BestOfSwla Up Front Archives

Up Front »

Creole Trail Rides

Brad Goins November 7, 2019 Comments Off

In an article she prepared for the latest issue of 64 Parishes, author Zella Palmer described a recent gathering of Southwest Louisiana Creole trail riders that took place in the West Cal Arena in

Miss Teen America Is Westlake Resident

Brad Goins October 17, 2019 Comments Off

Jillian Elliott of Westlake was recently crowned Miss Teen America 2019. Elliott is a senior at Westlake High School, where she serves as captain of the Cheer Squad and president of the Mayor’s Youth

Local photographer and writer Gary Waggoner has just published a hardbound “photo journal” titled Historical Cemeteries Of Imperial Calcasieu. Unless you have a really big thing for cemeteries, you’ll be most likely to value

Happy Birthday, Mom

Brad Goins September 19, 2019 Comments Off

Here’s a photo of my mother Margie Schrader enjoying a cupcake with lots of pink icing at a recent birthday party. She’d just turned 88. The Up Fronter also sends a big shout-out to

The Progress Of Jeanie, The Hero Dog

Brad Goins September 5, 2019 Comments Off

For a few years now, Lagniappe has been following the saga of “local canine hero” Jeanie The Three-Legged Dog. There’s a book about her. She frequently appears on various media venues around the country.

Good-Bye Marty Bee

Brad Goins August 15, 2019 Comments Off

The recent death of local artist Marty Bee no doubt had many locals thinking about the numerous funny cartoons he produced. One I thought was especially hilarious skewered the trend of steampunk. Bee drew

Louisiana’s Cat Man

Brad Goins August 5, 2019 Comments Off

Sins of a Cajun Boy: The Legendary Story of Louisiana’s Famous Cat Man is a new autobiography that tells the story of master burglar Danny Singleton, who began his criminal career as a youth

Lake Charles’ New Mural

Brad Goins July 19, 2019 Comments Off

Luke Saucier spends a lot of his time in the headquarters for his company Southern Janicorp, which is located in a building at 1800 Kirkman St. The north exterior wall of the building is

A Satisfying Listen

Brad Goins July 8, 2019 Comments Off

Local jazz violinist Jairus Daigle just dropped his new CD EnMotion. Let’s take a look at it. I’m not sure whether Daigle is trying to blend light classical melodies with jazz or is just

New Book From Reeser

Brad Goins June 20, 2019 Comments Off

Local poet Jennifer Reeser, who is a graduate of McNeese’s renowned MFA poetry program, has just published a new collection of her verse that’s titled Indigenous. The title is likely a reference to