SLIDELL — Nick Houston is an excellent tap dancer.
But you would never know it by the way he tackles on the football field. Houston was contacted by Delta State after his senior season. After a visit and some talking, Houston signed a scholarship with the Cleveland, Mississippi school to play football.
“I sent my highlight tape to a few schools, and then Delta State called me one day. They thought I was a good tackler and had good awareness,”?Houston said.
Houston is an actor who has been performing in plays at the Slidell Little Theatre since he was in seventh grade and is also trained in tap dancing. He wants to major in theater in arts because of his background, but until he has a degree in hand, Houston will be playing college football.
Delta State is one hour north of Jackson, Ms. It’s a Division-II school that won the national championship in 2011.
“Even though the school is out in the middle of nowhere, I think it’s good becasue it’ll help me to focus more. The whole town is about football, so that’s cool,”?Houston said.
The 18-year-old said it wasn’t until his junior year that he started becoming athletic. In fact, after his freshman year he wanted to quit, but decided to give it another shot as a sophomore.
Houston’s dad played college football, but fractured his neck so he had to stop, and his second uncle played for the Oilers and Redskins in the NFL.

“I’m nervous about being so far away from home. It’s going to be a mixture of emotions, but this isn’t something I would pass up doing,”?Houston said.

SLIDELL — Jordan Cornish is only 16 years old, but he just made one of the biggest decisions of his life.
The 6-foot-5 basketball player from Slidell verbally committed to the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team over other schools like Oklahoma, Purdue, Vanderbilt, VCU, Texas A&M and the University of Houston.
Cornish is a junior at Brother Martin High School, and was first contacted by Tennessee as a freshman. But Cornish truly got his start in the Slidell Youth Basketball Association and Biddy Leagues that were coached by guys like Ricky Suprean and Chris Jean.
“Jordan was raw as raw could be, but you could see he had tremendous athletic talent,” Suprean said, who has been coaching in the SYBA for over 20 years.
Cornish started playing in the SYBA when he was nine years old. His team went 17-0, and Cornish, who was already 5-foot-8 played point guard.
“We would have people come up to us and say, ‘How old is that tall kid?’ I’d tell them, ‘He’s nine years old and he’s our point guard,’” Suprean said.
Getting that experience as a point guard is what has helped Cornish stand out as a 6-5 guard.
At 10 years old, Cornish and his team went 38-0 on the season. Then at age 11, Cornish played in a 12-year-old tournament in Slidell, and his team upset New Orleans, and another Slidell team, but then lost to Kenner. It was Cornish’s first loss in 57 games.
“That was a great team. He was 6-feet tall and a point guard at 11 years old playing against 12 year olds,” Suprean said.
Clearly, Cornish was special from the rest. He said he chose Tennessee over the other schools because of the tradition the Volunteers have.
“Coach was always straight forward with me, and when I go up, I’ll have a shot at playing right away. I couldn’t pass that up,” Cornish said.
The teenager said he remembers playing in the SYBA league very well.
“Ricky (Suprean) and Chris (Jean) got me into it, and I really liked it,” Cornish said. “Those guys are great. They start us off young, and got me the proper training that I needed. Once I stopped playing with them, I just kept going forward.”
Suprean said Cornish is a very unique player.
“What makes him so special is that he will pass to everybody. He gets everybody involved, and he’s a tremendous defensive player. He works harder than anybody on the court. The kid was off the charts from the beginning, and all the kids loved being around him,” Suprean said. “He never had a swellhead.”

When Cornish was 10 years old, he met Chris Duhon, who is a Salmen High School graduate and NBA player with the Los Angeles Lakers. Suprean said Duhon and Cornish were eye-to-eye.

“I kept thinking, ‘This kid is 10 years old, and Chris is an NBA player. They’re the same height,’” Suprean said.
Cornish is an only child and the first in his family to play at a Division-I school. He is currently playing in the middle of the Nike EYBL season with Nike Team Louisiana and is averaging 10.7 points per game against some of the top competition in the country.

(Betsy Swenson can be reached at sliindelife@gmail.com.)

