Airport Opens With Grand Reception…
And A Quick Talk With Senator Landrieu.
Tonight, the new terminal of the Alexandria International Airport opened with a packed reception featuring community members, prominent community leaders, and dignitaries. Among those who spoke include Wayne Denley, Jon Grafton, Representative Rodney Alexander, Charlie Dewitt, and Senator Mary Landrieu.
The airport is awesome, by the way. For those of you displaced Central Louisianans, trust me: Our new airport will knock your socks off. It’s beautiful.
I was fortunate to be able to personally meet and speak with Senator Landrieu earlier today, before the reception.
Landrieu emphasized her commitment to smart growth principles as a way of planning the future of Louisiana. Senator Landrieu may be considering the creation of a panel of Louisiana mayors to discuss and evaluate solvent smart growth methods.
The Senator also spoke of the need to pass the upcoming vote on the offshore drilling bill, which, she claims, has been the result of several years of work. Landrieu is in the process of ensuring that fellow Senators explain the need for this legislation to their colleagues in the House.
CenLamar 
Lamar:
The terminal opening was amazing! I heard that 1,800 people RSVP’d that they would attend. It seemed like that many or more were there. I predict that Senator Landrieu will be paying lots of attention to central Louisiana over the next couple of years. That’s a good thing for us.
Do ya’ll think DeWitt will run for Sheriff? I do. I think he’ll jump into the race in January. People say Slocum is weak and that DeWitt could take him.
Another item that really hasn’t been on anyone’s agenda and we all need to focus on is the extension of the Renewal Community program past 2009. There has been some consideration in House and the Senate, but no movement. This program has proven to be valuable to both big and small projects in North and Central Louisiana. As we compete, within our state and against others who can now offer GO Zone incentives, we have to keep the RC in tact. This helps level the playing field on a federal level.
I hope the new Mayor understands this needs to be part of his legislative presentation to DC as a priority – we have many businesses taking advantage of the program and many more now eligible with the downtown tract now eligible.
Wanna cookie?
That’d be nice, but I’m out of milk.
I hear the senator is going around bragging about finally meeting and visiting with Lamar White.
Awesome!
Oh, is she from Louisiana?