In Episode#25 we talk to Ganey Arsement of EducateLouisiana.org . He took the time to sit and speak with The Back Porch Experience this past week at a local coffee shop. Among the things that were discussed: his thoughts of education (he is a teacher at Barbe), education reform, ITEP, MFP’s, and other things concerning education in the parish and state. We also discussed his passion, which is music (he is local working musician), as well as, his blog EducateLouisiana.org. You can see him perform every Wednesday night at El Paso Mexican Restaurant on Derek Dr. in Lake Charles, La. We’d like to thank Ganey for taking the time to discuss the Education System on Calcasieu Parish and the State of Louisiana.
We had a chance to sit down and have a conversation with Rob Anderson before the holidays. Rob is a blue collar artist, writer and activist. We spoke on a Sunday afternoon over coffee about the congressional race he had just run, and issues facing our local area, state and nation. The conversation also included some information of the Bayou Rising Foundation, which he is the founder of. We’d like thank Rob for taking some time and talking with the Back Porch Experience.
Earlier this month we sat down with Roger Landry, the developer of the Erdace Apartments located in downtown Lake Charles, La. for an update on the project. The Erdace Apartments will have 272 units and add much needed living area to downtown Lake Charles. The $43 million project is the largest of it’s kind for downtown Lake Charles and is on the site of the old Sears building. Mr. Landry is the Owner of the Mueller’s Lofts, a 40 unit complex, which is directly across from the new Erdace Project, as well as, other large scale developments in various cities including Alexandria, La., a project that was originally planned for Lake Charles on the lakefront. Mr. Landry discusses the Erdace project, other projects and gives us an “Exclusive” on future plans for downtown Lake Charles and SWLA.
We would like to thank Roger Landry for taking the time to speak with the Back Porch Experience and for announcing the future plans on the show.
If you would like to hear our earlier conversation with Roger Landry, it’s Episode #20 found here:
Mildred “Mimi” Methvin is a candidate for U.S. House of Representatives 3rd Congressional District of the State of Louisiana. We had a chance to have a conversation with her by phone about her run for Congress. She has 28 years’ experience as a federal and state judge along with a track record as a successful attorney and mediator. With broad experience in the justice system, combined with her family’s deep Louisiana roots, Mimi has a rare understanding of our state and district. She was appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1983 and left the bench in 2009 to launch her private mediation and consulting firm. She later served as a federal magistrate judge in Pennsylvania and Maryland before the Louisiana Supreme Court appointed her Judge Pro Tempore for the 27th Judicial District Court in St. Landry Parish in 2014, where she served for six months.
Mimi graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Tulane University and received her J.D. Degree from Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown, she worked full-time for U.S. Representative Gillis Long, and later worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney both as a prosecutor and as a civil litigator defending medical malpractice suits.
Mimi served on the national policy-making committee for federal magistrate judges, and organized both American Inns of Court in Lafayette, Louisiana. She currently serves on the Fifth Circuit Advisory Committee for the American Inns of Court Foundation — an organization that works toward professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence for the legal profession and judiciary.
She is board chair of AMIkids Acadiana, a residential facility for at-risk youth in Acadia Parish, and serves on AMIkids’ national executive committee.
She is a board member of the Federal Bar Association, Acadiana Chapter, and is a frequent speaker on trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution.
We’d like to thank Mimi Methvin for taking the time to have a conversation with The Back Porch Experience
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MIMI AND HERE CAMPAIGN GO TO: Votemimi.org
Mayor Nic Hunter and Asst. City Administrator Kim Dellafosse
Mayor Hunter’s Business Tax Incentive Plan
A couple of months ago mayor Nic Hunter introduced his plan for enticing businesses to invest in Lake Charles. His New Business Tax Incentive plan offers incentives to investors that choose to invest in the I=10 Corridor, The Enterprise Blvd Connector, and The lakefront area. I was in attendance at the Downtown Development Authority meeting where the mayor unveiled his plan. I had a chance to sit down and have a conversation with Mayor Nic Hunter and Assistant City Administrator Kim Dellafosse about the New Business Tax Incentive Plan as well as a few other things. Our conversation took place at City Hall in the mayors office.
I’d like to thank Mayor Nic Hunter and Asst. City Administrator Kim Dellafosse for taking the time to sit down and discuss the Mayor’s plan.
