FOR LOVE AND LIFE

ARTICLE BY GEORGIANN POTTS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK

oth Jim and Anne Lockhart meet people B easily and with a perceptible warmth. Although neither was born here, these two have been an integral part of this community for almost all of their lives. Each has influenced countless people – young and old -- through many varied interactions with the public.

For Jim, a career in the hospitality industry was the perfect fit for both his organizational and management skills. Managing a private club for 35 years required both. Jim’s unflappable personality (plus a remarkable dry wit) served him well as he spent decades working with the staff to create a team responsive to the wishes and needs of their dining public.

For Anne, her two careers – both focused on developing long-term personal and financial relationships with all sorts of people – were an equally perfect fit. Whether she was representing her bank or her university, Anne always met any challenge with grace, charm, and a delicious sense of humor. Because they have each contributed so much to the quality of life in our area, Jim and Anne Lockhart are our BayouIcons for December.

im’s parents, Bill Lockhart and Ruth Simmons, met at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1945. Both had grown up in different cities --- Ruth, in Bay Springs, Mississippi; and Bill in Paris, Tennessee. Before WWII, Jim’s dad and his dad’s sister were semi-professional dancers. At that time there were lots of dance studios. Jim’s dad claimed his skills to be firing a cannon and dancing, so he became a dance instructor. On weekends, the dance studios often sponsored dances as a way of attracting new students. “Mom, already an accomplished ‘toe tapper’ went to the dances and eventually became an instructor. Dad said it was love at first sight and told her, ‘I’m going to marry you.’ Mom’s answer was, ‘Who is this NUT?’,” Jim remembers with a laugh. “The ‘nut’ grew on her!”

The two subsequently fell in love and married. Over time, they welcomed four children – Billy Lockhart, Jr., then Jim, and then two younger daughters, Elizabeth and Carolyn. Ruth was a stay-at-home mom until Jim was in middle school. At that time, she began working at the Mississippi Department of Welfare. When the family moved to Monroe in 1962, she worked at the Louisiana Department of Welfare until her retirement in 1987.

Bill worked for the Morgan & Lindsey Five & Dime Company (later acquired by G. C. Murphy) for 34 years. Jim’s dad’s transfers through work meant that the family moved often. As a result, Jim spent parts of his childhood in Bay Springs, Clarksdale, and Jackson, Mississippi, and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, before finally settling in Monroe. Jim’s father retired in 1986. Once in Monroe, Jim continued his education at Neville High School and Northeast Louisiana University (now University of Louisiana Monroe).

Anne’s path to Monroe took a more westerly turn. Her mother, Alice Scoggin, was born in Dallas in 1924 and grew up in the Highland Park area just two blocks from Southern Methodist University. When Alice graduated from Highland Park High School, she wanted to go to the University of Texas – Austin. Her parents thought it would be better – and more financially feasible -- if she lived at home and attended nearby SMU. Such a plan held no appeal for Alice, however, so she and a close friend moved to San Francisco to “see the world” and hopefully find gainful employment. Fortunately for all concerned, the two were hired at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland and worked there until the attack on Pearl Harbor. With the world at war, and the United States now in the thick of it, the two adventurous women returned home.

Anne’s father, Bill Alleman, was born in 1919 and grew up in the small farming community of Alleman, Iowa. He graduated from Alleman High School and Iowa State University. With a B.S. in Agriculture Engineering in his pocket, any career plans in farming were stalled when he enlisted in the Naval Air Corp as the war broke out. He served with distinction as a bomber pilot in the Pacific theater and afterward was based with the Naval Reserve in Dallas. There he flew for Braniff Airlines and became close friends with another Navy bomber pilot, John Scoggin. John introduced Bill to his sister, Alice, and love soon followed. They had two children – Anne, born in 1950 in Dallas, and Mark, born in 1953 in Fort Worth.

Anne’s father worked for Container Corporation in Dallas and Fort Worth before becoming a sales manager for Olin Corporation. The family transferred in 1958 to Clarendon Hills, Illinois, where Bill helped start a new plant in Joliet. In 1960, the family moved to Monroe when Bill was transferred for the final time. Anne enrolled in Monroe City Schools at Lexington Elementary as a 4th grader, and then went through Lee Junior High and Neville High School.

Like Jim’s mother, Anne’s was a stayat-home-mom for a number of years. When her children were older, Alice became Director of Christian Education for Covenant Presbyterian Church. In 1971 she became Executive Assistant for NLU President George T. Walker, a position she held until

FIRST THANKSGIVING Anne and Jim celebrating their first family Thanksgiving lunch at their home in 35 years, after his retirement from the Lotus Club.

his retirement. His successor, NLU President Dwight Vines, retained her in that position until her retirement a few years later.

Lessons Learned Growing Up

Jim is quick to name his parents and his grandparents as the ones who helped guide his youth. His paternal grandparents passed away when Jim was very young, but he has many happy memories of time spent with his maternal grandparents in Bay Springs. Summers there were wonderful, and holidays were especially fun. “We spent most of our holidays in Bay Springs,” Jim

Anne and Jim have two beautiful grandchildren who they say are “their greatest gifts from God.” Pictured at left is Lockhart, who was two in July, all ready for his first day of school. At right is Liam, who was born October 16, 2021, pictured in his “coming home” outift.

remembers. “Christmas was my favorite holiday because we got to see our cousins, too.”

There were two life lessons in particular that Jim learned from his parents. “They taught me to work hard, and to treat everyone with respect,” he says. “These lessons impacted both my personal and professional life.”

