MCCI moves out of New Iberia, Grant Street's options and more
END OF AN ERA
Glenn Stokes' mosquito spraying company, Mosquito Control Contractors Inc., will be out of a job in Iberia Parish in April 2006 after nearly a quarter century of doing business with the parish. Following a contentious lawsuit between parish government and Stokes over money squabbles and billing irregularities, MCCI relinquished the source reduction portion of the million-dollar-plus contract. Last week, the parish council voted to change the other half of the MCCI mosquito-spraying contract into an in-house program, ending a 23-year relationship with Stokes. MCCI retains two mosquito-spraying contracts with Lafayette and St. Martin Parishes. ' Mary Tutwiler
GRANT STREET OPTIONS
Grant Street Dancehall's possible move out of downtown ("Grant Street Dancehall to change address?" Nov. 23) has sparked a flurry of public interest that has owner Don Kight exploring more options for the live music venue's future.
"It has been remarkable to hear that Grant Street has meant so much to so many people," he says. "This transition period has been sort of sad for me so it's been nice to hear Grant Street is still so celebrated."
Kight says that he will still likely move the club, but that a couple of parties have approached him about buying the business. He says Downtown Development Authority also has contacted him and plans to show him other possible downtown venues for the club. Kight is looking for a larger building so he can book more big-name acts and also wants to have guaranteed parking for customers, a rarity for downtown venues.
He's also exploring having a kitchen in the club and considering locations outside the parish that would allow him to stay open past 2 a.m. Along with the new amenities, Kight recognizes the importance of maintaining the club's vintage feel and quality acoustics. "Part of what people love about Grant Street is that it's in an old building," he says. "And being old myself, I'm glad that people appreciate that." ' Nathan Stubbs
OFFENSIVE HEADLINE OF THE WEEK
Last week's Times of Acadiana cover story, on trash pickup in post-Katrina New Orleans, featured the incredibly insensitive headline "Let Them Eat Garbage." TOA added insult to injury with its subhead, "Life in New Orleans gets even dirtier." ' Scott Jordan
SPEAKING OF TONE-DEAF â?¦
An open-letter advertisement from City-Parish President Joey Durel imploring Lafayette residents to write BellSouth and tell the telecom company to stop filing lawsuits challenging LUS' fiber-to-the-home initiative ran in last Sunday's Daily Advertiser. While the gist of the ad ' which was paid for by pro-fiber political action group Lafayette Yes ' is certainly warranted, Durel (or the ad's copywriter) crossed a line by injecting hurricane politics into the discussion. "In light of the recent hurricanes that ravaged our state, Lafayette is attempting to be part of the solution for rebuilding and reinvesting in our own future with our own money, not federal bailouts," the letter said.
If it's referring to BellSouth getting federal assistance, that's unclear. And with New Orleans struggling, coastal restoration funding essential to Louisiana's survival and Washington dragging its feet on relief monies, referring to "federal bailouts" in the context of hurricane damage is unfathomable. ' Scott Jordan