COMPLIMENTARY

JANUARY 2017, VOL. 15 ISSUE 1

Publisher / Editor
Mike Strong

Table of Contents
GONZALES INNAUGERATION 4

Sales Manager
Dottie Godberry

SWEET EYES W/ TANYA..... .....12

Staff Photographer

HEALTH FAIR.....................................24

Jimmy Dunkley

JAMMIN WITH GOOSIE........ 29

FOR MORE INFORMATION

BILL DELAUNE........................ 30

www.riverparishfoods.com

225.622.3262

Contributing Writers

THOUGHTS FROM BULLY.....34

Bill Delaune
FEED THE NEEDY ...................36

Linda Melancon
Calvin Bessonett

Bully
Goosie Guice
Orhan McMillan
Mireworks
Kellie Seymour
Tanya Stilley
Jimmy Dunkley

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Information Please call:
225-622-1324

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to Stronggraphics1@cox.net
www.ascensionmagazine.net

Note: Features in this

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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

SNOS RECIPE...........................45

Seven sworn in during City of

Gonzales inauguration
Gonzales, LA - On Tuesday.
January 3, seven City of
Gonzales elected officials were
sworn in at an inauguration
ceremony at City Hall.
Mayor Barney Arceneaux, Chief
of Police Sherman Jackson, and
Councilmen Kirk Boudreaux,
Neal Bourque, Harold Stewart,
David Guitreau and Tyler
Turner, all took an oath to work

mayor. The faith and the belief

you have in me is heartwarming,
and I hope a testament to the
vision I see for all of us within
this fair city.

for the betterment of all

residents of the city.
Mayor Arceneaux perhaps
summed up the feelings of all
elected officials in his speech
which laid out plans for a
progressive council to move the
City of Gonzales forward.

I ran on a platform with four

main goals, Roads and
Infrastructure, Public Safety,
Economic Development and
Recreation. I stand in front of
you now to assure you that my
platform has not changed. The
city is looking towards a

I stand here before you today

deeply humbled and blessed for
the opportunity to once again
serve as your City of Gonzales

progressive future which will

rely on all four of those areas to
be focal points.
We are moving ahead with the
Hwy 30 and I-10 project which
will see new lanes as a form of
improvement for the flow of
traffic within our area. Road
improvement partnership
projects with the Department
of Transportation and
Development are not only
paramount, but are happening,

such as work on Hwy. 44 and

Loosemore Road.
Bringing more businesses that
will create jobs for our citizens
is very important to me.
Gonzales should be seen as the
thriving city it is; a place people
can stay as they live and work to
raise their families. Gone should

been secured to allow us to

keep high ratings we have on a
state-wide level, and more
training will be implemented to
ensure that all of our public
safety men and women are
striving for continued
excellence.

be the days of people leaving

the city for opportunities, only
to return later in life.
I pledge to continue a very
valued relationship with both
our City of Gonzales Police
Department and our City of
Gonzales Fire Department. A
number of new resources have

We are so very fortunate to live

in a thriving community that

still upholds the importance of
open spaces where our citizenry
can gather. Continued upgrades
to our sports fields, our parks
and our green spaces will be a
priority.
We will forge ahead with plans
to work with the Rail

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5

Commission as Gonzales
becomes a stop on the train
route between Baton Rouge
and New Orleans. The possibility for this train route to expand
as the years pass could open up
so many possibilities for our

residents to travel safely as they

seek adventure and exploration.

my home, and my roots are

deep. For that reason, I aim to
do away with properties that
blight the beauty of our area.
Renovating and rebuilding will
be key in sustaining the beauty
that is our city.

On a personal note, I have

chosen a project near and dear
to my heart. I am, and always
will be a Gonzales boy. I love

I ask that our residents assist in

keeping Gonzales beautiful by
picking up litter and discarded
trash that they may see. We will
do our part with city run
properties, but I ask that all

PHOTO BY CANDY BRIGNAC

FRONT ROW: HAROLD STEWART, MAYOR BARNEY ARCENEAUX, NEAL BOURQUE

BACK ROW: DAVID GUITREAU, TYLER TURNER, KIRK BOUDREAUX, CHIEF OF POLICE SHERMAN JACKSON

Gonzales residents return to a

sense of pride in our city by
helping to keep our roads, our
yards and our waterways free
from unsightly waste and debris.
I promise to work responsibly
and proactively with our five
member Council. Each of us
hopes for continued improvements in Gonzales, and working
together as a solid collective

The Solid Choice in

Ascension Parish

PHOTO BY CANDY BRIGNAC

PHOTO BY CANDY BRIGNAC

unit is the best chance we have

for that success.

the decisions of government

which shape men's lives.

In closing, I think back to the

words of Bobby Kennedy. A
man who had the promise of
being a great leader, Kennedy
once said Hand in hand with
freedom of speech goes the
power to be heard, to share in

Put simply, this means that it is

up to all of us, not just your
elected officials to work for
betterment and change. If you
have a grievance, come to us
and work with us to change it.
Speak up and be heard, but

make a vow to work with us to

see your needs are met. It is far
too easy to complain, but far
better to be a part of fixing the
problem.
Again, I thank you for the opportunity to serve another term
as your Mayor.

To my wife Betty, my family, my

friends, my colleagues, my staff
and all residents of Gonzales,
your trust in me does not go
unnoticed. I will continue to
work to deserve your respect,
and promise to show my respect
for each of you in return.

Local Garden Clubs Try Air Gardening

The Gonzales Garden Club

held its January meeting on the
5th at the Gonzales Public
Safety Center. Activities included club business updates,
floral design critiques, a plant
exhibit, a horticultural program
and a luncheon.

President Priscilla Monsons

meeting agenda included
Loretta Ramirezs committee
plans for Arbor Day, Jamie
Trislers grant proposal to alleviate needs of a horticultural
school organization that lost all
resources to the August Flood,
Ellen Richmonds crews duties
at the Jambalaya Park Butterfly
Garden, and possible new civic
development projects.

cled container.

Member Kat Hightower presented a vertically structured

flower arrangement of budding
lilies, chrysanthemums and
dusty miller in a pearl teapot
nestled in white tulle. Mary Jo
Pohlig created a low-profile
centerpiece of horizontal lines
with ferns, gardenia greenery,
alstroemeria, and long stem
roses in a cleverly hidden recy-

Member Conchita Richey

organized an educational program, Tillandsia aka Air Plant.
Guest Speaker Michael Seal, a
Mississippi Master Gardener and
Owner/Operator of The Funny
Farm in Poplarville, presented
an extensive exhibit of rare and
unusual bromeliad varieties. He
spoke at length on the basic
propagation, growth habits and

creative arrangements of these

plants, especially Tillandsia
species, which need no soil because water and nutrients are
absorbed through the leaves.
Seal also demonstrated effective
techniques for mounting these
air plants on driftwood, rocks
and trees as focal points in gar-

dens. Invited guests included

many members of the Ascension
Parish Master Gardener Association, the Pelican Point Garden
Club, and the Riverside Garden
Club. After the program, audience members browsed Seals
inventory, consulted him on individual specimens, and selected

Gautreau, Gail Lonibos, Ellen

Richmond and Cathy Venable.
They offered chili samplings
with accompaniments, desserts
and beverages during the lunch
break. In giving thanks for the
meal, President Monson noted

plants to add to their personal

horticultural collections.

