The Forum, December 10, 2014 - January 6, 2015 Vol. XXVII, Issue VIII
NEW AND CHANGING BUSINESSES AMP UP VENTURES FOR LOCAL CONSUMERS, RESIDENTS.

Here’s to 25 More Years
Aging is a beautiful thing. A bit confusing at times, but beautiful none the less. So much insight, and eventually, patience, comes with maturity. I’m not sure if it is just you are older and calmer, or have more experience and knowledge, but your approach to life does change.

'The Cynic'
My friend was upset with “howto-succeed” articles because they said work for it..

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Williams takes top title
“The school serves as source of pride in our community; and indeed, I am proud to be a part of its founding and to be instrumental in its management,” Williams said. “This accomplishment will certainly serve as a catalyst for education in Caddo Parish for decades to come.

Business Briefs
• At its November board meeting, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors approved the recommendation of Dr. Rick Bateman Jr. as the interim chancellor of Bossier Parish Community College, effective Jan. 1. Bateman serves as interim director of Northwest Louisiana Technical College.

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Self-Storage
Shreve City Self Storage is expanding its berths for RVs. As more people get into the RV hobby for pleasure or to save on trip expense, the industry has rebounded from the malaise of the U.S. recession.

Keeping Holiday Hackers at Bay
• Assume you’ve already been compromised. Whether it’s your baby monitor, your SmartTV, the Webcam on your laptop or apps you installed on your smartphone or tablet, your antivirus is not enough protection. It’s time to take those devices’ and apps’ privacy policies, and the permissions you grant them, much more seriously.

Green Parenting
Hippie Baby opened Nov. 15 in the Red River District at 450 Clyde Fant Parkway, Suite 800. “We stock several different brands of cloth diapers and several different types of cloth diapers. We also have natural baby products such as organic toys, wooden toys, organic skin care products, teething solution, lactation support and baby wearing.

biz SCENE
More than 500 people attended the Young Professionals Initiative’s 40 Under 40 Gala presented by The Forum Dec. 5 at the Riverdome..

Rick’s Records
The Shreveport native first earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology then earned a degree in marriage and family therapy. A true music-lover who served as lead singer in a band during one of his stints in academia, Colon started his business career with the late, lamented Stan’s Records at the original iconic downtown location on Texas Avenue.

Year-end review
However, you may not want to wait until the end of the year to review your financial affairs. Consider doing it during the fall so you’ll have ample time to take any corrective action before year’s end. Here’s a quick look at some of the key issues you should consider when conducting your review.

A PERSONAL TREASURE
I do notice people occasionally roll their eyes and suddenly remember they have an important meeting elsewhere when I start waxing poetic about the beauty and history of downtown, but I am happy that more often than not whoever I am talking to jumps in with their own set of reasons for loving downtown.

Continuing as Commissioner
When I announced for re-election, I said I would run on my record. Since my first election to the PSC in 2002, I have personally held more than 160 town meetings throughout the 24 parishes of PSC District 5.

Finalists named for Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award
The Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award is given each year to community agencies and health organizations that support people excluded from, or underserved by, the mainstream health delivery system and individuals who don’t have the strength or means to reach a clinic or hospital.

Civic grants available to nonprofit organizations
Rotary Club of Shreveport supports the community through funding of select projects that benefit local area residents and provide opportunities for members of the club to actively participate and provide recognition of Rotary. Priorities for civic projects supported by the club include education, social services and community development.

THE END OF 2014
Another year has come and gone. This is the final column for Forum for 2014. It is unfortunate, but my deadline is before the Dec. 6 elections, so as I write this, I do not know how the final round of races came out. There are many unanswered questions at the end of what has been an interesting – and in many cases a vitriolic – election year.

Bridge Work
Understanding the critical need to rehab this span probably won’t do much to ease the aggravation of finding another route to work and dealing with significantly more traffic on Barksdale Boulevard, Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, and the Clyde Fant Parkway.

