Columns

For Mother’s Day — teaching the art of laughter

My mother would have been considered eccentric had she been financially wealthy. She would do almost anything — and wear almost any silly costume — to bring joy into the lives of others, much to the embarrassment of her six children.

Derby winner joins impressive club

When Lafayette native Brian Hernandez Jr. rode longshot Mystik Dan to a photo-finish Kentucky Derby win he joined a list of south Louisiana jockeys who have made racing history. He said his race was inspired by one of them, Calvin Borel, a native of the St.

Is ‘value’ a dirty word?

As I sit here admiring my 88-cent container of mustard, I can’t help feeling self-conscious.

Campus protests are pale compared 1960s

It seems silly to write a column about the recent college protests. It’s not really news when privileged students who have never been in the line of fire and whose most pressing concern is what pronoun they’ll use on any given day decide to rise up against the establishment. And yet, here we are.

Columnist says he is too young to be 84!

Here is a message I received from one of my grandkids this week. “Hey JB, it’s your birthday, and you just turned 84, I know you will live for many, many more.” I sure hope I do. I understand that I’m getting a bit older and that I cannot ignore life’s ending.

Keep food assistance flowing

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance to Louisiana residents facing food insecurity.

Open government under assault

Does the average Louisiana citizen have a legal right to follow the internal workings of government in Louisiana? Not just in Baton Rouge at the state capitol, but in deliberations that take place by school boards, city councils, police juries and any other sanctioned public body?

Future state budgets must set priorities

Louisiana’s next budget for the 2025-2026 year will be under much stress as it will lose significant federal funding as well as the temporary 0.45% sales tax that will also expire.

Convoy crowded south Louisiana roads

It took more than three hours for 8,000 soldiers and a thousand-plus trucks to move through Opelousas on Saturday, May 11, 1940, and they were moving as quickly as they could. It was quite a show and people turned out to watch.

Two lawmakers take a stand

John F. Kennedy won the Pulitzer Prize for his book “Profiles In Courage,” a series of essays that focused on eight senators throughout U.S. history who — despite serious pressures from their colleagues and constituents — did what they believed to be the right and moral thing.