Home Care In Blanchard, LA

In a recent interview with WhatCulture, Eli Drake revealed why he refused to compete in a match against Tessa Blanchard.

While Eli Drake had a commendable run with the company, it met with an undeserving end which saw him involved in a lot of controversies right before his shocking exit. He went into the details of a planned match between him and Blanchard to explain why he didn't think it was good for him to square off against her inside the ring.

“Let me be great” pic.twitter.com/14Ulsh1ZBW

— Eli Drake (@TheEliDrake) May 29, 2020

What happened between Eli Drake and Tessa Blanchard?

Revealing the backstage details about this proposed match, Eli Drake confirmed that he was never informed about this match prior to the announcement. This took him by shock, and while he respects Tessa as a performer, he didn't feel that the match looked believable on paper. Here's what Eli Drake said,

"I've done the mixed tag before, so I'm not opposed to that. I'm in a group chat with some of the guys who were working there, and one of them had already told us that they'd pitched this match to him - it was him against Tessa - and he said that he wasn't comfortable with it. But they said something to him before they announced it. With me, they just announced it and said nothing to me - after one guy had already turned them down for being uncomfortable with it. First of all, how do you just announce that when one guy already said he's uncomfortable with it and just assume I'm good and cool? And in my mind, I'm thinking, 'They already know I'm leaving, because I told them in January. Okay, they'll try to bury me on my way out."

2013: brother was amped and ready to take over the world....#EliDrake #Throwback #wbw #prowrestling https://t.co/Ct7E0K7j4b

— Eli Drake (@TheEliDrake) May 27, 2020

"I've got immense respect for Tessa - she's probably the best female wrestler in the world - but she's also 5' 4" and 140 lbs, and I'm 6'1" and 230 lbs. It just doesn't look believable to me."

Eli Drake stated that it was already established that this match would be uncomfortable and yet, it was what the creatives wanted him to do. After his time with Impact Wrestling, Eli Drake believed that he didn't deserve to buried before his exit from the company.

BLANCHARD, La. – Blanchard has been awarded $3,693,000 by the Louisiana Department of Health’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund (DWRLF) Program to merge with the struggling Bel-Di-Gil Water System to restore it to compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act requirements and to provide its customers with safe and reliable drinking water.

Blanchard will absorb the Bel-Di-Gil System into its water system by installing more than 76,000 linear feet of pipeline to connect the town’s main lines to the smaller system’s water treatment plants in the villages of Belcher and Gilliam. In addition, the Blanchard system is installing new automated water meters that can be read with walk-by or drive-by devices, and it is enlarging existing pipelines to improve capacity and water pressure for customers.

The funding for the improvements is provided through the DWRLF’s newly created Consolidation Initiative Program, which provides loans that are 100% forgiven for approved consolidation projects that eliminate existing public water systems that pose a threat to public health. The Louisiana Department of Health approved the loan for the town on Dec. 1. It will be paid out in two phases.

Phase 1 calls for $2.3 million to be spent on the construction of main lines connecting to the smaller system in Belcher. That project is scheduled to begin this month and finish by September.

Phase 2 will allocate the remaining $1.39 million to constructing main lines to the plant in Gilliam, with that project beginning by late summer and being completed by the end of December.

“The Bel-Di-Gil Water System hasn’t been able to maintain a fully compliant operation for nearly 29 years, and because of that, it had begun to amass fines and find itself increasingly facing more and more challenges. When we became aware of the state’s Consolidated Initiative Program that would allow us to receive the necessary funding with 100% forgiveness, we stepped up to improve water service for our neighbors,” Mayor Jim Galambos said.

Galambos said the Caddo Parish Commission pitched in an additional $1 million to the project to upsize the pipelines connecting the systems. He said 8-inch pipes will be enlarged to 12 inches, and 12-inch pipes will be replaced with 16-inch pipes.

“Much thanks to Caddo Parish Commissioner Todd Hopkins and State Sen. Greg Tarver for their leadership in helping us secure the support and funding to improve the quality of water service for much of the northwest region of our parish,” Galambos said.

