Outtakes from the P.A.C.E. mayor candidate forum

Writing a narrative about a political Q-and-A isn’t always easy. The questions can vary widely, and sometimes contenders don’t give good answers – much less speak in complete sentences.



So today’s article on the P.A.C.E. mayoral forum honed in on the “Ron Webb incident,” as categorized by moderator Adam Giblin. Here are some quotations that didn’t make the article.


One topic each candidate seemed comfortable discussing was the plan to bring Louisiana College’s law school to Shreveport. Giblin said the Southern Baptist school discriminates against gays. He asked whether public money should be used to fund a private institution.

• “It shouldn’t be used because of our debt situation,” Libertarian Parker Ward said. “Government should not be involved in somebody’s personal life.”
  
  
• “If we’re not discriminating against anybody… we shouldn’t donate money to an organization that does,” independent Dana Bruhnke said, referring to the city’s personnel policy. “It would be great to have… but we have other budget issues to take care of.”
  
  
• “The city cannot do this deal,” said Caddo Commissioner David Cox, running as no party. “It should not do this deal.”
  
  
• “It’s a discussion that I’m interested in having,” said Mayor Cedric Glover, a Democrat who went public with the proposal for the city to buy the former Joe D. Waggoner Federal Building for the college. And then here are some wildcards.
  
  
  
  • “If you call my office, I will call you back.” – State Rep, Roy Burrell, a Democrat, taking a jab Glover. A common complaint from the public at City Council meetings is that Glove rand staff don’t return phone calls.
    
    
  • “We need a leader that understands coming from behind.” – Cox on how he we manage city finances.
    
    
  • “I do not think the will of the people… should simply be overturned by a judge’s ruling,” Republican Tim Goeders on recent court proceedings about Proposition 8, the California law that outlawed gay marriage.
    
    
  • “You’ve got to kind of make up your mind. Are you going to go forward or go backward?” – independent Hersy Jones on Glover’s decision to honor the city’s Confederate history.
  
  
  
  
  City Councilman Bryan Wooley, a Republic, missed the forum because he was sick, he said. He expects to be at Tuesday’s council meeting.
  
  
  Oration was not Bruhnke’s strong point. He acknowledged that with this swipe at Wooley: “I’m just going to work on my public speaking. One that’s not here – he’s very polished.”

It's budget time in Shreveport

We're still more than a month away from public meetings on the budget, but Shreveport department heads have been fast at work since July, according to Mayor Cedric Glover's office.

Discussions started then between them and mayoral and City Council staff. Department heads get to propose changes from last year. Whether their numbers go up and down will depend largely, of course, on projected sales tax revenue, among other factors.

The next major step will be to schedule budget review sessions. Council members will go department-by-department listening to director pitches. That generally happens in October.

Public hearings on the full document happen on or before Nov. 15.  The charter requires the council to approve a budget by Dec. 15.

Check out Caddo Commission clerk candidate resumes

The anonysphere of web comments suggested good-ole-boyism played a role in the Caddo Commission choosing Fleet Services manager Todd Hopkins as its new clerk.

And Commissioner Stephanie Lynch quickly noted that a black, male commissioner joined the board's six white men with a yes vote.

So I figured I would let you readers weigh in yourselves. Here are resumes for each of the four finalists:

• Todd Hopkins

• Veta Samuels, Caddo Commission's deputy clerk

• Deborah Sewell, recording secretary for the Ouachita Police Jury

• Mark Terry, former director of Horizon Bay senior retirement center in Bossier City

More on Shreveport swim lesson plans

Fire Chief Brian Crawford got me some more information today that wasn't discussed during Thursday's press conference about Shreveport's new plan to teach children to swim.

Public officials and civic leaders, as you read, introduced the Stewart-Warner Project Swim, named for the six youth who drowned last week in Red River. They could not swim.

Here are notes from Crawford:

• Shreveport already offered free swim lessons to children in city programs if caregivers couldn't afford to pay. Project Swim fundraising simply will help offset costs to the city and organizations, such as YMCA and Red Cross, that help provide instruction.

• SPAR already provides swimming instruction to more than 1,000 children each summer.

• “The bottom line is the child can learn for free - wherever they learn and no more tax dollars are being expended that were before with the programs that were already in place.”

