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Adopting M.E. Norman Elementary

Submitted Photos
M.E. Norman Elementary School held a ceremony Nov. 1 to mark the school's adoption by the Friends of Norman. In the top photo from left are Principal Shannon Hoffpauir; Herman Hartman and Earl Johnson, Friends of Norman; and Bridget Guillot, St. Mary Parish Schools. The students are Ava Loupe, Christopher Morgan, Brianna Davis. In the bottom photo are Friends of Norman Hartman, Cathy Landry and Johnson.

Police Reports 11-9-17

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported the following arrests:
Franklin Pearce III, 32, of 903 Duke St., Morgan City, was arrested Monday at 4:01 p.m. on charges of aggravated flight from an officer, aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce, resisting an officer by force, proper equipment required on a motor vehicle, improper lane usage, improper display of license plate, possession of Schedule II methamphetamine with intent to distribute over 28 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, transactions involving drug proceeds, possession of Schedule I marijuana, warrant for failure to appear on the charge of possession of Schedule I drugs and warrant from Morgan City Police for the charge of possession of Schedule I marijuana.
Narcotics detectives patrolling the Morgan City and Berwick area observed a vehicle with no side view mirrors and no visible license plate. Detectives also observed the vehicle crossing the centerline of the roadway on La. 182 and Frontage Road, in Berwick. Detectives initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the motorcycle failed to pull over, accelerating back onto La. 182, and then onto US 90, where the vehicle traveled at a high rate of speed. Detectives followed the motorcycle and observed the driver nearly collide with several other vehicles on the roadway. Detectives stopped the motorcycle on US 90, near Cotton Road. The driver, later identified as Pearce, fled on foot across the lanes of traffic. K-9 Buddy was deployed and apprehended Pearce who was arrested for the traffic violations. Continuing the investigation, detectives developed information that Pearce was in possession of illegal drugs. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the motorcycle and located methamphetamine and marijuana. The methamphetamine has an estimated street value of $2,800. Pearce was also in possession of a small amount of cash suspected of being gained from the sale of illicit drugs. Several items of drug paraphernalia were also located during the investigation, including a digital scale and plastic bags. Detectives also located the outstanding warrants for his arrest. Pearce was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Jessie Ellis, 28, of 261 Prairie Road North, Franklin, was arrested Monday at 6:28 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I marijuana and violation of a controlled dangerous substance law drug free zone.
Willie Vallet, 50, of 170 Verdun Lane, Verdunville, was arrested Monday at 6:28 p.m. for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Alfred Daniels Jr., 55, of 509 Tiger Lane, Franklin, was arrested Monday at 6:28 p.m. for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Narcotics detectives accompanied by Morgan City Police Department detectives and officers from the Franklin Police Department conducted a search warrant at a residence on Verdun Lane. Detectives found Ellis in possession of a small amount of marijuana. Detectives also found a pipe used for smoking crack cocaine in Vallet’s pocket and another pipe used for smoking crack cocaine near Daniels. Following the investigation, Ellis, Vallet, and Daniels were released on summonses.
Scott Authement, 41, of 1222 Main St., Patterson, was arrested Sunday at 7:28 p.m. for possession of Schedule II methamphetamine.
A deputy responded to the Amelia Belle Casino in Amelia in reference to an illegal substance being located at the business. The deputy spoke with security personnel and collected evidence that Authement dropped a small plastic bag of methamphetamine to the floor. Authement was transported to the St. Mary parish Law Enforcement Center for booking and was later released after posting a $1,000 bond.
Dean Beranek, 31, of 117 Burchfield Lane, Berwick, was arrested Monday at 1:59 a.m. on the charge of disturbing the peace fighting and on a City Court of Morgan City warrant for failure to appear on the charge of reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
A deputy responded to a call for service about a disturbance in Amelia. While en route, the deputy observed a vehicle matching the description of one involved in the disturbance and stopped the pick-up truck just off La. 182, in Amelia. The deputy identified the driver, Beranek, as one of the subjects involved in a confrontation. The deputy found evidence that Beranek struck a male victim in the face. The deputy also located the active warrant for his arrest and transported him to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Beranek was released on a $1,000 bond.
Devon Marsh, 25, of 1048 Ciro St., Siracusaville, was arrested Monday at 6:48 a.m. on the charge of aggravated battery and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana.
A deputy investigating a battery that occurred Sunday in Siracusaville, located Marsh at his residence. The deputy found evidence that Marsh repeatedly struck a female victim in the head and face. The victim was treated for injuries at a local hospital. The deputy also located the active warrant for Marsh. He was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Quinton Berard, 34, of 1102 North University St., Lafayette, was arrested last Wednesday at 6:50 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of speeding and driving under suspension.
