Dave Myers, of Central, says our mention of the World Book Encyclopedia “reminded me of my freshman year at Catholic High in 1971. “Without computers and the Internet, some families like ours were lucky to have a set of encyclopedias. “Then as now, the big thing teachers hated was when you copied straight out … Continue reading →

So far this legislative session, a majority of the Louisiana House of Representatives looked to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s aides for advice on how to view any leaf that floated onto their desks. Last week’s insurrection over “one-time” money by a group of usual lock-step GOP supporters of Republican Jindal was entertaining on many levels. … Continue reading →

Mildred Ann Bonnette Cullen, my mother, has been the subject of a few stories since I began talking to myself in the newspaper. Mildred was a comedian and a wild child. I knew her comedy act from daily observance. My grandmother, aunts and uncles had their favorite stories about my mother’s free spirit. She … Continue reading →

I expected the discomfort of empty nest syndrome when my kids left for college. I didn’t expect to feel it so many more times. A few days ago I dropped my youngest, Casey, at the airport in New Orleans and watched him lug a suitcase and backpack through … Continue reading →

Last weekend, on a long ride home from a very long awards banquet, I was happy to see a giant full moon in the evening sky. Maybe you heard about last Saturday’s moon, which seemed larger than usual because the moon was passing closer to Earth. I saw the moon in fields over farming country near Marksville, … Continue reading →

Happy Mother’s Day. Much of what we enjoy in the outdoors is directly related to our mothers, maybe more than any of us know. Statistics abound tracking the dramatic decline in our country’s number of hunters to the rapid increase of single-parent families. Yes, there are other … Continue reading →

My niece said she had a gift for me. I was intrigued; it was long past Christmas, and it wasn’t my birthday. She handed me a large package. Tears came to my eyes when I unwrapped it to reveal a simple wooden box. What Paula had given me was priceless: my mother’s recipe box with its recipes, many … Continue reading →

Former Mid-City Baton Rouge resident Hope Herron and her domestic partner left Louisiana for the Washington, D.C. area nearly two years ago, in large part because of their desire for equal rights and to one day have a child. “That was one of the largest considerations in our decision to leave,” Herron said. “I … Continue reading →

It was billed as an “Unforgettable” night, and it more than lived up to its billing — Natalie Cole and the Baton Rouge Symphony was a match made in heaven. As the 12th installment in the Irene W. & C.B. Pennington Foundation Great Performers in Concert series, the April 15 … Continue reading →

Each part of the British Isles is represented by a saint. The most famous is St. Patrick in Ireland, followed by St. Andrew in Scotland. Since 1222, England marks the day of St. George on April 23. In 1348, George was named patron saint of England; and in 1415, … Continue reading →

Ethel native Anna Alexander can’t imagine anything more fulfilling than her call to be a missionary doctor in India. “I think for me it’s a means of living out my faith, doing what I really feel God has called me to do, in a place where he’s brought me. So there’s great peace in that,” she said. Continue reading →

Scientists at Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society recently reviewed 30 years of data. The team researched patterns between short-term climate trends and incidents of tornadoes. Two parameters were determined between rain, wind and monthly tornado activity. Rain that accompanied strong updrafts was paired with winds that spin updrafts produced the most tornadoes. … Continue reading →