The Parish Circuit

Opelousas Main Street brought in Baton Rouge planners to ask what downtown needs. The room already knew the answer. What this town is short on isn't plans. It's people willing to build.

In the most recent episode of The Parish Circuit, the conversation centered on this week's downtown revitalization session and a habit this parish can't seem to shake: waiting on someone from outside to come fix it.

Louisiana voters face 10 constitutional amendments this election, and Stuart Amidon and David Riley go through every one. Some are easy calls. Others hide a tax hike or a political play. They give their vote on each and explain why, then ask why the Louisiana Constitution keeps getting longer.

The auditors were just in the building. The parish may be close to out of money. And St. Landry Parish government is getting ready to open its annual haunted house again.

In the most recent episode of The Parish Circuit, the conversation turned to a question nobody at the parish seems eager to ask out loud: why is local government in the spook house business at all?

Plenty of people in St. Landry Parish have taken the black pill and decided this place is hopeless.

They’re wrong: a 15-second Facebook post changed how a state representative votes, and a short video helped lead to a pregnancy center in Opelousas that actively saves babies lives. 

Christians have changed towns before, from Luther’s Wittenberg to Calvin’s Geneva from the Puritans in Plymouth to Patrick and Boniface, and it can happen here too.

Opelousas mayoral candidate Elbert Guillory sat down with us to talk about his plans for the city.

 He says water, roads and public safety come first, and he’s already lined up engineers to find failing pipes and map out road repairs, although the funding will require outside sources.

He also wants more police officers, more factory jobs and a downtown people want to visit on a Saturday morning, all without raising taxes.

Early voting is open in Opelousas.

Stuart Amidon and David Riley revisit their interviews with mayoral candidate Rod Sias and police chief candidate Ebony Martin, break down who’s on the ballot, and share who they’d back for mayor and police chief.

Plus: Elbert Guillory’s broom-and-mop campaign and the Bill of Rights.

Trail rides are back at the Yambilee grounds, but Parish President Jessie Bellard says one more shooting and they’re done for good.

 That includes every trail ride in the parish, Mardi Gras and cook-off rides too. 

After the May shooting, organizers came back this month with 35 officers, pat-downs at the gate and a new rule for the parking lot.

Jessie Bellard says “Debate Me.”

 On the latest episode of The Parish Circuit, the St. Landry Parish President opened the books on the parish budget, from what state auditors found to why he won’t let the council pass a new tax without a public vote.

He also put out an open challenge to anyone who wants to debate him on how parish government runs. 

https://theparishcircuit.com/jessie-bellard-stands-his-ground/

Local news is still owned by the left. On this episode of The Parish Circuit, Stuart Amidon and David Riley sit down with Brian Dawson of 1819 News. He built a $2.7 million statewide Alabama newsroom on donor money, not ads, and he explains why conservatives keep losing the media fight.

Take the king's coin, become the king's man. On this episode of The Parish Circuit, Stuart Amidon and David Riley sit down with historian Dr. George Grant to trace America's slide into dependence on the state, and why the way out starts in local churches, not Washington. Get to work.