And so most stories begin (or it was a cold, dark night ... but I am trying to look ahead here), Jacques has come out of the gates with a good start. The race however is a 4 year stretch. Will he change the face of Alexandria politics? Will it be better or worse?
Perhaps this blog might be used by the citizens of Alexandria to impart our wants and desires to our new adminstration. If you want investigations, ask for them here. If you want something brought to Alexandria ask here.
Why doesn't everyone on this blog say or do something positive on this thread? We can get back to the slaughterhouse next thread.
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«Oldest ‹Older 1201 – 1247 of 1247lWhat is wrong with the privacy of one's bedroom? This public co-mingling doesn't occur frequently in public places among heterosexuals, so what"s with the homo"s?
Either way it is not by choice a person chooses his sexual orientation.
Possibly true, however one chooses to commit a sexual act. I find it ridiculous that anyone favors any kind of sex acts in an open public park.
Cornholing on a public picnic bench isn't genetic, it's "bad form". That's the message of this little deal. That area has been a well-known gay rondezvous point for years. Maybe they are tired of having the public family facility turned into a gay bath house.
It would appear that the issue that causes Alexandrians most conern is the one that is receiving zero attention in the Roy administration. I cannot imagine how he can build this strong community with unlimited future if you don't address the issue of public safety and public perception of safety. I promise that a lot of people are not shopping in the traditional way because they are affraid of the mall and the Target and Walmart parking lots after dusk and the roving mall gangs during the day. I would rather see the mdse. I am buying instead of some discription on an internet cite but not bad enough to get car jacked or robbed or mugged. And Daren Coutee is afraid of doing anything meaningful out of fear of the black councilmen. And they wonder about white flight. We can shop on QVC and never be confronted or called a mother fucker once. Merry Christmas.
c'mon scared in cenla, take one for the team, you surely have 6 friends to bring you to church one last time
Whatever happened on the city golf course? Did Lamar & Co. take over or is the city operating it still?
don't scare the horses- I was not referring to homosexual activities when I spoke of "this type of immorality flying under the radar". What homosexuals do with their sexlives does not concern me. Just please don't cavort out in the view of the public and especially not with someone else's husband. I was referring to the despicable actions of Monica Walker. And for the record, I am not Mrs. Dr.
Dear Scared,
Pleeeeeeaaaaaasssssssse!
I have never been accosted by a roving gang of mall thugs, nor have I been raped, sodomized, or carjacked at Target or Wal-Mart. How many people actually have? It appears to be an infintesimally small number. Oh, but yes, APD is covering them up and the true numbers will never be known. Give me a break.
Dear Maybe Mrs. Dr.
We were well aware that your moralizing judgment and condemnation were aimed at what you perceive to be Rep. Walker's sinful nature. You apparently missed the part where we opined that it was none of your "beeswax". If you want to marry Ms. Walker then you should consider her fidelity prospects. If you are concerned about her representation then stay out of her love life.
And if you have to assert your moral superiority, I repeat, give us your identity so we can access your credentials to judge others. Otherwise, quit pressing your big nose against the wall of your glass house.
I love it when I was poetic.
was poetic = wax poetic
The fact the you have been neither raped nor sodomized may suggest that you are not very attractive. The Town Talk poll points to crime as the number one concern of the responding readers. If you are right and we don't have a crime problem, you must admit that we obviously have a crime perception problem. And on the sodomy thing - maybe you should try a little cologne.
"Whatever happened on the city golf course? Did Lamar & Co. take over or is the city operating it still?"
The City is still operating the course, though I believe it remains un-staffed.
The project will probably take over a year to complete-- as M-squared is committed to rehabilitating the teeboxes, fairways, and greens. (This, I am told, is a long process, and it may actually require the course to be shut down for a few weeks, perhaps even a month or two).
There are also some issues with the clubhouse. It doesn't conform to health and safety codes; the City may elect to renovate the clubhouse to bring it up to standards-- or they may decide to raze the old house and build a new clubhouse.
As you can imagine, the planning and coordination were delayed by the mayoral election-- and the fact that the COA lacked a capital projects director.
The course will likely be a topic of concern within the next three to four months, once M-squared completes the greens rehabilitation.
But to directly answer your question, we have not signed the dotted line; several elements must come into place first, and unfortunately, it's inherently a slow process.
Years ago when Bringhurst was started, there were no other public courses around, and if you did not belong to a country club, you were out of luck if you wanted to play golf or have your offsprings learn to love the game. Now we have public courses available that are 18 holes and quite reasonable in price. The taxpayers have provided them to those who want to avail themselves of them. Bringhurst like many things of historical import has been passed by by reality. We taxpayers no longer want to continue to fund something so far removed from what our tax dollars should be earmarked. So give us a break, use the land to expand the zoo or simply allow the area to become parkland or sell it to become productive commercial property. I realize Lamar will have to get a real job in the free market if the city does the right thing, but what the hell, Life's a Bitch!