Hosting the event were

Loretta Ramirez, Janis
DBenedetto, Lorraine

that although 2016 had been a

trying year for many in Ascension, the parishs community
spirit of generosity is bringing
everyone together for a prosperous new year.

goes well with pink and other pastel

colored freshwater pearls,
and the rich pastel shades of
Tahitian pearls.
Rose or pink gold is produced by
adding a small amount of copper to
the alloy. The more copper, the
redder the alloy. Peach gold is an
orangey-pink alloy that looks
especially attractive with clear,
white diamonds.

Birthstones

January - Garnet.

Known

To clean your diamonds yourself, soak

diamonds in a solution of water, detergent, and ammonia. Then scrub gently with a soft brush. Put the jewelry
in a fine wire strainer and rinse under
warm running water. The strainer
prevents diamonds from slipping
down the drain.

Many fashion-forward designers are

offering new two-tone jewelry styles
combining pink and white gold, or
pink gold and platinum in elegant
rings, pendants, pins, earrings,
bracelets, and necklaces.

Rose Gold Blooms as

a High-Fashion
Color
with Layne Gautreau

The soft, luscious blush color of rose

gold is gaining new popularity this
season with designers of all types of
jewelry. Its fresh, flattering, and fun
to wear because it blends so well with
all kinds of flesh tones.
The warm look of rose, pink, and even
peach colored gold also
combines beautifully with the more
popular pastel gemstones...pink
tourmaline, pink and violet sapphires,
amethyst, pale blue topaz, light green
peridot, and soft yellow citrine. It also

A timeless look that many men have

already discovered: masculine rings
and watch cases in rose gold or
two-tone rose gold and platinum or titanium.

sparkling, and durable gem but it is

also a magnet for grease. If you wear
your diamonds every day, soap, cosmetics, skin oils, and lotions tend to
build up and can form a film that dulls
a diamonds lively sparkle.

To keep your diamonds looking their

best they should be cleaned regularly.

thousands of years for their

pomegranate color, a gift of garnet is
thought to be symbolic of a deep love
and having the ability to keep loved
ones safe during travel. Legend says
Noah used a garnet lantern to help
him steer his ark through the darkness
and protect him from evil and disaster.
A diverse and complex gem group,
garnets are hard and durable. Famed
for its rich red color, consumers are always surprised to find this gem available in a rainbow of sparkling hues
everything except blue.

Jewelry Doctor

Care Tips for Diamonds

Diamond is the hardest substance
known to man. It is a brilliant,

The safest way is to let us do it for you

using a high powered steam bath
made specifically for cleaning gems
and jewelry. That way we can also
make sure prongs or other settings are
not weak or loose.

One of my favorite Bible verses

is, This is the day the Lord has
made. Let us rejoice and be
glad in it. (Psalm 118:28-29).
I promise, if you create a habit
of becoming intentionally grateful and thankful for the blessings in your life, youll be more
at peace, more full of joy, and
you just might reduce your
blood pressure!

How can we
rededicate ourselves
spiritually?
Make daily time for spiritual
listening and discernment.
Take time to pray, read a daily
devotional, and listen for the
Lord to speak to you.

Happy 2017
Ascension Parish

What does it mean to

emotionally redirect?

After all the celebratory events

the past couple of months, its
time to embark on an exciting
new year. This month Im
refocusing on being my best
self, and I encourage you to do
the same. Each new year is a
time to refocus, rededicate and
redirect our efforts, both
physically, emotionally, and
spiritually.

There are many ways to

emotionally redirect yourself,
but an easy way to do this is to
count your blessings daily.
Gratitude is something as easy
as acknowledging your life, your
family, friends, health, job,
anything that you have.
Gratitude can be spoken,
written down or meditate upon
and has been linked to overall
well being, life satisfaction
and health.

How should we
physically refocus?
Everyone always says they want
to become more active for their
new years resolution, but what
does that mean? To me, it
means becoming intentional
about physical activity through
scheduling time with myself. If
I cannot make time to hit the
gym, I call a friend to go for a
jog around the neighborhood
or simply put in a DVD for a
quick workout.

According to the
Positive
Psychology
Progress Study
taken in 2005,
one gratitude visit
led to reduced
depressive
symptoms by 35%
for several weeks
and maintaining a
continuous
gratitude journal
reduced depressive symptoms by
30% as long as
the practice continued.

Another Powerful Devotional- available at your

local bookstore or Amazon.com

It also means refocusing on why

you want to be fit. Strong is
the new healthy is a recent
quote that I love. Its not about
how you look; its about how
you feel. And when you feel
good youre able to give more
to your family, friends and
coworkers on a daily basis.
Also, when youre healthy,
youre entire outlook on life is
more positive.

12

Step 1) Set aside a place and

time. Weve all heard it takes 21
days to create a habit. Its easier
to create a habit if you have a
plan, so I suggest planning
when and where you will make
time for prayer. Ideally this
should be in the same place at
the same time. Let family members know youll step away (this
can be five
minutes or 50 minutes)
rededicate yourself spiritually
through quiet (or not so quiet)
prayer.
Step 2) Reading a devotional
easy a easy way to rededicate
yourself. If youve never done
this, there are many encouraging free ones online. Some of
my favorite devotionals are
Proverbs 31 Ministries,
Girlfriends in God and Joyce
Meyer Ministries. This simply
takes signing up and reading a
daily email. Hard copy
devotionals are available as well.
Some even take you through
reading the Bible in a year.
Either way, when you take
time to seek the Lord, He will
meet you.

13

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APSO Deputy Saves Cat

Trapped in Garage Dgtoor
On Wednesday, December 29, 2016,
Deputy Mike Scott (retired captain)
responded to a call for assistance of an
animal being stuck in a residence.
A cat had been stuck between a
garage door of a residence and the
wall, said Deputy Scott. Never in all
of my years was I prepared to encounter what I saw upon my arrival,
he added.
He recalls that numerous neighbors
and construction workers were already
at the residence attempting to assist.
His 34 plus years of law enforcement
training quickly kicked in as he hurried
to remove the cat safely from the door.
The neighbors were very helpful as
we cautiously removed the upper
frame molding that allowed some
space for us to remove the cat, he
said. With a joint effort with neighbors we were able to remove the cat
alive.
What seemed like several hours to remove the cat, the homeowner arrived
on scene in a panic as he observed
neighbors and deputies in his yard.
Deputy Scott, holding the cat, advised
the homeowner of what just occurred
and the homeowner exclaimed, Oh
my God, Bella.
Both the homeowner and Deputy
Scott checked Bella out for injuries but
neither of them could find any injuries.
After speaking with the homeowner
further, Deputy Scott learned that
most of the residents in the Autumnview neighborhood were devastated by
the recent August flood and all of the
neighbors had become close in the past
four months.
The homeowner told Deputy Scott
that he received four feet of water in
his residence and he left earlier that
day to get some lumber for repairs and

Bella must have been sleeping on the

garage door and he did not notice
when he left.
I am not much of a cat person, but
no one wants to see an animal suffer,
said Deputy Scott. After losing so
much from the flood, I was happy that
I could save the homeowners cat.
Thank God for miracles and good
neighbors.
Deputy Mike Scott worked 34 years
for the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office and retired as a captain over uniform patrol in 2011. After two short
years of retirement, he returned back
to the sheriffs office as a part-time
deputy and has been part-time for
three years.
Its a privilege to be on the streets
with these much younger criminal justice professionals, said Deputy Scott.
I like to be able to assist with taking
calls like such so that the younger
deputies can stay available for criminal
complaints and investigations, he
added.

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16

17

YOUR ESTATE MATTERS

By Linda Melancon
disabilities without running
afoul of rules that require
assets to be below a specified
level to qualify for benefits.

