Hot Button Editorial Blog

Road Closed

The Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie are barely finished off when the conversation turns to Black Friday.  It's called that because it's the day that launches the retail season which means the difference between many stores being in the black (or profitable), or in the red (or unprofitable).

It would appear to have been a pretty good Black Friday in Southwest Louisiana, with lots of shoppers out.  That bodes well for our local economy.

But some stores and restaurants have had a whammy thrown at them during this critical holiday shopping season.  Those are the ones which have the misfortune of being located where roads have been closed for bridge or streetscape work.  Ryan and Lake streets come to mind; there are several others through the region.

There's never a good time to have the street in front of your business closed off to customers.  But the holiday season is the worst time.

As you go about your Christmas shopping, please make it a point to find the detours to these businesses and offer your patronage.  They especially need your help right now so they can survive into next year when the roadwork is done.

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Do you have a comment or reply to this Hot Button Editorial?  Please send it to hotbutton@kplctv.com.  We may post it here in the comments thread and/or use it in a Hot Button Rebuttal.

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Giving Thanks

Some housekeeping notes as many of you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with family, friends, or maybe co-workers on the job if you work holidays.

This is when most cooking-related fires occur, more frequently of late because of the popularity of deep-fried turkeys.  Please if you plan to do that remember to keep your fryer well away from any building or structure, keep a fire extinguisher handy, don't overfill your pot with oil, and for God's sake please remember to thaw your turkey first.  Dropping a frozen turkey into boiling oil is a sure way to cause a flameup which could burn your house down or worse yet, seriously burn you or someone close by.

If you are traveling, please do so safely and bring KPLC along with you.  We are now streaming our noon, 5 and 6pm newscasts live so you can catch the local news in real time anywhere in the world.  Also please take a few minutes during your holiday and log onto our new KPLC Neighborhood News pages to see what's going on right there in your neck of the woods, and post some news of your own while you're there.

As I count my own blessings, our staff here at KPLC, our loyal advertisers and you our awesome viewers come immediately to mind.  Let's all be thankful for friends and family, and especially keep in our thoughts and prayers those in the line of duty and those dealing with their own struggles.

No matter how you celebrate Thanksgiving, all of us at KPLC wish you health, happiness and lots more for which to be grateful.

CLICK HERE FOR SAFETY TIPS IF YOU PLAN TO DEEP-FRY YOUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY THIS YEAR:

http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/deep-frying-the-holiday-bird-here-are-some-safety-tips

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Do you have a comment or reply to this Hot Button Editorial?  Please send it to hotbutton@kplctv.com.  We may post it here in the comments thread and/or use it in a Hot Button Rebuttal.

 What's YOUR Hot Button?  Friend Jim Serra on Facebook at Jim Serra Kplc and join in the behind-the-scenes conversation!

Vote Yes for Amendment 1

One of the things we'll be voting on this Saturday is the Louisiana Property Tax Amendment, which will appear on your ballot as Amendment #1.

We felt it important to discuss this one in a Hot Button because it's a little confusing.  Many folks, when confronted with the word "tax" in the voting booth these days, might instinctively vote "no."  But in this case, here's the deal.  Voting "no" actually paves the way for future taxes on real estate transfers in Louisiana, for instance selling or buying a house or commercial property.  Voting "yes" on the other hand prohibits new taxes on those sales either by the state or a parish or city.

We agree with the real estate industry and economic development professionals statewide that new real estate transfer taxes are simply a bad idea; an inefficient and regressive way to raise money for the public dole.  At a time when our real estate industry is taking off again after a recession and a hurricane bubble bursting, the last thing we need is a new tax to put more burdens on those who want to buy or sell properties here.

So, if you'd like to be hit with a new tax, vote no.  But if, like us, you want to make sure no new transfer tax ever rears its ugly head when you buy or sell your home, we encourage you to vote YES on Amendment #1 this Saturday.

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Do you have a comment or reply to this Hot Button Editorial?  Please send it to hotbutton@kplctv.com.  We may post it here in the comments thread and/or use it in a Hot Button Rebuttal.

 What's YOUR Hot Button?  Friend Jim Serra on Facebook at Jim Serra Kplc and join in the behind-the-scenes conversation!

