an Organization You Need to Know About.

BY ADAM BAILEY

In March 19, 2023, the Bossier Parish High School Bass Team hit Caney Lake, located in Jonesboro, and made their mark on the Louisiana High School BASS Nation circuit. Fishing the “Hawgfest” tournament on Caney Lake, Mason McCormick, 18, and Alexis Virgillito, 15, caught the heaviest stringer ever recorded in a high-school fishing tournament. Anchored by a 9.22-pound largemouth bass, their five-stringer weighed a staggering 37.13 pounds, beating out the second-place stringer by more than 13 pounds. Winning the qualifying tournament in Louisiana also secured the team’s spot at the league’s National Championship tournament later this year.

Interested in catching your own bass this summer? Here are a few spots to consider in north Louisiana, as recommended by team captain Bradley Virgillito:

Caddo Lake

Situated northwest of Louisiana near the Texas border, around 25 miles northwest of Shreveport, Caddo Lake is a perfect answer to where to fish in Louisiana. This lake is home to Caddo Lake State Park and acts as a wildlife management area. Besides fishing, visitors at the state park enjoy hiking, camping, and boating. There are numerous piers and boat launches surrounding the lake, making it easier to fish at your preferred spot. Largemouth bass, catfish, bream, and crappie are among the fish species you can land here.

Grand Bayou Reservoir

Just north of Natchitoches, the Grand Bayou Reservoir holds a large population of trophy largemouth bass. Though only a little longer than three miles, the reservoir has an excessive number of green behemoths swimming through these Western Louisiana waters. While the fishing remains decent all year, the reservoir peaks during the summer months when bass head to the depths of the reservoir’s main channel.

One of the best times to be on the water in the Cypress Bayou Reservoir is in the fall. Here, the grass and lily pads don’t die off until late in the year, while the cooling water means the fish are transitioning from summer habitats and stocking up for the winter. Anglers can work spinnerbaits and buzzbaits to significant effect while still hitting the deep water with Carolina rigs during the middle of the day.

With many dozens of docks in the southern portion of the reservoir and a northern shoreline marked by channels, islands, and vegetation, anglers have plenty of real estate to fish without running out of options.

Red River

The Red River is one of the top-rated bass fishing destinations in Louisiana. There is a red tint in the water—hence the name— and the river has five areas divided by five dam systems. But no matter where you cast a line, you should expect to see great action. The Red River flows 260 miles from northwest Louisiana to central Louisiana and feeds numerous lakes, including Black Lake. Channel catfish, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, walleye, mooneye, lake sturgeon, sauger, and bullheads are among the fish species commonly found in the Red River.

By Donesa Walker

Recently phrases like “follow the science” and terms like “science of reading” have been bandied about causing extreme confusion. Understanding what these phrases mean can be a game changer in the approach to implementation of these skills.

Dyscalculia is a learning issue in mathematical concepts much like dyslexia is to reading. When a person struggles to make sense of mathematical processes from counting to number sense early on, they may have a learning difficulty that should be addressed in order to avoid future delays. While it is estimated as much as 15-20% of the population has dyslexia, the estimate for dyscalculia is 7%. While one may not think this is much, consider that only 8% of the USA population struggles with ADHD and yet Louisiana has the highest percentage (15.7%) of children diagnosed with ADHD in the nation.

 Addressing the underlying concerns that affect math could also address much of the attentional issues as these are often referred. Students who struggle to learn have a hard time paying attention. Many times, weaknesses in learning processes are misdiagnosed as attention issues because they appear to be attention issues and affect focus. Interestingly enough, according to research, ADHD is associated with other neurological and psychiatric disorders. More than 60% of individuals suffering from ADHD present with one or more other issues that affect mental health like oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, depression, anxiety, and tic disorders. 60% of children exhibiting ADHD are also affected by learning disorders like dyslexia or dyscalculia.

 How’s that for science? Research shows that learning struggles such as ADHD, Dyscalculia and Dyslexia affect mathematical ability. Addressing the underlying learning challenges starts with first being aware of them by assessing and knowing where the struggles are. The process is really a lot like a screening for vision. It is a simple assessing of cognitive skills or thinking ability. These assessments can be in depth or simple screenings to see if there is a potential problem. Struggling with learning of any type should not be a lifestyle especially when there is help available in the community.

Donesa Walker, M. Ed. is the owner of LearningRx of Shreveport, a Master Reading/Dyslexia Specialist, and a Board Certified Cognitive Specialist. 

In an article published by The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California-Berkeley, researcher Mark Ottoni-Wilhelm of Indiana University found that adolescents were 18% more likely to donate money to a charitable organization if their parents made any donation of their own in the past year. If a parent donated and talked with their child about giving, that child was 33% more likely to donate. Adolescents whose parents did volunteer work were 27% more likely to volunteer themselves and 47% more likely if their parents also talked with them about generosity.

