God Bless the families

I don’t want to write this, I really, really don’t. At the same time I know that if I don’t, it is a copout.
Bossier Parish Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Baswell said today that it appears that the death of two teenagers was a suicide pact between the two. Both left notes in the cab of the pickup truck where they were found.
The two teenagers were identified as Myranda Becton, 15 and Dylan Kennedy, 16.
Dylan left a note referring to Romeo and Juliet, and several other notes trying to convey why they were doing what they were doing.
We have all read the statistics and articles about teen suicide, indeed we have seen it in our communities. There is even a website dedicated to the subject, and it offers warning signs to watch for. The problem I see with the warning signs is that every normal teenager displays these described behaviors at some point. But that is not what this is about.
From what I hear, Myranda and Dylan both had loving, caring families.
I know that right now these families are going through shock, intense grief and denial. It is hard to lose any family member to any cause, but it is harder to lose someone to suicide.
You can understand if someone is killed in an accident, or if they suffer from an illness and die. You still miss them with all of your heart, but you understand what happened to them.
Families of people who die by their own hand never, ever understand why.
In June of 1968 I turned 21, typically ready to take on the world. In June of 1968 my oldest brother killed himself. Forty two years later I am still asking myself why, and what I could have done to help him.
I visited with him the night before he died. We were watching the news at his house, Robert Kennedy had been assassinated and the reporters were conjecturing on funeral plans and arrangements. My brother turned to me and said “When I die, just put me in a pine box and bury me. There is no need to go to any trouble.”
Was that a sign? In retrospect, certainly. Did I have a clue? No.
He was 33 years old and left behind a wife and three children.
I am writing this because I know what these families are going through, and what they will go through for the rest of their lives. After 42 years, sitting down to write this, it feels as if I have been stabbed in the heart.
It never goes away, and it will be worse for the parents of these children than it has been for me. My mother lived to within 3 months of her 90th birthday, and never was the same person. She would barely talk about my brother, and she fiercely repressed those memories. We knew that it was that painful for her.
When she was on her deathbed with cancer eating up her tiny body, I knew that she was between worlds. She was in a lot of pain.
When I took her hand and asked her if she knew who I was, she gave me the sweetest smile and said ‘yes’, and called me by my brothers name.
And that was okay.
If you are a praying person, please pray for these families. They need all the love and support they can receive right now, and they will need immeasurable strength in the future.

Teenage murder/suicide in North Bossier

In a tragic loss to two local families, two 16 year olds, a boy and a girl, were found dead in a pickup truck on Viking Drive this afternoon in what appeared to be a murder/suicide.
Apparently family members had been looking for the teenagers all day. A family member found them at the west end of Viking Drive, just off Benton Road.
No more details are available, but officials said they didn't suspect involvement from any outside parties.

Deanna Candler to announce for District D council seat tonight

Blogger/student Deanna Candler will formalize her plans to run for Shreveport City Council District D tonight at 6PM.
She published an invitation on her blog:
If you live in District D go out and meet her tonight at 6 at Cantina Laredo on Youree Drive. All are welcome and refreshments will be served!

Our Lady of Fatima, High Church Baptist

This is the email I recieved:

Today begins the ninth of the apparition of the Virgin of Fatima : When you receive the email say a Hail Mary and ask for a special favour
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
(your request)
Please do not break the Novena, send it to 12 people you think deserve justice, peace, love, health, prosperity and truth.

Okay, that's nice, I have nothing against a Novena. The prayer is wrong, there is a prescribed prayer for each day to be followed by three Hail Marys, three Our Fathers and three Glory be's.

The only thing that puzzles me is why this email is forwarded to me by someone who is a dyed in the wool Baptist and always has been?

