Bill Ellzey: Slow weather days have TV meteorologists speculating to fill time
Television weathercasters, having no hurricanes or other climate disasters to wallow in, devoted much of their Friday air time to speculation about the first 90-degree high of 2022. Most of us understand that every year, spring turns into summer and the daytime temperatures climb past 90 into occasional 100s.
But if you have a designated slot on television and need some weather news to fill it with, the first 90 will do. In fact, I just used the same topic to fill a gap in this column.
Another book! Ken Wells is not our only native Terrebonne author with a new book coming.
Patricia Hornsby Crochet e-mailed last week her excited announcement: “Pelican Publishing has accepted my third book, 'Randolph Finds the Rougarou'.” She's figuring to latch onto a big local event to boost sales. “Hmm, maybe I could sell it at a booth at the Rougarou Fest next year!”
She does not say exactly when publishers will have copies available for sale. Wells' young adult novel “Swamped,” has a December publication date. Both their books, therefore, could be available for Christmas shopping. I'll try to keep you posted.
Beignets with Beignet? The South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, says director Jonathan Foret, “will celebrate GiveNOLA Day with the Beignet Challenge on May 3, 2022! Our challenge is to raise over $5,000 during this campaign to unlock a generous $5,000 match from an anonymous donor!
“To make giving even sweeter, we're hosting a pop-up beignet booth at the Waterlife Museum parking lot at 7910 Park Ave., Houma between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. on May 3, 2022. Everyone's favorite furry friend Beignet, the Nutria, will be on hand to thank all of our donors! To donate, visit givenola.org/south-louisiana-wetlands..
Courtroom drama: Local live theater lovers get another opportunity in June to see the play “Inherit the Wind,” explore the collision of evolution and fundamentalism in the stage version of the so-called “Snopes monkey trial” presented in the courtroom in the old Terrebonne courthouse in Houma.
A production in the same courtroom years ago had a local LePetit cast and lots of fol-de-rol. The coming production opens Friday, June 3, 7:30 p.m., and runs weekends through the June 12, 2 p.m. performance. It stars Randy Cheramie and Spud McConnell as the opposing attorneys. Tickets, $70. Reservations, (985) 209-3612. Seating is limited. All sales final.
No floating across: That trip I have been planning, down the Mississippi below New Orleans to Venice, Louisiana, and ferry crossings of the river at Pointe a la Hache and Belle Chasse, remains unaccomplished. Too much other stuff grabbing the time; local appointments, drives to Baton Rouge for retired teacher gatherings, daily drives from Coteau to Bellaire Drive merely to collect our mail and to check on the usual lack of progress on renovations there.
The Baton Rouge trip last week was an eye-opener. I drove via U.S.-90 to I-312, then I-10 to our meeting, barely missing a humongous traffic jam on I-12, near its merge into I-10.
Eastbound traffic on I-10, including hundreds of semis, was backed up for miles. Fortunately, our westbound traffic was not affected.
Responding? Contact Bill Ellzey at 985 381-6256, at ellzey@viscom.net, billellzey312@gmail.com, or Bill Ellzey, 312 Bellaire Drive, Houma, LA 70360. My submission deadlines are early Mondays for Wednesday columns and early Fridays for Sunday columns. Send full details about a week in advance of your event or announcement.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: Bill Ellzey: Slow weather days have TV meteorologists speculating to fill time
