As I witness the impeachment hearings I appeal to all citizens. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re Democrat or Republican, or if you call yourself liberal or conservative. What matter’s now is, are you committed to government of the people, by the …
Regarding traffic survey in the Baton Rouge area, why is a survey needed? To the surveyors: stick your head out the door, get out of your chair and drive around. It's not rocket science to see that the same old tactic of trying to widen the inters…
As a moderate, lifelong Independent voter, I’ve been listening to the impeachment hearing with great interest. I play a little game in my mind while listening to the various congressmen and try to guess if they’re Republicans or Democrats. When I …
I can't stand it any longer. Day after day, month after month, I read the paper and other printed publications, and they contain glaring grammatical errors. For instance, in a recent edition, a teacher writes about LEAP tests. He misuses the word …
The New Orleans City Council should follow the unanimous recommendation of the City Planning Commission denying the permit request to build a new mental health prison. It saves the city $189,000,000 in capital and operating costs over a 35-year li…
The operating assumption of both Ralph Abraham and Eddie Rispone in this year’s election was that John Bel Edwards won in 2015 because of — shall we say, unusual? — circumstances like the sex scandal that troubled his runoff opponent David Vitter.…
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No one goes to see a movie with the idea that an entertaining afternoon or evening out will be interrupted by insult. So it’s no surprise that the women who belong to 504 Queens were stunned when their group outing to see “Harriett” was interrupte…
The six bodies of water — yes, a couple of smaller ones are not that obvious — are “the lakes” of Baton Rouge. Their revitalization near LSU and Brooks-City Park would be an environmentally responsible investment in one of the iconic landscapes of…
Welcome home, Gabriel Morley.
The Algiers Charter School Association learned of student-athlete eligibility issues at Landry-Walker High School, and they placed some Landry-Walker football coaches on probation and suspended them for the first part of the 2020 football season.
Student taking a practice LEAP test: “I don't understand this question.”
It is a shameful portrait of our state’s highest court that the only person of color on our Supreme Court is also the only justice to speak to the racist foundations of our state’s jury system. Ironically, the people of our state recently adopted …
Cheyenne was once a shy, curious girl who loved to draw and make words rhyme. Then she saw the death of her grandmother to disease, heard the death of an uncle to gunfire, lost her father to mass incarceration, and everything changed. Now Cheyenne…
Congratulations to John Bel Edwards and to the Republican legislative leadership for their respective victories this past Saturday. Now, the work begins. Statewide elections are over, and Louisiana has a Democratic governor and a Republican-led le…
Climate change — real or not? Including many scientists, some say we are experiencing climate change. The Republican Party and many others say climate change is not real.
When the Louisiana governor’s race ended over the weekend, voters were left with the feeling that mudwrestling season was over. But a vast ransomware attack on state government intruded on Gov. John Bel Edwards’ victory on Monday.
Your analysis of the election results for governor of Louisiana has missed an important reason why Eddie Rispone lost the election. State and local elections ultimately concern local issues, especially taxes. An important issue in this election wa…
Thanks to a thriving economy, a high-performing public school system and a low crime rate, Ascension Parish is growing at an unprecedented rate. However, such rapid growth has recently presented challenges that threaten to slow, and even halt, the…
Several articles have been published by this paper extolling capitalism and excoriating socialism. Well, pardon me that as an African American, I’m not a big fan of capitalism. This "let the market decide" notion initiated and sustained chattel sl…
On Sunday, the three principal networks from 5 p.m. until after 6 p.m., a period normally devoted to news, aired two football games and one car racing event. There were no news broadcasts in spite of the fact that we had had the day before importa…
I was shocked to see the results unfold election night in the governor’s race. After incumbent John Bel Edwards got less than 47% of the vote in the primary, I didn’t see a path to victory for the Democrat — especially considering that Edwards’ Re…
Beautiful fall weather and a setting among the historic and cultural buildings of the State Capitol gardens helped to make the 16th Louisiana Book Festival into another success in Baton Rouge.
The Advocate published three rather strange letters in the last week or so. In the first one, the writer claimed that the Democrats are doing “nothing” but pursuing Trump’s impeachment while Trump is “going about what he was elected to do.”
