Well we are cleaning up in the aftermath of Gustav that caused some $10 billion in damage to Louisiana. Two million customers lost power, and there is a great de3al of cleaning up to do. But wait. HURRICANE IKE is on its way into the Gulf and could pose a real new threat to the Gulf Coast. That’s what the weather experts are saying. So keep an eye out yourself if you live down our way, and we will up to the minute information on our site but can also get it by Clicking Here.

RADIO UPDATES- I’ll be giving regular updates on 99.5fm, WRNO out of New Orleans beginning immediately. This weekend, Saturday, September 6th and Sunday, September 7th, I’ll be on the air on ALL CLEAR CHANNEL STATIONS from 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm both evenings. So be sure and tune in. Back to normal program scheduling beginning next week. You can contact me on the air either by email at jim@wrno.com, or by phone at 504 260-0995. And thanks to so many of you who are listening over the internet. I really appreciate your calls and emails. I’ll read your emails on the air, so send your thoughts to Jim@WRNO.com.

Hurricane Gustav has entered the Gulf and making a bee line north that poses a real threat to Louisiana. That’s what the experts are saying. So keep an eye out yourself if you live down our way, and we will post regular updates here on our site. You can get up to the minute information by Clicking Here.

RADIO UPDATES- I’ll be giving regular updates on 99.5fm, WRNO out of New Orleans beginning immediately.  Tonight (Sunday) I’m on the air on ALL CLEAR CHANNEL STATIONS from midnight tonight until 6:00 am.   Then, as th storm hits Louisiana, I’ll be  back pm the air on Tuesday from 6:00 pm until midnight. You can contact me on the air either by email at jim@wrno.com, or by phone at 504 582 2021.

I’ve just returned to Louisiana after a week in the North Carolina Mountains, followed by another week out west in Hood River, Oregon where my youngest daughter lives with her husband. And there certainly is a lot to catch up on, with problems to address. On the national front, the Democratic convention is dominating the news. I’ve been a delegate on a number of occasions in the past, and my sister, Madeline, is representing the Brown family as a.delegate in Denver. I of course keep up with the proceedings by watching CNN as my oldest daughter Campbell does the play by play. Check out my column this week on remembering past conventions, both Democratic and Republican. You can read it by Clicking Here.   And whaqt are the options for the Republicans if Hurricane Gustav does hit the Louisiana coast?  Ge the latest update of what Republicans will do by Clicking Here.

Below, you will see some of the scenes from the beautiful mountainous region around both Mt. Hood and Mt. Saint Helene just south of Portland.

Some of the Brown gang is pictured above after a day of hiking this glorious mountainous region. My son James is on the right, and my son-in-law Tom is on the left. It was a treat to spend some time with my youngest daughter, Meredith who lives with Tom on the mountainside right on the Washington -Oregon border.

The bridge in back of me connects Oregon and Washington, and it is privately owned. Similar bridges and roads all over America are not built with public funds. Unfortunately, many legislators in Louisiana want everything to be built and run with public funds. What a waste.Think about how much more could be accomplished and how much money could be saved if the private sector could be more involved in public projects.

Yes, they believe Bigfoot is alive and walking the woods in the Mountains of Oregon. My daughter Meredith and I stopped off for a bit of hobnobbing with members of the Bigfoot Society and their Bigfoot Bash and Bounty along the Columbia River Gorge. And low and behold, take a look at who we stumbled on.

It’s pretty obvious that New Orleans Congressman Bill Jefferson has his hands full over $90,000 in cash seized by the FBI in his home freezer. Check out the following video and see what options the Congressman had when it came to putting the money in refrigerator stocks rather than in the refrigerator itself. Take a look.

What is hands down the worst run agency in Louisiana State government? Jim takes his annual review, and the final competition is not even close. If you want to read Jim’s annual pick, just Click Here.

You can see from the photos below that Jim was on vacation in North Carolina last week. He will take this Sunday off his regular radio show, and he ventures on to Hood River, Oregon for some kite surfing with his son and one of his daughters. But he’s back on the air next week, and will no doubt have plenty to say about the Northwest. Enjoy some of the features listed on this week’s gathering of politics, good music, and a little humor.

The North Carolina Mountains offer me a little therapy each year, particularly in the heat of a Louisiana summer. I’ve been a regular this time a year for a long time. One of my trip highlights is to hike Grandfather Mountain, which is located about an hour and a half northeast of Ashville. A trek up and down the Profile Trail takes me about 2 ½ hours, and can really get the blood flowing. I try to make the trip up here several times a year. You will note my LSU hat that stirred quite a reaction from Appalachian State fans that live in the surrounding area. They are really gearing up for their first game against LSU next Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.

Now I’m not what you would call a great dancer, but I did stop by the Mountain Breeze Boogie Dance last week in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The Shag is the hot new dance sweeping this part of the country. A little swing and a little shuffle. You see me here trying to “cut a rug” with the club president Elaine Crowall. They all get together for lessons once a week.

As I travel through out the South, I make it a point to stop by any bookstore that carries my first book, Justice Denied. Since I am just weeks away from publishing my next book, staying in touch with book sellers is an important part of the writing process. I stopped below at Black Bear Books in Boone, North Carolina last week to visit with Rhea Buck who works at this quaint mountain location. And by the way, there was much talk about the LSU- Appalachian State football game that is just a week away.

My 15 minutes of Fame.

We always hear about someone having their 15 minutes of fame. I really did have just about 15 minutes of fame back in 1963. I was a senior at the University of North Carolina, and a hurdler on the track team. In that year, a new race was authorized call the 300 meter hurdles. After this one year, they move the race up to the 400 meter hurdles. The first time the race was run was on the track below at Furman University in South Carolina. I won this race, and since it was the first time it was ever run, I legitimately held the world record. But remember now. I told you my fame lasted 15 minutes. A short time later, another race was run on the West Coast, and someone beat my time and also took away my world record. Ah, say le vie. But it was great while it lasted. I came back to visit the track and renew old memories.