Holocaust survivor Rose Van Thyn passes away

After the Germans occupied Holland in 1942, the Nazis came to Rose Van Thyn's house and took her family away.
She was put on a railway cattle car crowded with 98 people and 2 buckets, one for drinking and one for waste. She was taken to Auschwitz where she underwent medical experiments, and later was sent to Ravensbrueck.
She survived a 'death march' near the end of the war.
Rose and her husband Louis met after the war in Amsterdam and married in 1951. They moved to Shreveport in 1956.
Rose Van Thyn was 88 years old.
You can hear her story here and here.

The Race is on in Shreveport

No, not the race for mayor and council. The race that is catching all of the attention right now isn’t even for an elected office, it is for the next police chief. Current chief Henry Whitehorn is leaving to become U. S. Marshal for the Western District, and Mayor Cedric Glover has said that he will announce Whitehorn’s replacement within the next week.
There are fourteen candidates:


1. Assistant to the Chief Ronald D. Huddleston, Assistant to the Chief
2. Cpl. Michael Carter, Investigations Division
3. Assistant Chief Wayne Smith, Support Division
4. Sgt. Willie Shaw, Administration Division
5. Cpl. Patrick McConnell, Uniform Services Division
6. Capt. David E. McDaniels, Uniform Services Division
7. Sgt. James Taliaferro, Investigations Division
8. Cpl. Kevin Strickland, Uniform Services Division
9. Sgt. Greg Jones, Administration Division
10. Cpl. Rodney Demery, Investigations Division
11. Capt. William Nelson, Support Division
12. Sgt. Tedris Smith, Investigations Division
13. Lake Charles Police Sgt. Mark A. Kraus
14. Bossier City Police Sgt. Larry Hawkins
From what I’m hearing, the likely picks are either of the assistant chiefs, Huddleston or Smith, and Sgt. Willie Shaw. Greg Jones and Rod Demery are in the mix, but somewhere behind the other three.
It’s an important decision and will have long term ramifications for the city.

Tropical Depression has formed in Caribbean

From the National Weather Service:
Our first tropical depression of the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season has formed near Honduras in the western Caribbean. Winds are 35 mph and movement is WNW-10 mph. The current forecast calls for a path across the Yucatan Peninsula over the weekend into the central gulf by the first of next week. Some strengthening is possible before landfall this weekend and next week into a Tropical Storm. The colored cones are uncertainty in the forecast path.

And if it does turn into a tropical storm and hit the central Gulf, what an oily mess that will be.

Firing of Vitter aide raises questions

Not much (nothing) has appeared on the local blogosphere about the firing of Senator David Vitter’s aide, Brent Furer. Furer, who had a domestic violence assault conviction in 2008 and has a history of DWI problems, has been in charge of women’s issues for the Senator.
Just a couple of questions. Why wait until election year to finally do something about this? Was Furer released only because Vitter sensed political problems on the horizon?
Vitter, who was accused in his first run for the senate by Vincent Bruno, a Republican State Committee member, of being involved with a French Quarter Hooker, confessed to a "very serious sin in my past" after his phone number was found on a Washington Madame’s phone records. Of course, Vitter claimed that the New Orleans charges were untrue. Probably just a strange coincidence.
Vitter, who teamed up with ex-senator Larry ‘toe tapping’ Craig in sponsoring the ‘defense of marriage act’ a couple of years ago, has long been a supporter of ‘traditional values’. He has quieted down somewhat on this front since he got caught, instead spending most of his time on other, more traditional conservative causes.
If Furer was a top aide to Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, Louisiana’s ‘Christian Conservatives’ would be running in circles having hissy fits. Strangely enough, they have been very quiet about Vitter and his aide.
It just comes down to one question – does personal character count in the people we elect to serve us? In Louisiana, this is generally a rhetorical question, because we all know the answer.
Although several top Republicans expressed interest in the seat, in the end they lacked to courage to stand up to the power of a sitting senator.
No doubt Vitter’s voting record appeals to many Louisianans, and Rep. Charlie Melancon, his Democratic opponent, generates very little enthusiasm.
But there are alternatives, and we will explore them in a future post.

