“Why are people so tired on April 1st? Because they just finished a 31-day March.”

– Unknown

I thought a little humor to kick off this glorious month was in order. April has always been a beautiful month in my opinion. We have just come through the cold months, and now we are seeing new growth everywhere.

Even SB Magazine is showcasing a fresh perspective that will keep your interest alive. In each issue, we will spotlight a business or company that has contributed to the growth of Shreveport and Bossier City. “Building the SBC” will take you through the streets and into the vibrant downtowns and skylines, helping you learn more about the people, reasons, and timelines that make our community so lively.

We will also explore the kitchens of our favorite restaurants in the “In the Kitchen” section. This feature will tantalize your taste buds with the unique personalities, cuisine, and atmosphere of Shreveport-Bossier’s finest establishments. We may even manage to extract some signature recipes from the chefs themselves.

Additionally, “Emerging Health” will include interviews with medical professionals and highlight new advancements in the healthcare industry. We will keep you informed about the latest technologies, breakthroughs,  and medical procedures, explained in terms that are easy to understand.

But that’s not all this April issue has to offer. This is also our annual Top Attorneys issue. You will get acquainted with some new faces in our legal profession, as well as some we’ve trusted for years. The icing on the cake is an exclusive interview with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.

I hope you enjoy this month and will take along an SB Magazine to relax with.

There’s been a whiff of spring in the air recently. You can always tell that warmer weather is just around the corner. With Mardi Gras season behind us, we can look forward to a gently slow down in activity. Unless you’re

into planes. If you are, then buckle your seat belt ‘cuz it’s airshow time in the Arklatex, folks! Time to celebrate Barksdale Air Force Base with the biggest display of aerial power in the south. The 2025 Defenders of Liberty Airshow promises to be spectacular and best of all – it is free. What’s more, if you are a teacher or a first responder, you can get in early and get the best parking.

We have a huge offering in this issue. We’ve cast our spotlight on some of Shreveport-Bossier’s successful businessmen. You’ll enjoy reading their back stories and how they’ve navigated the business world.

We’ve also tapped some of this area’s medical professionals for the opportunity for them to share with our readers their areas of expertise.

There’s lots to read in this issue – hope you enjoy.

Looking back at my school days, I get a little melancholy. My father was transferred frequently, and we didn’t get to stay at a school long enough to form life-long friendships. Once he retired from the Air Force, I was able to attend the same school all through high school. But, by then, I had learned not to get close to anyone because saying goodbye to them would be painful.

Not having strong ties to my alma mater, I felt unprepared to write the centennial story for Byrd High School, until I met some of the people behind the planning of the year-long event. You can imagine how amazed I was that many of these hard-working individuals didn’t attend Byrd. Yet, there they were, chairing a committee or volunteering in some capacity. Apparently, one doesn’t have to be a former student to be in love with this Shreveport institution. I almost volunteered on the spot. What’s more, you don’t have to be a student, past or present, to enjoy the events that are planned for early summer.

Centenary College, another Shreveport institution, is also celebrating a special birthday. 200 years. You’ll enjoy seeing photographs that have been archived at Centenary all these years. Being 200 years old isn’t the only reason to celebrate. Did you know that Centenary is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi? And it’s the only school in the Shreveport-Bossier City area that offers a 4-year degree in Music? And it ranks as a Top National Liberal Arts College in the U.S. according to the U.S. News & World Report? And it has a 94% medical school acceptance rate? Right here, in little old Shreveport, Louisiana.

Take your time with this issue. There is much to read and you may want to keep it as a souvenir. It’ll be like an early celebration of two, incredible Shreveport landmarks.

