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SBMAG.NET

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2021

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PUBLISHER

EDITOR

G. Byron May

I

OWNERS

can’t believe it’s already my second issue as editor of SB Magazine. It’s such an honor to create a lifestyle publication for the Shreveport-Bossier/Northwest Louisiana area. I’m looking forward to bringing SB readers intriguing, informative and entertaining content on a monthly basis. We will be covering arts and culture, food and entertainment, business and non-profits, beauty and wellness, home and garden, people, history, finance, travel, parenting, and more.

My career has been primarily in marketing and writing, ranging from technical to creative, in the financial industry, retail and business, higher education, non-profits, government, and media, and I look forward to being in the local publishing industry. I was born and raised in Shreveport and spent many years in Washington, DC, and St. Louis, Missouri, before returning with my family a few years ago.

I invite you to submit story ideas and feedback on the sbmag.net website. I’m also interested in hearing from hobbyists, experts, or writers who may be interested in contributing to upcoming articles.

We at SB Magazine are excited to bring you the July Home Issue, and hope you will enjoy reading about the current state of the housing market, outdoor living spaces, and what it’s like to live in downtown Shreveport. Our home feature is a fabulous renovation of a home in the Highland neighborhood. And you’ll also find the SB readers’ choice list of top realtors in the northwest Louisiana area.

Look for articles on weddings and back to school along with other features and columns in the August issue!

HAPPY SUMMER!

G. Byron May Seva May Noble Feldman

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Elizabeth Beard Deal

ASSISTANT EDITOR Hailey Lawson

PHOTOGRAPHY Hailey Lawson Debbie Henry

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Ryan Watson, Creative Director for May Marketing

SALES TEAM LEADER Keyle Cavalier

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Stephanie Pringle Laura Scott-Speer Linda Feierlein

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Scott Anderson Adam Bailey Becky Cunningham Rachel Dupree Seva May Ellen Trice

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Subscription Rate: $16 per year. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily constitute the view of SB Magazine, Inc. SB Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject advertisements. Third Class Postage Paid at Shreveport, LA 71101.

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Copyright © 2021 SB Magazine, Inc. Volume 22, Issue 7

It’s time to love where you live.

Lisa Hargrove

No. 1 Coldwell Banker Agent in Northwest Louisiana

Experience & Professionalism Matter

Each office independently owned and operated.

318.861.2461 Office / 318.393.1003 Cell / www.lisahargrove.com SBMAG.NET

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COLUMNS: 5 10 12 50 60 62 70 74 76 78 82

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Eye on SB SB People SB Living SB Home Matters SB Business Spotlight SB Good to Know SB Sweets & Eats SB Community SB Calendar SB Arts & Culture SB Pets

FEATURES:

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14 20 28 52 58

Downtown Living Home Feature State of the Real Estate Market 318 Best Kept Secrets Part Two Outdoor Spaces: Reimagining Paradise

SPECIAL SECTION: 29 54

Top Realtors All Things Home

70 ON THE COVER

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Adam and Amanda Brewer with Harper (11), Walker Kate (10), Collier (7), and AJ (4)

EYE ON SB

BY DEBBIE HENRY

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Robinson’s Rescue Best in Sheaux Robinson’s Rescue annual “Best in Sheaux” event was held at The Lot in Downtown Shreveport.

This Westminister-style dog show included 13 perfect pooches competing for the title. After a silent auction, dinner catered by Fairfield Place and a strut down the carpeted canine runway, “Biscuit” Alexander won the coveted title of Best in Sheaux 2021. Our furry friends were the real winners of the evening as proceeds went to benefit Robinson’s Rescue Low Cost Spay/Neuter program. 1. Audrey Robinson with Dr. Andrea and Jeff Everson 2. Brittany Turner with “Pearl” 3. Taylor and Madison Lee with “Boog” 4. Robinson’s Rescue Board Members Len Claravella, Shannon Sale, Carolyn Prator, and Jack Hodges 5. The Lot Owners Edgar and Deshea Guzman with daughters Lola and Vida

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George Dement Boxing at The Lot The Dement Brothers Old School Boxing Club hosted the George

Dement Classic IV amateur boxing event at The Lot in Downtown Shreveport. The boxing event honors the memory of the late Mayor George Dement who left his mark as a youth sports activist in our community. 1. Jake Dement, Co-Owner of Dement Brothers Old School Boxing Club with Coach Bill Smith and Brandon Wilson 2. Coaches Donald and Jerry Stephens are professional boxers, Director, President and Trainer for Stephens Youth Activity Zone. 3. Keith Smith, Jomar Carroll, Jeremiah Parker and Kris Taylor 4. Brandon Horton and Simon Shuler 5. Former amateur and Olympic boxer Tim Dement with Co-Owner of The Lot Beverly Bedsole 1

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Mudbug Madness, one of Louisiana’s largest and most popular Cajun festivals, celebrated their 37th year with a

three day crawfish festival in downtown Shreveport’s Festival Plaza, featuring Cajun, Zydeco, Blues and Jazz artists, lots of crawfish, vendors and fun for all ages. Thousands came out to enjoy live music from Cajun Zydeco Grammy winner Wayne Toups, New Orleans Party Band Bag of Donuts, Soul Grooves, East Bayou Ramblers, Sister Hazel, Bayou Gypsy, Chubby Carrier, and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas to name a few. 1. Elissa Little with Mudbug Madness Organizer Terri Mathews 2. Austin Clarke, Erica Blair, and Rob Haney 3. Ashley, Terri and Amber Levesque 4. Cajun Zydeco Grammy winner Wayne Toups 5. Gene and Alex Ryan with Hunter Thames 6. Laura and Kyle Baudoin 7. Cherie Gray and Chai Gray-Garrison 1

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Louisiana Trail Riders by Jeremiah Ariaz Louisiana Trail Riders, a Photography Exhibition by Jeremiah Ariaz, was held at Artspace in Downtown Shreveport. 1. SRAC Creative Director Josh Porter with Featured Artist Jeremiah Ariaz and Lily Brooks 2. SRAC President Henry Price with Bayou State Trail Riders Secretary Johnetta Jackson 3. Margaret Hughes with Corey and Toni Dehon 4. Port City Trail Rider Kathy Anderson with Tierra George

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Red River Balloon Festival The 2021 Red River Balloon Rally, sponsored by CenterPoint Energy and presented by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, showcased the U.S. Team National Hot Air Balloon Championship flight over Shreveport and Bossier. Held at the Brookshire Grocery Arena, this colorful weekend festival included over 30 hot air balloons, navigational competitions, balloon glows, tethered rides, kid zones, food booths, Bossier Farmers Market Vendors, live music, and fireworks. 1. Joel and Rebecca Dixon with son, William 2. Megan and Jeremy Descant 3. Lauren and Brandon Mann with Layliana 4. Jason Roussel, Maria Kissner, Megan Harmon, Kaia Shamsie, Kristi Harmon and Jackson Ferguson 5. Jake and Marli Xie 6. Keith Pickard, Tim Teel, and Ashley Babcock representing Centerpoint Energy 1

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Dr. Harold Brown Retirement Party Mike Evans and Susan Broyles hosted a surprise retirement party was for

Dr. W. Harold Brown II at his lake home. Dr. Brown, a native of Shreveport, trained under Dr. Tom Cronin, world-renowned plastic surgery pioneer and inventor of the silicone breast implant. Brown’s Office staff, family, and medical partner Dr. Barron O’Neal celebrated with their dear friend and wished him a happy retirement filled with bold new adventures traveling and peaceful rejuvenating time working in his lush garden. 1. Dr. Harold Brown and Mike Evans 2. Dr. Barron O’Neal with wife, Mary 3. Dr. Harold Brown showing his guests the bee house 4. Cassie and Adam Keahey 5. Susan Broyles with her brother Dr. Harold Brown 6. Jamie Jones, Jill Patterson, and Denise Arthur 2

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Floatilla The 30th annual Cross Lake Floatilla was held at the American Legion Post on South Lakeshore Drive. Hundreds came out to the biggest party on the water, with boats of all sizes, jet skis, floats and tubes covering Cross Lake. The water loving event included a decorated boat parade contest, inflatables race, poker run, raffles, music, games, food, drinks, and a huge fireworks show. Proceeds of Floatilla went to Heart of Hope and Woody’s Home for Veterans.

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ARTini is Bossier Arts Council’s unique annual fund raising event, where “Imagination is shaken ….Creativity stirred.”

ARTini 2021 Pop Art Edition featuring Artwork by Lauren Ross Simmons was held at Sci-Port Discovery Center. Over a dozen local restaurants and bars competed for the best signature martini in town. 1. Emily Eaves, Shannon Brown, Jessica Zylicz, and Morgan Burton 2. Jason Holtzclaw with ARTini Chair Emerie Eck Gentry 3. Featured Artist Lauren Ross Simmons with Bossier Arts Council Executive Director Robin Jones 4. Denise and Brian Landry 5. Payton Pipin, Anna Claire St. Cyr, Maddy Marlowe, Avery Long, and Mary Suter 6. Paul and Evette Pratt with Derrick Gatson 7. Kyle and Jenee Towns 8. Angie Costakis, Jennifer Burk, and Tracie Booras 1

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2021

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SB PEOPLE

BY ELIZABETH DEAL

A

n “innovative, empathetic and spirited approach to life and business” unites the InvestmentNews national “40 under 40” class of 2021. Selection criteria is accomplishments, contribution to the financial advice industry, leadership, and promise for the future. Out of almost one thousand entries, Dany Martin, partner and wealth advisor for the independent financial advisory practice Williams Financial Advisors (WFA) in Shreveport, is the only person from Louisiana honored in this select group.

It’s no wonder. His mission is to be a student of life and educate others about the profound, positive impact that sound financial planning will have on peoples’ lives and on their families. He advocates positive thinking and leadership, evidenced by the first words on his LinkedIn profile: “Don’t Be A King or Queen, Be A King or Queen Maker.” Dany has a BS degree from Northwestern State University and an MBA from Louisiana Tech University.

DANY & LINDSI

MARTIN

The WFA headquarters is at One Bellemead Centre, but they’ve now renovated and claimed a Queen Anne Victorian-style cottage as a second local office. Martin can often be found sitting in a rocking chair, working on his laptop on the front porch of the “Pink House.” WFA was completely digital prior to the pandemic, making the transition to virtual work during that time practically seamless. “We really needed the ability to work from anywhere and the Pink House proved to be an atmosphere which created space, calmness and collaboration,” he says.

“Being an independent firm means we work for our clients

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and nobody else,” he says. With a philosophy of helping others create wealth for themselves and future generations, the firm settled on the tree of life for its logo, signifying strength, growth, and the vitality of life.

WFA recently opened an office in Dany’s hometown of New Roads and he envisions further expansion across the U.S. and beyond. After fifteen years in the industry, he realizes, that the growth of their client base has come primarily from referrals and “chance encounters” rather than a traditional marketing strategy. They are laser-focused on client goals, “whether it’s an individual retiring with $10 million or a young couple just starting out.” As of June 28, 2021, WFA had $381 million of assets under advisement.

Wife Lindsi has also made her mark. (Dany says his biggest accomplishment is “marrying someone way above his level.”) What began as selling juice at local farmers markets transformed into co-founding and co-owning the first vegan and gluten-free restaurant and juice bar in the area, Well+Fed Louisiana in 2017. She and business partner Ashley Everage decided on the vegan and gluten free menu when they realized how challenging it was to find these choices around town. Lindsi holds a BS degree from Northwestern State University and is a Certified 400-hour Ashtanga Yoga Instructor. At one of her yoga trainings several years ago, Lindsi outlined her vision for

C

a restaurant and the framed drawing now adorns the front wall in the cafe. Well+Fed was named one of the country’s 50 best vegan restaurants in 2019 by Big 7 Travel.

“I also wanted to have a place where I could provide jobs for local kids who need them,” she says. Some of these kids they met through Common Ground Shreveport, and Dany was (and still is) frequently on the court playing basketball with them. Dany and Lindsi opened their home to some of these amazing young men and soon became family. “God just opened a door and we walked through it,” he says. Dany provided guidance to one of the teens interested in military service, who is now a rising sophomore cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The restored houses of both business locations sit next door to one another on Egan Street, and are now on the National Register of Historic Places. Between Lindsi and Everage, and Dany and one of his business partners, Chase Crump and wife Suzannah, they own the six properties on the 600 block of Egan and anticipate the possibilities of future development.

The healthy and hopeful inspiration and influence of Dany and Lindsi Martin has—and no doubt will continue— to help cultivate a promising future for the ShreveportBossier community.

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ashmere is a brand-new upscale salon on Line Avenue. It offers the ultimate salon experience for the whole family. The services provided are design cuts, color, fusion extensions with Great Lengths brand, balayage, lived in natural color, Brazilian smoothing treatments, professional makeup and eyebrow tint and shape.

The moment you walk into Cashmere Hair Salon you will notice this salon is unlike any other. The hairstylist’s promise experience over appointment. Their goal is to not only meet the desired look, but to make the overall experience relaxing TATIANA GARLAND OWNER/STYLIST for each guest. You will be greeted with smiles, fresh coffee and cookies at the door, nicely fragranced candles fill up the room and after each relaxing wash your hair will be wrapped with a warm towel. Cashmere is a place to relax when you need to take a break from your busy life.

The hairstylists are highly trained who have furthered their education in training classes held in New York, Las Vegas, Dallas and Austin. This is not just a job for them, it is their passion. They take pride in their work and stay current with the latest trends. The products used at Cashmere are top of the line- Redken and Pureology. Each guest leaves feeling brand new and recharged. Let this upscale salon be your escape, you will not be disappointed that you chose Cashmere Hair Salon!

Cashmere is currently hiring. If interested, reach out to them today!

HAIR BY TATIANA GARLAND, OWNER/STYLIST

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BY BECKY CUNNINGHAM

BECKY CUNNINGHAM

SB LIVING

Reclaimed WOOD Headboard

H

ave you been inspired by the latest modern farmhouse style that is trending throughout the home design world?

One of the easiest ways to lean into this popular home décor style is by adding reclaimed wood pieces into your existing furniture. Reclaimed wood makes such a grand statement and focal point in any room.

With a few gathered boards and a free Saturday, you can create a custom headboard of your own!

Reclaimed wood is simply wood that is no longer needed or used, and still in a good condition to be repurposed into a different project.

On our family land, we happened upon an old, dilapidated shack made of tongue and groove boards.

By hand, we took apart each boardremoving nails and screws as we went. Through the years the boards became weathered into a beautiful gray, and the paint was distressed.

This provided the perfect patina for an interesting headboard.

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ration photo of the design you want to create. Options are endless! Create a simple, sleek style, or fancy and elegant.

Then use a poster board to draw the design shape and cut it out.

Trace the design shape onto the reclaimed wood slats with a pencil. Prop the entire headboard on sawhorses, then use a circular saw to cut out the design. Two people are needed to complete this step, to hold the wood steady and cut.

Use a cleaning brush to remove all sawdust and particles. Seal the headboard if needed. At this point, you can choose to paint the headboard, or leave as raw wood.

Place the headboard behind the bed. Attach to the mattress frame to the wood headboard.

Stand back and admire a DIY project that will certainly be rewarding and enjoyed for years to come!

FOLLOW THESE STEPS FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN RECLAIMED WOOD HEADBOARD:

Your business is personal to us.

Choose boards that are at least six to eight feet in height to allow plenty of space to cut out a unique design. Visit local architectural salvage retailers or reclaimed lumber dealers to find wood available for purchase. Online sites such as Etsy, eBay and Craigslist will ship reclaimed lumber if needed. Be aware that reclaimed wood that was painted before 1978 may potentially contain lead-based paint. Purchase a paint testing kit to ensure there are no lead toxins in the old boards. If so, a paint sealant may be used to protect from the hazardous dust or paint chips.

Measure the width of the mattress that the headboard will accompany. Place the boards side by side, with the front side of each board facing up, until the width is equal to or a bit wider than the bed. A large concrete space, such as a garage or driveway, is best suited for this project.

