Speeding up & down my street! I don’t allow my grandchildren to ride their bikes anymore on Shoe Creek because of the speeding. And it’s not teenagers either! It’s mostly the seniors (I am a senior too) for whatever reason feel like they see a well paved road and think the speed limit is 55 and couldn’t care less about anyone else!

    Shoe Creek is a dead end street and that’s the reason I chose the house I live in because I thought it would be a quiet street to ride bikes on and walk. But no! 

    The speed limit is 30 mph and that is the speed I go while on the streets in my neighborhood or any neighborhood for that matter, but everyone does not feel the same way. I have been passed while on Morgan Meadow and Shoe Creek several times for going too slow! I have to drive in the middle of the street to get some people to slow down and not pass me. They get furious, but I don’t care! I’m tired of it.

    Seniors with gray hair just like me are driving like they are in some kind of race! They are for the most part the ones that I told my grandchildren to watch out for! If you go 30 mph, then they are all over you trying to push you to go faster! You would not think this is true but it is! I have witnessed this for the 8 years since I have lived here. I just don’t understand it.

    And may the Lord above help you if you see the FedEx, UPS or the UPSP truck coming. Head for the hills because they don’t slow down for anything. I know because they have been waved down and asked to slow down & the reply was “ OK, I guess I need to slow down”. Then you see them coming back up the street even faster! The garbage trucks & recycle trucks do the same.

    When I first moved on Shoe Creek, our recycle bin was hit so hard by a speeding driver that the bin was knocked up into the air and all the contents were all over my front yard! I wondered then who could hit it that hard in a neighborhood, but now I see!

    I’ve wanted to write this letter for 8 years & now I have done it.

Dorothy Deason

    Perhaps Popeye said it best when he was pushed to the limit of his tolerance by Bluto: “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more!”  Well I’m pretty much fed up with the way political campaigns are being waged in Central and “I can’t stands no more!”  I was at a loss to accurately summarize my feelings in a word, until a close friend said “Do you mean Calumny?”  I had to look it up, but when I did I yelled EXACTLY!

    Calumny comes from the Latin word calvi, meaning “to trick or deceive.” It is defined as deliberately falsely accusing someone or quoting them out of context with the intent to do them harm. Vocabulary.com states “Some political candidates use this tactic against opponents in the hope that voters will be tricked into thinking that the accusations are true.”

    Elections everywhere, including Central, seem to have gotten progressively less about the facts and the issues and more about trying to create illusions about supposed evils associated with one’s opponent rather than simply running for the office on one’s own merits.  Unfortunately, the current race for House District 65 seems to be no different, and that disappoints me because Central Deserves Better.

    I’m not going to point fingers today because for me this is not about this election, it is about sending a CLEAR message to candidates who seek the votes of the people of Central.  If you see Calumny in the ads, speeches and campaign literature of ANY candidate, I urge you to vote against them simply to let ALL candidates know that Central Deserves Better, and that we will Demand Better from those seeking to represent us.

    For me, red flags go up when I see certain techniques and phrases in political speeches and ads.  So, I’m going to borrow from Jeff Foxworthy and let’s play “…It might be Calumny”

    If a candidate asks questions and does not provide answers, instead leaving you to fear and suspect the worst of their opponent…It Might Be Calumny.

    If a candidate, rather than running on their own merits, goes to great lengths to characterize their opponent as being part of an oppressive force that you need to vote against…It Might Be Calumny.

    If a candidate’s ad makes you feel like their opponent has done something immoral or unethical, yet provides no real proof…It Might Be Calumny.

    So let’s send the message to ANY candidate seeking to represent Central.  The voters of Central will not be deceived, so stick to the truth, run on your merits, and earn our votes please.

I am a life-long Republican with a strong voting record.  There really is no way to fully explain my dismay at the action taken by the Republican Parish Executive Committee this week.  In short, they are attempting to influence the voters of District 65 to view one Republican candidate for the House of Representatives as the preferred candidate.  The PEC had the option to endorse both of these qualified candidates, but chose only one.  The PEC should have let us, the voters, make that decision without trying to manipulate the process.  

    If you think that my statement is in any way unfair or inflammatory, just consider that the PEC, this committee, is a PAC, a Political Action Committee, whose stated goal is to support their chosen candidates.  That is the definition of a PAC.  But don’t be fooled, this is NOT the endorsement of the National Republican Party and this is NOT the endorsement of the State of Louisiana Republican Party.  This is an endorsement controlled by as few as 9 individuals on a committee who met and took a secret ballot and will not even disclose the vote count or who voted to endorse or not endorse the candidates. 

