Forget steaks and racks of ribs — in this economy, one hot dog is apparently enough to require armed security and laser protection. Guests at this backyard gathering stare at the grill like they’re bidding on a rare collectible, hoping they might score a bite before prices go up again. The cartoon pokes fun at rising grocery costs and shrinking cookout menus, where even a humble barbecue has started to feel like a high-stakes event.
In April 1969, Gaynor Hopkins’s aunt heard her singing in her bedroom and entered her in a local talent competition. She was nervous and excited. The song she chose was the chart topper “Those Were the Days,” made popular by Mary Hopkin. It was the first time the 17-year-old had ever used a real microphone. Gaynor did not win the talent show but came in second place to an accordion player. People at the talent show praised Gaynor for her vocal delivery and sweet voice. The following week, Gaynor saw an advertisement in her local newspaper in which a singer named Bobby Wayne was looking to hire three female backup singers. The ad said, “No experience needed, training [would be] given.” Winning second in the talent show gave Gaynor the confidence to audition. Out of the 34 girls who auditioned, Gaynor was one of the three selected. For two years, she performed with Bobby Wayne and the Dixies. There was a problem. Gaynor Hopkins resembled and sounded like Mary Hopkin, and people often confused the two. Gaynor said she never really liked her name, so she took the opportunity to change it. She adopted her niece’s first name, added a common last name, and became Sherene Davis. She performed under that name with her own band called Imagination.
In 1975, Gaynor was performing with her band at a local hotspot called “The Townsman” which was in a multi-story building. Talent scout Roger Bell went to the building to see Vic Oakley sing, but he went to the wrong floor by mistake. Roger liked what he heard and invited Gaynor to London to record a demo. That demo led to a contract with RCA Records. Gaynor released her first single in 1976, but it was a flop. Her second, “Lost in France,” fared much better, then there was another career setback. After suffering with a sore throat, Gaynor’s doctor said she needed surgery to remove nodules from her vocal cords. In the spring of 1977, her doctor said the operation was a success and her voice would return to normal if she remained completely silent for the six-week recovery period. He instructed her to communicate only by writing. Gaynor, a self-proclaimed chatterbox, tried but failed and strained her voice. Her doctor explained that the damage was irreversible.
Gaynor had years left on her contract with RCA, so they brought her in for another recording session. After singing the first six words of a song in the studio, everyone involved was worried. The sweetness was replaced with a huskiness. RCA released the song as a single in November 1977 only after the song’s producer and songwriters threatened to terminate their contracts with RCA. To RCA’s surprise, the song rose to the top 10 in 20 countries and to the number one spot in 8 of those countries. That song was “It’s a Heartache.” Gaynor had many other hit songs including “Holding Out for a Hero” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” When Gaynor signed her contract with RCA, they stipulated that Gaynor change her stage name from Sherene Davis to something that sounded less like a belly dancer. She bought two newspapers from which she listed all the Christian names and surnames. She tried many different combinations until she found one that suited her. You may never have heard the names Gaynor Hopkins or Sherene Davis, but the world knows her as Bonnie Tyler.
Sources:
1. Abby Morgan, “Bonnie Tyler: ‘The older you get, the less you have to prove,’’’ Leicestershire Press, July 10, 2023, accessed May 10, 2026, https://leicestershirepress.
2. “33.1/3rd,” Record Collector, December 28, 2023, accessed May 10, 2026, https://recordcollectormag.
3. Goldmine Contributors, “Bonnie Tyler feels ‘The Best Is Yet To Come,’” Goldmine: the Music Collector’s Magazine, May 27, 2021, accessed May 10, 2026, https://www.goldminemag.com/
For generations, blue jeans have survived fashion trends, school dress codes, road trips, concerts, awkward family photos and at least a few questionable DIY projects. And on May 20, one of the world’s most recognizable wardrobe staples celebrates a major milestone in history.