Methodist Minister plans to run for congress

David Melville, Pastor of Fellowship Methodist Church on Barksdale Boulevard, has thrown his hat in the ring for the 4th District congressional seat. Melville, who wants to replace Dr. John Fleming, says that Fleming got caught up in partisan fighting on the health care issue rather than trying to make it a better bill.
Melville says politics has become too divisive, and that politicians are only worried about winning or losing. That's true, but it's not a new phenomenon.

I'm certain that Melville is sincere, but every politician who runs for office promises to work across the isles. That seldom happens.

Melville is married to the sister of former Governor Buddy Roemer.

Randy Mason pleads guilty in U. S. District Court

Shreveport businessman Randel Mason entered a guilty plea in U. S. District Court today. Mason was instrumental in developing Rosedale Subdivision, as well as several subdivisions in Shreveport.
From the U. S. Attorney:
Randel J. Mason, 57, owner of Mason Construction Company, Inc., and Tammy
H. Dixon, 49, both of Shreveport, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of wire fraud for submitting false documentation to its financing company in order to receive draws on its line of credit, United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today. The guilty pleas were entered Wednesday before U. S. District Judge Donald E. Walter in Shreveport.
According to court testimony, Mason Construction obtained financing for new home construction from National City Mortgage, an Ohio-based financing company. While purporting to build new homes on Plum Creek Drive and Pelican Creek Drive in Shreveport, Mason and Dixon submitted false documentation to National City Mortgage regarding the percentage of work completed, and fraudulent inspection certifications claiming that an independent appraiser had verified the work. In fact, Mason and Dixon used an appraiser’s signature without his prior knowledge and consent. Relying upon the fraudulent documentation, National City Mortgage remitted payments to Mason Construction Company’s local bank account.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 28, 2010. Mason and Dixon face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, for each count of wire fraud.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Shreveport Resident Agency, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan.

LSU Family needs help

Tragedy hit the LSU soccer program last week as junior midfielder Kellie Murphy, her brother Brian Murphy and her sister Nicole Murphy were struck by a car in South Africa, where they were attending the 2010 FIFA World Cup with their family.
Opinionated Catholic has the full story and tells you how you can help.

The Sweet Spills of Summer

Just Three Things

Blogging is a little slow the last couple of weeks. Not that there isn't a lot to talk about, sometimes I just don't feel like it. In a couple of weeks people will be qualifying for local races, among them school board and Shreveport mayor and council.
Once all the politicians (and wannabes) come out of the woodwork, you can be sure I'll have plenty to say.
Sometimes events drive the blog, and anything can happen on any given day. I've learned that in 2½ years of doing this.
If you have something on your mind that I need to bring up for discussion, drop me an email. In the meantime, this is the kind of mood I'm in.

The Gift

I got a very special gift this weekend from Andy and the lovely Mrs. Andy. That's it in the bucket. Not everyone would take time out of their Saturday to bring me a bucket like that.

The bucket actually doesn't do them justice, but this picture Andy put up a couple of months ago does. Beautiful purple irises. Next spring I'll be putting up my own pictures!

Thanks guys!

Coulda fooled me

High today, 101.
Summer begins tomorrow at 7:28 AM, so it will be hot - 100.

