RSS Feed

Engagement rings are often sizable investments. Money magazine reports the average engagement ring costs around $5,800. An engagement ring symbolizes the start of a lifelong commitment and may even set the tone for a couple’s wedding day.
Jewelry styles are personal, and grooms-to-be should carefully research their significant others’ preferences in terms of precious metals, colors and gemstones.
Even though tradition holds that a diamond gemstone is classic for engagement rings, these precious stones are not the only options. In fact, before World War II, just 10 percent of proposals involved diamond engagement rings. That number jumped to 80 percent by 1990. However, many modern couples now lean toward other offerings not only for the uniqueness they provide, but also for the potential cost savings.
Those seeking something unique can embrace these engagement ring options.
—Amethyst: This vibrant, lavender-hued stone can be breathtaking when cut the correct way. Purple shades have long been associated with royalty, making an amethyst fitting for such an occasion as special as an engagement. Because amethysts, which are less expensive than diamonds, are a seven on the Mohs scale for gemstone hardness, they can be very durable.
—Knot rings: These rings do not have a center stone. Rather, they’re designed to be a tied knot or infinity symbol. These rings can be particularly sentimental as they represent true, unbroken love.
—Opal: Gemstones, like flowers, have been assigned certain meanings. Tying the engagement ring to one of them can infuse more symbolism into the relationship. Opal, for example, represents love, passion, creativity, spontaneity, and inspiration. Those traits seem tailor-made for surprise proposals.
—Sapphire: While sapphire stones often are blue, they can also be yellow, green, pink and white. Sapphires are the third hardest mineral. A white sapphire can be the perfect diamond replacement.
—Garnet or ruby: Red is the definitive color of love. A Valentine’s Day proposal can be made even more special by presenting an engagement ring with a red gemstone.
—Moissanite: The jewelry source Brilliant Earth says moissanite is a gemstone first discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan in a meteorite that fell to earth. It is remarkably similar to a diamond in appearance and strength. Moissanite also has heightened brilliance, with a refractive index higher than that of a diamond.
Couples have many alternatives to diamonds that they can explore when shopping for engagement rings.

DEAR ABBY: My 13-year-old son and I recently had a discussion that maybe you can help clarify. We are seeing more about trans people these days, and I’m not sure how to address them.
I don’t want to offend anyone, but when you see a large male wearing pants, shirt, etc. but has pink hair and makeup, should I say “sir” or “madam?” My son says I should ask what pronoun they would like to be referred by, but I am not sure that’s a polite way to find out. I know this is also intertwined with sexual preference, but it still doesn’t mean it is clear-cut.
What’s the most polite way to handle this?
CONFUSED IN THE SOUTH

DEAR CONFUSED: You are confusing “preference” with “orientation.” Preference implies that one’s sexuality is a choice rather than something that is wired into our brains.
People do not choose to be gay, straight or gender dysphoric. Gender identity is about who you ARE. Sexual orientation is about who you LOVE.
As to how you should refer to or address a large male wearing a shirt and pants while sporting pink hair and full makeup, I agree with your son. It makes sense to ask the person, who, I am sure, is fully aware that their appearance is “different.” Asking the person’s name may also provide a clue.

DEAR ABBY: All my life I have followed orders. I haven’t been able to determine my own path. When I was young, I did what my mother told me. When I was old enough, I joined the Marines, and I did as they said. After I separated from the service, I did what my social group expected. After I had a child, I did what a parent should do to protect and provide. That took the next 35 years of my life.
I am 60 now, retired, and the master of my ship. Without “orders,” I don’t know where to go from here, and I am adrift. They say find a passion, do what makes you happy. But I am not passionate about anything. I like many things but feel no passion.
Being alive makes me truly happy. I love every day God gives me. But what to do with these days eludes me.
What shall I do? Can you help me?
FOLLOWING ORDERS IN THE EAST

DEAR FOLLOWING: Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you lived and lived well.”
Perhaps if you concentrate more on doing just one thing a day for someone else, you will discover the passion you are looking for. I can’t promise it will work, but it may be a step in the right direction.

DEAR ABBY: I live in New England, where it is very gray during the winter.
I was inspired by the bright colors of a local Mexican restaurant to redecorate my house. I feel happier with all the lovely colors, but my neighbors feel I am being culturally insensitive because I am not Mexican. I disagree. I think I’m being appreciative.
What do you think?
APPRECIATING IN NEW ENGLAND

DEAR APPRECIATING: I’m glad you asked. I think you have certain neighbors who should mind their own business and keep their criticism to themselves. I also think that you adopted the color scheme you did is a compliment.
***
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

