re: Why hasn't the Great City of Baton Rouge annexed Gardere?

I remember Gardere. The nice Gardere, with affordable housing for LSU students and young married couples in a well-maintained, safe neighborhood.

In the late '80s I lived near Gardere. It was perfect for students -- on the bus line to LSU, and there was a Piggly Wiggly grocery store at the corner of Gardere and Burbank. It was especially good for student couples struggling to work and attend school. I visited people there a few times -- I don't recall any complaints. And of course any time I went there I always felt perfectly SAFE.

In the early 90s I left BR and didn't return for about 10 years. When I came back I was talking with a friend and the subject of Gardere came up. Remembering it from my student days, I talked about what a nice student area it was.

"Are you kidding?", he said, and proceeded to tell me what had happened to the area, including a friend of his from church going there to minister -- and getting stabbed.

Later we were driving around and came to the intersection of Burbank and Gardere.

What had been a great place -- affordable, safe, on the LSU bus line and with a Piggly Wiggly for convenient shopping -- was now a slum. The Piggly Wiggly was gone and the shopping center deserted.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I asked my friend what the hell had happened.

He replied simply, "Section 8".