He noted that Blanchard's water wystem manages a $20 million water plant system that has the capacity to provide 5 million gallons of quality drinking water to customers each day. The current demand on the system is less than 50%, with only 2.2 million gallons per day consumed each day, Galambos said.

“Adding the 350 or so customers now in the Bel-Di-Gil system will not affect our capacity, and the good news is that these customers all reside downhill from our system, so we do not have to install pumping stations to deliver water, but we can effectively serve customers through gravity-flow connections,” Galambos said.

Galambos said Blanchard also took over the East Cove Water System last year, and it sells its water service to small systems in Mooringsport, Pine Hill and Lakeview, which borders up to Shreveport. He said the water system is making plans to expand its bulk water service to residents in Oil City next year.

DWRLF Project Manager Joel McKenzie said the loan program utilized by the town is available to any compliant water system that is willing and capable of consolidating a nearby system that is not in compliance with drinking water standards. He noted that multiple community systems across the state have already applied.

“All loan projects are approved based upon a priority ranking system. Projects that address the most serious risks to human health and those that ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act are given the highest priority,” McKenzie said.

“The Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund is providing an affordable way for water systems to improve their local drinking water infrastructure," said LDH State Health Officer Jimmy Guidry. "Safe drinking water is fundamental to community health, and this program helps communities throughout Louisiana keep their water as safe as possible without placing an undue burden in the form of expensive financing.”

Editor’s note: The Tribune invited candidates who recently filed for four open La Crosse School Board seats to write a letter/column on why they are running and their thoughts on the recent referendum and moving forward. The other columns were published last Sunday.

My name is Kathi Blanchard and I am seeking a seat on the La Crosse School Board. I have been actively involved in PTO at Roosevelt and then Northside elementary schools for the last 10 years and am currently the district wide parents representative for Northside Elementary.

My husband and I are lifelong residents of LaCrosse, and attended school here from kindergarten through graduation. We have a fifth grader at Northside and a freshman at Logan Senior High School. I believe that I would be a positive asset to the school board because of my experience volunteering in the schools. I see what our teachers and staff face each day, they aren’t only teaching education, they are working with kids who have home life issues and emotional and educational struggles. Our teachers and support staff may be the only ones that are a constant and positive role model for them, and I feel they need a better voice in matters that affect them and their students.

I also know the struggles faced by working parents, and single parent households who may feel that they aren’t heard when important decisions are being made that affect them and their children. I want to be that voice.

I feel that the referendum failed due to many factors, price being a major one, but also the location which would have put a burden on the most vulnerable families in our district. Also combining both high schools would limit the amount of students able to participate in extracurricular activities, which can be life changing for the students who may not have a positive school experience otherwise. The lack of communication and the lack of transparency from the school board to the taxpayers, parents, staff and students was ridiculous. I attended most of the listening sessions and there never seemed to be the same answer to most questions.

At the end of the day I want what’s best for all students, not just my own, for our staff who put in more time than they are paid for, and for the taxpayers to feel that any increase is worth it if the students in our district succeed. Let me be that voice. Please consider me when you vote.

Kathi Blanchard, La Crosse

Jon BlanchardFounderBLVD Cos.Recent opening: CitizenM hotel in downtown. Developer: BLVD Hospitality, the hospitality arm of BLVD Cos., has developed more than 1.2 million square feet in Los Angeles County.

Jon Blanchard founded Century City-based BLVD Cos. in 2009, seeing opportunity in historic buildings. Perhaps his best-known project is Ace Hotel in downtown.

Most recently, he opened the CitizenM hotel, also in downtown. Outside of hotels, Chicas Tacos also falls under the BLVD Cos. banner, and the eatery has been rapidly growing, opening three locations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Why launch BLVD?I have always had a passion and love for hotels and historic buildings. I really saw an opportunity to be involved in that in Los Angeles, especially starting in downtown Los Angeles where there is a lot of really wonderful historic buildings. There was really an open canvas there of opportunities.