Soles 4 Souls

There's a very interesting recycling effort that's going on in Southwest Louisiana for a few more days and I want to call your attention to it.  Because it involves something that's very needed and I'll just bet you have gathering dust in your closet.  I sure did.

It's called "Soles4Souls."  In short, it's a Keep Louisiana Beautiful initiative to recycle old shoes and put them on the feet of people who need them, here in the U.S. or abroad.

Three area agencies are participating.  They are Keep Calcasieu Beautiful, Junior Team Green of Southwest Louisiana and Keep DeRidder Beautiful.  Scroll down for links to these organizations and more information.  But hurry; Soles4Souls wraps up this coming Friday, November the 18th.

Your old shoes were made for walking; and that's just what they'll do on the feet of those who truly need them.  Look for Soles4Souls collection boxes at businesses throughout the area or you can drop them off at the Calcasieu Parish Government Building at 1015 Pithon Street in Lake Charles during normal business hours. 

Give your old shoes a second career by donating them to Soles4Souls.  Your closet floor will thank you and so will I.

KEEP CALCASIEU BEAUTIFUL:  http://www.cppj.net/index.aspx?page=30&recordid=618

TEAM GREEN OF LOUISIANA:  http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/egov/apps/directory/list.egov?path=divs&action=47

KEEP DERIDDER BEAUTIFUL:  Keep DeRidder Beautiful is kicking off Shoe Recycling program to collect shoes for needy all over world through Soles4Souls. For more info call 337-462-8900.

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Do you have a comment or reply to this Hot Button Editorial?  Please send it to hotbutton@kplctv.com.  We may post it here in the comments thread and/or use it in a Hot Button Rebuttal.

 What's YOUR Hot Button?  Friend Jim Serra on Facebook at Jim Serra Kplc and join in the behind-the-scenes conversation!

Only a Test

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've no doubt heard by now about this week's big Emergency Alert System test which broadcasters will conduct Wednesday at one o'clock p.m.  That's either tomorrow or today, depending on when you're listening to this Hot Button.

Why is it such a big deal?  Well, it's the first time a national test of the Emergency Alert System has ever been undertaken.  The purpose is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the EAS as a public alert mechanism.  The EAS is tested periodically at the state and local level, but this is the first time a top-down review has ever been undertaken.  The big question: Can the President, in a time of emergency, address the entire nation within ten minutes of a crisis using broadcast, cable, satellite and the Internet?

We think the test is a good idea.  There is no better way to reach people than through broadcast media.  The vast majority of Southwest Louisianians watch KPLC routinely each and every week.  So you'll see this EAS test on all our channels.  KPLC 7.1, THIS TV 7.2 and Bounce TV 7.3.  We'll also send out a test tweet with a custom hashtag Wednesday at 1pm plus Facebook notifications.  Please be part of this test by retweeting and reposting.

Broadcasters' commitment to operate in the public interest is at the heart of KPLC's own At Your Service pledge. Our participation in this week's national EAS test is part of that commitment to you our viewers and all of Southwest Louisiana.

Playground Rising

When the call goes out for volunteers and donations to fill a community need, Southwest Louisianians always step up to the plate.  We've never seen it fail.

So after an arsonist destroyed the lakefront Millennium Park playground, it didn't take long for the shock and sadness to morph into plans for an even bigger play area for local and visiting families.

It's been gratifying to see the new Shiver Me Timbers rise from the ground, and it is impressive in its scope.  Even more impressive are the thousands of volunteers who have once again made it happen.  But the work's not done yet.  It continues through this Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.

Organizers still need your help, even if it's just for an hour or two, and you don't need any special skills.  You'll never drive or walk by it again without saying, "I helped build that."  Contributions are also needed.  I've posted information on both volunteering and donations on the Hot Button page of kplctv.com.

Millennium Park is rising again as a jewel in our lakefront crown.  It's happening because of the dedication of thousands of area residents and is already a reminder of all that's right with Southwest Louisiana.

Click here for more information on the new Millennium Park:  http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/department/division.php?fDD=2-250 

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Do you have a comment or reply to this Hot Button Editorial?  Please send it to hotbutton@kplctv.com.  We may post it here in the comments thread and/or use it in a Hot Button Rebuttal.

 What's YOUR Hot Button?  Friend Jim Serra on Facebook at Jim Serra Kplc and join in the behind-the-scenes conversation!