Advocate file photo by JOHN OUBRE
It's a celebration! May 13, 2011
Southern University's College of Business 2011 graduates toss sparkled confetti in the air as their college's name is called to be presented with their diplomas. The celebration was all part of spring commemcement exercises at the F.G. Clark Activity Center on Friday.

Advocate file photo by GUY REYNOLDS
Pro golfer in the making, May 10, 1989
David Toms played golf for Louisiana State University and turned pro in 1989. Toms went on to have 13 PGA Tour wins. He won the PGA Tour Championship in 2001. Toms recently competed in the Zurich Golf Classic in New Orleans. Toms created the David Toms Foundation which helps underprivleged, abused and abandoned children. He also owns a golf course designing business.

Advocate file photo by Bryan Tuck
Nesting, May 3, 2004
An egret watching over a chick in its nest in a rookery at Lake Martin. Expert guides provide boat tours of Lake Martin which is one of the top bird watching spots in the United States.

Advocate file photo by BILL FEIG
Testing the water, April 30, 1990:
LSU's new mascot, Mike V, takes a plunge in his new home on Monday. Mike V replaced Mike IV who after 14 years of being LSU's mascot, retired to the Greater Baton Rouge Zoo. Mike V was 6 1/2 months old, 125 pounds when he became the new mascot. Mike V died in May 2007.

Advocate file photo by STAN ALOST
Birthday music for Capitol, April 20, 1982
The glitter of horns and the downbeat of music filled the Capitol grounds as members of the Southern University Marching Band played for the Legislature and visitors at the the Monday rededication of the State Capitol, now celebrating its 50th year of existence. One improvisational band member, above, found a fellow bandsman's back the perfect spot to tape his musical score.

Advocate file photo by MARK SALTZ
April showers, April 12, 1997:
A lightning bolt flashes across the sky early Saturday morning above the Interstate 10 Bridge across the Mississippi River as a thunderstorm moves through the area. The National Weather Service reported nearly 2 inches of rainfall in Baton Rouge early Sunday.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN WILLIAMS
Searching for higher ground, April 9, 1983
Livestock search for higher ground off South Tiger Bend Road after the area was flooded from heavy rains in April 1983. Tiger Bend and Hoo Shoo roads became a series of canals from the floodwaters. Denham Springs received the most flooding where only street signs marked the streets.

Advocate staff photo by KEN ARMSTRONG
Eggs in a tree, March 12, 1978
A handmade Easter egg tree for her granddaughter, Christina Ann Edmonds, shown above, was truly a labor of love for Mrs. Franklin W. Stokely, with whom the child resides. Using a regular Christmas tree that she sprayed white, Mrs. Stokely made the eggs from styrofoam balls, adding sequins, beads and any number of decorations. She put a bird's nest on the tree, made panoramic scenes of some of the eggs, put a fluffy rabbit on top. It took her four months to make the tree, under which Christina's basket will be left on Easter day. Christina will be three in May.

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING
LSU chalks it up, March 26, 2011
Internationally renowned street artist Lori Escalera, background, of North San Diego County, Calif., works Saturday on her chalk drawing of three Louisiana musicians, giving tips to Santiago Pineda, an LSU School of Art graduate student from Bogota, Colombia, who was trying his hand at the chalk medium with her near the LSU Student Union. Escalera was commissioned to do the piece in support of 'Groovin' on the Grounds,' LSU's annual music festival, held later Saturday on the LSU Parade Ground. The musicians' portraits are, front to back, those of Nellie Lutcher, Clifton Chenier and 'Dr. John,' born John 'Mac' Rebennack Jr.

Advocate staff photo by LIZ CONDO
Beginning of the road to the Final Four, March 15, 2006
LSU guard Darrel Mitchell greeting fans as the Tigers come out on the court for practice at the Veteran's Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The Tigers participated in the NCAA tournament opener against Iona. LSU beat Iona 80-64. LSU eventually beat No. 1 Duke and made it to the Final Four where they lost to UCLA 59-45.

