OPINIONS

Editorials, opinions and commentary from The Times-Picayune

This newspaper makes the following recommendations for Saturday's ballot. ST. TAMMANY PARISH Mandeville Mayor Trilby Lenfant A member of the Mandeville City Council for the past 10 years, Ms. Lenfant is well-positioned to move into the mayor's role. She has taken the lead in tightening ethics requirements for city officials, and her calls for greater transparency in the way... Full story »

Driving home in bright sun instead of twilight almost makes up for that elusive lost hour that won't return until the fall. Almost. It's hard to understand why springing forward to make the most of longer daylight is so much harder than falling back when days shorten in autumn. Or why my stomach adapts to the changed schedule almost... Full story »

Re: "Cameras improve our driving," Your Opinions, March 18. We seem to be ignoring a key issue behind the traffic cameras dispute. Using the cameras to issue traffic tickets violates the city's own laws and, in some cases, fails to provide irrefutable evidence that an offense has been committed. Fortunately, one individual had the courage to stand up for what... Full story »

Re: "Legendary composer Wardell Quezergue becomes a role model for diabetic dieting," Living, March 11. In addition to providing creative information (and a fabulous recipe) for the many diabetics in our region, food writer Judy Walker highlighted an organization long committed to serving and preserving the well-being of our musicians, in order that the cultural economy of New Orleans might... Full story »

We are in a recession! I am a part-time teacher. Now President Obama wants to stick me with a mandatory bill for health insurance. If I could afford health insurance, don't you think I would have bought it by now? I am too busy paying thousands of dollars in doctor's bills that the health insurance does not cover for my... Full story »

Re: "Don't waver on MR-GO," Our Opinions, March 17. No one in the commercial and recreational fishing communities wants to see an alternate route around the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet dam (at Bayou Laloutre) that increases the chance of flooding in St. Bernard or Orleans parishes. However, currently, several inconvenient and dangerous alternate routes to Breton Sound are being used. What... Full story »

Re: "Panel proposes single standard for all schools: It would apply throughout nation," Page A10, March 11. According to national leaders, "world class" is our schools' new success standard. Have they kicked aside respect for "American class," which has always been our success beacon? The "world class" designation is a cancer invading America. President Obama's new education initiative follows this... Full story »

The newspaper makes the following recommendations for Saturday's ballot. Jefferson Parish Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni Mr. Yenni has a wealth of experience in public service, most recently as chief administrative officer for three years for Mayor Ed Muniz. Mr. Yenni, who has a degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in political science and government, seems to appreciate the importance of... Full story »

It is only natural, in the sleazy network of Jefferson Parish officialdom, that seemingly unrelated scandals should turn out to overlap. So it is with the forced resignation of Parish Attorney Tom Wilkinson and the impeachment of federal judge Tom Porteous. Interim Parish President Steve Theriot removed Wilkinson as one of the leading lights of the freewheeling Aaron Broussard... Full story »

Annoyed with persistent reports that President George W. Bush flew over New Orleans while people in the city struggled to keep their heads above water, the Texas Board of Education last week ordered textbook publishers to provide what they say is a more realistic account of the Texan's response to Hurricane Katrina. Future students will hear a tale of... Full story »

Steve Theriot likes to tell two stories about his time so far as Jefferson Parish's interim president. The first happened right after his initial Parish Council meeting in January. Theriot excused himself to visit the restroom and, upon emerging to the hallway, was greeted by an FBI agent. The agent handed him a letter from U.S. Attorney Jim Letten... Full story »

It appears that postage costs are completely out of hand. I understand why postal costs were developed where the so-called junk mail received special breaks in postage rates, but times have changed. Today proved to be a regular day in my postal deliver -- 17 missives. Of these, only one was a magazine that I subscribe to, the others, all... Full story »

Re: Working people are suffering, Jenner Wilson, March 19. I am sorry for the predicament experienced by the writer, but where is the money supposed to come from? All the government can do is to take more money from others to pay for his or her medical and dental bills. Remember folks, the government doesn't have any money. It's our... Full story »

Why do people think it is our government's job to bail us out when we can't afford something? People couldn't afford their "dream home," so the government stepped in and pressured banks to lend to people they normally wouldn't. Housing foreclosures skyrocketed and got us in the mess we are in now. Now it's time for them to get invovled... Full story »

Thank you for giving trees front-page coverage in your March 17 issue. The planting of lost trees is a critical issue for the city. It's a shame that federal funding has taken so long to come through, as four years of growth has been lost. The live oaks planted at Lee Circle in December 2005, followed by 244 trees planted... Full story »