A corrections deputy transported Berard from the Lafayette Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Berard was released on a $2,500 bond.
Lynn Guidry Jr., 28, of 118 Fern St., Thibodaux, was arrested Monday at 4:01 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A corrections deputy transported Guidry from the Lafourche Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Bail is set at $7,500.
Bryan Roy II, 29, of 1512 Cross Road #2, Bayou Vista, was arrested Monday at 3:10 p.m. on two warrants, one for the charge of theft, and the other for the charge of theft of goods. A corrections deputy transported Roy from the Calcasieu Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Neil Scelfo, 54, of 5213 La. 87, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 2:07 p.m. on the charge of criminal damage to property.
A deputy responded to a report of property damage at a residence on La. 87. Through the course of the investigation, the deputy collected evidence that Scelfo damaged a water meter at the location. Scelfo was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Scelfo was released on a recognizance bond.
Kloey Cuvillier, 17, of 1004 Front St., Morgan City, was arrested Tuesday at 5:46 p.m. on the charge of theft of goods.
A deputy investigating a complaint of shoplifting at a store in Bayou Vista, found evidence that Cuvillier concealed items in a bag and attempted to leave the store without paying for the goods. Cuvillier was released on a summons.
Rebecca Billington, 36, of 105 Jordin Lane, Bayou Vista, was arrested Tuesday at 3:38 p.m. on a warrant for charges of general speed law violation, improper lane usage and possession of Schedule I MDMA.
On Nov. 2 narcotics detectives and the K-9 Unit were patrolling Berwick when they observed a vehicle traveling at 40 miles per hour in a posted 30 miles per hour zone on the bridge at La. 182. Detectives conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Billington. Detectives received consent to search the vehicle and located an MDMA pill in Billington’s purse. Narcotics detectives later obtained a warrant for her arrest and took her into custody at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Morgan City. Billington was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Billington was released on a $1,500 bond.
Passion Fontenot, 36, of 10911 Audubon Road, Abbeville, was arrested last Wednesday at 4:11 a.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of driving under suspension and speeding.
A corrections deputy transported Fontenot from the Avoyelles Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Fontenot was transferred to the Morgan City Police Department jail for housing.
Horatio Webster, 38, of 1217 Samuel St., Franklin, was arrested last Wednesday at 7:53 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of violation of a protective order.
During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a corrections deputy located the active warrant for Webster. Webster was released on a $2,500 bond.
Earl Perro, 35, of 208 Cleveland St., Patterson, was arrested on Nov. 1 at 11:50 a.m. on three warrants for the charges of theft of goods, aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and issuing worthless checks, as well as a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of possession of cocaine.
The theft of goods warrant was issued following a March investigation into a report of shoplifting at a store in Bayou Vista. The deputy found evidence that Perro left the store without paying for several items. The warrant for aggravated assault and criminal damage to property was obtained as the result of a November 2016 investigation. The deputy collected evidence that Perro threw a shovel at a female victim breaking the window of a business property on La. 182 in Bayou Vista. During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a corrections deputy located the outstanding warrants for Perro. No bail is set.
Marvin Brown, Jr., 45, of 239 Coulee St., Baldwin, was arrested last Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of criminal neglect of family. A corrections deputy transported Brown from the Lafayette Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Brown was released on a $500 bond.
Franklin Police Chief Sabria McGuire reported the following arrests:
Brittnay Clements, 29, of Donna Drive, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 7:24 p.m. on the charge of possession of Schedule I narcotics heroin, possession of Schedule II narcotics methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and a warrant for Third Ward City Court for failure to appear on the charge of theft by shoplifting. Clements was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
Brett Gaspard, 27, of Baker Road, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 7:53 p.m. on the charge of possession of Schedule I narcotics heroin, possession of Schedule II narcotics methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Gaspard was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
Terrance Key Jr., 23, of Sucre Circle, Abbeville, was arrested Wednesday at 1:26 a.m. on a warrant for Jeanerette City Court for failure to appear on the charge of flight from an officer. Key was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