We had an opportunity to sit down and have a conversation and get an update from Roger Landry, one of the developers of The Erdace Apartments, the $43 million project located in downtown Lake Charles. The conversation took place at offices on the site on May 14, 2018, following a tour of the site. The link to the video taken during the tour is found Here: https://youtu.be/B94plFFk1rE
Our conversation covered the project, downtown development, local politics and more. We’d like to thank Mr. Landry for giving us full access to the property and sitting down and giving us an update on the project and sharing his thoughts on other issues of local concern.
If you missed the first conversation with Mr. Landry that was held prior to breaking ground, that’s Episode #15 of The Back Porch Experience.
We had an opportunity to have a conversation with Democratic candidate for the 3rd Congressional District, Dr. Phillip Conner. The conversation took place on Tuesday April 10, 2017 at the offices of The Sleep Disorder of Louisiana, which is owned by Dr. Conner. This conversation happened prior to the events in Syria. Dr. Conner released a statement following the strike on Facebook.
“With the recent attack on Syria, I send my prayers to our military men and women on the front lines. I have complete trust in the skill and proficiency of our military leaders and soldiers. I support our efforts, in conjunction with our allies, to suppress the brutality and horrors of the Assad regime.”
– Dr. Phillip Conner
Our conversation covered policies and topics that affect the 3rd district. We would like to thank Dr. Conner for having a conversation with The Back Porch Experience.
Republican Candidate Josh Guillory for the 3rd Congressional District
The Midterms are coming up and the list of candidates challenging Rep. Clay Higgins(R) Port Barre is growing longer. One of those candidates is an attorney from Lafayette, La. Republican Josh Guillory. Josh took the time to speak with us by phone a little over 10 days ago. We talked about the 3rd District and National topics, while he kept an eye on his kids doing homework. We thank him for taking the time to talk to the Back Porch Experience
Josh Guillory
Is an attorney who specializes in Constitutional and Family Law from Lafayette, LA a lifelong Republican and fiscal conservative, Josh says he’s running to “bring common sense, conservative values to Washington”. To “fight for a balanced budget and tax code reforms that make sense for Louisiana families”. A former officer in the U.S. Cavalry and was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom Josh believes” veterans benefits are a promise America owes the men and women, who proudly wore its uniform”. Josh understands the importance of our oil and gas industry and will stand up to any legislation that will interrupt the rebuilding of this vital economic engine as well understanding the vital role the Louisiana coast plays in the economy and safety of our state and country. He will be a loud voice in the continuing fight for coastal restoration. Josh is pro-life and, being a lifetime member of the NRA, he is an adamant defender of the 2nd Amendment.
Since 2011 Josh has owned his own small law practice. He has fought for families throughout Southwest Louisiana, while lecturing on Constitutional Law. Loves his Acadian culture and believes in giving back to our community. He has served as a proud voluntary youth football coach for several years. Josh and his wife Jamie work together and raise their three children in Lafayette.
For more information on Josh Guillory and his campaign you can find more information at the link below
Nick Villaume and Carl Ambrose, Jr. In front of Pops and Rockets Gourmet Ice Cream
Nick Villaume is a native of Lake Charles and the Owner of Pops and Rockets Gourmet Ice Cream Shop, he manufactures and distributes his ice cream throughout south Louisiana. He loves food, but he loves his hometown more than that. One of the founders of the Louisiana Winter Beer Festival, Nick along with several other businessmen have been helping to smartly develop the downtown area. The area has seen a resurgence with businesses, resteraunts, and nightlife, so much so that construction of a 272 unit apartment complex is being added bringing in close to 500 new residents. Along with Rick Richard and others, they have formed the Downtown Business Association to assist in the development of downtown Lake Charles.
Nick and his wife Mary have 3 children and like myself are part of a trend that started about a decade ago, where young professional started leaving the big city, some to return home to care for aging parents and some moving to places Charleston S.C., Asheville N.C., Lincoln NE, Portland OR and similar places because they can and the internet allows some to work from anywhere. Lake Charles will see it’s share of returnees and new residence also. We’d like to thank Nick for his time and commitment to Lake Charles and for taking the time to talk with The Back Porch Experience. Go see him at Pops and Rockets.
A little over a week ago, the Mayor held a listening session with Downtown business owners and resident about the the future of Lake Charles as it relates to downtown development and the historic and cultural districts. The event was held at The Paramount Room located in the Historic Calcasieu Marine National Bank Building. The gathering was rather large with many residents of downtown in attendance. The Downtown Business Association and the Downtown Development Authority partnered in sponsoring the event. Nic Vellaume represented the Downtown Business Association and Chris Sherman represented the Downtown Development Authority.
