Sky’s the limit
Scouts earn aviation merit badges through program of the Big Easy Wing
BY ROBERT S. WOLF
Contributing writer
The two-seater airplane barrels down the runway at New Orleans Lakefront Airport with the engine growling and the propeller whirling. Blaise Misse grips firmly on the controls as the small plane lifts off the ground and slices into the air over Lake Pontchartrain on this postcard perfect day As the plane climbs it wobbles to the left, and Blaise tugs to the right, only to overcompensate and accidentally send the plane into a hair-raising dive toward the water Blaise calmly pulls back on the controls to get the nose up, steadies the wings and regains his composure enough to steer toward cruising altitude. All is well again in the pilot’s seat. Although his adrenaline is pumping, Blaise was safe on the ground the entire time. He was using a flight simulator while was completing his course work for the aviation merit badge that he and his fellow Boy Scouts in Troop 45, based at St Angela Merici School in Metairie, are pursuing on this Saturday morning.
“It’s a lot more difficult than it looks,” Blaise said. “I’m just glad I didn’t crash into the lake!”
Earning merit badges
The aviation merit badge classes and demonstrations are conducted at the Lakefront Airport in the hangar of the Big Easy Wing, the local chapter of the Commemorative Air Force, which is a nationwide club for historical airplane enthusiasts.
“There is a fairly long list of requirements to get the aviation merit badge, and it covers everything from how a wing generates lift to the construction of jet engines, so we geared our training to meet all their requirements. The classes last about seven hours, and it’s an all-day event.”
ROGER JEFFERY
Big Easy Wing education officer
Roger Jeffery, education officer for the Big Easy Wing, said the course carefully follows the official Boy Scout curriculum that’s designed to give the Scouts a first-hand look at the physics of how planes fly and the process of charting and preparing for a flight.
“There is a fairly long list of requirements to get the aviation merit badge, and it covers everything from how a wing generates lift to the construction of jet engines, so we geared our training to meet all their requirements,” he said. “The classes last about seven hours, and it’s an all-day event.”
While the Scouts don’t fly a real plane for the merit badge, they
ä See SCOUTS, page 2G
More than 15 participants shaved their heads recently as Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans hosted its 10th annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation signature event. The school raised $5,467, surpassing its goal of $5,000. The head-shaving raises money to find cures and better treatments for kids with cancer
Hair-raising
In Louisiana, the climate is humid and subtropical, meaning conditions are ripe for mosquitoes to be present year-round This also means heartworm disease is a huge problem in our area. Dogs and cats alike are at risk if they are not on preventatives. This disease is so easy and inexpensive to prevent, but very difficult, painful and expensive to treat and cure.
How do pets catch heartworms? Dogs and cats can only become infected with heartworms one way: through the bite of an infected mosquito. It only takes one bite for an animal to contract the disease. Even if a dog or cat is an “inside only” pet, they are still at risk. As we well know, mosquitoes find a way to get inside our homes, cars and more, and pups still need to go outside to do their business and for exercise. Heartworms are not contagious — people and other pets in the home cannot catch them from an infected pet.
What are the signs of infection?: In addition to being on preventatives, pets should be tested at least annually for heartworms by a vet because, at the onset of infection, there are no symptoms. It takes about seven months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. As more and more worms crowd the heart and lungs, most dogs will develop a cough. As the disease progresses, the dog will become easily winded and experience a de-
cline in his level of energy With advanced heartworm disease, dogs can pass out from the loss of blood to the brain, and they can retain fluids. If left untreated, heartworm disease is almost always fatal
How are heartworms treated?: The treatment takes several months, and it is not easy on dogs. It consists of a series of injections that will kill the adult worms in the blood vessels of the heart. During treatment, the worms begin to die. And as they die,
PHOTO BY ROBERT S WOLF
Blaise Misse reaches cruising speed on the flight simulator
Erin Preston reacts after her buzz cut.
STAFF PHOTOS BY SOPHIA GERMER
Science teacher Sally Spahn’s pigtail is taken off by barber David Pham. Spahn raised $1,283.74 for St. Baldrick’s and donated the hair to organization Locks of Love
Chalmette High honor seniors
Staff report
Eighteen students were honored with Golden Owl awards at the school’s annual Senior Awards Night. Students who represent the “gold standard” of education at Chalmette High were recognized for their academic excellence and dedication to their community as well as for their kindness, character and positive outlooks.
