Author: Emily Gautreaux

Top Spots in the Country for Seeing the Changing of the Leaves

One of the best things about the autumn season is that this time of year gives you the opportunity to see the natural majesty which is the changing colors of the leaves. All across the United States are many different types of trees, so there are plenty of places to see some amazing fall foliage. Thanks to this superb guide for the best places in the country to see changing leaves from Travel + Leisure, you can experience the beauty of fall foliage as long as you plan ahead and time just right.

Cape May, New Jersey

Cape May is one of the best places to see fall foliage in the United States. The town is located on the southern tip of New Jersey and is known for its Victorian architecture and beautiful beaches. In the fall, Cape May is a beautiful place to visit, with its many trees changing color and the cool breeze blowing off the ocean. Visitors can take a trolley ride through the town, visit historic sites, or just enjoy the views from one of the many restaurants or cafes.

 Brooklyn, New York

Naturally, one of the best places to see amazing fall foliage in the United States is also one of the most famous places, and that’s for good reason. If you’re seeking out a variety of picturesque locations to see the vibrant changing colors of leaves this fall you’ll definitely want to check out Brooklyn, New York. If you do visit Brooklyn this autumn, be sure that you travel to multiple locations such as Prospect Park, Sunset Park, and Coney Island. Particularly, Sunset Park is a location that offers sweeping views of the Big Apple and the Hudson River.  Similarly, be sure to check out Brooklyn Bridge Park to see a great view of the Manhattan skyline while you also take in the leaves changing colors on the trees that line the river. Lastly, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden serves as an absolute must-see destination in Brooklyn during fall. This is because the gardens are filled with beautiful foliage, and there’s also a pumpkin patch that makes for a great visit each October.

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is a particularly fantastic place to see fall foliage. There are many different types of trees to be found throughout the forest, so you can see a variety of colors as the leaves change. Also, the forest spans over 4 million acres and includes parts of the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains, and you can also enjoy hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities while you’re taking in the leaves.

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Filled to the brim with beautiful colors, the Wisconsin Dells is one of the best places to see fall foliage in the United States, and there are plenty of activities to enjoy while you’re in the area. For instance, you can take a scenic drive down Highway 12, go for a hike in one of the many state parks, or take a ride aboard the famous Wisconsin Dells Boat Tours.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Similar to Brooklyn, when many people imagine themselves watching the leaves change, they imagine Cape Cod, and that’s for a valid reason: it’s uniquely beautiful this time of year. The Cape’s unique location – jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean – means that it experiences all four seasons, including beautiful autumn weather. The Cape’s coastlineis dotted with quaint towns and villages, each with its own character and charm, and in the fall, these towns come alive with color as the leaves on the trees change color. Visitors can enjoy many different activities during their stay on Cape Cod, from exploring the Cape’s numerous beaches and hiking trails to taking a scenic drive along one of the Cape’s many winding roads. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway or an adventure-filled vacation, Cape Cod is the perfect destination for enjoying the best of what autumn has to offer.

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“Last Acadian Coast” Symposium Hosted at Nicholls

In Early October, Nicholls State University hosted a symposium on the particularly unique history and culture of certain Acadian descendants in both Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes, according to this new release from Nicholls. The symposium, which is titled: “The Last Acadian Coast: A Symposium on Acadian History and Culture in the Lafourche-Terrebonne” was held on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, in the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

The event is hosted by Nicholls State University, the Nicholls Coastal Center, the Center for Bayou Studies at Nicholls, the Lafourche Heritage Society, and the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center. Additionally, this event is a part of the larger Grand Réveil Acadien 2022, which is a multi-parish experience that is designed to celebrate the lasting cultural impact of the Acadian people across southern Louisiana.

The Last Acadian Coast’s Symposium on Acadian history and culture in the Lafourche Terrebonne Area did so by featuring several notable speakers at their public event who spoke on the Acadians of the wetlands. The following speakers and topics were featured at the event:

  • Glen Pitre, “Historic Lifeways in the Lafourche-Terrebonne”
  • John Doucet, “The Last Acadian Coast: Settlement and Succession of the Wetlands Acadians”
  • Windell Curole, “Shaped by Tide and Thunder and Terror: Historical Storms and the Shaping of Coastal Settlement in the Lafourche-Terrebonne”
  • Nathalie Dajko, “French on Shifting Ground: Development of Unique Language in the Lafourche-Terrebonne”
  • Donald (Don) Davis, ”Historical Wetlands Seafood Culture and Industry”
  • Patty Whitney, “A Cultural Gumbo: Terrebonne Parish’s 200th Anniversary”
  • Shana Walton & Helen Regis, ”Living off the Land in Lafourche: Hunting, Fishing, Planting and Community”

