High school teachers from throughout Louisiana and Mississippi completed a two-week training boot camp for Project Lead the Way’s Introduction to Engineering Design at Northwestern State University.  The teachers are now certified to teach IED in the PLTW high school engineering pathway.  On the front row from left are Jaquincia Williams, Northeast High School in Pride, Matthew Gardner of Grenada (Mississippi) High School, Beverly Reed-Turley, East St. John High School in Reserve, and Charles Stallard, UME Prep, Duncanville, Texas.  On the second row are Chuck Perkins, Tioga High School;  Edward La Bruyere, Sam Houston High School;  Allen Landry, Osceola (Arkansas) High School, and Dr. Margaret Kilcoyne, interim dean of NSU’s College of Business and Technology.  On the back row are Dr. Ali Ahmad, director of NSU’s Department of Engineering Technology;  Maikel Garcia, Leander (Texas) High School;  John Thacker, Archbishop Hannan High School, Covington;  Ryan Lewis, South Pittsburg (Tennessee) High School;  NSU ET Faculty Dr. Jafar Al Sharab and Curtis Desselles and Christina Lake, affiliate assistant director for PLTW at NSU.

Popcorn! Hot Dogs! Nachos! Candy! Let us take the kids off your hands for a memorable movie night at the museum. Join the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum for an evening of movies and crafts for children in grades 3-8. The event will be held Saturday, July 9 from 5-10 p.m. The evening includes refreshments sponsored by the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission and FLASH. The program is free, but space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please call (318) 357-2493 to register or email jbiddiscombe@crt.la.gov.

The program is part of the museum’s “Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America” exhibit programming. The exhibit captures the stories that unfold on the neighborhood fields and courts, and the underdog heroics, larger-than-life legends, fierce rivalries and gut-wrenching defeats. “Hometown Teams” is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

By Corey Poole

“It hurts too much.”
These words were spoken by Alex Zacarias, a father who would do anything to bring his daughter home.

Diana Zacarias, 22,went missing somewhere on the South Rim in the Grand Canyon National Park April 3.Diana was studying industrial engineering at NSU. Family and friends describe her as quiet, family-oriented and a brilliant student.

Alex reached a point where he was unable to do another interview with a media outlet. A friend of the family, Trish Miller wanted to help them continue their search efforts.

She started a campaign to raise money that will help him continue searching for his daughter.

The Natchitoches community rallied behind the grieving family, holding rosary recitations at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception with an altar placed beneath a stained glass window portraying St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost or missing items. The congregation at the First Presbyterian Church of Natchitoches raised Diana up on its prayer list.

From information the family pieced together, Diana arrived on the South Rim via the Arizona Shuttle April 2 and was dropped off at the Maswick Lodge. Evidence shows she visited Yaki Point and Lookout Studio. She went back to the Park the same day she was scheduled to fly home. When her mother asked her if she was on her way to the airport, Diana’s responding message said she wasn’t going.

Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski, a Park representative, said the search is now in a “limited continuous mode.” Searches are only being conducted when assigned duties take the park rangers into areas of high probability. Based on clues such as cellular forensics and witness statements, the search is contained to developed areas of the park.

Diana is 5’2”, 104 pounds with short black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink hat, purple fleece, black rimmed glasses and possibly carrying a small green backpack.

Anyone with information on her location can contact the National Park Service Silent Witness Line at 928-638-7840. To contribute to the family’s search efforts call Trish Miller at 318-581-8282.

BOM was a $200 Platinum Level Sponsor of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church’s Annual Fair.

PHOTO: From the left: Henry Rachal, Martha Conde, and Jannie LaCour.

Seats are still available for the Celebrity Waiter event benefiting the Relay For Life of Natchitoches Parish, which will be held June 30 at a local restaurant. Cocktail hour will kick off at 6 p.m. and the dinner begins at 7 p.m. Eight local celebrities have been chosen as this year’s waiters.

