and Cinema.
Where the Hell is Baseball?
I surveyed magazines about
zits, skateboards and cartoons,
Hot Air Balloons, Crossword
puzzles and muscles. Cosmo,
Jumbo, Zydeco, I’m just a
Joe Smo. Where the Hell is
my baseball?
Panic momentarily set in.
I know.... try the ‘S’ section for
sports. My confidence grew.
Football and Tennis was front
and center. I saw wrestling,
fishing, running and gunning.
Track, SWAC, Cracked, I want
L’ANZA’s
Products &
Actions
Promote
A
Healthy &
Sustainnable
Earth.
my baseball back. Camping was
there then magazines about hair.
Dogs and Cats were everywhere.
Still baseball was nowhere.
I took a step back, looked
around the building making sure
I was in Wally World, the store
that has everything.
Yea, everything but baseball.
Political magazines and Who’s
Who, Tattoo, I even saw one
about VooDoo. Surfing,
swimming, tanning and fun.
If I don’t get some baseball
I’m gonna get my gun.
Nowhere, amoung this vast
literary buffet is one sign of
America’s favorite past time. It’s
just not here.
My blood pressure is up, my
rage was building, when it hit
me. There is but one possible
answer for the absence of the
subject matter for which every
red blooded American should
desire.
It shocked me that the
section of the store that shelves
hundreds of magazines didn’t
have baseball. I figured there
must be one reason and one
reason only for not being
available. BASEBALL
MAGAZINES MUST HAVE
BEEN SOLD OUT.
29
hair forum
S A L O N
6 2 2 . 2 1 8 3
If you are running out of space?
We are the place.
Storage Space Available
USS MISSOURI
• PEARL HARBOR
Memorial Day
Remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Memorial Day is a United
States federal holiday which occurs
every year on the final Monday of
May. Memorial Day is a day of
remembering the men and women
who died while serving in the
United States Armed Forces.
Formerly known as Decoration
Day, it originated after the
American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate
soldiers who died in the Civil War.
By the 20th century Memorial
Day had been extended to honor
all Americans who have died in all
wars. It typically marks the start of
the summer vacation season, while
Labor Day marks its end.
Many people visit cemeteries and
memorials, particularly to honor
those who have died in military
service. Many volunteers place an
American flag on each grave in
national cemeteries.
By the early 20th century,
Memorial Day was an occasion for
more general expressions of
memory, as people visited the
graves of their deceased relatives
in church cemeteries, whether they
had served in the military or not.
It also became a long weekend
increasingly devoted to shopping,
family gatherings, fireworks,
trips to the beach, and national
media events.
Annual Decoration Days for
particular cemeteries are held on a
Sunday in late spring or early
summer in some rural areas of the
American South, notably in the
mountains. In cases involving
a family graveyard where remote
ancestors as well as those who
were deceased more recently are
buried, this may take on the
character of an extended family
reunion to which some people
travel hundreds of miles. People
gather on the designated day and
put flowers on graves and renew
contacts with kinfolk and others.
There often is a religious service
and a "dinner on the ground," the
traditional term for a potluck meal
in which people used to spread the
dishes out on sheets or tablecloths
on the grass. It is believed that this
practice began before the
American Civil War and thus may
reflect the real origin of the
"memorial day" idea.
Memorial Day is not to be
confused with Veterans Day;
Memorial Day is a day of
remembering the men and women
who died while serving, while
Veterans Day celebrates the service
of all U.S. military veterans, living
or dead.
BUGGIN’ OUT
side of the guys the whole time that
treatment is being done.
with Ron Barattini
Meet the
Faces
Behind the
Gold Shield
I’d like to start this column by simply
saying “I love my job and the people I
work with.” I truly could not have imagined having so much fun working in the
pest control industry. This was a rather
bizarre career change for me, but I am
very glad I made that decision.
Just for the many people that do not
know us, J & J Exterminating has been
around for over 53 years in Louisiana.
The founder of our company opened his
first business with his older brother in
Crowley in 1959, and to this day, that
office is still going strong. Since then, we
have grown to 11 offices in the State of
Louisiana and continue to bring prominence and dominance to these areas.