Special Needs
Legislative Update:
The Special Needs
Trust Fairness and
the ABLE Acts
A new year is an excellent time
to take stock and take care of
planning. In recent years, some
changes have been made in
the law that may help those
looking to plan for special
needs. These changes may
make it easier for people to
keep funds on hand for the
benefit of an individual with

One law that may have a

significant impact on individuals and families dealing with
disabilities is the ABLE Act.
Signed into federal law in
2014, the Achieving a Better
Life Experience Act of 2014
(ABLE Act) allows for the
creation of tax-deferred savings
accounts for disability-related
expenses. An individual who
developed significant
disabilities before age 26 and
who receives SSDI or SSI
benefits can save up to
$100,000 in an ABLE
account, and generally, that
account will not be counted
for purposes of qualifying for
federal means-tested benefits
such as SSI or Medicaid. If the
ABLE account balance exceeds
$100,000, the beneficiary of
the account will remain

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qualified to receive SSI

benefits, but will not receive a
payment until the account
balance drops below
$100,000. Medicaid benefits
will continue regardless of
how much money is in
the account.

disabilities who were capable

of handling their own affairs,
who didnt have living parents
and didnt need a guardian?
Under the statute as passed in
1993, they did not have the
ability to set up a self-settled
SNT for themselves.

The funds in an ABLE account

can be used for expenses for
the disabled persons benefit,
including education; housing;
transportation; employment
training and support; assistive
technology and personal
support services; health and
wellness; financial management
and administrative services;
legal fees; expenses for oversight and monitoring; funeral
and burial expenses; and any
other expenses approved under
regulations implemented by
the Internal Revenue Service.
Louisiana has passed its own
version of the ABLE Act;
however, the program to oversee and administer ABLE
accounts in the state is still
being developed.

Enter the Special Needs Trust

Fairness Act. Passed into
federal law in December 2016,
this law amended the existing
statute to provide that a
disabled individual who has
mental capacity can now create
and fund his or her own
self-settled special needs trust.
This change in the law allows
capable individuals with
disabilities to make their own
decisions and not rely on
others to act as their advocate.

A second law of importance is

the Special Needs Trust
Fairness Act. For a number of
years, a self-settled special
needs trust (SNT) has been a
valuable planning tool for
those considering long-term
care planning for special needs.
In 1993, a revamp of Medicaid
included the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1993, or
OBRA-1993, which provided
for the creation of a self-settled
SNT, using the funds of a
disabled individual under age
65, by a parent, grandparent,
guardian, or court. The funds
in such a trust are not counted
for purposes of qualifying for
Medicaid or other meanstested benefits, but upon the
termination of the trust,
Medicaid must be repaid for
the cost of care it provided.
The self-settled SNT has been
a valuable planning tool in
allowing those with disabilities
to receive funds through an
inheritance, legal settlement,
or otherwise without those
funds disqualifying them for
vital governmental benefits.
Wonderful for parents of
special needs children, either
minors or adults, but what
about adult individuals with

18

Both of these laws will provide

individuals with disabilities and
their families the ability to
have more assets on hand to
meet the needs of the disabled
person without the fear of
losing valuable and necessary
public benefits.
As with any other type of
financial and legal planning, be
sure to consult a qualified
professional experienced in
special needs planning if you
are interested in an ABLE
account or a special needs
trust. A qualified professional
can assist you in creating a plan
tailored to your particular
situation, and one that is in
line with current law and
regulations.
The information provided is
not intended to be legal advice
and does not constitute an
attorney/client relationship.
You should consult with an
attorney for individual advice
regarding your own situation.
Ms. Melancon has engaged in
the practice of law in Ascension
Parish for the last eighteen
years. The primary focus of her
practice is estate planning,
probate, special needs planning
and elder law. For more
information or to attend an
upcoming estate planning
seminar, call her office
at 744-0027.

engine. Since this announcement,

Google has taken many steps
signaling that mobile devices should
be considered as the default user
experience, as opposed to the
traditional desktop. Mobile
optimization is already an extremely
important factor in SEO strategies.
However, in 2017 and future years to
come, it will prove to be mandatory.

SEO trends to prepare

for in 2017
by Orhan Mc Millan
dezinsINTERACTIVE

Voice search is the

next big thing

Voice searching has been an ongoing

project in the tech industry for quite
a few years now, and in the process
of working out some of the kinks, it
has become one of the fastestgrowing search options out there.

In this day and age, search engine optimization (SEO) is evolving at astronomical speeds. And as 2016 begins
to wind down, lets examine the upcoming years digital marketing landscape. As numerous trends in SEO
have occurred over the past 10
months, they will most likely continue to grow in 2017. As business
owners are constantly kept on their
toes due to Googles algorithm updates, heres a few things to look out
for in 2017.

Optimization for
user intent

Although keywords are still important, the use of typing in simple

words yields simple and efficient results. In this day and age, consumers
know exactly what they are looking
for, and search engines have gotten
even better at identifying user intent.
Therefore, consumers are now getting more efficient results when typing in keywords and phrases into
search engines. In 2017, brands will
need to put forth more effort in optimizing their digital content based
on intent rather than specific keywords. For an effective SEO Strategy,
it will be critical to:
Investigate Figure out what
users are searching for when they
come to your page, as well as the
questions that they will want your
content to answer.
Optimize Gather your research data and find areas that need
the most work, then make the necessary changes to boost your ratings.
Based on this, tell the consumers
story by altering the content to reflect the readers experience.
Adjust Always keep up with
your analytics; its crucial to stay on
top of what is and isnt working in
order to make updates accordingly.

More rich answers

and snippets

When we dont know the answer to

something, typically a quick Google

search is the best route. In response,

Google will often display the
required information directly in t
he search results along with helpful
websites, videos, reviews, specific
dates, even movie and event
information.

According to a study done by Stone

Temple Consulting, the volume of
rich answers appearing in search
results has nearly doubled from
2014 to 2016. If this trend continues,
imagine what the numbers will look
like in the next upcoming years.
Users love having quick access to
useful information, so if you havent
done so already, do yourself a favor
and start implementing schema
markup for your website in 2017.

Cross-channel
marketing

Cross and multi-channel marketing

might sound similar, but are actually,
very different. Multi-Chanel is defined as establishing a presence on
more than one platform, where
cross-channel means you are using
several channels to market your
brand in an integrated way. For instance, if consumers are browsing
products on a mobile app and decide
not to make any purchases, you can
still send them targeted ads based on
their google searches via email or
social media.
According to Econsultancys fourth
annual Cross-Chanel Marketing Report, 73% of respondents claimed
that their use of cross-channel marketing resulted in having a significant
impact on increased conversion
rates among their customers.
However, its only effective use lies in
knowing your target audience and
their consumption habits. The biggest
challenges that businesses face in this
process include:
Knowing the right message
Knowing the right time to
release it
Knowing the correct channel
to use

19

Although there are dozens of tools

and resources to help, cross-channel
marketing is still very much in the
infancy stages, even with the
widespread adoption of mobile
devices. In this day and age,
consumers are more connected
than ever, and the need for quality
cross-channel marketing will
continue to be in high demand
throughout 2017.

Increased mobile
growth

The use of mobile accessibility has

reshaped SEO over the past few
years, and as mobile searches are
growing at faster paces than ever, it
doesnt show any signs of slowing
down. Traffic distribution has been
shifting away from desktop and
moving more towards mobile
devices, and nowadays, most
websites are getting more user
traffic via mobile devices over
desktops.