Waiters are:

Kirk Soileau- CEO of Natchitoches Regional Medical Center

Haley Blount- Assistant Athletic Director at Northwestern State University

Bill Rutledge- Owner of Rutledge Road Boring

Corey Poole- Editor of the Natchitoches Parish Journal

Jeff Franks- Lieutenant of Traffic Division for Natchitoches Police Department

Laura Strahan- Owner at Ya Ya’s Children’s Boutique

Dr. John Hogg and his wife Laura- Co-Owner of Family Doctor’s of Natchitoches

Dustin Dauzat- Branch Manager and Loan Office at Bank of Montgomery.
Spectator tickets to the dinner are available to the public. Tickets are $65 and include your choice of water, tea, or coffee, soup, salad, entrée’ and dessert. Celebrity Waiters will not only be waiting on their guests at their tables but will be entertaining you all night long with whatever “stunts” they are challenged to participate in. Let’s just say, the sky is the limit. Last year, the event raised $5,800 for the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life of Natchitoches Parish, which helped fund cancer research and provided free services to cancer patients in our community.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Danielle Antoon, American Cancer Society Sr. Community Manager at 318.663.4489.

By Joe Darby/Opinion

There’s a classic song from oh, about 120 years ago, called “In the Good Ole Summertime.”
You’ve probably heard it, in some old movie or something. It’s got a nice tune, a nice flowing sound that’s easy to like. But, curmudgeon that I am sometimes, I disagree fairly strongly with the sentiments of the title.

I don’t see much good about the summer, except for baseball season.

First of all, it’s just too darned hot. I’ve never spent an entire summer anywhere else but in Louisiana, and I’m sure that summer can be pleasant in some places.

But here, in our old beloved Sportsman Paradise, the heat and the humidity are just too much for this old scribbler. Just the other day, I stepped outside to put mail in the mailbox and the humidity was so heavy I thought I’d stepped into a shower.

It was after some rain fell, which only made it worse. But even with less humidity, our daily summer highs of 95, 97, 100 or whatever, are simply way too warm.

Another thing about summer that I don’t like is that the grass grows. Oh, how it does grow. If it rains for two or three days in a row, the grass shoots up like, well like weeds. Then it’s more difficult to cut, you have to raise the blades on the mower, not cutting it so low, so the grass gets a head start toward the next time you need to cut.

We have a pretty big back yard and Mary has put in lots of trees and bushes, which makes the yard attractive, but acts as obstacle courses if you want to get the cutting done quickly, as I certainly do. Even with my riding mower, it takes time to skirt all the bushes, some of which are full of bees doing their bee thing. So far, I’ve escaped being stung, thank goodness.

Among the vegetation in the yard are two willow trees. Not too long ago, I was cutting under one of the willows and the weepy, hanging branches hid from my view a substantial branch about two inches thick. So, proceeding at a fair pace on my riding mower under the tree, my head hit the branch, knocking my glasses and ball cap off and causing some nasty speck of something to get caught in my eye.

My head wasn’t cut, as I thought it had been, my glasses were okay, as was the ball cap, of course. The mote in my eye was pretty painful, however, and it took about two hours for me to wash it out.

I relate this incident simply to emphasize that grass cutting is not one of my favorite activities.

Because of the heat, I try to limit my cutting to the time when twilight approaches and the blazing sun is starting to go down. If I time it correctly, I can just finish the yard while there’s still light to see by.

As I write this, I can look out the window to the back yard and see that the grass is more than a couple of inches high. But the Sears man is coming tomorrow to perform maintenance and change the blades, so I have an excuse not to cut the grass until Saturday. Maybe it will rain Saturday.  I can only hope.

 

The Natchitoches Jazz and R&B Festival will host a Midsummer Night on the Cane event Sunday, June 26 from 6-10 p.m. at a local restaurant.

As of April 1, nonprofit organizations are required to pay sales tax, so the festival had to write a check to the IRS from profits at this year’s festival.

“We didn’t want to let this set back prevent us from providing the Natchitoches community with a good time,” said Rodney Harrington. “We want to continue offering world-class entertainment while keeping ticket prices affordable.”

Speaking of entertainment, the Midsummer Night on the Cane event will feature live outdoor music on a patio overlooking Cane River, live music in every nook and cranny of the restaurant, food, games and prizes including a Drew Brees autographed football, music memorabilia, a Las Vegas trip, a wheelbarrow full of liquor, sideline passes for NSU football games and more.

Musicians include: Cane Mutiny, Billy O’Con and Badd Apple, The Kelli Roberts Band, The Goodlowe Brothers, The Snake Doctors, Jarrett Bridges, Luke Brouillette plus some surprises!

There is an early bird special for anyone who buys tickets before Friday, which will enter the ticket holder into a drawing for a dinner certificate for two at a local restaurant and other cool prizes.

Tickets for the first ever “fun-raiser” for the Jazz and R&B Festival are $50 and can still be purchased, just call  Julie Brewton at 318-471-5778.

