Columns

By Stephen Waguespack

In the closing weeks of the regular legislative session, Louisiana State Senator Rick Ward introduced a resolution to call for more civility in political discourse. This resolution was rightly passed without any objection on the Senate and House floors, with those legislators speaking in support of the resolution making timely and important commentary on the need for people of all political persuasions to better learn how to advocate for their position in a more respectful way.

In the closing minutes of that very same session, a long-serving state senator went to the House floor and told one of her legislative colleagues in that chamber to “shut the f--- up.”

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By Stephen Waguespack

For generations, Americans have peacefully disagreed amongst themselves about the direction of the country. At times, fights have escalated over some of those disagreements. Thankfully though, our commonalities with our fellow countrymen have usually overruled many of our differences, bringing us back together, in the end, to rally around the greater good of our country.

As a united people, we have always been driven by our Constitutional right to speak freely, worship God, vote for our own leaders and enjoy the limitless opportunity of freedom…even though we often disagree on the most appropriate ways to do so.

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By: Allison Davidson Carpenter

A couple of weeks ago, in the middle of a sunny week day, someone broke into a home in a neighborhood just down the road from ours. The suspect killed the family dog before taking off with valuables. Thankfully no one was around to be hurt by these criminals, but it definitely caused fear among residents in this area.

A while back, my dad gave me a booklet called Personal Safety Tips put together by Crimestoppers in Metairie. I’ve read it before, but after this recent burglary, I pulled it out again and thumbed through it.

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By: Raymond Powell

All of our youth are familiar with multi-purpose gadgets such as TV remotes, phones, etc. But the original multipurpose instrument was very popular 100 years or more ago … Grandmother’s apron along with the bonnet might have been the original. One of my fondest memories as a youngster was to go to the garden with my grandmother and gather black-eyed peas and tomatoes. She cupped the two corners of her apron and gathered vegetables with the other hand. Soon she would have enough for the noon meal and headed for the shady back porch.

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BY Stephen Waguespack

In the closing weeks of the regular legislative session, Louisiana State Senator Rick Ward introduced a resolution to call for more civility in political discourse. This resolution was rightly passed without any objection on the Senate and House floors, with those legislators speaking in support of the resolution making timely and important commentary on the need for people of all political persuasions to better learn how to advocate for their position in a more respectful way.

In the closing minutes of that very same session, a long-serving state senator went to the House floor and told one of her legislative colleagues in that chamber to “shutthe f--- up.”

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By: Raymond Powell

Several have expressed the desire to have an abbreviated history of DeSoto with most of the facts in a shortened history that could be saved for quick reference. DeSoto Parish became a parish with the April 1, 1843 Act 88 signed by C. Derbigny, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Felix Garcia President of the Senate and Governor Alfred Mouton. Section 3 of Act 88 stated that Charles A. Edwards, James Welch, Francis Rumbrice, Simon DeSoto and Israel Rogers were appointed Commissioners to lay off the parish into not more than seven police districts and select a seat of justice within three miles of the geographical center (original parish was bounded on the west by the Sabine River and the east by the Red River).

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By: Stephen Waguespack

The school year has ended and children across Louisiana are beginning to enjoy their summer break. My three boys each have their different opinions on the best way to do so.

My oldest is soon heading off to camp and my middle one has several different lessons lined up to keep him busy with fun activities. My youngest doesn’t yet have many plans and seems to like it that way. I asked him the other day what he wanted to do this summer and after rattling off a few options, he finally said, “Dad, I think I just want to chill-ax this summer.”

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By: Raymond Powell

Those of you who follow this weekly article might recall last week’s article pertaining to the origin of the U.S. Flag with a promise for this week to be about Flag Day. June 14 is Flag Day, the day we celebrate the birthday of the Stars and Stripes. On June 14, 1777, during the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Stars and Strips as the official national flag. The resolution read “Resolved, that the flag of the thirteen colonies be thirteen stripes, alternate red and whites, that the union be thirteen stars, white on blue field, representing a new constellation.”

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By Stephen Waguespack

Having spent over 20 years in public policy, I understand that compromise is often necessary to achieving reform. This is proving to be true with the criminal justice reform package working its way through the Louisiana State Legislature. 

While the original recommendations of the Justice Reinvestment Task Force would have taken more drastic steps, the latest compromise would be a sensible step for Louisiana. Over the next decade, the package in its current form would save the state $262 million and reinvest 70 percent of the savings — more than $183 million — into programs that would rehabilitate inmates with drug treatment and job training, as well as aid the victims of crime.

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By: Raymond Powell

In preparation for Flag Day, which is June 14, it appears logical to research information about the Flag of the United States (aka: Stars and Stripes, Old Glory and possibly other names). The early history of our flag is so shrouded by time and legend that facts are difficult, if not impossible, to actually pin down. No one knows exactly what the first official Stars and Stripes looked like, who designed it, where it was first flown or even whether it was flown during the Revolutionary War.

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