Once all the boards are in place, measure and cut two 2’ x 4’ boards equal to the horizontal length of the headboard.

Two people are needed for placement of these support boards. Slide one 2’ x 4’ under the boards horizontally approximately 10-12 inches from the bottom. Slide the second 2’ x 4’ under the boards horizontally approximately 30-34 inches from the bottom. Use wood screws to attach each reclaimed wood slat to both 2’ x 4’ boards.

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Browse through Pinterest or magazines to find an inspiSBMAG.NET

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Living in

DOWNTOWN SHREVEPORT

BY ADAM BAILEY

With the explosion of residential development—along with all the restaurant, retail, and entertainment options—downtown Shreveport is definitely the up-and-coming place to live in Shreveport-Bossier. It is said that the only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. What’s holding you back?

S

uburban life is not for the faint-of-heart.

The house needs to be maintained. The yard has to be mowed, mulched, weeded, pruned and planted. Sure, you can pay someone to do this, but that costs money and time. And while it’s true that it can be satisfying to tame your tiny slice of the planet, it can also get old. Real old.

Maybe you never liked it in the first place. Maybe you’d rather admire the landscape of local parks, where the grass and swaths of seasonal flowers are magically manicured by invisible garden elves. What if you lived downtown?

This other way of life—living downtown in the center of the city—doesn’t mean you’re to be pitied because your yard is a concrete balcony. In fact, downtown residents have a message for those living in the suburbs. Downtowners aren’t missing a thing, but you are missing something by not living downtown!

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Downtown Shreveport

A place where busy professionals grab a hot cup of java togo at Rhino Coffee as they hustle to work during the week, and nursing students hurry off to class. On Saturday mornings, many residents descend upon the Shreveport Farmers’ Market, with its wide array of luscious fruit and vegetables, tasty treats and fabulous eateries.

Home to 14,000 workers, downtown Shreveport is the city’s center for technology, banking, law, government, gaming, and the arts. New restaurants and businesses are constantly popping up, while old buildings are being revitalized and renovated.

“In the middle of the action is where you want to be,” says Liz Swain, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority. “Downtown Shreveport is the place of festivals, art and culture. The Strand Theatre, the Emmett Hook Center, Robinson Film Center, Artspace, Central Art Station, the Bailey Gallery—all these places are bustling with activity. There are so many things to do!”

BUT WHAT’S IT LIKE ‘LIVING’ DOWNTOWN? WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION? Work, Play and Live

Sit outside on a summer evening and you’ll know why many people call downtown Shreveport home. A breeze blows through the streets and cools the hot air. Distant wind chimes and the laughter of children at Caddo Common Park fill the air like music. Live music is playing (somewhere).

Well-planned apartment complexes and condos encourage walking and biking.

“Downtown has a little something for everyone,” says Wendy Benscoter, Executive Director of Shreveport Common. “It’s a great place for anyone to live, work and play.” Downtown Shreveport is small enough that you know your neighbors and feels like a hometown, yet offers many of the luxuries of a big city. It’s the best, admits Benscoter, of both worlds.

“Think about the ASEANA Gardens with biannual Asian festivals and Logan Mansion with porch concerts and prohibition events. There are walking, bike and self-guided tours to see the beautiful historic spaces across downtown—such as the Calanthean Temple, Holy Cross Church, the 800 block of Texas Avenue and the BNAI Zion Temple. Most importantly,” Benscoter continues, “you have the welcoming and walkable streets, a dynamic art community, and authentic culture. People love walking to the lively Saturday morning farmers market and the numerous art festivals and street parties. All of this makes downtown a special place.”

Jeri Little agrees. As the owner of Little Realty and a downtown resident, the cultural aspect of living downtown is one that she appreciates the most. “Having the Strand, Artspace, Robinson Film Center, The Lot, and Caddo Common Park— all within walking distance—is remarkable. I truly live, work and play downtown!”

James Michael LeBlanc, a resident of the Southern Belle Apartments, has always been an advocate for downtown revitalization and growth, and absolutely loves living in downtown Shreveport. “My business is downtown and I wanted to move here to support the delicate balance of residential and business. With more residents considering downtown as a place to live, work, and play—the business element thrives in addition to allowing for more possibilities and opportunities for new businesses and residential to come in.”

Having moved to downtown from North Bossier, LeBlanc considers himself a statistical rarity, but downtown in and of itself is, he believes, a rarity. “It’s special, and there will never be another just like it. The history, the architecture, the vibrancy of the art and creative culture, and shared passions of the same from neighbors and fellow business owners make downtown an ideal place to call home.”

LeBlanc believes downtown needs people to invest in its pos-

sibilities and appreciate its unique vibe. “It is most definitely a special place. Downtown districts are the heartbeat of any city.”

This ‘live, work and play’ attitude that both Little and LeBlanc refer to is evident in the swell of residential activity currently happening in downtown. There is a surge of people—typically singles, empty nesters or young couples, who are determined to make a go of downtown living and its walkability to their workplace, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. And while most Shreveport residents only think of downtown as a place of commerce (or the occasional night out on the town)—believe-it-or-not there are numerous options to choose from, ranging from multi-unit complexes to single, one-off apartments.

“Downtown is transforming,” says Swain. “It is a transformed downtown that is still evolving, a place that strives to meld the best of the historical with the modern—a place where people not only work and play but live. There are nearly 800 units one can choose from. And most are very unique, one-of-a kind residences you will only find in here in downtown Shreveport.”

Here are a few examples of places to live.

Southern Belle Apartments — 627 Crockett St.

Built in the 1940s for the Southern Bell Telephone Company, this Mid-Century Modern building sits just across Crockett Street from the beautiful Strand Theatre. It is centrally located from just about everything in the Shreveport Common Arts & Culture District—less than two blocks from Caddo Common Park, two blocks from the Asian Garden Park, two blocks from the Emmett Hook Performance Center, two blocks from the historic Municipal Auditorium, and two blocks from Artspace, the Robinson Film Center and multiple restaurants and coffee shops. Each apartment has an open floor plan that makes it feel like home, with a communal roof top patio for residents and their guests that showcase spectacular views of downtown Shreveport.

The Standard Downtown Lofts — 509 Market St.

Studio? One bedroom? Two bedrooms? A city view or a scenic skyline? This freshly renovated historic building is in the heart of downtown Shreveport has housed many uses over the years—including a bank, radio station and office building. In 2018, it was transformed into 72 high-rise, loft-style apartments that are all uniquely designed with a spacious, open-concept floor plan. Residents enjoy unique views of Shreveport from all four sides of the building through large, energy efficient, sound dampening windows. The building is a 5-minute walk down the street to the convention center and 10-minute walk to the riverfront casinos.

“I love living in downtown Shreveport,” says branding expert Jade Thornton, who not only lives downtown, but works there as well. Even when she not working, she is usually meeting her friend’s downtown.

“I can’t picture myself living anywhere else as long as I’m in Shreveport honestly,” Thornton confesses. “I love high-rise SBMAG.NET

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Photo courtesy of Southern Belle Apartments

living. I have a beautiful view of Festival Plaza and the riverfront from my home. I love that I can walk to events and restaurants. Most of my neighbors are lovely people and I enjoy the monthly social events that are hosted in the building.”

What is Thornton’s favorite part of living downtown?

Watching the area evolve in real time, she admits. “I love seeing all of the creative ways that people are revitalizing this area. I am excited to see what’s next for downtown Shreveport and I’m glad to be part of this community.”

David Hylan, another resident of The Standard, couldn’t agree more. “Living downtown is what I would imagine living in NYC is like. I like the living experience. There are so many event that making living here so attractive. People downtown are like family to me. When you go for a walk, everyone greets you with a smile. It makes you feel that downtown is your home.”

Ogilvie Hardware Lofts — 217 Jones St.

The former Ogilvie Hardware Company warehouse opened in 2012 and offers affordable studio, one- and two-bedroom loft-style apartments. These unique residences showcase original architectural details while incorporating all the contemporary features that enhance today’s lifestyles. Resort-style amenities, such as the shimmering saltwater pool and fully equipped fitness center, offer plenty of opportunities for enjoyment.

Lofts @ 624 Texas — 624 Texas St.

The Lofts @ 624 is a mixed-used building that was once the location of the downtown Sears department store. It is, however, no longer your grandmother’s department store with its genteel tea room and glass cases of expensive leather gloves. Today, the building offers and assortment of living options—from studios, one-bedroom, split-level, two-bedroom and penthouse units—all located right above commercial spaces including Rhino Coffee, Humm Yoga and Appli-Ks Embroidery & Gifts. The Lofts offer a host of amenities including free internet, free water, modern appliances and is pet-friendly.

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“Everything I need is here,” says Aubrey Underhill, a commercial pilot who loves calling downtown his home. His fourth-floor loft, located directly above Rhino Coffee, has spectacular views of Texas Avenue and all the activities that go on there. “The Robinson Film Center is right outside my window,” he says. “Everything I could want is within walking distance.”

United Jewelers Apartments — 301 Crockett St.

Constructed in 1926, the building that houses United Jewelers Apartments was once home to a jewelry wholesale business. The complex offers 54, one- or two-bedroom market-rate units. Residents enjoy living in the heart of the city and relish the ambiance of living in an historic property. The complex is within walking distance of the Shreveport riverfront and Festival Plaza. Each apartment features light from soaring windows, spaciousness of tall ceilings, and textures of exposed brick. Amenities for renters include a swimming pool, fireplaces in select floor plans, and gated parking.

Fairmont Towers — 708 Cotton St.

Fairmont Towers provides residents with affordable housing in downtown’s largest apartment building, located conveniently at the entrance to downtown in Shreveport Common. Amenities include a convenience store and café on site, paid utilities, fitness room, sun room, pool, and a laundry room on each floor.

According to Thomas Durham, a Fairmont Tower resident since 1972, “The main reason that I like the Fairmont apartments is for the convenience of proximity to my work.

Downtown Shreveport has been my choice home for almost my entire life. I have settled comfortably in the happenings of this high-rise community.”

Lee Hardware Apartments — 719 Edwards St.

Lee Hardware Apartments are, quite simply, unique.

Opened in 1999 in a building that once housed the Lee Dry Goods business, one- and two-bedroom apartments are available for rent. The complex features live-and-work lofts for artists, with a four-story open-air atrium space available

F F F

FOOD FUN FESTIVALS www.thelotdowntownshreveport.com

Look for our new food truck... Ghost Ramen!

The Lot Downtown Shreveport is a spacious outdoor event center, located in the heart of downtown Shreveport, LA. Owners Deshea and Edgar Guzman have turned the old Sportran Bus Station into a familyfriendly hangout where you can enjoy local food trucks, live music, sports, art vendors and special events. Bands, artists, and foodies from all over come to showcase their talents each weekend and create a lively atmosphere everyone can enjoy.

THE LOT DOWNTOWN SHREVEPORT • 400 CROCKETT STREET • SHREVEPORT, LA 711101 • (318) 489-1605 SBMAG.NET | JULY 2021

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which, in addition to being one of the city’s first metal and steel skyscrapers, is a freestanding component on the National Register of Historic Places. The apartments will boast a range of amenities like exercise facilities, onsite storage, pet groomer space, Wi-Fi, in-unit washer and dryer, ceilings over 9 feet tall, and possibly an indoor children’s play area.

The Uneeda Biscuit Lofts — 711 Milam St.

The Uneeda Biscuit Building, which has long sat vacant, is scheduled to be converted into a mixed-use property for apartments, art exhibits and commercial businesses. The current plans include +/- 32 apartment units (16 will be market-rate and 16 will be income limited). The building contains a basement and mezzanine, which will allow for other possible uses such as working and gallery space for artists, the property leasing office, a community room and retail space.

Living Options in Shreveport Common

The Standard Downtown Lofts to all residents for exhibitions and rehearsals. With eleven-foot ceilings over original wood floors, residents enjoy the warmth of natural lighting streaming through lofty windows in each unit.

Ridgeway Square — 719 Marshall Street

Ridgeway Square offers brand new, one- and two-bedroom condo apartments in a beautifully renovated space. Units range in size, and come with hardwood floors, a stand-alone tub and state-of-the-art appliances carefully designed to exude a classic, sophisticated look. The exposed brick, natural light and fine attention to detail contribute to its elegant aesthetic. That, along with its enviable location in downtown, make it a must-see property.

Being steps away from work is an obvious plus, notes owner John Cush, but having all of downtown’s amenities at your door step isn’t too shabby either.

COMING SOON!

Petroleum Tower — 711 Milam St.

While the revitalization plans for this skyscraper are still being finalized, this much of the project is true. The new owners of the Petroleum Tower, The Dubin/Guru Group, have a long history of residential conversions. Their latest project—the Board of Trade Lofts in Duluth, Minnesota—is a 7-story historic building that was rehabbed into trendy loft apartments. They envision a similar rehabilitation project for the 16-story, 145,000 square-foot Petroleum Tower,

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Shreveport Common—a historic, nine-block area located at the western edge of downtown Shreveport—has numerous living options aside from the Fairmont and future-Uneeda Biscuit project. Spurts of redevelopment that began in early 2011 has turned into a steady flow, as demand for creative spaces and walk-to downtown property rises. Shreveport Common is now attracting start-ups, architects, retailers and a full array of creative artists. The recent building boom has added dozens of proposed condos and apartments, many well priced for anyone to afford. The district may be a little gritty around the edges, but it is well on its way to a promising future.

“Shreveport Common has a concentration of beautiful historic architecture, venues, fun programming, public art and surprising spaces,” says Wendy Benscoter. “Some like living in an urban neighborhood with a 20-foot tall, LED lit ART the Dalmatian. Others like that the area is less dense and offers a lower scale urban setting.”

Master Gardener and downtown resident David Helms believes “it’s an exciting time to be living right here in Shreveport Common—this undiscovered jewel in our city. It’s safe, the park is lit up, it looks beautiful, and as more people come to experience the events, it’s going to steamroll more residential [opportunities] in the area.”

Artist Will James, an artist working at 800 Texas Avenue, says he grew up on Sprague Street, and misses the foot traffic by families and artists in downtown. “I like that it’s coming back,” he says. “It creates a bond between the business owners and the residents of the neighborhood.”

Benscoter notes that the arts and artists are the ones inspiring change in the cultural district. “I’m excited about the residential, retail and maker spaces to be developed over the next two years,” she admits. “I can’t wait to see them complete, along with all the other buildings being renovated in downtown Shreveport. I believe it is one of the safest and best places to live.”

“But even more,” she exclaims, “it’s all so uniquely eclectic.

There’s just no place else like Shreveport Common!”

The Region’s Largest Happy Everything! Authorized Retailer Katy Rhodes, owner of Appli-Ks, started her business over 12 years ago out of her home. She took her love of embroidery to downtown Shreveport, where she curated her store in the lobby of the 624 Loft building on Texas Street. Appli-Ks is a unique personalized shop complete with personalized bags, housewares, Louisiana gifts, exquisite gifts and much more. — Katy is handson at Appli-Ks by offering services such as house embroidery, digitizing and vinyl applications for all your special occasions. Let Katy wrap your next Happy Everything! attachment or embroider a unique carefully crafted design specifically for you. Appli-Ks will take your shopping experience to another level.

Appli-Ks is an exclusive retailer of Happy Everything! by Cotton Colors, Viv & Lou, and Royal Standard brands. Now is the time to try something fresh and bold. Now is the time to re-energize and step outside your comfort zone by making Appli-K’s your embroidery and gift shop. Your new shopping adventure awaits!

624 Texas Street Suite 104, Shreveport, LA 71101 Right behind Rhino Coffee in the lobby @624 Lofts

www.appli-ks.com | 19 Find usSBMAG.NET on Facebook!

JULY 2021

The Columns on Jordan —BETTER THAN EVER.

BY ADAM BAILEY

Within its existing footprint, and with respect for its historic character, this mansion has been revitalized from disrepair and reconfigured to fit the modern lifestyle of its current owners— creating a livable and comfortable atmosphere with eclectic and honest details.

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nown locally as The Columns on Jordan, it is a stately Neoclassical, Colonial Revival-style mansion.