    I made a commitment to present my opinion in Central Speaks respectfully and in a civil manner, and I will do that, but I will not be silent on this issue.  I also make every effort to avoid siding with any one candidate, so bear in mind as you read my opinion that I am not proposing that you vote for either candidate.  I seek only to point out that the PEC has erred in its decision to make a sole endorsement in this election, and the facts that follow are presented only to support my opinion of the PEC decision.

    Barry Ivey is an elected member of the Republican State Central Committee, and that state committee dictates what rules the PEC is allowed to make, and the PEC endorsed only Barry Ivey.  I would like to think the two facts are unrelated.

    Barry Ivey hired the company owned by PEC Chairman Woody Jenkins to do work for his campaign to win this election…and while Jenkins recused himself from the vote, his committee, the PEC, endorsed ONLY Barry Ivey.  I make no accusation of any unethical act, I simply report the facts.

    Four years ago this same PEC ENDORSED Scott Wilson in his bid to be elected to the Baton Rouge Metro Council, and he won.  Scott Wilson ran unopposed in 2012 to win a second term on the Metro Council.  Yet now, for some undisclosed reason evidenced only by a secret ballot, the PEC suddenly sees Mr. Wilson not worthy of their endorsement.  Although I have contacted every PEC Member individually and asked, none of them has given any explanation as to why they now see Scott Wilson as not worthy of their endorsement.

    No one has questioned that Scott Wilson, as an elected Republican Metro Council Member for the last four years, has voted consistently with the agenda and platform of the Republican Party, yet the PEC failed to endorse him.  Can someone explain to me what more the PEC wanted Mr. Wilson to do?

    Now, it is very likely that in another Central Newspaper today the headline may read something like “Republican Party Endorses Ivey”.  That will likely be the newspaper owned by the Chairman of the PEC, Woody Jenkins, whose company has been hired to do work for the Ivey campaign.  The problem with such news coverage is that registered Republicans may somehow see that as an instruction by the Republican Party to vote for Barry Ivey instead of seeing he and Wilson BOTH as qualified Republican candidates.

    This sole endorsement of Barry Ivey is a slap in the face of the sitting and previously-PEC-endorsed Republican Metro Council Member Scott Wilson.  In my opinion, this represents either a miscount of the votes or a gross error in judgment by a majority of the members of the PEC.  Voters in House District 65, I only request that you research the candidates and vote for the one that you feel is the most qualified and deserves your vote.  

    The state of Tennessee’s nickname is “The Volunteer State”.  I guess since Central isn’t a state and because they had the nickname first, we should let Tennessee keep it, but I don’t see any way on earth that Tennessee could Volunteer any better than the people of Central.  When I started Central Speaks I thought I knew most of what goes on in Central.  Boy was I wrong.  It seems like not a day passes without something happening that needs the people of Central to Volunteer, and every time…There You Are.

    On May 10th & 11th Cooking in Central will take place at the new pavilion at “Amazing Place” on Blackwater Road.  Teams are forming to provide food, entertainment, facility preparation, auctions, cleanup and more.  It will take a hundred or more Volunteers to put on this great charitable event and I can count on one thing.  When I go to the next organizational meeting, when the setup begins a week before the event, and when the gates open that Friday, I’ll look around and see what Central Volunteers made it happen and…There You Are.

    Our city government is in the midst of developing a transportation plan, a sewer master plan, new zoning criteria, and design standards for buildings.  Central does not have paid staff to do all of this, so most of this work has to be done by Central citizens who have knowledge in these areas and a desire to make Central a better place.  Volunteers.  When I look at the number of man hours in these projects and given in service to our Boards and Commissions I am impressed, because every time there is a need…There You Are.

    I could not begin to list in the space I have here all of the charitable and service organizations in Central and all of the great things they do for this community.  All of the city state and federal money and programs combined can’t hold a candle to the support and benefit given to this community through the efforts of Central’s Volunteers.  Watch the paper and the calendar and be amazed with me that at every meeting and event that needs Central’s Volunteers…There You Are.

    Here is the most amazing thing about Central’s Volunteers:  In mentioning these organizations I have only scratched the surface.  The vast majority of Central’s Volunteers go un-noticed in the paper and by the general public.  Every ball team, every cub scout den, every youth group, every dance team, every field trip, every second grade party, every Grandparent’s Day, every food bank donation, every homework assignment, every tree that falls on a house and every school project requires Volunteers.  Hats off to all of Central’s most important and unsung Volunteers.  Keep up the great work because every time your child, your friend or your neighbor needs you to Volunteer…There You Are.  