2012 was a fantastic year for J & J
Exterminating of Baton Rouge. Our little
4 man operation from 2012 shot up to 7
by April 2013. We received one of the
most prestigious awards from our yearly
company gathering of “Highest Growth
Achieved 2012”. To say that we were
running like crazy, all hours of the day
and night would be a drastic understatement.
J & J Exterminating has been advertising with Mike at Ascension Magazine for
a little over a year now, and we have met
some really interesting new people as
well as help build our clientele. Mike
Strong has been a friend for quite some
time, and he has definitely been a huge
part of our success in Ascension
Parish…I owe him for sure, but don’t tell
him I said that
Although I know everyone has appreciated the good looking guy in the picture,
and what recommendations I have given
over the past issues of termites,
mosquitoes, ants, etc., I now have
something else to discuss. I would like
you to meet everyone behind our success
at this office…
William Wilson,
Residential Pest Technician
When he first came on, I was a bit
skeptical because of his young age and
lack of knowledge in the industry. I was
more concerned about the customers
Russell Hano,
Residential Pest
Technician/Termite Specialist
that I had been servicing myself, and I
wanted to know that they were going to
be taken care of. Needless to say,
William turned his customer base into
more like a fan base. After a few short
months, the customers who I had been
servicing for years, they had begun to
forget who I was. As you can imagine,
this stung a little, but it was all for the
greater good. William brought a whole
new dimension to customer service with
his punctuality, professionalism, and his
great attitude towards life. His customer
base was beginning to grow immensely,
and every single last one of them wanted
William, and William ONLY to be the one
servicing their home. To me, this is the
highest form of a compliment.
Now, here is a guy that has been in
the termite/pest control industry for
over 10 years and possesses a lot of
knowledge. When he first came to me,
he had just gotten out of the landscaping
field and was looking to make his move
back into the world of pest control. We
had been struggling for a while, trying to
find the right person that would fit for all
that we believed in, and sure enough here
he came. Having someone on your team
with so much experience brings much joy
to us. There are a lot of rules and
regulations that we have to follow
according to the Department of
Agriculture and this guy holds all of us up
to these standards. Experience isn’t
something that is given, it is earned. In
this business, it’s called “Sweat Equity.”
Russell is a guy that will roll his sleeves
up and get dirty with the best of ‘em.
Having him solving our residential pest
and termite issues was definitely a huge
step in the right direction.
Brenton Hano,
Termite Technician
This guy is the most ambitious, eager
person I know. Brenton is constantly
coming to me with suggestions on how to
maximize his time in and out of the field,
as well as being very persistent about
giving him additional things to learn and
perfect. He brings so much energy to our
office and is one of the hardest working
guys in the company. For being as young
as he is, Brenton has mastered all the
rules and regulations that were given to
him by the Department of Agriculture.
He continues to impress me daily with
his knowledge and his own personal
need for perfection.
Barbara Heil,
Office Manager
Vincent Dantoni,
Commercial Pest Technician
We brought Vince over to run our
Commercial Pest route, which believe it
or not, can be very, very tough and takes
a lot of discipline. Who better to handle
this than a retired Navy veteran? After
20 years in the service, he wanted to try
his luck in the pest control industry. As
funny as it sounds, this was the perfect
transition for him and for us. This is a
guy that wakes up and hits the road
every morning around 4 am to get a
jump start on his day. Vince is in charge
of all our commercial pest control
accounts, which takes much dedication
and commitment. He has learned to
strengthen the relationships between our
customers and J & J Exterminating by
bringing a very high value of service to
our customers. By doing this, he has had
a tremendous impact on our success in
helping these people with not only the
pest problems in the place of work, but
as well as helping with their issues at
their homes as well.
Erin Allain,
Account Manager
The addition of Mrs. Allain was
probably one of the proudest moments of
this office. We were looking for someone
who had the capability or growing our
market and strengthening our customer
base, and boy did we pick a winner!
Having someone who is so genuine,
trustworthy, and simply polite, is such a
breath of fresh air. One of my favorite
stories of her is that a customer asked
her “Did you really crawl under my house
to inspect it for termites?” Not knowing
this is a woman who is not afraid to
throw a jump suit on, get under a house,
crawl all around and not leaving until she
is finished with her investigation. Her
response to this was…“I would like for
you to crawl to the furthest point under
your home and look up….there you will
find my business card hanging from your
floor joists.” After that, he was a believer.
