Back in the 1930s, dar wuz an old Cajun state senator by the name of Cravat Rouge (red tie), who wuz known az de boss uf kickbacks in de Legislature. Now, dat wuz sumptin’ else in dem days, considerin’ dat Huey Long an’ his boys controlled everyting involvin’ politics in de state.
Dar wuz de story uf Cravat Rouge bein’ paid off wit’ a bran’ new car for an upcomin’ vote in de Senate. He looked out de window from de fourth floor uf de Jack Tar Capitol House, where bigtime politicians stayed in dem days, an’ trew de keys to dat bran’ new car out de window, hittin’ de hood uf de car. When he wuz axed why he had done dat, he sed “When dem dat got you elected talk, you listen.”
Cravat wuz right; you listen, or you don’t get reelected.
Well, de politicians have listened in de case uf planned man camps near Dequincy, an’, mo recently, a planned camp on WPA road on Highway 90. Now, we are not sayin’ our local political figures take bribes. To de contrary, our elected officials are all hard-working honest folks. But when day see de crowds like what day had from Dequincy; when you see a group walk into a hearin’ like de one wit 500-plus signatures dat walked into de Police Jury meetin’ considerin de Highway 90 project West uf Sulphur‚ you better believe day listen.
Now to dem who say West Cal is opposed to progress, dat can be the furtherist ting from de truth. Day are just sayin don’t put a camp dat will house 5,000 folks in an area dat can’t handle it.
Now de folks dat wuz lookin’ at de site near Dequincy have already chosen anudder site near Highway 108 south uf Sulphur. Some uf de folks from dat area ain’t none too thrilled about it. But if day walk into a Police Jury meeting with 500 signatures, you can bet dem jurors are gonna listen to what day have to say.
Adventure Point A Big Plus
A few days ago, de Tourist Bureau officially dedicated its satellite office on Highway 27 in Sulphur at de beginning uf de Creole Nature Trail. Just in time for Summer vacations, de openin’ will attract visitors from throughout de country and world to our area. By stoppin’ at de Adventure Point office, day will get a better idea what day will see az day head south on Highway 27.
De crabs an gators are so lifelike dat some folks tink day are real. In fact, T-Claude went to Misse’s Grocery and got some crab boil an’ lemons wit’ de intent uf comin’ back to de center. Dar are several really outstanding displays in de center dat will really work to inform travelers. If you want to tour de center, it’s located on Areno Road off of Highway 27 just south uf Interstate 10. Get de whole family togedder an see what’s bein’ done to promote an income-producing, pollution-free industry in our area.
Abraham Makes It Official
For some time now, we’ve been hearin’ dat former Lake Charles City Council president and local bidnessman Mark Abraham would be runnin’ for state representative of District 36. Dat seat iz currently helt by House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, who iz term-limited an’ servin’ hiz last session in de House.
Well, Mark made it official an’ trew hiz hat in de race recently. De only udder candidate announced for dat seat iz Dr. Keith Desonier.
Dis should be an interestin’ race, folks. Both sides have plenty uf money an’ de ability to raise much mo if day need it. Dis iz de election in October whare we’ll see elections for everyting from governor on down to dog catcher. OK, dar’s no dog catcher election, but all police jury offices will be up az will sheriff, assessor, clerk of court, coroner, justice of de peace, constable an’ all de state offices. So, you can see it will be a long ballot.
Now some locals won’t have any opponents an’ udders may have enough opposition to cause a runoff, so expect a lotta signs an’ politicin’ in de next few months.
State Police’s Share Uf DOTD Money
Sometin’ dat’s unfair iz when de legislators have de nerve to have one state agency battle anudder to see who will get de money. Dat’s exactly what’s happenin’ in de Legislature right now, whare some north Louisiana legislators want to take some State Police money from de DOTD.