May 20 marks the anniversary of the 1873 patent that helped launch blue jeans into global fame. On that date, businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent for adding metal rivets to men’s work pants, creating a stronger and more durable product designed for laborers during the Gold Rush era.
At the time, the invention was practical. Workers needed clothing tough enough to survive mines, railroads and physically demanding jobs. More than 150 years later, those same rugged pants somehow became acceptable attire for everything from grocery runs to weddings held in barns.
The original riveted denim pants were intended for hardworking laborers in the American West. Today, they are just as likely to be worn by teenagers filming dance videos, tourists walking through Buc-ee’s or someone insisting they are “dressed up” because they chose dark denim instead of faded denim.
Jeans have become one of the few pieces of clothing capable of sparking universal emotional experiences. Nearly everyone has owned a pair that fit perfectly for exactly three weeks before shrinking, stretching or suddenly becoming uncomfortable for reasons science still cannot explain.
The evolution of denim trends has also created some memorable fashion eras. Over the decades, styles have ranged from bell-bottoms and acid wash to ripped skinny jeans and ultra-baggy designs large enough to store camping equipment in the pockets. Every generation has confidently declared its preferred version the correct one while criticizing the styles that came before and after it.
Despite changing trends, denim remains deeply tied to American culture. Blue jeans have appeared in movies, music, political campaigns and countless advertisements promoting the idea of rugged independence. They are worn by ranchers, celebrities, mechanics, teachers and people pretending they definitely did not just spill queso on themselves moments earlier.
Retail analysts say denim sales continue to remain strong even as athleisure wear and comfortable loungewear compete for closet space. Still, many shoppers continue searching for the mythical perfect pair of jeans — one that is comfortable, affordable, flattering and does not require Olympic-level flexibility to put on.
As May 20 rolls around, Americans once again celebrate an invention that managed to outlast countless fashion trends while remaining stubbornly difficult to shop for. More than a century after their invention, blue jeans remain one of the few things capable of making people simultaneously feel confident, nostalgic and personally attacked by fluorescent dressing room lighting.
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana families may qualify for SUN Bucks, a summer grocery assistance program providing a one-time $120 benefit for each eligible school-aged child to help purchase food during the summer break.
The program applies to children ages 5 to 18 and is designed to assist families while school meal programs are unavailable during the summer months.
Most eligible children will automatically receive the benefit and do not need to apply. Automatic eligibility includes children born between Aug. 20, 2007, and July 1, 2020, who received SNAP, FITAP, KCSP or income-based Medicaid benefits at any time between July 1, 2025, and Aug. 20, 2026.
Children may also automatically qualify if they attend a school participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and were approved individually for free or reduced-price meals.
Some families, however, will need to submit an application. This includes households with children attending Community Eligibility Provision schools where all students receive free meals but no meal application was completed. Families may also qualify based on household income even if they do not meet the automatic eligibility categories.
Applications for summer 2026 benefits will be accepted through Aug. 20, 2026. Approved applicants typically receive benefits within three weeks of approval.
Officials say SUN Bucks benefits will begin distribution in mid-May. Families already receiving SNAP or those who participated in SUN Bucks last summer will have benefits added to their existing EBT card. Other households will receive a preloaded EBT card by mail in a plain white envelope addressed to the child.
Families are encouraged to verify their mailing address information with Medicaid, FITAP, KCSP and their child’s school to avoid delays in receiving benefits.
SUN Bucks cards can be activated through the LifeInCheck app, by calling 888-997-1117 or online through the LifeInCheck EBT system. Cardholders will need the child’s Social Security information, birthdate and ZIP code to complete activation.
Officials also remind families to choose secure PIN numbers and avoid common patterns such as repeated or consecutive digits.
The Louisiana Department of Health is urging residents to prioritize water safety as summer approaches, reminding families that strong safety practices can help prevent drownings and serious water-related injuries, particularly among children.
The reminder comes as Gov. Jeff Landry has proclaimed May as Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund Swim Safety Month.