Advocate staff photo by GARY HUNTER
Mmmmmmmm! March 7, 1986
Events such as crawfish peeling by the pound and crawfish races are part of the Crawfish Festival in Breaux Bridge. This year's festival will be held May 4, 5 and 6. Bands performing include Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys and Geno Delafose & French Rockiní Boogie.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG
Celebrating 75 years of Girl Scouts, Feb. 27, 1987
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Girl Scouts, Janice Carpenter gathered vintage uniforms from area residents for the Audubon Council's annual meeting. Modeling Girl Scout uniforms of yesterday and twenty-years ago are, from left, kneeling, Marny McEuen, Benita Wong and Annie Duvic; from left standing, Melinda McEuen, Sally McEuen, Deborah August and Patricia Duvic

State-Times photo by VILL VEGA
Washington Mardi Gras
The Louisiana delegation staged its annual Mardi Gras ball at the nation's capital. Baton Rougean king W.H. (Bill) LeBlanc Jr., king, is pictured being greeted by the President of the United States and Mrs. Gerald Ford. At left is Miss Southern University, Betty Reese, and at far right is Miss Carla Powers of Minden. Between Mrs. Ford and Miss Powers is a princess.

Advocate staff photo by STEPHAN SAVOIA
Bishop Stanley Ott of the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, center, and House Speaker Pro Tem Joe Delpit, D-Baton Rouge, right, look on as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India speaks about the importance of life, especially that of unborn children, in a brief appearance before the state House of Representatives during a visit to Baton Rouge. The 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner was in town to establish a home for four nuns from her Missionaries of Charity order to assist those in need in the Baton Rouge area. Stationed at St. Agnes convent, the mission house was the 16th of it's kind in the United States by the order. Photo taken on Thursday, June 27, 1985 by staff photographer Stephan Savoia

Advocate staff photo by LORI WASELCHUK
Fabio sweeps local fans off feet, Feb. 1, 1994
Annette Kelly grins for a picture as Italian actor Fabio gives her a squeeze. Fabio met fans at Maison Blanche in Cortana Mall to promote his fragrance. Some fans waited in line for six hours to meet the actor. Fabio greeted each of his fans with a grin, most with a hug and swept a few off the floor for pictures.

Advocate staff photo by JILL SNYDER
Lunar eclipse, Jan. 20, 2000
The full moon moves into the Earth's shadow about 9:25 p.m. Thursday on its way toward total eclipse at 10:05 p.m. Photographed from near the foot of the statue of Huey Long at the state Capitol, the eclipse became unusually dramatic because the moon took on a reddish tint. The total eclipse was to end about 11:22 p.m. The next one occured in North America in May 2003.

Advocate staff photo by STEPHAN SAVOIA
In the Heat of the Night, Jan. 22, 1988
On the set of "In the Heat of the Night" in Hammond, director David Hemmings, center, talks with Howard Rollins, left, and Carroll O'Connor. The first season of the series was filmed in Hammond. Filmed from 1988 to 1995, the series took place in a fictionalized version of Sparta, Mississippi. Howard Rollins died in December 1996. Carroll O'Connor died in June 2001.

Advocate staff photo by ART KLEINER
Broadcast journalism with Andrea Clesi, Jan. 18, 1982
Andrea Clesi began working in broadcast journalism as an intern for WBRZ in 1977. She was an anchor at the station from 1982 to 2007 when she retired. "It's been a fabulous, fabulous time," Clesi said in the newsroom the night she announced her retirement. "I wanted to be a news reporter since I was 10 years old, and I've been able to do that for the last 30 years." Clesi said her most memorable experience at the station was covering Hurricane Katrina.

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCK
One of these things is not like the others, Jan. 5, 1999
The black sheep in the middle of this group is actually a cat that lives in a barn on Jeffrey Faulk's family farm near Abbeville. It marches single file with four Hampshires from one side of a small field to the other. The unnamed cat spends most of its days side by side with the sheep on the rice and soybean farm, Faulk said.

Advocate staff photo by LIZ CONDO
Cascading ice, Jan. 8, 2010
A waterfall of ice cascades down the sides of the Pentagon Barracks fountain in downtown Baton Rouge. Surrounded by faded roses, the fountain continued to pump water over the ice as daytime temperatures reached the mid-30s.

Advocate staff photo by CYRSTAL LOGIUDICE
Happy New Year! December 31, 2006
Mekhi Pepp, 6, left playing with a sparkler while 5-year-old Ian Green's mother, Rosalyn Green, hands him a sparkler during the bicentennial New Year's Eve party for Donaldsonville on Sunday night. The celebrations included music, free food, party favors and a fireworks show at midnight.

