Lake Charles Police Chief Don Dixon recently released some radder scary numbers about youth crime in our area. Dixon sez durin’ de firs’ six months uf dis year, firearm crimes committed by youths in our area mo dan doubled. Durin’ de firs’ six months uf las’ year dar wuz 29 such crimes, an’ dis year dar wuz 73.
Dixon blamed lack uf home life an’ drugs for dat. National statistics show dat de number one cause uf death among kids 14-24 iz shootin’.
Dixon also pointed to de four killings we’ve had in de city dis year … all young men on young men. De chief pointed out dat mos’ uf de violence iz related to drugs.
Speakin’ uf which, dar appears to be an epidemic uf meth labs in our area. My fran from Moss Bluff wuz pointin’ out to me dat mos’ uf de arrests wuz in West Calcasieu, whare I live. But den four people wuz arrested near First Baptist Church in Moss Bluff, an’ dat quieted her down for a few days. Den, West Cal was in de news again, wit’ 18 arrests in one day.
Folks, de drug problem in dis area haz recently gotten bad, an’ what Chief Dixon wuz talkin’ about wit’ de youths will only get worse if de drug problem isn’t resolved.
A buddy uf mine, L.J., sez it’s de same all over. Does dat make it OK in our nice communities? Mos’ uf de folks who live in SWLA are honest, hard-workin’ folks who observe de law. But den again, dar’s dat element … dat element dat makes you look over your shoulder any time you walk out in public.
So we say, be careful and keep on de politicians to fight meth labs an’ udder drugs in our area. An’ in dat way, we’ll all be able to enjoy dis great part of our state we call Southwest Louisiana.
Lights At Cove Lane
We sawed in de news dat at a recent Lake Charles City Council meetin’, day voted 400 grand to put up lights at Cove Lane. Members sed de city would only have to pay 10 percent, or 40 grand, and de res’ would come from state and feds.
Now nuttin’ haz happened at Cove Lane yet except a few orange ribbons bein’ placed on de property. Puttin’ lights up now iz kinda like buyin’ a boat trailer before you have a boat an’ motor.
We Ain’t Heard De Last Uf Dis
Az you no doubt sawed in de papers, de Boys Scouts have split from de local United Way, an’ are now on dar own. But considerin’ de community leaders on dat Boys Scouts board, me, I can assure you dat you haven’t heard de last uf dis.
Jus’ like you vote wit’ your wallet when you don’t like a store or restaurant, some uf dem won’t give or will cut dar givin’ to United Way in years to come. An’ I know for a fact dat some folks in town … some board members an’ some not … have gotten togedder to make shore de local Boys Scouts iz taken care uf.
Who will lose out in de long run on dis? De United Way. An’ dat iz sad, because dis coulda been avoided.
Three Medals To Deservin’ Individuals
Recently, three Louisiana men gaddered at de White House to receive de National Medal of the Arts. One uf dem wuz Lake Charles native Tony Kushner, who, among udder tings, wrote de screenplay for de blockbuster movie Lincoln. We can’t tell you how big an honor dis is for Tony, a local boy who attended Lake Charles High. All uf us are extremely proud uf him.
De udder two wuz Earnest Gaines from Oscar, which is near New Roads, who wrote several award-winning books, including The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, an’ New Awlins native Allen Toussaint, who has written songs like “Mother-In-Law,” “Ride Yo Pony” and “Southern Nights” (written for Glen Campbell). All three uf dese guys are very deservin’, but we are a little prejudice toward Tony in Southwest Louisiana.
We Have Faith In Ronnie
Az you have probably heard by now, dar will be no veto session to override some uf de cuts Gov. Jindal made to de budget.
Now, radder dan grandstandin’ like some uf dem legislators like to do, state Sen. Ronnie Johns uf Sulphur announced he wuz workin’ wit’ de Dept. uf Health an’ Hospitals to find de money to help wit’ de NOW program. Dis program, New Opportunity Waiver, provides money for at-home care for de disabled. De money cut wuz $4 million for 200 additional slots for dis service.
