It is a milestone achieved by a select few. To survive and prosper for 30 years in any business endeavor is an accomplishment that deserves notice.
Lagniappe’s bi-monthly publication has thrived and survived as the voice of Southwest Louisiana for an incredible three decades! There have been many who have tested the same journalism market and not fared nearly as well. The life span of most was short-lived before they folded their pages for the last time.
Sportsworld, which morphed into Lagniappe, was the brainchild of homeboy Bob Hartnett. Bob was schooled by some legendary teachers at Lake Charles High School who laid the groundwork for a brilliant career in journalism.
His paper has surely stood the test of time. His successes can be directly attributed to those same teachers who once ruled the halls of “The High.”
From its inception, the “Mounted Memories” section has been a staple in the make-up of this local editorial. It’s been a match made in heaven, with both the paper and the article always making the deadline, albeit sometimes just barely under the wire. Together we tested the journalistic waters and basically learned from experience. It’s been a slow but sure learning curve — incredibly surviving for 30 years!
Over the years, Bob has backed his writers with the latitude to cover a variety of subjects. Primarily, “Mounted Memories” is concerned with mostly true hunting and fishing stories that local sportsmen find interesting. There’s usually no shortage of the many great adventures that occur here each season. During peak times for hunting and fishing, there are usually beaucoup stories to choose from.
During slow periods, some subject or the other will usually pop up, and the story just begs to be told. The power of the pen is mightier than that of the sword, and writing is a great way to get the story out. It’s a perfect tool for venting and airing some of the gripes we’re all beset with on a daily basis. Armed with pen and paper, it can be a vent fest!
Articles over the years have pretty much run the gamut. There’s always room for a few scathing articles on the state of government and self-serving politicians to boot. Everyday problems concerning littering, morons who don’t know how to drive, our country’s involvement in foreign wars, pollution, sagging pants and boat courtesy are just a few that deserve rants and raves.
Another favorite is the recognition of area athletes who undertake the tough task of preparing and practicing in return for our interest. Too many fly under the media radar, but they deserve special recognition. More than a few families have their Lagniappe article posted, laminated and displayed proudly on their wall. It’s an honor to put their names in print.
As time has marched on, we’ve lost some outstanding local outdoorsmen and stewards of the wild world. Some have been justly memorialized in our paper. It’s part of the cycle, and hopefully those articles brought a knowing smile from close friends and family.
The keys to our successes are genuine tales and adventures that we attempt to describe in a somewhat coherent and understanding story. Keep the stories coming and we will write on.
Remember the one about an old Cajun who’s caught by the game warden for possession of several green herons in the trunk of his car? He tried to blame it on his son, but later came clean. The officer asked why he shot them. “Were they even edible?”
The Cajun smiled knowingly and blurted, “They taste just like owl!”
Happy 30 years, Lagniappe!!!
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