Phase Two of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic means increased occupancy for local businesses and could mean a step in the return to normalcy for others, too.
Margaret Theriot, owner of Anytime Fitness franchises in Morgan City and Bayou Vista, said Monday that the gyms would increase their capacities from 25% at each location to 50%, beginning Friday, while also restarting exercise classes with limited capacity.
“We’re going to continue with hardcore cleaning,” she said. “The members are so responsible, though. I have to give props to them. They’ve been awesome.”
Theriot said a senior class that was held prior to the pandemic won’t resume yet because that population is at greater risk from COVID-19.
“Though we still want them to come and use the equipment, we don’t want them in close proximity,” she said.
After initially opening with limited hours during Phase One to make sure that guidelines were being followed by customers, Theriot said, the gym has resumed its 24-hour operations. However, besides the group classes, the showers also remained shuttered.
“We’re lucky because we have camera systems, we have usage reports and we have apps on our phones that we can see who’s in the gym at what time,” Theriot said.
At GameDay Pizza in Patterson, manager Brandon Harden said the business has been operating with dine-in service under Gov. John Bel Edwards’ order of 25% capacity, but they haven’t offered their dine-in buffet because it brings a large demand.
“With this 50% going into Phase Two, we will probably do the same thing,” he said. “We won’t do the buffet unless we feel like we can operate it in a manner where it’s feasible.”
However, Harden said GameDay Pizza will offer a to-go buffet.
He said the move from no inside dining to 25% was a smooth transition.
“We had a lot of business when it was shut down (inside dining) with takeout orders, which I think is pretty common in the pizza world anyway, so we were able to sustain business even when we were in the core of the pandemic,” Harden said.
He said it will be good to take a step closer to normalcy, noting that the interaction with usual customers that hasn’t taken place.
“We miss that,” Harden said. “Our workers miss that. The interaction that you get. I think everybody’s kind of missing that social aspect that you get from doing day-to-day business and face-to-face contact. We’re ready to get back to some sense of normalcy.”
In Bayou Vista, John Trevino Sr. of St. Mary Parish Recreation District No. 3, which oversees facilities in Bayou Vista such as the ballparks, skate park, waterpark and putt-putt golf facility, said they would need to seek more information from the governor’s office as well as the parish before determining if they can safely reopen these facilities.
“If we can do it safely under the guidelines, we’re looking forward to getting things reopened,” Trevino said, noting the facilities are funded by the public and recreation leaders would like to see them used. “We just want to do it in a safe and cautious way.”
At One Faith Fellowship Christian International in Calumet, Apostle Lee Condolle said the church has been holding virtual worship and Bible study since mid-March and was meeting Monday evening with church leaders and congregants to get their feedback to see what their next step would be.
He said they think they may return to their church for in-person worship the first Sunday of July. However, that is yet to be determined.
Condolle said that safety is priority.
“We’re looking out for the people,” said Condolle, who leads the church with his wife, Pastor Myra Condolle. “It’s not so much about as far as being in the building, because we’re the church, but it’s looking out for the people, the safety of each other. That’s our main concern about the people that attend our ministry.”

BATON ROUGE — A bill that aims to lower car insurance premiums in Louisiana by limiting injury damage suits will return for debate during a special session after Republican lawmakers could not reach a compromise Monday with Gov. John Bel Edwards.
The bill by Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, was approved for a second time by both the House and the Senate after changes were made to accommodate concerns about some of the terms.
The House voted 66-31 to approve the new version of the bill, and the Senate approved it 28-10, shortly before the regular legislative session ended at 6 p.m. Monday.
Democrats have said that the bill would make it too difficult for some people injured in car wrecks to receive fair compensation, and Edwards has threatened to veto it. Talbot told the Senate that he had constructive talks with Edwards but could not reach a deal on all of the issues.
If Edwards vetoed the bill, Republicans in both chambers would need to muster two-thirds of the votes to override it. Monday’s vote in the House fell short of that supermajority, suggesting that Edwards still has leverage to push for more changes as the Legislature moves into a special session to work on a state budget and other bills leftover from the regular session.
Just before the regular session ended Monday, the House voted 63-38 to join the Senate in approving a measure to use $300 million of $811 million that the state will receive from federal COVID-19 relief funds to help small businesses instead of channeling all of the money to help local governments, as Edwards would like to do.
That action also sets up another possible veto showdown with the governor.
The changes in the tort laws and efforts to help businesses hurt by the virus shutdown were among the biggest priorities of lawmakers during the regular session. Lawmakers also voted Monday to temporarily suspend the corporate franchise tax for small businesses. That will reduce state revenue by about $6 million.
Talbot and other Republicans say his tort bill targeted Louisiana’s litigious climate and laws that Republicans say make it too easy to sue. Louisiana drivers pay the second highest car insurance rates in the nation, next to Michigan.
The last-minute changes in the bill included expanding the potential premium reductions to truckers and other commercial drivers and requiring companies to rebate 1.5 times the amount annual premium payments to injured people who win judgments.
Edwards has said he supports alternative measures to lowering insurance rates, like keeping companies from charging different rates to drivers based on gender and other classifications.
Talbot’s bill would prohibit insurance companies from being sued directly. It would increase the time parties have to file lawsuits to encourage settling out of court and decrease the monetary threshold for an injury claim to be decided by a jury rather than a judge. It also would prohibit using evidence of a plaintiff receiving reimbursements for healthcare costs from sources besides the defendant.
The bill would allow for juries to hear whether an injured person was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.
Proponents say changing these areas of Louisiana’s tort laws could lead to at least a 10% decrease in most auto insurance rates. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said rates could decrease by up to 25% in some cases.
Opponents say these changes do not require insurance companies to lower rates. Besides making it harder for injured parties to receive adequate compensation, some say that courts could become overcrowded with jury trials and make it difficult to find jurors. But Talbot said he has not seen evidence of this in other states.
“These are pretty massive changes to our civil justice system that are based on pretty much a guess,” said Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, during a committee hearing on the bill.
Democratic lawmakers authored bills that aimed to lower insurance rates by prohibiting insurance companies from setting rates based on a driver’s race, gender, credit score and other demographics. A series of bills by Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, gained Edwards’ support but was killed in committee.
Another setback for personal injury lawyers came when a bill by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, won final passage Monday. Her bill aims to restrict attorneys from displaying advertisements that could be seen as false or misleading when a person claims to have received the full monetary amount from a judgment or settlement without disclosing how much of that was spent on lawyer fees or court costs.