Rats! Another year is here!

A dancin' dragon

Maura Pugh poses with decoration

The Walls, Simeon Jr. and wife Holly Casey, Connie Wall and hubby, Simeon Sr.

Maggie, Dr. Simeon Wall Sr. and Kon Tiki owner Check Wing Joe

Photos by Paul L. Schuetze/The Times

Happy New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year 4706! (That is a lot of years.)

It is the Year of the Rat!

We helped the Walls celebrate Sunday at a party at Kon Tiki.

They are Dr. Simeon Wall Jr. and wife Dr. Holly Casey Wall, and Dr. Simeon Wall Sr. and wife Connie Wall.

...and a delightful time was had by all.

I was thrilled to see former Fair Park High School classmate Check Wing Joe and his wife Katherine, who were overseeing the delicious array of food — that included a clever centerpiece with a pink rat carved from a vegetable.

More faces in the crowd: Doctors to the stars ... and stars themselves ... Drs. Jim and Stephanie Barnes, Russ Friedrich and wife, Dr. Marsha Friedrich, Dr. David and Donna Cavanaugh, who just jetted in from Colorado, Dr. Joe and Frances Washburne, Dr. Charles and Joey Black.

We are including some images form the party. Check http://www.shreveporttimes.com/ for the Chinese New Year Gallery.

More social news:

..A nugget of news gleaned from Libby Siskron at the Women of Community Renewal Annual Luncheon today at East Ridge Country Club:

Siskron's son, Trent, who is in commercial real estate in Houston, is marrying Sarah Elizabeth Todd, Nov. 1 at St. Martin's Episcoal Church in Houston.

"She is part of the family of Mary Todd Lincoln," said Siskron.