7 Newsroom

Weddings and more weddings

So for the last couple of months, it seems as though all I do is go to weddings, stand in weddings, attend wedding functions, and think about weddings.

I love that all my friends are getting married, but why does it always seem that everyone decides to get married within two days of each other .. and they all ask you, or your significant other, to stand in the wedding. That's a lot of money!!!

So it got me thinking about my future nuptials (no .. I'm not engaged).  Will I have a thousand showers and honeydews .. in every city in the country?  Don't know.  How will I decide which friends to stand in my wedding?  No clue (Luckily, I have a ton of great friends).  What will the bridesmaid dresses look like?  "Ruffle-free," guaranteed.  Will I let my future hubby decide on the tuxedos?  Probably not.  What about the food, flowers, and family seating at rehearsal? 

See .. I'm not one of those girls who's been dreaming about her wedding since she was a little girl.  So with all of my friends either getting engaged or newly married .. I've started thinking about all the details .. and it's very stressful.

Then, I think about our Sunrise couple who has left the planning and the details up to you to vote on.  They're pretty brave to do that .. but all the choices are wonderful ..

So as they prepare to get married live on Sunrise August 31st .. I think of the stress they've delegated to you.  Wonder if I'll ever be able to do that ... delegate the details. 

Guess Who, Jeane Dixon and the Civic Center

The recent approval of plans for a new Lake Charles lake front brought up fond memories of when the Civic Center was first built.  For those who don't know, the area where the complex is located was once part of the lake.  Sand was dredged from the lake and the area was backfilled to provide land for the new building.  During construction, high winds blew several structural beams to the ground.  I think it was at that time that well-known psychic Jeane Dixon predicted the Civic Center would one day fall to the ground.  Obviously, that never happened.

   The early 1970's were exciting for Lake Charles.  The city had just celebrated its centennial and new construction was underway.  We were getting a new building for concerts, plays and exhibitions;  the Prien Lake Mall was opening;  and Sears made the decision to remain downtown and build a new store on Ryan St.  Their unique idea of rooftop parking never quite worked:  it leaked constantly!

   The first concert at the civic center was scheduled to be the pop group, "Guess Who."  I can still remember the radio ads on KLOU and KAOK saying, "Guess Who's coming to the civic center?"  However, a few days before the actual event, it was announced that lead singer Burton Cummings had a sore throat and the band canceled.  I can't recall who took their place, but it didn't have quite the allure of "Guess Who."

   Since its opening, the Civic Center has been a wonderful addition to Southwest Louisiana.  I saw Paul Harvey and Bill Cosby there, attended many Scout-o-Rama's, and  emceed countless events in every room.  I even took part in my first and LAST demolition derby, which nearly tore up the coliseum.   

   It'll be fun to see what new things will be added in the coming years.

   What are your remembrances of the Lake Charles Civic Center?  Did you get to see Elvis perform?  Or did your child graduate there?  Let us know!

   

News in my own backyard

I have had the extreme honor of covering different types of news stories, from assaults to ribbon cuttings-- but the most interesting stories lately have been the stories in my own backyard.  I am from the small town of Jennings but my small town has had its fair share of big drama in the last couple of days, from underpaid police officers to bomb threats--Jennings has been making the news. 

After being away from Jennings for over five years and then returning to cover news, it has been really very interesting.  Reconnecting with family and old friends over breaking news has also been exciting, but for the record I have to say despite all the drama of these last couple of weeks, Jennings is a very nice community to grow up in.