The honorees were Asma Askar, Denim Bell, Tyshae Brady Norman Burrey Morales, Tatiana Cabrera, Cole Caruso, Elizabeth Groby, Hasan Kahla, Winnie Li, Cooper McNamara, Trey Meyers, Kimberly Quintanilla, Bracie Sennett Adison Tregle, Jorge Vargas, Steve Volante, Lily Vu and Andy Ye
In addition, 70 students were given Meraux Scholars Awards, which provide academic, arts, vocational or agricultural internship opportunities.
Recipients were Kamryn Alexander, Shalom Alexander, Ava Andrus, Asma Askar, Neda Bahar, Davin Basile, Denim Bell, Olivia Bergeron, Charlie Bright, Norman Burrey Morales, Tatiana Cabrera, Uniyah Campbell, Tyrielle Darensburg, Dong Dong, Alyssa Edenfield, Keisha Galino, Grace Gaspard, Elizabeth Groby, Robyn Hays, Kasey Hughes, Win-
nie Li, Axton Lopez, Yassmin Mahmoud, Victoria Mathieu, Cooper McNamara, Trey Meyers, Tina Ngyuen, Phuc Nguyen, Darian Oakman, Alexander Penn, Madelyne Pereira, Brandi Phan, Kimberly Quintanilla, Randi Lynn Rhoden, Ava Robin, Kailen Robinson-Jones, Marissa Sass, Bracie Sennett, Sara Sharaf, Amori St. Cyr, Lillian Stufflebeam, Natalia Thomas, Kristion Thomas, Adison Tregle, Cameron Truong, Jorge Vargas, Lily Vu, Nina Vu, Andy Ye, Sophia Zanetti, Rain Lewis, Ethan Ebejer, Orlando Espinosa Martinez, Halle Kessling, Gretchen Miller Cadence Dettwiller Andrea Euceda Guifarro, Tiffany Shanel Fortin Zelaya, Nylan Henry, Hasan Kahla, Claire LeBoueuf, Elijah Loyd, Izador Meyer, Anjalae’ Mosely, Brady Nunez, Mia Patcheco, Nereda Richard, Kenneth Sanchez, Kamryn Simon, and Alexa Sullivan.
Denim Bellwas named the winner of the inaugural Helen and Martin J. Campo Jr. Scholarship, established in honor of former St. Bernard Parish School Board member Martin J. Campo and his wife. The scholarship supports Chalmette High graduates who are active in their school and com-
munity committed to academics and plan to pursue higher education. Additional award winners included Denim Bell, Blood Center Life-Saving Award; Sara Braniff MWM Award; Charle Bright, Daughters of the American Revolution Junior ROTC Bronze Medal Award; Tyrielle Darensburg, David Senez Jr. Memorial Science Award; Kamry Durapau, MWM Award; Elizabeth Lloyd, MWM Award; Jenesus Madison, MWM Award; Emma Mendoza, David Senez Jr Memorial Science Award; Trey Meyers, Trudy Foret Science Memorial Award, Candy Zeairs Memorial Mathematics Award and Blood Center Life-Saving Award; Emily Nguyen, MWM Award; Brandi Phan, High Flying Owl; Allie Resendez, MWM Award; Lillian Stufflebeam, Burt Coulon Future Educator; Jorge Vargas, High Flying Owl; Dylan Vicknair MWM Award; Shelby Vitrano, David Senez Jr. Memorial Science Award; Lily Vu, the Lauren Sabat Memorial Student Council Award and High Flying Owl; Nina Vu, High Flying Owl; Anthony Williams, MWM Award. The members of the class earned a collective $13 million in scholarships.
SCOUTS
Continued from page 1G
get a close-up view of all the work necessary to prepare for a flight by making a flight plan, conducting a preflight checklist and then piloting a flight on the simulator
Jeffery said students plot a flight from the Lakefront Airport to the nearby Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on the navigation chart and then fly that course on the Microsoft Flight Simulator, which gives students the option to fly out of any airport in the world and to choose from a multitude of airplanes, from prop planes to jets.
They use balsa wood model airplanes for hands-on demonstrations on how planes work, and the day ends with a discussion about careers in aviation.
“This group is really engaged and asking a lot of questions,” Jeffery said. “When the kids really show an interest in what we’re doing, that makes my day ” Popularity is growing
Jeffery said this is the fifth class of Scouts for the Big Easy Wing, with more are waiting their turns.
