On April 5, voters in Sulphur will go to de polls to vote on de City Council an\u2019, I\u2019m shore, de usual taxes an\u2019 state amendments. But de important race will be for mayor.<\/p>\n
Incumbent Mayor Chris Duncan haz announced he\u2019s in de race for a second term. Two-term Mayor Ron LeLeux, who los\u2019 to Duncan in a close race four years ago, iz gonna try to get back in.<\/p>\n
City Council member Mike Koonce haz announced he\u2019s in de race, an\u2019 so is former water works director Clopha Boudreaux. Four good men so far, an\u2019 qualifyin\u2019 isn\u2019t gonna happen \u2018til de middle uf next month.<\/p>\n
Watch dis one, folks. De LeLeux supporters took de loss very hard four years ago, an\u2019 dar out workin\u2019 hard already for dar man. Duncan, uf course, haz de advantage an incumbent always haz, an\u2019 shore doesn\u2019t miss de chance for a photo opportunity.<\/p>\n
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An\u2019 De Next Superintendent Will Be???<\/strong><\/p>\n Like lots uf folks in Calcasieu Parish, we wuz saddened to learn dat School Superintendent Wayne Savoy wuz gonna be steppin\u2019 down later dis year. When exactly depends on how long it will take de school boad to find an\u2019 vote on a replacement.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re like me an\u2019 have been around for a few years, you may recall dat dis process hasn\u2019t always been a smooth one. Savoy is a good an\u2019 decent man who\u2019s worked hard to make our schools better. One can only imagine de headaches dat come from dealin\u2019 wit\u2019 parents, students, teachers, plus de politicians on de school boad, BESE Boad, an\u2019, uf course, de ones in de Dept. uf Education.<\/p>\n We join udders in our area in tankin\u2019 Savoy for hiz years uf service. An\u2019 we join de American Press in urgin\u2019 de school board to search far an\u2019 wide for de best possible candidate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How Will Dem Jobs Affect Us?<\/strong><\/p>\n Recently, a buncha state senators an\u2019 members uf de Louisiana House gaddered in Lake Charles to find out mo about de industries plannin\u2019 to build an\u2019 grow in our area. De group, known az de Joint Committee on House and Senate Labor an\u2019 Industrial Relations, heard from a buncha local folks tellin\u2019 dem what had been done an\u2019 what needed to be ready for Sasol, Magnolia and Trunkline LNG projects.<\/p>\n Some good ideas were brought up by de panelists. State Sen. Ronnie Johns, who organized de meetin\u2019, sed Fort Polk folks who were endin\u2019 dar years uf service should be considered.<\/p>\n Udder panel members spoke about trainin\u2019 an\u2019 increases in dat effort. Sen. Edwin Murray uf New Awlins expressed a concern dat\u2019s been voiced by lots uf local folks: he sed when de federal money came down to rebuild afta Hurricane Katrina, lots uf de work went to companies from out of state. Sasol\u2019s Nancy Tower sed day were prepared to see dat wouldn\u2019t be de case.<\/p>\n In a related subject, KPLC reported three Calcasieu Deputies toured a housin\u2019 complex in Canada like de one bein\u2019 built\u00a0 east uf town. De deputies reported day were very impressed at how well run de Canadian outfit wuz.<\/p>\n We gotta say: lookin\u2019 good all de way around. Yes, dar will be problems, like traffic. But hopefully, our state an\u2019 local gubment will take care uf dem by de time contracts are let out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n West Cal Growth Continues<\/strong><\/p>\n We hear uf new restaurants an\u2019 bidnesses almos\u2019 every week in West Calcasieu, de latest bein\u2019 a 100-acre development on Highway 27 near Carlyss Drive. De project will involve single family housing in de first phase. Afta dat, mo nearby acreage will be used for apartments an\u2019 a grocery store chain.<\/p>\n All uf dis iz happenin\u2019 witin Sulphur City limits, which should mean mo tax revenue for de city. We know dar will be mo announcements uf dis kind in our parish in weeks an\u2019 months to come. We say tings are lookin\u2019 up in Calcasieu Parish.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n DeRosier Did De Right Ting<\/strong><\/p>\n De LaFuria legal battle iz finally over. De Lake Charles gynecologist pleaded guilty to a variety uf charges related to hiz practice an wuz sentenced to six an\u2019 a half years.<\/p>\n Now dar were some who wanted a\u00a0 trial. But D.A. John DeRosier\u00a0 decided\u00a0 to prevent de victims further agony by not havin\u2019 a trial. He did what wuz right for de victims an\u2019 for Louisiana.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why Iz Kerry Stickin\u2019 Hiz\u00a0Nose In Keystone?<\/strong><\/p>\n Secretary uf State John Kerry met recently wit\u2019 Canadian officials about de Keystone Pipeline dat would transport natural gas from Canada all de way to Gulf Coast refineries to be converted to liquid gas. Kerry sed de U.S. wouldn\u2019t be rushed into deciding on dis.<\/p>\n Now folks, we\u2019re talkin\u2019 about a $7 billion pipeline project here. Like Edwin Edwards sed recently, de Canadians are gonna sell de gas to somebody \u2014 if not us, den China or Russia.