Please be advised that residents are now permitted to bring their scrap metal to the Calcasieu Parish Solid Waste Convenience Centers. Collection of scrap metal was temporarily suspended last year to allow Public Works officials to install new machinery that monitors the collected materials for environmental standards. Regular Convenience Center hours are 7am to 5pm, Thursday through Monday, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, please call: 337-721-3700.

Thrive magazine is on the hunt for 13 local people in their 30s, better known as 13 Thriving 30-Somethings, who are making good things happen in Southwest Louisiana. They'll be featured on the cover of the April issue of Thrive magazine, included in the cover story and be part of a professional photo shoot. Nominate yourself or someone you know by filling out the nomination form on www.thriveswla.com. Deadline for nominations is February 28th.

All members of the Chamber Southwest are invited to attend the February 26, meeting of The Technology Council to learn more about Two-Factor Authentication. Protecting your digital life on the internet is becoming increasingly difficult. Hackers are actively attempting to steal information from both people and businesses, and they are succeeding by an astonishing margin - often due to weak password policies. Two-Factor Authentication is a technology that solves the password problem by combining your normal credentials with an additional security mechanism. Join the Technology Council as they discuss the state of password security and how you can take advantage of the rising availability of Two-Factor Factor Authentication to get ahead of hackers and help protect yourself and your business. The Technology Council meets on the 7th Floor of the Magnolia Building (1011 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles) at 7:30am. For more information, contact R.B. Smith at rsmith@allianceswla.org.

The agriculture industry is a vital part of the economy in Southwest Louisiana.  The SWLA Economic Development Alliance would appreciate your input on ways that we can collaborate to continue to grow this segment of our regional economy.  We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas at the following sessions: Calcasieu Parish, February 28, from 10am to 11:30am at the LSU Ag Center (7101 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles) and Cameron Parish, Thursday, March 14, from 10am to 11:30am at the LSU Ag Center, 180 Henry Street in Cameron. Please let us know of your participation by calling the SWLA Alliance/Chamber office, 337-433-3632 or emailing lclark@allianceswla.org. 

Tarver Ford is sponsoring a High School baseball tournament from February 28 through March 2. High schools from across the state are participating in classes 5A to 1A.  The host schools are Barbe High School; Sulphur High School, who is using three fields at Sulphur Parks and Recreation; Iowa High School; St. Louis High School at Legion Field; and Sam Houston High School. Tickets are $6 at the gate each day. For more information, contact Brad Book at (337) 540-0336 or brad.book@cpsb.org.

For the many people with knee issues such as osteoarthritis or previous injuries, nagging aches and pains can really limit an active lifestyle.  For more information on new innovations in knee replacement, including TruMatch® surgery, join orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Nathan Cohen for Injury or Age Got You Weak in the Knees?, a free seminar. This free seminar is being held at 12 noon on Friday, March 1, in the Shearman Conference Center at Memorial Hospital on Oak Park Boulevard. Light lunch will be provided, and reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.lcmh.com/seminar or call (337) 494-2936.

The Foreman-Reynaud Community Center will be hosting a Fried Catfish Sandwich dinner on March 1st from 11am to 1pm. Each dinner will be $6 and includes chips, soda, and cake. Call 337-436-2500.

The Arts Council of SWLA has announced that the application for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Arts Funding Grant is available for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. This competitive grant program is funded annually by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and administered by the Arts Council, and provides up to $5,000.00 for cultural events and projects staged within the Parish each year. Applications may be downloaded at www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org or picked up at the Arts Council office, located at 809 Kirby Street, Suite 202 in Lake Charles. Applications must be received, not post-marked, by Friday, March 1, at 5pm in the Arts Council office; applications may not be submitted to the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury.

L'Auberge Casino Resort is hosting and sponsoring this year's Special Olympics Polar Plunge on March 2.  The plunge will take place at 9am! Participants can register online at www.laso.org. 

