Well, de firs’ round uf electionz is over, an’ we hope your candidate won. What I fount really amazin’ iz de amount dem candidates spent tryin’ to get elected.
You can find all de financials for elections within de state at ethics.la.gov. An’ for the federal, you will see de races for senator and Congress at de FEC site at fec.gov/pindex.
Now some uf dem local candidates haven’t filed dar reports on time an’ dat iz a no-no. Also, udder candidates have borrowed a whole buncha money to finance dar campaign.
Now, some uf dem local candidates ended up spendin’ a whole lot mo dan day planned. Signs, cards, TV and radio spots; free barbecues; an’ all dat are a real expense.
Now, de money flow ain’t over. Dem what made de runoffs have a short period to get de money for de second primary, which is Dec. 6. Early voting — what day usta call absentee votin’ — iz gonna be Nov. 22-29.
By de way, we should all tank Angie Quienalty an’ her staff at de Registrar uf Voters office for de fantastic job on handlin’ early voters durin’ de firs’ go-round. We know day gonna do a great job durin’ de second round az well.
It’s A Geaux For Sasol
All de politicians gaddered at Sasol recently to announce dat all tings were in place to begin de $8.1 billion expansion we have herd so much about in de las’ year. Here are de numbers: 5,000 construction jobs and 500 full-time jobs.
Folks, we can’t tell you how important dis project will be to our area. Everyone will gain from dis. If you have a bidness, get ready for increased sales. If you are in de real estate bidness, get ready to show an’ sell a lot mo houses.
Gov. Jindal wuz on hand and called de announcement “a historic day” for de region and our state.
Now … all dat sed, where’s de better roads an’ infrastructure needed to handle dem 5,000 workers? We jus hope Jindal an’ de Legislature get dar act togedder an’ come up wit’ some dollars for highway improvement and construction.
We Should Watch LHSAA Shake-Up
De head honcho uf de Louisiana High School Assoc. resigned recently. De way de press release wuz worded tells you tings weren’t going well between him and de folks who run dat organization. It sed “The LHSAA executive committee and executive director Kenny Henderson have mutually agreed that it is in the best of the association and Mr. Henderson to sever their relationship effective Oct. 24.”
Now folks, dat ain’t exactly kind words about de departure uf a key executive. Usually dar’s sometin’ like “we regret to announce.”
It’s no secret dat Henderson haz had some bumps along de road during his time as head uf de LHSAA. In fact, a group uf de members even tried to file suit against him for hiz lavish expense account.
But one ting’s for shore, Kenny Henderson haz done a whole lot for Southwest Louisiana. Tourist bureau officials can give you de numbers on what it haz meant in de way uf dollars spent on lodgin’, gaz an’ food. De numbers iz huge.
We have all de big state championship events here except football. Of course, de Fast Pitch 56 girls’ softball championship iz big. De state swim meet at de Sulphur Parks an’ Recreation Center is just down de road from de softball site. An’ las year for de first time, Sulphur hosted all de classes uf baseball championships. Also added dis las year wuz all de state classes uf high school basketball for both boys and girls.
Now de Convention Bureau had a big hand in biddin’ on dese events an’ had a good relationship wit Henderson.
In de meantime, former LaGrange principal Jimmy Anderson haz been named to carry on wit’ Henderson’s duties until a replacement can be fount. Anderson’s already sed he’s not interested in being appointed to de job, but iz glad to help until a replacement iz fount.
Now all dem state events we have here are nailed down for several years, but tings can happen after dat. We will watch dis carefully because you talk about big money … dem state championships bring in mamas and daddies who come to see dar children play.
We wish Anderson well, and we hope dat Southwest Louisiana can keep all dem tournaments for many years.
State Colleges Get Boorayed Big-Time
Cuts to state fundin’ for colleges an’ universities in our state are among de highest in de nation. Dat’s accordin’ to a report by de Center for American Progress outta Washington, D.C.
De report sez dat between 2008-12, our legislators cut $459 million from de higher education budget.
