Lake Charles' hit from Rita gets little attention

The Advocate ^ | 12/06/05 | WILL SENTELL

[girlangler]

Ha, the Sulphur newspaper is daily now? It was bi-weekly when I worked there, owned by retired Army General Wise.

I interned there while in college (McNeese). And at the LC American Press.

Vinton used to have a small weekly, but it folded while I was at the Builder. So, the Builder started a Vinton edition (section) once a week and I produced it.

Anyway, I had to come up with a section of news and the town is so small. I remember walking down(the only) main street and writing info on Knights of Columbus fish fries, etc., written on billboards at the bank, trying to find some news.

I finally ventured into the local drug store, and there was a coffee clatch there, all the old timers were hanging out. I got a cup of coffee and sat right down among them. Soon I had 'em talking, and had enough material to write feature articles for years.

Those included interviewing a Hall of Famer baseball great (Ted Lyons) and a guy (one of four from Vinton) who was in the Battaan Death March.

Before you cross and Sabine River if you look to the right you'll see a monument from I-10 at the American Legion Post. The article I wrote about the Battaan vets prompted a fundraising drive and they built it to honor those guys. Only one survived. To this day it was one of the best things I'd ever written.

Vinton is just full of interesting people. Another of my favorites is a story about an old 'coon ass (he is probably deceased by now) who was the justice of the peace (almost 90 at the time). He couldn't read or write and ran for office 50 years earlier as a joke. He won and was reelected all those years. It took me a long time to convince him to let me write about him (he couldn't read and was suspicious of anything written about him). I had to take a puppy from a litter of his to get his permission. The folks around town used to joke that he'd make you write out your own speeding tickets (JPs had broad powers and were armed then), since he couldn't write. Once, a smart aleck made the ticket out on the JP :)

My cajun brother-in-law was raised in Reeves, and one of his favorite fishing holes was Bundick's Lake. Do you know where Whiskey Chitter is?

[CajunConservative]

What great stories about the Vinton locals. We sure do have some interesting characters in this state.

I sure do know where Whiskey Chitto is. My grandmother was baptized there and I grew up in both the Bundicks area and Oberlin. I know several of the canoe rental owners, T&J and White Sands. I used to go swimming and canoing back when I was in high school.

[BnBlFlag]

My Grandparents were from Woodville too. I love the place.
I had a lot on Deer Lake, east of town. Beautiful place. Should have kept it.