Advocate staff photo by TIM MUELLER
Taking a walk, December 9, 1990
Robert Jackson and his grandson, Brandon Prater, walk through a cut canefield in Poplar Grove.

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING
Checking it twice, December 16, 2005
Five-year-old Cade Williams of Prairieville arrived list-in-hand for his visit Friday with Santa Claus at the Mall of Louisiana. Big items on the list were a Lego pirate ship, cookies from Mrs. Claus and a bell from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Children can visit Santa Claus at the mall until Christmas Eve.

Advocate staff photo by DAN HARDESTY
Pistol Pete, December 8, 1967
Pistol Pete Maravich passed a basketball behind his back as easily as he wore his trademark floppy socks.

Advocate staff photo by MICHAEL HUTTS
"Shock the Block!" November 29, 2003
Hundreds of visitors came to the State Capitol steps to view the demolition of the former state Education and Natural Resources buildings, located on opposite corners of North and North Fourth streets. The two buildings were imploded to make way for two new state office buildings.

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING
Pilgrim play a tradition, Nov. 20, 2008
Script reading Magnolia Woods Elementary School fourth graders, from left, Anthony Hawkins, Nicholas Riley, Patrick Williams, Alexis Johnson, Shedrick Young and Christen Douglas read from their scripts of the school's Thanksgiving play, "The Pilgrims' First Year."

Advocate staff photo
Tally-Ho
Mr. and Mrs. William Butler of Ponchatoula stand in front of their Tally-Ho Railroad Museum north of Ponchatoula at a plantation party marking its opening. Some 300 attended the party for Butler and his family at the old train station. The occasion also marked the unveiling of Butler's book, Down Among the Sugar Cane, a story of the relationship between the railroad and the sugar cane plantation. Originally published State-Times 11-19-1977; 7-2-1980

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCK
Sun-seekers, Oct. 21, 1999
Sun-seekers Daisies reach for the sun and sky in Eunice. The plant, native to Louisiana, blooms for about 10 weeks beginning in September. The flowers are commonly found along rural highways throughout the state.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG
Remember the time when LSU beat Alabama in Alabama - Nov. 4, 2007
Alabama coach Nick Saban, left, greets LSU coach Les Miles at midfield after LSU’s 41-34 win Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. No. 3-ranked LSU scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes to rally past No. 17 Alabama. LSU will play Alabama once again this Saturday in Alabama, which is a matchup of the first- and second-ranked teams in the nation.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN WILLIAMS
Great Pumpkin rises, Oct. 31, 1985
A hot-air balloon rises in the autumn air on Airline Highway near Sherwood Forest Boulevard as goblins and ghouls prepare for their annual outing.

Advocate staff photo by BETH KAPLAN
Fun at the fair, October 24, 2003
Kaliedoscope of color The ferris wheel and other rides turn the fairgrounds into a kaliedoscope of color during the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair. This year the fair started Oct. 27 and runs through Nov. 6. This year's events include a carnival; the Great American Petting Farm; food booths and live music.

Advocate staff photo by TIM MUELLER
The Mall of Louisiana, October 3, 1997
Building a new mall Workers putting finishing touches on the Mall of Louisiana in early October 1997. The $300 million mall opened on Oct. 29, 1997. Stores opened included 127 of the mall's 135 permanent stores. The department stores were Dillards, Maison Blanche, McRae's, J.C. Penny and Sears.

Advocate staff photo by CHARLES GERALD
Shrine Circus, October 1, 1988
Learning under the big top Manuel Medro, ringmaster/tutor Paul Niebauer, Taj Mederios, and Christine Medro, standing, go over a day's school lesson under the big top with elephants. The children and Niebauer were members of the Shrine Circus. The circus performed at the Centroplex.