She has been known for not only setting
up our customers for the right treatment, but she will be right there along
Where to begin?? Mrs. Barbara plays
the most valuable role in this entire
office. Barbara brought over quite a few
years in the pest control industry, which
was exactly what the Dr. ordered. She
answers the phones, schedules all the
termite jobs, runs Accounts Payables and
Receivables, handles payroll, and is our
Human Resources Dept. To put it into
perspective, she is the glue that holds
this office together. Without her, we
would be a bunch of lost souls. She is
my right hand wo-man and without her
professional knowledge of all the basic
functions, we would not be where
we are today!
Special thanks to each and every one
of ya’ll playing such a huge part of our
success, and I look forward to the future
of J&J Exterminating Co of Baton Rouge.
J&J Exterminating Co
of Baton Rouge
6313 Equity Drive• Baton Rouge La 70809
225-756-2444
www.jjext.com
Jambalaya Festival Band Schedule 2013
Thursday,
May 23rd
Eatel Sound Stage
(outside)
Na Na Sha
7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Friday,
May 24th
Eatel Sound Stage
(outside)
Hai Karate
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Chee Weez
9:00 PM - midnight
Lotto Sound Stage
(inside Gonzales Civic Center)
Chubby Carrier
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Don Rich
10:00 PM - midnight
Budweiser Stage
(outside)
Not For Sale
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Saturday,
May 25th
Eatel Sound Stage
(outside)
Ampersand
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Blue Eyed
Soul Revue
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
TK Hulin &
GG Shinn
9:00 PM - midnight
Lotto Sound Stage
(inside Gonzales Civic Center)
Cliff Nickens
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
90 Degrees West
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Kenny Cornett &
Killin’ Time
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Ryan Foret &
Foret Tradition
9:00 PM - midnight
Budweiser Stage
(outside)
Fly by Night
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
T-Boy Moore
& Just Us
Sunday,
May 26th
Eatel Sound Stage
(outside)
Lil’ Bit Meaux
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Eddie Smith Band
w/ The Bayou
Boogie Band
Horn
Section
3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Boogie King
All Stars
8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
(inside Gonzales Civic Center)
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Free Style
Lotto Sound Stage
Lil’ Bayou Band
Kenny Fife & Bac
Trac w/ Patty
Bristor
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
The All Star Band:
Van & Grace
Broussard, Steve &
Mike Broussard,
Luther Kent,
Chris LeBlanc,
David Adams
and
Pat Sanchez
8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Budweiser Stage
(outside)
Back Lit Stereo
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Yeti Buford
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Motor Vated
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Memorial Day
Weekend Band Schedule
• Friday - Karaoke 7- 11
• Saturday - Little Bayou Band 9pm-1am
• Sunday - Charlie Moran & Mainline 9pm-1am
622-4884
Karaoke Every Friday 7- 11 • Live Music Every Saturday - Sunday • 622-4884
Lynn Boudreaux
The Natural Drummer
One of my goals in writing these
articles is allowing you to get to
know our local musicians on a more
personal level and appreciate how
lucky we are that they give back so
much to our community.
Most of you know that we are
going on a Swamp Pop Cruise next
April with the Ryan Foret Band, so
I figured this was a good time to
introduce all of you to their premier
drummer Mr. Lynn Boudreaux. I’m
going to be spending a week with
these guys so I wanted to know Lynn
a little better also. Two birds, one
stone y’all know the drill.
A natural drummer Lynn was
driving his mom crazy beating on his
Tupperware drums at five years old.
(How about that ad, Tupperware?)
Around six years old Lynn got his first
drum set, sort of. The drums were
covered with heavy paper so they
didn’t even make it through a whole
day and Lynn was back to the
Tupperware. It appeared that this was
going to last so at seven, Lynn’s father
Melvin brought him to Music Inc.
and Mr. Jimmy Millet outfitted him
with a real set of drums and Lynn
gave his Tupperware back to his
mom.