    George Peppard played team leader Hannibal Smith in the 80’s TV action show “The A-Team”.  The 60 minute show was always filled with unexpected twists and potential failures, but the members of the A-Team would always find a way to work together, overcome the pitfalls, and get the job done.  Then, with the mission accomplished, Hannibal would smile and say “I love it when a plan comes together.”

    Since November Central citizens and representatives of Central’s charitable and service organizations have worked together to honor two special men.  Tuesday night School Board Member Will Easley was honored as Central’s 2012 Citizen of the Year and Fire Chief Bill Porche was given the Lifetime Citizenship Award.  A hundred friends, family, co-workers and community members came out to express their appreciation.  I love it when a plan comes together.

    Cooking in Central has a new home at “Amazing Place” on Blackwater Road.  The Cooking in Central pavilion has been built.  The volunteers have begun meeting and planning for this year’s event.  Despite weather delays and the tremendous amount of work required to pull off Central’s annual festival, Cooking In Central will take place May 10th & 11th.  I love it when a plan comes together.

    The Central Men’s Club has been working with Guaranty Broadcasting to take CHS Football broadcasting to the next level.  This fall fans can tune in to Country Legends 104.9 FM every game night to hear the Wildcat football experience on this premier FM station.  Thanks go out to the Cebtral Men’s Club and Central’s own Gordy Rush of Guaranty Broadcasting for helping to make this happen.  I love it when a plan comes together. 

    This community overcame tremendous odds to create a city and form a school system.  Legal challenges, legislative battles, petitions, and an election were hurdles that our team has already overcome.  Now, even as the next set of challenges of infrastructure, growth and economic development are worked through, look around you.  Some of the best schools in the state…the 12th largest city in Louisiana, yet miles and miles of rural living…new business opportunities and beautiful neighborhoods.  Thank you to all 27,000 of you who have, each in your own way, created what is now the City of Central.  I love it when a plan comes together.

    Having to make funeral arrangements are hard enough but on December 10, 2012 we lost our son, Jonathan in a motor vehicle accident and we decided to use Seale Funeral in Central for the services. Bobby Suchman and John Minton who are the Funeral Directors along with John’s wife Belinda and Jill Seale, are truly some of the most caring and compassionate individuals that we have ever met. They went above and beyond anything that we could have imagined for Jonathan’s service. John knew that Jonathan designed and built custom trucks and cars so when we walked into the funeral home John had a picture of Jonathan on one of the flat screens and a picture of a custom red truck on the other screen. We could not have been more touched to see that. Bobby, John, Belinda and Jill were so accommodating to our family and guest and went above and beyond to make everyone as comfortable as possible. We had an idea that a lot of people would attend but we would have never guessed that the number was at least 600. It is our belief that one reason for the large turnout was because we chose to have the services in our Community. The staff of Seale worked tirelessly to move the guest into the Funeral Home and tried to assist with the traffic jam that was caused on Hooper Road. Our family will be forever indebted to our new friends at Seale. Residents of Central have longed to have a Funeral Home and we could not be more blessed to have Seale Funeral Home and the caring staff be a part of Community. 

 

Richard and Susan Love

    The city elections of 2010 gave rise to a political battle between two factions in Central.  Now election campaigns, Council meetings, internet discussions, and news coverage all bear witness that these two relatively small factions within a large city just can’t seem to get along.   We may try to pretend the divisions don’t exist, but we know they’re there, and unfortunately the squabbling can overshadow the actual issues.  It’s unfortunate that this has happened, and I apologize if in any way Central Speaks has contributed to the negative tone, because Central Deserves Better.

    I’m not asking anyone to own up to any level of responsibility.  At this point, is it really important who “started it” or who is to blame?  In my 20’s I was told by one of my mentors that even when we are right, we should “find a way to disagree…without being so disagreeable.”  I’m just asking everyone to step back, take a deep breath, and look for ways to respectfully disagree.  Far too often we have been disagreeable, and for that we should be sorry, because Central Deserves Better.

    There are certainly legitimate issues on which people disagree in Central.  I enjoy a spirited discussion as much as anyone.  I’m not advocating that anyone abandon their principles and compromise their beliefs just to get along.  For example, I have strong beliefs that our City Council has made some poor legislative decisions in the past two years.  I will continue to print the facts of what happens, and I will still write this column and express my opinions.  However, beginning today, I will change the tone of my reporting and opinions to bring you the story of what is happening in Central and why, while doing my best to emphasize the positive, because Central Deserves Better.

