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It’s bream busting time around area

It was August; it was hot. The lake didn’t seem the right place to be in the middle of the day with temperatures flirting with triple digits. My Lazy Boy under air conditioning seemed to be a better choice but I was sitting on Grand Bayou Reservoir with one of the most serious fishermen with whom I ever had the privilege of sharing a boat.

Eddie Halbrook had dangled an opportunity before me and I took to it like our dog, Rufus, takes after his Snack Bone.

Enough already: Leave the state song alone

Guest Column

Governor Jimmie Davis must be rolling over in his grave right now. Louisiana’s internationally acclaimed official state song is under attack by the Louisiana Legislature. There is an effort by some south Louisiana legislators to designate the Cajun classic “Jambalaya” as an official public ballad. And them’s fightin’ words for those who have embraced “You are my Sunshine” as the sanctioned formal melody.

Rain, rain go away — we need our state seafood to stay

Views from the Boathouse

Rain we receive this weekend here in Lincoln Parish could potentially cause flooding because of saturated ground conditions after receiving more than 40 of inches of rain so far this year.

That’s 67 percent of our annual average of rainfall of 60 inches.

Lincoln Parish was not in a predicted risk area for potential flash flood risk for this weekend as of press time for this newspaper, but we are expected to receive between 1 1/2 - 2 inches of rain from this weather event.

Ridesharing a boon to parish

IN OUR OPINION

Whether you don’t own a car, aren’t comfortable driving at night, don’t want to deal with parking, or would like to cut loose and enjoy some drinks with friends, there are plenty of situations where Lincoln Parish residents may have limited transportation options.

Unfortunately, non-accommodating Louisiana legislation has kept major ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft away from smaller cities like Ruston. But in the past few months, Oxford, MS-based EZ-RYDR has stepped in to give Ruston and Grambling citizens a helpful transportation alternative.

New Orleans council backs strong short-term rental limits

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A ban on “whole home” short-term vacation rentals in residential areas of tourismdependent New Orleans won unanimous backing Thursday from the City Council.

It was a preliminary vote. A final one is expected in 90 days. But the council made its intention clear, 7-0, a year after imposing a moratorium on new or renewed licenses for rentals of whole homes not occupied by the owner.

Take caution with credit card balance transfers

Question: My adult child has only been working a few years and ran up a credit card bill at a favorite department store. The interest rate is outrageous. How can I help him transfer the balance to another card with lower interest?

Answer: Why would you want to do that?

I presume your answer involves high interest rates being wasteful, etc. OK, we can agree on that.

Recent grads should consider retirement planning

If you’ve graduated from college in the past year or so and started your first job, you’re no doubt learning a lot about establishing yourself as an adult and being responsible for your own finances. So thoughts of your retirement are probably far away. And yet you have several good reasons to invest in your 401(k) or similar employersponsored retirement plan.

First of all, by contributing to your 401(k), you can get into the habit of regular investing. And since you invest in your 401(k) through regular payroll deductions, it’s an easy way to invest.

Four ways to invest with confidence in volatile market

When financial markets fluctuate, even the calmest investors can start to question their financial strategies. But volatile markets can present opportunities, says Tracie McMillion, head of global asset allocation strategy for Wells Fargo Investment Institute (WFII).

“Financial markets are frequently volatile—that’s their nature,” she says. “Over longer periods of time, that volatility can add up to attractive portfolio growth.”

School district ‘Champions’ recognized

Following another year of spectacular performances, the Lincoln Parish School District rolled out its eleventh annual “Celebration of Champions,” an event designed to shine the spotlight on the best of the best among efforts throughout the system.

More than 350 parents, students, and district personnel gathered at the Ruston Civic Center to celebrate those who accomplished the ultimate achievement by earning a state championship title in academic, athletic, extra-curricular, and enrichment competitions throughout the year.

CSE holds Lemonade Day

LeAnn Patterson’s fourth grade enrichment class at Cypress Springs Elementary School recently participated in Lemonade Day. The students decided to donate their proceeds to the city of Ruston for the tornado relief. Pictured are the students presenting the $800 check to Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker.