Matrix Therapy Solutions is inviting the community to a free afternoon of bingo, prizes, and wellness screenings on Fri July 31. The event begins at 1pm at CHRISTUS Coushatta Outpatient Services. Guests can enjoy free bingo, cookies, lemonade, and door prizes while physical and occupational therapists provide complimentary therapy screenings for anyone experiencing pain, balance issues, weakness, stiffness, or other mobility concerns. The event is free and open to the public.

Red River Head Start and Pre-K 4 families should mark their calendars for several important back-to-school dates. Three- and four-year-old screenings will be held Aug. 3–4, followed by a required parent orientation on Aug. 4 with sessions at 9am and 1pm. Home visits are scheduled for Aug. 5–6, with make-up appointments available Aug. 7. Students will begin the school year with a staggered start: girls attend Aug. 10, boys attend Aug. 11, and all students report together beginning Aug. 12.

Taylor Farms has issued a recall of all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico including Marketside brand products sold at Walmart due to potential Cyclospora contamination.

Louisiana college and universities will have the option of offering digital student ID cards through LA Wallet. The law takes effect Aug 1 but it will likely take some time for the technology to be built. The program is optional for each institution.

Broadway is coming to Parkway Cinema 6 in Natchitoches for the first time. The theater announced it will begin showing Broadway productions on the big screen with the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. Showtimes run 3 times per day from July 23-27. Tickets are on sale now.

One of Louisiana’s oldest college football rivalries is set to return in 2030. LSU and Tulane have announced they will meet on Aug 31, 2030, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, marking the first meeting between the schools since 2009. The game revives the historic “Battle for the Rag,” a rivalry that dates back to 1893 and was played annually for decades.

The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a new rule that will withhold senators’ pay during future federal government shutdowns. Sponsored by Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, the measure requires senators’ salaries to be placed in escrow while a shutdown is in effect and released once the government reopens. The rule, which takes effect after the 2026 midterm elections, applies only to the Senate and was approved following two lengthy government shutdowns that left many federal employees without pay.

Fairlife has temporarily suspended milk production at its U.S. facilities after a ransomware cyberattack compromised portions of the company’s computer systems. Coca-Cola, which owns the dairy brand, said the attack prompted the shutdown as a precaution while cybersecurity experts investigate and restore operations. The company emphasized that product quality and safety have not been affected, and Fairlife’s Canadian production continues as normal. It is unclear how long the disruption will last or whether it will impact product availability in stores.

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