At first glance, it appears as though little has changed since it was built in 1896. It, however, has not remained frozen in time. The renovations that have occurred over the last century have purposefully left their marks—with each owner leaving behind their own personalized imprints based on their own interests.

Tastes have changed.

When Tom and Elizabeth Arceneaux purchased the property, Mrs. Arceneaux knew they needed to do something special to do justice to what she calls a “fabulous home in a fabulous location.”

“It hadn’t been properly lived in for several years and needed extensive work,” Arceneaux recalls. “I needed to know everything about it—from studying Sanborn maps to visiting the LSU archives. You can tell it was so well loved, even though it had fallen into neglect.”

Historical Context Just consider its history for a moment. Perfectly nestled in the heart of Shreveport’s Highland Historic District, the mansion’s origins date back to 1879—a time when mule-driven streetcars rumbled through one of Shreveport’s first neighborhoods known as Park Place. Jordan Street didn’t even exist, at least in name. It was called Eastern Avenue, and would later become Railroad Avenue before changing to Jordan Street at the turn of the 20th century.

Originally built in 1896, the mansion’s ownership has changed hands numerous times over its 125 year existence. The first owner on record was the Friend family, who lived there until 1905. In 1906, it was sold to Dr. C.C. McCloud—who actually never lived there. He instead stayed in downtown Shreveport’s old Columbia Hotel. For reasons unknown to anyone other than Dr. McCloud, its first major renovation was when he raised the first-floor of the entire mansion, turning the first floor into the second floor while constructing a new ground-floor underneath. After three years of ownership, McCloud then sold the mansion without ever spending a single night inside its walls.

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In 1909, Mr. John Pleasant Honaker, who owned a local mercantile business, purchased the mansion, and lived there until he sold the home to W. B. McCormick in 1925. McCormick sold the property to Samuel Guy Sample in 1930.

In 1947, Mr. Clair W. Bryan bought the property from Sample. Bryan owned an advertising agency, Bryan & Bryan Advertising, and ran it out of the mansion. A story is told that at one point he noticed bees coming from one massive Ionic columns located on the front porch. In an attempt to locate the beehive and have it removed, Bryan placed a saw cut into the column—at which honey immediately began oozing down its side. The cut can still be seen to this day.

Bryan died in 1978. His orthopedic specialist, Dr. Edwin Simonton, Jr., then a single man, bought the property in early 1979. Dr. Simonton later married Judith Shanley.

One-by-one, as the eight children of Edwin and Judith “left the nest,” they decided to share their mansion and opened a bed-and-breakfast.

During his tenure in the residence, Simonton completed numerous renovations—uncovering many walled-up fireplaces, refinishing/ adding to the original flooring, building a carriage house and pool.

Dr. Edwin Simonton was an avid LSU football fan, evidenced by the LSU inscribed swimming pool.

In 2005, Dr. Simonton died, placing his children in possession of the home. Over the next several years, the mansion unfortunately fell into a state of neglect and disrepair, and it was not livable, until the Arceneaux’s purchased it in 2010.

Historical Processes Since the Arceneaux’s purchase, extensive restorations have taken place. Those included gutting bedrooms and bathrooms; renovating the kitchen; updating HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems; rebuilding the stairs; and replacing wood flooring that was beyond repair. For

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the most part, Arceneaux borrowed not only inspiration from historical architecture, but also from the process of how builders and craftsman worked years ago. And though she acts as her own general contractor, she has always been willing to partner with an assortment of professional artisans to help complete parts of the renovation—all whom she considers talented experts practiced in the diverse skills on how to interpret historical structures for modern living.

Arceneaux notes that builders in the early 1900s worked with less technology for planning, and were generally apt to make changes to the design when they encountered obstacles as they were building. They could be sponta-

neous in their design changes, she contends, because the artisans of the day were master craftsmen who could take a problem and turn it into a unique and workable feature of a mansion.

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Arceneaux is quick to recognize all of their time-labored contributions.

“The mansion wouldn’t be what it is without their efforts. What everyone did, and continues to do, from the painters to the glass artists is nothing short of extraordinary.”

If These Walls Could Talk The work has evolved over time. “My mantra, from day one was no pretense.

I wanted to simplify, not add complexity. And it helped that my budget was limited,” Arceneaux confesses. As far as a timeline for completion? “My priority was to make it functional, to make it safe. And, little-by-little, Tom and I have slowly chipped away. But it’s a never-ending process.”

As you enter the mansion off of Jordan Street, around the circular drive, you are greeted by a grand, full-height entry porch (which is very typical of Colonial Revival homes in the South).

Its massive Ionic columns offer a formal and inviting presence, with their perfectly detailed terra cotta capitals—each supporting the simple entablature that is punctuated by a dentil-band just beneath the cornice.

“Rumor has it, the columns came all the way from New Orleans,” recalls Arceneaux.

Once you pass through the entry door—reconstructed by local glass art-

“It’s typical of what they would have done,” she says of such in-process modifications. “One thing drives another,” Arceneaux adds. “I think some of the best renovations come together that way.”

From Troy Nelson (carpentry) to Brian Zelt of Stewart Electric (electrical) to John Rivers Bicknell (muralist/artist),

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Enjoy the Summer in Style!

8320 Line Ave. | Shreveport www.cornercollectiononline.net | (318) 868.6267

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Take a Dip in Advanced Design

CoburnShowroom.com/Bossier

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ist Rick Raster—Arceneaux has played with Americana in her own way, infusing the couple’s modern tastes into the historic interiors. The floorplan echoes that of a grand Louisiana mansion with the library, kitchen, dining room, keeping room, and great room on the first level.

Its fourteen-foot ceilings, the freshly painted walls, selected furniture, fixtures, and drapes all allude to humble beginnings, but also make the home feel modern. Furnished with both 19th-century and 20th-century pieces, the interior is simple, in scale, and evolved.

The mid-20th-century furniture that Arceneaux has selected fits this mansion as neatly as would Windsor chairs and Shaker chests. Everything in the mansion is livable, with a vernacular charm.

“Something new, something old,” she confesses.

“There’s not one particular space that’s better than another.

They all go together, they all flow together.

The formal dining room, once referred to as the Oriental Room because of the collectable artistic pieces and the décor displayed, is formal and elegant. There, Arceneaux commissioned local artist Johnny Rivers Bicknell to paint a floorto-ceiling trompe l’oeil. French for “fool the eye,” Bicknell’s mural creates the illusion of reality. Through skillful use of color, shading, and perspective, painted objects appear three-dimensional.

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On the second story, the master bedroom and a private study adjoin a second story balcony overlooking Jordan Street.

“Tom serves me breakfast on the porch every morning,” adds Arceneaux. “Soft boiled eggs and toast soldiers. It’s my favorite breakfast.”

The guest rooms are situated down a hallway, opposite the master bedroom, and the third floor has an entertainment room, equipped with a 75” flat screen television—a nod to a more modern way of life.

A stately historicism extends throughout the interior, and is formal, with what Arceneaux calls “a patina of old.” Fresh painted walls, with exposed beams lend “a soft but very sophisticated feeling,” and the flooring, depending on the past and present owner, is a combination of old pine, oak and maple—richly colored and evocatively knotted. Transom windows, prominent door casings, and bold, multifaceted crown moldings emphasize the Colonial Revival style throughout the home.

Outside, the mansion had long been painted white, which seemed perfect. In the early 1980s, Dr. Simonton added a carriage house and pool. “The pool is in the shape of a femur

bone,” laughs Arceneaux. “An obvious tribute to the fact that Simonton was an orthopedic surgeon.”

Today and Beyond Today, nearly eleven years after purchasing the property, the “soon to be finished, but never ending” renovation process perfectly marries a feeling of spaciousness and light with a formal solidity. It’s the “overall feeling” of the place that most pleases the Arceneaux’s. “There’s not one particular space that’s better than another,” she says.

“They all go together, they all flow together.”

Many aspects and details are particular and special. Examples include the effusive light throughout the mansion and the glass detailing at the front porch entry, the millwork on the arched second-floor hallways, which contrasts with the assertive horizontals and verticals of the extensive molding, the Ionic-columned front porch, the unusual, historical location.

But ultimately, as Arceneaux says, “It’s the little pieces that come together and make it great.”

Great indeed!

HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE. IT’S THE QUICKEST WAY TO GAIN A CLIENT FOR LIFE. Your clients loved this house. And you wanted them to get it. But you also wanted to build trust beyond this transaction. So you turned to us. And we provided a thorough, thoughtful, and accurate report. Which gave you and your clients what you needed to move forward. With this house, and the next one.

We’re more than inspectors. We’re relationship builders.

HomeTeam of Shreveport-Bossier (318) 582-2030 | hometeam.com/shreveport-bossier shreveportbossier@hometeam.com Owners: Vernon and Sherricka Jones L.H.I #11204

Each office is independently owned and operated. ©2021 The HomeTeam Inspection Service, Inc. All rights reserved.

HomeTeam of Shreveport-Bossier HomeTeam.com/Shreveport-Bossier shreveportbossier@hometeam.com Vernon Jones • 318-582-2030 SBMAG.NET

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THESTATE OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET

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n 1859, Charles Dickens wrote ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times’ to open A Tale of Two Cities.

Perhaps no line better describes the housing market in 2021.

Over the past 18 months, the local housing market has mirrored a national trend as housing has become a very hard commodity to acquire. In Northwest Louisiana, the market had already been steadily improving in recent years from 4,178 total sales in 2014 to 4,838 in 2017 and to 5,200 in 2019.

The average sold price had risen from about $180,000 in 2017 to about $190,000 in 2019. The local market was already at a high plateau when the pandemic hit in early 2020.

Fueled by modern day record low interest rates and a sudden shift in the housing demand curve, with fewer homes available for sale and rising lumber and building costs severely limiting new construction starts, a solid market suddenly become a red-hot sellers’ market.

For the month ended May 31, 2021, the local market has seen ‘Active Listings’ fall to 792, down from a 5-year historical average of 2,087. Pending sales have surged to more than 1,100 and May saw 593 sold properties in the seven-parish Northwest Louisiana region, up from 552

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in April and 428 in May 2020.

Year-to-date for 2021, the market has 2,511 sold residential properties, up 28% over 2020 and up 23% over 2019.

‘Days on Market,’ the average time is takes to sell a house, has fallen from 67 days in 2020 to 39 days. And ‘Average Sales Price’ for May 2021 was $217,917, up from $171,917 in May 2020. The May 2021 numbers are all record numbers for this market.

According to Northwest Louisiana Association of REALTORS CEO Scott Hughes, “Low interest rates, low supply of available housing and high demand created the perfect storm for housing at the exact time very few would have predicted a housing crisis. But COVID made many people rethink ‘home’ and new work patterns provided greater flexibility to work from anywhere.

The net result was a huge demand for housing. And based on current conditions, it is not a situation likely to correct in the short-term. Interest rates have allowed many people to move up with the same monthly note, but more importantly, conditions have opened the dream of home ownership to a whole new generation of first-time homeowners.”

Such market conditions, where a house placed on the market receives multiple offers at or above asking price, is often referred to as a sellers’ market. But Hughes does urge slight caution. “The market today does provide a huge edge to sellers. But they will need a place to live and as buyers and renters are discovering, finding a place to live in today’s market can be a challenge. Now more than ever it pays to have a professional helping guide you through the home finding and buying process.

special advertising section

This year, we asked SB readers to submit nominations for the Top Realtors in our northwest Louisiana community. The list below was compiled from your responses.

Happy Buying and Selling!

R E A D E R S C H O I C E 202 1 TO P R E A LTO R L I S T June Alexander Lisa Liggin Allen Melissa Anderson Thelma Babers Karen Baker Eric Bates Lori Beeman Karyn Bodden Samantha Bradley Deb Brittan Kristen Buckingham Marian Burks Pam Burnside Debbie Carter Ashley Chance Evette Clark

Dee Davidson Desirée Davis Gerod Durden Sage Easter Sarah Easter Annalisa Giddens Beth Graham Joel Hall Leslie Hankins Raylie Hardy Lisa Hargrove Nancy Harner Chessica Harville Brooke Sweeten Huff Debbie Hutches Jodi Hutto

Rhalanda Jackson Kristi LaNette Jones Heather Kreamer Christi Lang Ebony Ragland Layton Angelina Matranga Sara McCoy Chaunta Mero Theresa Miller Lee Nugent Andy Osborn Cassie Pearson Faith Pinkley-Payne Mike Powell Katelyn Roan Grace Rogers

Michelle Savage Brittany Shepherd Jeannette Sibley Zondra Spikes Jenny Spivey Gabrielle Stevenson Chris Stokes Tammy Szecak Ragan Terzia Rosemary Tingle Michael Villalpando Mindy Wardlaw Ebony Williams Kalette Wilson-Haley Rodney Yoakum SBMAG.NET

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Pam & Eric Bates Century 21

“T

he Bates Team” was formed in April 2020, just about the time the pandemic hit. Eric had been a REALTOR for 21 years and talked his new wife, Pam, into joining him in the business. Detail oriented, organized, and computer savvy, Pam’s background includes over 25 years of working in church and medical offices. “Going into this business with him was one of the best choices I ever made,” Pam says.

After months of little movement, the housing market started booming. Interest rates were low, and people were suddenly buying and selling homes faster than the market could keep up. But Eric had experience and was ready for such a unique and changing market.

Eric started in the real estate business after graduating from LSU with a degree in Finance, helping his family develop land they owned at Cypress Lake into the subdivision Water’s Edge. Eric, his mother, Helen Bates, and brother, David Bates, are planning to develop another 100 acres of family land on Cypress Lake and the Bates Team has been entrusted to handle these transactions.

Pam and Eric both bring unique qualities to the Real Estate Business. Many couples want time apart, but this couple enjoys working together. “Maybe it’s because we’ve only been married for two years, but we really feel we complement each other,” Pam states.

Pam likes to find out all the details about the homes we are selling or buying. “It is very time consuming, but I want my clients to know what they are buying or what we are selling. I keep things organized and on target,” she says. Eric uses his finance background and negotiation skills to get the client the best price he can, and stays in close contact with the lender, the inspector and the closing agents. “This has become especially important during this fast-paced market.”

Pam and Eric stay in close contact with their clients throughout the entire process. “After all, this is a great financial investment for our clients, and we want to keep them involved so they know what is going on at all times.

Even if it seems minute, we like for them to know.”

“Sometimes, the client doesn’t want to hear that their house may not sell for the amount they thought or to be advised to walk away from a house they do want because of adverse conditions. But we tell them. We feel that the only way to succeed in any business is to be totally honest with your client.”

The Bates Team wants each client to find the perfect location and right price to suit them. “We do not want to see a client overextend themselves.”

One of the biggest joys for Pam and Eric is helping friends and clients find their forever homes. Attorney Ross Owen said about the experience: “Simply the best! Knowledgeable. They know the area. They listen to what you want.

They hear your concerns and your priorities. They have the experience. They know the pitfalls to tell you when to watch your step. Kindness matters and they are kind.

It shows and you get the benefit of their practicing this in their daily lives. The relationships they have are strong because of this.”

They love making friends through the real estate business.

“We fall in love with our clients and they become like extended family,” states Eric. Donna Olsen moved to Benton, LA from Chicago to be closer to family. “I am new to the area, and I couldn't have picked better realtors. They listened to my needs including price range. Most importantly, they made me feel like family and welcomed me to the area! I would definitely use them again.”

When John Sabrowski retired from the military, he and his wife, Mary Circe, moved to New Mexico. They asked the Bates Team to sell their Haughton home which housed renters. “Pam and Eric have been wonderful to work with. We especially appreciate their prompt responses to questions and keeping us informed throughout the house selling process. They have taken the stress out of selling our house and we are incredibly grateful.

We would certainly recommend them to anyone needing to buy or sell a house.”

The Bates do many community projects together with their congregation at the University Church of Christ. Eric currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Bridge House, which helps men in recovery improve their lives.

Pam and Eric Bates are excited about helping others buy and sell their homes and look forward to meeting you and your family. Choose the Bates Team and get two REALTORS for the price of one!