Single-vehicle accident claims life of 2-year-old Franklin child

A Franklin child died in a single-vehicle accident Wednesday morning.
Shortly after 7:30 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop I responded to a single vehicle fatality crash on La. 83 south of US 90, in Ashton. The crash claimed the life of a two-year-old child, and the driver was arrested on a charge of vehicular homicide.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation revealed that 27-year-old Grace Loustalot, of Franklin, was driving a 2005 Ford Expedition southbound on La. 83, and ran off of the right side of the roadway. Loustalot overcorrected, causing the vehicle to slide across both lanes of travel, enter a ditch, and overturn.
Temperence Finister, of Franklin, was not properly restrained in a child safety seat at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle, state police reported. She sustained critical injuries and was transported to Franklin Foundation Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.
Two other juvenile passengers were wearing seat belts, and sustained minor injuries. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Loustalot was wearing a seat belt, and sustained minor injuries. She was transported to Franklin Foundation Hospital for treatment.
Impairment is considered to be a factor in the crash, police say. Toxicology samples were obtained from Loustalot and submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.
Troopers transported Loustalot to the St. Mary Parish Jail where she was booked on charges of vehicular homicide, two counts of first degree vehicular negligent injuring, possession of Schedule IV narcotics, no child restraint, careless operation and expired motor vehicle inspection sticker. The crash remains under investigation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children two years old and younger should be properly restrained in a rear facing child restraint.
Children 12 years and younger should always ride in the rear seat.
Every occupant in a motor vehicle is required by Louisiana law to be properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint.
Ninety-six percent of child restraints are installed improperly.
Every Louisiana State Police Troop is a grant-funded fitting station, staffed by nationally certified child safety seat technicians. Each fitting station teaches parents/caregivers how to properly install the child restraint and how to properly buckle the child in the restraint. This service is free to the public.
Visit www.LSP.org to find out when LSP troops conducts child seat checks.
LSP Troop I conducts child seat checks every Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to noon at Troop I, in Lafayette. No appointment is necessary.

Resident questions timeline of sewer service in W&S 4

A resident served by St. Mary Water & Sewer District 4 asked the parish council Wednesday for information about installation of sewer service he says has been long overdue.
Nickolas Lejeune asked for clarification of a tax millage that residents of the district pay, and what it’s being used for.
Parish President David Hanagriff asked if Lejeune had attended any meetings of the commission for that district. Lejeune said he has tried to contact the commission “and everyone gives different answers. There’s quite a few people who want to know what’s going on with the money and where it’s at.”
Hanagriff said a 25 mill tax was recently renewed by voters. “Those questions, I think they’re best directed at a meeting of the commission,” he said. “We don’t have that information tonight.”
Councilman Craig Mathews said the commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m.
Chief Administrative Officer Henry “Bo” LaGrange said the millage is for operation and maintenance of both the water and sewer systems. “We acknowledge that there are certain areas that do not have sewer,” LaGrange said. “Those areas are paying a millage that is for water and sewer, and only getting the water service. They’re not paying the sewer user fee, but they’re paying the millage.”
LaGrange said, “The next question is where’s the money, what is it being used for, and what is their plan for sewer to be constructed in those areas that don’t have it.”
The district’s audit report is available to the public, LaGrange said, and will show revenues and expenditures for the commission.
He said “there are several (places) across the parish that are paying a millage that don’t have sewer.”
The parish bonded $10 million “several years ago”, LaGrange said, for sewer installation in some areas. “There’s been some engineering work done in your area for sewer, and some right-of-way work done as well. I do recall we did run into some opposition from folks.”
Some were satisfied with continuing use of septic systems and didn’t want to pay the user fee, LaGrange said.
“So there has been some work done in your area, and that’s a plus in getting going,” he said.
Hanagriff said the commission would have to take the initiative in cooperation with the parish. “It’s a tough situation,” he said, and said he’d attempt to gather more information.
All districts of parish government are required to submit their audits to the St. Mary Parish Council. The existing millage is not dedicated to specific purpose, but rather operation and maintenance in general.
In other business:
—The council approved a resolution of respect in memory of James “Jimmy” Diaz.
—Resolutions were approved congratulating Morgan City Junior High School’s football team for winning the St. Mary Parish Championship, and congratulating Bayou Vista Elementary School for being named the 2017 National Blue Ribbon School.
—A resolution was approved authorizing the parish president to enter a cooperative endeavor-lease agreement with the Save Our Children Mentoring Program for use of the former Bunche Branch Library in Franklin.
—An allocation of $2,100 from the Wards 5 and 3 3/10th sales tax fund was approved for the Bayou Vista Elementary Blue Ribbon celebration.
—Ken Conrad was appointed to the Atchafalaya Golf Course Commission.