Until high school Lynn was truly
self-taught. He spent a lot of time
playing along with the music on the
radio until he joined the band at East
Ascension under Band Director Sheila
Bell and Assistant Band Director
Parrish Sonnier. Parrish set up a
summer drum camp that Lynn readily
signed up for. Parrish even went to
get him on the first day of camp and
Lynn was so shy he didn’t answer the
door. Lucky for us he did answer the
door on the second day and really
started his career that day. One day
Parrish asked Lynn to give him a
“groove”. Not knowing what
he wanted Lynn did some rolls.
Parrish explained to Lynn that
a “groove” on the drums is
like a guitar “riff”. It is a
rhythm beat pattern such as
funk or blues. Once he
understood and learned
some “grooves” the drums
really made sense to Lynn.
Knowing from an early age
that he wanted to play music
professionally he was a sponge,
absorbing all he could from
other drummers and
musicians, and studying
the different styles of
drummers he admired.
At seventeen he got
a call from Mike
Broussard, Sr.
Seems that Mike’s
regular drummer,
Donald “Quack”
Gautreaux, couldn’t
make the wedding
gig they had booked
at the Rec Center in
Gonzales could Lynn
do the job. Heck yes!
That was an impressive
first gig; Mike is a
stickler for a tight
sound.
After graduation from High School
Lynn went to Southeastern where he
couldn’t play in the marching band,
since they didn’t have one, but he
played in the Symphony band and
learned more about reading music.
He prefers to play by ear but knowing
how to read music is a valuable tool.
At eighteen he got a call from Blaine
Brignac of the Tighen-Up Band.
They needed a drummer so Lynn
joined Blaine, Travis Fredrick, Eve
Braud, Mike Broussard, Jr., Jeremy
Babin, Thad James and Mark Daigle
and played with them for three years.
During this time the band recorded a
cassette that Grace Vassar of “Grace’s
Lounge” financed for them. Grace
saw a lot of bands and could pick out
talent when she saw it.
Lynn started working at Music, Inc.
for Jimmy Millet during this time and
after a couple years there he started to
believe this was what he would do for
his living. However, this wasn’t his
path. Randy Lachalia, from Lafayette,
was the leader of the band Domino
and they wanted Lynn to play with
them. They toured around the region
for two years.
After Domino Lynn started playing
with the Calico Cats and toured the
region with them for another couple
years. Upon leaving them he ended
up back at Music Inc. until he became
a member of the House Band at the
Stockyard Saloon in Lafayette. Twice
a month the band would open for the
major acts coming through Lafayette.
Lynn was able to open for some big
names such as Diamond Rio, Leanne
Womack, Lone Star, Ronnie Millsap
and T. Graham Brown. This gig sure
added to Lynn’s diversity in playing.
For a time he wanted to be a studio
musician. For the next seven years he
played with the Cam Pyle Band doing
gigs from Baton Rouge to New
Orleans.
While Lynn was in Lafayette he
learned to hang and finish drywall.
So until his music was able to support
him he did that and installed floors
with Jeff Hood in Baton Rouge.
Some of you may have heard of
Lynn’s cousin that plays music-Kenny
Fife. So far as Lynn knows he and
Kenny are the only members of the
family that play music. In 2006 Lynn
got a call from his cousin Joe Fife who
34
wanted him to hear the Ryan Foret
and Foret Tradition Band from the
West Bank of New Orleans. Lynn was
able to hear Ryan not long after.
Ryan had Lynn sit in with the band
during their gig and obviously liked
what he heard; Lynn joined the band
a year later. Lynn has been with Ryan
since then and played on the last two
albums and a few songs on the
previous album.
I am always interested in who
influences musicians, Lynn’s list is
impressive. Some of his major
influences were: Mike Broussard and
Nite Train, Kane Glaze & Cousin,
Kenny Fife & Bac Trac, Heart & Soul
and Wayne Toups and Zydecajun.
Lynn’s father, Melvin, died from a
brain tumor in 1996 but his mother
Vera follows him as much as she can.
Vera loves to dance and who better to
do it to than your very own son.
Lynn’s sister, Melanie Michaels,
taught dance at “All About Dance”
for 25 years plus. Lynn is arranging
the music for their recital this year.