And you thought Louisiana politicians were nuts

A South Carolina County Republican Party Chairman sent an email out to party activists suggesting that Nikki Haley, who is running for governor, is lying about her religious beliefs.
Haley, who was born to Sikh immigrants, ‘can’t seem to make up her mind about her faith’.
Phillip Bowers, GOP chair of Pickens County, links to two news reports, one about her conversion to Christianity in her 20’s and another report from CBN. The CBN story only notes that her Sikh faith was an ‘important part of her story line’.
“It’s not my place to question her faith, but I do question her honesty,” the county party chairman writes. “If anyone finds the truth, please let me know.”
“Again, I’m not questioning her faith,” he repeats, “but I absolutely can’t stand a liar.”
It gets more bizarre.
With a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face outside a Columbia bar, Republican S.C. Sen. Jake Knotts called Lexington Rep. Nikki Haley, an Indian-American Republican woman running for governor, a “raghead” several times while explaining how he believed she was hiding her true religion from voters.
“She’s a fucking raghead,” Knotts said.
He later clarified his statement. He did not mean to use the F-word.
Knotts says he believed Haley has been set up by a network of Sikhs and was programmed to run for governor of South Carolina by outside influences in foreign countries. He claims she is hiding her religion and he wants the voters to know about it.
Knotts says he believes Haley’s father has been sending letters to India saying that Haley is the first Sikh running for high office in America. He says her father walks around Lexington wearing a turban.
“We’re at war over there,” Knotts said.
Asked to clarify, he said he did not mean the United States was at war with India, but was at war with “foreign countries.”
Below the Beltway

City of New Orleans hits passenger van

The City of New Orleans passenger train collided with a van north of Independence, Louisiana in Tangipahoa Parish. At least four people are dead.
The City of New Orleans is a nightly passenger train operated by Amtrak which travels 926 miles between Chicago and New Orleans.
Before Amtrak took over the train, it was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad. The train makes the trip in 19½ hours.

Bossier Sheriff needs to re-think his attitude toward his constituents

By law, Sheriff Larry Deen had to hold a hearing on his announced increase in property taxes. Rather than providing a decent space and amount of time for the hearing, the sheriff crammed the people who attended into an office and then put an arbitrary time limit on the meeting.
The sheriff apparently had no interest in hearing the citizens and showed total disdain for them when he told the people at the meeting that ‘state law’ required that he could only give 15 minutes to public comments.
Either the sheriff doesn’t know the law, which is a scary prospect, or he was being disingenuous with his constituents.
Or perhaps I’m wrong, perhaps state law does say that. If someone with the sheriff’s office will send me a copy of the law, I will be glad to retract that and publish an apology to the sheriff.
In the meantime, we will address the sheriff’s bad performance as we see it.
Citizens have a right to speak out. That’s what a ‘hearing’ is for, hence the name. According to Drew Pierson in The Times, the sheriff's budget has more than doubled in the past six years, going from $15.6 million in 2004 to $35.5 million in 2009. That’s a hefty increase. The budget of the entire parish is $45 million. If the sheriff needs another million or so, he needs to get specific as to where a potential shortfall lies and why. I don’t understand why, if it is a legitimate need, the sheriff didn’t open up and explain it to the people.
I also don’t understand why the sheriff didn’t use a larger space, such as the police jury room, to hold the meeting. This ‘them and us’ attitude doesn’t serve the sheriff well at all, and creates division where there really wasn’t any. The group that did gather was not a bunch of malcontents, but citizens who are genuinely concerned.
Matt Sciba of the Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party said it best. “"The integrity of the sheriff's department is not hinged on this tax. If the millage is not raised, that professionalism will not disappear."
Overall, I believe the sheriff has done a good job. That makes it harder to understand his actions. He would serve himself well to listen to the citizens of Bossier Parish – all of them, not just the ones who tell him what he wants to hear. They are not his enemies.

Cannas and Daylillies - It's a southern thing

Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party opposes Sheriff on tax increase

The Shreveport Bossier Tea Party has come out with a statement opposing the sheriff's proposed increase in the property tax millage.
Every Bossier Parish resident appreciates the fine law enforcement afforded by the Sheriff’s Office. Local families are struggling and tightening their belts. It is time our governmental agencies did the same.
The newly-formed Shreveport Bossier Tea Party is strongly opposed to Sheriff Larry Deen’s tax increase. It’s time for Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office to start cutting the budget. With an annual budget of $35 million, there’s bound to be plenty of fat to trim off this piggy.
Last month, Bossier City raised taxes, this month Bossier Parish raises taxes. The Federal Government seems to raise taxes every month. Enough is enough. Our elected officials don’t feel our pain, and with tax increases during a recession and double-digit unemployment, they don’t care. It’s time to say no to higher taxes and say yes to less government spending.