Prior to the “Last Acadian Coast” symposium, an event a part of Grand Réveil Acadien took place at Nicholls State University’s Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. The event was an “Acadian Chef Demo,” and it featured Chef Paul Thimot and Chef Shane Robicheau who cooked and prepared a traditional Acadian dish while highlighting the culture and food of Acadian culture and Nova Scotia in both the past and present.

After the “Last Acadian Coast” symposium, Grand Réveil Acadien also featured a Cajun Music Demonstration & Lecture at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center. This demonstration and lecture featured Chad Huval on accordion and Brazos Huval on fiddle as they demonstrated Cajun Music techniques while also teaching about the history of Cajun music and the preservation of music specific to Bayou Lafourche.

In providing more information on the Acadian descendants of both Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish, Nicholls provided the following information: “the migration of Acadian exiles to Louisiana largely concluded in 1785 with the landing of seven-passenger ships in New Orleans carrying nearly 1600 persons. Following earlier establishments of the First and Second Acadian Coast settlements along the Mississippi River, most of the 1785 Acadian immigrants were settled along the Bayous Lafourche and Terrebonne.”

The arrival of the Acadian immigrants didn’t only the largest single migration and settlement of Acadians in the entire world, but it also marked the final mass re-settlement of Acadians in history. Over time, these Acadian immigrants migrated south along the bayous toward the Gulf Coast, and they founded “not only the bayouside cities, towns, and villages we know today but also forging their own history and developing a unique wetlands Cajun culture.”

Furthermore, Grand Réveil Acadien described their multi-parish experience as a way to “encourage Acadians from around the world to continue to advance our unique lifestyle through shared memories, French-speaking events, bonding and fellowship over Cajun food and music, and the general celebration of our shared culture.” Because of this, there is no better sponsor than Nicholls State University to host a symposium on the rich tapestry of the history of Acadian people in both LaFourche and Terrebonne Parishes.

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Sediment Diversion Project to Move Forward

Recently, the Army Corps of Engineers released a final environmental impact statement that will help to expedite a $2 billion project to fight coastal land loss with a sediment diversion project that will divert sediment from the Mississippi River to Barataria Basin, according to this article from nola.com.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ final environmental impact statement included a detailed study on Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. This study will help to determine when federal and state permits will be awarded for the project. Once those permits are awarded, they could come as early as December, which would give final approval to the project, which has been called quite “monumental” by Louisiana officials.

Chairman of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Chip Kline, commented on the progress made toward this substantial project by saying, “this is a monumental moment for the state and the state’s coastal program. It has been told to us by members of the Biden administration that this is the largest coastal restoration project in the country, and the largest of its type anywhere in the world.” Kline also commented on the project moving forward in light of the recently released report by saying that it has put Louisiana on the “two-yard line,” indicating that the project’s construction could begin in early 2023.

The $2 billion project, which will be funded by settlements related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, will prove to provide significant reductions in future storm surge flooding for residents of the New Orleans West Bank. These storm surge reductions will come from the creation of approximately 21 square miles of new land through the year 2070.

Despite this good news in terms of storm surge reductions for New Orleans residents, this project will also significantly impact the area in terms of bringing “significant damaging effects to commercial finfish, oyster and shrimp catches, and some additional flooding risk to communities just south of the diversion location on the west bank of the Mississippi in Plaquemines Parish.”

Environmental deficits notwithstanding, Louisiana state officials still see this substantial diversion project as “the most needed capstone of” the state’s 50-year Coastal Master Plan, as this project represents a significant reduction in the sheer amount of wetlands that are expected to be “sacrificed to subsidence and human-fueled sea level rise along this part of the state’s coastline through the end of the century.” The diversion project will entail the sending of as much as 7 million tons of sediment into the Barataria Basin each year, which is a process that practically mimics the original creation of southern Louisiana.