City Marshal Randy Williams wanted to inform the following people that they have outstanding bench warrants through the Natchitoches City Marshal’s Office. The names on this list did not pay their fines in full nor did they return to court on the court date they were sentenced to by City Court Judge Gahagan. These individuals will need to clear up their fines and bench warrant fees at the City Marshal’s Office located at 373 Second St. to stop any further actions:

 

FINE PAYMENT (F):
Jordan Alex, 4706 Browing Dr, Kileen, Tx – Exp MVI
Joshua Beavers, 9050 Alvis LN, Shreveport, La – Exp MVI
Kimberly Bonnevier, 719 Whittington St, Bossier, La – Theft
Markayla Farley, 1431 Grace Ave, Natch, La – Theft
Bradley Cheek, 707 S. Helen, Overton,Tx – Resisting Arrest
Kyle Cramrine, 275 PR 1330, Marshall, Tx – Exp MVI
Amber Dearing, 250 Shenandoah Trace, Zwolle, La – Theft
Missi Gulley, 3205 Robert Dr, Pineville, La – DP
Oliver Hogan, 118 Bayonne Rd, Derry, La – Unlicensed Driver
Shaniece Holmes, 300 Pompey, Winnfield, La – Theft
Maverick Hopper, 147 Bundrick Dr, Shreveport, La – DWI
Frederick Houck, 720 N. Spurgeon, Altus, Ok – DWI
Stephanie Metoyer, 1607 Shady Glen, Dallas, Tx – Exp MVI, Unlicensed Driver
Jacob Marks, 611 East St, Opelousas, La – Theft
Jessica Rachal, 14127 Eagle Pass St, Houston, Tx – SPOM
Aswell Racine, 101 Hall Subdivisions, Montgomery, La – DWI
Johnny Stroud, 2791 Hwy 122, Atlanta, La – DWI
Alfred White, 1010 South Broad St, Jennings, La – Loud Music
Eric Ware, P.O Box 240, Coushatta, La – DWI
Tyneal Johnson, 1411 Patton St, Coushatta, La – Exp MVI
Sylvia Burton, 166 Ann St, Natch, La – Theft

 

Trial (T):
Shanique Brown, 620 Blueberry Hill LN, Mansfield, Tx – Exp Licenses Plate, DWI
Leangelo Caldwell, 4204 Glen St, Bossier, La – No DL
Rozanette Carroll, 29 Bolton Ave, Alexandria, La –Unlicensed Driver
Kenya Crumbley, 5915 Uvaled Rd, Houston, Tx – DP, Resisting an Officer
Laquinton Eckles, 611 Norris St, Mansfield, La – SPOM, Resisting an Officer
Shadiamond George, 1823 Murphy St, Shreveport, La – SCDP

By Corey Poole

 

Nikki Murphy teaches Project Lead the Way (PLTW)  engineering classes and math at Natchitoches Central High School. When one of her students, a transfer from a school in Texas, began asking her to start a volleyball team, Murphy felt she was ready to get back into coaching after a few years on hiatus.

“Next thing I know, here we are,” she said.

The team participated in mini-camps through Northwestern State once a week beginning in January to learn the skills they needed. Murphy held tryouts at the end of April and the team began practicing at the end of May.

There are 27 girls on the team and while they can only play the JV schedule this upcoming school year, Murphy has her sights set on varsity.

“I’m too competitive to not go varsity our second year,” she said. “I have so many girls that are interested in playing.”

Murphy began coaching when she was 18-years-old. She played under Coach Emma Boozman at NCHS in basketball and also played softball. After 20 years of teaching and coaching basketball and softball for the school system and travel baseball, she’s ready for a new challenge.

“Volleyball is new and different to me,” she said. “It’s something I can start and work with the girls to build the team up from the ground floor.”

Not a complete stranger to the sport, Murphy’s family built a sand volleyball court at their home after playing the game at beaches as they took vacations.

“This sport is something we don’t have in Natchitoches and it’s new to the kids. They’re interested in it and working really hard at it.”

One of her assistant coaches, Stacey DiFrancesco, is a 2015 graduate of NSU. She was on the volleyball team that won the first ever Southland Conference for the university 2 years ago. At NCHS, she’s learning how to go from a player to a coach.

The second assistant coach Taylor Trichel graduated from NCHS in May. She will attend NSU in the fall, but asked Murphy if she could be a part of the volleyball team because she likes being around team sports.

