Crime Blotter: Reported offenses in the Tri-parishes
November 28, 2012
Gumbo’s Greatest Hits revealed
December 3, 2012
NOLA historic sites host concerts all month
Through Dec. 20
Eighteen one-hour concerts are staged at two historic churches in New Orleans this month.
St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square and St. Augustine Church in the neighborhood Treme feature the music.
Some of the highlights at St. Louis Cathedral include Theresa Andersson, John Fohl and David Doucet (folk, Dec. 2); Opera Creole (classical, Dec. 4); Phillip Manuel and Shades of Praise (R&B/gospel, Dec. 5), Preservation Hall-Stars (jazz, Dec. 6); Harpist Rachel Van Voorhees (classical, Dec. 17) and the St. Peter Claver Gospel Choir (gospel, Dec. 20).
At St. Augustine, the oldest black Catholic church in the United States, John Boutte performs jazz on Dec. 1; the Friendly Travelers perform gospel on Dec. 8 and Germaine Bazzle and Friends perform jazz on Dec. 15. Each show begins at 4 p.m.
The full schedule is online at www.neworleansonline.com/holiday. For a free booklet, call (504) 522-5730 or email info@fqfi.org.
Keyshia Cole brings hip-hop soul to Houma
Dec. 8
The Princess of Hip-Hop Soul performs for the first time in Houma on Dec. 8 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
Keyshia Cole, regarded by many in the hip-hop industry to have the best chance of succeeding Mary J. Blige, performs fresh off her release of “Woman to Woman,” her fifth album.
Cole’s second reality series premiered in October on BET. It focuses on her and her husband, while she produces the album.
On her latest production, the lead single “Enough of No Love” features Lil’ Wayne and reached No. 84 and No. 7 on Billboards Top 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs, respectively. “Trust and Believe,” the album’s second single, reached No. 39 on the latter list.
Three of Cole’s albums have been certified platinum, and she has four Grammy nominations.
Tickets start at $62.85 and can be purchased through the civic center box office or www.ticketmaster.com.
For more information, call (985) 850-4657.
Fundraiser to combat cancer in Houma
Dec. 15
A race, blood drive, silent auction and raffle are the featured attractions for first-time event The Ross Mullooly Project: Outrunning Cancer.
Mullooly, a student and former cross-country runner at Nicholls State University, started the non-profit organization while battling colorectal cancer for the second time.
Among the organizations the Ross Mullooly Project supports is the American Cancer Society’s “Hope Lodge.”
Race registration costs $20 for the 5K and $15 for the kids’ fun run. Bandit performs after the races, and jambalaya is served.
For each blood donation to the Ochsner Blood Bank during the event , $10 is donated to Hope Lodge.
Raffle tickets cost $5 each.
The race begins at 10 a.m., and is followed by a silent auction including sports-teams’ gear and holiday items. The blood drive is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Houma Courthouse Square.
For more information, call (985) 852-2623.
Spend the New Year in NO
Dec. 31
Live music and a large social gathering mark the changing calendar in New Orleans’ Jackson Square.
Organizers are mum on which “big object” this year will descend from atop Jax Brewery a la New York City’s giant ball. In past years, the Bacchus Baby was the object, and last year the baby was decked in the purple and gold of LSU.
Fifteen minutes worth of fireworks are launched above the Mississippi River to signal the dawn of 2013. River cruises are typically available for those who want a closer look at the display.
Once the celebration ends, the party begins. Thousands flock to Bourbon Street and matriculate through the French Quarter looking for live music and late-night sociability.
For those who plan on spending the first morning of the year in the city, it would be wise to make hotel reservations early. On Jan. 2, the Mercedes Benz Superdome hosts the Allstate Sugar Bowl between two of college football’s best teams.
Carolers rejoice in Jackson Square, which is the site of holiday events throughout the month, including a concert series, the caroling and a New Year’s Eve celebration.
