One ting dat folks have learned for shore in de las 20 or so years wit regards to Chennault air park is dat de kind uf contracts tenants will have will determine if day stay or go.
Such wuz de case wit Aeroframe. It wuz pretty much a done deal dat day would be leavin Chennault when de school boad refused to extend dar $600,000 a year tax break. But not to worry, Chennault Executive Director Randy Robb had done hiz homework, an in cooperation wit de Louisiana Department uf Economic Development, he had a company in place to take over de Aeroframe space at once.
Our new corporate neighbor is AAR from Illinois. Now, here’s de good part about de AAR addition: Day are one uf de top companies in de bidness — in both corporate and military contracts. For now, AAR will support a 750-job aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul operation. An if tings go well for dem here, who knows what dem numbers will grow to.
LegisGator Brings Out Political Heavyweights
Me an my stockbroker fran Max went to de annual LegisGator conference put on by de Chamber Southwest. Boy, talk about a who’z who uf Louisiana politics. Name em, an day wuz dar. An, uf course, de main topic uf discussion at de event wuz who iz an who izn’t gonna run for governor, an who might run against Sen. Mary Landrieu. Jindal haz already sed he ain’t runnin against Landrieu, an dat pretty much busted de Republican party’s bubble.
Az for de governor’s race, de name heard mos often wuz dat uf Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne. We know he’z already pickin up money, an you can bet de Republican Party iz gonna make shore day ain’t gonna lose dat govenor’s seat because uf money.
Lots uf udder names were mentioned, but still de name dat keeps poppin up iz dat uf Dardenne. He haz experience, havin served az state senator from de Baton Rouge area, an, more importantly, he haz statewide campaign experience, havin run for lt. governor when Mitch Landrieu resigned to run for mayor uf New Awlins.
Now, both de governor’s race an de senate race are a long way away, but you know Louisiana — politics ain’t never outta season.
SEED Center Very Impressive
Afta de LegisGator event, lots uf de folks in attendance dar headed ova to de new SEED center for it’s official grand openin. De center, on de McNeese campus, will help develop bidnesses for de area by providin resources for folks who wanna start an grow dar bidness idea. De Chamber Southwest haz also moved into de center, an de center is providin dem wit much-needed space. Now, folks, we always hear how gubment blows money on projects dat jus takes money from Louisiana taxpayers wit nuttin in return. Trust me, dis SEED Center iz not one uf dem projects. It will bring economic growth to Southwest Louisiana. Dat we can promise you.
Sowela Tech Will Benefit From AAR Locatin Here
At de time uf de announcement dat AAR wuz comin to our area, state officials announced dat Sowela wuz gonna be gettin $3.7 million to train AAR workers. Now, folks, dis is de kinda stuff companies look for when day look to locate in a certain city. Day want to make shore dat de community iz behind dem an dat day have workers who know what day iz doin.
In dis case de state Department uf Economic Development made shore day had dar act togedder for AAR. Dis is yet anudder bit uf good news for Sowela. Add to dis de expansions dat are gonna come for de trainin uf Sasol employees, an de already completed nursing facilities an de Phillips processing buildin, an you can see how tings are boomin at Sowela Technical College and trewout Southwest Louisiana.
An De Winner Iz … Envelope, Please
De big question around town dese las few weeks haz been who will replace Tommy McLelland az athletic director at McNeese. A fran uf mine who iz in de know about such tings and iz very seldom wrong sez Bruce Hemphill, formerly uf Sulphur, will get de nod. Az uf dis writin, nuttin had been made official yet.
Hemphill has big-school athletic administration experience at de university uf North Carolina an de University uf Wyoming. It iz sed dat he is a pro at fundraising. Dat talent will be needed at McNeese. Me, I would have liked to have seen assistant athletic director Bridget Martin get the job, but it doesn’t look like dat will happen. In any case, as uf dis writin McNeese football season iz about to start, an we still don’t have an athletic director.