Girls on the team include: Madison Thompson, Morgan Slaughter, Asia Dolliole, Madalyn Peddy, Alaina Metoyer, Carley Dark, Kasie Ramian, Alyssa Niette, Abbie Gandy, Hailey LaBom, Hannah Condi, Kristin Smith, Andrea Niette, Hannah Giddens, Alaina Lewis, Sarah Hicks, Delaney Coutee, Lyndee Litton, Makenzie Waxley, Colby Bonier, Kayla Metoyer, Jacharie King, Shey Hamilton, Christyn Babineaux, Janieya Bobb, Haley Franks and Regan Keen.

Natchitoches Parish Resident Shamika Sers needs community support to pay for her medical expenses. Shamika is 26-years-old and was born with a severe congenital birth defect that resulted in her undergoing a Tracheostomy at birth.

Lacking a mandible, Shamika endured several surgeries in an attempt to help her breath on her own.  Unfortunately, none of the surgeries were successful and she is completely dependent on her trach tube to live and breathe. Shimika is also tube-fed and uses sign language to communicate.  Suffering from severe scoliosis, she is the size of a 12-year-old, measuring four feet in height and weighing a mere 95 pounds.  This resilient young woman is cared for by her loving mother Rhonda Marie Rachel.

“I have run into a problem getting her customized trachs (tracheostomy tubes) paid for,” said Rhonda.

The medical equipment supplier that the family relied on has recently gone out of business, leaving Rhonda with no options covered by insurance or Medicaid. Shamika uses one, $300 trach a month, and is down to her last four.

“I have exhausted all means,” said Rhonda. “It is just like her not having a heart or lung to live. I do not know what to do at this point. Shamika is a strong young lady with special needs.”

To make a contribution contact Rhonda at 318-471-1326

Robert Walker loved all kinds of sports, played golf frequently and was fond of everyone associated with Northwestern Hills Golf Course, according to his wife Debbie. In his memory, Mrs. Walker organized a golf tournament that took place on the first anniversary of his death and this week presented the proceeds to the Northwestern State University Foundation for maintenance and improvements at Northwestern Hills. Plans are already in the works for this year’s tournament, set for Dec. 10.

“I knew soon after his death that a memorial associated with NSU would have pleased him very much,” Mrs. Walker said. “It was easy to talk everyone into planning the memorial golf tournament and donating the proceeds to NSU.”

Robert Walker was a local businessman who earned a degree in business administration and economics at Northwestern State in 1972. He and his wife owned Point Place Marina, which she continues to operate. His businesses allowed him to employ and mentor numerous NSU students who maintained personal relationships with him because of the love, generosity and personal interest he took in each of their lives. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and mentor. He passed away in 2014.

Mrs. Walker said friends, business associates and the community showed strong support for the event.

“Our wholesalers, along with local banks, donated gifts and we had shirts printed with a design that Max Tucker at Nakatosh Tattoo designed,” she said. “I’m hoping our second tournament on December 10th will be even bigger and better.”

“Robert was always very supportive of the golf course,” said William Ackel, director of the NSU Recreation Complex. “He was always going the extra mile for us. He was an extraordinary member who would do anything he could to help. He enjoyed the fellowship here and he was always willing to help with any projects we had going on.”

For information on contributing to the Robert Walker Memorial Fund, contact Brittany McConathy, assistant director of University Development, at (318) 357-5215 or mcconathyb@nsula.edu.

PHOTO:
Debbie Walker, center, presented proceeds from the Robert Walker Memorial Golf Tournament to the NSU Foundation to be used for upkeep and improvements at Northwestern Hills Golf Course. From left are NSU Foundation and NSU Recreation Complex representatives Erin Dupree, Hall Adams, Debbie Walker, William Ackel, Brittany McConathy and Tiffany Chasteen.

By Corey Poole

For one Natchitoches couple, a new set of keys is a beautiful thing. Christopher and Nicole Oswald and their daughter Emerson have a new home thanks to the Natchitoches Fuller Center for Housing.

At a dedication ceremony for the house June 17, the Oswald’s Pastor, Steve Ciaccio, said a prayer. Christopher and Nicole are youth pastors at Faith Family Church.

Board member Betty Smith said she likes seeing people own their own homes. “It’s my passion,” she said.

Board Member Glenrose Pitt said she enjoys making a difference in peoples’ lives. “It helps them become productive members of society when they’re struggling just to get by,” she said.