8575 Fern Ave, Suite 105 Shreveport, LA 71105 318. 868.3600 www.bateshomes.net SBMAG.NET

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special advertising section

Gerod Durden

The Durden Property Group, LLC

Nycole Durden, and Jeremy Ryan LaCour, cooking and traveling. With his success, Gerod gives God all the glory and holds a special place in his heart for his family and friends for always supporting him.

Gerod was very proud to have his son, Joshua, join his team last year. Joshua Durden is a finance major and now a commercial lender at Carter Credit Union. Harold Petteway, a great showing and buying agent who is excellent at working with first-time buyers and investors, has accomplished win-win real estate solutions since 2014.

Gerod’s team is one of the top teams in this area and is highly committed, knowledgeable, loyal, and passionate to everyone they encounter.

Now, not only is Durden a top producing agent, but also he is a broker with his own brokerage company.

“We are equipped to assist new agents with the necessary knowledge and technology with the latest systems that have proven to work,” says Durden. “We welcome new agents to add to our firm where you will stand apart from the rest and be prepared to conquer and complete any deal.”

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hen Gerod Durden got his real estate license, listed his first house, and received several offers on it the first day, he knew he was meant to be a realtor. The Greenwood native and Huntington High School graduate watched his grandparents invest in real estate while he was young, and he’s been hooked on the profession ever since. It’s always been a top goal for me to be a superstar agent,” said Durden. “I love helping change people’s lives through real estate.”

Gerod’s wife, local attorney Lori C. Graham, is his biggest fan. Durden enjoys spending time with his wife, Lori, and children, Joshua Gerod Durden, Brooklynn

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Recently Durden purchased a Maverick Land Buggy for his clients so they can get a closer look at their prospective property investments to help them in their decision-making.

special advertising section

Meet the Durden Property Team: Joshua Gerod Durden, Harold Petteway, and Gabrielle Stevenson. Gerod’s team is one of the top real estate teams in this area and highly committed, extremely knowledgeable, loyal, and passionate to everyone they encounter.

Joshua Durden, Durden’s son, is a finance major and now a commercial lender at Carter Credit Union. His strong financial background is a plus in assisting clients with their real estate needs.

Harold Pettaway is our great showing and buying agent who has excellent communication skills and works well with first-time homebuyers and investors.

He has been accomplishing win-win real estate solutions since 2014.

Gabrielle Stevenson, also known as the “Dream Catcher,” has over 15 years of experience in the banking industry and has a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and passion that helps individuals buying and/or selling capture their dream real estate deal.

444 W 61st St, Shreveport, Louisiana 71106 • 318-458-8017 • durdenpropertygroup.com SBMAG.NET

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special advertising section

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ally Real Estate Welcomes New Agents

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erkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ally Real Estate proudly welcomes individual real estate agents and top producers Brittany Shepherd, Ashley Chance, and Annalisa Giddens to the BHHS team. Launched in November 2017 by Leighton Allen and Adam Lytle, BHHS Ally Real Estate was the largest start up in the history of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and is the only BHHS brokerage in the area. “We are always looking to add agents that make our company better. These three ladies embody the characteristics of our culture: ambitious, professional, and always willing to serve others,” says Allen.

Shepherd stresses that the BHHS culture is primarily the reason the three decided to join BHHS. “As agents, we loved the marketing, tools, and support staff that BHHS offers to help us grow our business. We feel like BHHS is ahead of the game when it comes to helping the next generation of agents take their business to the next level. As working mothers, the lead generation and background support enables us to be top performing realtors while still being the kind of mothers we want to be to our young children. We are so excited about our future at BHHS,” says Shepherd.

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What Makes Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ally Real Estate A Next Generation Brokerage?

“We consider ourselves to be a next-gen real estate brokerage. To us this means that we provide our agents with the best and latest technology, automated tools, expert coaching, and leads to build a pipeline for future business. As our industry evolves, real estate agents need to have these elements in place to be successful,” says Allen.

“We know first-hand that changing to a new brokerage can be overwhelming. We have created a stress-free process for agents that join our company,” says Lytle. BHHS Ally Real Estate has dedicated staff members that fully assimilate new agents into the company while rebranding them for the public to see. “It has been historically said that a transition will hurt an agent’s business, but we have seen the opposite. Most of the agents that join us see a spike in business immediately,” says Allen.

Training/Coaching BHHS Ally Real Estate has a mission for every agent in their company to be expert real estate advisors. Training and development are geared towards helping agents learn all the technical aspects of the industry so they have the

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confidence to help their clients succeed. By leveraging technology, agents can attend training in person, stream it live, or watch recorded sessions. “We understand that our role as brokers is to support our agents and their business. This is why we have invested in world class training programs that are custom-designed around the unique personality of each individual agent in order to help them meet their business and financial goals by harnessing the spiritual gifts they inherently have,” says Lytle.

Leads In order to be successful in real estate, agents need continuous business in the pipeline. Last year alone, BHHS Ally Real Estate agents made over $198,000 net in their pockets.

“We provide our agents with a continuous pipeline of leads to help them grow their future business so they don’t stress about where their next deal will come from,” says Wanda Gertin, Director of Marketing & Relocation at BHHS Ally Real Estate. In 2021, the agents at BHHS Ally Real Estate are on pace to net over $300,000 from these leads.

Tools and Technology BHHS Ally Real Estate provides agents with the latest and greatest in automated tools and technology. “It is very important that agents have tools that makes their job easier so they can focus on serving their clients,” says Allen. Every agent at BHHS Ally Real Estate gets access to a suite of tools that leads the industry for real estate professionals. BHHS Ally Real Estate is also planning a new facility for agents.

“We have partnered with world-renowned architect, Mike McSwain, to design our 26,000 square foot state-of-the-art office complex that will be built in the East Bank District in Bossier City beginning in 2022, says Lytle.

BHHS Ally Real Estate agents have access to world-class programs, support and services, and the backing of the nationally-renowned Berkshire Hathaway brand.

Brittany Shepherd was a practicing attorney for 8 years before becoming a Realtor, but her heart has always been drawn to real estate. Her grandmother was a successful Realtor/Broker and her grandfather was a very prominent developer/builder in the Shreveport/Bossier area.

Her uncle and two cousins are also brokers, so real estate is in her blood. Brittany grew up in South Shreveport and has lived in the Bossier City/Benton area for 11 years. Her favorite thing about the area is the sense of community, and she hopes that her children will return one day to raise their families. Her favorite part of the business is the wonderful people she gets to meet along the way and connecting with those who may have different personalities, stories, and backgrounds. Brittany is passionate about real estate and has a genuine love for helping others achieve their goals. As a former practicing attorney, she is a gifted mediator and skilled negotiator. She has a unique understanding of contracts and of Louisiana mineral and land law that sets her apart from most Realtors. Outside of real estate, Brittany is passionate about her faith, being a wife to her husband of nine years, Wes, and being

the best mother she can be to her children, Charlie (6) and Murphy McRae (4). She strives to help others reach their full potential by encouraging them to accept their unique God given talents to help build a better community as a whole. She credits Ansley Rimmer, her skilled buyers’ agent, with being a major part of her success.

Brittany firmly believes that God brought Ansley into her business because of her strong desire to help others and her unique love for the Shreveport/Bossier community. You can depend on Brittany and Ansley who truly enjoy educating, encouraging, and assisting others with the home buying and selling process.

Ashley Chance is a native of the Bossier/Benton area and has developed many friendships and trust within the local community. Her father, Greg Williams, has been in real estate development and construction for many years so real estate is in her genes. Her favorite part of being a Realtor is becoming lifelong friends with her clients that she has helped along the way. Her husband always gives her a hard time and says her clients become her “best friends” and he’s right! Ashley knows that communication is key and she takes pride in making sure that her clients fully understand the process whether they are buying or selling. Ashley loves people and provides a high level of local knowledge and confidence. Outside of real estate, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, a financial planner for Citizens National Bank, who also has real estate endeavors and helps her out in her business. She enjoys spending time with her son Townes, the greatest joy in her life, and her cute dog, Tucker. You can count on Ashley to always do what’s in your best interest.

Annalisa Giddens chose a career in real estate because she has always been very intrigued by the real estate industry. Nothing is more gratifying to her than the feeling she gets from helping people meet their real estate needs.

She enjoys every step of the process from house hunting all the way to the closing table. Annalisa is focused on her client’s best interest. She prides herself on being honest, trustworthy, and knowledgeable in the real estate market. Outside of real estate, Annalisa enjoys spending time with her amazing family. Whatever your real estate goals are, Annalisa will make it her responsibility to help you achieve them.

We are a full-service brokerage with a company culture that promotes integrity, trust and stability. When you work with one of our agents, you can expect highquality service throughout your real estate journey.

We value relationships over transactions and our agents will be with you every step of the way.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is a worldwide holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett guides the Berkshire Hathaway approach: to acquire companies with great brands, great products and strong leadership.

700 Ogilvie St. Bossier City, LA 71111 318.231.2000 • www.allyrealestate.com SBMAG.NET

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Tammi Montgomery

Opha Phillips

Dianne Gibson

Joel Hall

Jenny Spivey

Mike Moore

Dena West

Yvonne Davlin

Karen Ricci

Karen Hoell

Heather Kreamer

John Lorick

Paul Bratlie

Malinda Scott

Nicole Bryson

Jessica Hammons

Muna Sofyan

Candice Starr

Kellee Huff

Cindy Crownover

Katrina Patrick

Rachel Pacheco

Rhonda Alexander

Christine Dowdall

Jennifer Burrus

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Two locations to serve you.

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Marc Vagrin

Greg Ryan

Kathy Richmond

Brandi Smith

Jeannie Shelton

Lynne Roberts

Christina Jones

Trey Deeds

Robby Schmidt

Kristen Sullivan

Brooke Stevens

Amanda Thaxton

Nicole Hurd

Ragan Terzia

Carolyn Coatney

Tim Bell

Brianna Lepper

Joey Hagood

Jessica Oliver

Sue White

Leigh Ann Couvillon

Britany Murphy

Debbie Harris

Rebecca Rasmussen

April Dowd

Our Bossier Office is the #1 RE/MAX in the state of Louisiana and the #1 office by sales in Shreveport/Bossier City.

Meet our top agents that are dedicated to making your real estate experience memorable and enjoyable and have the experience to get the job done in today’s market.

9242 Ellerbe Road, Suite 300 Shreveport, Louisiana 318-862-3560

2323 Old Minden Rd, Suite 600 Bossier City, Louisiana (318) 459-7870 SBMAG.NET

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Brooke Huff

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Ally Real Estate

M

y name is Brooke Huff, and I am currently on my second year of Real Estate. I completed my classes for Real Estate and waited years before gaining the courage to actually become licensed.

There are so many Realtors out there I felt initially; why would people pick me? After many, many talks with God and the constant push I had coming from him, I decided to take the leap of faith.

I left a normal 9-5 job where I knew my income would be stable to jump into a commission-only field. Needless to say, it was a HUGE leap of faith, but I trusted in the process and jumped in headfirst. I had so much support from my husband who seemed never to doubt my abilities, my two beautiful babies who think their mom can do it all, my parents who raised me to be driven and goal-oriented, and my friends who have cheered me on from the beginning. I truly felt like I could take on this huge life change.

When my business started, I would have never imagined the backing I would receive from my hometown of Blanchard. My community has shown up and shown out for me. They seemed to have never doubted me either. I am beyond blessed to have grown up in a community that has shown me so much love and support. Without my husband, children, family, friends, and community, I could not have accomplished the things I have accomplished in this industry thus far.

I would have never dreamed of receiving a Rookie of the Year, Rising Star, and Top Producer awards within my first year. I am so excited to be a part of an industry that recognizes each agent’s success and celebrates it. I plan to continue in this industry by serving my clients in the best ways possible, providing services that will assist them in obtaining their goals, expanding my knowledge and sphere of influence, and working to get my clients the best possible outcome. I thank God for every single client he has blessed me with and hope he continues to bless my business. Thank you to SB Magazine for this opportunity, and thank God I am able to pursue my dreams daily.

700 Ogilvie St. Bossier City, LA 318.489.8462

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Rhalanda R. Jackson & Jeremy Robinson

OUTSTANDING SERVICE EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

For a Different Approach to Real Estate…

Rhalanda Jackson and Jeremy Robinson offer a different approach to real estate. They are with you every step of the way. From helping you get prequalified to finding the right home. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or an experienced investor, they have all the necessary tools you need to enjoy the process from start to finish. When it comes to YOUR real estate dreams, they believe getting there is just as important as being there!

Looking to Buy, Sell, or Invest in Real Estate?

Let The Reed Jackson Home Group help you!

318-525-5357 OR 318-840-1764 318.213.1555

EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. LICENSED BY THE LREC. SHREVEPORT / BOSSIER CITY, LA. SBMAG.NET | JULY 2021

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Chaunta Mero

Real Estate Broker

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haunta Mero is a Shreveport native and has over 16 years of real estate experience. She believes in developing an extended family relationship with her clients by providing unparalleled service. She has gained respect from her colleagues and clients by displaying commitment, dedication, and negotiating skills, resulting in recent successes through referral recommendations.

Her favorite statement is, “For me— it’s the passion for real estate—not the money.” She is a multi-million dollar producing agent with sales to diverse home buyers, including community leaders and physicians.

She received her real estate license in 2006, and in 2008, she became an Independent Real Estate Broker. She considers herself a life learner, mentor, and coach.

In addition to continuing education courses, she stays on top of trends, technology, and innovative strategies to ensure all clients (particularly first-time homebuyers) experience the joy of the process and success of receiving their ownership keys.

Chaunta serves on the Northwest Louisiana MLS Board, the Northwest Louisiana Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. She is also an MD Preferred Agent. Additionally, she is a Civil Law Notary Public.

She has been married to Joe for 22 years, and they have one son PJ. Together, they enjoy and take pride in giving back to the community. She formed the Mero Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides youth and seniors with essential supplies.

318-617-6685 chauntahbr@gmail.com

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Sponsored by Louisiana REALTORS®

Save the drama. A great REALTOR® will make the process feel seamless, shielding you from the internal drama that can occur during negotiations, inspections, the mortgage process, etc. Using a REALTOR® also gives you access to their extensive contact list – this means expert recommendations on professionals to help you navigate the above with ease. More importantly, they commit to maintaining regular communication from day one to closing so that you are always in the loop on your transaction. Plus, REALTORS® aren’t emotionally invested in your property, which is great because letting go of memories can be an emotional process.

REALTORS® are better equipped to handle difficult negotiations for you.

It Makes A Difference: Why Work with a REALTOR® The Shreveport/Bossier residential real estate market is on fire, which means the available inventory is low. Whether you are a buyer or seller, especially in this climate, real estate transactions can be time-consuming and complicated. It’s worth your time and money to hire someone who knows real estate inside and out and engages in the business full time.

Only licensees who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) can market themselves as REALTORS®, and they must uphold a strict Code of Ethics to remain in good standing.

Louisiana REALTORS® (LR) is the statewide trade association of 15,000+ residential and commercial practitioners. Its mission is to provide optimum resources, like professional development and networking opportunities, while serving as an advocate for the industry. There are 10 local associations across the state under the LR umbrella – each one provides location-specific resources to its members.

Visit larealtors.org/consumers to find a REALTOR® today.

What makes a REALTOR® the right one? Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments you will ever experience. Here are four ways to ensure you are wellrepresented:

An advocate looking out for you and only you. REALTORS® are part of an association to keep a pulse on the ever-changing rules and regulations governing property sales, which can directly affect the market. Remember, this is a legal transaction with a lot of moving parts. You need someone who fully understands the entire process - CMAs, EIKs, and FSBOs. Amortization, appraisals and assessments. If, like most people, you don’t understand this lingo, having a REALTOR® can help you translate. Furthermore, REALTORS® are often pillars of their community, serving as a collective voice in protecting homeownership and property rights. Select a REALTOR® that understands your needs and puts your interests at the forefront.