Vampires in Southern Trace?

Well, not really, but on this trailer for The Gates you can see the fangs come out. The Gates, filmed in Shreveport's exclusive Southern Trace, will premiere on ABC Sunday night.

Sheriff to hold meeting on tax millage

Bossier Parish Sheriff Larry Deen will hold a meeting at 10 tomorrow morning to get feedback and answer questions about his decision to increase the property tax millage from 12.17 mills to 13.51 mills.

In recent years the sheriff has rolled back the rate, but now says it is necessary to adjust it.

From a new training facility to new substations, the sheriff has grown his department in the past few years. Some people think this is good, some bad.

Deen is very popular with Bossier voters, however, having had no opposition in the last election.

Will you be there? What do you think?

Well Duh

Proudly stolen from Andy's Place, who stole it from The Onion.

Soccer Officially Announces It Is Gay

Jimmy Dean

Jimmy Dean has passed away, most of you younger folks will remember him for his sausage, but my generation remembers him for his music.

Local woman loses three family members to flood

A local family is grieving today at the loss of three family members in the flash floods in Arkansas.
Nancy Hathorne lost her 30 year old son, Anthony Smith, and his two youngest children, Joey, age 5 and Katelynn, age 2. Anthony was able to save his wife and 13 year old son and a friend, but could not save the younger children or himself.
Kinsley Basinger, 6 & Shane Basinger, 34, Gloster were also killed.
Our condolences go out to these families.
Wheeler has some photos of his visit there on The Norla Blog.
A lot of local people go to Ouachita National Forest to camp for a weekend. The first video below was taken by a YouTuber on his 2007 trip.
The second video shows some of the devastation after the flood.

You Have Mail

That Fag church up in Kansas (you know the one) has sent a letter to Governor Jindal and the citizens of Louisiana:

Dear Gov. Jindal, every citizen of Louisiana, and every member of the so-called “Christian Nation”:
God is dealing with you to your face. You have angered Him and now He is fighting against you. You have adopted policies of disobedience and perversion: abortion; same-sex marriage/domestic partnerships; divorce and remarriage. You have called Him a liar and taught your children that He does not mean what He says.
You did not heed the warning of Katrina, delivered directly and powerfully in kindness to provoke your repentance. Instead, you have arrogantly beat your breast and declared that you have the power to rebuild even stronger, and have added more idols to your overflowing bag. And when we kindly directed your attention to that true and righteous judgment of God, and implored you to repent and obey, you increased your rebellion by passing laws to shut us up.
Now look what you’ve done: You will soon be over-run by a nasty, ugly, stinky, choking mess, which is just perfect --- it is exactly what you are to the eyes and nose of the LORD your God.
“MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER (AP) - High winds and choppy seas frustrated efforts to hold back the oil spill seeping into Louisiana's rich fishing grounds and nesting areas Friday, and the government desperately cast about for new ideas for dealing with the nation's biggest environmental crisis in decades. . . . High seas were in the forecast through Sunday and could push oil deep into the inlets, ponds, creeks and lakes that line the boot of southeastern Louisiana. With the wind blowing from the south, the mess could reach the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coasts by Monday.
"These next few days are critical," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal warned.”
Indeed – the next few days ARE critical. You don’t begin to understand “desperate.” God has issued His words against that place (Louisiana and other parts of Doomed america spanning the Gulf coast) and the inhabitants thereof. We will be calling upon God to hasten this destructive judgment. And here is what we’re telling you clearly: There is NOTHING you can do to stop that oil other than sincere repentance, obedience, and humble prayer that God forbear His judgment. Only He can do that. Here’s your blueprint – to the words, rebels!:
2Ch 34:27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
You will not heed. You will not repent. You will not obey. You will not humble yourselves to the mighty hand of God. He will not forbear. Hang on to your hats: Your destruction is imminent!

