Subscribe | Get featured

Happy weekend, CenLA! 

In today’s happening-today edition: Sergeant Whisker Biscuits on patrol, gold and silver heating up, and Bloomin’ on the Bricks + events worth checking out today & tomorrow.

Today’s sponsor (Money.com) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.

📰 In the news

Unlikely officer on duty: Sergeant Whisker Biscuits, the working cat at Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office Animal Control, helps with security and dog temperament checks as refreshed kennels and state support boost lifesaving work — see how this cat helps.

Apartment market snapshot: February data showed Alexandria rents dipped from last year’s $965 median, with one-bedrooms up 18% year over year and two-bedrooms down 10% since December. Rents sit 30% below state median — see how prices changed.

Chart your academic future: Louisiana Christian University hosts Spring Preview Day today, inviting prospective students to explore programs, meet faculty, and learn about campus life, with registration available and an application fee waiver — get times and registration details.

Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.

Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.

Highlights this week:

• Experience Rue St. Denis street festival
• Discover community resources for families
• Win cash at St. Patrick’s Day Bingo
• Over 62? See how to turn home equity into tax-free cash

🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?

Together with our sponsor Money.com

Auto insurance premiums have been climbing across the country… and most folks won’t notice until it’s time to renew and they’re hit with a higher bill.

The frustrating part? Loyalty rarely gets rewarded. Insurers adjust prices constantly, and new customers often qualify for better rates than long-time policyholders.

I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.

This free comparison tool lets you check rates from multiple insurers in just a few minutes. It costs nothing to look, and it could save you hundreds this year.

🫶 We got your back

A quick color fix: The “Planting Seeds of Hope” community mural at Ben D. Johnson Educational Center brings a bright burst of Natchitoches spirit. Nearby, the Legacy Garden invites a pause to take in the color, nudging one small good deed this week… something rooted, local, and hopeful.

Stitch something cozy: Aunt Nell’s Quilt Shop, Pineville’s standby for quilters, serves up fresh ideas and quick inspiration. Let this be your gentle nudge to steal an hour, wander the bolts, and show that lingering WIP some love.

Local pints, zero fuss: Huckleberry Brewing Company is the low-key hang for reliably good beer, friendly faces, and Cenla chill… no pretense, just well-made pours. Growlers and 4-packs of 16‑ouncers are ready to go when the home fridge looks suspiciously bare.

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

📆 Around town today & tomorrow

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🐾 Zooper Rummage Sale @ Alexandria Zoo | Saturday (3/7) at 8:00 AM – Zooper Rummage Sale is serving up home décor, household finds, toys, games, and books, no zoo admission required, and it supports Friends of the Alexandria Zoo. It is a treasure hunt without the awkward driveway chit-chat, and they are taking like-new donations, just not clothes.

👑 2026 Louisiana Moonshine Festival Pageant @ Leesville Event Center | Saturday (3/7) at 9:00 AM – Take a break from the yard work and cheer on the Moonshine Festival Pageant at the Leesville Event Center. Littles rock Southern patriotic outfits, big kids go formal, and ages 0-9 all leave crowned. Register online for $50, no door entries, judges aren’t from around here.

🌸 Bloomin’ on the Bricks @ Natchitoches Riverbank | Saturday (3/7) at 9:00 AM – Bloomin’ on the Bricks turns downtown into a full-on garden market with plants, flowers, shrubs, and decor you’ll swear you needed yesterday. Bring the kids for activities, linger with neighbors, and test your willpower. Admission is free, your trunk space is not.

✝ Christian Fiction Book Club: The Printed Letter Bookshop @ My Secret Shelves (Pineville) | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Whether your TBR leans devotional or you crave a page-turner, the Christian Fiction Book Club is diving into The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay. Expect cozy, clean romance, grief, friendship, and new purpose, plus a small fee that covers finger foods and your spot.

🍽 Taste of Central Louisiana @ Randolph Riverfront Center (Alexandria) | Saturday (3/7) at 6:00 PM – Consider this your perfect excuse to graze Central Louisiana’s best bites, sip something decent, and call it philanthropy. At Randolph Riverfront Center, Nola Dukes keep the groove, you keep the conversation, and proceeds back LRA programs, Children’s Miracle Network, and local nonprofits.

🕺 School Age 4-H Dance @ Vernon Parish Fairgrounds (Leesville) | Saturday (3/7) at 7:00 PM – Hand off your 4th-8th graders at the Vernon Parish Fairgrounds Auditorium for the 4-H dance that finally beat the ice, and enjoy a quiet house. Five bucks gets them in, bring a non-4-H friend free, with concessions, line dances, and teen leaders keeping things lively.

🥕 Local Farmer’s Market Day @ Pineville Farm Stand | Sunday (3/8) at 10:00 AM – Take a break from big-box errands and wander the indoor farmers market, where the produce is fresher than your neighbor’s gossip. Stock up on local greens, bread, honey, and cheeses, chat up the growers, and pretend this counts as your cardio.

Live music & entertainment:

• 3/7 Taste of Central Louisiana @ Randolph Riverfront Center (Alexandria) – 6:00 PM
• 3/7 School Age 4-H Dance @ Vernon Parish Fairgrounds (Leesville) – 7:00 PM
• 3/7 Big Island Red @ East Side Daiquiris in Pineville – 8:00 PM
• 3/12 BOM Bank Operations Complex Grand Opening @ BOM (BOM Bank Keyser Branch) (Natchitoches) – 11:00 AM
• 3/12 The Drowsy Chaperone @ Martin Performing Arts Center (Pineville) – 7:00 PM
• 3/13 Backyard Beats: Spring Concert Series @ Leesville Polk Outdoor Stage – 6:00 PM
• 3/13 Hucklehead’s 6th Annual Crawfish Boil @ Huckleberry Brewing Company (Alexandria) – 6:00 PM

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🔥 Worth a peek

We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.

• Thinning hair? Don’t wait – here are 3 treatments that work
• This free tool helps connect you with the right financial advisor
• Got debt? You may be able to pay less than you owe
• You can own physical gold and silver in your retirement account
• Treat yourself: Save on self-care during the CVS Epic Beauty Sale

📻 CenLA report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 84°F – Low: 64°F – Precip: 83%

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between noon and 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then showers and thunderstorms likely between midnight and 3am, then patchy fog and showers and thunderstorms likely between 3am and 4am, then patchy fog and showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

—

Tomorrow – High: 76°F – Low: 63°F – Precip: 85%

Patchy fog and showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 76. Southwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Later: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind around 0 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Something in your house is about to break 🏠

It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major system and appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’re staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast.

It never happens at a convenient time, and most homeowners just eat the cost because they don’t realize there’s a better option.

American Home Shield covers repairs and replacements on most of your home’s major systems and appliances — old or new, no inspection required.

The best part? Select plans are 50% off now through March 9th.

This house is wild

This 4-bed, 3.5-bath Stonegate two-story delivers 2,692 heated square feet inside a gated subdivision with access to a community pool. Light-filled living spaces center around a cozy fireplace. A fenced yard ups the privacy factor and play space. Generous bedrooms and multiple baths keep mornings smooth, and the neighborhood vibe adds a friendly, resort-like feel.

Take a peek inside →