Henry Parvin Rosier Jr., of Pearl River, born January 17, 1949, in Bossier City, has lived in Pearl River for the last 31 years, passed away on Thursday, April 25, 2013, after a long hard fought battle with cancer.
He was the son of Benjamin F. Hewett and the late Maria Benjamin Hewett of Jacksonville, Fla. and the late Henry Parvin Rosier of Trout, La.
He was the father of James Clarke, Jason Rosier, and Justin Rosier and daughter-in-law Myndie; brother of Evelyn Rosier of Pearl River, Christine Towers of Tampa, Fla., Melissa Tompkins of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and John Hewett of Jacksonville, Fla.; and grandfather of Madelyn, Kayley, Justin, Jr., Jason Jr., Jarred, and Jordyn.
He was in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from 1968-1969 with the 196th L.I.B. 3/82 Artillery a decorated combat soldier and is also a veteran of Korea. He was dedicated to the Toys for Tots drive every year and instrumental in helping all the veterans in helping and guiding them to the proper channels in the VA system for help.
Funeral services were held at Honaker Funeral Home on April 29.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.
Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell.

Lois Marcella Carlson Swanson passed away on Monday, April 29, 2013.
She was 83 years old.
Swanson was born in Taylor Falls, Minn. on March 19, 1930.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Robert and Alice Carlson; and brother, Robert Carlson.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Robert L. Swanson; two sons, Steven and Roger; and daughters, Susan Wright and Karen Sterrett-John; five grandsons; and one great-granddaughter.
Swanson was raised on farms near Dresser, WI. She graduated from Osceola WI High School in 1948 and after several years attended the University of Colorado in Denver to study real estate law and practice. She retired in Slidell, and became a very successful real estate agent and manager in New Orleans. Prior to her illness, she was an active member of the Ladies Auxillary of B.P.O.E. Lodge 2321.
A visitation was held on Thursday, May 2 at Honaker Funeral Home in?Slidell.
The family request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.
Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell.

Richard E. Ray, of Slidell, passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell.
He was 81 years old.
He was the husband of the late Carmen Ray; father of Richard Kyle Ray, Gregory Cecil Ray, Gino Romano Ray, and Sandro Bruce Ray; and son of the late Cecil C. Ray and Dessel Jones Ray.
He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was a native of Jackson County, West Virginia, and a resident of Slidell since 1975. He served his country in the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict retiring after 24 years as a Chief Master Sgt. for the US Air Force. After his retirement, he worked for NASA for 20 years and also for 10 years for Ray Bros., Inc. New Orleans, LA.
Funeral services were held at Honaker Funeral Home in Slidell on May 2.
To view and sign the guestbook, visit www.honakerforestlawn.com.
Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell.

Robert Donald Johnson, of Slidell, passed away on Friday, May 3, 2013, at his home in Slidell, due to Parkinson’s disease.
He was 86 years old.
He was the son of the late Ruth Grassmeyer Johnson and Walter Eugene Johnson.
Johnson was born and reared in Akron, Ohio. He served in World War II in the U.S. Navy, and went on to teach at Southern California University. He followed a career in aerospace and during the next 40 years worked for NASA, working directly under Werner Von Braun in Huntsville, Ala.; Northrup Grumman, developing UFO sightings as one component of his duties; and Lockheed Martin Marietta, as part of the development of the external tank in the shuttle program. He also presented scientific research on plastic defamation of metals in Europe and throughout the United States. He was an active member of the American Society of Metals for 40 years. As a NASA honoree in 1988 he was a guest of honor at a reception given by astronauts at Cape Canaveral, Fla. He was escorted to view a missile launch at that time. He has been a two-time Rotarian of the Year in the Slidell Rotary Club, becoming a Paul Harris Fellow in that group, and, in 2010, the Rotary Club of Slidell Scholarship Award was renamed the Robert Johnson Scholarship Award to honor his longtime service to the organization.
Dr. Johnson is survived by his wife, Boni Johnson of Slidell; brother, Frank Johnson of Charlotte, N.C.; and children, Robyn Markie of California; Daniel S. Johnson of Colorado; Kimberly Armstrong of Indiana; and Michele Olsen, Tennessee; two grandsons and two great-grandsons.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Harry Johnson of Denver, Colorado.
Johnson donated his remains to Tulane Medical School for scientific research. A memorial service in his honor was held on May 9.
Memorials can be sent to Hospice.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.
Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell.