Conrad to renovate riverboat honoring Louis Armstrong

New Orleans jazz legend Louis Armstrong will be honored on a riverboat that is set to be repurposed and renovated at Conrad Shipyard in Amelia starting later this month.

The riverboat, owned and operated by Tropicana on the Ohio River in Evansville, Indiana, will soon claim the Mississippi River in New Orleans as its new home, a news release said. The riverboat, currently named City of Evansville, has been in operation since 1995. It will be repurposed for a music and entertainment venue and renamed, Riverboat Louis Armstrong.

The announcement was made Nov. 1 by Warren Reuther Jr., president and CEO of Hospitality Enterprises New Orleans, which owns and operates the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen.

Riverboat Louis Armstrong will be the largest riverboat in the region at 310 feet long, 70 feet wide and four decks high, the release said.

The boat, built by Jeffboat in Jeffersonville, Indiana, will travel to Conrad’s deepwater shipyard in Amelia.

In late November, the riverboat should arrive in Amelia and renovations should be complete by mid-2018. It will then be renamed Riverboat Louis Armstrong.

“We’re excited to be a part of this new venture coming to New Orleans, and it should be quite an attraction for everybody to enjoy,” said Gary Lipely, Conrad Shipyards director of marketing and sales.

Riverboat Louis Armstrong is licensed for 3,000 passengers and “will allow much flexibility to feature local and national talent, from intimate trios to popular headliners,” the release said.

In preparation for its trip to New Orleans, its 98-foot smokestacks are being removed while in Evansville to allow for bridge clearance on its journey to Amelia.

Once renovations and marine inspections by the U.S. Coast Guard are complete, the Riverboat Louis Armstrong will be moored where the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen currently docks at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside and Riverwalk.

Reuther recalls hearing and reading about Armstrong when the jazz musician was 14-18 years old going to the river with his trumpet, hopping on one of the Streckfus Steamers as a deckhand, and scurrying to sneak among the jazz musicians for a chance to play his trumpet with them, the release said.

“Jazzing on the river is what we want to recapture on the Mississippi River in New Orleans,” Reuther said.

While its emphasis will be on jazz, Riverboat Louis Armstrong will offer New Orleans locals and visitors opportunities to enjoy music of all genres, from traditional jazz to contemporary pop, and from classical to rhythm and blues on four decks of entertainment, the release said.

“Jazz music is such an important reason why people visit New Orleans from all over the world, and until now, there has really been no venue big enough that allows visitors to experience large scale music on the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans,” Reuther said.

“We want the Riverboat Louis Armstrong to bring the music of its soul and the vibrancy of the river region together, just as Mr. Armstrong performed on a riverboat in New Orleans,” Reuther said.

The pièce de résistance will be a Riverboat Louis Armstrong Foundation Room on the third level with Satchmo memorabilia on display. Visitors will learn about his life and career through his music and the instruments he played, the news release said.

