The last (and only) Mardi Gras I attended was on Canal Street in 1964. That was quite enough for this north Louisiana country boy not quite yet 21 at the time.
As has become my custom since moving to the Baton Rouge area first in 1973 when I first learned that Mardi Gras was a state holiday, and upon my return in 1981, I will be spending the day in the warm comfort of my home while others partake in the insanity and revelry. I only watch the Denham Springs Mardi Gras parade because it rolls right by my house and I have only to walk 50 feet in order to catch beads that will ultimately find their way into the garbage.
It’s not that I’m a wet blanket (well, maybe I am), but I’ll be working on what I’ve done for the past nine years now: keeping you informed about the miscreants we entrust our state, our parishes and our municipalities to.
There are backroom deals to ferret out, campaign contributions that influence the way our legislators vote, decisions our judges and district attorneys make, audit reports, stories of the minority of law enforcement officials who abuse their authority, and board and commissions that become power mad to the detriment of those whom they regulate.
Chasing down these stories, of course, takes time….and expenses. Purchasing copies of records and legal fees for filing lawsuits when records are not forthcoming, along with the normal daily expenses of travel from one end of this state to the other takes money.
That’s why I approach my readers twice a year for contributions. I skipped last October’s fundraiser but now there is an even more pressing need: I am incurring considerable legal expense in setting LouisianaVoice up as a 501 (3)(c) non-profit. I’m doing that so that the next time I come calling, hat in hand, your contributions will be tax deductible, providing, of course, Mr. Trump and his Republican lap dogs don’t decide to take that deduction away as part of their tax “reform.”
But for now, I need your generosity to come through in order to continue to support the work done by LouisianaVoice. As I said last Friday, you’re not going to agree with everything I write and I hope that you can understand that.
Please click on the yellow “DONATE” button to the right or mail your check to:
LouisianaVoice
P.O. Box 922
Denham Springs, Louisiana 70727
As always, thank you for your support these nine years.
Louisiana Voice 
I appreciate you and what you do, Tom. My check will be in the mail soon.