Get the inside scoop. Your REALTOR®’s knowledge of the community and information about specific neighborhoods and future plans is invaluable. They know the market and have the tools to watch like hawks and connect great opportunities for buyers and sellers. REALTORS® also receive a constant flow of information from NAR & LR on issues that impact housing - items like market trends, economic factors, and flood insurance. Work with a REALTOR® that understands and keeps up with what is going on and has good relationships with others associated with the transaction.

Leveraging to get the best deal. If you’re selling a home, it’s tempting to accept an offer out of pure exhaustion. A good REALTOR® keeps you focused on your negotiating position, especially in multiple offer situations, which are the norm for the current market. This is a delicate process that takes experience to successfully navigate. A trusted REALTOR® goes beyond minimum licensing requirements to seek out continuing education opportunities, like nationally-recognized designations or certifications. Taking this additional step better prepares agents to handle tricky transactions with poise. Leveraging a REALTOR® to mediate your transaction can save you thousands of dollars and unnecessary stress.

THE TRUSTED VOICE OF REAL ESTATE

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we decided to get serious about achieving our dream of homeownership, we finally met the right professionals to guide us. Learning about and experiencing the home buying process piqued my interest so much that I decided to take the plunge into a real estate career myself.

And what a plunge it has been! I was awarded Rookie of the Year in 2018 for the entire Gulf States Region (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) and have sold over $35 million in real estate, putting me in the category of Mega-Agent every year since.

2021 is such an exciting time in our local real estate market, and I love to share my insights with just about anyone who will stand still and listen! While the events of 2020 caused a major decline in available homes for sale, historically low-interest rates have kept the market moving, and it has been a boom for both buyers and sellers. As a result, now is a great time to sell your current home and move up into your dream home, and incentives for first-time homebuyers are bringing more and more new homeowners to the table.

The hardest w

BUYING ~ SEL

Michelle Sav

I just celebrated my 20th anniversary with my high school sweetheart, and our son just graduated from Loyola College Prep here in Shreveport. Becoming homeowners changed our lives for the better and introduced us to so many new avenues of personal and financial growth. My biggest thrill is sharing the skills and knowledge I have obtained to help others finally become homeowners themselves! I work hard for my clients to make sure the home buying or home selling process is smoothEach and asoffice stress-free as possible.

I independently owned and o want everyone to walk away from the closing table happy!

318-402-6788

michellesavage@

www.HomeSa

Michelle Savage Realtor, Keller Williams NWLA

M

y story is actually pretty simple, and my success has been compounded by a supportive family and the drive to become the very best version of myself. Sometimes it takes a while (and a lot of trial and error) to find your purpose, which is certainly the case for me. My passion for real estate has very personal origins. It took my husband and I years to purchase our first home because, like so many consumers, we were uninformed on how the actual home-buying process works. It always seemed too far out of reach and too complicated. We weren’t even sure who to talk to. When

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795 Brookhollow Dr. Shreveport, LA 71105 318-402-6788 Direct 318-213-1555 Each office is independently owned and operated.

Licensed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission.

HomeSavage.com Stats taken from the NWLAR MLS from January 2017 to present.

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Zondra Spikes Realtor, Z. Spikes Property Group, LLC Keller Williams Realty, NWLA

Z

ondra Spikes has only been in the real estate business for 2.5 ! years and has already shown record producing results. She enjoys being a part of the buying or selling of a real estate transaction because she knows this is the largest investment anyone can make. She believes everyone deserves a piece of the American Dream.

working agent in town

LLING ~ INVESTMENT PROPERTY Ms. Spikes works with home buyers, especially first-time home buyers, by educating them throughout the entire process, from education on credit to recommending lenders, and helping with negotiating contracts, and ensuring the clients are well educated and taken care of during the process.

vage, REALTOR

®

@kw.com

Ms. Spikes is Keller Williams NWLA 2020 Rookie of the year, a member of the Regional Social Equity Task Force for Keller Williams Realty, a member Shreveport, of the Young Professional Network for LA | 318-213-1555 operated. Licensed

by Louisiana Estate the Northwest LouisianaReal National As-Commission sociation of Realtors, a Certified Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist, and a member of the Delta Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

avage.com

Outside the joys of working in real estate, Ms. Spikes spends time with her three-month-old son Zachery, enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling.

Keller Williams Realty, NWLA Shreveport, LA 71105 Independently owned and operated.

Licensed in Louisiana.

Cell: 318-519-7574 Office: 318-213-1555 SBMAG.NET

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Jenny Spivey Team RE/MAX Real Estate Services

A

s a RE/MAX® agent, Jenny is dedicated to helping her clients find the home of their dreams.

Whether you are buying or selling a home or just curious about the local market, Jenny would love to offer her support and services. She knows the local community — both as an agent and a neighbor — and can help guide you through the nuances of our local market.

She started in real estate over 14 years ago and learned early that real estate is her passion. While working for another brokerage, she wanted to branch out and become larger. In late 2018 she went with a world-renown company, Remax.

The tools that Remax had to offer were so innovative and would help her clients on a whole new level. Two years ago, she decided she wanted to form a team and went out and picked the best of the best.

First to join was someone she could train from the beginning, Brooke Stevens. Brooke is amazing and has a genuine love for helping others and making sure all is in perfect order. Brooke will be on the go rain or shine. She is always up and willing to help. Organization is key to her, and Brooke can tell you from start to finish of each

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transaction where you are. “My main drive is the satisfaction of helping people through the major milestones in their lives, such as relocating for a job, bigger home due to a growing family, building or searching for their dream home, the first time home buyer, the list goes on.

This experience needs to be as stress-free as possible for them. I strive for a stress-free transaction.”

Marc Vagrin was the second team member to join. Marc is a go-getter and never stops. He forms long-lasting friendships with his clients and never fails to find precisely what the homebuyer is looking for. Marc has so much drive and determination, and he searches day in and day out for the perfect home for his buyers. Marc has a lending background, so the knowledge that he has for the financing side of it is a true help to not only his clients but also all his teammates, it helps them all find the loan that fits their clients perfectly.

Together the Jenny Spivey Team are a tight-knit group and have become a family. With access to top listings, a worldwide network, exceptional marketing strategies and cutting-edge technology, Jenny and her team work hard to make your real estate experience memorable and enjoyable. Their goals are their client’s goals.

2323 Old Minden Road Suite 100, Bossier City, LA

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Marian Claville Burks Keller Williams Northwest Louisiana

M

arian Claville Burks, a Shreveport native and LSUS graduate, began real estate investing in 2014 and purchased her first investment property. Then, in 2016, she decided to get her real estate license. She became a realtor because she wanted to show her family, specifically her mother and daughter, a better life. Marian’s mission as a realtor is to see the Shreveport/Bossier City area thrive through homeownership.

“Through the vehicle of real estate, I have been able to buy my mom two homes, show my daughter a life I dreamed of as a kid, build an investment business with my husband, and change the community. Real estate has changed my life,” said Marian.

Burks specializes in residential homeownership and strategic real estate investments. She helps small business owners hedge their income using real estate investment income. Marian also helps those who believed they could never own a home become homeowners. What drives Burks to be a great realtor is that many people are misinformed about the real estate process. So she gets an opportunity to inform them of their real estate options

that make it easy for them to understand and empowers them to take educated action.

Whether it is buying a home or investing in real estate, Marian wants her clients to know all their options to make the best decision for themselves and their families.

Marian has helped hundreds of homeowners and investors.

Her knowledge base and accomplishments help her clients navigate the investment and homeowner world with facts and a strategy that will work for them. In 2017, Burks received the Keller Williams Realty NWLA Rookie of the Year and the Keller Williams Realty Gulf States Rookie of the Year. Marian is very involved in the community and is the current President of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) Shreveport Chapter. She also loves to teach real estate investing. Outside of real estate, Marian loves to travel, read, and spend time with her daughter, Leevah, and her husband, Ledell.

795 Brook Hollow Dr., Shreveport, LA 71105 Office: 318-213-1555 •Cell: 318-780-2302

MAKE THE CALL

9242 ELLERBE RD. SUITE 300 SHREVEPORT, LA 71106 E A C H O F F I C E I N D E P E N D E N T LY O W N E D & O P E R AT E D L I C E N S E D I N T H E S TAT E O F L O U I S I A N A , U S A L I C E N S E D BY T H E L O U I S I A N A R E A L E S TAT E C O M M I S S I O N .

READY TO SELL YOUR HOUSE? THEN IT’S TIME TO #MAKETHECALL

#MakeTheCall

JOEL HALL, RE/MAX REAL ESTATE SERVICES � 318.464.7003 tv JOELHALL.REMAX-LOUISIANA.COM SBMAG.NET

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Ebony Layton

Realtor, Keller Williams NWLA

I

've been selling real estate for the last three years. Prior to real estate, I worked in healthcare as a therapist. That is where my passion for serving others began. After several years of working in healthcare, I began to desire to serve others in a different capacity. That desire led me to real estate.

Since becoming a realtor, my goals in this profession have expanded beyond what I could have ever imagined in the beginning. When I first started practicing real estate, I wasn't sure how or where I would fit in, in this business.

However, I knew that as long as I focused on my purpose to serve that everything else would fall into place. Being a part of such a significant moment in someone's life and helping guide them to achieve the goal of home ownership is the most rewarding feeling.

Each experience fuels me to want to continue learning as much as I can, to better help as many families as I possibly can. My number one priority is and will always be to put the needs of my clients first and to provide them with exceptional customer service. It's something that I pride myself

Theresa Miller Century 21 Elite

T

heresa is currently a licensed realtor and Business Manager with Century 21 Elite. She obtained her real estate license in 2007 and is presently a Top Producer with over 3+ Million in Sales. Additionally, she has earned her ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) Designation, MRP (Military Relocation Professional) Designation, MRS (Military Residential Specialist), and ePro (electronics proficiency) PSA (Pricing Strategies Advisor) Designations. Currently a Sterling R, LRPAC political supporter.

She spent over 20 years in the Human Resource-Personnel field, working with both Fortune 500 Companies and Civil Service. Making the change to Real Estate was a perfect fit, especially in the people side of the business.

Her background helped her navigate during the pandemic recently to still assist her clients and agents to remain calm and get through the storm.

Theresa is very active in the community, and she currently serves on the Northwest Louisiana Board of Realtors as Past-President for 2021. In 2020 as President, she and her fellow realtors were deemed essential personnel during the pandemic and were able to assist home buyers

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in doing. Whether my client is buying or selling a home, I want them to know that they can rely on and trust in me wholeheartedly.

I'm most proud of all the families I've been able to help thus far and how much my business has grown in just three short years. To go from not knowing my own potential in this scope of practice and to have had my business quadruple since starting is something that I don't take for granted. It has given me confirmation that this is absolutely what I'm purposed to do. To lead, grow, and serve to be the best realtor to all of those who need me is what I'm committed to doing.

When I'm not working, I love spending time with my family, traveling, and shopping. I absolutely love what I do and feel so blessed to do this on a daily basis. I'm excited about the future, the families I have yet to meet/help, and the beautiful moments that are to come. Buy and Sell with Ebony!

795 Brookhollow Drive, Shreveport, LA 71105 and sellers in continuing the American dream of homeownership. She and her husband love Mardi Gras and are very active in both the Krewe of Atlas, currently serving as King and Queen. They are longtime members of the Krewe of Centaur since 1999 and joined the Krewe of Gemini this year.

Thank you to the Thrash’s for use of their

Theresa was born in Ger- home at 1045 Erie in Shreveport. many while her parents were stationed overseas with the US Air Force. She is an alumni of Parkway High School and earned a Liberal Arts Degree from LSU-S. Theresa has traveled and lived both stateside and overseas while her family proudly served in the Air Force. She returned home to Bossier City in the late ’90s to be closer to family. In her spare time, she loves riding her Harley Davidson motorcycle, spending time with her grandchildren (all 8 of them), traveling and cruising, along with her favorite pastime of bowling.

Cell (318) 422-4150 • Office (318) 868-3600 www.CaddoBossierHomes.com

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Kalette Wilson-Haley CENTURY 21 Elite

A

s a child, Kalette Wilson-Haley was introduced to the world of real estate by a family member who owned a realty company. Kalette knew that she wanted to use her knowledge to chart a path in helping others in Mansfield/DeSoto Parish and the surrounding areas. “I am passionate about guiding my clients through one of the biggest investments of their lives. Mansfield was pretty much an untapped market that needed to have a different approach to real estate,” says Haley. “My niche is working with buyers. I give them my undivided attention and expert knowledge of the local market.” In the last two years, Kalette was a rising star at Century 21 Elite. She has received Top Producer Awards and her proudest moment was being named an Individual Top 25 producing agent across Louisiana with Century 21 Elite. Her passion for Real Estate is what drives her to be a good realtor. Kalette feels incredibly blessed to work with amazing clients who become her friends and a vital part of her community network.

8575 Fern Ave, Suite 105, Shreveport, LA 71105 Phone: 318.868.3600

Katelyn Hedges Roan

Diamond Realty & Associates LLC - Louisiana Century 21 A Select Group - Texas

Dee Davidson,

REALTOR, is a wife, mother, community leader, US Veteran, and Christian with core values of Integrity, Experience, and Service.

Knowing the dream of homeownership has always been at the very heart of the “American Dream.”

She works tirelessly to ensure families achieve that foundation.

318.820.9750 4320 Parkway Drive Bossier City, LA 71112

K

atelyn Hedges Roan is a young, driven, and energetic realtor that has been in Real Estate for a little over two years. She was born and raised in Shreveport, graduated high school from Captain Shreve, and graduated college from LSUS. She started her real estate journey because it’s her passion to help others, and she wanted to help people navigate the largest transaction of their life.

Roan loves seeing her work reflect onto others to bring them a better life as they turn a new page. She strives to make every transaction seamless, memorable, enjoyable, and stress-free. Katelyn is licensed in two states and finds herself helping people mostly in rural areas of Northwest Louisiana and East Texas. Outside of real estate, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going on adventures with her husband, riding horses, and taking care of her farm.

315 E Texas Street Bossier City, LA 71111. 318-402-6983 SBMAG.NET

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Chris Stokes Walker Alley & Associates

C

hris puts his legal education, corporate real estate, marketing, and sales experience to good use as a Commercial Realtor. He has successfully represented Buyers and Sellers of Vacant Historic Buildings in Downtown Shreveport. Loves Truck Stop in a recent land purchase from Chesapeake Energy in Desoto Parish. The Lofts at 624 Texas in leasing office space to TFG Financial and several other tenants. North Caddo Hospital in buying property in the Blanchard area for a new Medical Clinic. The Landowner in selling property to Willis Knighton for a Medical Clinic in Blanchard. Industrial building owners, industrial buyers, and tenants. Chris has a passion for economic development and putting historic properties back in the stream of commerce. Email Chris atchris@walkeralley.com or call him 318-585-2094.

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THANK YOU

SHREVEPORT & BOSSIER CITY FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

4330 Parkway Drive Suite 208 Bossier City

BETH GRAHAM REALTOR® O: 318.200.0552 M: 318.455.7110 318.REALESTATE BETHGRAHAM318@GMAIL.COM

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SB HOME MATTERS

BY ELLEN TRICE

Hiring

CONTRACTORS

for your Home

I

nspiration abounds… on television, cable channels, and the internet. As we come out of months spent close to home during the COVID-19 crisis, it seems like everyone is thinking about changing, improving or least updating their domestic setting.

Working from home, children learning from home, and families spending more time at home in general has helped us hone in on what we like and don’t like about our living spaces. Some folks are changing to new flooring, while some families are planning for home remodels. Still others are looking at building the home they now know they truly want.

No matter what level of modification being considered, property owners need to do due diligence in all aspects of home improvement projects, starting with clearly identifying the scope and budget for the project. Also valuable is an honest evaluation of do-it-yourself skills and whether property owners want to tackle the job themselves. No one wants the old adage about “not knowing what you don’t know” to come true after they have taken their primary bathroom out of working order.

Writing out what they want to accomplish and the amount of money budgeted helps to better communicate a project to building professionals. Any particulars that may affect

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a project should be included. For instance, replacing current tiled floors with hardwood floors would identify that the old tile probably needs to come out before the new floor can go down. That will be a key element in calculating the labor and completion time – and thereby the cost – of the project.