    There are close to 27,000 people in Central, and we share many common values.  We all care about what happens in our City, but most are not involved in the process and just want good decisions to be made without all of the angst and squabbling.    Many have simply chosen to be involved with their families, schools, churches, civic groups and sports programs, and those things are the backbone of Central.  Government and information sources are certainly necessary, but should operate efficiently, responsibly, and respectfully.  Those of us who are involved in Central’s government or who express our opinions to others in person, on the internet or in the news media should all commit to “disagree without being so disagreeable”.  I pledge to do my part, and I hope you’ll join me, because Central Deserves Better.

    I wish I could say that Tuesday’s Council meeting was professional, productive, and was responsible for good legislation…but I can’t…because it wasn’t.  It was just more arguing, posturing, grandstanding, ambush tactics, and virtual legislative gridlock.  (This Council reminds me of Congress.)

   I wish I could say the half-condemned building at Hooper and Sullivan could now be replaced because Messina, Washington and LoBue listened to the experts who advised that it should be…but I can’t…because they didn’t.  Once again it was defeated by a 2-3 vote with “DeMoak” in favor and “WashBueSsina” against. (I figure I can save a bunch of ink if I just call Council Members Washington, LoBue and Messina “WashBueSsina” and DeJohn and Moak “DeMoak” since that seems to be the 3-2 split on every controversial issue.)

    I wish I could say that our City Council worked diligently in the four weeks since the introduction of the Hooper and Sullivan rezoning case to investigate and solve all of the procedural questions that might get in the way of meaningful discussion at the Council meeting…but I can’t…because they didn’t.  Instead, Council Members trotted out technicalities and legal questions that could have been answered weeks ago and spent most of the time arguing about those instead of talking about what zoning decision might be good for Central.  (Do City Council Members think that the citizens who give up their time to come to Council meetings actually have nothing better to do on a Tuesday evening than watch their political maneuvering?)

    I wish I could say that our City Council understands zoning law…but I can’t…because they don’t.  WashBueSsina has maintained throughout this rezoning issue that they want to wait until FUTURE zoning ordinances are passed before rezoning this corner that is in “City Center”.  I can find nowhere in zoning law that gives the Council the right to deny rezoning based on ordinances that MIGHT get passed in the future. (I also wonder how the other two identical cases got approved over the last 15 months without the same standard being applied.)

    I wish I could say I promise not to write any more opinion pieces about a gridlocked, ineffective City Council that splits a predictable 3-2 on every big issue…hey…maybe I can…if they would stop doing it.  Now THAT…would be Good News for a Great City!

    Last November I penned a column  entitled “Politicians or Public Servants – Putting Central First”.  Now 2013 is here and there will likely be quite a few election campaigns this year.  We are already seeing a State Representative race, could see a Metro Council race and will certainly see the beginnings of races for five City Council seats, Chief of Police and the Mayor of Central before 2013 ends.  Looking back at recent elections and the tactics used, and cringing at the thought of more of the same going forward, I have to ask the question: What does Central want, Politicians or Public Servants?

    There are three basic types of campaigns candidates typically run as they try to get your vote, Mudslinging, Sensational, and Issues.  I will submit right up front that Politicians will sling the mud and resort to sensationalism if they think that will get them elected.  And if that works, Central will be governed by Politicians and the Public Servants, the ones that just want to give back to the Central community, won’t run.  So Central, what do we want, Politicians or Public Servants?

The decision that Central has to make is what we will respond to and what we will tolerate.  Make no mistake, if Politicians believe Central will vote for the one that the least mud sticks to, the mud will fly.  If Central sends the signal that coming up with a clever and sensationalistic sound bite, whether it is actually true or not, gets votes, look for Politicians’ ads to be filled with one-liners designed to fool the public.  However, if Central clearly states that we WILL NOT be impressed with mud or fooled by slogans, the candidates, Politicians and Public Servants alike, will have to run on the issues and on their own merits…and wouldn’t that be a nice change?  So, Central, what do we want, Politicians or Public Servants?

    I submit that the voters of Central are in complete control of how these 2013 campaigns will be run.  Central, not the candidates, will dictate whether the mud flies, who tells white lies, and who just runs a clean campaign.  It is a simple three step process, but there is a catch.  At the first sign of mudslinging or sensationalism, call the candidate and tell them: 1)I won’t vote for you.  2) I won’t contribute to your campaign.  3) I will now call all my friends and neighbors and ask them to do the same.  I can guarantee that a half dozen quick calls from concerned citizens the first time a candidate starts acting like a Politician instead of a Public Servant will cause them to seriously rethink their campaign strategy.  But here’s the catch…we have to be willing to make that call to the candidates we oppose AND the candidates we support.  So, Central, what do we want, Politicians or Public Servants?