2025! Can you believe it? It was the year 2000 when Gordon May and his son, Byron, launched SB Magazine. This year is our silver anniversary. It seems like only yesterday that we were anticipating a complete technology shutdown with Y2K. Think about it. We’ve gone from using a floppy disk to using flash drives. “Google It” is a common phrase. YouTube is the most popular video-sharing website in the world. I remember telling my mother as I was talking to her on my “bag phone” (you can google that), “One day, I will be able to call you and see your face.” Skype. Bluetooth keeps us connected without tangled-up wires to frustrate us. We have electric cars – driverless cars are not too far in our future. We have 3D printing (I’d love to publish SB Magazine in 3 dimensions). Most impressive is gene editing, which could hopefully eliminate some major diseases. And there’s Facebook, which can be a good thing or a very bad thing (bullying and doxing – it happened to us this past year). A platform that people can hide behind and make themselves appear better than they are. Or it can be a fabulous way to do business, spread joy and kindness, and reach people you haven’t heard from in years. SB Magazine has over 21000 Facebook followers. Our goal on our Facebook page and physical magazine is to share news, discuss the good things happening in the SBC, promote area businesses, and lift up our community. Sure, we’re going to make mistakes. We’ll misspell names, get them out of order, and forget a period or two here and there. (I can’t count how many times my own name has been screwed up in print – it happens). But we will spend the next 25 years striving for perfection because our readers enjoy the physical experience of reading SB. The information we provide is absorbed differently when read from a page instead of a screen. What’s more, people can keep SB around for longer than five minutes to pick up and re-read or share an article with a friend – always a bonus for our advertisers.

We have been so blessed by the support of our readers and advertisers over the years. We can’t thank you enough, and I hope the next 25 years will bring even more great things to our community through SB Magazine. Let’s enjoy the journey together in 2025.

We are winding up the year with a bang. This is one of my favorite issues because it allows us to spotlight our local businesses and citizens who work hard daily to make Shreveport and Bossier City a wonderful place to live.

In the Annual Best of SB, you will also enjoy reading about Will Andress, the man behind the Emmett Hook Theatre. Dr. Andress is now enjoying a well-deserved retirement. He has put his heart and soul into that theatre and produced some of the finest shows the SBC has seen. He will certainly be missed but never forgotten.

In politics, a subject I’m sure we’re all weary of by now, we offer a perspective on a new administration and what it could mean for the people in our area. On a lighter, more entertaining note, we have a delightful piece on one of Shreveport’s institutions: The Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet. This organization brings more to us than just point shoes and tutus.

As we look ahead to a new and bountiful 2025, we invite you along as we anticipate great things in this: our Silver Jubilee.

Don’t you just love the brisk cool weather? I love this time of year and all the exciting events coming our way this month. It’s Louisiana State Fair time, Les Boutique des Noel is about to begin, people are already preparing their lists for the holiday gift-giving season, and it’s Thanksgiving month.

In this issue, we are featuring a section on restaurants so while you’re out and about doing the shopping thing, you’ll know where to go and take a breather while you enjoy some of this area’s best cuisine. Check out our Holiday Gift Preview before you even start making that list. Shreveport Bossier shopping has never been better with so many unique treasures.

Plus – drum-roll please – Adam Bailey has put together an incredible story on what goes on behind the scenes of Christmas in the Sky. You won’t believe all the creativity and work (glitter and lights) that goes into putting this awardwinning SRAC fundraiser together for us to enjoy every two years. This year, Christmas in the Sky is December 14th at Louisiana Downs.

Last month, I wrote about the Nutcracker Ballet. I need to clarify that the ballet company I wrote about is not our own Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet. The Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet is celebrating that favorite holiday classic, The Nutcracker, at Riverview Theater, on December 14 and 15th. Featuring more than 100 talented local dancers, guest artists Marlena Brinkmann, who is a Resident Choreographer for Illinois Youth Dance Theatre and Illinois Dance Conservatory, and Justin Valentine, who is currently freelancing and coaching, and the music of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. I’m so sorry for the confusion. We’ll have more on SMB in the December issue!

Enjoy this issue with a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate before you lace up your shopping shoes and get this holiday season started.

October! The weather is cooling off. Schools are off to a good start. People are decorating for Halloween and kids are working on their costumes. This month in SB Magazine, we are featuring two stories: one is heartwarming; one is heartbreaking. The first is about the Willis Knighton NICU, a doctor, a nurse, two mothers, and two premature babies. I don’t want to give away the ending, but I know you’ll love the outcome. The second story would be the perfect Halloween tale if it weren’t true. It’s about the murder of a young mother-to-be and a door to remind us how evil people can be.

October is also an issue that we are privileged to feature northwest Louisiana’s medical community. SB Magazines’ annual Top Doctors and Dentists issue has been your go-to guide for finding a doctor quickly. This year’s edition is no exception. Sure, finding reliable medical care may seem easy with the internet’s online directories. But with SB, you’ll get to know your doctors and their staff better as you see their pictures and read about their backgrounds and philosophies.
We have also posted a comprehensive list of the doctors, dentists, and other medical professional who received votes from their peers and their patients.

We hope you enjoy this autumn weather and all that this issue of SB Magazine brings.