He's being called "The Don of Dogfighting" and even "The Godfather of Dogfighting." Seventy-year-old Floyd Boudreaux, and his 40-year-old son, Guy, were arrested and charged with dogfighting, animal cruelty, possession of a sawed-off shotgun and illegal possession of steroids.
Fifty-six adult American pit bull terriers and four puppies from Boudreaux's Youngsville property were seized by the state police, the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States. A Web site that lists Boudreaux's business as "Cajun Knls" [sic] states: "No dogs are intended or sold for any illegal purposes." According to the HSUS, "Boudreaux has a virtual army of followers nationwide who purchase his dogs for fighting," and Boudreaux's bloodline of "Eli" dogs are "considered the top choice for dog fighters." The HSUS also contends that there were "a couple hundred roosters" on the Boudreaux property believed to be used for cockfighting, but the birds were not seized. (Cockfighting is still legal in Louisiana and parts of New Mexico.) Last week, SPCA officials stated that the dogs were valued at $250,000 and that all 56 of the dogs had been euthanized. ' RRF
TOUGH ARRANGEMENT
Not just anybody can arrange flowers ' at least not in Louisiana. The state has a peculiar law that requires potential florists to pass a test to earn a florist's license and the right to work on their own. The Times-Picayune reports that Clark Neily, with the non-profit Washington law firm Institute for Justice, argued that the law was unjust and that the market should bear out who has floral talent. In order to become a licensed florist ' not just a floral clerk ' applicants have to pass a written exam as well as arrange four arrangements in four hours. (About half the applicants fail.) U.S. District Judge Frank Polozola ruled that the licensing requirements don't violate the U.S. Constitution's equal protection and due process rights. Neily intends to appeal to the ruling. ' RRF
BLUE MONDAY
Fats Domino has never written a political song in his life, but the title of one of his classics has been co-opted for a monthly social event for Lafayette democrats. "Blue Monday" is the moniker for an informal gathering of local liberals and progressives being held from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on the second Monday of every month at Guamas restaurant on Jefferson Street. It kicked off March 14, and approximately 50 attendees showed up at the inaugural event.
"Lafayette is a very conservative town these days," says one of the organizers, who asked not to be named in order to keep her political beliefs hidden in her workplace. "We love our Republican neighbors, friends and families, but wanted to create an event where liberals can speak freely about whatever is on their minds. This is not a political rally. A purely social gathering, Blue Monday is an opportunity to enjoy the company of Lafayette folks who share some common political perspectives."
Guamas is normally closed on Mondays, but is opening its doors for Blue Monday participants. For more info on the upcoming April 11 Blue Monday, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . ' SJ
UP IN SMOKE
Two former Ragin' Cajun basketball players were recently driving the wrong way on a one way ' in more ways than one. Michael Southall and Cedric Williams were arrested in Lafayette for possessing and smoking pot while driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Williams had been academically ineligible for the team, and Southall had been arrested previously on a parole violation. (In his home state of Wisconsin, Southall also had prior marijuana charges.) If there was hope that the two would return to the team next season, their recent troubles have clouded their future. Ironically, just hours before his arrest, in an interview with KLFY TV10, Southall stated: "The things I've been through, you have no choice but to change. I had a lot of time on my hands just to think, to reflect. I'm just taking responsibility for my actions and grow as a man, an individual, a person â?¦" ' RRF
HOLLY BEACH, P.D.?
Unless the Florida state Legislature increases its tax incentive program for filmmakers, the city of Napoleonville could be the filming location for the feature film Panama City Beach P.D. Florida offers a 15 percent reimbursement to producers who spend at least $850,000 in the state, but reimbursements are capped at $2.45 million. According to Panama City's The News Herald, Gov. Jeb Bush is requesting that the cap be increased to $4.5 million. Louisiana has no cap for reimbursements on tax credits for investors and employment. The city of Orlando was originally intended to be the location for the filming of Because of Winn-Dixie, but production was later moved to Louisiana for its favorable incentives. If filmed in Panama City, the production is expected to pump some $30 million into that local economy. Bay County Film Commissioner Julie Gordon told the paper, "It's called Panama City Beach P.D., it'd be horrible for them to film it in Louisiana." Maybe not. Maybe the title could be changed to Holly Beach P.D. ' RRF
AWARDS A PLENTY
The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum has received six architectural awards for its 33,000 square foot minimalist structure. The museum was awarded the 2005 American Institute of Architects National Honor Award, 2005 AIA Regional Honor Award for the Southeastern United States, 2005 AIA State Honor Award for Louisiana, 2005 AIA Honor Award for the New Orleans Chapter, Louisiana Contractors Association Best of 2004 Award and the National Association of Builders and Contractors Best of 2004 National Award. The museum will also be featured in the May 2005 issue of Architectural Record magazine. The University Art Museum was a collaboration between New Orleans firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, Museum Director Herman Mhire and Museum Planner Marcy Goodwin, and opened last spring with 11,000 square feet of exhibition space. ' EZ
LANDRIEU BREAKS RANKS ON ALASKA DRILLING
Sen. Mary Landrieu was one of three Democratic senators to break party ranks last week and vote to open Alaska's Artic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Landrieu's vote was crucial, as the final tally was 51-49 and finally passed Pres. Bush's energy initiative after four years of Democratic filibusters.