Reinstate services at the Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home

Susan Duhon came to plead for her husband, whose care in a war veterans' home in Bossier City is being affected by state privatization efforts.
In Duhon's case, a $2 million cut to the five state war veterans' homes has affected the care received by her husband, Joseph Ray Duhon, a retired Air Force colonel who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and lives in the Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home.
Before the budget cuts, each of the homes had a full-time physician and pharmacist on staff. But in February, the state began contracting out the services to private providers. The result, Duhon said, has been poor service, increased bureaucracy and higher co-payments for prescription drugs.
"This system is not efficient, and it certainly does not take care of the veteran in the way he or she should be cared for," Susan Duhon said.
Excerpt from KSLA
Carolyn Roy also wrote a follow-up here in which a spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs disagreed that the quality of care has decreased.

State Senator Robert Adley said "We had a commitment from the governor's office this past year that these cuts would not occur. Apparently, they have changed their minds, in our world, your word is all you have and a handshake's all you got. I'm surprised that changed, but we will be doing everything we can to get them back. Let me make this clear, in this state, we dedicate money to ensure that our policeman, our firemen, our school teachers are never cut. We even dedicate money to ensure that our Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is not cut. These are veterans, laying in these war veterans homes that are in critical need. They should be at the top of that list."
Excerpt from the Times Picayune

Rex has a form letter at Conservative Drink if you want to use it to contact your representative, Senator and the Governor.

Jake Toloso to announce for Shreveport City Council

Jacob “Jake” Toloso on Tuesday June 8, 2010 at 4:00pm will announce his candidacy for Shreveport City Council District “C” at Shreveport’s Duck Pond Park near the Northernmost parking lot. Reception following at Deli Tini 520, East Kings Highway Suite 106.
Toloso, an Independent, began campaigning door to door earlier this spring to learn further his neighbors concerns for their district and city. In that time he has also met with many small business owners throughout District “C” and has heard the needs of those who help fuel our local economy. From property standards and Shreveport’s aging water system to start up hurdles and taxes, many issues have been discussed.
Jake, a life long resident of Shreveport and Bossier City, lives in the Broadmoor Terrace Neighborhood. He is a member of the Captain Shreve Neighborhood Association.
As the City Councilman from District “C”, it shall be Toloso’s business to: Quell Urban Blight, Promote Small Business Development and Growth, Practice Budget Sustainability, Encourage Modern Zoning, Develop Dynamic City Ordinances, Expand Recycling & Pursue Other Green Initiatives, Establish a Dog Park and Continue Crime Reduction and Officer Support.
Running as an Independent, Jake Toloso plans to build a new type of local politics that leaves partisan bickering no place at the table. It is Jake’s view that for far to long voters have had to choose between the two major parties being left with no other options. As an Independent, Jake will be able to work from the common ground where most Shreveporters and Americans can be found.
For more information on Jake Toloso’s Campaign for Shreveport City Council District “C”, please visit www.Jake2010.com or E-mail Jake at Jake@jake2010.com.

D-Day

On June 6th, 1944, the most massive invasion ever to occur took place on the beaches of Normandy. On a visit to Greenwood Cemetery on Memorial Day, Pat & husband Steve spotted the headstone of Bose Kelley, Jr and noted that he died on D-Day.
Indeed he did. Bose Kelley, Jr. was in the 82nd Airborne, 507th Parachute Infantry and was one of 1,465 Americans killed on that day.
Take a moment to watch the video about the 507th. Please pause today to honor an American hero.