Jim’s earliest jobs indicated that he learned those lessons well. He worked in the Morgan & Lindsey stockroom for 50 cents a week, mowed lawns, threw newspapers, and worked for A & P Grocery as a bag boy and stock clerk. At A & P Jim also learned butchering, a skill that would come in handy later. When he was a senior in high school, he went to work for Cascio Enterprises at the Chateau Restaurant. “I worked as bartender and general flunky there, doing whatever they couldn’t get anyone else to do,” Jim says. “They allowed me to work around my school schedule.”

Like Jim, Anne credits her parents with being her first mentors. The two attended every school event and every church play while their children were growing up. Anne remembers them teaching Sunday School together from the time she and her brother were quite young all the way through until their high school graduations. “And versus working against each other with Mom’s spirit of spontaneity and Dad’s measured, methodical guidance, they were the perfect blend of supportive and loving mentors,” Anne says.

Christmas was Anne’s favorite childhood holiday, whether spending it with her mother’s smaller family or her father’s much larger one. Trips to Iowa to visit her paternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were glorious affairs. These were always special times. “As we drove along the acres and acres of corn fields on the way, we would come to these two giant white silos that had ‘ALLEMAN’ painted in black across them,” Anne remembers. “I thought I was so famous!”

The life lessons taught by her parents? To be kind to and respectful of everyone – especially the elderly, from whom much may be learned. They encouraged her to always do her best, even if she didn’t know just exactly what she was doing. Most important, they taught her to “. . . smile and laugh as often as possible. It lightens your load and is highly contagious!”

Anne, Jim and their daughter Lauren at Jim’s retirement party at the Lotus Club in December 2019. nuts and bolts of the hospitality industry. The three family members – Tony Cascio, brother Joe David Cascio, and brother-inlaw Jack Fontana, Sr. – were instrumental in Jim’s later success managing the Lotus Club. When Jim graduated from ULM, the oil embargo of the 1970’s had gutted the advertising industry. Approximately half of those working in advertising found themselves unemployed. Even so, Jim applied for positions and was offered a position in an ad agency in New York City. The salary offered would have paid only half of his cost of living there, so Jim decided to remain in hospitality at least until the advertising industry climate improved. Looking back, it was exactly the right decision.

Career Paths Can Be Winding Roads Jim majored in commercial art and photography at ULM and planned to build a career in advertising. Earlier, he had considered becoming a tree farmer, but that plan disappeared. By the time he entered college, Jim was already working in the hospitality business – a business in which he would end up spending 53 successful years. His earliest hospitality experience was delivering hamburgers to the NLU dormitories from Flynn’s Dime Spot (which later became the original Johnny’s Pizza on DeSiard). “Particularly memorable were the deliveries to the girls’ dorms,” Jim admits. “They would come down in their robes to pick up their burgers!”

Jim’s career in hospitality was mentored by a number of men well-versed in the business. Jim calls Tony Cascio his greatest career mentor, and says that he helped him to truly understand the

In 1973, the Cascio’s offered him a career path that he couldn’t refuse. “They taught me the restaurant business for the next 13 years.” In 1985, Jim was hired as manager of the Lotus Club, a position he held until January 2020 when he retired.

Anne’s career dreams came when she enrolled at Louisiana State University. During high school, she admits that she really had no idea what she wanted to be. She had worked in the Assistant Principal’s office at Neville during her junior and senior years where she did basic office work and assigned duties. “Mr. Turner became a wonderful friend,” Anne says, “who taught me organizational skills and how to appropriately deal with people of all ages.”

When she began at LSU, however, her dreams crystalized and she had what she calls her “Jane Goodall” epiphany --- she wanted to go to Africa and shoot for National Geographic Magazine. She majored in zoology at LSU and planned to minor in photography, but life intervened.

All was on track until June 1970 when Anne’s 50-year-old father died from an unexpected massive heart attack. Feeling the need to be home, Anne returned home from LSU at Christmas that year and did not return. She did what she could to help her mother and brother (he was a senior at Neville), and saw firsthand how her mother coped with the abrupt changes in their lives. Anne’s mother had been out of the work force for 25 years, but she quickly learned what she needed to in order to continue alone. “She handled it all like a champ,” Anne remembers. “I made a mental note to learn all I could to be selfsufficient, no matter where my life led me.”

Anne enrolled at NLU and majored in Business Management. The 90 credit hours she had earned at LSU didn’t transfer as major credits, so when she graduated in 1986 with her BBA in Management, she had accumulated 175 credit hours. She built a successful, rewarding career in banking and one that she loved. There were moments, however, like the time she was working as a drive-in teller. She was waiting on a customer in the farthest lane, and a customer sent a check in to be cashed. Anne sent the cash back with her thanks. Unknown to Anne, the woman was being robbed by a man who had jumped into her car in a nearby parking lot. Happily, after they left the bank, he took the cash and ran. Only when the police arrived to question Anne did she realize what had happened.

Love and A Drive-Through Pneumatic Tube

Although Jim and Anne had been friends at Lee and Neville, they hadn’t dated. Jim stayed in Monroe for college; Anne ventured off to LSU. When Anne left LSU and began working at Regions Bank (formerly known as American Bank and First American Bank) in May 1971, a chance meeting in a movie theatre reacquainted the two. “We ran into each other at intermission of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’,” Anne recalls. “Having just watched Lazarus walk out of his death tomb while hearing the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’, I was a basket case, but evidently Jim didn’t mind my weepiness.”

Not long after that, Jim asked Anne out several times but she had other plans each time. Happily, he tried once more, this time sending her a note through the bank’s drive-through pneumatic tube that he knew she would open. It worked, and their first date was to the movies. At that point, she decided that Jim was “a keeper!”