In May of 2015, Google reported

that mobile searches had surpassed
desktop searches on its search

In 2017, the goal for voice search is

to go above and beyond voice
recognition and evolve it into voice
understanding. This involves several
changes with respect to:
Previous searches
Location-based context
Context based on frequently
used apps
Personalized information
Keyword research based on
spoken queries

When it comes to voice search,

theres no denying that its one of the
biggest trends of the digital age. And
with massive improvements to Siri,
Google Now, and Cortana, SEO
marketers would be wise to closely
examine voice innovation and think
beyond text-based queries in 2017.
As the 2016 calendar year wraps up,
it becomes evident that 2017 will be
a big year all around. Users are
becoming increasingly connected and
are engaged more than ever with the
content that they consume. It will be
crucially important for SEO
marketers to factor these upcoming
trends into the bigger picture in
order to be prepared to take on
future challenges. 2017, bring it on.

What is
Periodontal
Disease
By Calvin Bessonet, DDS,FAGD

Gum disease, or periodontal

disease is a chronic inflammation
and infection of the gums and
surrounding tissue. It is the major
cause of about 70 percent of adult
tooth loss, affecting three out of
four persons at some point in their
life. Periodontal diseases include
gingivitis and periodontitis.

What causes
gum disease?
Bacterial plaque a sticky, colorless
film that constantly forms on the
teeth is recognized as the
primary cause of gum disease. If
plaque isn't removed each day by
brushing and flossing, it hardens
into a rough, porous substance
called calculus (also known as
tartar).Toxins produced and
released by bacteria in plaque
irritate the gums. These toxins
cause the breakdown of the fibers
that hold the gums tightly to the
teeth, creating periodontal pockets
that fill with even more toxins and
bacteria. As the disease progresses,
pockets extend deeper, and the
bacteria moves down until the

bone that holds the tooth in place

is destroyed. The tooth eventually
will fall out or require extraction.

Are there
other factors?
Yes. Genetics is also a factor, as are
lifestyle choices. A diet low in
nutrients can diminish the body's
ability to fight infection. Smokers
and spit tobacco users have more
irritation to gum tissues than
non-tobacco users, while stress can
also affect the ability to ward off
disease. Diseases that interfere with
the body's immune system, such as
leukemia and AIDS, may worsen
the condition of the gums. In
patients with uncontrolled
diabetes, where the body is more
prone to infection, gum disease is
more severe or harder to control.
Pregnant women experience elevated levels of hormones that cause
the gums to react differently to the
bacteria found in plaque, and in
many cases can cause a condition
known as "pregnancy gingivitis."

What are the

warning signs of gum
disease?
Signs include red, swollen or
tender gums, bleeding while
brushing or flossing, gums that
pull away from teeth, loose or
separating teeth, pus between the
gum and tooth, persistent bad

breath, a change in the way teeth

fit together when the patient bites
and a change in the fit of dentures.
While patients are advised to check
for the warning signs, there might
not be any discomfort until the
disease has spread to a point where
the tooth is unsalvageable. That's
why patients are advised to get
frequent dental exams.

What does
periodontal
treatment involve?
In the early stages of gum disease,
most treatment involves a special
cleaning called scaling and root
planning, which removes plaque
and tartar around the tooth and
smoothing the root surfaces.
Antibiotics or antimicrobials may
be used to supplement the effects
of scaling and root planing. In
most cases of early gum disease,
called gingivitis, scaling and root
planing and proper daily cleaning
achieve a satisfactory result. More
advanced cases may require
surgical treatment, which involves
cutting the gums sometimes with
the assistance of a laser and
removing the hardened plaque
build-up and recontouring the
damaged bone. The procedure is
also designed to smooth root
surfaces and reposition the gum
tissue so it will be easier to
keep clean.

How do you prevent

gum disease?
Removing plaque through daily
brushing, flossing and professional
cleaning is the best way to
minimize your risk. Your dentist
can design a personalized
program of home oral care to meet
your needs.

How can I maintain

treatment at home?
Sticking to a regular oral hygiene
regimen is crucial for patients who
want to sustain the results of
periodontal therapy. Patients
should visit the dentist every three
to four months (or more,
depending on the patient) for spot
scaling and root planing and an
overall exam. In between visits,
they should brush at least twice a
day, floss daily and brush their
tongue. Manual soft nylon bristle
brushes are the most dependable
and least expensive. Electric
brushes are also a good option, but
don't reach any further into the
pocket than manual brushes. Proxy
brushes (small, narrow brushes)
and other interdental cleaners are
the best way to clean between the
recesses in the teeth and should be
used once a day. Wooden
toothpicks and rubber tips should
only be used if recommended by
your dentist.

HEALTHY
SMILES FOR
THE WHOLE
FAMILY
EMERGENCIES WELCOME
IV Sedation
Invisalign Certified
Laser-Assisted Decay Detection
Porcelain Veneers
Implants
Wisdom Teeth

Ascension
PREMIER DENTAL
Calvin G. Bessonet, DDS, FAGD
13375 Hwy 73, Suite 1 Geismar, LA 70734 Call:
20

225.673.6910 www. AscensionDentist.com

"Proudly Sponsored by Dutchtown Physical Therapy"

DTPS Fundraiser February 9th-20th

Mardi Gras Holiday February 27th-March 1st
Spring Break April 13th-21st

Dear Eagle Families,

State Testing Windows

April 26-28 5th-8th Grades ELA and Math Test Computer Based
May 2-3 5th-8th Grades Social Studies Test Computer Based
May 5 5th-8th Grades Science Test Computer Based
May 1st-5th 3rd -4th Grades ELA, Math, Social Studies, Science Paper/Pencil

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope that you and your families enjoyed the vacation and are ready
for a great new year! We certainly were happy to reflect on the positive events and happy occurrences
of the past year and were very ready to say good bye to the many tragedies we experienced, in our
community, in 2016. We look to 2017 with renewed hope and optimism for ourselves and our students.

In January we conduct our winter benchmark and curriculum based assessments that provides us valuable
information on how our students are progressing in Math and Reading. Later in the spring, we will be
administering the state assessments, along with our district assessments to finish up the school year.
If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to contact your childs teacher.

Patricia Espinoza, Principal

"Your Community
Physical Therapy
Provider" for
9 years.
Stephen Jackson, PT, DPT

(225) 744-3631 fax (225) 744-3647

DUTCHTOWN PHYSICAL THERAPY 13053 HIGHWAY 73, SUITE B GEISMAR, LOUISIANA 70734
21

22

23

St. Elizabeth Hosts 2017 Family Fest

Learning about health and

wellness has never been so
much fun as it was during St.
Elizabeths annual Family Fest,
Adventures in Health, held
on January 21st at the Lamar
Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. More than 1,500 participants were treated to a variety
offerings in one of five distinct
areas: Play, Thrive, Prevent,
Shop, and Eat. There was
something for everyone
of every age.

St. Elizabeth is proud to be a

leading healthcare provider in
Ascension Parish, and we are
dedicated to improving the
health and well-being of people
in the communities we are
privileged to serve, said Jon
Hirsch, Director of Marketing.
Family Fest is a fun and
engaging opportunity to
encourage the entire family to
focus on being healthy now and
preventing future chronic illness
and disease. From interactive
exhibits and demonstrations to

inflatable activities kids were

able to enjoy healthy play, while
parents and grandparents were
able to take advantage of the
many screenings offered. By
participating in screenings
community members are able to
determine and address potential
health hazards early improving
their chances for better
outcomes.
Family Fest also featured free
food samples from area restaurants, live entertainment and a

local shopping market.

