With the new year comes a new season for Mardi Gras in the Ark- La-Tex. Lilah’s Bakery is cooking up lots of treats for revelers, namely king cake, but this year, they’re adding a new member to the culinary family: Lilah’s Broadmoor Bunnery and cinnamon buns.

Tony Simpson, chief operations officer, said that phase one of the project is nearing completion. Phase one includes demolition, new walls, floors and floor joists, and a new roof. He said Wieland Construction, the contractor on the project, expects phase one to be complete in mid-November, barring any unforeseen delays.

King cake is said to have originated in old-world France and Spain and is known for its association with the historically Catholic celebration Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, which marks the arrival of the three wise men in Bethlehem who delivered gifts to baby Jesus.

Dr. C.O. Simpkins Sr., civil rights pioneer from Shreveport, La., will be honored at a gala at the Shreveport Convention Center on Nov. 3 benefitting the capital campaign of the North Louisiana Civil Rights Coalition (NLCRC) to restore old Galilee Baptist Church as the future location of the Galilee Civil Rights Museum.