I want to address the delay in publishing the next installment of this series.
Multiple public records requests have been submitted to local entities regarding board minutes, confidentiality agreements, legal expenditures, and related documentation connected to the Meta project. As of today, local agencies have not provided responses within the expected timeframe.
The State of Louisiana is currently the only office that has formally acknowledged receipt of my request and is actively assisting in locating records. That process is underway.
I have also reached out directly to several officials for comment. Mayor Friday Ellis responded and his responses were published. Shane Smiley has not responded to requests for comment as of publication. As fate would have it, I did see him in person last week at the Daily Press in Monroe. I reminded him of my requests for transparency and was told he would follow up, but I have not yet received a response. The mayor’s office in Rayville has also not returned my calls.
In addition, individuals with legal authority have contacted me requesting meetings regarding what I have uncovered so far. I welcome open dialogue grounded in documentation. I am looking forward to these meetings.
Let me be clear: this reporting is not driven by rumor. It is driven by records. The next article is delayed because I am waiting on documentation. Responsible reporting requires verification, not assumptions.
This story is not being abandoned. It is being built carefully.
Major projects leave paper trails. When those records are received and reviewed, I will publish. Taking what I’ve learned off the record and putting it into a responsible article takes time.
I planned my timelines for publishing around the length of time public records requests operate on — lesson learned.
Stay patient. It’s still coming.
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