The Fuller Center began in Shreveport in 1997 as a Habitat for Humanity Affiliate. Millard Fuller left Habitat for Humanity because it started going in a direction that conflicted with his own vision, thus the Fuller Center for Housing was formed in 2010. Today Natchitoches has a population of nearly 20,000 with over 26.7 percent of the families living below the poverty line. The Center helps low-income families with affordable and safe housing solutions.

Board members include: Nettles Brown, Doug de Graffenried, Juanita Fowler, Myrna Lemoine, Dudley and Glenrose Pitt, Jim Roberts, Lisso Simmons, Betty Smith and Shirley Walker.

The organization’s new President, Jim Roberts, took over from Mike Murphy a month ago.

To learn more about their work and volunteer contact Glenrose Pitt at pitt56_123@suddenlink.net or Mike Murphy at mike.murphy.b291@statefarm.com.

NEEDS:

• Skilled volunteers
• Board members
• Financial support-donations may be mailed to Natchitoches Fuller Center for Housing, 455 Second St., Natchitoches, LA 71457.

By John Marcase

For nearly four decades, as technology changed the face of newspapers and media in general, readers of The Town Talk in Alexandria could always count on one thing remaining the same – Bob Tompkins’ byline appearing in print or on their computer screen.

While he isn’t a native of Central Louisiana – he was born and bred in New Orleans and educated at LSU – Tompkins was the definitive voice in Cenla when it came to sports.

Also acclaimed for years as one of the state’s top sports journalists, he officially joins those ranks on Saturday, June 25, when he is inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as a 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism.

His career in sports journalism began while he was a student at LSU when he assumed the role of sports editor of the Daily Reveille, the student newspaper. His first job following his graduation from LSU in 1972 led him to Lafourche Parish and the Thibodaux Daily Comet. For the next several years he bounced from paper to paper with short stints at the Monroe Morning World — where he met his wife Janet – then the Shreveport Journal, and the Lafayette Daily Advertiser.

Tompkins finally put down his roots in Central Louisiana at the Town Talk in Alexandria.

“I’ve often been asked why I stayed so long at this paper,” Tompkins wrote in his farewell column after retiring in October 2015. “The short answer is, for the most part, I liked my job here and I grew to love a cadre of special friends around town. It was a great place to raise my children.”

Tompkins was promoted to sports editor at The Town Talk in 1987. He had a knack for hiring non-traditional candidates to fill key roles on his staff, including David West to cover the Northwestern State Demons.

“In 1989, Bob took a chance on hiring a sportswriter whose background was far from conventional in several senses,” said West, who now works in the News Bureau at Northwestern State. “I didn’t have a lot of newspaper experience, but Bob saw something in me. And as someone with a physical disability, he could have easily not hired me. But he did which allowed me the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.”

On June 17, 2016 around 8:10 p.m., two unknown black males entered a local grocery store and began looking at several products. One of the suspects selected two bags of popcorn and proceeded to the checkout line while the other suspect distracted another cashier. During this time the suspect in the checkout line handed the cashier a $100 bill and was able to trick her into giving the $100 bill back to him by saying he wanted to pay with a smaller bill. The suspect then took $96.87 that the cashier had counted out for him and exited the store with the other suspect.

According to Crime Stoppers, “the quick change scam is when an individual targets inexperienced cashiers by paying for small priced items with a large bill ($100). Before the cashier has time to give back the change the suspect would engage the cashier in a speedy series of money exchanges thereby confusing the cashier. While confused the suspect would tell the cashier how much money to give back thus short changing the cashier. In some instances the suspects will work in teams of two where one suspect would handle the money exchange while the second suspect acts as a distraction to confuse the cashier even more. Detectives suggest to avoid being a victim of the scam only complete the transaction for the purchase then close the cash register. If the customer is asking to exchange bills be weary of the scam and contact your manager before engaging in further interactions.”

If you would like to report suspicious activity or an emergency please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective John Greely at (318) 357-3811. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.

Sabine State Bank is a sponsor for the inaugural Natchitoches Central Volleyball Team. Lacy Merrill presented a check to Head Coach Nikki Murphy. Also pictured are Mary Wilmore, David Peddy, Sharee Mims, Assistant Coaches Stacey DiFrancesco and Taylor Trichel along with some of the volleyball team.

