News

Social Security Matters by National Social Security Advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens

Dear Rusty: If I were to apply for my Social Security retirement (I’m 68 on August 1, 2021), when could I realistically expect to receive my first check? Signed: Ready to Claim

With everyone busy with Back to School and a few other end of summer events,

The DeSoto Friends of the National Rifle Association Volunteer Fundraising Committee have moved their banquet date back to September 2. They are excited to have this extra window of time to prepare for the return of the banquet after taking last year off.

They are still seeking donations and sponsors from area businesses to help insure the banquet’s success in support of Friends of the NRA and community. This will be their first event since COVID-19 mandates prevented the gathering of crowds at public functions.

The NSU Music Academy is accepting students for the fall semester. The academy is under the direction of Northwestern State Assistant Professor of Piano Dr. John Price and Associate Professor of Piano Dr. Francis Yang and offers piano, voice, guitar and percussion lessons for students. Piano lessons are for those from age six as well as adults and voice lessons are for those eight and up.

Northwestern State students in the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts provide lessons. Teachers are piano majors David Paz and Hannah Potter, guitar major Naydu Daza Maya, percussion major Jackson Forrester, and voice majors Valentina Herazo Alvarez, Ella Castro and Beth Olin.

Last spring students participated in a concert at NSU’s Magale Recital Hall, a virtual recital, the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival and the Central Music Teachers’ Association Sonatina Festival.

Everyone loves to hear the words “FREE” and “Give Away” and that’s exactly what the DeSoto Fire District 9 Ladies Auxiliary are planning to host and do on Saturday, August 28. From 9:00 a.m. until 12 a.m., you are invited to bring your bags, boxes and trucks to “The Old Station”, located at 5535 Hwy 175 in Frierson.

The ladies held their annual sale last weekend and did so well they wanted to pass the blessings on to those that might need a helping hand with the things that are still in their storage area. Items that you can chose from include furniture, kids and baby items (that look like new!), clothing for the entire family, household goods, kitchen items and a set of dishes, collectibles, books, and other things…all for free.

Please share this information and come help yourselves to some great deals! You can’t beat free!

The Many Bass Club held its August 2021, tournament on the weekend of August 7 on Toledo Bend. The fishing conditions were challenging for the club. The seasonal weather was typical for August with hot, humid conditions and bright skies. The water temps were in the upper eighties and the Lake level was falling all week prior to the tournament and was down to 169.8 by tournament time. Fifteen anglers participated in the derby and only five of the anglers were able to catch a five fish limit. Most of the anglers chose to fish deep but the first and second place anglers caught their fish in less than three feet of water.

High Participation Rates Producing Rich Academic Data Lays The Foundation For High Impact Initiatives To Accelerate Student Learning

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) today announced the release of new Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP 2025) data. For the last two school years, Louisiana faced extraordinary challenges ranging from catastrophic hurricanes to a global pandemic.“In the face of immense adversity, students, teachers, administrators and parents showed unwavering resiliency, demonstrating a deep commitment to both safety and learning,” said State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Cade Brumley. “This LEAP 2025 data will be invaluable in guiding our instructional, policy, and resource allocation decisions as we recover and accelerate from this unprecedented interruption to student learning.”

LEAP 2025 Results

Grades 3-8

Robbo Davidson’s book, “The Evil I Have Seen” continues to receive 5 star ratings on Amazon with impressive comments about the book. While it has sold out locally in DeSoto Parish at The Enterprise, the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce and 4C Coffee House, it available at Barnes and Noble in Shreveport. The book is so popular at B&N they invited Davidson to hold a book signing at their Youree Drive location.

Davidson will be set up, and ready to sign and personalize his book. Photo opportunities will also be available on Saturday, August 28 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Music is a universal language because no matter where you’re from or what language you speak, you can understand the message. When we listen to music we are using our entire brain-not just one side or the other but both halves working together. Scientists are still trying to figure out how exactly music affects us as much as it does, but what they do know is that music has beneficial effects on our brains. One of the biggest effects is on our mental health.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is urging Louisiana’s parents, guardians, and consumers to be mindful of several child products that have been recently recalled.

“As Louisiana Attorney General, I am committed to making our State a safer place for our children,” said Attorney General Landry. “I urge families to take a brief moment to learn about these recalled products.”

Attorney General Jeff Landry listed the following recalled products:

• Infant Bath by BATTOP

• Children’s Bath Wraps by 10-i n - 1 RH

• Infant Teethers by Booph Battat

• Infant A c t i v i t y Rattles by Playgro

• Cat & Jack Baby Rompers by Target

• Infant Sleep Bags by TJX

• Inclined Sleeper Accessory by Kolcraft

• Brutus Swing Sets by Leisure Time Products

• Slap Watches by K&M International

• Girls Puffer Jackets by JCPenny

• METROUS Strollers by Ergobaby

• Children’s Fishing Toy Games by Blue Star Trading

The DeSoto Parish Sheriff ’s Office has created a group page dedicated solely to arrests, warrants, and all things crime related. From this point forward, our main Facebook page will serve as an area for Public Service Announcements, Missing Persons, Events, or Weather and other Alerts.

We encourage all citizens who desire to stay informed on crime in our parish to join the “DPSO Crimes & Arrests” Group. All future arrest reports will be posted there.

Remember, social media should never be used to report a crime, request assistance, or submit a tip on a crime in progress. Citizens should always call our office for assistance, or dial 911 in any emergency.