Big Brothers, Big Sisters is hosting The Big Easy (It's easy to be a Big!) Bowl for Kids Sake fundraiser on March 2, at Petrol Bowl. Enjoy a fun-filled hour with five of your friends while raising money for the children of Southwest Louisiana. All money raised stays in the region. Bowl a game with a team of 6 ($30 minimum per bowler) and win prizes! Click here for info or to register. http://www.bbbs-swla.net/index.php?id=73

Women & Children's Hospital is proud to present Girl's Night Out on Saturday, March 2, from 4:30 - 8:30 pm. Girls ages 9-16 are invited to come hear physicians, nurses and other professionals engage in direct and honest dialogue concerning a wide arrange of topics including anatomy, puberty and hygiene, fitness and nutrition, self-esteem, sexual health and more. Pre-registration and a signed parental consent is required. Cost is $20.00 per person, which includes dinner. For more information or to register, call 475-4075 or visit www.Women-Childrens.com/GirlsNightOut

Luna Bar & Grill is now open on Sundays all day from 11am to 10 pm! Enjoy a Jazz Brunch from 11-2 with a special selection of omelets, or pick from their full menu. The Jazz Brunch features the Streetside Jazz Band playing on the patio and a full bar.

Women & Children's Hospital will also host their next free Healthy Woman event on Thursday, March 7, from 5:30pm to 7pm at the Lake Charles Country Club located at 3350 Country Club Drive. Board-certified cardiologist Thomas Mulhearn IV, M.D. will discuss the topic of Women and Heart Disease. Attendees will learn about individual risk factors for heart disease and methods to reduce those risks. Free blood pressure and BMI screenings will be offered. Anyone interested in attending this event or in joining Healthy Woman should register at www.women-childrens.com/healthywoman or call Lisa Guerrero at 337-475-4064. Door prizes and refreshments will be provided following the program.  

The 26th annual Black Heritage Festival will take place in Lake Charles on March 8th through the 10th, and will include mouthwatering food, entertainment featuring national headliners, and great family fun.  The festival brings together the cultures of Africa and Southwest Louisiana and highlights the best in the community.  Celebrating diversity, culture and education, the festival is filled with legendary Zydeco, Jazz and Gospel performers. The Black Heritage Festival was chosen as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society for the first quarter of 2013.  This award is a coveted honor among 12 member states.  For ticket prices for the various events and for more information, call (337) 304-0620 or visit www.bhflc.org.

On March 8, Picerne's Director of Small Business & Subcontractor Recruitment, Gary Bertrand, will present an overview of military housing operations at Fort Polk and a number of their other operational locations in the United States. This event will be from 9am to 11am at the SWLA Alliance Beauregard office located at 401 West 1st Street in DeRidder.Local small businesses are being sought for ongoing property management capabilities to include such areas as, but not limited to, electrical, carpentry, painting, plumbing and roofing, etc. Subcontractor pre-qualification requirements, an overview of the subcontractor bidding process and a question and answer period will be included in Mr. Bertrand's presentation. This is a free seminar, however seating is limited. To ensure your space, please email prs6182@louisiana.edu or call (800) 206-3545. The deadline to register: March 1, 2013.

The Arts Council of SWLA and the City of Lake Charles are proud to announce that the second season of Live @ the Lakefront Music Fest will take place on three consecutive Fridays on March 8th, 15th, and 22nd, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Lakefront Promenade. The 2013 season line-up includes City Heat (jazz/R&B) with the Barbe Show Choir (cover rock) on March 8th, Grammy-nominated Lost Bayou Ramblers (crossover zydeco) with John Guidroz (indie rock) on March 15th, and Ashes of Babylon (reggae) with the Lochness Mobsters (rock) closing the season on March 22nd. For details, visit www.facebook.com/ArtsCouncilSWLA or call (337) 439-2787.

Volunteers of America's Beats & Eats fundraiser will be on Friday, March 8, from 6 to 9 pm at Treasures of Marilyn's.  The casual event will feature live music and a buffet dinner.  As part of the fundraiser, there is a raffle for the Beats & Eats Gift Card Bundle, a bundle of gift cards worth over $500 to these top retail establishments.  The raffle tickets are only $5 per chance.  Tickets for Beats & Eats are $30 for individuals or $250 for reserved tables of ten before February 25th.  Tickets are $35 per person after February 25th upon availability.  Sponsorships and corporate tables are available.  To purchase event or raffle tickets, call Volunteers of America at (337) 497-0034.

Goodwill Industries of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana is holding their Back to the Beginning Saturday Night Fever 40th Anniversary Gala on March 15, at the Holiday Inn Grand Ballroom in Beaumont. There will be a silent auction, dinner, and dancing. Tickets are $60 each. For more information or to register, call 409-838-9911.