CCHS to face St. John in Division V quarterfinals

Central Catholic High School will continue Division V volleyball postseason play Thursday when it faces St. John at 12:40 p.m. in one of four quarterfinal matchups in the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner.
The two teams are familiar with each other as they have faced each other during the regular season for four straight seasons.
Earlier this season, Central Catholic defeated St. John of Plaquemine in four games (25-16, 27-29, 25-22, 25-16) in Morgan City in the Lady Eagles’ annual Pink Game.
Now, almost a month after that regular-season matchup, the teams will meet again Thursday on court 3. Central Catholic enters the matchup as Division V’s No. 4 seed, while St. John is Division V’s No. 5 seed.
“I like to think about St. John being a real versatile team who’s not going to quit playing,” Central Catholic Coach Latashia Wise said. “They’re going to play really good defense. They’re very scrappy, and they’re going to push the ball in the court and capitalize on our mis-takes.”
St. John has several tal-ented players, Wise said, including an outside hitter that Central Catholic’s coach said gave the Lady Eagles problems in the set they lost this season.
Wise also noted St. John served the ball well.
In that Oct. 17 regular-season matchup, the Lady Eagles won two days after coming off a 6-0 mark at Terrebonne’s tournament to win the event.
While Wise said at the time her team still could have been fatigued from the weekend tournament, regardless, she wasn’t all pleased with her team’s performance against St. John.
Asked what she would like to see her team do better in their second matchup, Wise said she wants her team to get off to a better start and “look energized.”
“Now, we had the Pink Game going on (when the teams met during the regular season), which is no excuse, but I think that we didn’t jump start like we could have early on,” Wise said.
She said she would like to see the team serve better, and play defense better, too.
While the Lady Eagles will have to advance past Thursday before they can worry about any other opponent, if they do win Thursday, they may face top-seed Metairie Park Country Day, which will meet No. 8 seed Episcopal School of Acadiana in another semifinal set for 10:50 a.m. Thursday.
The top three seeds in this year’s tournament are Metairie Park Country Day, Louise McGehee and Ascen-sion Episcopal, all teams who have either won or advanced to the finals in the past five years.
Wise said she thinks Division V has become one of Louisiana’s tougher divisions in prep volleyball.
However, she also believes the time is now for her squad to make their mark.
In order to make the finals and hoist the state championship trophy, though, the Lady Eagles will have to be consistent, Wise said.
“We’re going to have to play consistent at the net,” she said. “We’re going to have to serve the ball consistent, and we’re going to have to serve-receive well, so if there’s one word that I think we need to get us through Thursday, Friday and Saturday, it’s consistency.”
While this weekend will be the team’s toughest stretch in tournament play, the Lady Eagles certainly have done well in tournament play this season with two championships and a runner-up finish.
Wise said she her team’s seed this year.
While the Lady Eagles have lost to Ascension Epis-copal the last two years, it is on the opposite side of the bracket.
With the current group of players she has, Wise’s team hasn’t faced Country Day.
“I think that we have a good shot” this week, Wise said. “We’re just going to have to play all together and be consistent.”
The Lady Eagles are led by sophomore middle blocker Yani Johnson who has 447 kills and 60 aces.
Senior libero Quincee Wiggins leads the team with 409 digs, while sophomore setter Katie Hoffpauir has 504 assists.
All Central Catholic volleyball games this week will be broadcast on KBZE 105.9 FM.

UNO's Randi Brown named Preseason First Team All-SLC

University of New Orleans guard Randi Brown has been selected Preseason First Team All-Southland Conference.
One of the nation’s leading scorers last season, Brown was a first-team all-conference selection as a junior after earning third-team honors as a soph-omore in 2016.
“It’s a tremendous individ-ual accomplishment for Randi,” New Orleans Head Coach Keeshawn Davenport said in a news release last month. “But I’m sure she is so tunnel-vision right now. She’s looking towards the postseason for this year’s team.”
A senior from Houma, Brown led the Southland Conference in scoring average at 22 points a game and total points (659) a year ago. She was seventh nationally among Division I scorers.
On New Year’s Eve in 2016, Brown smashed New Orleans’ all-time single game scoring mark with a 45-point outing against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, leading the Privateers to a 75-54 win. She broke the record of 44 points set in 1981 by New Orleans All American and former Harlem Globetrotter Sandra Hodge.
Brown, who was the first New Orleans player selected Freshman of the Year in the Southland Conference in 2015, has scored 1,470 points in her career at the University of New Orleans and needs 289 points to move into second place on the school’s all-time scoring list, surpassing Carvie Upshaw (1,759).
Brown was Southland Conference Player of the Week three times during the 2016-17 season and led the Privateers in assists (2.7), steals (1.9), and minutes played (927).
As a team, the Privateers recorded their best season yet in the Southland, finishing 14-14 overall, 9-9 in conference play and qualifying for the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time.
The Privateers will open the 2017-18 season in the Preseason WNIT Friday in Lafayette against the UL Lafayette Ragin Cajuns.
For more information on the University of New Orle-ans women’s basketball team, follow @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, @UNOPrivateers on Instagram, like /UNOPrivateers on Facebook and subscribe to the PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.