Anita Kay White Macaluso, of Slidell, passed away on Thursday, May 2, 2013, at 4:30 a.m.
She was 54 years old.
Born on September 2, 1958, in St. Paul, Minn., she resided in New Orleans.
She is survived by her children, Sherry Everett and husband Chuck Everett, Peter Macaluso IV and his longtime girlfriend Lisa Pilet, Jude Macaluso and wife Amber Macaluso; grandchildren, Blaine Everett and Kaydence Everett; parents, Gerald White, Dee White, and Esther White; and siblings, Vickie Snyder, Stan White, and Gary White.
A memorial service was held on May 6 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Slidell.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

Barbara Hope Charles Ducote, of Slidell, passed away on Sunday, May 5, 2013, at Greenbrier Nursing Home in Slidell.
She was 84 years old.
She was the wife of the late Donald James Ducote Sr.; mother of Brenda Joan Ducote, Chris Jerome Ducote (the late Anna), Phyllis Ann Ducote McClelland (John), and Donald James “Donnie” Ducote, Jr. (Kathy); and daughter of the late Frank and Clarice Budden Charles.
She is also survived by eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was a resident of Slidell since 1963.
Ducote was a local artist, painting with oils for many years. She hasheld numerous solo exhibits, and won merit awards in shows throughout southeast Louisiana as well as in Mississippi.
Funeral services were held on May 10 at Palmetto Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to Cannon Hospice, Slidell.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

William Bennett Sr., of Pearl?River, passed away on Sunday May 5, 2013.
He was 74 years old.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Debbie Bennett; children Billy Bennett Jr. (Tracie) and Lisa LaFerrara (Michael), and four grandchildren; Caitlyn, Meaghan, Cyle, and Matthew.
Bennett is also survived by his brother, Thomas Ray Bennett; and sister, Mary B. Singletary.
He is preceded in death by his parents, George and Bertha Bennett; brothers, Phillip Roy Bennett and George “Bobby” Bennett; and sisters, Emma Shirley and Margie Singletary.
Memorial services were held on May 9 at First Baptist Church in Pearl River.
D.T. Williams Funeral Home, Pearl River, in charge of arrangements.

Brenda Stokes Eidson, of Slidell, passed away on Wednesday, May 8, 2013.
She was 69 years old.
She was the wife of John D. Eidson; mother of Lisa Ross Eidson; daughter of the late Edgar Ross Stokes and Neva Pugh Stokes; and sister of Peggy Jolly, Barbara Pierce, Donna Byars and the late Gloria Morton.
Eidson was a native of Shuqualak, Ms., and a resident of Slidell since 1984. She was a legal secretary for the late MS Senator William G. “Bill” Burgin Jr., for Sessions and Fishman in New Orleans, and many years for Martin Smith in Slidell.
Funeral services were held at Honaker Funeral Home in Slidell on May 11.
Donations to any animal shelter of your choice, preferred, in lieu of flowers.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

Annette Lynn Brand passed away on Monday, May 6, 2013.
She was 44 years old.
She was born on June 16, 1968.
Brand is survived by one daughter, Savannah Brand-Tucker; son-in-law Kevin Tucker; and two grandchildren, Landon Michael, age three, and Kevin Jr. age five-and-a-half.
She is the daughter of the late Margie Brady, and daughter of Harold and Carol Brand.
She is also survived by her brother, Harold Jr.; and sister, Kimberly Brand Catoire; brother-in-law, Andre Catoire; two step-brothers, Courtney and Cary Smith; and one step-sister, Jennifer Mann.
Memorial services were held on May 11 at at New Jerusalem Praise and Worship Center, 62340 Hwy 1090, Pearl River.
Services entrusted to the staff of Professional Funeral Services, Inc., New Orleans.