Lynn went all the way to Zachary, to
find himself a beautiful nurse that
works at Woman’s Hospital in the
Oncology Department, for a girlfriend. In his off time he loves fishing
and basketball. So if anyone has basketball tickets they can’t us give Lynn
a call.
I had a very enjoyable time getting
to know Lynn a little better and hope
you enjoy this article as much as I
enjoyed the process. I was impressed
with Lynn’s passion for his music and
career. He is an all-around good guy
and another great ambassador for
Ascension Parish and South Louisiana
and the Cajun Culture. Now I can’t
wait to spend a few days at sea with
Lynn and the rest of the band.
I want to express my thanks to
Lynn for granting me the
time for this interview.
Roland Doucet
Guaranty Broadcasting
100.7 FM WTGE
THE MAKING OF THE JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL POSTER 2013
Put a little color
It starts with a sketch
Start adding some detail
Block in some shapes
Create images of your message
Finalize the art images
ART WORK BY MIKE STRONG
JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL 2013 POSTER
On Sale Now
JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL 2013 POSTER on sale at the Festival in the Recreation Center ... $15
or call 225.647.2937 to order a print.
35
Jambalaya Festival
2013 Event Schedule
Thursday May 23
Cooking Contest
Champ of Champs
Mini Pot Contest (Ages 18 and older)
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
1:00 PM
Carnival 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
(Pay one Price $20)
Friday May 24
Carnival 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM*
(Pay one Price $20)
5:00 PM - 11:00 PM*
(Pay one Price $20)
Cooking Contest • Heat 1-4
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Carnival 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM
(Pay one Price $20)
Saturday May 25
Sunday May 26
Cooking Contest • SemiFinals
6:00 AM - 7:30 PM
In Font of Gonzales Civic Center
5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk Registration
7:00 AM
5K Run 8:00 AM
1 Mile Run/Walk 9:00 AM
Cooking Contest • Heat 5-8
6:30 AM - Noon
Heat winners announced at 5 PM
Arts & Craft Show • 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Irma Blvd
Car Show • 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
In Front of the KC Hall
Mini Pot Contest (Ages 17 and under)
10:00 AM - Noon
Arts & Craft Show 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Carnival 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM*
(Pay one Price $20)
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM*
(Pay one Price $20)
Cooking Contest Finals
1:00 PM
Weekends Passes for rides and amusements are $50
ASCENSION’S PREMIER DESTINATION FOR DAIQUIRIS, SPORTS, SPIRITS & ENTERTAINMENT
Open
Mon/Tues - 3 till
Weds - 2 till
Thurs - Sun 1 - till
Monday thru Friday
Daiquiris & Draft Specials
Happy Hour 4-7
Mon - Live Music .. Starts @ 8pm
Tues - Service Industry Night
Wed - Karaoke • 9pm
Thurs & Fri - Live Music
Sat - Ladies Night 7-10pm
EAST CREEK TOWN CENTER • 14505 HWY. 44 • 225.622.3719 • Veterans Get First Round on the House with I.D.
Full Service Salon
Cooking
Gourmet
at
Home
with SNO’S SEAFOOD & STEAKS
• Licensed
Cosmetologist
• Permanent
makeup
• Hair restoration
Call Lauren
for appointment.
Walk-ins
Welcome
House of Mougeot
A Unique Boutique & Salon
Specializing in Women's, Juniors and
Children’s clothing and Jewelry.
Come see our beautiful dresses,
baby blankets and bows.
Professionally designed and crafted
by our local vendors!
Stuffed Roma
Tomatoes
Give us a visit. I’m sure you’ll be
pleasantly surprised.