According to recent data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the fourth leading cause of injury-related deaths among children ages 0 to 14 in Louisiana.
LDH officials said most drownings are preventable and often happen quickly and quietly. Between 2022 and 2024, 55 children drowned in Louisiana, according to the LDH Office of Public Health. More than half of those children were unsupervised, and 42 percent drowned in water areas without proper protective barriers. Most incidents occurred in swimming pools.
An additional 54 children were hospitalized due to nonfatal drownings or near-drownings, which health officials say can lead to lifelong disabilities and permanent developmental impacts.
State health officials are encouraging parents and caregivers to actively supervise children whenever they are near water, keep young children within arm’s reach and never leave children unattended around pools, lakes or other bodies of water.
The department also recommends enrolling children in swim lessons at an early age, installing protective barriers and self-latching gates around pools, ensuring pools and spas have compliant drain covers and teaching children to avoid pool drains.
Officials say extra caution should be used in open water environments such as lakes and beaches, where conditions can include low visibility, changing depths, currents and underwater hazards.
Families are also encouraged to use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets during boating and water recreation activities, avoid alcohol while swimming or supervising children and learn CPR and basic rescue skills in case of emergencies.
Additional water safety information, swim lesson resources and CPR class information are available through the Louisiana Department of Health.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) approved a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to conduct a recreational alligator hunting season from Oct. 1-31, 2026. The action came during the LWFC’s May meeting Thursday (May 7) in Baton Rouge.
“We are proud to increase recreational opportunity for Louisiana sportsmen and women across the state with this exciting new season,” said LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “The American Alligator is a true conservation success story, and by being able to have a recreational season, we are able to further promote this success and the rich hunting heritage that makes up the Louisiana way of life.”
The recreational season would be separate from the commercial season. Properties already issued commercial harvest tags are excluded from recreational eligibility. Alligators, hides, meat and parts taken under a recreational hide tag may not be sold, bartered or commingled with commercial-tag alligators.
The recreational season would be conducted by lottery. Only Louisiana residents may apply. A total of 5,000 participants would be selected with two recreational alligator hide tags issued to each participant. Immediate tag attachment upon harvest and tag validation within 72 hours via department portal, LA Wallet, phone, or LouisianaOutdoors.com, is required.
Method of take is restricted to hook and line, or snatch hook only — anchored, tethered, or originating from immovable eligible property with written landowner permission. Pole hunting and free shooting is prohibited.
There would be eight zones statewide with recreational opportunity in each zone. Zones B and C would have 1,250 participants, Zone A 500 participants and zones D, E, F, G and H 400 participants each.. A recreational alligator hunter must possess a basic hunting license, the recreational alligator hunting license, valid recreational hide tags and written proof of land ownership or permission. A recreational alligator hunting license would be $25 for residents and $150 for non-residents.
To see the full NOI, visit the LDWF Alligator Hunting webpage.
Public comment on the NOI will be accepted through June 26. Comments may be submitted to LDWF Alligator Program Manager Jeb Linscombe at LDWF, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA, 70506, or by email at jlinscombe@wlf.la.gov.
I’ve always heard the saying that “some things never change,” but that would not be the case for bass tournaments. When you look back at tournament participation over the last 10 years, one thing is very apparent; anglers have walked away from bass tournaments.
Let’s look at some of the reasons that might explain why participation is down. But understand this, you can’t point your finger at just one reason. First and foremost, we are living in a different time as compared to the hay day of tournament bass fishing that was the 1990s and early 2000s.
After the conclusion of the COVID outbreak in 2021, for some reason tournament participation has gone south. Tournaments were at full strength during COVID as anglers were looking for an escape from isolation. Bass boat sales were out the roof nationwide with people retreating to the outdoors.
All the major tournament trails were filling up with a maximum number of entries anywhere from 200 to 300 boats or more. But a couple of years after COVID, for whatever reason, anglers quit showing up.
That was about the time forward-facing sonar became an issue. Nothing in the last 40 years has had as much controversial impact than forward-facing sonar.