The two married on February 1, 1975, at the First Presbyterian Church. A Hawaiian-themed wedding reception followed at Bayou DeSiard Country Club – especially fitting because two days after the wedding, the couple flew to Hawaii for their honeymoon.

They both place their honeymoon at the top of their favorite-tripsof-all-time lists. Although nearly perfect in every way, there was one hitch. On the day between their wedding and their flight to Hawaii, Anne decided to have her hair cut very short so that it would be easy to care for “. . . in the island breezes”. Jim told her that it looked “chic” and off to Hawaii they flew. “After we arrived in Hawaii, I washed my new ‘do’ for the first time,” Anne says with a laugh. “It took 2 hours to try and recreate the hairdresser’s magic! It wasn’t very funny then, but we could laugh about it after I had practiced for a few days.”

The two would go on to have two wonderful children – a son, Brent, and a daughter, Lauren. Anne worked full-time at the bank, and attended classes at night. She took one semester off for the birth of each child.

Changes Come

No life is without its tragedies, and the Lockharts are no exception. Just as Anne was winding down her banking career in September 1995, their 14-year-old son Brent died as the result of an

In 1973, the Cascio’s offered Jim a career path that he couldn’t refuse. “They taught me the restaurant business for the next 13 years.” In 1985, Jim was hired as manager of the Lotus Club, a position he held until January 2020 when he retired.

accident while tubing and skiing on Bayou DeSiard with his church youth group. Brent hit his head on the exposed pilings of an old dock, a fatal blow. There was a blessing, however, that came from a friend who was able to keep Brent breathing. This made it possible for Jim and Anne to donate all of his organs to others they didn’t even know who needed them.

Nearly a year later, Anne moved completely out of her comfort zone by taking a position doing professional fundraising for her alma mater. Among her first duties was to write a business plan to completely revamp the Greater NLU Annual Fund. “I pulled out every one of my business management textbooks and reports I could find, and did a lot of sweating!” Anne recalls. “The good news was that the plan worked well for a number of years.” She grew to love her work in Development, and cherishes the friends and colleagues she made during this, her second career.

Both Jim and Anne find blessings every day, and many of those come from their daughter Lauren, and her husband, Andy. They live in New Orleans where Lauren is a commercial real estate agent and Andy is in business development. The couple has presented Jim and Anne with two grandsons, Lockhart and Liam. Jim and Anne’s fondest wish is to have good health for as long as possible so that they can play with their grandchildren and watch them grow up.

Give Your Time, Talents, and Treasure to Your Community

The Lockharts know firsthand the importance of community involvement. They have both volunteered as much as their careers would allow, and only regret that they couldn’t do more. Their churches (First Presbyterian and now Covenant Presbyterian), the United Way of NELA, the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, the Junior League of Monroe, the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and boys baseball and girls softball – all have been supported in one way or another by Jim and Anne.

Jim sees giving back to the community simply “one of the dues of life.” His career did not give him much time for volunteering in the leadership of community organizations, but it did allow him to support those groups’ catering needs. In recognition of his excellent tenure at the Lotus Club, the original poker/card room at the Club was named the Lockhart Room.

Anne, too, has been recognized for her community work. She was named one of the sixteen most influential women of the Delta (2012), received the ULM Alumni Association Service Award (2010), earned the Monroe Chamber’s Rambin-Silverstein Award (2016), the ULM Women’s Symposium Legacy award (2017), and the ULM Alumni Association Golden Arrow Award (2017). Both Lockharts believe that they have received much more than they have given to their community.

The Future Holds Promise Although both admit that retiring was a significant change in their lives, they also quickly admit that they love this new chapter! There are a few wishes, however. Anne would love to have pizza with Sir Paul McCartney and have him sing “Yesterday” and “Hey, Jude” just for her. She confesses to having loved him since he and his band appeared on Ed Sullivan in 1964. Jim would enjoy sharing a steak with his son, Brent, for Brent’s accident happened just before he had completed two years in braces. He had told his parents during that 2-year ordeal that the first thing he wanted to do when the braces came off was to have a steak dinner. Unfortunately, his accident happened one week before the braces were to be removed. “I would like to hear about his life with God and Jesus,” Jim says, “and I would tell him how much his mom and I look forward to being with him again when God calls us.”

When asked what a stranger meeting them for the first time would think of each of them, their answers were thoughtful. Jim hopes that the first impression would be that “... I was quiet and thoughtful, but could be dry-witted when prompted.”

Anne hopes that the stranger would feel that he/she had just met..“ a kind, confident person who had a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face.”

Happiness is a core strength for both Jim and Anne and is a key to their many successes both personally and professionally. They are essentially happy souls who freely share their happiness with others. Their life together is reminiscent of an ancient truth that Buddha wrote: “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

WHAT ARE SCHOOL READINESS TAX CREDITS? You have the power to decide where your tax dollars go. With no minimum and a $5,000 maximum, businesses who contribute will receive a dollar-for-dollar refundable credit on Louisiana State taxes. In 2007, the Louisiana Legislature passed a unique package of tax credits known as the School Readiness Tax Credits (SRTC). These credits are a refundable state tax credit for donations made to Louisiana Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies, such as Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana.

You can turn your tax liability into an investment in programs and people who support early care and education for children. Direct the State of Louisiana to spend your tax dollars in Northeast Louisiana on early childhood care and education.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? All businesses are eligible. A business is defined as any for-profit or not-for-profit entity and includes sole proprietors (so long as the individual is not acting in his/her personal capacity), partnerships, limited liability corporations and corporations.

