Caddo Heights Math/Science Elementary School in Shreveport has been awarded a $3,500 grant from best-selling author James Patterson. Scholastic Reading Club, a division of children’s publisher Scholastic, will match each grant dollar with “bonus points” that may be used to order books and materials.

Lt. Col. Oliver North, combatdecorated U.S. Marine, bestselling author and military correspondent, will be the guest of honor at a special fundraiser to benefit Caddo- Bossier Crime Stoppers at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 11 at Sam’s Town Casino and Hotel Ballroom.

“The summer months are very busy at Bossier schools,” Sonja Bailes, public relations liaison for Bossier Parish Schools, said.

The 2015 election season is beginning to move into high gear. And it promises to be a pretty interesting year of Louisiana politics. Electing a new governor, which many residents are looking forward to after eight years of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, is at the top of the list.

Making a living these days is not easy. For some, both spouses work, some work two jobs, and making ends meet with costs rising to raise a family and for necessities result in living paycheck to paycheck. And it doesn’t help matters that governmental entities take a big bite out of our income every payday to spend as they see fit – often not wisely.

By now, you’ve heard about the Caddo Parish School Board’s plan to close six schools, and open three new ones, and make improvements in various others using $108 million in bonds. The plan is branded by the school board as, “Reinvest in Caddo.” The plan has drawn both supporters and critics, but both groups may be missing the forest for the trees.