Opinion

Christmas and a return to Mayberry

The residents of North Louisiana are fortunate to live in a location that allows us to greet each other with Merry Christmas and celebrate the holiday in any manner that we feel appropriate. We have all ways celebrated Christmas with all the colors and flavors of the season. Today we have a beautiful Christmas tree lighting following the Christmas parade …

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A Christmas Truce — 2023

I have reviewed my previous writings and realized that over the past few years I have resurrected a certain story almost yearly. This is not because of a lack of subject matter but due to my enjoyment of the story in the hope that the Christmas season will provide optimism to a world in need. The year 2023 is even …

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Niece’s mermaid tale hits shelves

My 7-year-old great-niece told a mermaids’ tail, and it’s now a published book.Oops. I mean: a mermaids’ tale.Yes, my great-niece Anabelle Rose Lundy wrote a book at age 7, “Three and a Half Mermaids,” and now at age 12 she’s seeing it published. Just in time for Christmas, it’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and a host of …

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ESAs to make a comeback in ‘24

Conservatives have been railing against public schools, largely to no avail, for years now. When a new Republican-dominated Louisiana Legislature meets next year, however, school choice has the best chance ever in our state to pass both houses and there’s no reason to think Governor-elect Landry won’t sign it.Sen. John Kennedy is the latest official to say it’s time for …

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Let’s Give Thanks

This is a horrible time to be alive; or at least that what you would think if you turn on the television and watch the news for five minutes. HAMAS has become the scourge of the modern age rivaling the horde of Genghis Khan as it killed, enslaved and desecrated human life. Listen to many and the economy is in …

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Where is America?

In my early years in Arabia I was fortunate to have been associated with workers from around the world.  These workers comprised an amalgamation of color, religion, national pride, education and a myriad of other norms that makes up our world.  One aspect of this is that no two countries is the same and it is only right that we …

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Proposed Public Records Policy a Winner for UP

By Luke BrittEditor For months Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer Paula Strickland has been trying to get the Union Parish Police Jury to adopt a new policy governing how the parish handles public records requests, and once again, at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, the jury tabled the issue, this time without so much as a syllable of explanation. The reason, I …

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Finally, political legitimacy for Louisiana

I was born in Louisiana and growing up I couldn’t have been prouder.  We went to the local theater, attended a local church and after lunch on Sunday drove around the streets of our town in a car loaded with friends.  Thomas FieldsThomas “Tuffy” Fields is an author and regular contributor to The Gazette. He can be reached by email …

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Celebri-tease headlines: a trivial fixation

The news item that started it all had this headline: “Kendall Jenner Struggles to Climb Stairs in Fitted Dress at Kourtney’s Wedding.” Sallie HollisSallie Rose Hollis is a native of Rocky Branch and retired Journalism Professer from Louisiana Tech University. Contact her at sallierose@mail.com. I just had to take a screenshot of that “news story” when it appeared in my …

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School choice back in play

School Choice Will Soon Find Another Opportunity in LouisianaAll the way back to the administration of Governor Bobby Jindal, Louisiana has viewed private-school choice statewide as very positive public policy that needed to be enshrined in state law to improve the quality of education of poor and minority children, and to provide the same educational choice enjoyed by children from …

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