Columns & Opinions

It was in early March of last year that homes and businesses located on Cross Lake received substantial flooding from the lake between March 8 and March 10, causing millions of dollars of losses that have not been recovered either from homeowner’s and business insurance or from FEMA. Many allegations have been made as to what steps could have been taken by the city of Shreveport to either prevent, or at least to ameliorate, the flooding. An extensive (and expensive) review by an expert hydrologist is summarized below.

Attorney General Jeff Landry started an interesting conversation statewide this week with his Protecting Innocence document, along with his press conference announcing its release. I quickly read the document first and thought, “Most libraries do a lot of this stuff already.” Then I watched a recording of the press conference, where it was said library policies across the state are antiquated with no restrictions on juvenile borrowing. Children borrowing Penthouse magazine was used as an example of circulation practices across the state.

I know it is easy to think that the state just gave the homeowner's insurance industry a bailout. I was inclined to think that way as well, especially considering the box we were put in during the special session. However, a bailout isn't a fair characterization. The insurance companies don't just get the money, and they don't get to keep it regardless of outcome.

In August of last year, Tim James Inc. announced plans to construct a roadway from Caddo to Bossier Parish with a toll bridge over the Red River.

Again ... crickets. No response to an agenda item.

Why do some council members want to pay Flemings $100,000 to answer phone calls?

When the company issuing photo tickets in Shreveport made their presentation to the City Council, they stated that a specific number of speed violations in school zones. Recently, they claimed that this number has been reduced by their program, making school zones safer. Media in town have accepted these figures without question giving them out as facts. The company also made a deal promising the city 65% of the money from all tickets issued. However, the speeding numbers’ throw out do not explain the methodology used, nor is the money transferred to the city what would be expected from the number of tickets issued.

Settle Talk