Hey Get real! If you read Lamar's informative report, you will see the essence of the public leach. A year of work, re-doing greens, razing the club house, building another etc. This project will cost millions to benefit few. If the Trotters could not make it work with fifty years of experience and love behind their expertice, then what chance do we have of some rookie coming in and doing anything about the crime, lack of interest, impossibility of maintaining a golf course within budget and running a business of which he knows nada.
To both detractors,
With all due respect, I may know little about running a golf course, but you know even less about this project.
I am only interested in doing what is best to ensure the survival of this course-- which, as one of (if not the) oldest par three courses in the nation, represents an important asset owned by the entire community. Many cities, like Austin, Texas, operate small par three courses, and if it is in the city's best interest to maintain management, I will certainly oblige.
This is one of the reasons no agreement has been signed yet; there are opportunities for state and federal funding (as well as grant monies from organizations like the USGA) for which Bringhurst may only be eligible under city management. (Incidentally, the project will not cost millions; that's absurd).
Get real writes, "The taxpayers have provided them to those who want to avail themselves of them. Bringhurst like many things of historical import has been passed by by reality."
This is not the opinion of countless experts, including the editorial boards of several golf magazines, who point to the resurgence of the par three course-- both as executive courses and "community-oriented" courses which can be utilized for youth golf and golf education.
Additionally, a proper rehabilitation of Bringhurst, which would include night lighting throughout the city park complex, will help increase overall value in the area. (Night lighting and surveillance will also help curb the crime problem).
"We taxpayers no longer want to continue to fund something so far removed from what our tax dollars should be earmarked. So give us a break, use the land to expand the zoo or simply allow the area to become parkland or sell it to become productive commercial property."
I fail to see how allowing the zoo to absorb this property, which has been a golf course since the 1920s, is any less expensive than rehabilitating the course itself.
The City already has ample "parkland" in the area; a more reasonable "parkland" location would be the essentially abandoned Little League parks located adjacent to Bringhurst Baseball Park.
And regarding the notion of commercial property at this location: So it's either a park or part of the zoo OR we demolish the whole thing and sell it off for commercial development?
The second detractor writes, "A year of work, re-doing greens, razing the club house, building another etc. This project will cost millions to benefit few."
Again, it won't cost millions. The COA already signed the agreement with M-squared; those plans have been finalized and have absolutely nothing to do with course management.
And finally, it won't merely "benefit" a few. If done properly, it can benefit the entire community, including the neighborhood surrounding it (which, I'm not sure if you realize, has been undergoing its own resurgence recently, as numerous young professionals, young families, and people in the medical industry have purchased and renovated homes in the Ivy Leagues).
Finally, I never intended to use Bringhurst to make a personal fortune; the plans I submitted called for the creation of a non-profit organization to handle management.
Lamar, you prove the point of your detractors by your comments. If this could be done without an expenditure of less than a million and run on a profitable basis, private enterprise would jump on it. You think a non profit org. is wonderful, when all that means is that the taxpayers will pay for this boondoggle's inability to make a profit. If it benefits the surrounding neighborhood, how did it's existence help over the last 50 years as the surrounding neighborhood went to shit. And there is nothing wrong with the COA selling property for a profit and use that profit to ease the tax burden of the average worker. It is not essential to steal from the citizens with every city action. Wouldn't it be refreshing to refrain from increasing spending and thus taxes for something so few have indicated was needed. Life will go on without a goat ranch of a par three course in a dangerous area, so much so the previous owners walked away from it. I might add to compare Alex to Austin is folly. Donald Trump may began projects which would not be wise for Lamar White, Jr to initiate. And if it is so reasonable in price, why the need for federal funds and grants from the USGA (fat chance of that)? Chump change, then let's just fund it with private donations and build this little sucker. And Lamar, I grew up on that course and played with many of those who have publicly shared their warm memories, but there comes a time when we must let go, and this is one of them. This little course just cannot in any capacity compete with the new ones available. It is over and we need to move on to productive endeavors and ditch pie in the sky personal dreams at the expense of someone else.
Smart, inclusive growth means investing in all areas of town.
I suppose you have no problem with the fact that the Links Course costs taxpayers $375,000 a year or the fact that the zoo, located next door to Bringhurst, costs taxpayers over $1 million last year.
These, it can be argued, are quality of life investments, and because they benefit the entire community, it's not necessary to entirely focus on their capacity for profit.