D'Arabian: Try a leafy winter salad

Summer may officially be the season of green salads, but wintertime versions have advantages that make them worth exploring.
The cooler weather seasonable greens are hearty and darker green, which makes them nutrient-rich. And, these thicker-leaved greens such as kale or spinach can hold up to the addition of warm ingredients, opening up the possibilities for topping your salad with roasted goodies in a way that delicate butter lettuce never could.
Have some hearty root veggies in the fridge? Toss them (and some whole garlic cloves — yum!) in some olive oil and roast them up, and add warm to raw kale leaves with lemon juice, Parmesan and black pepper and you’ve got a winter salad rivaling anything you’d make in July.
Today’s recipe takes inspiration from this season’s holiday cooking pantry ingredients that I always seem to have on hand. Apples, leftover from apple pie, are the salad’s real star, while the pumpkin vinaigrette — also of pie fame — plays an important supporting role.
I cut the apples into small cubes and quickly roast them in a little salt and rosemary at high heat, and the little cubes turn into sweet, herbaceous nuggets of flavor — like raisins, but better — and make other ingredients almost unnecessary. I add leftover turkey for protein, almonds for crunch and tomatoes for a tiny bit of acid.
You could even add blue cheese or feta if you happened to have some floating around the house, leftover from a cheese party platter. Feel free to swap out ingredients to match your pantry: As long as you are topping winter greens with something warm, whether roasted Brussels sprouts or pan-seared salmon, you’ll be on your way to a tasty winter green salad.
GREEN SALAD WITH PUMPKIN VINAIGRETTE AND ROASTED APPLES
Start to finish:
30 minutes
Salad:
2 large tart apples (such as Granny Smith), cut into 1-inch cubes (unpeeled), about 3 cups
2 tsp. fresh minced rosemary
5 cups baby spinach or kale, or other hearty greens
½ cup baby tomatoes, halved or quartered
1½ cups shredded cooked white meat chicken or turkey
¼ cup marcona almonds
½ tsp. kosher salt
Olive oil in a mister
Pumpkin Vinaigrette:
¼ cup pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. minced rosemary
1 tsp. minced shallot
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 F. Place cubed apple on a parchment-line baking tray and spray with an olive oil mister to coat cubes. Sprinkle on minced rosemary and salt, and gently toss cubes to coat. Bake just until tender and edges are starting to turn golden, about 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool just a few minutes. While the apples are roasting, make the vinaigrette. Place pumpkin puree, water, vinegar and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk the olive oil into the mixture until well-blended. Add rosemary, shallot and black pepper and stir.
To assemble the salad: place spinach in a bowl or platter and top with tomatoes, chicken, almonds and warm, roasted apples. Drizzle with pumpkin vinaigrette, toss, and serve.
Servings: 4
Nutrition information per serving: 239 calories; 75 calories from fat; 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 45 mg cholesterol; 336 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 20 g protein.
—Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, “Supermarket Healthy.”

As boyfriend’s hair disappears, so does attraction

DEAR ABBY: My physical attraction to my boyfriend has significantly diminished due to his baldness. I know this may seem shallow, but I have lost all interest in intimate contact with him. When I look at his bald head or he rests his head on my shoulder, it literally makes my stomach lurch! Our romance began 20 years ago when he still had hair. It fell out two years ago. I still have feelings for him, but I don’t know how to get past this. I have tried turning out the lights and even imagining I’m with somebody else. I’m ...

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