Columns

A French author wrote: “We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.” In other words, our perception is our reality, which explains why people look at things differently. So that brings me to Halloween. Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the harvest season, and was a time when people believed the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead became thin. In other words, it was just a celebration of the previous year’s harvest. The Catholic Church over time created All Saints Day on November 1. The evening before that became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.

As I wrote in my column last month, times are hard. (What’s going on?) People are struggling and mad and still trying to move through the everyday. We have to; the other options aren’t really options if we are to remain whole human beings in this world.

I have reached an age where my mind says, 'I can do that,' but my body says, 'Try it and you’ll be sorry.' That happens all the time. On my last birthday, I turned 69. “It’s only a number,” they said. Well, no. It’s definitely more than that. With age comes limitations. And unfortunately, so do the repercussions for how you have lived your life in the past. The only reason I am still here is because I lost a lot of weight. And if I hadn’t, I would probably have lost a limb by now and surely my eyesight. Wishes? A wish that I could go back in time and know what I know now. I would take better care of myself.

The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved policy changes last week that will reduce the number of high school state assessments. “This surgical approach reduces testing while maintaining the validity and rigor of these vital assessments,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley . “It shows we can listen to our educators, improve the system, and uphold high expectations.”

DEAR EDITORS: As longtime readers of “The Delta Farm Press” we usually read to learn more about ag policy, new technologies, and how other farmers are grappling with the same problems we have. We normally just scan the editorial page, but this one editorial caught our eye, and I would like to share parts of that with you.

The need for activities for the youth in the parish and the desire to mentor children in northeast Louisiana has prompted two East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, Tystin White and Gregory Campbell, to start a little league peewee football program called “The Bayou League.”

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there were people that managed to live without the internet. They would eat and sleep and work and play and communicate, all without the assistance of a supercomputer in their pocket. Crazy to imagine, what if something happened? What if something didn’t happen?!

Two people were arrested after allegedly attempting to pass drugs to inmates at the Riverbend Detention Center. East Carroll Parish Investigator Felton Moore said officials believe that suspects attempted to throw a green tennis ball over the fence bordering the detention center. The tennis ball opened and suspected drugs could be seen. Moore said that the tennis ball was turned over to Sheriff’s Deputy Gregory Campbell by the warden, and investigators suspect the drugs present were marijuana, suboxone strips, and a synthetic marijuana called mojo.

Did you know that you were a digital creator? Well, if you have a Facebook page, that’s what it lists you as. A digital creator is defined as 'a self-employed professional who produces digital content— such as videos, photos, blogs, and podcasts—for an online audience, often to build a brand, educate, entertain, or sell products and services.' They distribute their work across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and personal websites, building a loyal community and monetizing their content through brand partnerships, ad revenue, merchandise, or direct fan support.” This definition came from the AI on my computer. And like ChatGPT on my cellphone, there is no way the information can be wrong. Right? At least we are considered professionals. I’ve never really been a professional anything. Well, maybe a professional hoarder or procrastinator.

Louisiana is likely to prioritize digitizing medical records and tuition forgiveness for rural health care practitioners in its application for a piece of the new $50 billion federal rural health care fund. The Trump administration formally kicked off the application process earlier this month for its Rural Health Transformation Program.