They come for the exercise. They stay for the friendship. The Busy Bodies senior exercise class has been a fixture at BREC’s Independence Park for more than 20 years, and in the community for even longer. Three times a week, 30 or so women — the class is open to men, but … Continue reading →

Snuggling up to a child and reading a story can be one of the most rewarding times of the day for a parent or grandparent. A string of studies shows benefits of reading aloud to children, especially if their questions are answered and the stories discussed. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends daily reading … Continue reading →

QUIZ TAKER: Gordy Rush, 43, vice president/ market manager of Guaranty Broadcasting Co. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO: “Talk 107.3, 104.5 ESPN, 100.7 the Tiger, Eagle 98.1 and Country Legends 104.9.” WHAT I’M READING: “The Bible, Dr. Seuss (to my kids) and Fortune and … Continue reading →

Baton Rouge native and filmmaker Lawrence Cumbo’s special “Man-Eating Super Croc” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday on Animal Planet (cable Channel 52). The special, which Cumbo produced and shot in the Philippines, chronicles how villagers in Mindanao captured alive a world-record 21-foot crocodile named Lolong who terrorized them, killing a young girl and a fisherman. In … Continue reading →

Eighth-grade English teachers at Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School are using a novel approach to teach their unit on novels. The teachers are using “zines,” or noncommercial magazines created by the students, to connect the issues and characters in the novels to their lives. The teachers ­— Debra Hale, Alesha Cavanaugh, Monica Kimbrough and … Continue reading →

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY GRADUATION: Andrew Luke Hargroder graduated with a B.A. in history on May 13 at Hampden-Sydney (Va.) College. A graduate of Episcopal High School, he is the son of Dr. Faith Hansbrough and Dr. Andrew G. Hargroder, both of Baton Rouge. HUNTINGTON GRADUATION: Thad Goff, of Hammond, earned a B.A. … Continue reading →

NAME: Terri Blackwell LeBlanc AGE: “Is 50 really the new 40? If so, then I’m 46!” OCCUPATION: Retired teacher/on-the-go wife/mom/community volunteer Tell us about what you’re wearing. “A Jovani … Continue reading →

Barbara Swain led a tour for members and guests: Bonnie Belleau, Joan and Frank Clark, Barbara and Don Delaville, Bruce Hammatt, Maxine and Bobby Jones, Brenda and Randy Macon, Ela Mendrela, Patty Nolan, Nelda and Joe Parker, Barbara Sims and Brenda Schexnayder. Continue reading →

Bluesy 21-year-old crooner Phillip Phillips, of Leesburg, Ga., and 16-year-old balladeer Jessica Sanchez, of San Diego, will face off Tuesday night for the “American Idol” season 11 title and the show’s record-deal grand prize. The winner will be named on Wednesday night. Louisiana supporters of “American Idol” contestant Joshua Ledet said they are feeling more … Continue reading →

A New Jersey woman was in the news earlier this month, first for being accused of taking her young daughter into a tanning bed and secondly for her own extremely — extremely — tanned appearance. The photos of Patricia Krentcil, of Newark, N.J., that appeared in newspapers and on TV were riveting. Is that what … Continue reading →

Happy birthday! The East Baton Rouge Parish Jones Creek Regional Branch Library celebrates 22 years of service to the Baton Rouge community. WHAT: There will be a weeklong Open House with special family programs, displays and presentations. WHEN: Monday through Saturday. Continue reading →

Almost everyone who works has to commute, and for many, that is a significant part of the workday. Thousands of people who either live or work in East Baton Rouge Parish drive 80 or more miles round trip each day. If that describes you, The Advocate would like to hear from you. How … Continue reading →

Of all of her 78 birthdays, the one Dr. Judy Roheim says she will never forget is the day she turned 11 in December 1944. On that birthday, Nazis took away her mother and three aunts leaving her and a cousin with their two grandmothers. “Memories are like print,” Roheim said. “Some are deeper and … Continue reading →

This week, the Louisiana Public Service Commission takes up the weighty matter of telephone books. Will customers be allowed to opt for hearing that familiar “thump” in the driveway? At our house, we’ll be opting to continue receiving the phone book, the one with the telephone numbers. If my wife had the lone vote, … Continue reading →

When I looked back over the events of the past week a theme seemed to emerge and it has to do with children and the future. And perhaps no event did that better than the “Light Up the Night” gala unveiling the new Woman’s Hospital, held appropriately on the eve of Mother’s Day.

