Opinions

Reader wishes best for new Pope Leo XIV

Dear Editor:I indeed wish the best for new Pope Leo XIV. Many commentators have said that he has potential for many years ahead. Quite true as far as actuarialtables go.However, I am mindful that when I was a teenager in 1978, Pope John Paul I was elected pope.He served for a fateful 33 days.

Reminding all freedom comes at a cost

The Natchitoches Parish Veterans & Memoriao Park Committee hosted a Memorial Day program with the speaker being Mark E. Kerry, Colonel, U.S.Army Retired.Kerry is a resident of Gorum and is District 5 representative on the Natchitoches Parish Council of Parish Government.

Ask Rusty:

How do I apply for Social Security?Dear Rusty: I just turned 65 years old in February 2025. I need to sign up for Social Security but don’t even know where to start.

Why we must invest in support for returning students

At a time when higher education is at the center of national debate, uncertainty around its future isn’t just affecting recent high school graduates or students who are currently enrolled – it’s weighing heavily on many adults hoping to return after pausing.

Trump’s precedent-shattering trip to the Middle East

I don’t know that there has been a more significant trip to the Middle East by an American president. The Middle East, with its eternal hatreds, is a perpetual tinderbox from which conflict and war may, at any time, spring.Yet, there President Trump was. His speech in Riyadh at the Saudi U.S.

Ask Rusty:

Must I take Medicare Part A even if I have VA or Medicaid Coverage?Dear Rusty: Does everyone need to sign up for Medicare part A, even if you are ex-military? Or only on Medicaid, regardless of whether you are eligible for Social Security or not? Also is there a cost for just part A?