Here are some great ways to get the giving ball rolling in your home:

  2. Help children see how their contributions and kindness impact those in need

When kids can see how happy they’ve made someone by giving, then they are more likely to keep giving. Small children don’t truly understand the impact of monetary donations, but they can see how a new pair of socks can put a smile on a person’s face. Tangible things like food, clothing, undergarments, bedding, toys, and toiletries are great things to let small children give to those in need so they can clearly see the impact it makes. As they grow, they can begin to understand how volunteering and monetary donations are just as important as toothbrushes and clothes. 

  4.Bring your kids along to do good

When you do volunteer work or charity work, bring your children along to witness it all. They will be able to see you do good as well as put a face to the help being given. They may see a child there around their age and realize that it’s not just grown-ups that are in need.

Kids are never too young to learn to give. Now during Christmas time is a great time to start “giving” lessons and keep it going all year long! 

BY ADAM BAILEY

Every October 31st, people all over the world(or at least in most parts of Europe, NorthAmerica, and Latin America) celebrate the ancient holiday of Halloween, also known asAll Hallows’ Eve. Although today it features costumes, trick-or-treating, haunted houses and ghost stories, it wasn’t always that way. Here are some things most people didn’t know about Halloween:

Candy, Candy, and More Candy Did you know that more sweets are sold on October 28th than any other day?

It’s true! Reports show that supermarkets sell more sweets and confectionery three days before
Halloween than any other day of the year. What’s the number one candy of choice? According to CandyStore.com, the top candy last year was Skittles, followed by Reese’s Cups and Starburst. What’s the least favorite? You guessed it, Candy Corn.

Candy Corn was Originally Known as
“Chicken Feed”

Invented by George Renninger, a candy maker at the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia in the 1880s, Candy Corn was originally called “butter cream candies” and “chicken feed” since back then, corn was commonly used as food for livestock. They even had a rooster on the candy boxes. It had no association with Halloween or fall, and was sold seasonally from March to November. After World War II, advertisers began marketing it as a special Halloween treat due to its colors and ties to the fall harvest.

The Candy Industry Supposedly Influenced Daylight Savings Time According to the book, Spring Forward:

The Annual Madness of Daylight Savings Time, the candy industry played a major role in changing the length of Daylight Savings. Candy makers supposedly lobbied to extend daylight savings time into the beginning of November to get an extra hour of daylight so children could collect even more candy (thus forcing people to purchase more candy to meet the demand).

Fears of Poisoned Halloween Candy are Unfounded

One of parents’ biggest fears is that their child’s Halloween candy is poisoned or contains razor blades. In reality, this fear is almost entirely unfounded. There are only two known cases of poisoning, and both involved relatives, according to LiveScience. In 1970, a boy died of a heroin overdose. The investigators found it on his candy, but in a twist they later discovered the boy had accidentally consumed some of his uncle’s heroin stash, and the family had sprinkled some on the candy to cover up the incident. Even more horrifically, in 1974 Timothy O’Bryan died after eating a Pixy Stix his father had laced with cyanide to collect on the insurance money, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Jack-O-Lanterns are Named After a Man Named Stingy Jack

The origin of Jack-O’-Lanterns comes from a Celtic folk tale of a stingy farmer named Jack who would constantly play tricks on the devil. The devil responded by forcing him to wander purgatory with only a burning lump of coal from hell. Jack took the coal and made a lantern from a turnip, using it to guide his lost soul. The myth was brought over by Irish families fleeing the potato famine in the 1800s, and since turnips were hard to come by in the U.S., America’s pumpkins were used as a substitute to guide lost souls and keep evil spirits like “Jack of the Lantern” away.

Pumpkins are Not Always Orange

Every time you see a Jack-O’-Lantern either in real life or on TV, they are always carved from an orange pumpkin. This is likely because the color orange has always been associated with Halloween. However, pumpkins actually come in a range of colors! They can be grey, white, red, or even green. Recently, white pumpkins have become more popular. Why not try carving a different colored pumpkin this year? It will make your Jack-O’-Lantern stand out!

New Hampshire Holds the Record of the Most Jack-O-Lanterns on Display

On October 19, 2013, Keene, New Hampshire, U.S., set a new record on the lighting the highest number of Jack-O’-Lanterns in one place. According to Guinness World Records, 30,581 lanterns were lit on display at Keene Pumpkin Festival organized by the “Let it Shine” group. Central Square’s tower was the event’s central attraction, while jack-o’-lanterns were displayed on Main Street.

Some Places Have Halloween Laws

Halloween is supposed to be a fun day where you can put on a costume and eat sweets—but some places have strict rules about that fun. In Alabama, it
is illegal to dress up as a priest. That includes all those tacky store-bought costumes. 

Meanwhile, in Hollywood, there is a
$1000 fine for anyone who uses silly string between 12:00am on October 31st to 12:00pm on November 1st. Any other day of the year, it is perfectly okay to use silly string. Do it on Halloween, however, and it will be the most expensive trick-or-treating you have ever done.

What’s in a Name?

Halloween has been called a number of things throughout the years including Hallowe’en, Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Eve, Lamswool, Samhain, Summer’s End, and Snap-Apple Night.

You’re Probably Spelling It Wrong

The correct spelling of Halloween
is actually Hallowe’en, a con-traction of All Hallows’ Eve.