Ronnie, who sits on de Senate Finance Committee, will do what he can, az he always does an’ az he did for 16 years as a member uf de House. You can bet when all iz sed an’ done, he’ll have de money for dat NOW program.
Dat’s de kinda legislators we have in dis area, folks: people who work not only for de good uf dar district, but for de good uf de whole state. Next time you see Ronnie or any udder member uf our legislative delegation, be shore to tank dem for all dar hard work.
Too Much Delay In Chennault Land Transfer
If you’ve ever met Randy Robb, de director uf de Chennault International Airport Authority, you know he isn’t one to let de grass grow under hiz feet. An’ such is de case wit’ de transfer uf land from Chennault to Sowela to build a $20 million education center to train folks to work at de huge Sasol project dat’s comin’ our way.
Dis wuz started in October uf las year, an’ de deal ain’t done yet, an’ Robb an’ lots uf udders are wonderin’ what de delays are. We trust dis will be done soon, an’ de folks will be moved out uf de Chennault Mobile Home park and construction will begin.
Lots uf udder tings have improved at Sowela, but dis one will be de mac daddy uf dem all. An’ we know Robb ain’t gonna stop workin’ day an’ night until construction begins.
DeRosier Gets Much-Deserved Award
Calcasieu Parish D.A. John DeRosier wuz recently named to de Louisiana Justice Hall uf Fame. Now folks, dis iz no small honor. Only five wuz recognized for dis award, an’ DeRosier wuz de only one from dis area.
Durin’ de induction ceremony, DeRosier wuz pointed out for hiz work in organizin’ de Calcasieu Full Force Group to target DWI offenders. He also reestablished de Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program.
In presentin’ de award, it wuz pointed out he had worked on de Fatal Vision program, where members uf his staff go to schools to show de effects uf impaired driving.
DeRosier also serves as president uf de Louisiana District Attorneys Assoc. Way to go John.
Democratic Party Haz To Be Celebratin’
When de news came out dat Bobby Jindal wouldn’t be runnin’ against Mary Landrieu for de U.S. Senate, de National Democratic Party had to be makin’ cartwheels. Jindal, who hadn’t been doin’ too good in de state polls, recently sed dat he wuz in no way goin’ to run for de Senate seat, which had had de Republicans smellin’ blood.
Jindal’s drop in de polls probably haz had sometin’ to do wit’ him havin’ de teachers, school employees an’ practically every udder group in dis state mad at him. Now it’s settled for Mary to worry about Congressman Bill Cassidy, who isn’t very well known in dis state. He’ll have a lot uf trouble raisin’ de money he’ll need to beat her. Rest assured she’ll have a boatload.
So it looks like we’ll have six mo years uf Mary Landrieu. But in politics, especially in de great State uf Louisiana, tings can change. But for now, put your money on Mary.
Deep Taughts While Watchin’ John Besh On PBS
10) Now dat de Zimmerman trial is over, what will de news channels show?
9) How come every one uf dem news network folks pretends to be a lawyer?
8) When are day gonna move de Tuesday farmers market from de Cash ‘n’ Carry to de Civic Center?
7) Should I tell KPLC dat T. Claude wants a booth at dar Man Show so he can meet womens?
6) Will my mudder-in-law ever speak to me again since I forgot her birthday?
5) How come none uf dem reality shows about Louisiana show us in a positive way?
4) Iz Snookie trying for a new parish record for speedin’ tickets in a year?
3) Gaz is $3.25 one day, $3.33 de next day: don’t make no sense, do it?
2) How can Shaq call Houston a small town?
1) Iz de New Awlins Pelicans gonna do good now dat day have all dat talent an’ a new name?
Final Shot
Lefty sez he went to three places to buy watermelons. He sez day wuz either axin’ $12 for a watermelon or sellin’ dem seedless kind. Lefty sez he’d radder eat lima beans dan eat dem tasteless seedless melons. Dat Lefty, he’s an expert on watermelons. Maybe Jindal haz a spot for him on de State Watermelon Boad.
‘Til next time, lache pas la patate.
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