H/T to And So it Goes in Shreveport

Election 2010: Shreveport Mayor and Council

Shreveport City elections are coming up this year, and so far five people have thrown their hats in the ring to serve as mayor.
Cedric Glover
The current mayor is seeking a second term, hoping he can hold together the coalition of black and white voters that put him into office four years ago. He has some competition, however, that might eat into that coalition. Another Democrat, State Representative Roy Burrell, has challenged him for the position. Glover received national criticism when he told a local man, Robert Baillio, that when he had been stopped by the police his rights had ‘been suspended’. Rather than going into detail here, you can go to Conservative Drink and get the full story with audio of Baillios’s conversation with the mayor.
Parker Ward
The 18 year old Libertarian says that the Shreveport Police Department should be supervised closely to make sure that they are following the fourth amendment and according citizens their rights against unreasonable search and seizure. Parker’s candidacy has a lot of people clucking and shaking their heads. Personally, I like the fact that he is undeterred by the naysayers. Parker seems to believe in the American Dream and is pursuing his version of it. Parker told me that he believes that city government can be reduced in size. His vision of being mayor consists of not being intrusive into people’s lives and in assisting private businesses to grow. Parker doesn’t have a campaign website up yet, but does have a Facebook group.
Roy Burrell
State Representative Roy Burrell is running as a moderate Democrat, saying that he can work across party lines, something that Glover has had a problem with. Whether this has been caused by Glover’s actions or by Republicans who are determined to get someone elected to the top job remains to be seen.
Bryan Wooley
The popular Republican currently represents District D on the City Council. He is expected to make a much better candidate than Jerry Jones did in the last election. Jones came across as stiff and somewhat distant, whereas Wooley is very outgoing and seems to be able to connect with people. You can learn more about him on his website.
David Cox
David Cox currently serves on the Caddo Parish Commission as a Republican. He has announced that he will switch his party preference to Independent to run for mayor. I have been unable to find a website for Cox, and have very limited knowledge of his stands.
The Council
Now it gets interesting. The council will certainly see some new faces, with two councilmen (Monty Walford and Calvin Lester) being term limited, one running for mayor (Wooley) and two retiring (Joyce Bowman and Michael Long).
Lester has been a strong supporter of Mayor Glover. Rose Wilson-McCulloch has announced that she will seek the District A seat which comprises the Cooper Road area. Lester told me that he plans to enjoy being a private citizen for a while. He may not currently have plans to run for another office, but I’ll be surprised if he sits still for too long.
Three people have announced that they will seek the District B seat that Walford is vacating. Jeff Everson (R), Deborah Allen (D) and independent Craig Lee have all announced that they want to represent the district, which includes downtown and at least parts of the Highland, South Highlands, Stoner Hill, Claiborne and Caddo Heights neighborhoods.
Oliver Jenkins has announced that he will run for the District C position that Michael Long is leaving. Long has endorsed Jenkins.
Bryan Wooley’s District D seat so far has two contenders, both Republicans, Michael Corbin and Deanna Candler. Candler is a student at LSUS and operates a blog, Conservatism in Exile.
So far no one has announced to run against either Ron Webb (District E) or Joe Shyne (District F).
Attorney Sam Jenkins has announced that he will seek the Queensborough seat (District G) that Joyce Bowman is leaving.
We will be able to get a better picture once qualifying is done in early July. Until then, if you hear anything interesting, let us know.

Election 2010: Fleming announces for second term

Dr. John Fleming of Minden has announced that he will seek another term in congress. He already has one announced Democratic opponent, Steven Gavi.
I doubt that Gavi will get a lot of traction, but you never know. The last election between Fleming and Paul Carmouche, a well-known prosecutor, was a razor close race. Conjecture was that if Carmouche had forgone help from the national Democratic machine, and had he forgone a radio endorsement from Barack Obama, he probably would have won.
He didn't, Feming did.
I have some political differences with Fleming, but there are also some things I like. The main thing that I like is that he has been pretty true to his word and he seems to be an upstanding person. I think good character is important, and Fleming has it.
That's not to say that Gavi doesn't, I don't know anything about him. None of this is intended as a negative against him.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, it will be Fleming in a landslide.
Tomorrow, we'll take a closer look at the race for Shreveport mayor and council.

Video from Tomlinson Funeral

Thanks to Dan Padula for posting this on YouTube.