WHY DOES IT MATTER? The Children’s Coalition CCR&R works to bring quality care and education to every child in Northeast Louisiana. Overwhelming evidence shows that children who enter kindergarten behind are likely to remain behind throughout their educational careers and beyond. These gaps in achievement are difficult and expensive to close with K-12 education alone, and they can last a lifetime, particularly for children from low-income families.

Preparing a child for kindergarten requires a focus on five areas of development that begin at birth and are influenced by quality early experiences: physical well-being and motor development; social and emotional development, cognitive skills, language and developing literacy, and the ability to concentrate and follow directions. Investments in early childhood development lay the foundation for school readiness by building these cognitive and character skills that children need to do well in school and in life.

HOW ARE THESE FUNDS USED? The Children’s Coalition reinvests these funds in three major ways to impact the quality of early childhood care and improves the experience for young children and their families: Direct grants to child care centers, Training and programs that support teacher quality in child care, Community awareness of what constitutes quality early care and education.

During the 2020–2021-year 131 early care and education centers received grants that supported center improvements that enhanced the physical learning environments both in the classroom and outdoors. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic gaps in access to technology came to light and we responded by providing technology grants to ensure that early childhood teachers and leaders had access to the technology needed to participate in virtual professional development trainings and webinars, practice-based coaching, director support, curriculum planning, child assessment and more. These grants were key supports to ensure that children, teachers and leaders had the resources and support they needed to provide quality early care and education to our communities’ youngest learners. Over 4,153 teachers and leaders received enhanced support including additional trainings, CLASS coaching, stipends for travel, nutritionist support along with the Greauxing Gardens program and more to increase the quality of teacher and child interactions. Investment in community events and spaces provide a place for parents to interact with their child and learn about quality early child care. Locations supported include Baby Bayou at the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum, the Early Childhood Literacy Hub at the Franklin Parish Library, and the Born Learning Trail at Davis Park in Winnsboro and most recently several Early Childhood Story Walks throughout Union parish, created in partnership with the Union Parish Library. Children’s Coalition on the Go and resource fairs educate parents and caregivers while giving the opportunity to children to learn and play.

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE? All donations must be postmarked by December 31, 2020 to be eligible for the 2020 tax year. Each LA Tax ID number can donate up to $5,000, with no minimum amount, to the Children’s Coalition. Please note that if your business’ state return flows through your personal state return, $5,000 is the maximum allowed per personal state return.

After your donation is received you will be emailed a receipt AND mailed a verification letter documenting your contribution from us and the Louisiana Department of Education.

For filing your taxes, you will need to provide a copy of your canceled check (preferred by the state) or credit card receipt to your CPA along with the letter that we provide you. Your CPA will file a Schedule F, 68F credit code on your Louisiana state tax return, and your tax liability is reduced.

Make Payable to: Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana

Memo Line: SRTC

Mail to: 117 Hall Street, Monroe, LA 71201, ATTN: SRTC

For additional information or questions, please contact Dawn Landry at dlandry@childrenscoalition.org or 318.323.8775

On Friday, November 5, 2001, St. Frederick HS hosted a fundraiser at the school for the Lady Warrior softball and Warrior baseball teams. The night was filled with live music, delicious appetizers catered by Thurmans and a great auction items donated by local businesses. The gym was decorated to a tee with all things St. Fred’s and featured a ton of Warrior pride.

Guests enjoyed speeches from both team’s coaches along with the Athletic Director. They each thanked the crowd and spoke on the importance of athletics and education at SFHS. All proceeds raised will benefit both teams and their facilities.

To be a part of the St. Frederick High School Community, where education, character and future are important to those who are building leaders, contact them at 318.323.9636 or at stfrederickhigh.org

1 Ashley and Andy Robinson 2 Courtney and Mark Holifield and Jessica and

Damian O’Quinn 3 Brad Hart, Travis Day and Kenny O’Neil 4 Eddie Kincaid, Dr. Martin DeGravelle and Palmer Jarrell 5 Hallie and Dr. David Yarbrough and Mark and

Courtney Holifield 6 Delaine Wylie and Ronnie LaSuzzo 7 Jim Rushworth, Andy Robinson and Ronnie LaSuzzo 8 Ryan Hudson and Laura Maclin 9 Kyle & Erica Miller 10 Sabrina Crosby and Fran Turpin 11 Lauren Davis, Laura Maclin and Emily McGee 12 Steven Ingram, Kenny O’Neil, Travis Day and Jason Kosik 13 Vickie and Anothy Jacola, Steven Ingram, Adriane

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SINCE 1952, MARSALA BEVERAGE HAS GROWN TO BE THE largest malt beverage, wine and non-alcoholic beverage distributor in the area. With two warehouses in Monroe and Ferriday, Louisiana, Marsala services all 15 parishes in Northeast Louisiana, making sure over 700 retailers get the service they deserve. With over 100 full-time employees working to build relationships with retailers and consumers, the company is consistently exceeding customer expectations. The team dynamic is vital to the company’s ongoing success, and Marsala Beverage reinvests that commitment back into the communities it serves.