Despite the pandemic, BLVD Hospitality has made some big purchases. What makes you still interested in hotels?I have a belief that people like to enjoy other spaces outside of their homes. They like to enjoy getting on the road, whether it’s driving or flying, and experiencing hotels. We think that that’s not going to go away, pandemic or not. And we’ve seen that. We’ve seen hotels at beaches perform well during the pandemic. … More urban areas like your downtown L.A. and your Manhattan and places like that didn’t.

We bought the Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica in the early days and at the peak of Covid-19. I used to live in Santa Monica and have had my eye on that building for 11 years. … We took the opportunity and acquired it in 2020, and it turned out to be a really great success … and we have a great restoration plan and plan to renovate it.

Are there any specific areas of L.A. you are or are not interested in doing projects in moving forward?What I’m hearing a lot of are investors are not that interested in investing in California right now. A lot of that has to do with homelessness, taxes and perhaps the way that Covid-19 was handled. We have to listen to that because we’re developers, and we have partners in things that we do. It’s a concern right now.

I wouldn’t say there’s an area that we’re not focused on. We are big believers in California, born and raised here, and we are big believers in Los Angeles, and we are going to continue to build and develop great things in Los Angeles.

Where I’m concerned? I’m concerned about downtown Los Angeles. I’m concerned because of the way the streets look and the homeless and the fact that people don’t want to go there because of those issues. It was a problem pre-pandemic, and it’s a problem now.

The CitizenM hotel in downtown is one of your more recent projects. Can you tell me about that?That just opened a couple of weeks ago. It is a project we are very, very excited (about) and proud of. It is the first high-rise modular construction ever approved in the city of Los Angeles. It really brought me back to the days of doing the Ace, which was a big thing for Broadway and a big thing for downtown. This kind of reminded me of that because it’s another monumental moment for the city being involved in the first ground-up, high-rise modular construction.

Are you still looking to buy more hotels?We’re very active. We are looking at things constantly. We just closed escrow on some land next to Disneyland that we are going to build a hotel at and are constantly looking. We’re believers that California and Los Angeles are going to be great again, and we’re hanging on to that. I will say it is tough to find good deals right now, but where there are, we’re active.

What is your approach to other lines of business under the BLVD umbrella such as Chicas Tacos?The stores have performed well. …We’re gearing up to roll another dozen stores out in the next couple of years, and are we’re also very excited that we’re going to be launching our retail in grocery stores … early next year.What’s next for BLVD? We are excited to renovate the Georgian and are excited to get our hotel built in Anaheim next to Disneyland. We’re excited to continue to invest and to grow and build more great boutique hotels, and that’s where our focus is. We are looking at more opportunities on the West Coast.

We’re rolling out a (general partner) fund. We’re going to be doing a lot more investments and co-investments as well in the hotel world.

— Hannah Madans

Keep reading the 2021 Who's Who in Real Estate special report.

Terence Blanchard, a six-time Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter, composer, and music educator, took the stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH) on Saturday, March 18. Concertgoers were in for a surprise as the fire alarm went off during Blanchard’s introductions of his band, the E-Collective. The warning continued with periodic announcements, delaying the concert for at least 10 minutes. This interruption may be the first time in WDCH history that a fire alarm impacted a performance.

Blanchard, a perennial collaborator of Lee’s, took it all in stride, displaying his sublime sense of humor, “Talk about taking the roof off,” Blanchard said as he patiently waited for instructions from the WDCH, “whether to cease play or die in the fire.” Blanchard reflected on the fire alarm interruption as he was to perform this same concert two years ago and did not get to do so because of the Pandemic. On this night, however, even a false fire alarm could not prevent the dulcet movie scores from filling the air in the concert hall. It was, in a word – magical.

Along with his band, the concert featured the always wonderful Thomas Wilkins and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a night of storytelling featuring music from celebrated films such as, “Malcolm X,” “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Clockers,” “Jungle Fever,” and the Blanchard Oscar-nominated “BlacKkKlansman.” By the way, Blanchard is the second Black composer nominated twice for an Oscar in the Best Original Score category. The legendary Quincy Jones was the first, and Herbie Hancock is the only Black artist to win this category for “Round Midnight.”