Now I’m not pointing the finger at this alone because it may be just a coincidence that anglers were dropping out of tournaments. But for the last five years, anglers have come up with other reasons for not fishing competitively.
Some say it’s the economy, but I’m not totally buying into this idea. One thing about bass tournament anglers, they will do whatever it takes to make sure they can still compete even if it means selling their youngest child or their wife getting a second job in order to save enough money for them to fish the next tournament.
While I’m joking about them selling their youngest child, there is one thing that seems to be a common variable to anglers not showing up: gas prices! Back in 2014 when a tank of gas cost you an arm and a leg ($4 a gallon), anglers decided to park their high-dollar bass boats.
While gas prices can have an influence on whether anglers fish or not, presently we are once again on the verge of anglers parking their boats as gas prices continue to rise due to the war with Iran.
Here’s a major concern of mine that I think is having a negative effect on tournaments … cheaters! Over the last two years, there have been more anglers disqualified for rules violations and more people who have been caught cheating.
This has given the sport a black eye and is just another reason anglers are thinking twice before entering a tournament. They just don’t trust that someone is not cheating! Even on local weeknight shootouts, there have been anglers caught cheating just to win a couple hundred dollars.
So, even with all the reasons we’ve mentioned, one angler recently summed it up as to why tournament participation is down nationwide: “It’s just not fun any more!”
Very few of us fish for a living. We love tournaments because we enjoy the comradery and the competition. Most guys are perfectly happy if they just get a check to help cover their gas, hotel and food.
But it’s sad that we live in a world today where there will always be a couple of bad apples that can ruin it for everybody. I just hope that one day anglers can look forward to fishing a tournament and not have to worry if someone is cheating.
Hopefully the heyday of tournament bass fishing is not over. But it’s going to take time for some anglers to return to the sport they love. Tournament organizations are in a pickle today trying to figure out the formula that will encourage tournament anglers to return.
Every tournament trail is always attempting to get more anglers to enter their events. Their dilemma is trying to figure out who should be their target demographic group. Should they cater to the younger generation (18 to 34) or try to get the 35 and older anglers back?
There’s one key component they’ll need to factor in when getting more anglers to return; they must gain their trust again.
Graduation season is officially here, which means students across Louisiana are preparing for one of life’s biggest milestones… and one of its longest ceremonies. Between the packed auditoriums, nervous sweating, endless speeches, and the fear of tripping on stage, every graduate knows survival requires a few essentials: graduation cords, a portable fan, sunglasses for hiding tired eyes from cramming for finals, and a fully charged phone ready for photos the second it’s over.
Several years ago, a radio station in San Francisco conducted a nonscientific listener survey. Sixty-eight percent of the people surveyed were for it. Twenty percent were against it. The remaining twelve percent had no opinion on the matter. So the radio station concluded from this nonscientific survey that the vast majority were in favor of it. The funny part is that the radio station never asked a question. It was an illustration of the bandwagon effect. If you get enough people walking down South Trenton Street in the same direction at nearly the same time, a parade is likely to break out.
I could go on one of my rants about people not thinking critically about political, educational, existential, or spiritual matters — but I won’t. I will say this: you need to read more than just the headlines on the website. You need to read the article. And you need to read more than one verse of the Bible if you want the whole picture. We often form opinions based on emotion rather than actually thinking something through. (I know — shocking.)
I talk about this because when people find out I’m a minister, they usually ask a question that goes something like this: “Do Methodists believe in drinking wine and playing cards at the dance held on Sunday afternoon at the movie theater?” This is not a serious question, but the ones people ask me are just as funny. When someone asks me about a specific “sin,” I usually ask them what they think. You might be surprised to know that people are looking for direction and validation in their lives. I’m amused that they mostly want to know if I’m AGAINST the same things they’re against. Often, in seeking direction and validation for our spiritual position, we join a church where people “think like we do.”