Lorraine Rasch Englande, of Slidell, passed away on Sunday, May 5, 2013.
She was the wife of the late Andrew Joseph Englande Sr.; daughter of the late Alice Elizabeth Norton Rasch and Joseph M. Rasch; sister of Dorothy Reeson, the late Joseph “Buddy” Rasch, Marjorie Rasch and Norton Rasch III; and mother of Andrew Joseph Englande Jr. (Bonnie), Larry Peter Englande (Peggy), Clifford Michael Englande (Cindy), Lorraine Margie Englande, Laura Englande Scallan, and the late Norton Morris Englande.
She is also survived by nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
A memorial mass was held at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Slidell, on May 14.
Masses preferred in lieu of flowers.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

Antoinette Poley, of Pearl River, passed away on Sunday May 5, 2013.
She was 35 years old.
She is survived by her husband, Brant McDowell; son, Anthony James Kain; parents, Cecile and Delos Hall; and brothers, Jeffry Michael Hall and Paul D. Poley Jr.
Poley is preceded in death by her father, Paul Poley; and brother, Delos Hall Jr.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday May 19 at 2:30 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 63140 Hwy. 1090, Pearl River.
D.T. Williams Funeral Home, 67525 Hwy. 41, Pearl River, in charge of arrangements.

John M. Boots, of Slidell, passed away on Thursday, May 9, 2013, at his home in Slidell.
He was 94 years old.
He was the husband of the late Margaret T. Boots; and father of Susan T. Boots, Kate B. Hess and the late John E. Boots.
He is also survived by one grandson, James Hess.
Boots was a native of Pennsylvania, and a resident of Slidell for more than 30 years. The son of missionaries, Boots spent much of his youth in China and Korea. He served his country in the United States Navy during WWII and received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Yale University in New Haven, CT.
Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a memorial gathering at Honaker Funeral Home, 1751 Gause Blvd. West, Slidell, on Thursday, May 16 from 9 to 11 a.m. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the St. Tammany Animal Shelter, Slidell branch.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

Ronald E. Madej, of Mandeville, passed away at home on Saturday, May 11, 2013.
He was the husband of the late Vicki L. Madej; father of Shelley M. Hart (Rick), Stacey K. Gaskill (Scott), and Scott P. Madej (Jeanna); son of the late Benedict P. and Frances Kendziora Madej; and brother of Joanne Olenick, Conrad Madej, and Sylvia Wendling.
He is also survived by six grandchildren.
Madej was a native of Detroit, Mich., a former resident of Slidell, and recently a resident of Mandeville. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was also a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Slidell since 1981.
Burial will be held at a later date in Michigan.
Donations to the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org is preferred, in lieu of flowers.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

Ethel Breland Walker Clark passed away peacefully on Monday, May 5, 2013.
Clark was raised in Folsom, La. and a resident of Pearl River for the last 60 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Eula Sandifer Breland; brothers, Louis and Harvey Breland; sister, Idell Walden; daughters, Mary Mayfield Breland and Margaret Walker; and four grandchildren
She was the widow of William (Buddy) Walker, Thomas Hankins and Leon Clark.
She is survived by children, Maxine and Charles Crawford, Mona and Clark Smith, Melody Martindale and David Blessing, Michael Walker and Donna D’Andria, Martin Walker and Shawn Allen; and 10 grandchildren,
She was the grandmother of 14 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on May 9 at D.T. Williams Funeral Home, Pearl River.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Audubon Cemetery, 36144 Jessie Singletary Rd., Pearl River, La. 70452 or donate at Capitol One Bank.

Louise Marie Courcelle, of Slidell, passed away on Friday, May 10, 2013.
She was the mother of Debbie Haley (Mike), Charlie Laurie (Tina), Tammy Martin. She is also survived by four grandchildren, and five brothers and sisters.
Courcelle was a native of New Orleans and a resident of Slidell for the past 40 years. She was a member of Community Christian Church in Slidell.
A memorial service will be held at Community Christian Church, 1460 Lindberg Dr., Slidell, on Thursday, May 30. Fellowship will begin from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. with services starting at 11.
Visit www.honakerforestlawn.com to sign guestbook.

Georgegiana Carruth passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2013.
She was the wife of the late Sylvester Carruth; daughter of her late parents, Albert and Priscilla Vallery; sister of Ola Mae Vallery, Albert Vallery, Cinderella Vallery, Lawrence Vallery Sr., Johnny Vallery, Joseph Vallery, Roger Vallery and Priscilla Vallery.
Services will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 2 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pearl River Congregation, 64211 Hwy 3081, Pearl River; (985) 863-6777.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
100 Watchtower Drive Patterson, New York 12563-9204

SLIDELL — Lisa Keiffer remembers the first day in the South Pacific, as she was among 16 Survivor contestants ready to start season nine.
“They dropped us off in a Viking-style boat and we were all rowing towards the island where the show was about to start,” she said. “I felt so grateful to be on the show—God had given me the thing in life I had most wanted—and I started crying because I was so happy.”
It wasn’t the only time during the Vanuatu season in 2004 that Keiffer, a Mandeville mom of six, got emotional at the very thought of where she was.
“One night during the show I went out near the water and sat on a big rock,” she recalled. “I looked up at the sky and it truly looked like a billion stars. I started crying and praised God for the chance he had given me.”