By Natalie Covher

Kevin’s Gallery

The pictures of 17 Nepali girls were hung on the walls of the Natchitoches Shooting Range while about 80 people held a shooting tournament to benefit them. Sponsored by the First United Methodist Men (FUMM), the benefit raised over $10,000 for a safe learning space and recovery center for the Janasaewa School in the Everest region of Nepal. One of the 19 teams competing was comprised of five members of the Bernard family.

“It is wonderful to get together with my family for a good cause,” said young William Bernard. “I think I did well.”

William enjoyed spending his Saturday of Father’s Day weekend with his grandfather, father, uncle and brother. One of his favorite activities, William shoots competitively for 4-H.

After a full morning of shouting “pull,”everyone gathered back at the pavilion for a lunch of “Pastalaya” cooked by Layne Miler of the FUMM.

“You just helped some kids have a future and an education,” said Patrice Moulton.

Moulton recently returned from Nepal where she volunteered with the Empower Nepali Girls Foundation.  She brought back traditional Gurkha knives to present as awards.

“I bought these out of a mud hut from 15 and 16-year-oldboys who were making these knives inside,” said Moulton. “Almost every home in Nepal has one of these in it. I was a little concerned coming through customs carrying a suitcase full of these knives, but they made it through.”

Mike Moulton announced the winners:

Top Team was Sunstream 1 comprised of Jim Talmadge, Brian Brewton, Billy Fair and Sammy Clifton with a score of 88.75.

Top National Sporting Clay Association Shooter was Jim Talmadge with a score of 95.

Top Adult Shooter was Tray Whiddon with a score of 93.

Top Youth Shooter was Andrew Ewing with a score of 91.

Top Female Shooter was Amber Shiley.

Top Duo Shooters were John and Bill Fair with a score of 71.5.

As part of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Weekend Celebration, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation will host “Tailgating – Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Style” at the Landing Restaurant Friday, June 24 from 7-10 p.m. The ticketed event will be a fun, casual evening with inductees featuring multiple tailgate food stations, highlights of current and past inductees, a silent auction, musical entertainment and a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m.

In preparation for the fireworks show, the downtown riverbank will be closed to all vehicular traffic beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday. The Church Street Bridge and Williams Avenue from Whitfield Drive to Henry Avenue will close to all traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, at 9:15 p.m. The streets will remain closed until the conclusion of the fireworks show.

For more information on the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration, please visit http://www.lasportshall.com.

By Corey Poole

There’s not enough paper clips to make up the $69,500 cut to CASA’s annual budget. Executive Director Jack Duty says it boils down to fewer children being served. This means that few children in foster care will have someone to speak for them in court and many of them will stay longer in foster care.

CASA of Central Louisiana serves Natchitoches, Sabine and Red River Parishes. Duty closed the Many office after the cut was announced.
“I’ve been here since 2009,” he said. “I’ve been told every year to not depend on funding, but there’s never been a cut until this year. They’ve been kicking this can down the road for state finances through the past several administrations. Now there’s nowhere left to kick it. I had just hoped it’d be reasonable.”

What the drop from $224,000 to $174,000 means, is that Duty now has to decide where these cuts will be made within the organization. However, these cuts are happening to the 17 CASA programs across the state.

“Rapides and Terrebonne lost more than us and I guess I feel fortunate in that respect,” said Duty.

The problem is that while larger CASA programs may have more than one funder and can move money around, Duty’s program has one funder and it’s not reoccurring.
“I hope I won’t have to get into employees,” he said. Besides the Many office, he’s looking at cutting mileage reimbursement, which would save around $7-8,000 per year. The landlords for the Many office understood CASA’s position and allowed Duty to break the lease with a 60-day notice, which will save him over $6,000 per year. However, this is about 10 percent of where he needs to be.

The CASA programs are diligently lobbying the House and the Senate to reinstate the cuts they made with HB 69. There will me a council meeting in Natchitoches July 18 to determine the final outcome of funding.

“In reality, CASA saves them money,” said Duty. “CASA is a preventative measure.”
• One year of CASA advocacy costs less than one month of foster care
• A child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to find a safe, permanent home
• A child with a CASA volunteer is half as likely to re-enter the foster care system
• A child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to succeed in school and less likely to spend three or more years in foster care

Since Louisiana has custody of these children, it’s obligated to pay for the cost of their care. In 2015, CASA volunteers provided 65,000 hours of service to foster children, saving the state millions. More importantly, children in foster care without CASA are more likely to experience poor outcomes that can negatively affect them for the rest of their lives, which costs the state more money in lost wages and public assistance.