I'm back, and Shreveport is newsy!

Hi, folks. Sorry for the absence. But after a week of vacation and another working with some great college journalists (see our work here), I am glad to be back on the city beat. And it's already been busy.

While I wasn't here to check in on our local leaders, at least other folks at the paper were. If you missed it, here is a Times editorial about Mayor Cedric Glover's handling of Government Plaza roof repairs. If you recall, water has oozed through the eighth-floor ceiling onto people, walls and cabinets since at least mid-2008.

Caddo administrators are getting dripped on, and the parish offered the city a loan early this year on its $1.3 million portion. The parish should bay about $500,000.

And here is Glover's response. (Seriously, folks. How many other places can you really go that will allow you to directly criticize analysis with so little censorship? Show some newspaper love here.)

Of course some of the biggest news of this week is plans to draw Louisiana College's law school to Shreveport. I'll offer more on that in the next few days.

Here's a little noise, and a break

If you missed this story from Thursday, Caddo and Bossier residents can sound off on noise in early August at a joint meeting between the two parishes' governments.

The Commission and Police Jury will consider ordinances aimed at setting allowable levels of loudness.

"Excessive noise can mean one thing to you and another thing to me," Caddo Parish Attorney Charles Grubb said. "What this proposal does is it puts some objectivity into what is excessive."

Read the prop for yourself here.

And on another note, dear readers, I'll be taking a blogging break for a short while. I've got vacation next week followed by the Asian American Journalists Association convention. There I'll be an editor/mentor for college students producing a multimedia project that includes a newspaper, website and Internet video broadcasts. Follow me on Twitter if you'd like to see more about that.


Watch the City Council and Commission for me while I'm out. You never know when they might try to pull a fast one.

Full list of Shreveport's fall election qualifiers

A reader pointed out it was hard to find this list on our site. So here is a recap of all the candidates who qualified for Shreveport offices in the Oct. 2 election.

Shreveport mayor

• Dana Bruhnke, no party
• Roy Burrell, D
• David Cox, other
• Cedric Glover, D
• Tim Goeders, R
• Hersy Jones Jr., other
• Debra Lindsey, other
• Parker Ward
• Bryan Wooley

Shreveport City Council

District A:
• Rose Wilson McCulloch, D
• C. O. Simpkins, D
• Lillian Thomas Wade, no party
• Michael D. Williams, D

District B:
• Deborah Allen, no party
• "Jeff" Everson, D
• Craig B. Lee, other
• Sheva Sims, D

District C:
• Oliver Jenkins, R
• Jacob "Jake" Toloso, no party

District D:
• Deanna Candler, R
• Michael D. Corbin, R
• Phillip A. Templeton, other

District E:
• "Ron" Webb, R

District F:
• Joe Shyne, D

District G:
• Samuel L. "Sam" Jenkins Jr., D
• Jerry L. White, D

News release about Shreveport's ongoing trash pickup issues

Workers load plant clippings  in 2008.

The city news release posted below didn't get much play last week. But I thought it would be good to post it as just another increment in this ongoing story. (Think plan to buy new garbage trucks.)

Shreveport sent this out July 13:

The City’s Solid Waste Division is asking citizens for patience and understanding as crews work diligently to get back on schedule for regular weekly collections.

“Baring any unforeseen occurrences or situations, we will be back on schedule after Wednesday, July 14, 2010,” says Public Works Superintendent Fred Williams.  “We are still providing once a week collection, except in some areas we have come a day or two late and we apologize.”

Plagued by mechanical problems, Williams explains that a reduced number of operating solid waste vehicles has significantly impacted weekly collections.  “We have been operating with 36 to 38 sanitation vehicles instead of the 47 that are needed to finish our daily/weekly routes.” 

Additionally, last week, sanitation crews worked a holiday (4th of July) schedule.  They were off Monday and worked Tuesday through Friday without the benefit of a non-collection day to catch up and go back to those areas that were missed.   

“We are asking the citizens of Shreveport to be patient with us as we get back to and continue to provide the level of service that they expect.”

For questions of further information contact:  Fred Williams, Superintendent, Office of Public Works, Solid Waste Division @ (318) 673.6300

Shreveport City Council Chairwoman takes witness stand

I'm not covering the case, but fellow reporter Nicole Blake Johnson has been sitting in on the residency hearing of a Caddo School Board candidate for District 12.