What should a home owner consider besides price when hiring a building/remodeling professional? According to Dixey Robertson, Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana, hiring a licensed and insured contractor is almost always a property owner’s best option. The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors maintains a data base of currently licensed contractors who hold current general liability and workers compensation insurance, and an app is available at lslbc. louisiana.gov/mobile-app.

“One of the big things that has arisen lately is that the supply chain has been interrupted,” says Tim Shane, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Northwest Louisiana. That creates a lot of unexpected circumstances like delays in supplies and missed deadlines, and some businesses are trying to unfairly use those circumstances to their advantage. Shane wants consumers to know that they can simply enter a person or company name into a

search engine, add their city and “BBB” to get the company’s rating, whether or not the company is accredited by the BBB. “There are a lot of companies that would prefer not to have a BBB rating,” says Shane. Full details and a searchable database are available at bbb.org.

Consumers should also be aware that just because contractors say they are licensed and insured or have it written on their business cards does not guarantee it’s true.

It also does not indicate the contractor’s quality of work.

Robertson suggests asking for references and actually contacting the references for a report on the contractor’s quality of work, work habits (like reasonable start/end of work day), and adherence to specified materials and draw schedules, etc. If the opportunity is available, property owners should visit homes built or remodeled by their prospective contractors. The state licensing board along with the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies has a helpful guide to hiring a licensed contractor for consumers. Available at lslbc.louisiana.gov/wp-content/uploads/brochure.pdf, the guide includes a list of “Top 10 Tips When Hiring a Contractor” along with a list of contractor scams and warning signs to watch out for.

Along with a rise in demand for new homes and home remodeling, the pandemic has created unique situations – in particular, the delayed delivery or unavailability of building materials. Robertson cautions consumers to be aware of clauses in written contracts that address price changes in materials. Although the clauses are standard, the cost of materials such as lumber have risen approximately 400% in the last 15 months, dramatically escalating building costs and forcing some property owners to postpone their projects. Pricing has begun to stabilize during the latter part of June 2021, but there are still significant delays in some item deliveries. Robertson’s best advice, “Make sure all of the materials are on hand before the contractor begins work.” The late arrival of an HVAC unit, kitchen appliance or even lumber can delay a project’s completion by weeks, if not more.

As with any endeavor, good planning on the front side helps ensure good results. Home building and remodeling are no exception.

Giving back to the community Hiring local labor Quality work Commercial or Residential

CREATING LOCAL JOBS

BAYOU STATE ROOFING is a locally owned and operated company that specializes in Residential and Commercial Roofing. For 8 years, they have served the Shreveport Bossier area, and most recently helped those in need of roofs and repairs in Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura. Bayou State is licensed and insured to specifically work on roofs, while many roofing companies and contractors do not have roofing on their liability insurance. Out of state roofers, builders, and contractors are not bound by the warranties of Louisiana.

They are also not here to personally answer questions and help with your specific needs. They go back home and you’re left with their possible mistakes. Bayou State works with you from beginning to end and after the job. They aren’t done when the roof is up. They want to make sure you’re happy and safe in your home.

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W W W. B AY O U S TAT E R O O F I N G . C O M SBMAG.NET

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51

318 SECRETSo BEST KEPT

Part Tw 171

160

In this issue, we continue our list of interesting facts in northwest Louisiana with a focus on some of the area’s historic homes.

160.

Real estate developer Albert Colwell (A.C.) Steere developed the neighborhoods of South Highlands, Glen Iris, Broadmoor, Dixie Gardens, Hollywood, and parts of Highland. He died in 1930 at age 50.

161.

The Dunn House was once a Confederate Hospital, but it had been left to decay next to the wrecking yard, until 1995, when a group of citizens led by the Greenwood Pioneer Club and the Greenwood Women’s club saved it and turned it into the Dunn House Museum.

162.

Walker House on Fairfield Avenue was once the home of the Coca-Cola bottler Zehntner Biedenharn.

163.

Bliss-Hoyer House, built by Abel and Nettie Bliss, was later the home of Ewald Max Hoyer, the first mayor of Bossier City, who continued to reside in Shreveport.

164.

The C.C. Antoine House is a Queen Anne Revival style home in Allendale built by Caesar Carpenter Antoine, son of a father who fought in the battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 and a mother from the West Indies. He was a State Senator from Caddo Parish and introduced a Senate bill to incorporate the city of Shreveport in 1871. He also served as Lieutenant Governor in the mid 1870s.

165.

Huey P. Long House is a two-story Spanish Colonial Revival-style house made with stucco over hollow tile. Politician Huey P. Long and his family moved into the house in 1926. He moved to Baton Rouge in 1928 when he became governor of the state, but the house remained in the family until the 1970s.

166.

Ogilvie-Weiner house, built in 1896, was owned by Shreveport grocer William Buckner Ogilvie, followed

by Samson Weiner. The house is the largest Victorianera mansion in Louisiana, and was featured in the show “True Blood.” It is being renovated as the Austen Place Bed and Breakfast.

167.

Caspiana House, also known as the “Big House” from Caspiana Plantation, is an antebellum cottage built

by William Joseph Hutchinson in 1856. It was donated by the Hutchinson family in 1977, moved to the LSUS campus, and restored to its original specifications.

168.

The Davidson House is a large, Queen Anne revival cottage located in Shreveport’s oldest residential area of Highland. Built in 1899, it was home to local historian Max Bradbury.

169.

The Dodd College President’s Home was built in 1929 and named for the college’s founder Dr. M.E. Dodd, who operated the school from 1926 to 1943. The house, located at the intersection of Ockley Drive and College Lane, is called “Medjoy.”

170.

The Colonel Robert H. Lindsay House was built in 1872 by Col. Lindsay for his bride, Mary, in what is

165

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now downtown Shreveport. Unfortunately, she died before the house was finished. In 1957, it was moved to Woodlawn Avenue and is now known as the “Symphony House,” operated by the Shreveport Symphony Guild.

171.

The Logan Mansion was designed by architect Nathaniel Skyes Allen in 1897 for ice manufacturer and beer distributor Lafayette R. Logan. The Logan Mansion has been a boarding house, a church, and a radio station.

172. Built by Mr. Thomas Zilks in 1850, the Thrasher House was donated to LSUS’s Pioneer Heritage Center

by Aubrey Thrasher and moved from its original site near Castor, Louisiana, in 1981. The house is a classic example of the true Upland South plantation home. The structure is commonly called a log dogtrot, with two single pen rooms joined by an open hallway. It is constructed of pine logs with a single dovetail joint at the corners and the roof boards are hand made from cypress or cedar logs.

173.

The Samuel G. Weiner House was designed in 1937 designed by Samuel Weiner and his brother William and is considered one of the most significant early Orthodox Modern houses located in the Southern

U.S. The house sits as the centerpiece of the Pine Park Subdivision, which was designed as a romantic park landscape.

174.

The I. Ed Wile House, designed in 1934 by Samuel Gross Wiener, III, is the oldest known extant International Style house in Louisiana. Shreveport boasts some of the largest and most significant collections of early modern (pre-World War II) structures in the state.

175.

The Lewis House is one of the few remaining large Victorian houses in Highland, built in 1898 and named for owner Thomas C. Lewis, a Captain in the Confederate Army and a pioneer druggist.

176.

The Swearingen House is locally significant in the area of architecture because it contributes to the distinctly Greek Revival architecture heritage of DeSoto Parish.

177.

The Victorian-style McDonald House was built in Minden in 1900 by John W. McDonald. Over 8000 square feet, the house has 12 rooms and four fireplaces.

McDonald, a single man, would travel by horse drawn wagon to Sibley to pick up supplies for the building of the home that came by train. He also made trips in the same wagon to Shreveport for supplies that came by paddle wheelers from Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

…to be continued. Have a best kept secret to share about a home, business, person or place? Submit it online at sbmag.net.

SBMAG.NET

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ALL THINGS

HOME

Whether you live in a single-family house, loft, apartment or condominium, you want it to feel like home. If you plan to make changes but don’t want to tackle a DIY project, you will want to turn to an expert who can help you update your floors, kitchen, bathroom, or walls, add an addition or a backyard space, or embark on a total remodel. The following Shreveport-Bossier City professionals are eager to apply their experience to help create a space that shows off your personal style and meets your needs.

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Trust Who The

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SBMAG.NET | JULY 2021 55 Visit us online at www.prosourcewholesale.com/shreveport to learn more or schedule an appointment!

When it’s time for a change, your home is one of the best places to start. Imagine yourself in completely new surroundings, without even changing your address.

Designer Products and Installation can help you turn your vision into reality.

Owner and home remodeling contractor, Krystal Keller, has more than a decade of experience in Shreveport, LA and is fully licensed. You can trust the Designer team to do the job seamlessly from start to finish.

318.469.9617 designerproductsandinstall.com

Local, family-owned & operated. For all your plumbing and AC service needs, think Magnolia. Whether your project is residential or commercial, we have you covered! From installs, repairs, leaks, or frozen units. We do it all! Magnolia strives to give you excellence. So call today for honest, professional, and affordable plumbing and AC services.

Magnolia Plumbing & AC 221 W. Alexander Avenue Shreveport, La. 71107 (318)-465-2558 LMP-7194 LMC. 70763

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Ivy & Stone is a locally owned lifestyle boutique offering interior design and home styling services. With over 30 years of combined design experience, they excel in keeping on top of today’s styles, as well as maintaining a timeless look that will last for years to come. From new home construction to renovations and furnishings, they take pride in approaching each project with a fresh eye and attention to detail - using their client’s vision to pave the way to a perfect home.

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CREATING FUNCTIONAL, IDYLLIC BACKYARD ESCAPES

I

t’s summertime, and the living is easy. Especially if you enjoy the great outdoors. And with the year we have had with COVID-19 and the sneaux-pocalypse, everyone is seeking a cure for cabin fever. It’s nice to know the great outdoors is as close as your own backyard.

“We got a trampoline during quarantine to promote spending more time outside,” said Adam Brewer, whose family lives in Twelve Oaks.

“And after being cooped up for a week this winter, I was in full depression mode. If I am at home, I am pretty much outside. I think a lot of other people feel the same way.”

The Brewers backyard oasis features a swimming pool and an outdoor living room, with a TV mounted over an outdoor fireplace. Their outdoor kitchen includes a grill, a built-in sink, a mini-refrigerator, and an island bar.

Brewer said the family has gotten great use out of the space since they built it a couple of years ago.

“We are out there literally every day,” he said. “The goal when we built the space was to invite friends and family over. We are hosting three parties out there in one day.”

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BY SCOTT ANDERSON

PARADISE Grassroots efforts. Brewer said his yard weathered the winter storm in February. Others were not so fortunate. Many residents have had to start from the ground up to improve their outdoor spaces this summer.

Kerry Harris of Harris Custom Lawn Care said his company is backed up serving customers. Demand is high as residents rebound from quarantine and the deep freeze. “I haven’t been able to keep up,” Harris said. “We’re busy doing flower beds, hedge trimming and keeping everything groomed up.”

Harris said a few customers are taking advantage of the opportunity to upgrade their landscaping, but many are just trying to get back to what they had.

Jody Gaynor at Louisiana Lawn and Sod said the landscaping company also has been busy lately.

“So many people were inside their homes last year for the pandemic, and then the freeze happened,” she said. “I think more people want to enjoy their yards and do things close to home.

The yard is a gathering place for friends and family and for entertaining.”

Once the root problems are addressed, that lush landscape becomes a blank canvas for adding some fun to your private tropical hideaway.

it’s kind of a natural. If you’re going to have outdoor dining and living spaces, why not have an outdoor kitchen?”

Casting shade. As Shreveport has emerged from quarantine and hibernation, residents have become reacquainted with the heat and the humidity. Sometimes, the most functional outdoor spaces are made in the shade, even if you have to create it yourself.

Structures like pergolas and gazebos help beat the Louisiana heat. Jackson said her company has done traditional pergolas with cypress, cedar and even treated pine, as well as more modern designs that incorporate metals.

“We do tons of pergolas,” she said. “They allow light in but also can create shade at the optimal time of day. And they tend to cost less than attaching something to the existing house.”

Another option increasing in popularity is adding screens, awnings or shades to existing patios and other spaces. “This year, people are home more,” said Robert Reneau of Quality Shades and Shutters. “They are doing more work at home. We have done a lot more interior shades and outdoor screens.”

Jackson thinks the COVID-19 quarantine spiked interest and demand in improving outdoor spaces this summer.

Outdoor kitchens. The kitchen is the heart of any home.

Many homeowners are adding an al fresco flair with outdoor kitchens. According to a recent survey by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, 60 percent of homeowners are adding outdoor cooking spaces.

“We are busier than we’ve ever been,” she said. “You’ve been stuck in your home for a year. We all want to have vacations at home, and this is a great way to do it.”

“We do a lot of outdoor kitchens,” said Angie Jackson, co-owner of Red River Remodeling. “With people being at home more, they want to take advantage of their space.”

Jackson said most of the requests her company gets for outdoor kitchens include built-in grills and smokers, sinks and mini-refrigerators. Some also request crawfish burners, hibachi-style cooking surfaces and, on rare occasions, brick pizza ovens. “Those are not on everybody’s list, but we certainly have done them before,” she said.

An outdoor kitchen is an appealing option for anyone, especially those with older homes. Jackson said. “Many have older homes without an open design concept,” she said. “I think

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59

SB BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

WOMEN IN BEER:

A

BY ADAM BAILEY

The Women-Helmed Brew Crew of Red River Brewpub

There are over 40 craft breweries in Louisiana and, though the totality of beer making is still largely a man’s game, there are plenty of females making their mark in the brewing industry.

rchaeologists argue about how many thousands of years ago our distant ancestors started brewing beer, but no one questions that women did the work. The dominance of clean-cut men in lab coats and burly artisans with belly-length beards is a relatively modern phenomenon within the industry. However, around Shreveport, there are plenty of women at the Red River Brewpub who are determined to change this perception.

Formerly known as Red River Brewing Company, the Red River reopened after the COVID lockdown with a new name, a fully revamped menu, and enhanced features and services for its patrons. The decor is top-notch, with local artistic flourishes complementing the industrial chic design. It operates as an open microbrewery, with patrons able to watch the entire process from the spacious seating area. There is a large bar, a covered patio outside, and just enough TVs on the walls to keep the sports fans happy without morphing into a full sports bar. All the beers are named after local influences—Heliopolis, Twice Pardoned, Hay Ryed, Countess and River Monster—just to name a few.

The name change is a part of an ongoing rebranding plan to clearly present itself as a restaurant-style taproom, instead of its former concept as a distribution brewery.

Sleek and modern, the Red River Brewpub location is a must-stop for any beer lover.

Of the dozen-or-so employees who work at maintaining the brewpub, all but three are female. It’s Managing Director, Ally Bean, does a little bit of everything at Red River, balancing her time between sales and business development, while supporting several functions including marketing and social media, charitable efforts, and community

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outreach and engagement. She is committed to empowering others to create a vibrant and resilient community of female professionals across multiple sectors in the fermented beverage industries—for now and the future.

So much so, Bean is quick to offer up praise for all the women who help keep Red River running smoothly. “I couldn’t do any of it without our great staff who work hard to maintain a reliable reputation in this community,” Bean freely admits. “Elizabeth Walkoviak, Abby Shanks, Katherine Harper and Maddie Petrini—all help with the day-to-day operations, from restaurant management, bartending, catering, and event coordination.”

“The beer business is a place where our creativity is not constrained, and where those of us with strong and intense personalities are respected,” Bean says. “Men in the industry are not threatened; more so, they respect us and treat us as equals. They know we bring different things to the table. And that’s a good thing.”

The innovative approach to running a microbrewery isn’t the only thing that sets Red River apart. “Unfortunately, I’ve found it’s commonplace to enter spaces where, as a woman, I’m in the minority, and I’m often held to a higher-standard, criticized more, or have to defend why someone like myself is doing what I’m doing,” Bean says.

