Blister pearls, turquoise, Louisiana opals, amber, troglodytes, coral and fossils were for sale and on display in all forms at the Ark-La-Tex Gem and Mineral Society's annual show Saturday at the Bossier Civic Center in Bossier City.

DeSoto residents start a wish list for the $28.7 million the parish Police Jury received last month for leasing mineral rights on 1,045 acres.

Painting, creativity and altruism don't always sit together on the same palette. But that's the sole purpose of Loaded Brush of Northwest Louisiana, a local chapter of National Decorative Painters.

The Barksdale Air Force Base Retiree Activities Office director hosted about 350 World War II veterans for a luncheon Saturday.

While Shreveport gears up for curbside recycling, Bossier City has a plan of its own: wait, and see.

Shreveport's $3 million worth of blue bins will be be put to real use starting about 7 a.m. Monday, with the first curbside recycling pickups in the southeast part of the city. The program will roll out over the next few months in the rest of the city with Tuesday, Thursday and Friday trash pickups.

Celebrating a birthday today: JUDY GREGORY, of Bossier City. ... CASSANDRA JOHNSON, of Shreveport. ... KRISTEN WARE, 10, daughter of KARY and ELIZABETH WARE, of Shreveport. ... LOUIS A. RECINOS, of Longview, Texas. ... JAMES MASON, 68, of Shreveport. ... Tal Mims, of Shreveport.

A back-to-school luau and school supply giveaway will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at The Learning Haven, (the old J.C. Hamilton Memorial Library), 2604 Hillcrest Ave., in Shreveport. The event will include music, games, school supplies, parent information, food and door prizes. Call (318) 635-6360 for more information. The event is sponsored by 21st Century Learning Academy and BART (Become a Responsible Teen) Program.

MONROE —Federal funding for waterway projects throughout the northeastern Louisiana region will continue to be a challenge after this year's presidential elections, a top Army Corps of Engineers official said Friday.