The one in question is Michael Collins, a Republican, seeking the seat of incumbent Democrat Dottie Bell. City Council Chairwoman Joyce Bowman, who sometimes pals around with Bell, apparently took the stand.

Not sure what she said, but I think we may hear more tomorrow,  after Judge Ramon Lafitte makes a decision.

And here are Shreveport City Council member duties

I wouldn't want the City Council to feel like no one pays attention. So since I posted Shreveport's mayoral duties yesterday, here are the council's:

With respect to the organization of the city government, the council by ordinance shall have the exclusive power:

(a) To create and establish new functions of the city government and assign responsibility for administering same;

(b) To create and establish new departments to administer functions not established by this Charter; and

(c) Upon recommendation of the mayor, to reassign or terminate functions, offices and duties which have been specifically assigned by this Charter, or which have been previously assigned by council action, provided, however, that no such ordinance shall change the duties and responsibilities assigned by this Charter to the elective officers named in section 3.01 hereof or those duties and responsibilities assigned to the fire and police departments under Article 11 of this Charter.

Read more here.

Shreveport mayoral duties

Just thought I would pluck this section of Shreveport's charter since we've been discussing the mayor's office.

It comes from Section 5.02 - Powers and duties of the mayor

All executive and administrative powers under this Charter shall vest in and be exercised by the mayor, except as may be otherwise specifically provided in this Charter. In the exercise of such authority, the mayor shall be responsible for the conduct of the executive branch of the city government and shall administer all offices, departments, boards, commissions and agencies thereof. 

It shall be the duty of the mayor to see that the provisions of this Charter, the ordinances and resolutions of the city, and all laws of the municipality are enforced. 

Specifically, but not by way of limitation of the other provisions herein made, the mayor shall: 

(a) Subject to the provisions of Article 14 of this Charter, appoint all officers and employees of the several departments of the city, except those officers and employees who are to be appointed in some other manner under the provisions of this Charter; 

(b) Subject to the provisions of applicable state laws and of Article 14 of this Charter, remove at his pleasure all persons appointed by him; 

(c) Sign all contracts, bonds or other instruments or documents requiring the assent of or execution by the city, except those which some other officer is authorized hereunder to sign, and be custodian of the corporate seal; 

(d) See that the terms and conditions of all contracts are faithfully executed;

(e) Have a voice but no vote in the proceedings of all boards, agencies, committees, commissions and authorities of the city of which he is not made a voting member; 

(f) Annually present to the council a report on the condition of the affairs of the city together with any advices, proposals or recommendations he deems worthy of consideration by the council or the people of the city; and 

(g) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this Charter, by ordinance, by resolution, or by applicable law.

 

Read more of the charter here.

Let the political games begin, Shreveport

Qualifying's done, and now the real campaigning can get started.

The Shreveport mayor's race, with nine contenders, obviously will be something we will follow closely. There will be some competitive council races as well.

So stay tuned. In the meantime, what do y'all want to know more about? And what are the biggest issues facing Shreveport's next round of leaders?

Shreveport now has 7 mayoral candidates

Here's the list, including two surprises.

1. Dana Bruhnke, independent.
2. Roy Burrell, Democrat.
3. David Cox, independent.
4. Debra Lindsey, independent.
5. Cedric Glover, Democrat.
6. Parker Ward, Libertarian
7. Bryan Wooley, Republican.

That's all for today. But we still have one more day of qualifying. I'll be dispatching via my Twitter feed on Friday.

Thanks, Shreveport City Council, for the notice

Just wanted to give props to your City Council for doing the right thing last week.

Office worker Eric Whitt (who sits at the council office front desk and often answers phone calls) is quitting to move on to another job in the Dallas area, I'm told. So the council and staff decided to take him to lunch on Friday.

And since there was a chance that could mean a quorum at the noon gathering, clerk Arthur Thompson sent public notice. I didn't crash the party, but I could have since council staff fulfilled the law. I don't hear too often of local government boards meeting without giving notice, but I do hear when they gather two-by-two, which technically means they don't have to inform us. (And that us means you and me, not just journalists.)

Now, the next question is how much did lunch cost us taxpayers?