Keiffer is all smiles these days as she thinks back to her opportunity in ’04 to play as a contestant on the top-rated reality television show, Survivor.
Forever to be in the elite fraternity of Survivor players, Keiffer is now 52 and said she would return to play again if given that opportunity.
“I felt so privileged to get picked,” she said. “I would do it again in a second.”
Keiffer had many of the Survivor qualities when she heard about the show months before it had ever aired on TV. Growing up in New Orleans, she went to LSU in Baton Rouge and was a cheerleader for the Tigers before earning a public relations degree and working in pharmaceutical sales for 10 years.
“I remember driving in my car one day and hearing a CBS ad for the show,” she said. “It was 2000 and they were just beginning to get people to send in a video to be on the show. It had still never aired.”
Keiffer was remarried with her second husband, and only a year away from having her third baby in three years. The couple had brought together a total of three children from their first marriages.
“I was ready for a vacation to the South Pacific!” she said with a laugh.
Keiffer said she began thinking about a video the moment she heard the commercial on the radio, and eventually sent in “something very crazy and unique that showed me saying I could survive anything if I survived six kids.”
The video had no talking throughout the entire thing, only showing her in outlandish situations created due to her children, and finally ending with her only comment, challenging Survivor to take her on for the show.
But 2000 became the start of a four year wait for Keiffer, and many different videos trying to be on the show. Additionally, her husband was initially against her trying to make it.
“When I mentioned it to my husband he did not want me to try out. But then we watched the first season, and then the second, and finally he agreed to let me try,” she said. “I’m the kind of person who will find a way to get a ‘yes’ when I’m told ‘no’ about anything.”
Keiffer’s first response from the show ended in a flop as she was called by the casting director and advanced to the first round of the interviews, only to “mess up the interview.”
She tried out for show number five and was called again, this time doing well on the interview, but being told they wanted her to try out for Big Brother.
“That’s about the time I heard a pastor in Slidell was on the show,” she said. “I was so mad. But the funny thing is we later got to know each other and are now great friends.”
Keiffer didn’t quit and sent in a video for shows 7 and 8, but failed to get a call. She wasn’t going to try for season 9 before one of her sons urged her to keep trying.
“I didn’t even make a new video,” she said.
This time she was called to the interview round, but two weeks later, was told she didn’t make it, instead being told they wanted her to try for Amazing Race.
“I knew they liked me, but finally I asked why they didn’t pick me for Survivor,” she said she asked the casting director. “I was told the biggest category of entries is from moms, so I was up against so many.”
Sending in a video for the Amazing Race show, she decided to visit her son in Los Angeles, accepting the Survivor possibility was fading away. Instead, while she was coincidentally in L.A., she was on her way to the airport to end her visit when Survivor called.
“They said, ‘we know this is last minute, but is there any way you could be at the Doubletree Hotel at 4 this afternoon?’ I knew the Doubletree was where they did the final round of interviews, which means you are among 50 or so for the final decision,” she said. “We flew through traffic to just make it and I was sent up to a room where I sat down with a huge crowd, including Jeff Probst on my right and Mark Burnett across the table.”
As she left the room and interview, she heard someone on a walkie-talkie say, “keep L.K. here. And they only use your initials when you come in for the interview, so I knew I had a chance.”
Keiffer was selected for season 9 in the South Pacific and was the seventh person voted off, after working in an alliance with younger women.
“When we picked teams, the one thing I didn’t want was to be with all women, but that’s how it ended up,” she said. “As a cheerleader, I know that can be difficult.”
Keiffer is “a tennis addict” and still in top physical condition today. Preparing for the show in 2004, she quit eating sugar and caffeine, and worked out for two months to get in “the best shape of my life” at age 44.
“The entire premise of the show is me,” she said. “It’s outdoors, competitive, dealing with people—the show drew me in from the very moment I heard about it.”
Keiffer said the only part of the show that was difficult for her was the cold every night, since the sun went down near 7 p.m. and didn’t come up until 6:30 the next morning.
She said she has contacted the show several times to try and get another chance, especially now that former players are being asked to play again.
“I would do it again,” she said. “Everything you see on the show is completely real. There is nothing that is fake or set up, and that’s what I loved about all the challenges. I hope I get another chance to try—it was a dream come true for me.”