Tammy Mougeot, Owner
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Servings:
8 servings
13119 Airline Hwy • Gonzales, LA 70737 • 225-644-3550
( Behind Sno’s Seafood )
Ingredients:
8 Fresh Roma Tomatoes
Executive Chef
Ben Jarreau & Sous Chef
Brandon Kling
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Cracked Black Pepper (fresh if available)
½ cup olive oil
2 boxes Boursin garlic & herb cheese
3 oz fresh bleu cheese crumbles
Method:
P r e - h e a t y o u r o v e n t o 4 5 0 d e g r e e s . Ve r y
carefully shave the bottom of the tomato to
create a flat surface. Cut the top of the
tomato and using a melon baller, car efully
hollow out the inside of the tomato. Coat
the tomatoes in olive oil and sprinkle them
w i t h s a l t a n d p e j p p e r. I n a s e p a r a t e c o n t a i n e r
combine the Boursin and bleu cheese then
stuff the tomatoes. In an oven safe dish,
bake the tomatoes for apox 10 minutes, or
until the cheese starts to bubble. Promptly
remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow
to cool before enjoying them.
Ser ve as a side dish for hearty meals or use
s m a l l e r t o m a t o e s a s a unique appetizer
37
PHOTOS BY Mike Strong & Rhett Bourgeois ( Rhett’s are the good ones.)
38
39
Beauty Merges
with Civic
Responsibility
at JFA
Pageants
to teach history as well as sponsor the
cheer team.
First alternate, Jacqueline Gautreau, is a
Dutchtown High grad currently attending
Nicholls State University where she seeks a
Masters Degree in Elementary Education.
Articles Provided by The Creole
The 46th Jambalaya Festival season
kicked off Saturday night at the Gonzales
Civic Center as a capacity crowd attended
the 2013 Miss Gonzales and Miss Teen
Jambalaya Pageants. A number of young
ladies vied for the titles, each a winner in this
community.
The evening opened with pageant director,
Elise Tureau, introducing the current Miss
Gonzales Jambalaya, Meredith Conger and
Miss Teen Gonzales, Lexie Scioneaux, who
were joined on stage by the nine contestants
competing for their coveted titles. After much
pomp and circumstance, the evening culminated with the crowning of Stevi Girouard as
Miss Gonzales and Alyssa Gordillo as Miss
Teen Gonzales.
Mistress and Master of Ceremonies, Carol
Ann Frederic and Todd Long
introduced the contestants individually as the
interview and evening gown
competitions commenced. Frederic, who
has been a proponent of the Jambalaya
Festival since its inception, will be missing
from the festival in May for the first time ever,
as she and husband Frank attend the
graduation in Kentucky of their granddaughter. It was clear that her spirit and support
will be missed.
The aspirants for Miss Gonzales included
eventual winner of the overall title, Ms.
Girouard, who also won the fashion and
interview categories. Stevi, an East
Ascension High School graduate, who is
majoring in social studies at Southeastern
Louisiana University, is a lifelong resident of
Gonzales who would love to return to EA
Jacqueline is a member of the Colonelettes
dance team as well as Delta Zeta sorority.
She aspires to teach kindergarten at Spanish
Lake Elementary.
Second alternate, Maria Vidrine, was
also named Miss Congeniality and most
photogenic. Maria’s real pride illuminated as
she spoke of her Cajun heritage and she
traces her ancestry back to the earliest
French settlers of Louisiana, the Acadie.
She is a St. Amant High School graduate
currently studying anthropology at LSU. She
claims as her personal creed, “God first,
family second, self last” and lists Mother
Theresa as a role model.
The competition for Miss Teen Gonzales
included title recipient, Ms. Gordillo, who also
won the fashion and interview categories.
Alyssa is a cheerleader at Dutchtown High
and participates on the competition team as
well as running cross-country. She views
positivity as her greatest asset saying the
trait is deeply rooted in her MexicanAmerican heritage of which she is so proud.
Just as proud as her parents, Pedro and
Jana are of her.
Providing stiff competition in the teen category was first alternate and most photogenic,
Renee Delaune. Renee championed the
spirit of community in her hometown as the
reason she would be proud to be Miss Teen
Gonzales. She is an EAHS Spartanette and
class vice-president. She wants to make a
positive difference in the lives of children as
a neo-natal nurse.
Second alternate went to Jenna Cornett,
an aspiring singer/songwriter who has
auditioned for The Voice, a popular NBC
singing competition. Jenna is a member of
the St. Amant High School choir and was
named Ascension Idol in 2012.
