2023 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 89
BY SENATOR CORTEZ
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Will Sentell on the occasion of his retirement from a
distinguished career in journalism.
WHEREAS, Will Sentell was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, the second of three
children born to Bill and Nancy Sentell; and
WHEREAS, Will Sentell was raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, and proudly attended
C.E. Byrd High School; and
WHEREAS, upon high school graduation, he attended Louisiana State University
(LSU) in Baton Rouge where he studied journalism and worked at The Daily Reveille
newspaper, where his colleagues included John LaPlante and Randy McClain, both of whom
later became his coworkers at The Advocate and Will's good friends; and
WHEREAS, Will has had a distinguished career in journalism, spending forty-nine
years as a statehouse reporter across four states, tracking legislative sessions, political
campaigns, and the workings of state government; and
WHEREAS, Will covered eleven governors across his career including Mike Foster,
Kathleen Blanco, Bobby Jindal, and John Bel Edwards in Louisiana; Bill Waller and Cliff
Finch in Mississippi; Davie Boren and George Nigh in Oklahoma; and Christopher Bond,
John Ashcroft, and Mel Carnahan in Missouri; and
WHEREAS, Will Sentell's first job in journalism was at the Jackson Daily News in
Jackson, Mississippi, in 1975 and, a year later, he moved to Oklahoma to work for the
Oklahoma Journal and then the Tulsa Tribune; and
WHEREAS, while in Oklahoma on election day in 1978, as he covered the United
States Senate race, Will met Donna, the love of his life, and they were married in May 1979;
and
WHEREAS, Will and his wife Donna moved to Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1981,
where he worked with distinction at the Kansas City Star for nineteen years; and
WHEREAS, Will's longest tenure as a reporter came at The Advocate newspaper in
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and
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WHEREAS, to get the job in 2000, Will submitted an email describing his
connection to Louisiana and his interest in a Capitol Bureau position; and
WHEREAS, the response to his email came from his former Reveille colleague, John
LaPlante, who asked if "This is the same Will Sentell who went to LSU?"; and
WHEREAS, Will was hired in April 2000 and was able to work again with his
Reveille coworkers, John LaPlante and Randy McClain; and
WHEREAS, Will spent twenty-three years at The Advocate, covering public
education and transportation issues; he became such an expert of these subjects that other
reporters, advocates, and political watchers routinely sought information from him, and he
served as a mentor to many who passed through the offices of Press Row at the Louisiana
State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Will was always generous with his time, checked in on his colleagues,
offered guidance to new journalists, and worked the long hours of a statehouse reporter with
kindness and grace; and
WHEREAS, Will loved to discuss the latest news and scores for LSU football and
often could be found during downtime in his office or on the floor in the house or senate
chambers checking out football message boards for the latest gossip about the team and its
coaches; and
WHEREAS, once his adored granddaughter was born, Will loved to trade stories
with lawmakers and colleagues about their children and grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Will is known among those he covered and those who watched his work
as a fair reporter and a straight shooter who spent hours sitting in education and
transportation hearings to understand the perspectives of all sides; he worked humbly, never
drawing attention to himself while explaining complex issues with ease; and
WHEREAS, Will retired from The Advocate on March 31, 2023, and he left the
Louisiana Capitol as he had worked during his long journalism career: seeking little attention
or fanfare, even working on a story on his last day in the office while people stopped by to
celebrate his long career; and
WHEREAS, at his core, Will is a devoted family man, kind person, and dedicated
friend; and
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WHEREAS, Will and Donna have two grown sons, William (wife Kristen) and
Jeffrey, and a granddaughter, Victoria Alyse; and
WHEREAS, Will loves running, biking, reading, baseball, LSU football, and doting
on Victoria; he is a devoted Catholic who attends Saint Aloysius Catholic Church and assists
with altar set-ups at weekday and Saturday afternoon masses.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Will Sentell on the occasion of his retirement from
a distinguished career in journalism.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Will Sentell.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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