Double disruptions at Shreveport's bond committee meeting

I was a pesky reporter tonight.

But I was annoying just for you, dear readers.

The Shreveport citizens bond committee met to hear presentations from city department managers on their capital needs. While SPAR Director Shelly Ragle spoke, I chatted (in a whisper) with City Engineer Ron Norwood. Ragle cut her eyes once. And then Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Rick Seaton actually shushed us – and Norwood by name. I was just getting the heads up because I didn't know if I'd get to sit in for all of Norwood's presentation. It was enough to get a few chuckles out of the rest of the group. (But no disrespect meant, Shelly!)

Shortly after I asked Police Chief Henry Whitehorn if he could step outside the meeting to chat with me. An editor got word to me that President Obama had nominated Whitehorn (the second of four steps to confirmation) for U.S. Marshal for Louisiana's Western District, which includes Shreveport. When Whitehorn gave his presentation an hour or so later, he called me out by name, saying I was the catalyst for his distracting evening. (And that he heard it first from me.) He had not heard most of the other presentations.

And so it goes in the life of a reporter.

(That's my best pesky reporter photo for now.)