The pageant hopefuls assembled onstage
arrayed in a semi-circle around the outgoing
queens. Attired in simple all-white garb, in
stark contrast to the full on pageant regalia
adorning Meredith Conger and Lexie
Scioneaux, the contestants appeared as
ladies in waiting attending to their queen. As
Marilyn Monroe’s voice sang “Diamonds Are
a Girl’s Best Friend” they performed a spirited dance routine to the delight of all present.
Obviously this competition was going to be
hotly contested.
Before the new queens could be crowned
current royalty must abdicate. Meredith
Conger and Lexie Scioneaux did so in two
emotional farewell addresses. Lexie,
escorted by her grandfather, Arthur
Scioneaux, took the stage first. She fought
back tears as she recounted “a perfect year
and perfect friendships, especially with
Meredith Conger.” The tears flowed more
profusely when Lexie thanked her friends
and family, particularly mom, Laurie. The
moving address was greeted by a
standing ovation.
As Lexie concluded her goodbyes, this
year’s contestants gathered stage left, each
contemplating what the next year of their
young lives might hold in store. The nervous
energy was palpable as Meredith arrived,
escorted by her dad, Mark. Very soon one of
them would wear the crown.
Meredith spoke of the whirlwind the past
year had been. As Miss Gonzales she had
travelled far and wide representing her city,
including a stint in Washington D.C., where
she met with members of Congress from
our area.
Meredith choked up when telling of the
bonds formed with fellow pageant winners
from around Louisiana, many of whom were
present. The affection between these
“rhinestone sisters” is apparent. She
proffered many thanks but singled out her
mom, Laurina. Meredith concluded with
advice to her successor. “Have fun because
it goes by way too fast.” With that her
reign ended.
As Stevi Girouard assumed the crown and
title of Miss Gonzales Jambalaya 2013, she
was joined on stage by her parents, Dane
and Sharon. They smiled broadly as
Stevi said, “it is an honor to represent
the city I love.”
Festival Association truly are.
Stevi would like also to invite
everyone in Ascension Parish to
the Jambalaya Festival, May 23-26
Alyssa Gordillo
Toddlers and
Tiaras without
the Tantrums
The flower of Ascension Parish youth was
on display at the Gonzales Civic Center on
Sunday afternoon as over 50 of our young
competed in nine divisions in the annual
Junior Gonzales Jambalaya Pageants,
sponsored by the Jambalaya Festival
Association. From toddlers to tweens they
donned their Sunday best to compete for the
coveted titles. Nervous moms and proud
dads were beaming proudly in the large
crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
The pageant opened with the contestants
in the Baby King (0-2 years) division taking
the stage. Maverick Clements,
Anthony Verlander, Ethan Bourque, Ace
Bateman and Jason Kaigler did their best to
impress the judges. Maverick Clements was
awarded the title of Baby King.
Next to grace the stage were the Junior
King (2-4 years) hopefuls, Ethan Sutton and
Hudson Clements. Young Mr. Sutton was
recipient of the crown.
Then it was the ladies turn. The Baby Miss
(0-11 months) contestants were JoHanna
Watson, London Louque, Mia Scioneaux,
Kensleigh Pearson, Kadyn Templet and
Reece St. Pierre. London Louque took
the honors.
They were followed by the Toddler Miss
(12-23 months) competitors. The large field
consisted of Alyssa Perez, Braelynn
Anderson, Averie Bourgeois, Jordyn Brown,
Londyn LeBlanc, Abby Cadarette, Analee
Templet, Ava Odom, Makenna Quinn and
Gabrielle Bennett. Averie Bourgeois
prevailed over this crowded field.
At precisely 2:36 p.m., as the participants
entered the spotlight, the festivities were
interrupted. The Civic Center fire alarm
sounded and an automated
message implored everyone to head for the
nearest exit. As moms and dads rounded up
their youngsters and scurried for the exits it
was determined that one of the rambunctious youths had
accidentally (we choose to
believe) pulled down a fire alarm. Much to
the relief of the contestants and their families, Mr. Doty Gautreau with the City of
Gonzales arrived to save the day by
resetting the alarm, and a good laugh was
had by all.