CASA significantly improves outcomes for the abused and neglected children it represents, and serves over 3,000 children in the state. CASA of Central Louisiana has 23 volunteer advocates serving 45 children, with three advocates currently in training. Duty said they’re always looking for more volunteers.

Rodney Jacobs, Purchasing Warehouse manager, was named Employee of the Month for June by the City. Jacobs has worked with the City for 15 years and is described as being someone who quietly takes care of business.

“Rodney is always willing to help others and believes in working as a team,” said Regina Walker, Purchasing Office manager and buyer. “He is easy going, doesn’t have much to say, but he lets his work and what he achieves do his talking for him.”
Edd Lee, purchasing director, added that Rodney “quietly takes care of business and has done a tremendous job helping get the warehouse and grounds ready for the annual audit.”

Rodney Jacob was presented with an Employee of the Month Plaque by Mayor Lee Posey and received a gift certificate to The Landing Restaurant for his hard work and dedication.

From left are Lisa Braxton, Regina Walker, Mayor Lee Posey, Rodney Jacobs, Larry Morris and Edd Lee.

By Corey Poole

The Parish Council still seemed hard pressed to make decisions on two items tabled from last month’s meeting. The adoption of an ordinance to establish the order of business for meetings and receipt of comments from the public was controversial at Monday night’s meeting, June 19.

Chairman Russell Rachal said the body hasn’t abided by the law in its home rule charter that says it must adopt such an ordinance. However, what members Patsy Ward Hoover and Chris Paige were worried about was limiting the time the public can speak before the Council and determining who has the authority to control situations should they get out of hand.

Hoover asked that the ordinance be amended to change the wording from “The Chair of the Council” shall have the authority to limit the amount of time during the public comment period that each speaker shall be afforded…to “The Council by majority vote.” This amendment was approved and so was the ordinance after further discussion.
The Council took no action on the second item of old business, the scarification of badly deteriorated paved roads in the Parish System. The consensus was that the parish president would include the roads selected for scarification in his annual plan, which he will present to the Council in three months.

Hoover asked that whatever decision is made, efforts will be made through radio and advertising to inform residents as each road is selected for scarification. This will allow residents to have a say in the process. Council member Rodney Bedgood said he’s talked with a few residents in his district who are against the scarification of their road.
Parish President Rick Nowlin brought some good news before the Council. While the state eliminated funding for three Capital Outlay projects in May, Nowlin said the House concurred with the Senate amendments to HB 2 on June 19. The final amended bill contains the following local project funds:

• CoCo Bed Road: $280,000 for design and construction
• Payne Subdivision Streets: $500,000 for design and construction (phase 1)
• Fish Hatchery Road: $125,000 for design
• Blanchard Road: $280,000 for design and construction
• Old River Bridge: $610,000 for design and construction (This is only partial funding and will be held over until next year when the additional money can be acquired.)

• Courthouse Security: $480,000 for design and construction (Additional money will be put into this project, which should total $800,000.)
• OCS: $6,000

The bill also includes funds for the Parish Communications District project, the Council on Aging and the Veterans Park.

In other business, Paige introduced Payne subdivision residents who were anxious to know the status of construction on the bridge that’s currently out. Public Works Director Nick Verret said this is dependent on progress with FEMA on determining eligibility for reimbursement. FEMA has begun site visits to damaged roads in the Parish, but the priority is on the roads that are currently being worked on.

Council member Doug de Graffenried spoke up and asked why something couldn’t be done about the bridge using some of the windfall from the agreement with the Sheriff’s Office that is saving the Parish money.

“I’ve sat on this Council for all these months and for once I’d like to fix something,” he said.  Nowlin said they have the opportunity to build a really good bridge and have FEMA pay for the majority of it.

“We’re trying to stretch the money as best we can,” he said.

When it came to money, Hoover and Paige questioned Verret and Nowlin on parish employee salaries. Paige said that if they’re asking people to put up with hard times in the road system, then it would be a good commitment to put some money from the salary of the recently vacated assistant director position at the Highway Department back into the community.

“The point is well taken,” said Nowlin. “We will reassess the job, but we need to get the right person and people that are well qualified don’t come cheap.”

Verret said that if they took all the salaries of the Highway Department and added in the Parish President’s salary, they would be able to overlay 3 miles.