Politics is often a pageant of vanity, perhaps especially so in Louisiana, where campaigning has a long tradition of colorful theater.
Close the Spigot!
How many major networks does it take to cover the congressional hearings? The major four, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.
Col. Aaron Merrill, retired, recently wrote a letter criticizing U.S. Sen. John Kennedy's concerns about military aid to Ukraine, held up by President Donald Trump, being stolen by a corrupt government.
The World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington has as its centerpiece a magnificent field of Gold Stars. This expansive field of 4,048 sculpted Stars memorializes those lost in the war who paid with their lives for the freedoms we ha…
Al Sunseri fondly remembers the days when, in addition to shipping out truckloads of oysters to the city’s finest restaurants, his business at the edge of New Orleans’ French Quarter could also accommodate walk-in visits from neighbors seeking the…
Why shouldn't the United States build a wall at the Mexican border? There are so many reasons why we shouldn't make this wall, mainly because it's just a waste of money. These immigrants will find their way across the border. They will build tunne…
The Bureau of Governmental Research, New Orleans’ venerable policy watchdog, seeks to celebrate distinguished service in the public sector through its biennial Excellence in Government Awards. So it was fitting that author and New Orleans native M…
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It is Election Day in Louisiana, and it’s been a while since we’ve seen a race for governor that’s this close.
As voters head to the polls today, here’s a recap of our editorial positions on some choices area voters will face.
If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’ve hared me mention this story before. But I still care about this issue because it was a tragedy and it was one the worst days of my life.
Ron Sammonds' arguments for capital punishment are typically half-baked and lack perspective. Removing capital punishment as an option does not remove punishment. Mandatory life without parole with limited appeals is a favorable, cost-efficient op…
Recently, at the end of Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Judge Lisa Woodruff-White encouraged all congregants to exercise their right to vote, without politicizing the moment in any manner, by sharing her own amazing story about how one…
With all the ethical issues involving both our elected and soon-to-be-elected state Supreme Court judges, maybe our Legislature might seriously consider the appointment of judges as is done under the Missouri Plan.
Say what you will about the president. But while the Democrats spout impeachment and all kinds of liberal nonsense, the president is going about doing what he was elected to do.
During a triumphant ribbon-cutting at the new $1.3 billion terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Aviation Board Chairman Michael Bagneris said that “there’s no such thing as a second chance to make a first impression.”
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Coastal land loss and its ensuing hurricane risk are an existential threat to Louisiana. Our state is already missing 2,000 square miles of coast and we are on track to lose between 2,250 to 4,000 more square miles in the coming 50 years. Given th…
In the last days before a close runoff election, Louisiana's gubernatorial candidates have better things to do than think — like shaking hands and kissing babies; giving statements to sway whatever undecided voters are left, if any; and milking co…
As with many hot issues emerging during an election season, much of the recent discussion on the possibility of a constitutional convention has attempted to stoke fear and doubt amongst Louisianans. I’d like to recalibrate the debate and discuss t…
In political terms only, the two candidates to be Louisiana’s next governor are playing for the highest accolades possible.
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy's recent comments to reporters in Baton Rouge regarding U.S. foreign military aid to the Ukraine demonstrate either an ignorance of how our military aid programs work and/or a clumsy attempt to defend President Donald Trump.
This is in response to the recent article on Helen Prejean and her long campaign to end execution as a potential punishment in Louisiana. The article states that her side of the debate is winning converts among the general public, and that’s evide…
Electability is Joe Biden’s calling card. Without that perceived advantage, his viability as a presidential candidate crumbles.
Will Sutton hit the nail on the head in his column “Everyone deserves affordable housing. Even if we help our neighbors with exemptions.” The Nov. 16 ballot presents an opportunity for New Orleanians to take matters into their own hands to combat …
In a season of division, the cold snap visiting Louisiana this week is a timely reminder of our basic need for each other. The dipping mercury underscores the vulnerability of neighbors who might require a little extra help. Now is the time to che…
Charles Dickens arrived on the scene too early to work as a football analyst, but his best of times, worst of times observation aptly describes last weekend's football experience for many Louisianans. LSU's underdog victory against archrival Alaba…