By KELLY P. KISSEL | State news editor While the pandemic eases, home-schooling continues to grow. New data show that homeschool growth is continuing despite pandemic-related restrictions recede. The number of schoolchildren in the nontraditional school settings has grown by 8,000 since 2019. The number of school children in homeschools or small unregistered private schools has hit about 40,000. Nearly three years after Hurricane Laura hit southwestern Louisiana, the recovery continues. Despite ongoing assistance, however, it seems some of the most vulnerable are still being left behind. We take a look. Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching (it's tomorrow), and even faster is speed-dating. One take: "Speed dating reminded me of sorority/fraternity recruitment, except that the conversations are quicker and the pressure feels lower." | 