Good luck in The Metroplex, Eric.

Read more here about Louisiana open meetings law.

Lagniappe from LSU-S student's City Council announcement

Folks were probably expecting some follow up from Mayor Cedric Glover' re-election party last night. Unfortunately I couldn't attend because of a death in my family.

But I did want to offer a little from Tuesday's City Council announcement gathering for LSU-S student Deanna Candler. It was at Catina Laredo on Youree Drive. She works there.

A possible alliance worth noting: fellow Republican Ron Webb attended.

Candler is the second announced candidate for Bryan Wooley's District D seat. Michael Corbin is the other.

Mayoral re-election invite I almost missed

 Glover and wife, Veronica Glover, at the April re-election event.

Just when I thought Mayor Cedric Glover forgot to invite me to his official re-election party, which is Thursday, I got an e-mailed press release this afternoon. Granted, that's about a week after at least one other reporter received this (nicely designed, I might add) mailed invitation.

The "Jazz & Jambalaya" event is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Barnwell Garden & Arts Center downtown. Shreveporters are invited, according to the news release, for free food and drinks. And that'll be paid for by the Cedric B. Glover Campaign Committee. Parking, also at no charge, is available at the city garage across Clyde Fant Parkway from Barnwell and next to Sci-Port: Louisiana's Discovery Center. The campaign also will pay for shuttle service.

Burnadine Anderson, who put in quite a few years talking to the media for Caddo schools, is Glover's campaign coordinator. (She's retired.) Anderson's also sitting as a "citizen" on the mayor's airport task force.

Michael Corbin, director at Barnwell, is running for City Council District D. He also sells life insurance. Barnwell has had a Thursday night jazz concert series this summer.

If you'll remember, Glover already announced his campaign back in April. That meeting was billed as a big announcement for Mardi Gras, but what was offered was a vague promise to keep Carnival celebrations in Shreveport. No other local politicians are really pushing to send the parades back to Bossier City. That was one of many highlights he listed among accomplishments since winning an office on Government Plaza's second floor.

So we'll see what tomorrow and the rest of election season brings. Candidates qualify (i.e. officially register) to run next week. That's when we see who's serious.

Outtakes on last trash truck meeting, and looking forward

Worker Kevin Colins, works in the 6100 block of Ambleside Drive on June 21st.
Jim Hudelson/The Times

I got a little tied up last week, so please forgive the time away from blogging. (See my oil spill story for part of the distraction.)

So the Shreveport City Council's new committee on solid waste meets again tomorrow. On the agenda: financing the $2.4 million purchase of 15 garbage packers, plus the timeline in which Shreveport can get that done. (That's at 2 p.m. in the first-floor conference room at Government Plaza.)

Council chair Joyce Bowman has pledged to get workers in newer vehicles (with air conditioning) by next month.

Beyond trash collection logistics and employee issues, the most intriguing parts of last week's dialogue

According to Councilman Monty Walford, though, the city can't continue that way much longer. With a minimal monthly fee of $2.50 to the 60,000 or customers, Shreveport could replace about 12 trucks a year. The vehicles in use now are at least five years old. And they're worn out, officials and workers say.

Walford knows, though, that adding a fee is a tough political fight. Councilman Joe Shyne put that in perspective in asking Walford thinks the fee should start.

"Bryan is running for mayor," Shyne said. "I'm running for re-election. I'm just trying to be practical." (Bryan is Councilman Wooley, of course.)

Interestingly, Bossier City uses Shreveport's trash services and charges a lot more, comparatively. That city receives $16 a month, via water bills.

So what are your thoughts?

Announced mayoral candidate promotes Libertarian meeting

In case you missed it, here is announced Shreveport mayoral candidate Parker Ward's most recent letter to the editor.

Essentially, Ward says, the Caddo Parish Libertarian party is organizing. It will meet at 6 p.m. June 28 at El Chico on Greenwood Road.

Previously, Ward has written about the U.S. being a republic vs. a democracy and given some observations on local politics, for instance: "Our leaders are elected to serve everyone and not just those who voted for them. I am one who believes they should listen to the majority public opinion of the people in their district."

Ward also expressed his support in 2008 for Chester T. "Catfish" Kelley in the Congressional race against now-Rep. John Fleming. Kelley, owner of Catfish Landing restaurant, provided Ward with free food and a venue for his candidacy announcement. That's something Kelley said he offers once to any local political candidate.

