1-7-99

Has Progress come to Ascension Parish?

A couple of weeks ago the Governor of Louisiana came to Gonzales and was given a tour of Pelican Point in a golf cart. The
Governor leaves with this promise to the local politicians that have been elected to office: "I will help you to get the three million
dollars for the Courthouse addition."

Well, after some thought on that promise by the Governor, I sat down and wrote a few lines about what I thought, or "What I
considered foolish" about he proposal. While sitting at my desk writing, I came across a similar letter that I had written in January,
1998 on the same subject and I mailed it along with the letter I have just written in the last week of December, 1998. Then, I
proceeded to mail out approximately 75 copies (mostly to people that are anti-incumbents).

Behold ! Sunday, January 3, 1999, First page of The Advocate, an article by John McMillan about how Ascension Parish
Sheriff Mr. Jeff Wiley has come up with a grand IDEA on how to control JUVENILE CRIME. Mr. Wiley was given about 1/4 of
the front page, plus some on another page. I did considerable thinking about Mr. McMillan giving so much write up to Mr. Wiley, as
all of 1998 was devoted mostly to Mr. Martinez by Mr. McMillan.

Imagine my surprise on Tuesday morning to open The Advocate and on the front page, Section A, Mr. Wiley is given more
coverage total than he was given in the Sunday paper. This time, Mr. Wiley is after Mr. Martinez and the Courthouse expansion.
That puzzles me.

Now, if that was not enough, Tuesday afternoon I changed my radio dial to WWL after four o'clock. Would you believe
this - Mr. Wiley was given a full hour to talk with people that wanted more facts on his Master Plan on Juvenile Criminals. Because I
am in and out of the car, I did not get to listen to all of the program.

Now, I live here in Ascension Parish and Mr. Wiley has been sheriff for three full years. I have not read in any of the local
papers or heard from the people of any of these programs having been put into operation by the Ascension Parish Sheriff's
Department. If they are operation, what are the results?

Surely when the campaign for re-election in approximately 7 months gets in full swing, we will surely get to know more about
the progress of the Master Plan.

O. W. STEVENS