Every family received a special
giveaway, and many lucky
participants left with one of
many great door prizes.
Among the more than 70
vendor booths, Baton Rouge
Cardiology, in partnership with
the American Health Association and AmeriHealth Caritas,
offered hands-on CPR
education, while the
Mathnasium booth offered
fest-goers a chance to test their

math skills with multiple

games. Professional face painting and balloon art kept kids
and adults-alike wowed again
this year, and other vendors
offered opportunities for
participants to learn more
about health care conditions
and additional services
offered in our community.
The event gets better and
better each year, said Hirsch.
Scores of volunteers,
representatives from area
establishments, and physicians
and team members from within
and outside our St. Elizabeth
family came together to help
make the event a success.
Many volunteer hours were
spent planning and executing
this event, and we are grateful
to everyone.
Hirsch also added his thanks
to the sponsors of this years
Family Fest:

Platinum Sponsor:
EATEL

Gold Sponsor:
Crawfish Aquatics

Silver Sponsors:

Lake Urgent Care &

MedCare Medical Equipment
& Supplies

Bronze Sponsors:

Ascension Childrens
Dental/Parker Orthodontics &
French Settlement Sausage
Company
These companies contributed
to the quality of the event, and
enabled the provision of
many screenings and exhibits,
he said
Exhibitors this year include:

Eat:

Community Coffee
French Settlement Sausage
Rotolo's Pizzeria
Mooyah's Burgers & Shakes

Play:

Ascension Parish Library

225 Inflatables
Face Painting
Gonzales Police Department
Explorers
Mathnasium
PKSA Karate
Premier Lanes
STEM GEMS
St. Elizabeth Pediatrics Stuffed
Animal Clinic

Prevent:

Alliance Safety Council in

conjunction with OLOL
Children's Hospital
American Heart Association

27

For more than 20 years, we have developed, owned and

managed senior housing communities throughout
Louisiana and Georgia that provide alternative living
arrangements for seniors combining wellness, independence
and personal care in a warm dignified setting with over
100 years of personal and professional experience.

Come Fall in love

with our
home-like
atmosphere"
2305 S. Purpera Avenue,
Gonzales, LA 70737

225.644.1028

AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana

Ascension Children's
Dental/Parker Orthodontics
Baton Rouge Cardiology
Child Advocacy Services (CASA)
CVT Surgical Center
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer
Center
Sisters Network Inc.
St. Elizabeth - Blood Pressure
St. Elizabeth - BMI
St. Elizabeth Women's Health
Services
St. Elizabeth Hospital
Cardiopulmonary
St. Elizabeth Hospital Lab
Services
St. Elizabeth Hospital Radiology
Services
St. Elizabeth Physicians ENT
& Allergy/Audiology
St. Elizabeth Physicians
Gastroenterology
St. Elizabeth Physicians
Urology Services
STEP Primary Care
United Healthcare
Community Plan

Shop:

All 4 Children Consignment

EATEL
Lady Jane's
Perfectly Posh
Simply Susan
Play Coco

28

Thrive:

Our Lady of the Lake Children's

Hospital
St. Elizabeth Surgical Services
Action Therapy & Wellness
Anointed Hands Trichology
Center for Hair Loss
Ascension Counseling Center
Ascension Jazzercise
Blooming Yoga
Capital Area Agency on Aging
Crawfish Aquatics
Curves
Excel Rehabilitation
Lake Urgent Care
Lagniappe Chiropractic
& Wellness
Louisiana spirit
DHH/OBH/CAHSD
Medcare Medical Equipment
and Supplies
Regions Bank
St Elizabeth Foundation
St. Elizabeth Community
Education
St. Elizabeth Asthma Education
St. Elizabeth Physicians
Behavioral Health
St. Elizabeth Physicians Sports
Medicine
St. Elizabeth Tobacco
Treatment Program
St. Elizabeth Wellness Clinic
Young Living Essential Oils
St. Elizabeth Women's Advisory
Council DUCK DERBY

Whos The Toughest?

There's an old saying that
goes like this, "You better learn
to be tough if you're going to
get old." Boy, I'm really learning the truth of that statement
as I continue to age. Between
normal aches and pains along
with doctor visits and surgeries
life's challenges sure don't get
any easier.
As outdoorsmen and women,
no matter what our specific passions are, we all have different
challenges in the pursuit of fish
and game. I've done a little of
about everything and to this day
I have to wonder just what is
the most painful type of outdoor sport I have enjoyed.
Tournament bass fishing
sometimes requires you to fish
at times and places that aren't as
productive as other areas at the
same time. Tournament fishing
can be long and hard but for
most of these folks they don't
keep fish to clean for when they
get home. That makes the end

of those trips easier than the

sacalait, bream, or catfish fisherman that sometimes has a lot of
fish to clean after the return
home.
I feel that saltwater fishing
has more challenges in general
than freshwater fishing. Inshore
saltwater fishing can involve
cold, heat, wind, waves, insects
and the need to deal with creatures with painful poisons such
as stingrays, catfish and different
bacterias in the water. Offshore
fishermen are definitely a cut
above in terms of outdoorsmen
that are more at risk versus inshore fishermen. A day offshore
can be a pleasure or it can be
the hardest day of fishing that
you'll ever participate in. Huge
waves, motion sickness, hard
fighting big fish, extreme heat
and cold can make this sport enjoyable by only a chosen few.
When it comes to hunting,
it's very easy for me to really
enjoy hunting trips for dove,

squirrel, or even turkey. These

adventures for the most part,
don't involve a whole lot of
equipment and hassle to deal
with. As the fall progresses the
challenges seem to increase. By
the time deer season gets here
you've already spent the last
couple of the summers months
doing workdays, making food
plots,or constructing stands.
Most deer hunters of this day
and time have really made their
outdoor stay very comfortable.
Some hunters get up early, but a
lot of them only hunt in the
evening. Most, and by no means
all, spend their time in a very
comfortable environment. One
of the hardest things they do is
dealing with the deer after the
kill. There's another side to this
sport that's not so easy, running

dogs in pursuit of whitetails is a

bit more physical than box stand
hunting. The exception being
those who hunt from climbing
stands.
Waterfowl hunters are faced
with just about every difficult
obstacle that can be placed in
front of them. They get up
early. They usually make long,
cold, dark dangerous boat rides
before daylight and are at risk of
waves, fog, hypothermia etc.
they often deal with very cold
temperatures, along with handling things such as decoys,
dogs, and boats in the frigid
water. Blinds are usually constructed to hunt from, but some
hunters wade through swamps
and marshes in the boggy mud
to natural hidden locations for
concealment.
No matter what your choice
of outdoor activity maybe they
can all be challenging to some
degree. In general the more effort you put in the more you'll
get out of it, but maybe you
don't need to be so successful
to enjoy the sport. That's fine.
That's where I'm at, at this day
and time. Out of all the things
I've done, I would love to say
that offshore fishing and waterfowl hunting is the hardest. Out
of the two I would have to say
that waterfowl hunters, because
of the early cold nighttime boat
rides dealing directly with water
and cold, have to be the toughest. At one time I was one of
those that put it all on the line.
Today I'm still one, but not one
like I once was....
Till Next Time,
One Forever,
James "Goosie" Guice

29

R ussian Out of the Old Year and Into the New

by Bill Delaune
the information inside the
White House but the new
Commander-in-Chief is not
concerned.
This is a modern updated
version of the production. Old
actresses like Meryl Streep
wouldnt understand.

FebruaryA strange computer glitch at

NFL headquarters changes the
New England Patriots Super
Bowl opponent from the Dallas
Cowboys to the Russian-based
Moscow Mules. The Mules
arrive in Houston to practice
but their coaches Boris and
Natasha are more interested
in taking notes and photographs
during a tour of the NASA
facility.
As for the game, crafty Pats
coach Bill Belichick-with the
help of some disgruntled
Cowboy fans-sneaks some
Titos Vodka-made right here in
Texas-into Moscows Gatorade
containers and the drunken
Mules are whipped soundly by
the Brady Bunch.

