It’s a shame that an issue as sensitive to our community as domestic violence has Democrats and Republicans playing election-year politics.

Up until now, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has always passed with strong bipartisan support. But this year it has become emeshed in partisan bickering that rages on in Congress.

Hello readers,

I thought I’d introduce myself to you all. My name is Lisa Yates, and I am the new editor at Gonzales Weekly Citizen.

My name is Tommy Boyter. My wife is Liz. We have lived in this wonderful parish for the last 20 years.

A farewell letter from outgoing Editor Charlotte Guedry.

Final column by outgoing Editor Charlotte Guedry.

I received a telephone call this morning from a teacher at Gonzales Middle School, Carla Duplechin.

Carla is a Special Needs teacher within our parish, and was calling to tell me that every Friday, her class gets together and they read my column.

I have this friend who is FOREVER making up words or using them incorrectly. At first it was kind of sweet. She’d say things like, “oh, that dinner was fandabulous,” or that yes, Channing Tatum really is rather a “gottie!” (Her version of hot and gorgeous combined). Like I said, kind of sweet in her own little way.

Funerals have always scared be a little bit. I’m a sensitive soul, and the entire idea of a funeral just makes me so very sad.
I grew up never viewing an open casket. I know the body lying there is only a vessel, but the entire concept frightens me, so for the most part I’ve avoided going to them.

I was sitting down to lunch with a friend recently when she said something I found rather strange. I believe it was meant as a compliment, but the tone with which she delivered her observation was a bit negative, and the comment left me feeling as though I had to defend myself.

At first glance I was hoping for some sexy, French film heroine look. Sort of like I was head of some French Foreign Legion resistance movement. I looked at it and thought, I can do this. It gives me an edge.

Well Happy, Happy New Year world, and welcome 2012! “Another year over, and a new one just begun,” as the old Lennon song goes!

Wow, 2012! I can barely believe it. 2011 was a fast year, with so much going on globally, nationally and locally. Honestly, to me it felt like it flew by.

The one thing, though, that has stuck in my mind, at least what I’ll remember 2011 being the year of, has been the way so many people just seemed really vocal.

I love this time of year. I love the smell of the tree when I walk into my house. I love driving home and seeing all the pretty lights and decorations. I love having the time to spend with my family. I love wearing a scarf and getting out the knee high boots. I love it all, except for the fireworks. I hate them.

The holiday season is upon us, and all of us at the Gonzales Weekly Citizen would like to take this time to wish you and yours the happiest and safest of holidays.

I was looking in the Sunday supplements this past weekend, and in one of the many magazines that accompanies the paper, there was a rather interesting article about the United States Postal Service.

It’s my birthday this week, and the older I get, the more I realize just how many different types of people we come across as we age.

I had something happen a few weeks ago that is still quite perplexing on the ol’ brain.

I had been sitting around for a few days and my teeth just felt wrong. I can’t explain it, really, but it was sort of like my mouth didn’t feel big enough for my teeth anymore. I know that sounds odd, but it really is the best way I can describe it and try and give you some type of picture you can sympathize with.

Needless to say, I thought a trip to the dentist was in order.

Last week I was talking to my boss. We were discussing a meeting he’d been in where another (yes, there are a few of us down South) Brit had been in attendance.

My boss was fascinated that the man in the meeting had used the word lorrie. Now, I, being of English blood and guts, knew exactly what was meant by the word. Lorrie = a big truck

My boss found this most entertaining, and he began to point out a few words that I say from time to time that are quintessentially British. Well, pretty soon the entire office was in on it, as they were calling out words and phrases that I didn’t even realize I used.

Recently a dear friend of mine posted something on his Facebook page in response to the death of Andy Rooney. My friend John, like myself, was a fan of Rooney. We both appreciated his wit and his passion for trying to figure out the abnormalities of day to day life. So, Rooney, this one’s for you, with a little help from my friend John. Long may your memory live in those, who like us, follow your lead.

Have you ever noticed there’s no pearl on the pearly gates? I mean, for years we are taught about the pearly gates, and how elaborate they are. When you finally reach them, though, you see they are simply gates which one passes through.

I was at my Rotary Club meeting this morning, and the guest speaker was talking about our local school system. Now, I must say, where I live we are very fortunate. We have an amazing public school system, which is well organized. The kids here are getting high quality educations, but I digress.... (Seriously, though, I really could go on and on about our public schools here)!

Anyway, during her talk, this woman mentioned something that has been sitting with me all day. She was talking about the social attitudes of children, and she said these two sentences that I honestly can’t get out of my head. “They (the school kids) don’t all come into our schools nowadays knowing how to behave. We are teaching some of them how to do this before we can get them to learn.”

Wow! When did that happen? I know it did. I see it in the attitudes and reactions of today’s youth on a fairly regular basis, but when did it happen?

Oxford Dictionary describes an opinion as: A view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. So essentially, an opinion is simply someone’s take on something. It’s a personal assessment about a particular thing, and we are, all of us, entitled to one on whatever subject we choose.

The problem is that, for some reason I will never understand, people are afraid to voice their opinions on a variety of subjects. Sounds odd, right? Why wouldn’t someone want to say what’s on their mind? Why wouldn’t someone want to speak up about the way they view things?