Volunteer opportunities, provided by Volunteer! United (formerly Volunteer! Baton Rouge), are outlined in this column every Sunday. To learn more about these opportunities, contact the listed agency directly. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, Capital Area CASA — Emily Hebert, (225) 379-8598: Capital Area CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Association is a nonprofit organization … Continue reading →

HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region II Inc. will hold the 29th annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial: “Promoting Health and Dignity Together” at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at A.Z. Young Park, across from the Louisiana State Capitol. There will be a candlelight vigil, memorial walk, free HIV testing, free food and entertainment and speakers. For more … Continue reading →

The Baton Rouge Assembly will present 16 debutantes at its annual ball Nov. 23 at the Baton Rouge River Center. The debutantes will be introduced to wives of Assembly members and their guests at a tea Wednesday at the Baton Rouge Country Club. The 2012 debutantes are Frances Klein Biedenharn, daughter of Carol Stewart Albritton Biedenharn, … Continue reading →

Catherine Briley, of Grand Prairie, took home $31,000 from the annual Teen Tournament of “Jeopardy!,” which aired earlier this month. Briley, who’s graduating from Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte on Sunday, finished third in the final round, after being chosen as one of 15 teens from across the country to compete in the two-part series … Continue reading →

Young girls often view their moms as superheroes, as wonder women who fight night monsters in the closet and serve awesome breakfasts the next morning. The daughters may never see their mothers’ super powers in real-time action, but there is little doubt they exist. Growing up as an only child in Florida, first-year LSU softball head coach … Continue reading →

Start looking for tropicals and near tropicals for your summer garden. Then, put them in the garden. Louisiana Red, a copper plant, has dark red foliage on a vigorously growing plant. Other new copper plant varieties include Bronze, Beyond Paradise, Bourbon Street and Swizzle Scissors. Other plants to consider for summer include durantas, princess flowers … Continue reading →

I’m not sure how many high school seniors are getting writing pens for graduation presents this commencement season, but I suspect that few of them will. Even when I got a writing pen or two for my own high school graduation 30 years ago, the custom was already starting to seem a little quaint. We were becoming … Continue reading →

Tony Mazza, much like other LSU students, takes notes from class lectures, turns in his homework assignments and crams before midterms, balancing school work with his job and social life. The difference: Mazza does it all 1,100 miles from Baton Rouge and his balancing act is a daily fight with cancer. The 28-year-old Pennsylvania native was … Continue reading →

A boy in the audience at The Dufrocq School Wednesday morning slapped his legs in joy at the list of prizes some of his schoolmates had won. Ashlee Bordelon’s third-grade class had just performed the song and dance number that won them $1,500 in prizes from the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning’s Classroom Musical Contest. Continue reading →

On a recent Thursday evening in the Dance by Trudie studio on Millerville Road diminutive dancers skipped or strolled in alongside their parents for the 3-year-olds’ dance class. Their teacher, Trudie Osterberger, sported a shiny tiara in her hair, a pre-celebratory touch for her birthday that fell on Mother’s Day this year. Continue reading →

Each week The Advocate asks a different "quiz taker" for his or her current favorites in pop culture. QUIZ TAKER: Johnny Jones, 51, head coach of the LSU men's basketball team. WHAT I'M LISTENING TO: "Jazz, R&B and country music." WHAT I'M READING: "A variety of books, including self-help books, and The Advocate." WHAT I'M WATCHING: "ESPN and CNN." WHERE I'M SURFING (ON THE INTERNET):
"http://www.theadvocate.com … Continue reading →

Almost everyone who works has to commute, and for many, that is a significant part of the workday. Thousands of people who either live and work in East Baton Rouge Parish drive 80 or more miles round trip each day. If that describes you, The Advocate would like to hear from you. How difficult is your commute? … Continue reading →

The Louisiana Bonsai Society held its Spring Bonsai Show April 14-15 at the Baton Rouge Garden Center. Howard Merrill was the show chairman. There was a large variety of bonsai displayed by club members. Jim VanLandingham, a bonsai expert employed by Old Florida … Continue reading →

Northeast High School teacher Monica Dunn, of Pride, will appear on “LIVE! with Kelly” on Wednesday. The career and technical education instructor is one of five finalists for “LIVE!’s” 2012 Top Teacher. Dunn, initially chosen as one of 12 semifinalists, was nominated by a former student, a fellow teacher, the assistant principal and others. Following … Continue reading →