According to the 12,757-page main report and appendices recently released by the Army Corps of Engineers, the diversion would carry 5-7 million tons of sediment into the basin annually. The report says that this annual carrying of sediment “would have permanent, major, beneficial impacts on land building,” as it would essentially create new land. It’s projected that in its first 10 years, the diversion project would create approximately 10 square miles of new land in the basin and an additional 27 square miles of new land would be created over the next 50 years after that. Although the amount of land created over the first 50 years would be offset by expected wetland losses from sea level rise and subsidence elsewhere in the basin, the final result would still amount to an aggregate increase of 21 square miles in new land area.

Lastly, it was cited by Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority that the diversion project would create 12,000 direct and indirect jobs in southeast Louisiana with most of them being housed in Plaquemines, St. Bernard,Jefferson and Orleans parishes.

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This Recipe for Pecan Pie Will be Your Best Yet

This classic recipe is sure to be a dessert time favorite that’s also perfect for your next upcoming holiday. This classic pecan pie recipe from Louisiana Kitchen and Culture is easy to make, guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth, and minimize any kitchen cleanup.

One of the features of this recipe is the instruction to begin by “blind baking” the pie crust. Simply put, “blind baking” a crust is a term for partially baking a pie crust before adding in the pie filling. This baking process is perfect for recipes where the pie filling takes less time to cook than the crust itself. Additionally, it helps to prevent a soggy bottom crust, thus ensuring a perfect texture to your pecan pie through and through.

Ingredients for your crust:

Ingredients for your filling:

  • 1 ½ cups of fresh pecan pieces
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, sliced into small pieces
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup of heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup of cane syrup
  • ⅔ cup of light brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt

 Directions:

  1. In order to start making the pie crust for this recipe, know that you can either purchase a pre-made pie shell if you’re running low on time or follow the following directions. If making your own, you’ll want to pulse your flour, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of your food processor until the ingredients are combined.
  2. Then, add in your butter and continue to pulse until the small butter pieces are approximately the size of corn kernels, which should take about 10-12 pulses.
  3. Add about 5 tablespoons of water and continue to pulse the dough until it’s no longer dry. When the dough is squeezed into your hand, it should form a ball and hold its shape if it’s no longer dry. If your dough is still dry, you can add another tablespoon or two of the ice-cold water.
  4. Spread some flout onto your baking surface and turn your dough out, forming it into a disk. Then, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it for at least one hour and no longer than three days. If you’re freezing your dough, know that you can freeze it for up to a month and that you should defrost it in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325°F, remove your dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to sit out at room temperature for five minutes in order for it to soften.
  6. Once again, flour your work surface and roll your dough into a 12-inch circle that’s about  ⅛ inch thick. Then, fold the dough into quarters and transfer it to a 9½-inch pie plate.
  7. Unfold the dough, fit it into the pie plate, and then trim off all but a ¼ inch of the overhang. Pinch the edge of the dough together to form a crimp by using your thumb and index finger. Chill while you begin to make the pecan pie filling.
  8. Begin the filling by whisking your egg and egg yolks together in a large bowl. Set this aside and combine your cane syrup, sugar, cream, and salt in a medium saucepan.
  9. Add your butter into the saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Once your butter has melted, continue to cook the mixture until it stops bubbling. This should take approximately 1 minute.
  10. Whisk the sugar mixture into the egg yolks gradually, just until the bottom of the bowl is warm to the touch, and then add in your remaining sugar mixture and stir in your vanilla.
  11.  Take your chilling pie plate out of the refrigerator, sprinkle the pecan pieces into the pie crust, and then carefully pour your filling on top. Spread an additional layer of pecan pieces atop the filling to cover the surface and then set the pie into the oven.
  12. Bake your pecan pie until its center has a little resistance, similar to a soft-setting custard, which typically takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Once finished, remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
  13. Enjoy!

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New Orleans National WWII Museum Hosts Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony

A Congressional Gold Medal ceremony was held at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans to commemorate the recent awarding of the honor to World War II Merchant Marines. The event was held on October 1 in US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center at The National WWII Museum, according to this article from Nola.com.

This Congressional Gold Medal ceremony was an event that was made in partnership with the Merchant Marine Veteran Association, and while it was open to the public, the ceremony was also live-streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo in addition to the in-person event at the Museum’s US Freedom Pavilion on Magazine Street.

In 2020, Congress passed the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act in order to recognize the merchant mariners for their exhibited courage and contributions made during World War II. According to the United States Department of Defense, the medal was previously awarded in May of 2022. The Congressional Gold Medal was initially displayed at the American Merchant Marine Museum in Kings Point, New York. Additionally, each member of the surviving merchant mariners was set to receive a bronze replica of the coveted award. At the American Merchant Marine Museum Ceremony, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “President Franklin D. Roosevelt called their mission the most difficult and dangerous transportation job ever undertaken.”