Marsala Beverage is a business bettering other businesses. Customers are made through business partnerships with convenience stores, drug stores, grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, and bars. The company is thankful for the opportunity to serve them every day. A dedicated mindset and motivation to succeed is inherent in the various partnerships. They rely on each other. Marsala helps other local businesses grow. VP of Marketing Tyler Flemister insists, “We help build their business and they allow us to build the brands we sell.” The Marsala team is composed of four integral parts. The warehouse team receives products, rotates stock, handles inventory flow, and builds loads by account. The delivery team makes sure the correct orders make it to the correct accounts, stocks coolers, keeps products fresh, collects payment, and keeps displays rotated for retailers. The sales team make sure the right products make into the right markets. They must know the demographics of their area and convince retailers to stock their products. In a dynamic market, every account is different. Maintaining those relationships and expanding their markets requires a united front from the entire Marsala team.The management team oversees all aspects of the company, balancing all the moving parts, including sales reps, merchandisers, and delivery drivers. And they’re all reliant on each other. Sales reps rely on delivery drivers, who rely on warehouse workers, who rely on operations, etc. The big turning wheel must remain in sync, and a friendly atmosphere ensures communication remains constant, providing long term personal and financial growth for both employees and customers.

Determined and dedicated workers are the base of Marsala’s success. Before a Marsala Beverage employee enters the market place, everyone goes through an intense company training and employee development program. This program allows them to keep a constant line of communication with retailers and business partners, remain aware of shifts in the market, and enhances the employee’s carrier. Marsala Beverage employees believe in enjoying the workday, all while maintaining a high level of professionalism. While it is hard work, with often long hours, the laughs and light-hearted atmosphere make it a pleasurable work environment. Experience is another passion point for Marsala Beverage, as 35% of its workforce have been employed with the company for over ten years. As the market continues to change, Marsala Beverage continues to diversify its portfolio to ensure the consumers get the best quality products in the beverage industry. Whether it is a craft brewery, import brand, wine/spirit or a nonalcoholic brand, Marsala thrives on bringing the best products from all over the world to Northeast Louisiana. Marsala Beverage would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to its retailers, customers, employees, and the residents of Northeast Louisiana. Without loyal retailers and firm partnerships, Marsala would not have been able to serve NELA for 60 plus years. Loyal customers to the brands and business allow Marsala to achieve its goals. Every product bought from Marsala is reinvested in the community. The public has faith in Marsala, that business will be done right, that products are good quality, that their money is being put to good use. That’s why philanthropy is so important to Marsala Beverage. The company is reliant on the people and businesses of this community, and the best way to cement longevity is to give back. So, every time someone purchases a product of Marsala Beverage, a portion of those proceeds are reinvested into Northeast Louisiana through non-profit organizations, universities and local sponsorships.

Marsala Beverage is a locally-based company that employs about 100 full-time employees, which all live and support the community of Northeast Louisiana. Each employee bases his or her success on never losing sight of delivering what is really important – quality products, timely service and a genuine concern for our customers’ needs.

Please find us at www.marsalabeverage.com or follow us on social media: Facebook: Marsala Beverage Twitter: @marsalabeverage1 Instagram: @marsalabeverage

On Thursday, October 28th, Twin City Ballet hosted their 2021 Lip Sync Battle and it was EPIC. It was their most successful fundraiser and event to date! The winners were, 3rd place: The Spice Girls, Leeanna Nelson, Dawn Bailey, Bambi Watson, Lindsay Mathews and Brook Schmitt. 2nd place: Taylor Swift, Aimee Hayward. 1st place was Madonna, Debbie Herrington and Cindy Stone. They even voted for a crowd favorite and Elton John, Victoria Krutzer Fisher, took home the title. This was definitely a night to remember and we can’t wait for 2022 Lip Sync Battle!

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Dawne Smith and Patty Fuller 2 Katie Smith and Macy Poe 3 Jennifer Andrews and Roz Janway 4 Demi and Patience Talley 5 Catherine Stuckey and Leslie Trahan 6 Ash and Donna Bermingham 7 Meredith Mayeaux Brauhman, Melissa Kiper, Allison Ford and Lissy Compton 8 Mary Kathryn Edwards, Amber Bass, Ashley Kilpatrick and

Erin Muranovic 9 Allison Earl, Jessica Dispenza and Jessica O’Quinn 10 Mary Boyer, Amanda Carter, Salley Allen, Margaret

Moses and Lyndsey Ewing 11 Allison and Cesar Camacho 12 Josh Fuselier, Wes Bass, Josh Caroll and Adi Muranovic 13 Jenni Hastings, Maureen and Brad Crooks 8

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On Sunday, November 7, 2021, Bastrop held their annual holiday Open House with some of the local businesses participating in this event. Downtown historic Bastrop was decorated with festive Christmas wreaths, signs, lights, trees and even Santa Claus was spotted. Shoppers were in the holiday spirit as they casually walked the square admiring every store. Holiday cheer was displayed throughout town. Some of the participating businesses included Arnett, Jewelry, Pearce Pharmacy, Steve’s Jewelry, Tuhmara’s and Whit’s Pharmacy and Gifts.

For more information on Historic Bastrop and a list of local businesses, visit BastropMorehouse Chamber of Commerce at bastroplacoc.com or the local visitors center.

1 Natalie Farah and Cassidy Nunn 2 Riley Stevenson and Maddie Stevenson 3 Kris Ann Bryant 4 Holly Green, Hunter Rollins, Tamara and Kelly Green 5 Anjel Lies and Haley Hixson 6 Lila Densmore, Jessie Densmore and Emma Hammond 7 Callie Chavis, Rose Rials and Haley Chavis 8 Alyna Gregory, Lynee Plummer, Shannon Cook, Elizabeth

Wright, Selena Preaus and Ann Jenkins 9 Allie Rainer, Verna Sue Ferell and Venessa Johnson 10 Georgia White, Tammi Moore and Connie Spencer 11 Linda Davis, Belinda Oden, Teresa Pearce, Katie Jones and Amanda Stephenson 4

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SARAH AND JIM HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF themselves as average, hard working Americans. They were high school sweethearts, married and had three children. Jim had a long career in sales, and Sarah was a stay-at-home wife and mom who volunteered in her spare time. They expected to enjoy a quiet, but well-deserved, well-planned retirement.

