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We as a parish have weathered something intense in the last two weeks. There was the storm; the threat of escaped inmates we believed to be dangerous; the efforts to help; the venting and frustration.

When life hits us hard, our first instinct is to go into survival mode. We tighten our grip and stay on edge, listening for the next bad report. As a healthcare provider, I’m trained to look for danger signs, warning symptoms, and the things that could go wrong. And last week, there were plenty of those.

Mic check. One.

I am sitting here on a Monday morning wondering what the rest of the week is going to bring us in this parish. The sheriff’s office is getting calls from people who are hungry and cold, with nowhere to go and nowhere to get food. You feel so helpless and just despairing because, well, you are in a similar situation with no way to help anyone else.

Have you ever cheated? At cards, on a test, or on someone? In college, I took a class on the Gospel of John. I think it would’ve been a great class had I paid a lick of attention.

Iheardawomansaytheother day she was a control freak. It started me wondering. Am I a control freak? I guess in some ways, I am. It has taken a long time, but I have finally learned, though, that there are things I cannot control. So after much thought, I decided to share some of those things with you.

January has a way of making us feel like we need to “fix everything.” New planners, new goals, new promises that sound good on paper but feel heavy by February. As a nurse practitioner here in our community — and as a mom, wife, and neighbor —I want to gently remind you of something important: Health doesn’t have to be complicated to matter.

Yes, America, there is a north Louisiana. I didn’t watch the New Year’s parades, but I did see videos posted on social media.

With the old year behind us and a new one straight ahead, it’s a good time to think about making some changes in the garden. While you’re pondering your 2026 landscape upgrades, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg hopes you’ll give consideration to one of his favorite plants: the sasanqua, a species of camellia.

(Using) My Voice By Cassie Condrey I have been doing a journaling project that I stumbled upon after reading an essay on artificial intelligence. The woman who wrote the essay had some of the more relatable points that I’ve read on how AI can be beneficial and I found them approachable.