“The word is getting out,” he said. “We’ve had a good representation from the entire city with
an Air Force veteran, was with his son, Daniel Weimer IV, who is working on his aviation merit badge. Weimer said he’s proud of his son for taking such a deep academic interest in flying.
“He is all about this. He’s read all the books and he knows more about planes than me,” Weimer said.
The younger Weimer said he came to an airshow at the Lakefront Airport and he’s been in love with flying for years.
“Since humans can’t fly and planes are as close as we can get, it’s almost magical,” he said.
Chad Angel, who also is pursuing his aviation merit badge, said there was a lot of science and physics in the early morning part of the program.
Last week’s edition contained incorrect information for Jessica Waguespack, one of 11 community activists honored at a New Orleans luncheon by the St. Elizabeth’s Guild, which supports the children’s programs serviced by Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. Here is the correct information: Jessica Waguespack co-chaired the auction, book fairs, and the graduation committee at Stuart Hall School for Boys, where she received the Spirit of Stuart Hall
Waguespack
Award. At Jesuit High School, she was the first woman to serve as chair of the Parents’ Annual Giving Drive, which set a fundraising record. She continues to serve on PAG. Waguespack is on the Board of Trustees for the East Jefferson General Hospital Foundation and the Spirit of Charity Foundation. In 2024 she cochaired Children’s Hospital New Orleans Sugarplum Ball, which raised a record-breaking $2.3 million.
PETS
Continued from page 1G
they break up into pieces, which can cause a blockage of the pulmonary vessels and can result in death.
Because of this risk, a dog must be confined and kept calm and quiet for the duration of the treatment, and then for an additional period of time afterward. This can be quite challenging for a young, energetic pup. Unfortunately for cats, there isn’t really a treatment outside of open-heart surgery, so a heartworm diagnosis is a death sentence. How can heartworms be prevented?: Prevention is easy and inexpensive. There are several options such as monthly pills, monthly topicals administered to the skin, and six-month injectables. Talk to a veterinarian to see which preventative is right for your pet.
Do pets need heartworm preventative in winter?: Year-round prevention is critical here in Louisiana since the threat is always present. Many preventatives also include protection for other intestinal parasites such as roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms, so there are multiple benefits.
Can a dog get heartworms more than
once?: Yes, they can. This is why ongoing, year-round prevention is so important. Once a dog has been treated, he will need to stay on preventatives so that he is not infected again. Otherwise, treatment will need to start over Should I adopt a heartworm positive dog?: Absolutely It is very common for shelter dogs to have heartworms. It’s perfectly fine to adopt a dog with heartworms, but the adopter must be committed to having the disease treated properly Some rescues and shelters offer assistance with treatment. For example, at ARNO, if a dog is heartworm positive at the time of adoption, the treatment will be included through ARNO. Heartworm disease is curable in dogs, and once treated, most of them go on to live full, healthy lives. My dog, Ponyboy, went through heartworm treatment when he was about a year old after being rescued off the street. He went on to live a full, happy life for over a decade after treatment.
Traci D. Howerton is the volunteer manager for Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO), a nonprofit, volunteer-based, no-kill shelter. For more information on ARNO, visit www.animalrescueneworleans. org.
PET OF THE WEEK
troops from the West Bank, New Orleans East and Uptown More are scheduled this year.”
A highlight includes a trip to the air control tower to watch federal air traffic controllers communicate with pilots and manage the airspace. Some Scouts thought this was the best part of the day
“This is so cool because I can see everything that’s going on from up here,” said Joseph Wilensky as he used a pair of binoculars to watch an airplane taxi down the runway
Daniel Weimer III, assistant scoutmaster for Troop 45 and
“We talked about the four forces on an airplane: lift, drag, gravity and thrust,” said Chad. “They all have to be equal and in balance or you’ll hit the ground.”
Blaise said there’s a lot of work to do before pilots are cleared for takeoff.
“We learned the importance of a preflight check,” Blaise said. “We had to do things like check the fuel to make sure there wasn’t any water in it and check the flaps to make sure they are working correctly.”
For more information, visit www.bigeasywing.org.
hound mix with a charismatic personality and the looks to go with it. He’s good with dogs and kids, and is housebroken and crate trained. He loves running around at the dog park and playing with toys. To learn more, email adopt@animalrescueneworleans.org
Joseph Wilensky watches from the flight control tower as a plane taxis down the runway.