Although in some rooms these qualities make her stand out, they’ve also made for an inclusive brewery here in Shreveport. “While there are moments where you may feel pretty lonely, if you keep at it, and, in my case, have the opportunity and privilege to create a space where people feel welcome and included, things can change for the better.” Beer-lover or not, that in itself it is why anyone should check out Red River Brewpub.

— Who’s thirsty for a beer right now?

NAMED TO FORBES’ 2021 BEST-IN-STATE WEALTH ADVISORS LIST

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Partner Managing Director Wealth Manager

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Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC and Poljak Group Wealth Management maintain a separate professional business relationship with, and our registered professionals offer securities through, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 32,725 nominations, more than 5,000 advisors received the award. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future SBMAG.NET | JULY 2021 performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not61 affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.

SB GOOD TO KNOW

BY SEVA MAY

LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT RESEARCHERS LEAD IDENTIFICATION OF NEW BIOMARKER FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS (ADRD) A team of scientists and clinicians at LSU Health Shreveport, collaborating across the Centers for Brain Health and Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, had their groundbreaking findings on a new blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia published in the prestigious “Alzheimer’s & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association”. LSUHS faculty Drs. Elizabeth Disbrow, Chris Kevil, Steve Alexander, and Karen Stokes were joined by colleagues from the Vascular Medicine Institute at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center and the Department of Computer Science at Louisiana State University in Shreveport.

There is growing appreciation for the important role cerebrovascular disease plays in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). The newly identified plasma biomarker for ADRD, hydrogen sulfide, is already a known biomarker for cardiovascular disease. The team used cutting edge analytical biochemical methods developed at LSU Health Shreveport in the laboratory of Dr. Chris Kevil to measure plasma hydrogen sulfide metabolites, MRI to evaluate indicators of microvascular disease as well as cognitive testing to determine biomarker performance. Hydrogen sulfide and its metabolites were clearly linked to ADRD, which had not been previously reported or shown. Furthermore, cognitive and microvascular disease indicators were also correlated with hydrogen sulfide levels. Overall hydrogen sulfide levels were the strongest indicator of ADRD and mediated the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and the amount of brain lesion. These findings clearly indicate that hydrogen sulfide is dysregulated in dementia, providing a potential biomarker for early diagnosis, disease progression and intervention in ARDS.

Because the rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is becoming a national health crisis, identifying and treating its underlying causes is a critical health challenge. While amyloid “plaques” and Tau “tangles” play mechanistic roles in AD, cardiovascular complications are also significant risk factors for dementia. The current thinking is that cerebrovascular dysfunction occurs early in ADRD, and therefore may be an important early diagnostic marker and a fruitful therapeutic target, making this newly identified biomarker highly clinically significant. This work was supported by an Institutional Development Award from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

JOHNSON CONGRATULATES 2021 U.S. SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTEES United States Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) congratulates Georgia Hilburn of Shreveport, and Jackson David Tinkis of Bossier City, for their appointments to United States Service Academies. The students were selected on their merits by a volunteer panel of retired military officers. Hilburn will attend the U.S. Naval Academy and Tinkis will attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

“Congratulations to Georgia and Jackson for receiving and accepting their appointments to the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. They have bright futures ahead, and we wish them well this fall.

This is an exceptional honor, particularly because of the many outstanding applications we received from so many students who desire to serve our nation. We are so proud of them all.”

CORY CRAIG NAMED GRAMMY MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD QUARTERFINALIST Benton Intermediate School band director Cory Craig recently received news that is music to her ears. She is among the quarterfinalists chosen for

REPROGRAPHICS, ART/PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTS, BUSINESS CARDS, BANNERS, SCANNING & DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AND MORE!

THINK BIG. 62

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THINK SMALL. We

print it ALL

the 2022 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum.

The Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in schools.

Craig’s love for music began in middle school while she was in foster care. The experience was life-changing.

“This became my new escape as I went through foster care and counseling for the trauma we endured,” Craig said. “I tasted success for the first time and it overflowed into my other subjects, going from a failing student to an ‘A’ student. I also knew that year, my seventh-grade year, I must become a band director one day to help give others this wonderful escape and experience.” Craig fulfilled that dream, becoming a music educator in 2014, and now leads the Benton Intermediate School band program.

Semifinalists and finalists for the Music Educator Award will be announced in September, all of whom will receive honorariums and matching school grants. The winner will attend the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles.

SHREVEPORT FRANCHISE OWNER RECOGNIZED WITH NATIONAL AWARD Justin Marshall was nationally recognized with the Geico President’s Award for Field Representative of the Year out of all the franchises in the country. A native Shreveporter, Marshall has been in the insurance industry for over 12 years and started the local Geico office in 2018. The award represents leadership in surpassing production and volume goals in sales and service and acknowledges the agency’s dedication and commitment to the northwest Louisiana area through community outreach.

est chimpanzee sanctuary. Coleman obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2009 from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Coleman brings with her a knowledge base in traumatic wound care and emergency stabilization, and the work mantra of taking a deep breath and steadying the pace,” Dr. Raven Jackson-Jewett, Director of Veterinary Care, said. Wound care is valuable experience for any veterinarian caring for chimpanzees as their dynamic social behavior can include tussles and challenges for social rank that require veterinary intervention.

Chimp Haven is a private, nonprofit refuge on 200 acres of forested land in Northwest Louisiana, home to more than 300 chimps already retired from biomedical research.

OPTIMIST CLUB GIFTS $40,000 TO BOSSIER TEACHERS The Optimist Club of Bossier City has once again lived up to its organizational motto “A Friend of Youth” by gifting Bossier Parish teachers with $40,000 for classroom projects to increase student engagement and learning.

Fifteen grants were funded at 11 schools and to the Talented Arts Program to purchase books, technology, musical instruments and other materials. Since the Optimist Club of Bossier City began presenting its teacher grant program 29 years ago, Bossier Parish educators have been awarded more than $522,000 to bring classroom enhancements and learning opportunities to life

R.W. NORTON ART GALLERY ANNOUNCES PHASE 2 RE-OPENING The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 - 7:00 pm. No reservations or tickets are required and admission is free.

CHIMP HAVEN WELCOMES NEW VETERINARIAN Chimp Haven welcomes new veterinarian Dr. DeShaunte’ M. Coleman, a native of Atlanta, Ga., to its team of leading vets to provide care for more than 300 chimpanzees retired from medical research at the world’s largSBMAG.NET

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for students.

Elementary school teacher recipients of this year’s Optimist Club Teacher Grants are: Jessica Armstrong, Legacy; Britney Hutchison and Shelley Moore, Plantation Park; Marissa Marrero, Sun City; Holli McHan, W.T. Lewis; and Linda Morgan, Benton Intermediate.

Middle school teachers receiving grants are: Laura Rabey and Ashley Holliday, Benton Middle; Marie Boudreaux and Tiffany Bruton, Cope; Rhonda Samuels, Cope; Rebekah Gibbs, Elm Grove; and Noel Spring, Rusheon.

High school winners are: Jennifer Duman and Michaela Meredith, Haughton; David Brown, Haughton; Martha Claire Lepore, Parkway; and Mark Burt and Katie Phillips in the Talented Arts Program.

CADDO PARISH PARKS AND RECREATION RECEIVES $50,000 FROM NO KID HUNGRY Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Department has received $50,000.00 in grant funding to feed summer youth program participants healthy snacks and lunch during the summer months of June to August. With many families having lost jobs or wages in recent months due to the pandemic, more kids than ever will rely on the meals they receive outside of their respective homes.

“We are elated to receive this critical funding from No Kid Hungry. This grant award will help ensure that our department staff can continue to provide our summer program youth participants with the nutrition they need to reach their full potential during the summer season,” said Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation director Patrick Wesley.

PARKWAY PICKS GABEHART TO LEAD PANTHER BASEBALL Parkway High School has hit a home run with the addition of Jay “Sham” Shamblyn Gabehart who will be stepping up to home plate as Head Coach of Panther Baseball. He is currently the varsity pitching coach at Zachary High School where he has led the team to compete against the state’s best programs.

Gabehart’s coaching career began at Campbellsville High School in Kentucky. Three years later, he ventured to the Dominican Republic with the former head coach of the University of Kentucky, Keith Madison. It was there he met legendary Parkview Baptist coach M.L. Woodruff, and while coaching together in the Dominican Republic a relationship was formed that led Gabehart to move to Louisiana.

His next six years were spent as assistant baseball coach and offensive coordinator at Parkview Baptist High School, where Gabehart helped lead the team to win two Class 3A state championships and as a 3A state runner-up.

From there he spent three years as head baseball coach at South Terrebonne High School, where the Gators were

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district runners-up two years in a row.

Gabehart then spent five years at the Dunham School as head baseball coach, where he oversaw facility improvements to both indoor and outdoor facilities, won District Coach of the Year in both 2018 and 2019 and led the team to the 2018 State Semifinals. In his time at Dunham, the 2019 team led the state in runs scored and grew the program to 57 players which ranked number one in his fourth and fifth years there.

BOSSIER HIGH NAMES NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH Bossier High School has scored a touchdown, naming Calvary Baptist Academy cornerback coach De’Aumante Johnson as the Bearkats’ new head football coach. Coach Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a Sports Management Concentration and a Masters of Science in Sports Administration from Grambling State University.

Johnson comes to Bossier High’s storied athletic program with an impressive resumé of his own, carrying a 2020 LHSAA State Championship as well as previous experience as a collegiate athlete, recruiter and coach. Prior to assuming the cornerback coaching position at Calvary in June 2020, Johnson worked at his college alma mater Grambling State University in defensive quality control and as Assistant Recruiting Coordinator. Preceding that career move, Johnson served as Freshman Wide Receiver Coach at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport.

An accomplished football player and G-man at Grambling State University, Johnson’s list of accolades is long.

Among them: 2016 Black College National Champion, 2017 Defensive Back of the Year, 2017 GSU Football Captain and ranked 8th in the nation for interceptions.

LSUS COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM RANKED FIRST IN STATE FOR AFFORDABILITY LSU Shreveport’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science has been ranked the #1 Best Most Affordable Computer Science Degree in the state by University HQ, a leading independent organization that provides resources for prospective college students. The program ranked #30 nationally.

University HQ collects data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. Department of Education Scorecard, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and PayScale to determine its rankings based on many factors.

These factors include retention rate, graduation rate, admission rate, cost of tuition, graduating salary, number of programs offered, online programs offered, loan default rate, diplomas awarded, and percent of students receiving financial aid.

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DR. ARRIGO DEBENEDETTI RECEIVES FEISTWEILLER CANCER CENTER BRIDGE AWARD Dr. Arrigo DeBenedetti received the Spring 2021 Feist-Weiller Cancer Center (FWCC) Bridge Award in the amount of $100,000 on the grant titled: TLK1-MK5 Signaling Axis in Prostate Cancer Cell Motility and Invasion.

The FWCC Bridge Award is sponsored by the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center to provide support for researchers seeking federal funding. This highly competitive grant, which is reviewed by well-known scientists outside the Institution, allows researchers to maintain and increase their competitiveness upon the resubmission of applications.

JOHNSON HELPS SECURE FUNDING FOR BARKSDALE GATE CONSTRUCTION U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) discussed a range of issues of major significance to Barksdale Air Force Base and Fort Polk with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley at the House Armed Services Committee hearing on the FY22 Department of Defense budget request.

“We recognize, of course, that you’re operating under certain constraints, but it’s alarming to many of us that the President is spending with reckless abandon in vir-

tually every area except our national defense,” Johnson said. “Our current era of strategic competition makes it all the more important that the U.S. recommit to the longstanding principle of ‘Peace through Strength,’ especially as our key adversaries continue to take meaningful steps to close the gap between us and them.”

JOHNSON HIGHLIGHTS KEY BARKSDALE AND FORT POLK INITIATIVES U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) discussed a range of issues of major significance to Barksdale Air Force Base and Fort Polk with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley at the House Armed Services Committee hearing on the FY22 Department of Defense budget request.

“We recognize, of course, that you’re operating under certain constraints, but it’s alarming to many of us that the President is spending with reckless abandon in virtually every area except our national defense,” Johnson said. “Our current era of strategic competition makes it all the more important that the U.S. recommit to the longstanding principle of ‘Peace through Strength,’ especially as our key adversaries continue to take meaningful steps to close the gap between us and them.”

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JOHN R. MERCKE, M.D. NAMED RECIPIENT OF LAFP RESIDENT AWARD OF EXCELLENCE John R. Mercke, M.D., a third-year resident at the LSU Health Shreveport Family Medicine Residency Program in Alexandria, was named the 2021 Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Resident Award of Excellence recipient. Selection criteria reflects superior scholastic achievement and leadership in family medicine activities. Dr. Mercke received his medical degree from American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and his undergraduate training from University of Louisiana at Lafayette with dual degrees in Biology and Finance.

During residency training he served as Resident Wellness Coordinator and Resident Representative for Rapides Regional Medical Center’s Residency Advisory Council.

PREVOT DESIGN ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERS Geoff Perego and April Sharlow have both been promoted to Partner at Prevot Design in Shreveport.

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MISS LOUISIANA COMPETITOR THANKS LSUS Alysia Cannon, a two-time LSUS graduate, participated in the Miss Louisiana 2021 crown on June 19 IN Monroe. Competing as Miss Spirit of the Red, Cannon’s journey through pageantry began after winning the 2018 LSUS Miss Black and Gold crown. Looking for a new adventure on campus, Cannon took a leap of faith competing in thatm e Miss Black and Gold pageant sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. She credits the crown as well as her being selected Homecoming Queen in 2020 for leading her to Miss Louisiana.

“LSUS helped get me to this point by providing opportunities to serve as a queen on campus,” Cannon said. “Media and PR staff such as the Director of Media and External Affairs, Wendell Riley, always requested my appearance at events, small or large. The exposure to speaking events and leadership I obtained at LSUS made my journey to Miss Louisiana possible.” Cannon earned a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2020 and a Master of Biological Sciences in Public Health in 2021.

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SB SWEETS & EATS

BY RACHEL DUPREE

r u o Y s ’ t a h WWhat’s Your vorite aFavorite Ffrozen

n e z o r f treat??

t a e r T

C

hocolate or vanilla, strawberry or lemon, coffee or cotton candy? Cool off from the southern heat with a frozen treat (that may have been around since ancient times)!

ICE CREAM Ice cream can be traced all the way back to the ancient Romans and Chinese, but there’s no consensus on a single inventor. More than a thousand years later, the first advertisement for ice cream in the U.S. appeared in the New York Gazette on May 12, 1777, when Philip Lenzi opened the first ice cream parlor. This popular dessert is made from milk, cream, and sugar. In the U.S., ice cream must contain no less than 10 percent milkfat.

FROZEN CUSTARD Frozen custard was created by Coney Island ice cream vendors Archie and Elton Kohr in 1919 when they discovered that adding egg yolks to ice cream gave it a smoother texture and helped the ice cream stay cold longer. It was introduced to an even larger audience at the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. Frozen custard has a higher percentage of butterfat and egg yolk than ice cream, which gives it a thick, creamy texture.

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FROZEN YOGURT Frozen yogurt is made from milk fermented with live cultures, along with flavorings and sweeteners. It’s often considered a healthier alternative to ice cream since it usually has less fat or calories, but it can have the same amount of sugar. Frozen yogurt was first served on the U.S. east coast in the 1970s by H. P. Hood and called “frogurt.” The health-craze of the 1980s helped to boost its popularity.

Frozen yogurt shops popped up in shopping malls and neighborhoods, with sales topping $25 million in 1986.

GELATO Gelato (which translates from Italian as “frozen”) is more dense than ice cream, because there is less air whipped into it when churned. Gelato typically has less fat than ice cream, because it is often milk-based instead of creambased and contains little or no egg yolks.

Officially developed by famous architect Ernardo Buontalenti during the Italian Renaissance, ge-

lato was eventually introduced in the U.S. by native Italian Giovanni Biasiolo in 1770. The Gelato Museum Carpigian located in Anzola dell’Emilia just outside of Bologna, Italy, opened in 2012.