Staffer quits Mayor Cedric Glover's office

I'm back on the job in Shreveport after spending most of last week reporting on the  Gulf oil spill.  Honestly, it feels in many ways like I never left. This blog entry details one of the dozen or so City Hall-related phone calls or texts I fielded while in south Louisiana.

As posted on my Twitter feed, Chloe Haygood, assistant to Mayor Cedric Glover, has quit. Her last day was June 18. She is getting married in August and plans to move to New Orleans, where her fiance lives, after her wedding.

Haygood said in a phone call that she still believes in Glover's mission and abilities. She campaigned for him in 2006, so she's put in a good four years. She said she needs the next few months to focus on getting her new life in order.

Much of Haygood's official work focused on community groups and events. She oversaw Glover's summer internship programs, for instance. I use "official" because duties often overlap in the mayor's office.

More background on Haygood:

• Ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 electiStaffer quits Mayor Cedric Glover's officeon against incumbent Willie Burton for the seat in Caddo School Board District 3.
• Daughter of Carolyn Jones, among the first black students to integrate Shreveport's white public schools. Granddaughter of the Rev. E.E. Jones, a civil rights leader and pastor of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church.
• In 2008 – the most recent year I’ve got information at my fingertips – her salary was about $78,000.

And follow this link to watch a video about the role of Haygood's family in the Civil Rights Movement.

Former Shreveport Fire Chief Cochran to leave federal post

Caught this Atlanta Journal Constitution article on Shreveport native and former Fire Chief recently. Kelvin Cochran left that city's top fire post for the nations pinnacle in firefighting.

But he'll be returning to Atlanta soon. We don't have many more details besides that. It'll be interesting to see those.

Glover's full comments on firing of airports director

I'll be heading to the Gulf Coast soon to cover the oil spill, so the blog will be pretty quiet this week. (Check Twitter for updates, though: www.twitter.com/akcausey.)

Since Mayor Cedric Glover's news release came in late in the production day Friday (he didn't respond to interview requests), I thought I'd post all of it here. It's his response to Council Chairowman (and mayor pro tem while Glover is out of state) Joyce Bowman firing Shreveport airports director Roy Miller.

MAYOR GLOVER COMMENTS ON MAYOR PRO TEM’S TERMINATION OF AIRPORT DIRECTOR

From the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Mayor Cedric B. Glover issues the following statement:

“I have been advised by the Mayor Pro Tem of the termination of the City’s Airport Director Roy Miller.  In accordance with the City Charter she was certainly within her rights and authority and was empowered to do so as Mayor Pro Tem. She was not required to and did not consult with me before taking this action.  Although I am not fully aware of her reasons, as of today Mr. Miller’s termination is legitimate and he has been relieved of all duties.    

While I have long advocated for change in our airport operations based upon the challenges of limited options and high air fares, this change must extend beyond the mere replacement of the airport director.  Obviously, there are those who are dissatisfied with Mr. Miller’s performance, however the Airport Director is nominated by the Airport Authority and it is this same Authority that just two months ago gave Mr. Miller a unanimous vote of confidence.  And they have not given me any indication of a change in their position. 

With Mr. Miller’s termination, the City’s Code of Ordinances requires that the Airport Authority nominate a director to the Mayor.  In order to truly effect change even at the director level, it may be necessary now to recognize that change must be made at the  Authority level.

Although I previously sought to make changes in the composition of the Authority, I am encouraged that with this action the Council Chair and the Council may be open to sitting down and discussing the need to make adjustments in the composition of the board.   

I look forward to meeting with the Council Chair and members of the Council upon my return as well as discussions with the Airport Authority itself in reviewing this situation and making a determination on how we go forward.   

The current operations at the airport are in need of much improvement.  We will continue the work of the Northwest Louisiana Air Service Task Force as they seek ways to enhance, and improve our operations and service.  I am encouraged by the work they have done so far and I look forward to their recommendations on how we can improve the operations and levels of service at Shreveport Regional Airport.” 

Oil spill: What does the Shreveport (and Bossier City) area need to know?