It’s about ChrIst
In December 1965, nearly 15 million viewers, or one-half of the television viewing audience, tuned in to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” It has become the longest-running cartoon special in history, but it almost was canceled before it ever was aired.

Toy Safety
As the holidays draw near, parents are making their lists and checking them twice, and for those with younger children (both naughty and nice), choosing the best toys can often mean choosing the safest toys.

Diabetes education
The American Diabetes Association’s Education Recognition Certificate means that educational programs meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self- Management Education Programs.

Healthy aging
A key part of healthier aging is preventing serious illnesses. Regular medical checkups and maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle can go a long way toward that goal.

Difficult times
(BPT) – The holidays are meant to be a joyous time. But for someone dealing with grief, celebrations can be extremely difficult. If you are grieving over a recent loss, or one that happened years ago, experts say there are things you can do to make facing the demands and the expectations of the holidays a little easier.

Dry skin
(BPT) – Are you one of the many people who suffer from excessively dry skin? For many, dry skin is worse than just a tight, itchy feeling. Often it can result in flakiness, inflammation and redness. Just when you think you have it under control, another dry patch appears on your body and has you seeking quick relief.

Suicidal Thoughts
Dr. Jason Broussard, a psychiatrist at Willis-Knighton Health System, said, “People who attempt suicide often make this decision using impaired judgment for instance, intoxication due to drugs or alcohol or mental illness. Occasionally, this is not the case, such as when someone is terminally ill and suffering from pain due to their illness.

Renee’s Race
“With pancreatic cancer, the five-year survival rate is only 6 percent. Our goal, what we’re trying to wage hope against, is to increase, to double the survival rate by the year 2020,” Jacquie Comeaux, community representative for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, said.

Food For Thought
(BPT) – If you make New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone. About half of Americans make special goals for each new year, according to University of Scranton research. Unfortunately, you’re also not alone if you break them, as only 8 percent of people are successful in achieving their resolution.

Healthy Geezer
[Warnings: Taking high doses of fish oil can be dangerous. Always check with your doctor before changing your intake of foods or supplements.] You get fish oil from eating fish (surprise) or by taking supplements made from oily fish.

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Perfection in Provenance
five-bed, three-bath home sits at 3,825 square-foot under roof, and is nestled in the traditional neighborhood development of Provenance in South Shreveport. The traditional neighborhood is reminiscent of yesterday’s small towns with a strong sense of community.

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TALK of the TOWN
City. 841-5646. 5 to10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Drew Ley, Tuesdays and Fridays; Winston Hall, Wednesdays; Winston Hall with Chris Allen, Thursdays. On Saturdays (rotation) Sam Halphen, Chris McAa Professor Porkchop, Steve Ramey.

Complement to the City
Downtown Shreveport is about to be transformed on a level that few would have imagined possible. The former YWCA building on Travis Street, vacant for the past 10 years, is the new home and headquarters for internationally renowned Marlene Tseng Yu and her family’s Rainforest Art Foundation.

A Love of Arts
“We’ve been together for five years. Vela Nora is how we communicate, express ourselves and solve problems together,” Lindsay, 24, said. “We put our hearts into what we do, and you can definitely see that in our work. No matter what’s going on, we can always sit down and write a few words or brainstorm together.

The Tavern’s Legacy
Set to have a grand re-opening in the coming month, new owner Eric Johnson said it was the support of their loyal customers that made this the best decision. Johnson, who has been with the establishment for 12 years, said his first phone call after deciding to take over was to Lee Slack, the tavern’s previous head bartender.

The American da Vinci
s the son of an Air Force officer, Mike Torma moved around a large amount, beginning in rural Alabama. As such it was a logical progression for him to enter the service himself. He enjoyed a successful joint medical and military career in the U.S. Air Force from 1967 until 1992.

On the Scene
Taste of Shreveport:.