Columns

By John Blanchard

By Stephen Waguespack

By Stephen Waguespack

No matter what they seem to do in Baton Rouge, the deficit in the budget of state government won’t go away. A legislative session was dedicated to raising taxes in 2015. In that session, new taxes on employers dominated the agenda. Increased taxes for business inventory, energy costs, research, and operating losses were imposed. Despite this new revenue, the deficit remained. A second session focused on.

By John Blanchard

By Stephen Waguespack

By John Blanchard

College baseball players are well protected these days with helmets, a protective device at the elbow, foot and ankle. The catcher resembles a fellow from another planet with broad chest protector, which covers part of the outer shoulder, helmet, shin guards, mask and other paraphernalia. Forgot to mention gloves which seem to take up a lot of time, unnecessarily while at bat and waiting to step up to the plate. While catching in high school we were fortunate to have a large catcher’s mitt and a chest protector and no shin guards, ever. No helmet, but bats were of wood and we were fans of Ol’ Diz and St. Louis fame since it was the only game we could get on the radio in those days. Diz said, “If you can do it, it ain’t braggin’.” Brother Marion made it to the Southern Association, but Uncle Sam called him and three brothers and it was goodbye to a lot of other things as well. Mama must have had some anxious moments. Sometimes I just cry for her still. 

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 chillax this summer.” 

By John Blanchard

By Stephen Waguespack

By John Blanchard

 DeSoto has led the way in Pre-K (kindergarten) teaching and was first in making it a part of the education of children, beginning at the age of four. It may have helped some mothers keep their sanity as well. We credit Mary Alice Brasher as the first to take on the job, which proved little ones are like sponge at that age. When Ol’ Digging reached six, Brother Harry pushed me through the door where some 30 new faces scared me and “they” said I cried. Maybe. Miss Cleveland taught both first and second grades and became a life-long friend. By the second grade, the girl who kissed me on the cheek at six and John Earle became near inseparable as we graded first grader papers. Miss Cleveland wanted the two of us to skip the third grade. That was before they met Mama Blanchard and when we enrolled in the third as the finest teacher who ever entered a classroom.