Landrieu said she voted in favor of drilling after a number of Republican senators agreed to support Landrieu's efforts for federal coastal erosion dollars for Louisiana, according to the Times-Picayune. ' SJ
EASY AS XYZ
Looking for local books and buying them from a local bookseller just got a lot easier. The Web site, booksXYZ, now stocks the entire catalog published by UL Lafayette's Center for Louisiana Studies. The book merchant's Web site currently lists more than 1.2 million titles and sales generated online benefit nonprofit organizations the Acadiana Educational Endowment and the American Public School Endowments. Customers can also choose which college or school of their choice to donate 5 percent of their purchase. For more information, visit www.booksxyz.com. ' RRF
2 GOOD 2 BE TRUE
Tickets are on sale now for Hospice of Acadiana's annual raffle. A 50th anniversary edition Thunderbird hardtop convertible and a 2005 Ford F-150 King Ranch Lariat Supercrew Truck from Hub City Ford are top prizes in the "2 Good 2 Be True Giveaway." Tickets went on sale at a kickoff party at Coyote Blues March 15 and are now available from the Hospice office for $50. The grand prize will be drawn June 5 at the culmination of Hospice Tel-Event 2005, a live telethon broadcast live on KATC-TV 3, KQIS 102.1 and B 106.7. Call 237-1332, ext. 1133, for more info. ' EZ
MAY 24 Blogger Robert Mann posts this entry about the Baton Rouge Chamber's recent report on Louisiana's higher education system. It's critical to economic development, and yet our system is facing a "funding crisis" with no way to resolve it, the report says. The Chamber says control of tuition and fees must be returned to the higher ed governing boards.
MAY 24 Here's a NBC33 story about Tyrann Mathieu. He has signed with the Arizona Cardinals, inking a $3 million, four-year deal. He gets a signing bonus of $265K, but gets another, larger bonus if he doesn't get cut from the team for doing drugs. The deal reportedly includes mandatory tests and meetings for the player.
MAY 24 Jarvis DeBerry posts here about the redonkulus rhetoric that would have us believe NOLA is a safe city with a murder problem. Maybe the city's crime stats don't compare with its murder stats because you can't manipulate a murder, he says: a dead body's a dead body. It just doesn't make sense, he says, and his readers agree: a poll asks if they believe the city is safe, and more than 90 percent say no.
MAY 24 Jindal administration officials announced Thursday that the privatization of public health care is going to cost a lot more than they budgeted for, the Advocate reports here. "I'm so surprised," said no one. Anywhere. The cost they're projecting now is more than $1 billion - a lot more than the $626 million budgeted for it. And, it's more than it cost the state to operate those hospitals. So why are we doing this again?
MAY 24 Blogger CB Forgotston ridicules the recent PR campaign by the state GOP in the wake of a legislative auditor's request to both major parties. The GOP (apparently unaware that the Dems got the same request) started yammering about being targeted because it had "killed" a tax increase. CB finds that laughable, but it's also pretty funny that the GOP was comparing this episode to the IRS scandal (Because the President has so much to do with our state auditor. Right?).
MAY 24 Politico details some recent fund-raising efforts by Sen. David Vitter, which have raised the question of his future political plans. This time, it is a $5,000 per head "bayou weekend" that includes "Cajun cooking" and an all-caps "alligator hunt," the story reports. Funds raised go to a super PAC that can spend money to support Vitter in federal or state races, the story points out.
MAY 24 The pink building on Royal in the quarter was sold at a sheriff's sale Thursday, this Picayune story reports. An injunction that would have halted the sale wasn't enforced because the family failed to post a $150,000 bond, the story reports. So the owner of the mortgages on the building bought it, for nearly $7 million. Now the feuding family will have to negotiate with that company to get a lease on the building that has housed their business for close to 60 years.
MAY 23 This post in Louisiana Voice tells us about a bill by a Winnsboro lege that would require all public high school students to take at least one Course Choice online class in order to graduate. (What?) Blogger Tom Aswell says it's a monument to "waste and corruption," especially in light of the problems he's exposed with the program in recent weeks. Idaho had a similar program, but voters removed it by a 2-1 margin, Aswell says.
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