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While LaBorde liked to report on campaigns and elections, he also focused on the intricate workings of government and the bureaucracy. He believed that government could be a force for good in society if the right people, with the proper motivation, were elected.​

While LaBorde liked to report on campaigns and elections, he also focused on the intricate workings of government and the bureaucracy. He believed that government could be a force for good in society if the right people, with the proper motivation, were elected.​

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He had a great interest in city charters, "good government" in general, and sportsmen's issues. Sometimes, LaBorde ventured into national politics, offering unsolicited advice in his columns for presidents [[Dwight Eisenhower]], [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], [[Richard M. Nixon]], [[Gerald Ford]], and [[Jimmy Carter]]. He was irate over the [[Watergate]] scandal of the Nixon administration in 1973 and 1974, but mostly addressed  state or local matters.<ref name=bio/>​

He had a great interest in city charters, "good government" in general, and sportsmen's issues. Sometimes, LaBorde ventured into national politics, offering unsolicited advice in his columns for presidents [[Dwight Eisenhower]], [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], [[Richard M. Nixon]], [[Gerald Ford]], and [[Jimmy Carter]]. He was irate over the [[Watergate]] scandal of the Nixon administration in 1973 and 1974, but mostly addressed  state or local matters.<ref name=bio/>

 

LaBorde adjusted his newsroom to modern demands. He knew that the paper had to attract subscribers to stay afloat. In the summer of 1973, computers were introduced at ''The Town Talk'' to improve efficiency and to increase the volume and quality of news stories.​

LaBorde adjusted the newsroom to modern demands. He knew that the paper had to attract subscribers to stay afloat. In the summer of 1973, computers were introduced at ''The Town Talk'' to improve efficiency and to increase the volume and quality of news stories.​

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===Staff development===​

===Staff development===​

He developed his staff and provided opportunities of women and minorities. Reporter Elizabeth Roberts Martin, a 1966 graduate of [[Louisiana State University]], was promoted as the first woman to hold editing positions at ''The Town ''Town Talk.' LaBorde hired Cleo Joffrion, an Alexandria native, as the first [[African-American]] reporter at the paper. He promoted [[Cecil Williams]], a native of the [[Kentucky]] [[coal]]-mining area, from assistant managing editor to business edito, from which position Williams won numerous awards.<ref name=bio/><ref>"Cecil Williams obituary," ''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', May 4, 2008.</ref>​

He developed his staff and provided opportunities of women and minorities. Reporter Elizabeth Roberts Martin, a 1966 graduate of [[Louisiana State University]], was promoted as the first woman to hold editing positions at ''The Town ''Town Talk.' LaBorde hired Cleo Joffrion, an Alexandria native, as the first [[African-American]] reporter at the paper. He promoted [[Cecil Williams]], a native of the [[Kentucky]] [[coal]]-mining area, from assistant managing editor to business edito, from which position Williams won numerous awards.<ref name=bio/><ref>"Cecil Williams obituary," ''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', May 4, 2008.</ref>​

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LaBorde sent the young reporter Leonard Sanderson, Jr., to Baton Rouge in 1974 to cover the legislature. Later Sanderson moved to [[Washington,D.C.]], where he set up his own consulting firm.<ref name=bio/> Jeff Cowart, an Alexandria native and LSU graduate who began as a reporter under LaBorde, in 1988 was appointed as first press secretary to Governor Buddy Roemer and later established a  management consulting firm, Media National, in suburban Washington, DC.<ref>[http://www.medianational.com/ Media National], official website</ref>​

LaBorde sent the young reporter Leonard Sanderson, Jr., to Baton Rouge in 1974 to cover the legislature. Later Sanderson moved to [[Washington, D.C.]], where he set up his own consulting firm.<ref name=bio/> Jeff Cowart, an Alexandria native and LSU graduate who began as a reporter under LaBorde, in 1988 was appointed as first press secretary to Governor Buddy Roemer and later established a  management consulting firm, Media National, in suburban Washington, DC.<ref>[http://www.medianational.com/ Media National], official website</ref>​

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Three ''Town Talk'' staffers, Larry Collins, Betty Luman, and Chet Hilburn, moved on to the larger ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Jack Harp came from [Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] to ''The Town Talk'' at the age of twenty-two to work on the "wire desk." The technology changed so much over the following three decades that the term "wire desk" was replaced by "Metro desk." Rebecca Jo Tubb Mulkey (1949–1999), originally from Magnolia, [[Arkansas]], wrote feature stories before moving to the ''Torrance Daily Breeze'' in Torrance, [[California]]. William Chaze went on to become an [[Associated Press]] editor, foreign news editor for ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' and editor-in-chief of ''The Journal of Defense and Diplomacy''.<ref name=bio/>​

Three ''Town Talk'' staffers, Larry Collins, Betty Luman, and Chet Hilburn, moved on to the larger ''Houston Chronicle''. Jack Harp came from [Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] to ''The Town Talk'' at the age of twenty-two to work on the "wire desk." The technology changed so much over the following three decades that the term "wire desk" was replaced by "Metro desk." Rebecca Jo Tubb Mulkey (1949–1999), originally from Magnolia, [[Arkansas]], wrote feature stories before moving to the ''Torrance Daily Breeze'' in Torrance, [[California]]. William Chaze went on to become an [[Associated Press]] editor, foreign news editor for ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' and editor-in-chief of ''The Journal of Defense and Diplomacy''.<ref name=bio/>​

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LaBorde's tenure at the newspaper coincided with the management of publisher Joe D. Smith, Jr., a native of Grant Parish, and his first wife, Jane Wilson Smith. Her father had owned ''The Town Talk''. The Smiths sold the paper to Central Newspapers, Inc., of [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]], which later sold it to the [[Virginia]]-based Gannett Company.<ref name=bio/>​

LaBorde's tenure at the newspaper coincided with the management of publisher Joe D. Smith, Jr., a native of Grant Parish, and his first wife, Jane Wilson Smith. Her father had owned ''The Town Talk''. The Smiths sold the paper to Central Newspapers, Inc., of [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]], which later sold it to the [[Virginia]]-based Gannett Company.<ref name=bio/>​