Now, dis iz money dat wuz earmarked by prior legislators for State Police pay. Dem cooyons from north Louisiana have no idea what state police officers do every day to police highway traffic an’ watch out for Mexican cartel smugglers. Dem drug smugglers, az we have sed before, ain’t carryin’ pellet guns. Bet if dem north Louisiana boys saw de guns taken from dem dope dealers, day would change dar tunes.
You can bet dem members uf de house wouldn’t do de state police job for de money dar paid. So our message to dem north Louisiana boys iz, “Keep your sticky fingers outta LSP money in DOTD.”
Smokin’ Ordinance Made Priority
Members uf de Sulphur City Council recently voted to ban smokin’ in bars and casinos. Everyone on the council cheered an’ said dat New Awlins had done it too.
Well, first uf all, dar’s lots uf tings dat go on in New Awlins dat wouldn’t never happen here. Let a group come to de City Council wit a request for a permit for a gay pride parade. Bet you day have a different vote on dat one.
What we are sayin’ iz dat dar are a lot mo important issues facin’ Sulphur dan smokin’. Take de makeshift four-way stop at de corner uf Maplewood Drive an’ Hazel Street. Soon — I mean, real soon — thousands uf folks will come to our area for de high school baseball playoffs. But headin’ West on Maplewood Drive, day can’t turn left to go to McMurry Park. And cops have been givin’ tickets to dose who do.
Dat’s a way to have your city remembered — a ticket on de way to see your son play in a state championship game. We hope council members do sometin’ about de problem before de tournament starts.
Big-Time High School Baseball
De regular season iz over, an’ de 5A champs — de Sulphur Golden Tors — are rated No. 1 in de state an’ No. 3 in de country.
You may recall dat las’ year, Barbe won de state and national championship. Barbe coach Glenn Cecchini, who haz a total uf six state championships, wuz jus recently named coach uf de United States’ 18-under baseball team dat will compete over de season dis summer.
Congrats to coach Glenn for dis fantastic honor. We know he will do well.
All uf dis, folks, shows jus how strong high school baseball iz in dis area. We are all very proud uf de teams, coaches an’ principals dat make dis national recognition possible.
I’d Eat ‘Em If I Could Get ‘Em
Me, I recently wrote to de Louisiana Strawberry Marketing Assoc. about de fact dat we ain’t got no Louisiana berries in our area. In my email, I told dem dat none uf de big box stores in our area have dem, an’ all day have iz dem California berries dat are az hard az a rock an’ have about az much taste.
De executive director wrote me back an’ sed for me to get my friends an’ family to call de managers uf dem big box stores an’ ax dem to carry Louisiana berries. I tink dat’s a good idea if I get paid to do her job.
You see folks it’s groups like dis dat are gonna come to Baton Rouge an’ booray about not havin’ a good share uf de market. Yet day tell me to call de grocers to complain when dat’s dar job.
Deep Taughts While Watchin’ My Oil Lamp Durin’ De Power Outage
10) Will Max get me dat blue and gold jacket he promised me so I can wear it durin’ Cowboy games?
9) Iz de Astros gonna stay on top uf dar division for a while?
8) Since de cable cut de number uf channels day are offerin’, will day cut my bill?
7) Will LSU continue to shine in de SEC tournament and regionals?
6) How much will my ceegars go up after de Legislature passes a smokin’ tax?
5) Who will be de watch dog to see dat de smokin’ tax money will be used for its intended purpose?
4) How could de Pelicans blow a 20-point lead and not even win one play-off game?
3) What difference does de NFL Draft really make?
2) Why wuz my Aggie friends so mad when LSU took two uf three from dem recently?
1) Ain’t dat SEC Network de greatest?
Final Shot
Lefty went to de New Awlins Jazz and Heritage Festival by himself. Big mistake. De story goes Lefty had waaay too much giggle juice, an’ wuz havin’ trouble, leanin’ on a light pole. Az you know, day tape everyting today. I have to admit I wuz radder embarrassed when I went to get him outta jail an they showed me de clip. It wuz funny when Lefty tol’ de cop he wuz Jimmy Hoffa.
‘Til next time, lache pas la patate.
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