By Norm Miller, Louisiana College News PINEVILLE (LCNews) - The societal ills poverty brings are indisputable. From health risks to increased crime rates, and from a sense of helplessness to illiteracy, poverty claims many victims. A Princeton University study states that children living below the poverty threshold “are 1.3 times as likely as non-poor children to experience learning disabilities and developmental delays.” Best-selling author Linda Karges-Bone addressed the challenges poverty levies on college students at Louisiana College’s annual faculty workshop in a presentation titled “Three Strikes and You’re In: The Truth about Meeting the Needs of First-Generation College Students Who Live in Poverty.” Bone’s research reiterated the long-standing poverty rates in Louisiana, with CenLa graphically noted among the most impoverished regions in the state. Drawing from her best-selling book, “Rich Brain, Poor Brain: Bridging Social and Synaptic Gaps in Schools,” Karges-Bone used the August 14 session to both motivate and inform faculty and staff on brain-friendly strategies to increase retention and success of all students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. “Retention, retention, retention,” she … [Read more...]

LAKE CHARLES - The problem seemed insurmountable for two senior citizen ladies whose backyard was covered with a fallen tree. However, their prayers were answered when a team from Carey Baptist Association showed up Saturday, Aug. 19, to remove the tree that fell two months earlier after a powerful storm came through the area. Association disaster relief coordinator Rob Tibbitts said the team of 15 worked tirelessly to cut up the tree and stack it on the curb. Because of the massive size of the tree, only half of the tree would fit on the curb. Once the City of Lake Charles removes the first pile of debris, the team will return to finish the tree removal. "We were able to pray with the homeowner, give her a Bible signed by each of the team members, and share Christ with her through our words and our actions," said Tibbitts, also pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Vinton. "She was blown away people still cared enough to do this kind of stuff for her." Of those who served on the team, some were first-time volunteers. Among those were parents who came with their children. Tibbitts said that each of the team members expressed their desire to return for future projects. "They got to not only serve in their community … [Read more...]