Rita LeBleu

When the holiday season rolls around next year, a new lakefront hotel could be under construction. Mayor Nic Hunter announced the news Friday. ReNew Lake Charles LLC will build a 154-room Hilton branded hotel on property leased from the city (Lake Charles Event Center property). Other highlights of the announcement included additional meeting space to […]

Expect more development on the lakefront and in downtown Lake Charles. On Friday, Mayor Nic Hunter and partners from ReNew Lake Charles announced plans for a lakefront hotel, conference and convention center and new state-of-the-art amphitheater. Hunter began the announcement with the Victor Hugo quote, “There’s nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has […]

Southwest Louisiana offers more than a list of infrastructure-improved sites ready for development. On Wednesday, Louisiana Economic Development Senior Director Stacey Duvic confirmed just how ready. Duvic presented Mayor Nic Hunter with the Louisiana Development Ready Community Designation. Only 27 cities in the state have it. “When I have visited with local industry who are […]

The city of Westlake will host its second annual Christmas at City Hall on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include an array of fun activities for the entire family, including snow at 3 p.m. Mayor Hal McMillin said he’s excited to see the number of black pot cook […]

For those eager to immerse themselves in the spirit of the season, plan to attend the First United Methodist Church Christmas Cantata, “Love,” by Joel Raney. Featuring a 15-part orchestra, the performance is Sunday, Dec. 15, at the 11 a.m. traditional service. “We are big fans of his work,” said Emmie Gonsoulin, director of Music […]

Calcasieu Parish Administrator Bryan Beam is set to retire soon. Appointed in 2010, he is only the third person to fill the role in the history of the Police Jury. “I have mixed feelings about it, but the timing is right for me to move on,” Beam said. Before he gets busy learning to play […]

Seventy Care Help volunteers played holiday helper, pushing carts down every aisle at least once, and often two or three times as children pointed, held and considered items before placing it in the basket or returning it to the shelf. Some of the helpers were more enthusiastic than others with smiles that indicated they were […]

One of the 76 items on today’s Lake Charles City Council agenda is the ordinance that will authorize the mayor to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with RENEW Lake Charles for the construction of a hotel and conference center on the grounds of the Event Center. Local hotel owner and developer Nimesh Zaver, the CHO of […]

Westlake Fire Chief Jonathan Duff reported on recent training with “cutting edge” technology at the Monday Westlake City Council meeting. Firefighter Matthew Webb briefed Council before it voted on an ordinance that could impact fire prevention, and two firefighters were honored at the meeting. Police Chief Chris Wylrie recognized the following police officers for going […]

Calcasieu Council on Aging celebrated the announcement of its new development with a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday. “It’s been a tedious four-year journey. We finally made it,” said Jackie Green, CCOA executive director, about the process of applying for FEMA grant monies. Green credited the CCOA board, elected officials, and the project development and grants management […]