Commentary

By Pete Abington

President Trump has issued an Executive Order that “sanctuary cities” shall not be eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes. The editorial appeared recently defending New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu for telling the President to shove his executive order. Trump has ordered Immigration and Custom Enforcement to publish a weekly list of cities and counties that refuse to join the round-up of the illegal immigrants. The first list last week includes New Orleans and 117 other jurisdictions. Hundreds others may be eligible to make the list in future weeks. They think they should be allowed to violate the law.

Billions have been given to these cities. Let’s redirect those dollars elsewhere.

By donna smith ammons

With summer just around the corner, I have a fondness of looking back and thinking about how we entertained ourselves.

Long sunny days stretched into the evening hours and we were allowed to play outside “just a little bit longer.”

There were times in our lives (I am referring to little brother and me) that we had to come in, get a bath and hop in bed when it was still daylight. Unfortunately, other parents were a little more lenient with their children.

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By Pete Abington

As the state moves to have anti-litter campaigns, I am reminded of our original campaign right here in Sabine Parish. It was born by Cliff Ammons. He thought of it and really got out to sell it in the community, putting up signs everywhere. Since we had started having many tourists, he felt it was important to make a good appearance. The only problem was we had never heard of an anti-litter campaign at that time.

Finally, Mr. Cliff set in place another idea. He caught someone littering and got the authorities to arrest that person. As I remember the fine was about $50.00 but the fellow they caught littering did not have the $50.00. Mr. Cliff felt like that if the public found out that littering could cost you money, they might quit littering.

By donna smith ammons

One summer we lived with my grandparents in Garden Grove, California. We were in between homes, since we had been transferred from the East Coast to the West Coast. Daddy was in the Marines and every three years we packed up and headed to a new base. It was an adventure for us, since we were young. There was a new house at each station, new friends and lots to be learned. Personally, I loved being the new girl in school!!

We didn’t get to see our grandparents very often, so it was a really treat to live with them. There were a large number of great aunts and uncles living close and DisneyLand was just a hop, skip and a jump down the road. We could hear the train whistle every morning and watch the fireworks from the back yard at night.

By Pete Abington

Louisiana is never going to correct its money problems until we get a understanding on Medicaid expenditures. Medicaid already consumes 41% of all the state’s spending. We pay our DHH Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee $236,000 a year, plus benefits. We have a legislature that represents themselves to be good stewards of our dollars. Surely all those qualified individuals could bring this situation to a head.

Why don’t we get together and figure out just how much money can we afford to spend on Medicaid and properly run our schools, take care of our roads and meet our other financial needs. At that point, Dr. Gee would have to operate her department within the boundaries left. We’d have TOPS money were it handled correctly.

by donna smith ammons

I have baby hands. All of my friends’ hands are larger than mine. In fact, my 11-year-old granddaughter’s hands are larger than mine.

When I was in first grade, I took piano lessons. It was hard to stretch my fingers to reach the keys.

After a year, I called it quits. Baby hands won out!!

However, I found that these baby hands could swing a bat, and handle a football while I was in elementary school! On the field, they called me Dynamite Donna, because I could hit a homerun and the boys; in fifth grader let me play flag football with then at recess because I could run and catch the ball!!

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OUR ROADS

by Pete Abington

A recent study showed that there is a $13.1 billion backlog of roads and bridges need and a $16 billion list of proposed mega projects including a new bridge in Baton Rouge south of the current “new” Mississippi River Bridge on Interstate 10. The new bridge would cost more than $1 billion. Our roads are terrible and they need to be fixed. A compromise between dubious skeptical voters against lawmakers, who do not seem to spend money as they should, has to be reached. The public has not forgotten the road and river program that was passed by Governor Roemer in 1990. Much of this money was spent elsewhere and not on the roads named. Our Governor has stated he does not necessarily believe in toll roads because he doesn’t think our roads are long enough. We are all shored up with so much taxes we cannot make another mistake. Everyone has a different solution but most seem to think we need as much as twenty cents per gallon.

by donna smith ammons

On my way to a special meeting in Alexandria, I had a mishap. I noticed a small black thread dangling from my jacket, so I jerked it and the entire hem of my jacket unraveled.

Now, I was dressed up and was going to be with a large group of people and I couldn’t be walking around with the hem of my jacket hanging out. What to do?

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By donna smith ammons

One of the most pleasing sound to my ears are chimes. We have several small sets of chimes hanging on the back porch and when the wind blows, they clang together and add the most beautiful sounds to my day. The chimes remind me of heaven. Their beauty is unique and whenever I hear them, I smile. I feel like the tinkling of the chimes are special messages from people I have loved and lost over the years.

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By Pete Abington

An article was written for the New York Post by Paul Sperry the other day that might be of interest to you. It explained a group called “Organizing for Action” which was founded by former president Barrack Obama being organized and they are trained to protest. They are anti-Trump activists and they want to back off support for repealing Obama Care, curbing immigration and high risk Islamic nations, and building a border wall. If the meeting or gathering is big enough, they will show up and they are well trained on protest. In many states they try to be invisible going into meetings quietly so as not to raise arms and “grab seats at the front of the room but do not sit together."

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