Things went well until five years ago when a specific incident changed everything. Sarah tripped in her garden and fractured her hip. She underwent surgery; it seemed she was on her way to recovery after receiving inpatient rehabilitation and physical therapy sessions during the Medicare allotted 100 days. Just when they both thought everything was on track, Sarah had another major setback. She suffered a massive stroke. Through everything Jim was at her side, but Sarah’s health continued to deteriorate. Eventually, it was necessary for Sarah to be admitted to a nursing home for residential care. The funds in Jim’s retirement plan didn’t include the cost of both their home and a nursing home residence of an additional $60,000.00 per year. Now, three years later, Jim is sick with worry that he will outlive his savings and is uncertain where to turn for help.

For most retired Americans, the possibility that they may have to someday live in a nursing home is a very difficult thought. The reality that they may have to give up all of their hard-earned life savings and their home makes it even worse. Today, the cost of nursing home care is high; the average cost for nursing home care in Louisiana is approximately $5,000 per month, or $60,000 per year. At this rate, it is very easy to spend-down a family’s life savings in a short amount of time leaving little for the “at-home” spouse to live on.

New government rules make it even tougher for nursing home residents in need of financial assistance to qualify for Medicaid benefits. The new rules changed the “look back” period from three to five years. This means, when one applies for Medicaid, he/she will need to disclose all gifts made during the five years prior to the date one applies for Medicaid. The penalty period was also changed. Under the new rules, the penalty period does not begin until the applicant spends-down all their assets and then applies for Medicaid. Because of these changes, it is even more important than ever to plan early. Three years might go by quickly, but five years, not so fast.

To qualify for Medicaid, one must complete and submit a detailed, multiple page application and provide proof of all financial transactions. These transactions include, but are not limited to, banking, CDs, stocks, bonds, income, expenses, annuities, etc., for the previous sixty months or five years. Mistakes and/or inadequate completion of the application can result in approval delays costing the family thousands of dollars, or worse case non-approval of the application altogether.

The laws around Medicaid qualification are extensive and confusing. However, there are numerous exceptions that can be applied to help protect one’s assets if used properly. Often, hospitals and nursing homes will offer to help with a Medicaid application for you at no cost. This may work well for an applicant with no assets. Unfortunately, it may be devastating for the applicant, spouse and family if there are assets that the family wishes to preserve and protect. Even with the best intentions, hospital and nursing home staff do not have the knowledge necessary to determine whether you can truly qualify for Medicaid benefits. This is the time when working with a knowledgeable professional can help clients/residents receive fair consideration of deserved benefits much sooner.

This article was written and submitted by Chuck Barber of Pennington Financial, LLC. He has over 10 years’ experience as a highly qualified Financial Estate planner with a specialty in asset protection. Other services include Pre-Retirement planning, Post Retirement planning, Long-term Care insurance, Life insurance and Annuities, Registered Investment Advisor services, and Notary Public.

Visit our website for additional information: www. Penningtonfinancial.net

Pennington Financial, LLC is located at 1900 N. 18th St. #211 Monroe, LA 71201 (318) 855-4690.

RECENTLY OPENED AT 206 TRENTON STREET ON historic Antique is Max Porter Provisions, a men’s mercantile offering everything for apothecary to apparel, general store items to unique gift ideas. Parters Laurie Cochran and Cassie Livingston worked alongside Taylor Bennett to create a space in the old Mojoware store that would appeal to men looking to shop for themselves or women looking for unique gift items for the men in their lives. Décor gathered from estate sales and vintage family memorabilia set the stage for Max Porter. When asked about the name of the store, Livingston said, “The store is named for my father-in-law, Max Livingston, who we lost to leukemia in 2011. It’s a tribute to our family roots – acknowledging the hard-working, veteran who devoted his life to family and country.

Among the brands that Max Porter Provisions carries is Paige jeans, a premium denim company that manufacturers all of their clothing in America, and DL1961. The Ampal Creative is another diverse line of socks, beanies and hats that are exclusively made in the USA. Shoppers can find a range of sauces and rubs from distributers like Hoff & Pepper, Salt Lick BBQ and BBQ Rubdown, along with drink mixes from award-winning El Guapo Bitters. “The store definitely had ‘every man’ in mind when we were purchasing products,” says Cochran. “Whether you describe your style as western, modern, rustic, old-school, metro... our store has something for you.”

A favorite of the owners are the candles from Manready Mercantile. “Manready was really the inspiration behind the store. A friend put it on our radar, and the next time we visited Houston we really fell in love with the products. My husband loves the room sprays and candles – these were the first orders that we placed for Max Porter,” says Livingston. There are also candles and fragrances from Guy Fox, an under-the-radar company that offers affordable and unique colognes that are warm and full of zest. These fragrances have been so popular among customers that Livingston and Cochran have re-ordered three times in the month that the store has been open.

Looking for a new razor? Supply offers an injector-style blade cartridge which allows you to reload the razor with ultra-sharp stubble-slicers, without ever touching a blade with your hands. Pair it along with Educated Beards delightful beard-grooming kit to keep your facial hair in place. Both of the companies, along with Duke Cannon are favorites of Livingston and Cochran’s husbands.