If you missed the online update, The Times is reaching out to northwest Louisiana and trying to talk with folks who have a connection to the oil spill in the gulf. I'll be heading down there soon for some dispatches.

So obviously, if any of you have a story to tell, let me know.

But even if you don't, let me know what you think may have been missed in the state and national coverage. What have you heard that you'd like explained better? And what has gone untold that you think deserves some light?

Thanks in advance for any insight shared. If you don't want to post publicly, you know the other ways to reach me: acausey@gannett.com or (318) 459-3249.

Shreveport mayor set for trip to OKC in natural gas-powered SUV

Mayor Cedric Glover is set for a road trip Thursday in a vehicle that can run on gasoline or compressed natural gas.

Glover will be boarding a Chesapeake Energy Corp. bifuel Chevrolet Tahoe on the way to a U.S. Conference of Mayors gathering in Oklahoma City. Company representatives will be along for the ride.

The crew will make the six-hour trip on CNG and switch to gasoline when necessary, according to a news release. They will refueling at a natural gas station near Dallas.

City council members, with Glover's support, approved a few natural gas-related (and Chesapeake) proposals today. Read about those here.

Shreveport City Council races now have two Jenkins

Today marked the arrival of a second Jenkins in Shreveport City Council races.

Sam Jenkins, currently a Caddo Commissioner, will seek the seat of outgoing Council Chariwoman Joyce Bowman. That'd be Queensborough and west Shreveport's District G.

Oliver Jenkins announced more than a month ago that he is running for District B, which includes Broadmoor and parts of South Highlands. Sitting Councilman Michael Long said he won't run again.

I haven't asked yet whether the two are kin, but it will be ting to have two people with the same last name on the council should their bids be successful.

Both also have received endorsements from the current council members representing those areas.

In other District B news, Jake Toloso plans officially to announce his plans to run for the seat on Tuesday.

Caddo Commission considers The Times as official journal

About this time last year I blogged about Shreveport picking its official journal, or the publication where announcements, requests for proposals, minutes, etc... are printed.

Well, the annual event has come around for the Caddo Commission, and there was some interesting action at today's meeting. For the past several years, the commission has gone with a partnership between The Caddo Citizen and Shreveport Sun.

But today, because of two absent commissioners, there was a 5-5 tie between the papers. So commissioners decided to put off (or continue, in government terms) the vote until June 17.

My boss, Times Publisher Pete Zanmiller, made his pitch today.

"Really, the issue is transparency and getting out to as many people as possible," Zanmiller said.

No, he did not ask me to write this. But I have to agree. Besides saving a few cents per line, there's no real public advantage in going with the other two papers. No disrespect intended. But when publications are weekly and go out to 4,000-5,000 people versus 40,000-plus most days and 50,000 or more on Sundays, there's no question. Sometimes the commission has to hold off on votes because of the timeframe it has to wait to notify the public because of a weekly's deadline.

So does the commission really want the public to be aware of what it's doing? We'll see how members show up and vote on the 17th.

Caddo commissioner planning run for Shreveport mayor

Here's another name to add to the hat for the Shreveport mayor's race.

Caddo Commissioner David Cox, who represents District 10 (much of southwest Shreveport including Southern Hills and nearby unincorporated areas in the parish), told me today that he will formally announce in the next week or so that he will make a run.

Money management, he said, will be his main focus in the campaign. Talking with folks over the last six months pushed him toward the decision.

"They need somebody who they can talk to, depend on and know that they come from the same side of the tracks they do: a working man," Cox said about his hopeful voters. He plans to change his registration from Republican to independent.

So that makes five contenders: Cox, Mayor Cedric Glover, City Councilman Bryan Wooley, State Rep. Roy Burrell and Shreveporter Parker Ward. They still all have to qualify.

Burrell's staff recently scheduled an sit-down interview with me, by the way. I'll keep y'all posted.

Caddo chimes in on Shreveport railroad closure plans

While Shreveport officials work on how to appease angry residents and please Union Pacific Railroad on planned crossing closures, their Government Plaza neighbors are talking about it.

In today's Caddo Commission work session, Commissioner Ken Epperson asked Parish Administrator Woody Wilson what was going on.

"It’s pretty much up in the air," Wilson said. "We think the city of Shreveport might be changing their mind about that contract.”