<\/p>\n Now Kerry is Secretary uf State. Our question iz what in de world iz he doin\u2019 talkin\u2019 about dis issue wit\u2019 de Canadians? Why not someone from de Dept. uf Energy or Interior? All ya gotta do iz look at who appointed him: our president. An it\u2019s no secret he ain\u2019t too fond of de Keystone Pipeline. Lord, don\u2019t let dis one slip away.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Casino Numbers Good<\/strong><\/p>\n De Lake Charles casino market continues to top all udders in de state in revenue. De market, which iz made up uf Isle of Capri, L\u2019Auberge an\u2019 Delta Downs, had a revenue uf $59.9 million dollars, toppin\u2019 Shreveport, New Awlins, Baton Rouge, Morgan City and Opelousas. Shreveport had a revenue uf $59.4 millon. Dat Texas money jus\u2019 keeps rollin\u2019 in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Voter Number De Same,\u00a0Parties Change<\/strong><\/p>\n Louisiana Secretary uf State Tom Schedler reports de number uf registered voters hazn\u2019t increased or decreased much in de las\u2019 10 years. What haz changed iz party affiliation.<\/p>\n Ten years ago, 58 percent uf de voters wuz registered Democrats. Dat number iz now down to 47 percent.<\/p>\n One would tink mos\u2019 uf dem switched to de Republican Party, but not so. Twenty-five percent now list no party or \u201cother party,\u201d an de Republicans have 28 percent.<\/p>\n So dat tells me dat a whole buncha folks have had it wit\u2019 de Democratic Party but ain\u2019t none too thrilled about what de Republicans are doin\u2019 either.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nonstop Elections<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re a political junkie like me, Louisiana iz where you want to be de next two years. Already we\u2019ve seen bigtime money spent attackin\u2019 Sen. Mary Landrieu, who isn\u2019t up for re-election until November.<\/p>\n Next year, we\u2019ll have de govenor\u2019s race, where everyting from governor to dog catcher will be open. Uf course, fundraisin\u2019 iz already goin\u2019 on for dat one. Las\u2019 issue we quoted numbers on who\u2019d raised what. Here are some revised numbers as uf Dec. 23. Treasury Secretary\u00a0 John Kennedy, who always looks at runnin\u2019 but never runs, haz raised nearly $2.4 million. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne has $1.5 million in de bank. Sen. David Vitter, who\u2019s leadin\u2019 in de polls, haz reported $780,000.<\/p>\n Dat\u2019s de top three, but udders wit\u2019 money will get into de race. Locally, we\u2019ll have some state representative races for folks who\u2019ve term-limited out, an\u2019 uf course, some good ole local politics in de way uf police jury races. Like we sed, if you like politics, 2014 an\u2019 \u201815 are tailor-made for you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Great Artist An\u2019 Great Man<\/strong><\/p>\n We were all saddened to learn uf de passin\u2019 uf Elton Louviere. Elton was this area\u2019s most famous artist, concentrating mostly on waterfowl. He won the first Louisiana Duck Stamp competition. He worked with children throughout our state to help improve\u00a0 their skills. He loved his work, his wife Pat, and his God. He will be remembered for many years in our area.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Deep Taughts While Decidin\u2019 If I\u00a0Need Mo Fishin\u2019 Gear<\/strong><\/p>\n 10) How come Oakdale iz always de coldest spot on de KPLC weather map?<\/p>\n 9) Are de New Awlins Pelicans gonna start winnin\u2019 dem close games in\u00a0de fourth quarter?<\/p>\n 8) Am I gonna win de Mardi Gras Gumbo Cookoff dis year?<\/p>\n 7) Iz dis de earliest we\u2019ve ever had crawfish?<\/p>\n 6) How many uf you are like me an\u2019 wish dat Insurance Lizard would drown\u00a0in de Boston Harbor?<\/p>\n 5) Will Chris Christie eat cracklins an\u2019 boudin when he campaigns in Louisiana?<\/p>\n 4) Will we have any high school teams from our area make it to Marsh Madness\u00a0at Burton Coliseum?<\/p>\n 3) How many folks actually care about de Astros season?<\/p>\n 2) Why iz it de only time I hear from T-Claude iz when he\u2019s in trouble wit\u2019 de law?<\/p>\n 1) What will I get my lovely wife Sedonia for Valentine\u2019s Day?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Final Shot<\/strong><\/p>\n Wildlife an\u2019 Fisheries set two drones out over de Mermentau River recently. Lefty wuz duck huntin\u2019. He shot both uf de drones down an\u2019 called hiz wife on hiz cell phone an\u2019 tol\u2019 her to cook some more rice.<\/p>\n \u2018Til next time, lache pas la patate.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On April 5, voters in Sulphur will go to de polls to vote on de City Council an\u2019, I\u2019m shore, de usual taxes an\u2019 state amendments. But de important race will be for mayor. Incumbent Mayor Chris Duncan haz announced he\u2019s in de race for a second term. Two-term Mayor Ron LeLeux, who los\u2019 to [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[238,241,234,232,230,231,171,235,236,233,99,240,239,237,88],"yoast_head":"\n