D.C. Mardi Gras: Version 2011

It's that time of the year ... Mardi Gras is here. 

Yeah, that means it's time to break out the beads and enjoy plenty of King Cake (we've already had our first one here in the newsroom) but it also reminds me of another must do ... better check in with our local government officials and see who they are sending to the annual D.C. Mardi Gras event held in our nation's capital. 

This year's nearly week-long celebration culminates with the famed ball on Feb. 12. U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu will serve as chairperson of this year's festivities.  

Regular readers will remember that last year fellow reporter Adam Kealoha Causey and I showed that local government officials and workers spent more than $81,000 to attend last year's festivities. 

Topping that list was the Bossier Parish Police Jury, which spent in excess of $30,000 to send eight members and staff to party in D.C. 

Those costs included the policy jury's share of a private dinner soiree and a hospitality suite. 

Read one of our previous stories here.

I've sent out public records requests to see who's going and how much they've spent so far. On the list: Shreveport, Bossier City, Bossier Parish Police Jury, Caddo Parish Commission, Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments, Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau and Port Shreveport-Bossier.

Got others you'd like to see on the list? Drop me a line at alisonbath1@gannett.com and let me know.  

I'll let you know what I learn in an upcoming story. 

Share |