SLIDELL – When news leaked out in St. Tammany Parish in early 2003 that a local resident had been picked for the red-hot “Survivor” television reality show it was treated like the biggest story of the year.
After all, Survivor had become the talk around every office water cooler, so to speak, with the show setting the standard for excitement and interest during the beginning stages of popularity for TV reality shows.
John Raymond, a pastor from Slidell, was soon the man every area media outlet was trying to link up with, after it leaked out that he was the first St. Tammany resident to make the show.

“I learned there are something like 60,000 people every year who try to make it on the show,” he said. “So you need to have something special to catch their attention when you apply. Fortunately, I did.”
Raymond, a born-and-raised Louisiana boy from Springfield, made sure to get the attention of producer Mark Burnett and host Jeff Probst when he sent in a video showing him catching a 4-foot alligator in the Louisiana swamp.
“Everything about me was a Louisiana boy, and I think that is what they liked,” Raymond said.
Raymond eventually was chosen for season five, the Thailand show, but had to wait a couple of years to get his chance. He remembers seeing a promo seeking applicants for the show when he watched the Super Bowl in 2002.
“When I saw the promotion for the show that year, I remember thinking, ‘hey, they are playing my game and I didn’t get invited!’ That’s because I loved the outdoors, I was an athlete in school, my profession has always involved a social aspect,” he said. “I’ve always been very competitive and as soon as I saw that promo, I wanted to sign up.”
Raymond went home that night from his Super Bowl party and immediately went online to get information. He sent in his video to apply for season three and was called the first year.
“When they called, I thought I had made it. But then they never followed up with me, and then I never got a call for season four either,” he said.
He re-applied for season five and was called, going through two rounds of interviews before being chosen for the show.
Raymond said he remembers how popular the show was since all those chosen to play must sign a confidentiality agreement to not tell details of behind-the-scenes production work.
Additionally, all contestants were instructed that they could not even “make eye contact with any other contestants” from the time they met at the airport in the United States and flew on the same plane to Thailand.
“They want no one to have an unfair advantage so you cannot talk to any other contestant until the game actually begins,” he said. “The entire flight you have to keep your eyes down, and not make any connection with other contestants.”
The show made all contestants use alias names for the flight, with Raymond having the name “Graham Duncan.” Once in Thailand, he said they had three days being taught basic survival techniques such as how to boil water, start a fire and what plants or insects not to eat.
“I was very confident,” Raymond said. “I’m always reading people anyway and I knew I had a lot of survival techniques from growing up in Louisiana.”
But in the end, Raymond believes his “Louisiana boy” reputation, and also that of being a pastor, were the things that did him in, and had him voted off the very first tribal counsel.
“Once we got together for the first show, Jeff Probst made us all say our name and what we did for a living,” he said. “That never happened before and has never happened since. So when I said I was a pastor, everyone picked up on that. Even when we landed on the island, one of the people immediately yelled for the pastor to lead a prayer, which I had to do.”
Raymond’s outdoor skills also showed up immediately when the contestants were put into a boat and told to row to shore.
“No one even knew how to row, so I ended up telling them how to do it,” he said. “Looking back on it, I should have left them going in circles.”
In the first day, Raymond was the only one who knew how to build a hut, the only one who could start a fire, one of only two who could follow a map to their camp, and finally he also knew how to catch crabs for food. As much as he didn’t want to become a leader of the group, it was happening quicker than he wanted.
“I knew that I didn’t want to stand out at the beginning, and by the time we went to tribal that night, I was already known as ‘the pastor.’ So as soon as someone started saying, ‘vote out the pastor,’ everyone jumped on it since they didn’t have anyone else they recognized,” he said.
Raymond remembers the tribal counsel and hearing his name get mentioned once, twice, then three times.
“When I heard the third one, I was thinking, ‘oh no, this isn’t good,’” he recalled.
Raymond said that you must commit to being gone for seven weeks when you sign up for the show. And for those voted out, they go to a place known as “The Ponderosa,” which is a resort-type setting. He was forbidden contractually from revealing what, if anything, they are paid for their time, but he simply said, “CBS and Mark Burnett treat you very, very well.”
“When you are voted out, CBS treats you so well the whole time you are there,” he said. “It was still an awesome experience since they give you lots of opportunities for fun while you wait for the game to finish. I got to ride an elephant, go bunji jumping, do other interesting things in Thailand that I’ll never forget.”
Raymond said that Probst told him he was “stunned I was voted off at the beginning and that I had been his pick to win the show. That’s because I have all that Louisiana stuff I grew up with and it’s perfect for the show.”
Raymond said he still loves being in the “Survivor fraternity” and gets called with Mandeville’s Lisa Keiffer to be part of national fundraisers where other reality stars are involved. But would he play the game again, if given that opportunity?
“If they called me today, I would be packed and ready to leave in an hour,” he said. “I wanted to get to play the challenges since I think I could have gone a long way if I had survived. But now I’ve heard they are considering a show of anyone who was the first person voted off.
“The main thing I learned from my experience is that you cannot afford to miss any conversations around camp,” he said. “You need to be around anyone who is talking, as much as possible. When they started tossing out my name, everyone else went along with it since it wasn’t them.”