Maybe the city and parish can take up the issue Friday in a scheduled intergovernmental meeting. Until then, I hear Mayor Cedric Glover should meet soon with Union Pacific reps. And Shreveporters are calling the governor's office saying their local officials did not represent them.

Get the background here.

Teen's age looks OK for Shreveport mayor's race

I've gotten a few questions about whether Parker Ward, the teen who officially announced his candidacy for Shreveport mayor last week, actually can run.

Looks like his age won't be a problem, according to the city charter.

Here's what it says:

"At the time of his qualification for election, the mayor shall be a qualified elector and a resident of the City of Shreveport. During his term of office, he shall hold no other public office or position of public employment, except that of a notary public or as a member of the National Guard or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States of America. If the mayor ceases to be a qualified elector or ceases to reside in the city, his office shall be deemed vacant."

So while Ward may  not have much political experience - people want leaders who operate on "prinicple," he reminded me - it looks like he meets the prerequisites.

Is mistrial a big setback in probe of Shreveport's Community Development Department?

If you missed today's news, a Caddo district judge today declared a mistrial for Shreveport construction contractor James Alex III. Apparently there was a technicality involved. Alex was arrested in 2009, but the charge listed included changes made this year.

What do you make of this? A minor mistake or a black eye on the continuing investigation into sloppy work on the taxpayer's dollar? Of course it also extends to the Queensborough Neighborhood Association and shamed Caddo School Board member Lola May.

Railroad crossings make for a long Shreveport City Council meeting

Today's Shreveport City Council meeting wrapped about 7:30 p.m. I can't recall exactly when I had to hang around four or more hours for one of these, but I would venture to say it was back when Councilman Joe Shyne was chairman, and therefore in charge of the meetings. That would've been 2008.

While I might have been irritated that politicians talked for that long, I was proud to see Shreveport residents stand up for themselves. The folks who talked today are those who never got the chance before to say no to railroad crossing closures in their neighborhoods.

However you feel about their opinions, surely you agree they deserve a say so? Council members apologized today for not allowing that before they made a decision.

"We’ve all learned a lot," Chairowman Joyce Bowman said, "and we hopefully won’t forget the lessons we’ve learned today."

Obviously there are a lot of complicated issues that led to this boiling point. Do you readers feel like it would be helpful to explain that process more?

Glover in DC on auto trip as Obama announces GM plan

President Obama today announced his $800 million proposal to clean up old General Motors sites in a effort to make them viable for future growth. The Shreveport plant (technically in Caddo) is on that list.

Meanwhile, Mayor Cedric Glover (and Assistant Director of Economic Development Matt Bailey) is in DC on another trip for leaders of automaker cities. Known as “Auto Communities and the Next Economy: Partnerships in Innovation,” the national summit is co-sponsored by the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, and the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities.

The Obama administration invited Glover, according to a city news release. Meeting attendees wil learn about what the federal government is doing and how to partner with philanthropy groups. Glover was scheduled to participate in a panel discussion called “Innovations and Opportunities for Further Partnership – Land Use/Physical Transformation."

“I am proud once again to have the opportunity to represent Shreveport and the challenges we and other communities face at this very important and timely gathering,” Glover said in the release.  “We’re going to Washington to work to solidify the connections and collaboration with the federal government and other localities that will build a framework for the future.  Just as, here locally, we have worked together with the parish, region, and Gov. Jindal’s administration, we also have to work to build those same partnerships with the federal government.  We’re especially well-positioned here locally to use the blessing of the Haynesville Shale to become a leader in natural gas vehicle technology, and I’m going to deliver that message as well."

Here are some of Glover's tweets from today's events:

• White House & Brookings Institution Auto Communities & the Next Economy Summit is officially underway. Opened by Bruce Katz & Luis Ubinas.
• Katz is VP & Director of Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. Ubinas is President of the Ford Foundation. Auto Czar Ed Montgomery next.
• Ubinas says today's abandoned auto communities are like the South Bronx in the 1970's. Greatly challenged, but with tremendous potential.
• Dr. Ed Montgomery, "Today we announce the largest environmental trust in our country's history! Combined trust over $850 billion dollars!"
• Dr. Lawrence Summers, Director of the Nat'l Economic Council begins comments w/ a quote from de Tocqueville on the US sense of community.
• It is that unique American sense of community that allows us to meet together to solve common problems & maximize common opportunity.
• Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is now the podium. Venue is now at standing room only. Hundreds of people are in attendance

Railroad crossing talks set for Friday in Shreveport

Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover plans this week to meet with residents to discuss future railroad crossing closings, which will affect where motorists can drive.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Woodlawn Leadership Academy, 7340 Wyngate Blvd. (It was slated for the same time Thursday, but that conflicts with Woodlawn's graduation. Fridays are tough for drawing crowds to government-related meetings!)  