During World War II, Merchant Mariners were private seamen who enlisted in the war to sail on merchant ships across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. These men served with bravery, honor, and dignity as they kept the Allied Forcessupplied on the front lines during WWII. The Merchant Mariners braved harsh conditions, enemy action, and danger as they risked their lives in order to supply the tools needed for the Grand Alliance to win the war. Looking back, roughly 4 percent of those who served were killed, which was a higher casualty rate than any other US military service. Out of the 243,000 men who served in the Merchant Marines in World War II, approximately 1,500 are alive today.

According to the United States Mint, “the U.S. Merchant Marine is overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) and consists of privately-owned, U.S.-registered merchant vessels that provide waterborne transportation for passengers and cargo moving in domestic and international commerce. The Merchant Marine is not a military service, but acts as an auxiliary to DoD times of conflict – as was the case during World War II.”

Throughout the Fall, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans will also be hosting a variety of events like the Lunchbox Lecture: Bomber Builder: The Boeing Aircraft Company in World War II. This lecture is set to focus on and answer the question, “How did William Boeing parlay his hobby of flying into one of the most powerful and influential aviation companies of the 1940s and beyond?” Additionally, in October, the National WWII Museum’s own orchestra, the Victory Swing Orchestra will perform an evening of “Dine & Dance with the Victory Swim Orchestra,”  wherein they’ll celebrate the great bands of the era.

The Mission Statement of the New Orleans’ National WWII Museum reads, “the National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn.” It is through this mission that the Museum honored those Merchant Marines for their brave service during World War II at their Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony. 

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Louisiana Has Seven 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools

It was recently announced by the United States Department of Education that seven schools in Louisiana have been named 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools, as per this news release from the Louisiana Department of Education. Out of the 297 schools recognized by United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as being a National Blue Ribbon School for 2022, the seven Louisiana schools were located in Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, St. Landry, and St. Tammany parishes.

Louisiana Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley commented on the achievement of these Louisiana schools by saying, “Louisiana’s National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the level of quality and choice available to families in our state. Congratulations to these schools and thank you to these educators for cultivating an environment where the top priority is student success.”

Being named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School is one of the highest recognitions in the field of education, as it is based on the school’s overall academic performance or its progress in closing achievement gaps. Of the Louisiana schools recognized, three Louisiana schools, in particular, were designated as being “Exemplary High Performing.”This exemplary award recognizes those schools that rank in the top 15% of schools in the state on both academic indicators and graduation rates. Additionally, these schools must also be in the top 40% for subgroup performance, and the ranking system includes graduation rates, school performance scores, and subgroup scores.

The three Louisiana schools recognized as being “Exemplary High Performing” were Caddo Parish Schools’ South Highlands Elementary Magnet School, Baton Rogue’s LSU Laboratory School, and Baton Rouge and the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana’s St. James Episcopal Day School.

Additionally, four schools in Louisiana were recognized as showing “Exemplary Growth,” meaning that these particular schools showed significant subgroup growth. Subgroup growth is measured by a school’s ranking in the top 15% for one or more of their subgroups while also ranking in the top 40% of the state for each subgroup. The ranking system takes into account graduation rates, percentage of growth toward mastery for reading and mathematics, and school performance scores.

The four Louisiana schools recognized as showing “exemplary growth” were Lafayette Parish Schools’ Myrtle Place Elementary, St. Landry Parish Schools’ Grand Prairie Elementary School, Calcasieu Parish Schools’ Frasch Elementary School, and St. Tammany Parish Schools’ Folsom Elementary School. 

With its 39th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has awarded approximately 10,000 awards to 9,000 hardworking schools. Schools with National Blue Ribbon status are recognized by the exemplary practices they showcase, and the award itself “affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement.”

The U.S. The Department of Education annually invites nominations for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award from each state’s top education officials as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education, and private schools’ nominations coming from the Council for American Private Education.

Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona commented on the achievement by saying, “I applaud all the honorees for the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award for creating vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school communities where students can learn, grow, reach their potential, and achieve their dreams. As our country continues to recover from the pandemic, we know that our future will only be as strong as the education we provide to all of our children. Blue Ribbon Schools have gone above and beyond to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. These schools show what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives.”

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