SORBET Sorbet (sorbetto in Italian) is a frozen treat made with fruit juice or pureed fruit or other flavoring ingredients and often a sweetener. Sorbet does not include milk, cream or egg yolks. The consistency is dense because it doesn’t have air whipped into it. Sorbet’s history can be traced back to the ancient Italians, just like gelato. In Sicily, during the summer, the Italians would use preserved snow from Mount Etna and mix it with fruit juice to create a refreshing drink.

In the 1500s, many noble Italian families began using sorbet as a palate cleanser between courses of a meal.

SNOW CONES Snow cones are the simplest cold treats, made by combining shaved or crushed ice and flavored syrup. The first recorded snow cones were produced by Samuel Bert of Dallas, TX, in 1919, at the State Fair of Texas. The first block-style ice shaving machine was patented in 1934 by Ernest Hansen of New Orleans, Louisiana. The ice consistency was more like snow, instead of rough and crunchy, and snow cones made with these machines are often referred to as “New Orleans style.”

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SB COMMUNITY

BY URSULA BRANTLEY

Executive Director Erica McCain works hand in hand with staff and volunteers to serve the women of Shreveport-Bossier. “I have and will always have a passion for women’s issues and I’m willing to step in and elevate women in our community,” she says. The organization has four primary programs that help women entering and reentering the workforce.

The most well-known program is The Confident Suiting Program, which provides women with gently used professional attire through donations of business suits, blouses, skirts, pants, shoes, and accessories. Clients go shopping at the Dress for Success office, selecting outfits with help from volunteers.

Dressing professionally on a job interview does more than just impress hiring managers, it gives women the confidence to let their light shine.

Once the client has secured a position, Dress for Success makes sure they have outfits to make it through their first week.

Landing a great job means nothing if you do not have the skills to perform and retain the position.

The Women of the Workforce (W.O.W.) program is a 12-week job readiness program that teaches professional soft skills. Clients are taught resume writing, public speaking, and social media etiquette. They even engage in mock interviews to prepare them for the real interaction.

The Professional Women’s Group (PWG) is a support system for clients that encourages employment longevity and shows clients how to handle things like workplace conflict and work/ life balance. The onsite Career Center assists clients with job searches, resume writing, and related computer training, and gives women the freedom to conduct their own job searches or work one on one with staff and volunteers.

D

ress for Success Shreveport-Bossier is a non-profit organization that provides women with the proper resources to obtain and maintain a place in the workforce. The Dress for Success organization, which originated in New York, is a worldwide movement to uplift women in communities everywhere. With chapters in 150 cities in 25 countries, Dress for Success worldwide changes the lives of thousands of women annually.

“We strive to be a household name in our community by conducting outreach and providing services to help women become gainfully employed. The more women we reach, the more women can become employed,” says McCain. Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier is planning its annual fundraiser, the Red Hanger Event, on September 30, which will include a fashion show that showcases clients in Dress for Success attire. Proceeds from the event will support the four programs.

Since 1996, Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier has lived up to its mission to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

As long as Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier continues to be a driving force in our area, women of Shreveport-Bossier will have a place where they can better themselves.

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JULY/AUGUST JULY/AUG SB CALENDAR

SUNDAY

MONDAY

18

19

EVENT Shark Week in the Shark-La-Tex @ Shreveport Aquarium, 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

JULY 15

16

17

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT Shark Week in the Shark-La-Tex @ Shreveport Aquarium, 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Mindstorm Robotics in Python @ LSU Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Shark Week in the Shark-La-Tex @ Shreveport Aquarium, 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Shop Til You Drop Retail Market @ Bossier Civic Center, 620 Benton Rd, Bossier City, LA

EVENT Shop Til You Drop Retail Market @ Bossier Civic Center, 620 Benton Rd, Bossier City, LA EVENT Bossier City Farmers Market @ Pierre Bossier Mall, 2950 East Texas St, Bossier City, LA EVENT Shreveport Farmers Market @ Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett, Shreveport, LA EVENT Flowers in Art Children’s Tour @ R.W. Norton Art Gallery, 4747 Creswell Ave, Shreveport, LA

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21

22

23

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EVENT Jubilee Zoo visits Splash Kingdom Waterpark for Toddler Tuesday, 7670 W 70th St, Shreveport, LA

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT Trivia Night @ Port City Bar B Que, 784 Flournoy Lucas Rd, Shreveport, LA EVENT BAC Character Creation Camp @ Bossier Arts Council, 630 Barksdale Blvd, Bossier City, LA

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT BAC Character Creation Camp @ Bossier Arts Council, 630 Barksdale Blvd, Bossier City, LA

EVENT BAC Character Creation Camp @ Bossier Arts Council, 630 Barksdale Blvd, Bossier City, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Bossier City Farmers Market @ Pierre Bossier Mall, 2950 East Texas St, Bossier City, LA EVENT Greenwood Farmers’ Market @ Greenwood Town Park, 6978 Howell St, Greenwood, LA EVENT Shreveport Farmers Market @ Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett, Shreveport, LA

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EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT 2021 Kids Triathlon @ BHP YMCA, 3455 Knight St, Shreveport, LA EVENT Murphy’s Shreveport Gun & Knife Show @ Agriculture Building, 3701 Hudson Ave, Shreveport, LA

EVENT Mindstorm Robotics in Python @ LSU Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT Mindstorm Robotics in Python @ LSU Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA EVENT Ellerbe Park Block Party @ Corks & Cuts 1939 Southern Loop, Shreveport, LA

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Trivia Night @ Port City Bar B Que, 784 Flournoy Lucas Rd, Shreveport, LA

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT 3 Doors Down The Better Life 20th Anniversary Tour @ Brookshire Grocery Arena, 2000 Brookshire Arena Dr, Bossier City, LA

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Jordan Davis Concert @ Margaritaville Resort Casino, 777 Margaritaville Way, Bossier City, LA EVENT Mindstorm Robotics in Python @ LSU Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Pancakes for Veterans @ American Legion Post 14, 5315 S Lakeshore Dr, Shreveport, LA SPORT Sportspectrum Ironfish Kids Triathlon @ Cypress-Black Bayou Park & Recreation Area, 135 Cypress Park Dr, Benton, LA

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GUST2021 SUNDAY

AUGUST 1

MONDAY

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TUESDAY

3

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA SPORT Sportspectrum Rivercities Triathlon @ Cypress-Black Bayou Park & Recreation Area, 135 Cypress Park Dr, Benton, LA

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9

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WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

4

5

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Wellness Wednesdays in Caddo Common Park, 869 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA

EVENT ArtBreak @ Artspace Summer Camp, 708 Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Shreveport Artwalk @ Downtown Shreveport, 416 Cotton St, Shreveport, LA

11

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

6

7

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Bingo for Miracles @ East Ridge Country Club, 1000 Stewart Dr, Shreveport, LA

EVENT Bossier City Farmers Market @ Pierre Bossier Mall, 2950 East Texas St, Bossier City, LA EVENT Greenwood Farmers’ Market @ Greenwood Town Park, 6978 Howell St, Greenwood, LA EVENT Shreveport Farmers Market @ Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett, Shreveport, LA

12

13

14

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA EVENT Geek’d Con @ Shreveport Convention Center, 400 Caddo St, Shreveport, LA

EVENT Story Trail Craft & Activity @ Red River National Wildlife Refuge, Bossier City, LA EVENT Bossier City Farmers Market @ Pierre Bossier Mall, 2950 East Texas St, Bossier City, LA EVENT Greenwood Farmers’ Market @ Greenwood Town Park, 6978 Howell St, Greenwood, LA EVENT Shreveport Farmers Market @ Festival Plaza. 101 Crockett, Shreveport, LA

18

19

EVENT GamePort @ SciPort Discovery Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA

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SB ART & CULTURE

BY SEVA MAY

HOW THE ARTS IMPACT

THE ECONOMY

T

Photo courtesy of the Shreveport Opera

ake a moment and imagine what our lives would be like without live theatre or art galleries. Where sitting in a theatre and watching a symphony, an opera performance or a ballet was no longer available. What would it be like if we couldn’t watch a feature film in a movie theatre or if taking a trip to the library or museum wasn’t possible? Would you be upset if you couldn’t go to a club to dance to your favorite band or laugh along with your friends at a comedy show?

Oh, wait! That just happened. For over a year we’ve been shut off from the arts and the events that are crucial in shaping our culture. Sure, hundreds of virtual events have been made available. But it’s just not the same energy you experience with a “live” event. Fortunately, we are just getting all these things we’ve taken for granted all our lives back on track. Our world is getting somewhat back to normal.

Since we now know what it feels like, let’s look at what the economic impact has been to the incredible loss of the arts even for this relatively short period of time. I turned to The

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Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA) for the following data. The ACPSA measures the total economic output for arts and cultural industries and goods and services, as well as total employment and compensation numbers for workers in those industries. By studying consumer spending on arts and culture and import/ export activity we can better understand the importance of art and culture. The data are presented as a time series (going back more than two decades), making it possible for researchers, policy makers, and industry groups to monitor short- and long-term trends in arts and cultural production. These statistics are from 2019 and since we do not have 2020 stats, yet we can get a general idea of the economic impact cultural organizations have on our lives.

Arts and cultural economic activity, adjusted for inflation, increased 3.7 percent in 2019 after increasing 2.3 percent in 2018. Arts and cultural economic activity accounted for 4.3 percent, or $919.7 billion, of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP), in 2019.

Core arts and cultural production industries, which include performing arts, museums, design services, fine

arts education, and education services, increased 3.2 percent, adjusted for inflation, in 2019. Supporting arts and cultural production industries, which includes art support services and information services, increased 3.9 percent in 2019. Information services was the leading contributor to the overall 4.4 percent current-dollar growth in arts and cultural production at the national level in 2019, followed by design services.

•

For performing arts, real value-added increased 2.6 percent in 2019 after increasing 5.4 percent in 2018. The leading contributor to the increase was independent artists, writers, and performers, which increased 2.2 percent in 2019 after increasing 5.6 percent in 2018.

•

Museums increased 4.0 percent in 2019, after decreasing 1.3 percent in 2018.

•

For design services, real value-added increased 3.7 percent in 2019 after increasing 5.4 percent in 2018.

•

Fine arts education increased 6.5 percent in 2019 after increasing 12.4 percent in 2018.

•

Education services increased 2.1 percent in 2019 after increasing 1.7 percent in 2018.

Can you imagine what the statistics for 2020 will show? It will, no doubt, be horrifying.

From dance, festivals, heritage events and music to science, theater, visual arts and arts service organizations, the contribution to economic development and community development through engagement and socialization is significant. Communities are strengthened when cultural organizations are strong.

Local and state economies benefit by job creation and patron expenditures. The arts drive tourism.

People coming from outside the community spend three times more than our local patrons. They eat in our restaurants. They may stay in our local hotels. They shop in our stores.

Our quality of life is enhanced, our stress is reduced, and our sense of community is expanded through the arts. Early exposure to the arts for youth helps to augment their educational outcomes while building confidence, problem solving skills and encouraging self-expression. Arts and cultural activities allow us to learn and, especially, to dream.

But if art is to nourish it must flourish. As a community we can advance this cause by supporting our local artists.

Buy season tickets to your favorite organization. Make it a point to attend more community theatrical performances. Visit a local gallery and purchase a work of art from a

Photo courtesy of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra

local artist. Take in a symphony concert and go the opera.

Have you been to the ballet lately? (Oops, silly question.)

Go to the ballet – it’s a beautiful experience. When was the last time you took in a Strand performance? It’s the next best thing to Broadway. I get chills each time we go to the Strand. The beauty and history of this facility is part of our cultural fabric and should be experienced often.

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” –John F. Kennedy, former American President This quote from the great JFK sums up how we, as a society, must support the arts. The arts matter because we matter. The arts, as a shared experience, is one of the best ways to build a stronger community. We need that right now.

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BY HAILEY LAWSON

SB PETS

Home Pet-Proofing

H

aving a loving pet helps reduce your everyday stress and loneliness; however, what do you do when your pet starts causing damage to your home? Of course, you love your pet and your beautiful home, but the two don’t always get along. Here are a few suggestions to petproof your home while giving you a little peace of mind.

CARPETS Carpets make a room cozy and comfortable, but the truth is that pets and carpets are not a good match. From pet hair to urine stains, carpet requires a lot of maintenance. A hardwood floor is probably a better choice for a pet owner. It is both beautiful and stain-resistant. However, if you can’t part ways with carpet, consider a low pile carpet which will also deter pet hair. Also, keeping your pet’s claws trimmed will help, as well as vacuuming daily and steam cleaning your carpet once a month.

FURNITURE Cats love scratching up a lovely couch, but one way to break this bad habit is by placing a scratch post next to it. Also, covering your sofa or armchair with a blanket or slipcover will help protect your furniture from rips, scratches, and stains. Alternatively, you can train your pet that they’re not allowed on the furniture.

Try placing a pet bed with toys next to your couch and encourage them to use it instead.

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SMALL ITEMS Anything that can be broken easily or knocked over should be placed on higher shelves. Avoid having small knick-knacks or remote controls within a dog’s reach. If the object is swallowed, it could cause an intestinal blockage or cause your dog to choke, which could be fatal. If you have a cat, know that they can jump up to six feet high. Also, be careful with potpourri—dogs and cats think it’s great fun.

CABLES AND CORDS Electric cords and cables should be on the top of your list to protect. Gnawing through wiring can cause a shock, burn, or even death. Cords and cables

are a very tempting chew toy for a dog or cat, so make sure that they are safely tucked away and out of reach.

Conceal wires behind furniture and under the carpet if possible. Also, if you have blinds, tie the cords up to prevent your cat from playing with them.

FOOD AND TOXINS There are many potential dangers in a home that can make your pet sick— from food to cleaning products to make-up. So, keeping cabinets closed is a must. Many foods are potentially dangerous to pets, and the food wrappers present a serious choking hazard. Some potentially poisonous foods for pets are chocolate, grapes, raisins, nuts, onions, and garlic. Also, make sure that the garbage bin is closed off. You might even consider installing child-proof latches if your pet is especially mischievous. And always keep household products with chemicals, such as bleach or kitchen cleaners, out of reach.

PLANTS Keep inside plants safe and away from your pet.

Some of your favorite plants and flowers are very dangerous to pets. Levels of toxicity can vary greatly and are often not worth the potential risk to your pet. Daffodils, lilies, hyacinths, and bluebells.

WE DELIVER IN ABOUT AN HOUR!

In the 1950s, Hollywood Feed began on the corner of Hollywood Street and Chelsea Avenue in Memphis, TN. We started as a local feed store and ultimately grew to a trusted neighborhood purveyor of pet supplies.

Today, we offer high-quality foods, USA made treats, toys, beds, and more. We continue to grow, but our philosophy never changes. We strive to provide unmatched service and honest values to our loyal customers offering only the best products that we ourselves test and believe in.

CREATE OFF-LIMIT AREAS To minimize potential pet danger and damage to your home, designate areas where your pet is allowed—such as the laundry room and living room. You can restrict access to rooms by closing the door or installing stair gates. Pet-free zones in your home will help keep your house tidy and damage-proof.

ENGAGE WITH YOUR PET Make sure that your pets are entertained. Give them toys to play with, because a bored pet will always find trouble. When away, leave treats and toys to pass the time.

If your pet has separation anxiety, leave a sweater or an item that has your smell so that they feel safe until you return home.

PROMO CODE: SAMEDAY25 *MUST USE PROMO CODE AT CHECKOUT & OPT-IN TO OUR EMAIL LIST TO RECEIVE OFFER. Limit one coupon per household. 25% off your Same Day Delivery order. Apply promo code online. Limit one coupon per household. Valid at all Same Day Delivery locations. Not valid on previous purchases, gift cards, grooming, self-wash services, taxes, or shipping or handling charges. Cannot be combined with other coupons. Additional exclusions may apply. Applicable to current stock. No rain checks. Returns or exchanges where a coupon and/or discount was applied may result in an adjusted refund amount. Offers are subject to change. No cash value. No reproductions. Expires 7/31/2021

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