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Secondly, I have noticed how someone "leaked" that the president of Bass Pro scouted a location in Kenner. Your publication seized on this and theorized that Bass Pro Shops might open south of us, diluting the customer base. Amazingly, when the president of the company publicly admitted he had scouted the location but hadn't met with anyone from Kenner and isn't entertaining the idea, there was no coverage of that. I guess clarifying the company's position takes a back seat to leaking a good rumor to drum up discontent with a project you feel is grounded in faulty logic.

The truth is, you reported very mildly--almost positively--about the Cabela's Outdoor Store project in Ascension, and when Bass Pro Shops first surfaced, you reported it was evaluating a site near where Cabela's will locate. How ironic that once the company changed its mind and chose Denham Springs, the slant of your coverage turned negative.

Why would you publicly denigrate any attempt at economic development for an area you cannot deny would be classified as impoverished from that standpoint? There is no economic development in Livingston Parish. None. This is economic development. You have failed to provide clear and unbiased reasons why this project is a bad idea. You have also failed to provide an alternative plan.

How will we find our way through this wilderness of having to watch our dollars flow to Baton Rouge each weekend and every time we shop for anything more than groceries? Will you provide any real solutions? Will you lead the charge, or continue to be the cynic?

Gary M. O'Neal, Jr.

8557 Sharee Place

Denham Springs

To the publisher:

I can see your point. However, you are missing the bigger picture here. I have been a resident of Livingston Parish my entire life--born here, raised here and now raising my own children here. How long have you lived here? Or do you? My point is Livingston Parish a few short years ago used to be at the butt end of jokes, looked at as a trailer park parish and racist.

Fast forward to now: Everyone is moving here as fast as they can! The same folks who used to make jokes about us are now buying lots in Easterly Lakes and other nice subdivisions. What resident of this parish in his right mind would not want to see a national retailer like Bass Pro choose this parish to set up shop in! Sure, some people may lose some business. But how many of those are here in this parish? Is it possible that most of the folks complaining are not even residents? Not only is that possible, but likely.

This parish deserves the income, tourists, and jobs that this business and the other businesses coming with it bring. Not only do we have one of the best school systems in the state, but Livingston is also one of the fastest growing parishes. Did you rally against Wal-Mart when they built a Super-center in your neighborhood, knowing that they would drive all the local and even other national stores out of business? Of course you didn't. You shop there just like the rest of us. Same principle here. I feel, and most of the residents agree, that this is a positive move and privilege for this parish and this state.