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Before the schools were closed in mid-March, Central Catholic Elementary School announced that one of its second grade students, Ella Robison, had read 1 million words during this 2019-20 school year. After reading each book, Ella was tested through the Accelerated Reader Program on classroom or library computers verifying her accomplishment.

Cleanup is underway at the LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research and Extension Center, which was hit by a devastating tornado on the night of April 22.
AgCenter Central Region Director Tara Smith said the damage totals from the storm have yet to be determined, but insurance adjusters and LSU Office of Facilities Planning have been on site to make an estimate.
“We know it’s going to be in the millions,” she said.
Dean Lee resident coordinator Daniel Stephenson said people who see photos of the damage then view it firsthand are still overwhelmed by the devastation.
“Everybody tells me the pictures don’t do it justice,” he said.
The DeWitt Livestock Show Facility, a total loss, will have to be replaced. The nearby State Evacuation Shelter only had minor damage.
Also destroyed were the foundation seed facility with offices for research associates and farm staff, a greenhouse and four tractor sheds, Smith said
“It’s going to be a long process, but we have already begun the cleanup process,” she said.
Initial evaluations suggest that several other damaged buildings that are still standing probably aren’t worth repairing and will have to be replaced, Smith said. The weed science laboratory was spared from any major effects.
Much of the station’s farm equipment was ruined, but some only had broken windshields.
“I don’t think there’s one piece of equipment that didn’t have some damage,” Smith said.
The agronomy lab operations have been moved to the LSUA Biology Department.
Research plots for corn and soybeans had been planted, and they fared well, Smith said, but a field of wheat planted for testing sustained significant damage.
“The entirety of the cattle herd was located and has been secured, which is also a blessing,” she said.
Minimal repairs will be needed for nearby AgCenter residential housing. The Dean Lee administrative offices fared well.
“It’s a blessing that it happened at night when no one was at work, and it’s a blessing that it spared the houses,” Smith said.
The tornado killed a woman about 3 miles away, and it went down Gregg Marshall Drive on the south side of the LSUA campus. The National Weather Service said the destruction was caused by a 150-mile-long supercell long-track storm system that started in East Texas before hitting Louisiana and Mississippi.
The June 18 field day at Dean Lee had already been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smaller, more focused events planned for later in the summer will feature beef cattle research, agronomic crops and horticulture.
“I’m optimistic in the late summer we’ll be able to hold our field tours and other meetings, at least in a virtual setting,” she said.
Smith also indicated conversations have started to identify alternative locations for extension programs traditionally held at the DeWitt facility, including livestock shows and nutrition programs.
This year’s research will be conducted as scheduled, and equipment will have to be leased to get fields and plots planted.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to meet all our research goals at this station,” Stephenson said.
Harvest will be a challenge because harvesting research plots relies on small, state-of-the-art combines that allow researchers to obtain data from individual plots.
Stephenson and Smith were impressed with the help received from other AgCenter regions and research stations. Several research stations sent equipment, and at least 15 AgCenter agents are helping with the debris cleanup and installing new fences.
“It’s been really nice to see the outpouring of help,” Stephenson said.
Smith said she was moved by the help by AgCenter personnel who came to the station on their own.
“I’m just proud to work for the AgCenter. We are a people-centric organization, and that shines in times like this,” she said.

