Dear Editor:

We have a church chart made up that indicates the destiny of all nine cemeteries that are located in the Oak Grove Community.

The destiny of Oak Grove cemeteries is that if the reservoir people do receive a permit, Oak Grove cemeteries will be blocked by water over all three roads that otherwise give access, and no access would be possible.

So if no drastic changes are made, no one would have access to the church or cemetery.

There are four other cemeteries in the Oak Grove community that have received the same classification, blocked or flooded, that would not be accessible to loved ones and friends. Also, three other cemeteries in this community will be flooded, and of course the residents of these cemeteries will have to be dug up or moved to another plot. Of course, all headstones and other stones will have to be moved to the alternative location. The same number of graves that existed in yard one will have to be dug up in site two.

There will be hundreds of times that this will have to be done if the reservoir people acquire a permit.

The state of Louisiana is $1.6 billion in deficit. They’re making cuts in manpower. Some departments that were working five days a week are now working four days per week.

I heard there has been a layoff of 100 people. I’m sure more cuts will be made in the future.

Also, we should address the serious problem that all five cemeteries with all access roads that would be blocked by water.

If the reservoir people do acquire a permit, they must address this problem because access to the cemeteries must be given to loved ones and friends.

Also, the situation at Oak Grove Baptist Church and any other churches that would be faced with the same problem must be rectified.

Do you think that our state, which faces a large deficit and is making cuts and layoffs, could possibly fund such a costly venture?

– Edward and Mamie McDonald