You may not be aware of it, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. Of course, you probably recognize, at least in a general sense, the importance of life insurance, but do you know the various ways in which it can help you? Life insurance...
Our current society has far more opportunity for connection than we could ever need. Cell phones, high-speed internet and social networking websites and applications allow us to interact with people near and far in a matter of seconds. We can...
The old saying, “put the right plant in the right place” is more often said than applied. Putting it there at the right time of the year is equally important. This rule is generally ignored. It rains in Louisiana in the summer. The nurseries are...
Eight years ago last month, I arrived in Ruston a young New Orleans man starving to tap into the world of higher education and reach beyond my potential of knowledge. My new surroundings rocked me to the core from a culture standpoint. I might as...
Don’t tax you. Don’t tax me. Tax the fellow behind the tree. – U.S. Sen. Russell Long, Louisiana Ruston’s Board of Aldermen probably has more experience with sales taxes than it ever dreamed it would have. Twice over the past two years, the board...
As superintendent of Lincoln Parish Schools, I make an effort to always be conscious of what we have to do to remain on the cutting edge in doing what is best for our Lincoln Parish students, thus making sure that they are winners as a result....
Last week I did something I rarely do. I went to see a movie twice in very close succession — on the big screen. The only times I remember doing this previously was with “The Sting” in 1974 when I was in college and with “Sixth Sense” in 1999 after...
I always have and always will be proud to be a Louisianian. That feeling became stronger than ever in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when our state pulled together in the face of destruction and pain, much like our entire nation did 17 years...
Nobody likes unexpected tax bills or IRS penalties. So how can you minimize the possibility of errors on your return? And if an error does still slip through, what then? In both cases, it’s often a matter of paying close attention to documentation.
Retirement isn’t cheap. You may have heard that you will need 70 percent to 80 percent of your pre-retirement income, but the real figure might even be higher, depending on your circumstances. And retirement isn’t short, either — you could spend two...
Question: I want to get things lined up for my retirement. I’m close enough where I don’t think I’ll be taking any big risks in my retirement plan. But how should I invest my money in my retirement plan once I do retire? And how do I get money out?...
When a person has been a victim of domestic violence and they have been fortunate enough to escape the violent situation or have started a new life separate from the abusive relationship, it seems like the suffering should be over. But in most...
“I built a fort,” my roommate declared as I walked through the door one night. I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. Surely I had misheard her.
Note: This piece contains a large amount of first-person pronouns, something your author isn’t too comfortable with. There’s no way around it in this case. My apologies. It wasn’t until after my “isms” cost me another job that I finally got the one...
How do you get youth to try new foods? Learn math skills in a fun way? Follow a recipe? You have to get them in the kitchen. Cooking teaches many valuable life skill lessons. It teaches children about nutrition and food safety. Youth can build on...
Without question, Lincoln Parish schoolteachers are some of the best educators in the country. I stand by that statement and have proof to back it up. While Lincoln Parish students are still the greatest example of why I can make such a bold...
As schools, colleges, and universities open, there is an abundance of mental health facts that you may share with your family, friends, classmates, colleagues, churches, and communities. Remember: These statistics about children, teens, and adults...
“I didn’t want to go to the conference. I figured I could learn as much from sources right here in Louisiana. But the corporate bosses thought otherwise. “So, being a dutiful reporter, I made my reservations, packed my carry-on bag, and called a...
Question: I am reading your book “The Well-Behaved Child” and have a question that it doesn’t address. I am a single mom with children from two different fathers. One of my ex-husbands (my son’s father) and I have arranged to do regular “child-...