The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana's Department of Commerce, along with the Imperial Calcasieu Resource Conservation and Development Council, will present a major Agri-Business Marketing Conference on Tuesday, March 19. This half-day conference will take place at the Coushatta Multi-Purpose Complex, 1974 C.C. Bel Road, in Elton, La. It will feature sessions on a variety of topics, including agricultural trends in Southwest Louisiana; farmers' markets; agricultural tourism and marketing; the Coushatta Tribe's hydroponic gardening project and long-leaf pine tree farming operation; and successful 4-H and Future Farmers of America efforts in Allen Parish and Jeff Davis Parish. Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the event. The conference will focus on discussion of regional and Tribal agricultural efforts and success stories, and it will offer educational programs for area farmers, students and agricultural industry leaders. Attendance is open to the public, but registration is required and the cost is $10 per attendee. To register, visit http://coushattaagribusiness.eventbrite.com or contact Shana Harmon of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Department of Commerce at 337-584-1435 or shanajohn@CoushattaTribeLA.org.

Nicholas Hunter, chef and owner of Harlequin Steaks & Seafood, is hosting a benefit dinner for the Autism Support Alliance a program of Family & Youth Counseling Agency on Sunday, March 17, at 5:30pm. This event will include a wine tasting, a silent auction, and live entertainment. For tickets call 337-436-9533 or email roxanne@fyca.org.

American pop rock band, Matchbox Twenty, will hit the stage of L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles on Friday, March 22. Matchbox Twenty recently released its fourth album, "NORTH," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. Tickets will go on sale on Feb. 8, and can be purchased for $55 via www.ticketmaster.com. Must be 21. For more information on upcoming concerts log on to www.mylauberge.com or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/laubergedulac.

American Cancer Society is having its Bark For Life - A Canine Event to Fight Cancer on Saturday, March 23, from 9am to 1pm at the Lake Charles Civic Center. This event is $20 entry per dog. For more information contact BarkForLifeSWLA@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/BarkForLifeSWLA.

The Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society announces its 38th Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes for March 24.  Themed "Windows on the Water" the Tour will feature five distinctive homes with breathtaking lakeshore views on prestigious Shell Beach Drive.  The Tour is set for 1pm to 5pm on that Sunday afternoon.  A separate Traditional Sunday Brunch will be available by reservation with 121 Artisan Bistro (located at the gates of the historic Margaret Place Historic District) between 10:30am and 2:30pm. Tour of Homes ticket sales begin March 1 online at www.calcasieupreservation.org. Pre-sale Tour tickets are available for $10 (by cash or check) from Gordon's Drugs on Lake Street and the Arts and Humanities Council at Historic Central School. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the event for $15.

The Louisiana Economic Development Incentives Seminar will take place on April 17, from 8am to 3pm at the McNeese State University Alumni Center.  Topics will include Industrial Tax Exemption, Quality Jobs, Restoration Tax Abatement, the Enterprise Zone Program and more.  Pre-registration is required for this free seminar. Call 337-475-5529 or email lsbdc.msu@lsbdc.org. 

Women & Children's Hospital is a presenting sponsor for the 2013 Lake Charles March for Babies Walk, which will be held on Saturday, April 20 at Prien Lake Park. Anyone interested in starting a company or family team can sign up at http://www.marchforbabies.org.  This is the 75th anniversary for the March of Dimes and the walk will include a big birthday celebration for the organization. Call Community Director, Martha Grant at (337) 233-8476 for more information.

Cheniere Energy, Inc. is sponsoring their 2nd Annual Charitable Golf Classic at Gray Plantation Golf Club on Friday, April 26. The proceeds will support RW Vincent Elementary School in Sulphur and the Foreman-Reynaud Community Center's After School Homework Program.

Prien Lake Mall will host National Mom's Nite Out, presented by Lysol, Thursday, May 9, from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in Sears Court. Mom's Nite Out is a much deserved night out with the "girls", this free event for Mom's is a great way for local moms to have a night out at Prien Lake Mall! It's also a great way for your business to advertise to this consumer! If you are interested in sponsoring or reserving a table for Mom's Nite Out please Contact Nikki Buxton at 337-477-7487 or email to abuxton@simon.com.

The 2013 Mac Burns/West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 11 at Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur.  The tournament will follow a 4-man scramble format with a double shotgun start at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  This year's entry fee is $400 per team and covers food, drinks, shirts, range balls and mulligans.  Various levels of sponsorships are available.  For more information or to participate in the tournament, call (337) 527-4241.

Prien Lake Mall, KPLC-TV and Entergy are pleased to announce the Fifth Annual Hurricane Preparedness Event on Saturday, May 18, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., with presentations in Food Court and tables set up throughout the mall. If you would like to be part of this exciting event, please call Nikki Buxton at 337-477-7487 or email at abuxton@simon.com.