March-

What can you say about a

year where the most frequently
asked questions went something
like this
How much water did yall
get? What the hells going on
in Baton Rouge? Are you
voting for the narcissistic, sex
predator buffoon or the
corrupt, coldly-calculating liar?
And, of course, the most
pressing issue of 2016-Who
can pee where?
Well, I have a couple of words
for 2016 (No, not a verb and a
pronoun-this is a family

magazine.)-Good riddance!
And now we can look forward
to 2017 when President Donald
Trump will sell us out to the
Russians, start a nuclear
holocaust or build a wall on the
Arizona-Nevada border to keep
all the Hollywood types in
Southern California.
Or perhaps we might see
some of these events take place
in the aptly named Chinese Year
of the Cock

JanuaryDeflategate 2 hits college

football when the all-powerful,

all-knowing NCAA-acting on a
tip out of Tuscaloosa- threatens
to strip Clemson of its national
title for deflating Nick
Sabans ego.
Meanwhile, at the Presidents
Inaugural Ball, Trump-snubbed
by Hollywood A-listers and
entertainers- turns to some new
foreign friends and secures the
Russian Ballet to perform. An
extraordinary large number of
the dancers in the classic Swan
Lake seem to be using cell
phones to take pictures and
personal computers to record
30

Continuing the good-natured

cultural exchange, Russian
President Vladimir Putin and
tennis star Maria Sharapova are
invited to perform on the
popular ABC television show
Dancing with the Stars.
Putin agrees if Trump will
change the title the night he is
on to Dancing with the Tsars.
Despite the rules calling for a
fox trot, Putin breaks into a folk
dance to the tune of If I Were
a Rich Man from Fiddler on
the Roof and wins easily when
all American computers and
phones mysteriously crash at the
same time and only Russian

voters can get through.

April-

To silence the public outcry,

Trump appoints an assistant to

A shocker at the Masters-Tiger

Woods miraculously recovers

the Surgeon General-an obscure

physician named Dr. Zhavago-

from a bad back, bad shoulder

and various other ailments-

to investigate the charges.

some golf related, some blonderelated-and wins the Green

The much-maligned airline industry takes another hit only a

Jacket despite not having played

all year.

few months after two sisters

were thrown off a plane and

I owe it all to my new trainer

Ivan Drago and his silver-

missed their dying fathers

final hours.

tongued friend, says Woods.

I feel so good I could fight
Rocky right now!
Drago denies any hint of
illegal PEDs with a resounding
Nyet! But off to the side he
is heard to murmur, We will
break them all.

MayMore hangovers from the

doping scandal of 2016
Olympics when an unknown
Russian sprinter Alexi Lexus
wins the Kentucky Derby and
the Indy 500.

June-

Deer & Hog

Processing

This time the case involves

two brothers who are removed
from line before even boarding
the plane for complaining about
long lines, lengthy delays and
undeserved TSA searches.
Look, weve been in line for
what seems like over a century,
gripe the brothers who give
their names as Wilbur and
Orville Wright.

Deboning Ground Meat

Fresh Sausage
Smoked Sausage
Green Onion Sausage
Italian Sausage
Cajun Sausage
Breakfast Sausage
Jalapeno & Cheese
available
Vacuum Packed

Custom Cuts
Available with
Deboning

JulyIn a rare show of shedding

its ultra-liberal label, the
Democratic Party acknowledges

Tee Wayne's
Cajun Cooking
still offers
full-time,
full-service
catering.

Hey Dr. Rob,

Did you make me
this Purdy?

For all your catering needs

call 225.806.FOOD

Come See Us at
Tee Wayne's Cajun Cooking
Now a Restaurant, too!!

A SCENSI ON PARI SH

A N I M A L H O S P I TA L
225.744.4905

31

39087 Hwy. 621, Gonzales,

La. 225.644.FOOD
225.644.3065 (fax)
Monday & Tuesday:
11am-2pm
Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday & Saturday:
11am-8pm

Tee Wayne

Tyler

there is a vast area of land

between New York and

the lakes-they find a Russian

nuclear submarine.

nuclear devices on the island of

Cuba-only 90 miles from

followed by our Baltic Defense

caught them off-guard. Hell,

California where many people

live-and vote. The Demos

President Trump tells a

nervous nation not to be

American soil. President Trump

reacts swiftly and decisively,

me and Bobby Hebert learned

that back at South Lafourche.

then announce they will host a

down-home Independence Day

alarmed. They were only

conducting experiments on

declaring a Code Red and

appointing Jack Nicholson as

Sabans press conference is a

short one. We got rooked,

celebration at Nashvilles Grand

Ole Opry to show a lifelong

underwater vegetation,
he assures.

Commanding Officer of
Guantanamo Bay.

he whines.

I am confident the new

Commander will return with a

The year mercifully ends with

Trump and Putin toasting each

truth we all can handle,

says Trump.

other at an opening of the

Presidents new golf course

commitment to fighting for

working people.
Unfortunately, the scheduled
guests of Loretta Lynn-the
Coal Miners Daughter and
Hank Williams Jr. (A Country
Boy Can Survive) are
suspiciously absent and the only
performer is Lev Zabeginski
who puts the rally to sleep with
his rendition of Somewhere
My Love on the balalaika.

AugustNot again. Heavy rains are

blamed as the University Lakes
overflow their banks and flood
some upscale homes in the LSU
area. But when authorities get
to the bottom of the matter-and

SeptemberA new game appears at Trump

casinos called Russian
Roulette involving a single live
bullet in a six-cartridge pistol.
We are trying to accommodate our big losers who would
take any chance to get out of
the hole and at the same time
use a name borrowed from our
new Eurasian friends,
announces the President.
Besides, life is 5-1 against
anyway.

OctoberIn a missile crisis reminiscent

of October,1962, U.S. spy
planes confirm Russian forces
constructing what seems to be

NovemberIn the long awaited matchup

between LSU coach Ed
Orgeron and Alabamas Nick
Saban, the Tigers surprisingly
emerge victorious with a
strategy not even the Tide
grandmaster expected.
Nick uses war-like tactics like
Rommel did in World War II,
growled the Tiger mentor. So
we switched over to some chess
strategy popularized by Russian
Boris Spassky in the 70s and
our Queen Gambit opening

December-

despite 10 feet of snow in

St. Petersburg, Russia.
In spite of the weather, things
appear to be going swimmingly
until Putin proposes a toast with
vodka, coffee liqueur and
cream.
The only White Russian Id
really like to taste is Anna
Kournikova, laughs Trump.
Nasdarovje, Zazdarovje
and other locker room talk
to all of you.

If you are a fan of the article, Thoughts from Bully,

you can now purchase the book on Amazon !
Simply go to Amazon and type in the title in the search
bar and purchase this ridiculously fun book.

$100 off Termite Treatment

$25 off Initial Pest Control
Pest Prevention Programs Real Estate Certificates
Pre-Construction Soil / Borate Treatment
Termite Treatment Programs Mosquito Suppression Services

Local Licensed Insured Bonded

225-644-7466 Ascension 225-924-7096 Baton Rouge

Website www.BeebesPest.com

32

Hai Karate
Jan 21st

with Kellie

Useless Random Facts

Humans are the only primates that

dont have pigment in the palms
of their hands.

Polar bears are left handed.

Armadillos are the only animal besides

humans that can get leprosy.

If NASA sent birds into space they

would soon die; they need
gravity to swallow.

San Francisco cable cars are the only

National Monuments that move.