SLIDELL – The 2014 budget for the City of Slidell received final, unanimous approval on Tuesday night at the City Council meeting.
But there was hardly unanimous agreement about a final sticking point, which was a proposed cut of $234,600 from the Slidell Police Department budget.
With the city still facing difficult financial times, a city budget committee asked Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith to cut 2 percent from his budget of over $8 million.
On Tuesday night, Smith asked the council to cut that in half, changing it to a cut of $117,300 from the police department.

Smith addressed the council and acknowledged an uptick in crime for Slidell recently, with several burglary rings operating in Slidell, although there have been some arrests.
“We have had some recent crime situations here and even though we’ve had some arrests, we’ve all seen additional crime in our city,” Smith said. “To cut $234,000 will mean I will have to lay off two more officers.
“I’m asking you to consider only half of that amount,” he said. “If you come back to me in several months and say our financial situation is more serious, then I will work with more cuts. But for now, meet me half-way. That is fair.”
That began over an hour of commentary from the public, and mostly City Council members, who took differing positions on whether the $234,000 was fair or not.
“We gave Chief Smith the budget three weeks ago and asked for this cut,” Councilman Bill Borchert initially said. “But we only got his answer today. I can’t support his request for half of the original amount.”
Councilman Sam Caruso pointed out that in the past three years, other city departments have had over $1.5 million in cuts, while the police department has had $483,925.
“It is simply not the truth that we have asked the police department to have such huge cuts,” he said. “Other departments have also had their cuts.”
Councilman Joe Fraught added that “if there were other areas to cut, we would do it. But we don’t have that to do.”
After 45 minutes of discussion, Councilman Buddy Lloyd suddenly suggested the police department cut be reduced to $176,550, noting it was the mid-way point between what Smith wanted and what the committee had requested.
That raised new questions about why “arbitrary numbers were being pulled out of the air.”
Council President Lionel Hicks waited until all other public and council discussion had finished before adding his final comments.
“I have listened to all the talk about this budget,” Hicks said. “I hear all these different numbers and wonder, where are they coming from?
“I met with the budget committee, who explained why they felt comfortable with the $234,000 being cut from the police department, and I trusted their opinion, so I will not change my support for that number,” he said.
But in the end, Lloyd’s amendment to the amendment—asking for the police department to cut $176,550—barely won out with five council members voting for it. Council members Lloyd, Borchert, Caruso, Landon Cusimano and Kim Harbison backed the new proposal, that passed in two votes to settle the matter.
Smith told the council at the start of the evening that he expected an “across the board” budget cut if “things were that bad.” But in the end, he failed in his request to have his budget cut to half of what the council asked for.
“Cutting the police department more than we have seen the last few years could jeopardize the safety of our city,” Smith said. “But I will continue to do my best to work with what the council is asking of our department.”
Smith explained that he has cut off-the-street officers several times in the past two years since being elected to office in 2010.