You are plain wrong about the number of people who would like to see Bringhurst rehabilitated. I know this because I have spoken with countless people, numbering in the hundreds, who have shared their belief that this course is an important part of our community and has, for too long, been neglected and overlooked.
There's another issue too.
Bringhurst gives a recreational opportunity for literally 8,000 people who live in a one mile radius, many of whom do not have transportation or access to the other courses. The Links is not exactly inexpensive for the average citizen. But Bringhurst is. And it's accessible to young golfers.
It is ashame that some people in our community hold such little regard for our history, for the things that make our community unique and worth visiting. It's sad to me that people are defeatist about the Hotel Bentley, defeatist about downtown, and defeatist about improving neglected and blighted neighborhoods.
It's sad that some people continue to operate under the mistaken belief that if the free market hasn't already taken care of a problem, then it will continue to be an unsolvable problem, a "leach" on our tax dollars, for eternity. Indeed, it's sad that some people would prefer to just give up.
Maybe Alexandria isn't Austin. I never said it was. But if we can't look to what other cities have done to successfully improve their neighborhoods, we'll never become a better place to live, and we'll end up losing our identity.
Oh and one more thing: You are also wrong about the USGA.
They're very interested in Bringhurst.
I am one of the 8,000 people in that area and would love to see my husband teach our boy the game of golf at Bringhurst (without paying an arm & a leg.) In discussing that general area, the neighboring park playground equipment could use some updating/repairs.
I don't know about the other folks, but I do have a problem with the $375,000 for the links, but since it is already built not far from England Oaks I might add, why not conceed this is enough golf for Alexandria unless of course you want to spring for the expense. I could sit here and come up with all kind of great projects if someone else would pay for them. When people are literally unable to pay for their medications and utility bills in Alex, I think it is folly to talk of taxpayer built golf courses and I believe most agree. But I think we will wait and see. Maybe the folks will not make a big enough stink of this silly waste of tax dollars and you will slip this by them as many other "necessary civic projects" have been.
Who wouldn't want a nice, historic golf course in their backyard??
Your passion is infectious, Lamar.
Let the rich white people play their golf off 28-West, because who cares about us inner-city folk who actually shoulder most of the tax burden in this damn city???
I want to see this course improved.
Lamar's not talking about building a new course. He's saying we should improve one that already exists.
I play almost twice a week at Bringhurst and have for the past ten years.
Sorry Bringhurst isn't in your neighborhood..... but it's in mine, and with all the millions of dollars the city has spent on projects out on 28, this would be a small thing in the inner-city that could go a long way.
st. peter - You and your ilk represent the downfall of society as we know it. And I guess you also bought into "it depends on what the definition of is is". And also "I did not have sexual relations with that woman...". If you cannot see the correlation between Ms Walker's private and public life, I can't help you. And noone else can either, for that matter.
Brinkplayer, Us rich white folks who play out on 28 West have businesses in Alexandria that pay a hell of a lot of property taxes along with sales taxes in the city. So it is probably not in your interest to suggest that the larger taxpayer call the shots. Also the players who play at the Links and Oakwing along with AG&CC reside in Pineville, Ball, Tioga, Deville and many areas inside the city limits of Alexandria. I don't think we can afford neighborhood golf courses for every neighborhood in Rapides Parish. But you of course are interested in your neighborhood only and Lamar is interest in "His Project" You could be wrong about other assumptions, such as whether the opponents of taxpayer financed neighborhood golf courses are rich, white, or even play golf. But reality has little impact on those that want to consume what others produce.
Concerning Lamar's quest for the re-vitalization of the Bringhurst golf course. This sort of expenditure of public funds is worthwhile and justifies as a second level public project. I say this because we must remember what the primary function of City Government is. Historically, city government’s main obligation to their citizens is three fold. Police protection, Fire protection and Public sanitation.
When these three functions are tuned to provide the very best service, in the most cost effective manner possible, the city's base obligation to her citizens will have been met. For too long Alexandria has been like ancient Rome. The city fed her citizens bread and entertainment to distract them from the rot and corruption that festered inside City Hall.
Survey says: First things first. Fix the corruption rampant in the Police Department, fix the incompetence in the Fire Department, and find a professional to run Public Works. Set these departments straight and then ask for time, money, and effort to devote to golf courses.
The feathers and bones have spoken.
I play almost twice a week at Bringhurst and have for the past ten years.
I hunt and fish, so how about using some of your tax money and open a shooting range or purchase a local public hunting lease? I also listen to country and Cajun music, so where is my performing arts center for that?
But I do agree, that as long as we have so many without health care and have substandard roads, and cannot afford electricity, it is totally idiotic to spend ANY money on a golf course.
