It doesn’t require Karnack’s crystal ball to forecast some Rapides news to come this year.

Before the more mundane: yes, all ye faithful, Olive Garden opens this month.

And for those burdened with that New Year’s resolution there are both smaller portions and lighter preparations on OG menus.

As for the rest of the year:

A 17-member task force created by the Police Jury will study carbon capture, and by association the Beaver Lake enterprise, and report back at some point.

And Governor Jeff Landry’s moratorium on CC permits will continue while answers are sought for him.

Election-year politics will play a role in many headlines.

The state returns to party primaries in the spring after decades of open primary voting.

The nine School Board members’ terms expire.

Municipalities have governing body elections, some in the spring, others the fall.

From Ball to Boyce, Glenmora to Lecompte local offices are up for a vote.

Alexandria has a mayoral election and three council seats (Districts 2, 4 and an at-large) up for a count and Pineville’s entire elected group will be on the ballot.

Crime, and how to curb it, and what causes it, will get plenty of attention.

Businesses will close, and open.