Nonchurch folks define the congregation of Trinity Methodist in two ways: by who attends our church, and by what we are AGAINST. I have a list of jokes to prove my point, but space doesn’t allow me to share them. (You’re welcome.) In church life, the bandwagon is joined as much for what a church is against as for what the church believes. But do you really want anyone defining you by what you’re against?
Now here’s what I want you to hear — and I want you to hear it louder than any bandwagon rolling down the street. I am FOR YOU. I believe God loves you just the way you are — not the “improved,” “cleanedup,” “Sundaybest” version of you, but the real you, the one who sometimes burns the biscuits, loses their patience, and wonders if they’re getting any of this right. You don’t have to do one single thing to earn God’s love. Not one. I believe God wants the best for you — and your “best” doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus into the world to show us that love with skin on.
And if you’ve never heard anyone say this plainly, let me be the first: you matter, you are loved, and heaven is not rolling its eyes at you. God is not waiting for you to get your act together — God is already cheering for you, believing in you, and walking with you.
What do you believe?
Burger joints are as much a part of our American culture as the fish and chip shops are in England. On April 25, 1960, Michael James “Jim” Delligatti opened a drive-in restaurant franchise in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Jim’s drive-in operated on a streamlined technique in which they could deliver a hamburger, French fires, and a milkshake in 50 seconds or less. The menu consisted of just ten items: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, triple thick milkshakes, Coca Cola, root beer, Orangeade, milk, coffee, and hot chocolate. By using their assembly line process, they could prepare 36 hamburgers in just 110 seconds. Jim’s drive-in had the space to prepare 6,000 hamburgers a day. At $.15 each, the profit margin per hamburger was small, but they made up for it in volume. Customers flocked to Jim’s drive-in. The food was inexpensive, quick, and tasted good. A bright neon sign identified the drive-in. The brightly lit food preparation area was enclosed by 900 square feet of quarter-inch plate glass so customers could see that their food was served quickly in spotless surroundings. Business was so good that by 1971, Jim owned a dozen drive-in restaurant franchises in western Pennsylvania. Jim eventually owned 48 restaurants in the drive-in restaurant chain.
Jim always paid attention to what his customers wanted. After hearing that they desired a bigger sandwich, Jim went to work. After a short time—speed was of the utmost importance—Jim created a bigger sandwich by using items already on his menu and adding a unique sauce made from salted egg yolks, mustard, onion, garlic, and relish. In March of 1967, Jim used his Uniontown drive-in to test out his new sandwich. Demand exploded and Jim added his new creation to the menus of his other drive-ins. The results were the same. Jim’s larger sandwich was a hit, but the parent company did not want to alter their original menu. Jim explained, “they figured, why go to something else if (the original menu) was working so well?” Eventually, Jim’s creation was added to the national chain’s menus with resounding success. Since 1968, the chain has sold billions of Jim’s larger sandwiches. In 2006, the parent company estimated that they were selling 550 million of them each year at a rate of 17 each second.
Jim did not become wealthy off of his creation that is now sold in over 100 countries. Jim received no payment and no royalties for the creation, but that was okay with Jim. After more than six and a half decades, Jim’s Drive-In is still open. From the menu at the drive-in restaurant at 575 Morgantown Street in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, you can still order the sandwich Jim created there by combining two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions, on a sesame seed bun. It is said to be the most popular sandwich on the planet. Jim, the owner of a McDonald’s franchise, was the creator of the Big Mac. …and it’s time for lunch.
Sources:
1. The Evening Standard (Uniontown, Pennsylvania), April 12, 1960, p.7.
2. The Evening Standard, March 2, 1971, p.69.
3. Valley News (West Lebanon, New Hampshire), December 4, 2016, p.12.
4. “Michael James Delligatti,” Devlin Funeral Home, accessed May 3, 2026, https://www.devlinfuneralhome.
5. “Inventor of the Big Mac dies, aged 98,” BBC News, November 30, 2016, accessed May 3, 2026, https://www.bbc.com/news/