A couple of thoughts on items in the local news last week:

• It’s usually the defense that wants the change of venue, seeking to have a trial moved away so that pre-trial publicity doesn’t prejudice a jury. So it was surprising to read the explanation by a U.S. District Court judge that the trial of Iberia Parish Louis Ackal and other members of his department needed to be held in Shreveport due to concerns about pretrial publicity.

The allegations against the sheriff and others from his office that they abused prisoners have been aired repeatedly over the course of many months. It’s hard to see how the case against the prosecution is threatened by the allegations against the sheriff and his deputies that have been reported so widely.

It’s a real burden on the defense to have to travel to and stay in Shreveport for a trial that could have been held in Lafayette. It’s unfair to the public that might want to keep an eye on the trial, maybe sit in on some of its sessions. Not many locals are likely to drive to Shreveport to see how this plays out.

The move to Shreveport seems a lot more likely to benefit the prosecution than the defense. Holding this trial in Shreveport to somehow benefit the defense, which didn’t want it there, sure seems strange.

• The forum for candidates for New Iberia City Council, mayor pro tem and mayor was interesting and revealing. There were some thoughtful and thought provoking answers to some of the questions provided by some of the candidates.

But many of the candidates were long on generalities about what they would like to do once elected and woefully short on any specifics. Several offered answers that seemed to suggest that once elected, they would then research and find answers for some of the challenges the city faces. Some didn’t really show much of a grasp of where things are now and what might need to be done.

Local voters need to watch for opportunities to ask questions of those seeking to represent them and expect to get some answers that suggest a candidate has given some though about what needs to be done.

Who is not for more improving our community’s economic base? Who is not for improving public safety? Who is not for making the community more attractive, to keep local residents from moving away or giving outsiders an incentive to come here?

The rub is in what is the candidate going to do to help the city make any of that happen? Local voters need to demand some ideas and some specifics from those soliciting their vote — much less from those they reward with that vote.

WILL CHAPMAN

PUBLISHER