PHOTOS BY ROBERT S. WOLF
Joseph Wilensky, foreground, and Chad Angel stand on the observation deck of the flight control tower at New Orleans Lakefront Airport
FILE PHOTO BY ELIOT KAMENITZ
Dogs being treated for heartworms must be kept calm and still
Snap decision
Learn the basics of photography at a guided photo walk on May 10
BY JANE LEGROS Contributing writer
The New Orleans Public Library is teaming with photographer Natasha Sanchez to host a neighborhood photo walk on May 10, starting at Nix Library at 10:30 a.m.
Attendees will take a guided walk around the Riverbend neighborhood while learning photography and composition basics. Spots are limited; visit events.nolalibrary org to sign up. Participants should bring a phone or digital camera to take photos, but a limited number of disposable cameras are available to those without
The library is located at 1401 S Carrollton Ave.
NAAPI STORYTIMES: May is National Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the library is celebrating with a number of AAPI-focused storytimes. Designed for children from birth to age 5 and their caregivers, AAPI Heritage Month Storytimes will feature books, songs, activities, and more.
n East New Orleans Regional Library 5641 Read Blvd., 5-6 p.m. May 6
n Mid-City Library, 4140 Canal St., 10:3011:30 a.m. May 8
n Robert E Smith Library, 6301 Canal Blvd., 10:30-11:30 a.m. May 27
n Central City Library, 2020 Jackson Ave., 10:30-11:30 a.m. May 28
For recommendations on what to read watch or listen to this May, visit nolalibrary.org or stop by any library location
EARLY LITERACY: Children age 2-5 and their caregivers can practice developing their early literacy skills at “Journey to Outer Space: An Early Literacy Adventure” from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on May 9 at Rosa F. Keller
Library & Community Center
Photo walk participants should bring a phone or digital camera.
Ketut
Subiyanto via Pexels
This space-themed program will feature crafts, hands-on activities, and snacks. The library is located at 4300 S. Broad St
MAKE A BOOK: Want to design and publish your own book? The library is hosting a self-publishing workshop with Paper Machine at East New Orleans Regional Library, 5641 Read Blvd., from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on May 12.
The workshop will cover the steps to self-publish your project, including text and image sequence, book layout, and cover design.
Located in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, Paper Machine is Antenna’s digital bookbindery and print shop. Antenna is a nonprofit multidisciplinary cultural institution supporting artists and writers to contextualize contemporary life, and create cultural capital and societal change through their work.
AUTHOR TALK: Local author and history professor Marc Landry will visit Hubbell Library, 725 Pelican Ave., on May 13 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. for an author night and book talk about his “Mountain Battery: The Alps, Water and Power in the Fossil Fuel Age.”
The book details how dam-building in the 19th and 20th centuries transformed Alpine water into “white coal,” a fossil fuel alternative that served as Europe’s “battery” and has now reemerged in the age of global warming and green energy
GROWING SMALL: Gardening in a small space can be beautiful and productive. Learn how to get the most out of small spaces by utilizing creative containers, successive cropping, and dwarfed varieties at Keller Library & Community Center on May 14 at 5:30 p.m.
The workshop, at 4300 S. Broad St., will be led by Master Gardener Dov Block.
Jane LeGros is the director of marketing and communications for the New Orleans Public Library
East Jefferson Hospital Auxiliary recognizes scholarship recipients
East Jefferson General Hospital Auxiliary
welcomed several nurses whose education and
PHOTO
The
recently held its general meeting and
certification journeys were made possible through auxiliary funding Pictured from left are Debbie Schmitz, Auxiliary president; Ruby Brewer, CNO; Greg Nielsen, CEO; Jessica Dauterive, Dr Brandon Mauldin; Megan Brathberry; Barbara Carson; Megan Kruse; Jason Huling; Jean Sconza, senior director of patient safety and quality; and Scott Hunter, AVP, Nursing
PROVIDED PHOTO
The winners of the April artist of the month competition at the Westbank Art Guild are, from left, Glinda Schafer, ‘Happy Trails,’ first place; Wayne Himel, ‘Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop,’ second place; and Penny Baker, ‘Walking to the Ferry,’ third place.
Four local writers share their new fantasy books
Four local romance/paranormal
writers — Dawn Chartier, Alys Arden, Gillian Zane and D.M.