Advocate staff photo by RICHARD ALAN HANNON
Striking a pose, Sept. 29, 2009
Adam Pitts, of the Photography Shoppe of Baton Rouge, photographs bride-to-be Amber Harvey in front of the Old State Capitol

Advocate staff photo by JOHN H. WILLIAMS
Harry the Crooner, Sept. 27, 1990
Harry Connick Jr. entertains the crowd at the Centroplex Theater on Sept. 26, 1990. Connick, a New Orleans native, has earned several multi-platinum and gold albums. He has also received Grammy and Emmy awards, performed on Broadway and starred in several movies. Connick began performing when he was five years old. He left New Orleans for New York when he was 18. Connick has helped the city of New Orleans with philanthropic efforts since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Advocate staff photo by KEN ARMSTRONG
Hurricane Edith strikes, September 16, 1971
A van lies toppled in the parking lot of a shopping center at Sherwood and Florida after high winds from Hurricane Edith created havoc in Baton Rouge. An ice-cream store - Baskin Robbins - was demolished; next door, people survey damage in a savings and loan. St. Thomas More Elementary and numerous homes received damage as well.

Advocate staff photo by TIM MUELLER
Barn Owl, Sept. 9, 1999
The owl has knowledge Jim Fowler points out the eating habits of the Barn Owl during a demonstration at St. Aloysius School on Sept. 9, 1999. Fowler served as co-host and later host of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. Fowler continues to educate the public about conservation. While in Baton Rouge, Fowler was also part of a fund-raising event for the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center.

Advocate staff photo by KERRY MALONEY
Frog Race, August 31, 2003
Three-year-old Anna Hebert of Lafayette sets up "Deaka" against some big competition at the 31st annual Rayne Frog Festival in Acadia Parish. "Deaka" didn't make it to the finals. Jacob Broussard's "Champion" won the race with Molly Louviere's "Michael Jackson" placing second and Chloe Sealy's "Mr. Rally " placing third.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN H. WILLIAMS
Eddie Robinson, August 24, 1997
Legend's Last Stand Eddie Robinson, Grambling State's former football coach, walks toward the Memorial Stadium steps at the end of his last Grambling State media day on Aug. 14, 1997. Robinson began his football coaching career in 1941 and ended it in 1997. Robinson coached more than 500 games, winning over 400. He won many awards including being inducted into the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Robinson died April 3, 2007.

Advocate staff photo by AURTHUR D. LAUCK
Shrimp boat returning to Lake Calcasieu, August 6, 1999
A shrimp boat makes its way through the Calcaseiu Pass in Cameron Parish.

Advocate file photo
Cinderella Pageant, August 14, 1982
Dottie Hidalgo of the Cinderella Pageant staff models the Fairy Godmother dress.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN BOSS
Cinderella Pageant, August 16, 1980
With dreams of becoming Cinderella, several hundred girls gathered in Baton Rouge in August for the grand international finals of the Cinderella Girl Pageant. The state finals last month proved the pageant is as much for mothers as for daughters. Mothers stood closely by, hoping their daughters would be the chosen ones to wave the magic wand. They checked their daughters' makeup, and made sure they didn't rumple their dresses. Practice for talent competition continued up to the wire then young ladies relaxed backstage before going on. Announcement of winners meant joy for some and consolation for others. And it all ended happily for a chosen few who got to wear a crown and take home a trophy. Baton Rouge is the international headquarters for the pageant. Shown here is the Cinderella Pageant Division Winner with her mother.

Advocate staff photo by CHARLES GERALD
Sunny afternoon stroll, July 28, 1977
An unidentified young bull ambles through the grassy field near a hotel off Baton Rouge's busy interstate highway, providing a glimpse of country life for visitors to Louisiana's capital city. The hotel said the bull was not a registered guest and must have come from a nearby wooded area.

Advocate staff photo by STAN ALOST
Festival Flame, July 23, 1984
A festival flame was lit in Catfish Town one year from the scheduled opening date of the National Sports Festival VI in Baton Rouge. Southern University Athletic Director Dick Hill ignited the cauldron which will be kept burning until late June of 1985, when it will be exchanged for the official NSF flame now burning in Colorado Springs.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG
Swing factory, July 10, 1981
An entrepreneur could turn this pile of rubber refuse on Evangeline into a fortune. With one end of a rope tied to a tire and the other end to a tree limb, a tire, as any kid will tell you, makes a grand swing.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG
Rail Veteran, July 2, 1983
Locomotive No. 3 sits with elegance in the Ponchatoula Depot. The depot was originally constructed around 1854, but was burned by Union forces in 1863. The depot that is at the site today was constructed in 1894 and was remodeled in the 1920s.