The pageant resumed with the Tiny Miss
(2-3 years) division. Brinley Bailey, Abigail
Lobell, Adelyn Hale, Makaela Buratt, Rogue
Clements, Kaysen Dixon, Mikalyn Purser,
Ryan Vidrine, Gabriella Rizzuto and Kynzie
Templet vied for the prize. Gabriella Rizzuto
took it home.
Next up was Petite Miss (4-5 years).
Marlie Bourgeois, Blakeli Landry, JeuneClaire Borders, Abigayle Mitchell and Presley
Kling pranced and preened to the delight of
the crowd. Presley Kling came away
with the title.
Mini Miss (6-8 years) followed. Natasha
Stewart, Chloe Duplessis, Kyleigh Pearson
and Bentley Bateman were the competitors.
Chloe Duplessis took home the large trophy
and the title.
The seasoned veterans in Deb Miss (9-11
years) took their turns to impress the judges.
Gracie Guillot, Isabella Norsworthy, Alyssa
Peralta, Amanda Hall and Shelby Cadarette
were the aspirants. Alyssa Peralta wore
the laurels when all was said and done.
The old pros of Junior Miss (11-13)
brought the competition to its close.
McKenzie Nassar, Madison Latour, Jacelyn
Wheat and Abigail Erickson were each the
epitome of glitz and glamour in their turn. It
was McKenzie Nassar who impressed the
judges best and garnered coveted title.
As the day’s pageantry came to a close,
the Civic Center was a mix of smiles and
frowns, but one things for sure, everycontestant shined on Sunday. From the smallest of
the small to the tween queens, each one
was a star!
Stevi Renae
Girouard
Stevi Renae Girouard is the 18-year
old daughter of Dane and Sharon
Girouard of Gonzales. She is a 2012
graduate of East Ascension High
School. Stevi is currently a
Freshman at Southeastern
Louisiana University, studying
Social Studies Education. She
is honored to have the chance to
represent a title so close to her
heart and let everyone across the
state know how wonderful the
City of Gonzales and Jambalaya
A dreamed was fulfilled when
Alyssa Gordillo was crowned the
2013 Teen Miss Gonzales
Jambalaya on May 4, 2013.
Alyssa, 16, is the daughter of Jana
and Pedro Gordillo and
resides in Geismer, LA. She is a
junior at Dutchtown High School
where she is a member of the
Dutchtown Varisty Cheer &
Competition Cheer squad, Cross
Country, Allied Health, and is a
Dutchtown High Mentor. Alyssa
has been involved in pageants
since she was a baby and has
been very successful leading up to
her dream title as the 2013 Teen
Miss Gonzales Jambalaya. Alyssa
says as a little girl it has been a
dream of hers to reign over her
hometown festival. She is excited
that she now has the opportunity
to give back to her community and
the JFA that has so generously
allowed her family to enjoy the
festival and what it has to offer for
so many years. For many years
she has been one of the thousands
in the crowd at the Jambalaya
Festival, but this year it will be
different because she will proudly
stand out in the crowd humbly to
represent her hometown this
Memorial Day weekend. Although
Alyssa’s heritage background is
Mexican-American, she definitely
has picked up the South Louisiana
Cajun taste buds for some of the
best Jambalaya in the world.
Alyssa would like to say she is
honored to represent one of the oldest festivals in the state and will
give her whole heart to serving the
community, JFA, and the festival
queens of Louisiana in hope to
inspire young girls in our city as a
role model. She would like to
thank Elise Tureau and the JFA for
accepting her into the Jambalaya
Festival Association as their
2013 Teen Miss Gonzales and
hopes she will make them proud
during her year as queen.
Jeremy Langlois,
Executive Chef
Houmas House Plantation & Gardens
Invites You to Experience
Latil’s Landing
R
E
S
T
A
U
R
A
N
T
OPEN DAILY
Daily Tours:
Monday, Tuesday 9AM - 5 PM
Wednesday-Sunday 9AM -7 PM
Cafe' Burnside:
11 AM- 2 PM daily
Latil's Landing:
Wednesday through Saturday 6 PM- 9 PM,
Sunday Brunch 11 AM - 3 PM;
Reservations Required
RIVER ROAD, BURNSIDE, LA • 225.473.9380 • kk@houmashouse.com
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