Lawler to sell The Inquisitor this week

By the time this newspaper hits the printing presses this evening, the ownership of The Inquisitor is scheduled to change hands.

After a very long decision-making process, I decided to sell the newspaper so that I will have time to focus on my auction business, Lawler Auction Company, and our fairly new campground, Gavel Falls Campground & RV Park. Those businesses have really consumed most of my time the past couple of years. In addition, we have new baby, and I really enjoy spending time with my family more than ever. Added to all that, I’ve bought some cattle, we now have chickens, and I have plenty of things to occupy my mind. There’s nothing like taking off on my John Deere Gator with my daughter to feed the cows every evening.

Local columnist John Settle of Shreveport has been after me for a long time to sell him the newspaper, but until now, I have been reluctant to do so.

In recent years, my auction services have expanded to where we have clients using us as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. The auction business is something that I really enjoy.

My wife, Jackelyn, and my daughter Joeli have both encouraged me to sell the newspaper as well. It may come as surprising to many, but we are, for the most part, a very private family and do not like drama and controversy.

Giving up the newspaper after 22 years of publishing it is not something that I have taken lightly. I would like to think that we have made our community a better and safer place to live. In addition to keeping the public informed as to what is going on in their communities, we have led investigations that have ultimately led to the removal of corrupt government officials and even judges. We have made government officials and politicians think twice about doing things that could be detrimental to the taxpayers of Caddo Parish.

Unfortunately, due to my extensive workload as an auctioneer, I have been unable to pursue those investigations over the past couple of years or so. John Settle has the time, the legal background and the tenacity to investigate, and I was already doing some small-time auctions but supported my income working part-time as a police officer. We would often make what I considered some report on the matters that can change and mold our community into being an even greater place to call home.

Starting up a newspaper was not an easy task. It took a lot of hard work, sweat, and determination, often working into the hours of the night to launch a newspaper with basically no start-up cash. I was forced to do almost everything by myself.

The idea started in 1997 with significant drug arrests that never made the news or the newspapers. And that’s when I decided to try publishing a newspaper that focused on the work of the local police. A newspaper that would give the police credit for the hard work that they do while at the same time informing the community about the people who were committing crimes.

In the beginning, I had to serve as the sole reporter, the editor and even the delivery guy, making weekly routes to local stores to deliver the newspaper and collect the money so that I could pay for the printing costs. And at the same time, trying to run an auction business and reporting to work at the police department from two to five nights per week. It wasn’t easy. But after several years, our reputation had spread and we expanded our readership into Bossier, Webster and DeSoto parishes.

It did not take long before we were considered a viable news agency, and we began making a big difference in our communities. People began calling us with their concerns, problem and whistle-blower leads.

Many people may not realize this, but we were able to help many people by making a simple phone call. A news story was not always necessary, as a simple phone call to the right government official could get matters handled. And that ability to help other people will be what I will miss the most.

I would like to thank each everyone of our readers, our subscribers and the advertisers who have supported us over the years.

With all this said, I wish John the best of luck as he will no doubt continue to dig, to investigate and inform all of you for many years to come.

Editor’s Note: If all goes as planned, Lawler’s company, Danny Lawler Enterprises, LLC and Settle’s company, Settle Talk, LLC will close on the sale Thursday, Oct. 10, and John’s company, Settle Talk, LLC, will take over the publication immediately.