Blanchard, in his stylish to-die-for pants and shoes, accomplished a few things with this on-fire performance: first, the performances of the movie scores were powerful, bolstered by the appearances of special guests Lalah Hathaway and Tarriona “Tank” Bell, both New Orleans natives and as Blanchard proudly called them, his “homegirls.”

Second, the concert brought back welcomed memories as scenes from the brilliant work of director Spike Lee flashed across the screen. And finally, you saw Black and White actors whose tremendous talents were showcased by Lee early in their careers: Emmy-winner Kerry Washington, Oscar nominee Rosie Perez, NAACP Image Award winner Wesley Snipes, Honorary Oscar Recipient Samuel L. Jackson, Oscar winner Halle Berry, and two-time Oscar winner, Ruth Carter, to name a few.

Lee had an eye for talent and generously gave actors and Blanchard himself opportunities to hone and expand their craft.

“When Spike asked if I could write for an orchestra, I lied and said yes.”

And we are certainly glad Blanchard said yes. The program’s first half featured Blanchard and the oh-so-deft E-Collective on music from “Mo’ Better Blues.” An eclectic mix, the E-Collective featured the sounds of Ben Wendel on saxophone, Charles Altura on electric guitar, Taylor Eigsti on piano and keyboards, David Ginyard, Jr. on electric bass, Oscar Seaton on drums, and of course, Blanchard on Trumpet and synths.

Under the direction of its leader, Thomas Wilkins, the LA Philharmonic joined Blanchard and the E-Collective on the Malcolm X Concert Suite. The score exemplified the beauty of the film’s performances and the exquisite music. Actor Denzel Washington delivered an unforgettable and Oscar-nominated portrayal of Malcolm X.

The fantastic Lalah Hathaway took the stage and, as only she can, delivered a powerful performance of “Someday We’ll All Be Free” from “Malcolm X,” which she sang barefoot, adding a little something extra to an extraordinary performance.

The Orchestra returned for moving performances of the “Clockers” Suite and “The 25^th Hour” Suite. The E-Collective featuring lead singer Tarriona “Tank” Bell of Tank and the Bangas performed “These Three Words” from “Jungle Fever.” Tank, resplendent in red, ‘sang’ that song as only she could. The first half concluded with the E-Collective and the LA Phil playing the “Inside Man” suite.

The second half opened with the performance of “A Tale of God’s Will” from Ashe with the E-Collective and the LA Phil. Tank returned to the stage to perform “Make Sure You’re Sure” from “Jungle Fever,” accompanied by the E-Collective, bringing the audience to their feet again.

Blanchard introduced Lee’s 2008 film “Miracle at St. Anna,” as a piece that “means a lot to him.”

The film told the story of the resistance and skepticism toward utilizing the 92nd Infantry Division of the Buffalo Soldiers. “We never had a chance to honor the Buffalo Soldiers, and this “allowed me to do that.”

BlacKkKlansman Suite, the Oscar-nominated score, evoked memories of Lee as a “brave, brave soul,” Blanchard said, speaking of Lee’s commitment to social advocacy when it’s uncomfortable. The night ended with Hathaway and the E-Collective performing the Marvin Gaye hit, “What’s Going On.”

Blanchard, Hathaway, Bell, the E-Collective, Thomas Wilkins, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (Concertmaster Nathan Cole, principal second violin Kristine Whitson, principal viola Dana Lawson, principal cello Jonatha Karoly, principal bass Christopher Hanulik, principal flute Catherine Karoly, principal oboe Marion Arthur Kuszyk, principal clarinet Burt Hara, principal bassoon Shawn Mouser, principal horn Amy Jo Rhine, principal trumpet James Wilt, principal trombone James Miller, tuba Mason Soria, principal timpani David Riccobono, and principal percussion Matthew Howard) carried the night.

These artists allowed the movie music of Spike Lee and Terence Blanchard to do what it does; ignite fond memories, feed your soul, and set the night on fire!