A Wisconsin forklift operator for a

Miller beer distributor was fired when
a picture was published in a newspaper
showing him drinking a Bud Light.

If you keep a goldfish in a dark room,

it will eventually turn white.

Lima beans contain cyanide!

The opposite sides of a dice cube

always add up to seven.

The IRS employees tax manual

has instructions for collecting taxes
after a nuclear war.

During his or her lifetime, the average

human will grow 590 miles of hair.

If a statue in the park of a person on a

horse has both front legs in the air,
the person died in battle. If the horse has
one front leg in the air the person died
as a result of wounds received in battle.
If the Horse has all four legs on the ground,
the person died of natural causes.

FREE WIFI

Monday Night
DJ MUSIC & KARAOKE
$4 Bombs
$2.50 Blue Moon Drafts

Tuesday

Wednesday

"Thirsty Thursday"

DJ MUSIC/KARAOKE
DJ MUSIC / KARAOKE
$5 Double Wells! 2 for 1 Bomb Shots Sp ecial $5 Bombs Coors Draft Combos

Your Choice Beer, Wine, Cocktails!!!

$3 from 8-11pm!!!

KARAOKE & DJ MUSIC

Friday
1/20 .. Paperchase
1/27 ... Karaoke

2/3 ... Contraflow

2/10 ... Karaoke

Saturday
1/21 ... HAI KARATE
1/28 ... Sofa Kings

2/4 ... Hi Maintenance

2/11 ... AM FM/
Adavoy

Every Sunday

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT 2 FOR 1

DJ MUSIC & KARAOKE ... $2.50 Domestics!!

Come Enjoy Golden Tee and Ms. Packman

MEGATOUCH, AND POOL TABLES.
E V E R Y D AY A T H A P P Y H O U R ,
T R Y Y O U R L U C K A T R O L L - A - D AY !

L I K E U S O N FA C E B O O K

Visit our website:www.parkplaceofgonzales.com

1711 S. BURNSIDE GONZALES 644-8901

33

"BEST HAPPY HOUR IN THE AREA!

$2.75 DOMESTIC LONGNECKS!"

Thoughts from Bully

I Am the
Best Driver
on the Road.
Just Ask Me?
Ive been avoiding writing
about the general public sucks
at driving except for me. I admit
when I get behind the wheel I
feel I know all the rules of the
roads and abide them and the
rest of you drivers just dont get
it. The rules are set for us all
and the rules dictate proper
protocol in certain driving situations. Here are a few of
my concerns.

Just Read and

Comprehend the
Signs Instructions

Lets look at these signs and

read them together. First the
constant is at this intersection
we can only turn right. With the
green arrows we can turn right
without stopping and stay in
our lane. The confusion happens when the light turns red it
blows peoples mind. The sign
on the left is self explanitory,
No Turn on Red. Simple
enough but the sign in the right
lane reads Turn OK on RED.
There is also a divider for cars in

the right lane to continue the

flow of traffic. There is also a
special merging lane for the cars
turning right to drive on without having to get out on the
main highway.
7 out of 10 times when I approach this corner at Hwy 42
and Airline some joker is sitting
in the OK turn lane looking
over their left shoulder seeing if
it ok to enter the highway. You
have your own lane Einstein! I
generally shout and other times
I use words my mother didnt
know I knew. Come on people
take a break and learn the rules
of the road or just dont drive.
Ive seen them looking left so
long the light has turned green
and maybe theyll move and get
out of my way.

The Do-Gooder at
a 4 Way Stop
There are lots of nice people
in the world and that is a good
thing.
However at a 4 Way Stop
everybody is created equal and
if we follow the rules of the
road nice people and not so nice
people will get along with the
proper order of the law. First
person at the sign goes first.
Two drivers arrive at the same
the person to the right goes
first. These rules right up until
the Do-Gooder driver decides
to wave across as a courtesy to
number 2 car. Then what hell
does the 3rd driver do. Did they
move up in the pecking order or

Learn How to Drive Thru a Drive Thru!

The invention of the Drive-Thru
was and still is a very good idea. I
use this convenience many times
when I am in a hurry which is
quite often.
The problem with a Drive-Thru
is humans have to have a brain
stem that is attached.

Here is my demonstration.
Photo 1 below is of the car that ordered food in front of me. They
placed there order in a timely manner, got there total and it was time
to move ahead.
Well they moved ahead 2ft. and
went straight to the dumb phone

34

in their hand. As you can see they

had 8ft. of space in front of them. I
couldnt move up and speak into
the speaker without shouting from
a 5ft. away. Put the damn phone
down and pay attention.
After I ordered I moved up and
noticed the car in the other lane

had placed their order and was

technically ahead of me in the natural order of things. However she
had pulled 2 ft. and the car behind
them couldnt order because of her
being on her phone and not paying
attention.

are they being moved farther

back. With this act of Kindness
all hell breaks loose and then it is
a free for all until there are no
cars at the 4 Way Stop and it
starts again.

Do-Gooder with
a Blinker can be
dangerous!
These are the most dangerous
situation on the road outside of
texting and driving.
When Im traveling down the
road about 8 car lengths cruising
about 45 mph I see a car rarely
use their blinker and they have

no on coming traffic so they

decide to wave the car that is
waiting pull out to come on.
Nice gesture but if you use your
mirror you will see that I
believed your signal to turn and
didnt slow down. Now my 8 car
lengths turns into 4 and in my
rearview mirror there is a 2 Ton
diesel truck with a trailer load of
lawn equipment panicking to hit
his brakes because I had to stop
abruptly to avoid hitting you
and as I head toward the side of
the road I am also praying that
truck misses me and hits you for
causing the disturbance.
Be nice to all the drivers and
well be very graftful if you
follow the rules of the road.

FIRESTONE BRIDGSTONE CREDIT CARDS

ACCEPTED AND AVAILABLE AT BIGGEAUXS
State-of-the-Art
Equipment
Front End
Alignments

NOW STOCKING: ANCO WIPERS,

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24 Hr. Emergency Roadside Service

All tires from ATV to Commercial Machinery

All brands to fit autos, trucks and
18 wheelers, including tractor/
construction equipment tires

35

Emergency road service

assistance-Commercial Only
Locally owned and operated since 2004
New used and retreads

Locally Owned & Operated by

Oscar and Linda Mire and sons
Call for Appointment 225.644.8473

Feed the Needy

Annual Fundraiser
Raises & Donates
Over $27,500.

Every year a group of men and women

get together to give of themselves so
others can have more.
Many years ago Tommy Aldridge,
better known as BAMA started an
organization called,Feed the Needy.
Bama listened to his Uncle Perry and
Aunt Susan in 2006 when they
mentioned their were families that
werent going to have the necessities for
Christmas. That was all it took for the
idea of Feed the Needy was born.
It was a humble beginning that year
as BAMA asked Sheriff Wiley if he
would sponsor a pot of food to use as a
fund raiser in order to try to help these
families. The Sheriff obliged and BAMA
and his sous chef, Bones Sheets
cooked a hen and andouille sauce
piquante. The process raised $800.00
and in turn, three families had an
unexpectedly great Christmas.
Since those early days the Feed the
Needy has raised money to help our
local citizens in need for the Holidays
year-after-year for 10 years.
None of this would be possible
without the sacrifices and contributions
of our many generous donors and
volunteers. This year we had our usual