While Max Porter Provisions is carrying apparel, their clothing selection is well-curated and there are only a few brands that will be in the store, these include Paige, DL1961, Pendleton, Richer Poorer and Howler. “There are so many great apparel stores in North Louisiana, it was important to us to keep this section of our store limited. We have a waxed canvas jacket from Loyal Stricklin that we are in love with. There are also boxers from Richer Poorer, socks from Ampal Creative, and fun hats from Sendero Provisions. Our husbands definitely weighed in when we were ordering clothing, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the unique apparel that we have.”

Leather goods is among one of the largest selections of gift items in the store. There are some beautiful, hand-crafted leather goods like wallets, belts, dog collars and leashes, bags, coaster, trays and more. “The Atticus duffle from Will Leather Company is my favorite item in the store,” says Cochran. “With plenty of pockets for organization and a dedicated shoe compartment, its roomy interior will hold all your essentials and more. It’s the right size for an overhead compartment and leather strap make going through the airport a breeze.” Even though the leather bags are a must-have, Max Porter also has a vintage camo print bag line from another local manufacturer that is perfect for fall travels. “Our front pocket wallets have been a great seller. The security that a front pocket wallet gives, along with the great streamline style, makes these a great purchase. We also have slim wallets, and some larger passport wallets. I’d say if that was something you were looking for, we definitely have you covered.”

When you are making your Christmas lists this year, make sure to stop in and visit Max Porter Provisions. “We are so excited to have opened this store in our community. We genuinely found a need for a store like this, and feel that we will evolve to become a shopping destination for Northeast Louisiana.” says Livingston. “We are so happy that Bradley Castle is our store manager, he exudes everything we wanted in the store - he’s fun, has a unique style, is quirky and super witty. He has a wealth of product knowledge and experience. Our shoppers will really love meeting and working with him. He is our Max Porter.”

Max Porter Provisions is located at 206 Trenton Street in West Monroe. The phone number is 318.737.7742 and you can find them on Facebook and Instagram. Store hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm.

YOU HAVE FINALLY DECIDED that that knee pain has gotten to be too much, the bunions have narrowed your shoe options to slippers, your lower back pain is interfering with a good night’s sleep, hip pain is keeping you from dancing the night away at the company Christmas party or that trigger finger is slowing down your online holiday shopping. Even worse, you got caught up in the holiday spirit and decided that you would dust off your running shoes and run in the Turkey Trot 5k with your teenage daughter/track star and you woke up the next morning not being able to move. Who you gonna call? Well, we hope it is the team at Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana!

Recently we sat down with OSL’s Patient Intake Scheduling Director, Tanya, and asked her a few questions about scheduling appointments at Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana, insurance verification and why we must ask so many questions to get you scheduled for an appointment.

OSL: Tanya, how long have you worked at Orthopedic Specialists and how many scheduling coordinators do you have on your team? What are the responsibilities of the OSL Scheduling Team?

I have been with OSL for ten years. I started out in medical reception and was there for two years. As the clinic grew and more doctors joined the practice, the clinic created a separate scheduling team to manage all appointments and to verify insurance for the clinics in Shreveport and Bossier City. We currently have eight scheduling coordinators. Every morning the scheduling team has a meeting to review which doctors are in clinic, clear any issues from the previous day and answer any voicemails and appointment requests made online. In addition to scheduling all appointments and verifying insurance, the team also sends patient notes, medication requests and messages to the physician teams, as well as manage all physician referrals.

OSL: When a new patient calls to schedule an appointment, what information should they have on hand?

Its important to have your insurance card and information. If you have a family member or loved one calling to schedule an appointment on your behalf, please make sure they have your insurance information, they know the patient’s date of birth, address, and phone number. Also, it is important to identify whether you are seeing the physician due to a liability or a worker’s comp case… whether you are holding another party responsible; often liabilities require approval prior to your appointment.

OSL: What is the deal with insurance verification…is it really necessary?

Yes. A lot of people call in and get frustrated when we must take the time to verify their insurance. With all the different replacement and supplemental insurances and with the increase in patients from out of state, we must verify to prevent patients from showing up and being unable to be seen or to prevent unexpected charges. I encourage patients during open enrollments to reach out to their regularly attended physicians to make sure that any new replacement plans are covered.

OSL: Can you accommodate new patients that require same day appointments?

Yes- during our regular business hours, we typically can. Fortunately, our scheduling office collaborates very closely with our physicians and their teams. After working with these doctors for the last ten years, I know they really do want to be able to help their patients and get them seen.

OSL: What is one of the best parts of your

job?

When you are at the end of the call and the patient thanks you for taking time to explain their options and are truly grateful for your help. A lot of the OSL doctors affectionately call our team the “gatekeepers.” The doctors are all comfortable contacting the scheduling team to make sure we are all on the same page and that we are making sure our patients are well taken care of from start to finish. Knowing the doctors trust the scheduling team to be the first to interact with their patients is a responsibility we all take very seriously.

OSL: What are some of the challenges your team faces?

Patients often call in and are in pain or have been putting off making an appointment. When they call, they have a lot of symptoms, and they often want to get some sort of diagnoses over the phone. Unfortunately, we cannot offer medical advice over the phone or have one of the doctors call you back to discuss your symptoms. The best thing we can do for you is to get you scheduled for a face-to-face evaluation with one of our doctors.

Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana is home to ten fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons with clinic locations in Shreveport and Bossier City, Louisiana. To schedule an evaluation with one of our surgeons, please call (866) 759.9679 or visit: orthopedicspecialistsla.com.