For the first time in its over 200-year history, the Louisiana Supreme Court will hold oral argument using video conferencing technology, when it hears pending matters June 8-9
. The court’s seven justices will conduct oral arguments via video with the attorneys arguing the matters before the state’s high court. Since the start of the social and physical distancing mandate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Louisiana Supreme Court and courts throughout the state have worked to balance the safety of Louisiana’s citizens while maintaining access to the justice system.
Though the court has live-streamed oral arguments since January 2007, this is the first time attorneys will argue cases before the justices via video conferencing. This unprecedented move is reflected on the Supreme Court’s June docket, which directs attorneys to join the online conferencing 30 minutes prior to the start of oral argument.
“Holding oral arguments in this virtual setting will allow each of the Justices and the attorneys arguing before the court to abide by social and physical distancing guidelines while continuing the crucial and valuable work of keeping the system of justice in Louisiana moving forward,” said Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson.
For several years, due to the fact that the justices live in their home districts throughout the state, the justices have alternated their weekly conferences by meeting live one week and by videoconference the next week. These conferences are usually held over two days. However, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, since March the justices have exclusively used videoconferencing to meet two to three times per week to consider administrative matters as well as pending writ applications, opinions, and other court business.
The court will hear seven arguments over those two days, including matters which were originally set for the March docket that were postponed due to social and physical distancing recommendations. Arguments set for Monday, June 8, will begin at 2 p.m. while arguments on Tuesday, June 9 are set for 9:30 am and 2:00 pm.
During sitting weeks, the Supreme Court live-streams oral arguments via the Court’s website, www.lasc.org. The oral arguments set for June 8-9 will also be broadcast via the Court’s live-stream, https://livestream.lasc.org/.continuing the crucial and valuable work of keeping the system of justice in Louisiana moving forward,” said Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson.
For several years, due to the fact that the Justices live in their home districts throughout the state, the Justices have alternated their weekly conferences by meeting live one week and by videoconference the next week. These conferences are usually held over two days. However, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, since March the Justices have exclusively utilized videoconferencing to meet two to three times per week to consider administrative matters as well as pending writ applications, opinions, and other court business.

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have two sons in their late 30s. We always thought they got along well and loved each other. Over the past year, they are no longer speaking with each other because of hard feelings over current situations. They live in the same neighborhood.
My husband refuses to stay at either one’s house now when we visit from out of town because he’s so upset at the turn of events. (We have been getting a hotel room.) When I visit on my own, I stay with our older son because there is no place to stay with the younger one.
The disagreement between my husband and me is I want to continue to visit as I have, understanding there are differences but hoping they will come to a solution. I refuse to choose one over the other, and I’m trying to be consistent with love and be a good role model. Both of our sons know this.
My husband is upset with me because I don’t support his position of not staying at either house until they make up. This is creating more friction in a situation that is already breaking our hearts.
What do you recommend? We have made our suggestions for a resolution, but these are grown men who must do the work themselves.
MOM IN A DIFFICULT SPOT

DEAR MOM: I recommend you continue to do what makes you comfortable. Your sons both know you love them.
If your husband thinks that your staying in a hotel — provided you can find one during the current shutdowns — will somehow manipulate your sons into settling their differences more quickly, he is mistaken. It hasn’t worked so far.
As you stated, your “boys” are grown men. I agree with you that they will have to hash this out on their own.

DEAR ABBY: My fiancé often leaves memory cards out on his dresser after a day of being home alone. I was by myself one day and looked at them. There were photos of a nude woman wrapped in his bed sheet on his bed back in 2018. In them, she is posing. We were dating when they were taken, but not yet living together or engaged.
He dabbles in photography, but never mentioned this or informed me he was doing this shoot. I found another set from 2017 — prior to our relationship — that is not as “tastefully” done.
Do I have reason for concern? I thought these things were professionally done off-site. His bedroom, though?
UNEASY IN NEW YORK

DEAR UNEASY: If the photos were taken before you and your fiancé were exclusive, I doubt you have any reason to worry. However, rather than ask me if you have anything to be concerned about, any questions you have about his “dabbling” would be better addressed directly to him.

DEAR ABBY: I have a grown daughter whom my ex-husband named “Brenda.” (It is her middle name.) She’s married, a mother of five and lived abroad for quite some time.
She’s back in the U.S. now and living 50 miles away from our family. She now wants to be called by her first name, which is “Riley.” The problem is, everyone here at home knows her as Brenda. Presently, I still call her Brenda. How can this be resolved?
NOT HAPPY IN THE SOUTH

DEAR NOT HAPPY: Resolve this by using the name your adult daughter prefers. If you refuse, expect the distance between you to become greater than 50 miles.
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