Golf courses rank way down the list of public necessities re: taxpayer dollar. It would not cost much for electricity in just one neighborhood, but if one is given such, all should be. Expenditures of this nature(golf courses) just flies in the face of logic. Dissention is all that occurs when one gets so far removed from the essential purpose of city government.
Here's a novel idea...convert a grossly under utilized city asset, the golf course, to something the entire city would benefit from. Take a part of the land and use it for the zoo. Sell the rest and put the proceeds into modern police and fire equipment.
Or...build a waterslide!
"A WATERSLIDE"! *perk*
The big question is will Roy and the city council invest in an asset that isn't within 3 blocks of Guaranty Bank? And will Roy give some consideration to the huge public concern about safety and crime and protection?
I think Roy's imagination has been kidnapped by myopic visionaries like Lamar and Myron and Harry (although Silver's interest at least makes selfish sense) and he forgot about the broader picture. Roy likes to draw circles and talk about "bloom" but what about safety. And the water slide and bricks on third street might be quality of life enhancements but nothing enhances life like a job and health care and educational and vocational training opportunities and not getting stuck up at some stop light. The "bloom" is off the Roys!
And maybe he needs to stop thinking about Thomas Jefferson and start thinking like George Jefferson so that we can all "move on up".
It is interesting that you bloggers are so willing to condemn Rep. Walker but say little about the man involved. What about Dr. Weisul? I hear he was in his fourth marriage and that he left each wife for the next. He sets a "fine" example as Chief Medical Officer for a Catholic hospital. So why all the venom toward the woman involved but not the man? Could it be a double standard?
i again suggest we all breathe in and breathe out and give roy some time. he's been in office two weeks and some are ready to judge his performance? geeze louise! chill.
You got it wrong. Only one person feels the need to condemn Rep. Walker for her personal life and I think it is Mrs. Dr. There has no mention of the good doctor and there has been no meaningful discussion of Walker's performance and a legislator and her dude's performance has a medical administrator. So you gotta lighten up. Only one tight-ass complainer and I think that her ox has been gored.
Ah Biff. I see that you are in full blossom. I blossom you for the blossom that we once blossomed and hope that your blossom always continues to blossom into full blossom.
e pluribus gossip:
You make a good point. I suspect you are correct about the person doing the condemning. I happen to know the state Rep. and think she's one of the bright stars in the legislature regarding job performance. I don't know the doc. But, I do know his boss, and I believe Mr. Wright chooses staffers who can do their jobs well. As for their private lives, it's none of my business--(as long as they don't go to Lake Buhlow to get it on--that is.)
tight ass complainer???? You're attitude is totally disgusting. You show such disrespect for Mrs. Dr. I assure you that I am not Mrs. Dr. I do know her and she is devastated. Ms. Walker's performance is highlighted by the fact that she didn't even bother to show up for the special session. Isn't there normally some clause in high paying contracts with major companies which speaks to the employee's actions outside of work that reflect negatively on the company? Surely Stephen Wright can't be proud of the Dr's behavior.
Dear tightass:
You are the one that continues to parade Mrs. Dr's humiliating displacement all over this blog. Do you think she craves sympathy or are you trying to whip up enough emotion to burn the replacement at the stake? Worry about something that matters, if there is anything of that sort in or near your life.
has the christmas party at pecker point on lake ublow been cancelled?
No, the party is still in full blossom. It's BYOKY
Not that it should matter, but isn't Rep. Walker and African-American-Cajun ?
Oops. I just looked up her picture on the net and she is a splendid looking young blonde lady with a masters degree. You can fault the Dr. for a lot of things but lack of taste ain't one of 'em.
African-American-Cajun ?
No such thing.
The office of legislative auditor has just released yearly audit reports. Woodworth Louisiana collected $971,529 in court revenue for 2006. The Town Talk published an article May 7 in which police chief James Gonzales is quoted as saying"If that means pulling someone over, whether it's a mile or five miles over the limit, that's what we're going to do. Not everyone does it that way. It's the way we do it." Is it any wonder Woodworth has an image problem with thinking like that!
You know, it really doesn't matter what you depraved people on this blog think about Ms. Walker and her relationship with the Dr. What really matters is what the people in her district think about it. After all, they elected her and have to decide whether they want her to continue in her position. I'm sure they will be interested in hearing about her escapades, but whether it will make a difference is up to them.
God help us if we have reached the point that none of this really matters.
Apparently, Mrs. Dr. didn't mind that he had been married 4 times before her. How do we know that she wasn't the cause of the breakup with #4. I personally think that it's wonderful that two dynamic, productive, and well-educated and beautiful people found each other and are now in love. Where is your romantic spirit?
You assholes really have nothing to do.
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