BY DELIA SIMPSON, CRAFT BRAND MANAGER, CHOICE BRANDS, INC.

RANCH WATER – A COCKTAIL COMPRISED OF TEQUILA, lime juice, and soda water – has long been a West Texas staple. Over the past few years, this Texan specialty has risen in popularity and started to appear in bars across the nation. Legend has it, Ranch Water was originally concocted by a wild haired rancher in Far West Texas. The spirit of the drink had him following miles of Texas stars until found asleep under a piñon tree. While what transpired on that journey remains a mystery, its spirit and its sense of adventure inspires to this day.

Lone River Beverage Company is rooted in the tradition and taste from Far West Texas where founder, Katie Beal Brown, and her family have been ranching for generations. Its namesake Ranch Water hard seltzer was inspired by the West Texas Cocktail and its lore. Today Founder & CEO Katie Beale Brown states, “Our family settled in West Texas over 100 years ago. We’ve been ranching out here in Far West Texas for generations. Ranch Water is more than a drink to us, it’s part of our culture. We started Lone River to give people a taste of where we come from.”

In a new ad campaign which debuted in August, Follow It West, follows American singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham through a typical working ranch day out west. Bingham authentically embodies Lone River’s wild haired rancher and is joined by real cowgirls and cowboys from West Texas. The spot, which is beautifully narrated via a cowboy poem and ode to the symbolic Lone River, is built around romanticizing the great adventure of going West through the universally famous archetype of the cowboy on the ranch. Follow It West evokes a place where simplicity is sacred, hard work is nonnegotiable, and living off the land is a way of life.

“West Texas is a vast, majestic place that’s close to my heart. I have roots here and so many great memories. I filmed my first music video in a Marfa bar,” comments Ryan Bingham. “When I think of ranch water, I’m instantly reminded of my time spent in West Texas and the way of life out there. I think of days working cattle, nights writing songs and a cold beverage at the end of a long day. Lone River is a success because it’s as authentic as it gets. We are on a ranch, we are working cattle and we are building fences - this campaign is the real deal.” Follow It West was filmed almost entirely on Lone River Founder and CEO Katie Beal Brown’s working ranch, Calamity Creek, operated by her family for generations and can be seen during the highly rated television show Yellowstone.

“We started Lone River with a simple story. A story 100 years in the making. This was always a long play for us, to build a legacy that celebrates the culture connected to Ranch Water. A culture emblematic of the American West,” comments Katie Beal Brown. “We knew the only way to share this story with a national audience was to give people a taste of the real deal – out on our family’s ranch in Far West Texas with the cowboys, cowgirls and ranchers from the area. Ryan Bingham felt like such a natural partner to help us tell our humble story on a grander scale. His music has been the soundtrack that has inspired so much of our journey, and we immediately connected through our shared roots in Far West Texas.”

Lone River Ranch Water is available locally in original 6 pack cans and variety 12 pack cans. Each 12 ounce can has just 80 calories, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 4% ABV (alcohol by volume). Original is made from carbonated water, alcohol from sugar, key lime juice, organic agave nectar, natural flavor, and salt. In addition to Original, variety packs also contain Spicy, Rio Red Grapefruit, and Prickly Pear. All have the same base ingredients. Spicy adds natural jalapeno flavor, while Rio Red Grapefruit uses red grapefruit juice and Prickly Pear features the juice of the state cactus of Texas, the prickly pear.

Be sure to like Choice Brands on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with new product releases. Feel free to message us for information on where to find your favorite brands. Find us at facebook. com/thechoicebrands, twitter.com/choicebrandsinc, and instagram.com/ choicebrands.

On Thursday, November 11th, several local businesses kicked off the shopping season with a holiday open house. Shoppers were able to enjoy shopping local and buying early for Christmas. Third Street in the Garden District was a buzz with shoppers visiting Woodstock, and checking out their wide selection of holiday decor, gardening items, clothing and more. Just across the street at Palette House + Plume, ladies were loving seeing the unique home and clothing options from Margaret Moses and Jansen Harvey. Just around the corner, the fun continued along Forsythe Avenue at Haven. And down the road at 1821 Avenue of America, shoppers enjoyed visiting and holiday shopping at Parterre Home. Complete with refreshments and a multi-artist exhibit that featured many local artists, showing off their amazing work. It was a lovely night filled with great shopping, food and beautiful friends.

1 Lauren Pleasant and Christy Bolton 2 Julie Boggs and Jordan Haddad 3 Frank McWhorter and Joey Haddad 4 Amanda Fritzer, Holly Ratcliff and Cheryl Grigson 5 Diane Paschall, Sadie Walker and Paul Walker 6 Annie Richardson, Pat Stewart, Rhenda Saporito and Holly Ratcliff 7 Katie Martin, Katherine Crumley, Taylor George, Sandy

McMillan and Analise Kelly 8 Heather Rogers, Maddie Maxwell, Jansen Harvey,

Margaret Moses and Whitlie Delukie 9 Courtney Riley, Traveling Chic Boutique 4

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On Thursday, November 11th, Omertà Cigar held a one of a kind cigar experience with territory rep Joel Reser. Friends both old and new joined in on the superior lounge experience. Displays of cigar starter kits, top brand cigars and the finest humidors were on tap for the night. Owners and reps were on hand to give advice on all things cigars. The event featured great deals, cool raffles, and even a chili cookoff. A good time was shared by all who attended.

1 Tori Douglas, Chandler and Joe Kidd 2 Nick & Rebekah Lawrence 3 Jarrett Jackson, Joel Reser and Adam McConnell 4 Brandon Sikes and Nolan Humble