A few words about Tommy McClelland. He did a great job at McNeese, an we know he will do great at Louisiana Tech. Now, dar are some real problems at Tech — problems dat wuzn’t handled very well by de previous athletic administration — but we know Tommy will take care uf tings and make Techsters proud uf dar school.
City Council Did De Right Thing
De Lake Charles City Council recently saw a scene dat will without a doubt repeat quite a few times in de next year or so. We are talkin about folks comin before de council for approval to build an RV park.
Two fellers from Leesville came before de council recently to get de okay for a 50-unit RV park and campground on Broad St. near I-210. De request, by Hicks and Anders, uf Leesville, had been shot down by de Planning and Zoning Commission by a vote uf 3-1. But de council overturned dat decision.
A feller who describes himself az a journeymen who hangs out at KD’s explained to me how dem construction guys work. Day are paid a certain amount for meals an housing by de construction company. So while day are on a job in an area day live in a motor home or travel trailer. An when de job iz over they just move on. You can see some uf dat happenin already on Hwy. 27 south uf Sulphur. Huge motor home parks have cropped up overnight. Now, folks, dem workers are very well paid an can help de retail bidness in our area a whole bunch. So lets be nice to dem. After all, “Journeymen Make Good Neighbors.”
Iz It A Sign Uf De Times?
Got into a discussion de udder day wit some fellers at de Cigar Club about de increase in crime in our area. One feller sed de crime wuz always dar — it’s jus dat now law enforcement iz doin a much better job uf catchin de outlaws.
An I would agree wit dat, to some extent. But de fact remains dat we have a whole buncha folks, young and old, being picked up for meth labs and udder drug crimes. One feller in de group sed dat dis wuz a problem all over. Me, I sed dat doesn’t mean it haz to go on here. Law enforcement folks will tell you dat mos robberies and burglaries are by people dat are on drugs an need money to buy mo drugs. Now we all agreed dat sometin needs to be done. But jus how you stop it iz a very serious problem dat all de politicians need to have a sitdown about.
How Much?
Will Rogers once sed dat banks will lend you money when you prove to dem dat you don’t need it. Looks like some insurance companies are dead set on sellin home insurance only to folks dat are so rich dat day don’t need it. We have heard uf increases az high az 5,000 percent. You gotta be kidding me!
Now, de insurance folks are quick to point out dat day took a loss durin de hurricanes. Dat may be true, but how about all dem years dat day have been collectin premiums and not getting hit by hurricane claims. Looks like de poor folks uf Louisiana are gonna get boorayed again on dis one. Call your congressman and legislators an see if dat helps any.
Everywhere you turn — increases in de amount uf Social Security taken outta de paycheck, higher gas prices, higher energy bill — how’s a family on fixed income gonna make it?
Deep Taughts While Watchin De Astros Drop Anudder One
10) No mo home grown tomatoes. How will I live til next June?
9) Will de Saints continue to improve wit each preseason game?
8) Why do both de Republicans an Democrats send me emails every day axin for money?
7) Iz McNeese gonna have standin room only for all its home games?
6) When is de NCAA gonna leave Johnny Football alone?
5) What mo can be done to slow motorists down in school zones now dat school iz in?
4) Will you wear your gold and blue every Friday to show support for McNeese?
3) Once shrimp season starts, how many uf dem promised pounds can I expect from T-Claude?
2) My birthday iz comin up. Will my wife Sedonia buy me dat revolver I been axin for?
1) How can my cable bill increase by $15 when I’m cancelin’ Cinemax an’ Starz?
Final Shot
I axed Lefty if he wuz gonna come wit me to Houston to see de Astros play de Yankees for my birthday in September. He sed az long as Alex Rodriguez wuz playin he wouldn’t go. I axed Lefty if he ever took performance-enhancing drugs like steroids. He replied, “Talk to my attorney.”
Me, I tink Lefty haz been watchin too much ESPN.
Til next time, lache pas la patate.
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