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCK
Valerie Nehrbass, June 8, 1999
Valerie Nehrbass, 9, reads a book while waiting for customers as Val's Lemonade Stand. Valerie set up her stand outside her Lafayette home. She was selling ice cold lemonade for .25. She said she was going to use the profit while on vacation with her family.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN H. WILLIAMS
Rumble on the River, June 24, 1997
One of eight fights at Tuesday night boxing's "Rumble on the River" in Baton Rouge at the Argosy Festival Atrium at Catfish Town. It was a standing room only crowd of 1,500 with a national cable TV audience and an undercard that included the likes of 1984 Olympic gold medalist Frank Tate. "Without a doubt it (boxing) is here to stay," said Les Bonano, local boxing promoter.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN BOSS
OLOL groundbreaking, June 14, 1974
Wielding ceremonial shovels at the groundbreaking for the new Our Lady of the Lake Hospital on Essen Lane were, from left, Mayor-President Dumas, Mother Marie Gertrude, regional superior of the Franciscan sisters who run the hospital, Joseph Cohn, a member of the hospital governing board; MSGR, Stanley Ott, who represented Archbishop Phillip Hannan, and Irving Staid, chairman of the hospital board. Hospital administrator J. B. Heroman holds a picture of the hospital in the background. Msgr. Patrick Gillespie blessed the ground.

Advocate staff photo by JOHN MORRIS
Two big crawfish, May 6, 1968
A huge boat, built in the image of a crawfish, follows Leon Leo Breaux, self-proclaimed "eternal king crawfish," in Sunday's queen parade, officially bringing to an end the 1968 Crawfish Festival. The boat was built by P.H. LeBlanc and his students when he was industrial arts teacher at Breaux Bridge High School.

Advocate staff photo by GARY HUNTER
James Robinson and globe artichokes, June 1, 1975
James Robinson, a truck farmer for more than 40 years, favors globe artichokes commonly grown in California, over the Jerusalem artichoke, more familiar to Louisianians. He has found the artichoke to be resistant to cold weather.

Advocate staff photo
Egrets nesting, June 15, 1975
The nesting of the snow egret is one of the showy scenes for nature lovers at Jungle Gardens on Avery Island. Thousands of snowy egrets fly to their nests at the end of the day as a result of the conservation practices of "Mr. Ned," or Edward Avery McIlhenny. A bird colony founded in the 1890s, Bird City was a sanctuary for egrets to escape the fate of feathering a ladies hat then, and remains a beautiful and protected nesting spot today.

Advocate file photo
A line of young evacuees waits outside of the Pentagon Barracks for food in 1927 Baton Rouge.

Advocate file photo
Rhoda 'The Rose Lady' Verret , May 12, 1988
"My whole life, I have been awed with roses," says Rhoda Verret, who was born in the month of June, the month of the rose. Even her name has a connection with roses. Rhoda means rose in Greek.

Advocate staff photo by GRAHAM LESTOURGEON
Angola church service, March 2, 1958
A program of spiritual rehabilitation, beginning in the prison and continuing on the outside, was designed by Rev. R.O. Bennett Jr., Protestant chaplain at Angola. Shown here is a group of inmates attending services in the Protestant chapel at Angola.

Advocate staff photo by CHARLES GERALD
Enjoying the weather, April 25, 1977
With the weekend weather not fit for ducks, this feathered friend found a child's swing a good place to get out of the flood waters from the Amite River. The fowl was spotted at a home on Woodcrest Avenue in Denham Springs. The river crested there at more than 12 feet above flood stage.

Advocate staff photo by LORI WASELCHUK
Andy Hart and tulips, March 11, 1991
Andy Hart, left, gives Lou Lucas a few tulips out of his garden, where he has planted 6,000 tulip bulbs this year. Hart owns Hart's Florist & Nursery on South Harrell's Ferry Road.

Advocate staff photo by GEORGE GURTNER
Verrette's drive-in funeral parlor, February 17, 1980
Visitors to Verrette's Pointe Coupee drive-in funeral home sign their name just as they do inside. If you don't have time to go in, you can drive up to the window and pay your last respects. Alvin Verrette and his mother, Irma, for all they know, own the world's only successful drive-in funeral parlor.