Crossings set to be closed in the next month include:

• Wyngate Boulevard between Valleyview Drive and Woodmont Street.
• Malcolm Street between Corbitt Street and Midway Avenue (trying to get clarification on  this – that's a big space).
• Church Street at Flournoy Lucas Road.

Union Pacific and the city have been negotiating on the closures while Shreveport worked for a new crossing on the extension of South Shrevepark Drive. That is intended to give better access to Shreve-Park Industrial Campus.

More movie perspective from Shreveport City Hall

Here's this weekend's article about the Shreveport area's movie scene. Note the byline: I worked with LSU-S senior and Times intern Christine Bradley. She is talented, and I hope we can figure out a way to keep her around.

But here's a little extra from an interview with Shreveport film commissioner Arlena Acree. If you'll remember back in July 2008, "No Country for Old Men" star Josh Brolin was arrested while in town to film "W," about former President George W. Bush. Just as his part in that movie wrapped, he was arrested at downtown night spot Stray Cat. Besides that he was maced, and co-star Jeffrey Wright was Tased.

Some industry insiders and at least one city official feared it would hurt business.

Asked recently, Acree said like she did in the months after the negative press that it obviously hasn't hurt.

"Not at all. You can tell by the numbers," Acree said. "This happens all the time in L.A. Even on video Josh said he’d been arrested four times or whatever.”

Acree went to the City Jail that night to hang with the stars.

Back in January 2009, when Mayor Cedric Glover and Police Chief Henry Whitehorn agreed to let City Council members watch video from the night of the arrests, Councilman Joe Shyne worried aloud that Shreveport's public relations would suffer. He compared the controversy to the 2003 fatal shooting of Marquise Hudspeth at the hands of police, plus the 2009 killing of Tremendous Davis, who also died from police gunfire.

"This just looks bad," Shyne said. "We've got to work on our image."

The charges against Brolin and Wright were dropped.

Here are some encouraging words from Brolin (who played Bush) to Wright (who portrayed former Secretary of State Colin Powell) while they sat handcuffed in a Shreveport police cruiser:

• "Dude, it doesn't matter." 
• "We're not going to get in trouble." 
• "You want a kissy?" 
• "I've been here. This is my seventh time."

Shreveport neighborhood buzz

Timing was interesting on this recent article by Times reporter Jane Bokun. It's about the new NoSo Neighborhood Association. NoSo stands for North-South Highlands. And you can't help but note its similarity to hip neighborhoods in bigger cities: SoHo in Manhattan and SoCo in Austin, Texas.

Generally positive comments on the article got me reading. Recent conversations I've had in and out of the newsroom kept me reading. One of the anonymous commenters questioned South Highlands' boundaries. (NoSo is between Line and Fairfield avenues from Kings Highway to McCormick Street. For The Times' identification purposes, we generally define the neighborhood as running from Kings Highway to Pierremont Road.) I was with a friend showing an out-of-towner around over the weekend, and the borderline between Highland and South Highlands was a question then, too.

For those of you who don't care about my personal thoughts and conversations, here's something that you can consider: I'm planning to incorporate more neighborhood issues into my coverage. That's through some of my own ideas plus conversations with editors and readers. So look for that. Feel free to give me your thoughts before the new effort rolls out.

On that note, here's the new Web site from the South Highlands Neihborhood Association. Group President Ellen White caught Bokun's article, too, and contacted both of us.

Shreveport property tax rates up for a vote at the City Council level

The yearly City Council vote on various Shreveport property tax rates is set for Tuesday. None are supposed to change, according to their proposed versions. 

Taxes on tomorrow's agenda pay for: 

• The Downtown Development Authority.  
• City debt.  
• Lots of general city operations, including worker wages, benefits, street repair and more.