36

great team of volunteers who want no

recognition. These folks come back
each year because it becomes more
evident that there are many people right
here in our community that are down
on their luck and really need our
assistance and appreciate the help we are
able to provide.
This year was a unique year with the
100 year flood and expectations were
this years revenue will hard to raise with
so many affected by the flood.
As the fires start and the cooking
begins volunteers started showing up
and the days fund raising began. From
sunrise to 11 oclock the Gonzales
Country Club smelled heavenly and
there were heavenly work being done.
The meals were served and delivered
and once the tally was audited, Feed the

37

Needy had raised a total in

proceeds of $27,530.00. Along
with dollars pledged there were
In-Kind contributions of 25
cases of frozen food products
and 125 lbs of sausage and
boudin which was donated to
local Battered Womens Shelters.
This years distribution were
as follow:
Needy Children at 9 local
Primary / Middle Schools $7200
8 local Needy Families $3400
Area Church Food Pantries $9500
Battered Womens Shelter $2000
Perry Aldridge Charities $1500

44253 Hwy. 42

www.impact-sports.net

(1 mile from Port Vincent)

Its amazing what a few good

hearted men and women can do
with a cause and giving in their
heart. Im proud to be a part of
this organization. Im a better
man for it.
This year we have a fund
balance that will be used at
Easter for baskets and Needy
families around our community.
Special thanks to our major

sponsors who once again

supplied the jambalaya
ingredients:
1. Sheriff Jeff Wiley
2. Blaine, Garrett and
Cade Sheets
River Parish Foods
3. Brandon Trosclair Ralphs
4. Jimmy Cruze Personal
5. Lamendolas Supermarket
6. Kyle Labat and family
7. Jeff Kling - D & J's Grocery.

#1 FACT about
Feed The Needy
We have zero expenses and all
of the money we collect stays
right here at home to help
needy people in our community.

Local Children received

BOUNTIFUL GIFTS
The children of the Donaldsonville
community received bountiful Christmas gifts
from Gods Angels. The Christmas gifts
consisited of bikes, a skooter, board games,
easy bake oven, baby dolls, leggos, toy trucks
and cars, earphones, selfie sticks, gift cards, cell
phone power chargers, LEAP PAD and IPAD
covers. The gifts were given to children

throughout the Donaldsonville community.

Gifts were also given during the Christmas in
the Park Celebration in Donaldsonville that
was celebrated on Saturday, December 17,
2016. Thanks to all of Gods Amazing
Angels. We appreciate you!!!

The children of the

Donaldsonville community.

Ascension Magazine Sept 16 Cover Wins

Best Cover of the Year Award

After the votes were counted it was determined this cover was the best. I had to bribe 5 locals to vote while bellied up to the bar at Pelican Pub
at 3:30 in the afternoon with a purchase of a round of drinks. There was a 3 to 2 vote for the Sept issue. The other cover had high school
cheerleaders on it and came in a close second. Congratulations David Amedee for the win however there is no money involved. Maybe a beer.

40

Best Baseball Photos of 2016

Y O U T H P H O T O PA G E S P O N S O R E D B Y

Same Great People Same Great Service

18562 HIGHLAND DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, 225-751-8473

1312 WEST HWY. 30, GONZALES 225-647-9631 11209 COURSEY BLVD., BATON ROUGE 225-368-1234 1015 WEST LEE DRIVE, BATON ROUGE 225-767-5008 1800 SOUTH RANGE AVE. DENHAM SPRINGS 225-664-8103

42

Best Golfing Photos of 2016

Y O U T H P H O T O PA G E S P O N S O R E D B Y

Same Great People Same Great Service

18562 HIGHLAND DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, 225-751-8473

1312 WEST HWY. 30, GONZALES 225-647-9631 11209 COURSEY BLVD., BATON ROUGE 225-368-1234 1015 WEST LEE DRIVE, BATON ROUGE 225-767-5008 1800 SOUTH RANGE AVE. DENHAM SPRINGS 225-664-8103

43

Best Fishing Photos of 2016

Y O U T H P H O T O PA G E S P O N S O R E D B Y

Same Great People Same Great Service

18562 HIGHLAND DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, 225-751-8473

1312 WEST HWY. 30, GONZALES 225-647-9631 11209 COURSEY BLVD., BATON ROUGE 225-368-1234 1015 WEST LEE DRIVE, BATON ROUGE 225-767-5008 1800 SOUTH RANGE AVE. DENHAM SPRINGS 225-664-8103

Cooking
Gourmet
at
Home
with SNOS SEAFOOD & STEAKS

A great dish to start the New Year

Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh Jumbo Lump crabmeat
1 small loaf French bread
1 Granny Smith apple
4 ounces Smoked Gouda (whatever cheese you like)
8 cherry tomatoes
1 ounce fresh basil
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:
First thing you want to do is get those toast points cooked. Set your oven on
375 and allow it to preheat. Take your French bread and cut it into inch slices then lay them out on a
sheet pan/cookie sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool and get nice and crispy.
Next, grab your crabmeat and put it into a small mixing bowl. Drizzle the crabmeat with a little olive oil, the
juice of the lemon (no seeds), and salt & pepper to taste.

Crab & Apple Bruschetta

Yield: 10-15 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Executive Chef
Ben Jarreau

Cook: 10 minutes

Now get your cheese. Here we are using Smoked Gouda, but you can use any of your favorite cheeses. Shred
the cheese and set aside until its time to use.
Take out your cherry tomatoes and cut them in and add them to the bowl of crabmeat
Thinly slice the basil leaves
The last ingredient to prepare is the apple. Remove the core of the apple either with an apple corer or simply
by cutting off each side of the apple. Cut the apple into small cubes and put them into the small mixing bowl
with the crabmeat and tomatoes, then drizzle with the juice of the last lemon (no seeds). This will keep the
apple from t
urning brown.
LETS PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!!!

Serving: 4

Lay out your crispy French bread toast points and top them with the crabmeat, tomato, and apple mixture.
Sprinkle the shredded Smoked Gouda over the top then finish them off with the fresh basil.
Serve immediately and enjoy this fresh and simple to make dish as an appetizer or accompaniment.

45

When You Buy Art

Buy Big Art
Wall Mural 25 W X 8 H

Gymnasium Entrance
25 W X 25 H

Wall Mural 35 W X 10 H

Art is a Great way to inhance your business or home.

It becomes a landmark that draws attention your way.
No space to large indoor or outdoor.
Quik turn around. Typically a week. Great for Restaurants,
Stores, Businesses, Man Caves, Kids rooms
and much more.....

Free Consultaions on projects.

Contact Mike Strong @ 225.622.1324

Small section of 125 wall at Kids Kove 25 W X 10 H

Restaurant Conference Room 20 W X 8 H

Building Downtown Baton Rouge 150 W X 50 H

46

KEEP AN
EYE ON
YOUR
PLACE
Watch & Control Your Home from Anywhere
HomeIQSM offers home security & the latest in home monitoring & automation,
all with the convenience of remote system access via a mobile device or computer.

Get remote access to:

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Receive text and email alerts

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See and speak to visitors at your front door

Call or click today! 621-0111 eatel.com

*Prices and packages are subject to change and require a 3-year service agreement; early termination fees apply. Certain features are not available with all packages. Applicable monthly service charges,
installation, additional equipment, taxes, trip charges and other fees may apply. Credit checks may apply. System requires ability to communicate with central monitoring station. Local ordinances may require
a user alarm permit. HomeIQSM is available to residential customers in select service areas only. Certain restrictions and other conditions apply. Call 225-621-0111 for complete details and eligibility. All
registered names, trademarks, and copyrights are properties of their respective owners. Certain restrictions and other conditions apply. Service provided by SJI, LLC, d/b/a EATEL, 913 S. Burnside Ave., Gonzales,
LA 70737. LA Lic# F2065 2016 EATEL.