Now folks, if you get your little pocket calculator, you will see dat dat’s a decrease uf 28 percent. Only South Carolina wuz higher, at 30.3 percent.
So what have de colleges done? Raise tuition an’ fees, uf course. If you have a kid who goes to college in dis state, you’ve seen a tuition increase uf 6.2 percent. Dat’s among de Top 5 highest increases in de country.
Now, dat’s not to mention de increase in fees. Look at a registration receipt from McNeese or any other college in de state. Talk about nickel-an’-dimein’ students to death.
Now, our friend Candace Townsend sez wit all dem increases to tuition and fees, it still ain’t enough to offset de butcherin’ job de state haz done to dar money. So, McNeese haz issued a pay freeze an’ udder measures to cut costs. Mos’ uf de udder schools in our state have had to lay off some employees an’ issue furloughs to udders. Good money management at McNeese haz kept dat from happenin’.
Folks, we don’t have to tell you how important MSU is to our community. So help if you can. Give money if you can … or at leas wear your blue an’ gold az much az you can.
KPLC Shines
Me an’ Sedonia went to de KPLC 60th anniversary bash a few weeks ago. Dar wuz an overflow crowd an’ de music wuz great.
It wuz also great to see de former an’ present longtime employees on features in de news.
Now some folks are quick to criticize de station an dat’s OK. But me, I tink we have one heck uf a TV station in dis town and we applaud all de hard-workin’ folks who make dat possible.
Big John Shines
Speakin’ uf KPLC, we wuz glad to see my ol’ buddy John Bridges named to de Sulphur High School Hall of Fame. I first knew John when he wuz 16, an’ we have remained friends for many years.
Folks, you will not find a harder-workin’ newsman anywhere. An’ his efforts to recognize de often overlooked veterans iz fantastic. Hiz work in his church and community are tremendous.
I’ve sed it before, an’ I’ll say it again … He’s one in a million.
Playoff Time
By de time you read dis, pairings will have been announced an’ playoffs will be under way. My fran Bruce Merchant an’ I agree dat de level uf talent in 5A, Acadiana an’ Barbe aren’t as strong az usual. Sulphur iz lookin’ much mo better and a team dat haz a real chance to go all de way iz Hamilton Christian. What an improvement dar’s been in de team. It’s brought dem a whole lot uf state recognition.
So Long, Chuck
Some people really make a difference durin’ dar stay on dis earth. One such person wuz Chuck Hebert, who passed away recently.
Chuck liked my jokes, but I liked his a lot more. He gave me a golf lesson once about how to hit fairway woods dat helped me a whole lot on my golf score, an’ I still tink uf him every time I have dat shot.
Chuck owned A Bear mobile homes for years, an’ he wuz a fixture on KPLC advertisin’ hiz mobile homes for many years. De endin’ slogan wuz always de same … “Shop everywhere, den come see A BEAR.” An’ den day showed de big black bear dat he had in front uf hiz lot.
We will miss you, Chuck.
Deep Taughts While Watchin’ Football On TV
10) Doesn’t Nick Saban have anger issues?
9) Who taught T. Claude to make a good gumbo like dat?
8) When will my deer sausage be ready at Hollier’s?
7) How come KD’s reopening can’t come fast enough?
6) Why did Sedonia buy anudder pistol?
5) Why do Max an’ Slim disappear when it’s dar turn to buy lunch?
4) How long will it be before I shoot at de tires uf dem kids speedin’ on my street?
3) How can de Astros have de nerve to ax five grand for season tickets for next year?
2) Iz my dog, Tony, ready for duck season?
1) Ain’t we all sick uf dem automated calls axin’ us to vote for some candidate?
Final Shot
My fran Lefty went to de LSU-Ole Miss game wit’ hiz brudda-in-law. When he stumbled back home, I axed him what de final score wuz. He replied two pints uf Seagram’s Seven an’ a fifth uf Old Crow. Dat Lefty … it don’t matter what de event iz … if he goes he will be spirited.
‘Til next time, lache pas la patate.
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