Back in Los Angeles after a whirlwind weekend in his hometown of Westlake, “American Idol” contestant Joshua Ledet will compete for a spot in next week’s finals at 7 p.m. Wednesday on WGMB, Channel 44 (cable Channel 6). Ledet and the other two finalists — Jessica Sanchez of San Diego, Calif.; and Phillip Phillips, of Leesburg, Ga. … Continue reading →

It was preordained that Debbie and Gerry Corbo would have a pond in their backyard. “Watching the children come down the hill on ‘slippy slides’ gave me the idea for a water feature, a meandering stream that started near the top of the hill,” Debbie Corbo said. What … Continue reading →

SIBLEY COMPLETES BASIC: Army Pvt. Michael M. Sibley has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Sibley is the brother of Shavette Allen, of Baton Rouge, and is a 2010 graduate of Capitol High School. HIGGINBOTHAM COMPLETES BASIC: Marine Corps Pfc. Thunder R. Higginbotham, son … Continue reading →

Pennington Biomedical Research Center has launched a fundraising campaign for its Institute for Dementia Research and Prevention (IDRP). “Making Memories: A Challenge Campaign for Dementia Research” is in response to a nearly half-million-dollar leadership investment from the Charles Lamar family, according to a news release from Pennington. … Continue reading →

NAME: Kelly Finan AGE: 36 OCCUPATION: Colorectal surgeon and chief medical information officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Tell us about what you’re wearing. Continue reading →

The Baton Rouge Christian Women’s Connection held a spring vendor show April 10 at the Oak Lodge Reception Center. Vendors included Si Kora with Kora, Grezaffi and Associates; Wendy Lutgring with Ideal Protein, Kathy Hebert with Premier Designs High Fashion, Ruby Morrow with … Continue reading →

Bright colors for both day and night ruled the runways at two recent style shows. Lace, ruffles and pleats along with citrus hues, floral prints and flowy tops made for a definite feminine flair at the Mad Hatter’s Luncheon, which showcased fashions from Dillard’s. Other summer must-haves include colored denim, maxi-length skirts and dresses, … Continue reading →

The diary of Martha Turnbull, 19th-century home gardener and mistress of Rosedown Plantation, deserves a place on the bookshelf with better-known diarists, says Mac Griswold, a landscape historian and author of “Washington’s Gardens at Mount Vernon.” “Especially great women diarists who wrote in code over a long stretch of time,” Griswold says. By code, … Continue reading →

Mildred Ann Bonnette Cullen, my mother, has been the subject of a few stories since I began talking to myself in the newspaper. Mildred was a comedian and a wild child. I knew her comedy act from daily observance. My grandmother, aunts and uncles had their favorite stories about my mother’s free spirit. She … Continue reading →

The Charity Ball Association of Baton Rouge will present 16 young women at its annual Le Bal de Noel Dec. 29. The 2012 debutantes will be honored Wednesday at a French picnic at the home of Dr. Chris and Anne McCanless. Debutantes are Suzanne Wakeman Bailey, daughter of Lionel and Lauren Bailey; Emily Brent Bankston, daughter of … Continue reading →

Wow! What a week. Several of the city's most-anticipated spring events and one that's sure to make that list were packed into two days of non-stop fun. ‘Dancing with Big Buddy' "You've left Inspector Clouseau speechless!" proclaimed judge Sid "Go-Go" Gautreaux of the fox trot by Star Dancer Kristie Genzer, Ochsner vice president of operations, and her professional partner, Brandon Wisner from … Continue reading →

Alzheimer's Services Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area, 3772 North Blvd., will hold the following events this week: Caregiver network groups for caregivers and families of people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia will meet from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday at Iberville Parish Library, 24605 J. Gerald Berret Blvd., Plaquemine; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday at Denham Springs/Walker Library, … Continue reading →

Volunteer opportunities, provided by Volunteer! United (formerly Volunteer! Baton Rouge), are outlined in this column every Sunday. To learn more about these opportunities, contact the listed agency directly. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge — (225) 755-4986: Volunteer opportunities are available in the surgery waiting room, front information desk, and patient … Continue reading →

EVENT: Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s Sunday in the Park. DATE: Sunday. TIME: Noon to 3 p.m. PLACE: Town Square, off North Boulevard. DETAILS: 484 South Band, a band from the Mississippi Delta that plays southern rock and roots music, will perform the free concert. There will also be … Continue reading →

Mid- to late spring is when we start seeing tropical-like plants take off and start growing as we enter our warmest time of year. Instead of summer being a “down time” in the landscape, you can use these plants to enhance your warm-season efforts. When you get beyond gingers, tropical hibiscus and a few others, most folks … Continue reading →