New Orleans Saints world championsNEW ORLEANS — Saints fans hugged, kissed, and spilled onto the streets Sunday as a citywide party erupted after their once woebegone NFL franchise defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl.
French Quarter crowds, beefed up by tourists in town for Carnival season and by those wanting to experience the euphoria of a Saints victory, poured onto Bourbon Street to celebrate in a scene that looked more like Fat Tuesday than a Sunday night. The Saints won 31-17 in the franchise’s first appearance in the big game.
As a brass band played “When the Saints Go Marching In” inside Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse, revelers jumped up and down, stood on chairs and tables and waved black and gold umbrellas when the Saints won. »
St. Jude Radiothon rolls out today
The Zeta Rho chapter of the women’s philanthropic group Epsilon Sigma Alpha and radio stations KXKZ-107.5 and KPCH 99.3 have teamed up to raise money during the 29th annual St. Jude Radiothon. It will be broadcast live from Ruston’s Super 1 Foods from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. today and 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday.
Zeta Rho president Fenneke Englebrecht said that last year the group’s goal was to raise $150,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. They cleared that hurdle, making $160,000. This year they’ve raised the bar and hope to raise $170,000.
“I think a lot of people are good natured and they want to help where there is a need, and the need is definitely at St. Jude,” Englebrecht said. “We love helping the hospital make this money to help the children, because they are very close to our hearts.” »
Let the good times roll
The party in Louisiana has been going on for two weeks now, and it culminates tonight with Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.
Louisiana’s own New Orleans Saints will play in their first Super Bowl, as they take on the Indianapolis Colts in a game set for a 5:18 p.m. kickoff.
A sense of excitement never seen before has permeated the state after the Saints won the Super Bowl berth with a win over the Minnesota Vikings, and Ruston has been right in the thick of the Who Dat nation.
Many area businesses and stores allowed employees to wear Saints gear and paraphernalia over the past few days, and many Lincoln Parish school students donned Black and Gold as they went to school Friday. »
Saints spirit marches into parish schools
Area schools seem to have a firm grip on keeping the H1N1 virus under control.
Handling “Who Dat Fever” is a whole other story.
Schools in Lincoln Parish looked like New Orleans Saints cheerleading camps today as students and teachers alike donned black and gold to show their support for the Saints, who will take on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. »
Local doctor loses appeal
Dr. James S. Finley is seeking to change state legislation that he believes leaves many patients scrambling to find appropriate medical care.
According to an amended Louisiana law in place since August 2003, a physician who signs a non-compete clause can neither operate nor be employed by a business conducting similar work in the same parish or nearby parishes for up to two years.
“I’ve already made some contacts saying you can’t do this, because it’s basically depriving patients of care,” Finley said of the amended law. »