Also in the vote for the night was cuts by the City Council to several non-profit groups in Slidell, which had been receiving annual donations from the city. Included in the cuts was STARC, the Council on Aging of St. Tammany and the Youth Services Bureau. An amendment was passed which excluded the Children’s Advocacy Center from those cuts.
The final budget for the City of Slidell, for fiscal year 2014, passed with a unanimous vote of 9-0.

SLIDELL – Leaders with the Concerned Citizen groups of St. Tammany are hoping for a huge turnout on Saturday in Slidell, when the official kickoff begins seeking a recall of parish Coroner Dr. Peter Galvan.
The Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany (CCST) filed paperwork with the Louisiana secretary of state this week, which officially began the process of seeking a recall of Galvan, who has been under intense fire and criticism the past six months due to questionable spending habits in his office, as well as hefty pay increases for himself and his key employees.
With the paperwork filed with the secretary of state, CCST now has six months to gather over 53,000 signatures from registered voters in St. Tammany. If they reach that goal, and the signatures are certified, a vote will be held in the parish asking for a recall of Galvan.
The Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany, although only forming as a parish watchdog group less than two years ago, has been vocal in their criticism of Galvan after spending allegations and mismanagement of his department’s money surfaced.
CCST was the first to call for his resignation, which was followed by a decision to seek a recall petition as Galvan has refused to publicly answer any of the charges.
CCST President Rick Franzo sent an e-mail to top public officials in the parish, including the contingency of St. Tammany state lawmakers, asking them to attend a kickoff event this Saturday, May 18 at 2104 First St. in Slidell, set for 11:30 a.m.
Franzo said there is a legislative retreat this weekend so he has set Thursday as another day for lawmakers to sign the petition.
He called the recall effort “the most challenging political effort that has ever faced the citizens of St. Tammany.” CCST has spent the past three months gathering support from groups such as the League of Women Voters and others, since they only have six months to seek all the signatures.
“I am certain that the first 30 days will be extremely challenging for all of us,” he said. “However, I know the CCST team we have put together is built on the spirit of individualism, intelligence, integrity and determination to make our communities a better place for our children.”
Franzo reminded the public that the recall petition merely allows the people of St. Tammany an opportunity to decide whether Galvan should remain in office.
Galvan was first criticized in a story published by The Slidell Independent in Dec., 2012, which reported credit card use released by Dr. Laura King and her husband, Terry King, in connection to a wrongful termination suit Laura King filed against Galvan.
King was hired as a toxicologist by Galvan in 2009, but was fired less than a year later after she questioned some of the budget decisions and practices in the coroner’s office. After filing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint against Galvan, a lawsuit was approved to go forward and King began seeking public records from the coroner’s office.
Some of those records showed seemingly exorbitant credit card use for hundreds of dinners, followed by other questionable spending practices, much of it by Galvan, as well as top department officials such as Chief Financial Officer Kim Kelly. King released more information to the media in January, followed by a second story in The Independent in January, 2013, questioning other spending for food, private airplane charges and more.
Since then, other New Orleans media has joined the parade of stories concerning Galvan.
As revelations continued to be made public, the St. Tammany Parish Council asked the state legislative auditor to investigate Galvan, followed by a call for resignation from Parish President Pat Brister, and the Parish Council. Galvan has not responded to any of those requests, and also refused to turn over office e-mails to the legislative auditor, which brought about a separate court filing, asking Galvan to comply with the request.

Galvan continues to refuse comment on any of the questionable issues, claiming they are related to the pending lawsuit involving King.

“When this situation was brought to our attention, we began an immediate investigation and removed this person from the school setting. As of close of business Friday, this person was no longer an employee of the St. Tammany Parish Public School System. We have turned information over to the Attorney General’s office and continue to cooperate with investigators,” St. Tammany School superintendent W.L. “Trey” Folse, III said.
No information was available from the school system or the attorney general’s office about where the alleged crime occurred.
The arrest was a result of a multi-agency investigation involving the Louisiana Attorney General’s High Technology Crime Unit, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Slidell Police Department.
Beaucoudray was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Prison. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s High Technology Crime Unit at 1-800-256-4506.