Bourgeois — will discuss their new books at 7 p.m. May 12 at the East Bank Regional Library 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie
In Cartier’s “The Fallen Guardian,” Gracyn James has made vengeance her life’s mission Haunted by the murder of her family members, she survives on the streets with The Inciters, a vigilante group. But her ultimate goal remains elusive:
finding her father and uncovering why he destroyed her world. When a deadly encounter with the seductive Angel of Death leaves her faction annihilated, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance.
Arden, who has been hailed as “the Anne Rice of the text message generation,” offers “The Gates of Guinee, the fourth in her Casquette Girls series, which has garnered a cult following worldwide It picks up where the third book left off, with Macalister LeMoyne held hostage by the
Supernatural delight
Ghost Drinkers’ coven and Adele willing to risk it all to save her father even if it means opening a portal to the Voodoo Afterworld to hunt down the spirit of one of the greatest witches who ever lived
Zane’s “SHTF,” part of her NOLA Zombie series, opens on Friday night in New Orleans. Former Marine Tim “Romeo” Voiter has the night off, and he’s looking forward to spending it with his buddy, Lucas Martinez The two try to ignore the emergency broadcasts about the spreading iKPV virus, but Voiter comes face to face with what the iKPV-infected really look like and it is not like any infection he’s encountered before.
“Edge of Reality,” the latest by Bourgeois, finds Carsyn Trahan carjacked, abducted, shot and left for dead. She gets help from an unlikely source, and together they go on a journey to discover the truth about what the assailants want: They believe she has something of value and will stop at nothing to get it back.
BOOK TALKS: Two local authors
Constance Adler and Teresa Tumminello Brader — will discuss their new books at 7 p.m. May 20 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.
“Sight Unseen,” Adler’s novel, follows three characters in New Orleans: Claire, a photographer; her husband, Simon, who runs a plant nursery; and their dog Hank, the middleman. The story opens in May 1995, on the night of a terrific flood. Amid the ruin, the couple also grapples with conflicting desires around parenthood.
Brader’s “Secret Keepers,” a followup to her New Orleans memoir “Letting In Air and Light,” expands the question of whether we can ever truly know our loved ones. The collection of characterdriven short stories delves into romantic and family relationships — some fractured, some fragile, all troubled by mysteries for which there may be no clear answers.
AUTHOR TALK: Author Peter Wolf will discuss his latest book, “The Etruscans and the Jews, New Orleans
Echoes, Sardinian Shadows, Roman Shame,” at 7 p.m. May 12, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The book proposes never before recognized links between the culturally vibrant Etruscan people and long-forgotten Jewish communities. No one has previously suggested an enduring and intimate link between these two dynamic cultures. It’s written as an adventure story
GENEALOGY: Special collections librarian Gwen Kelley focuses on how to research military records at 7 p.m. May 14 at a genealogy talk at the East Bank Regional Library 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.
The next lecture in the series, on researching immigration records, occurs at 7 p.m. May 21 at EBR.
ABOUT JACKSON BARRACKS: Beverly Boyko, director of the Jackson Barracks Museum, will talk about the museum and archives at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at the Old Metairie Library 2350 Metairie Road.
This program occurs as part of the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Jefferson Genealogical Society
COMPUTER CLASSES: Here are the options on both sides of the river: East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.
n JPL Digital Content —
Staff report
The New Orleans Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. hosted the recent Enchanted Garden Experience at the Arbor Room at Popp Fountain in City Park. Darryl Forges, morning anchor for WDSU-TV, and Damon Singleton, former WDSU meteorologist, served as emcees.
The event raised funds for the Jack and Jill of America Foundation and local nonprofits Hotel Hope, Covenant House and the North Rampart Community Center In honor of one of the New Orleans chapter’s members, Ann Coxen Mitch-
ell, members raised funds to benefit students who attend local HBCU institutions Xavier University, Southern University at New Orleans and Dillard University Founded in 1938, Jack and Jill of America Inc. is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of children and families in the broader New Orleans community. The organization is a group of mothers focused on fostering future leaders by enriching the lives of children aged 2 to 19 through chapter activities, community engagement, advocacy and charitable endeavors. The New Orleans chapter, one of seven chapters in Louisiana, is led by President Tonya Johnson.
Jack and Jill of America New Orleans Chapter hosts fundraiser
PROVIDED PHOTO
Attending the Enchanted Garden Experience are, from left, Dana Labat, parliamentarian; Jenine Dabon, vice president; Tonya Johnson, president; and Claire Bradley, protocol chair