“We’re talking dollars and donuts here,” he said. “I wish everyone could have this perspective. We need millions, not a few thousand here or there.”

Hoover threw out a grenade when she questioned the salaries of the two assistants she claimed Verret has. However, Nowlin said they don’t exist.  The assistant director position functions as an operation manager and the next position is an equipment operator.
“We’re treading in stuff we shouldn’t,” said Paige. “Let’s move on to the next item on the agenda. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

Other agenda items included:
• Renewing contract for solid waste bin site in Kisatchie
• Officially accept recommendation of April Wade as the new director for Head Start
• The item to consider renewing the lease agreement with Ernest Self for the Creston Polling Place for $1,000 annually was tabled.
• Adopt an ordinance to adopt millage rates for the 2016 tax year
• Reappoint Vanessa Stanfield to the Natchitoches Parish Children and Youth Planning Board
• Appoint Troy DuwayneGarder to the Natchitoches Fire District 9 Board
• Reappoint Johhny R. Nobles to the Natchitoches Parish Fire District 2 Board
• Appoint Wilbert Lee Wise to the Natchitoches Parish Fire District 2 Board

Campti Field of Dreams Executive Director Donna Isaacs introduced a group of youth to the Council who participated in the museum’s Tobacco Annihilators Program, which has run for the past year. They learned about the impact and ways tobacco companies, that spend around $9.5 million yearly in advertising, target youth in America with deceptive ads to make smoking “cool.” The group holds monthly meetings, visits area stores to examine the tobacco displays and organizes community awareness events like the Tobacco Free Jamboree June 18. They asked the Council for its continued support with smoke-free efforts and events in the Parish.

By Raymond A. Partsch III

Anthony “A-Train” Thomas learned his powerful running style by playing in the street.

In the historic timber town of Winnfield, Thomas was a skinny but athletic little kid living with his mother at the H.Y. Bell Memorial Apartments, known to locals as “The Bells.” It was during mornings before the school bus arrived that Thomas and other neighborhood kids would get bruised and bloodied playing football on the unforgiving pavement.

There was no room for those who wanted to dance around with the football. For the younger and undersized kids like Thomas, the only way to carry the football was to take the handoff and power forward.

“I had to work harder because of my size,” Thomas said. “I always played with the bigger kids. They would always rough me up but that helped me later on.”

The experience would help Thomas become an All-American at Winnfield High School, a three-year starter and record holder at the University of Michigan, and eventually the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, it has helped Thomas take his place in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. He will be enshrined Saturday, June 25 as part of the 11-member Class of 2016 in Natchitoches.

“It was weird to me,” said Thomas of getting the news he would be inducted. “When I think of the Hall of Fame, I think of all these great players that played in Louisiana. I feel very fortunate to be considered one of those players.”

NATCHITOCHES – After engineering the largest turnaround in Southland Conference baseball history and re-establishing Northwestern State as a nationally relevant program, head coach Lane Burroughs has resigned his position to become the head coach at Louisiana Tech.

Burroughs will be introduced as the new Bulldogs coach Wednesday.

Northwestern State Director of Athletics Greg Burke praised Burroughs and said the Demons will move swiftly to replace him.

“The future of Demon baseball, which has been led by several nationally prominent coaches through the years remains bright based on the quality of the returning players and another solid recruiting class,” Burke said. “When Lane was hired in 2012, he articulated a vision for the program and has implemented that vision with the help of a quality staff and buy-in by talented and dedicated student-athletes. The foundation is in place for continued success for Demon baseball.”

In four seasons at Northwestern State, Burroughs posted a 113-113 record. In his final three seasons, the Demons were 97-73 and qualified for the Southland Conference Tournament each season.

After a 5-22 mark in Southland Conference play in 2013, Burroughs’ Demons posted a 14-win improvement in 2014, going 19-11 and reaching the conference tournament for the first time since 2010.

Northwestern State averaged 19.7 conference wins per season in Burroughs’ final three years, putting together the first three-year run of at least 19 conference victories in NSU’s 28 years of Southland Conference membership.

The Demons were 33-24 in 2016, winning that many games for the second time in thee seasons under Burroughs, posting back-to-back seasons of 20 Southland Conference victories and scoring a victory against College World Series qualifier Arizona on March 4. NSU finished the regular season No. 47 in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).

“Lane did a remarkable job of leading Demon baseball back to a nationally competitive level,” Burke said. “Even more noteworthy is the culture of success on all levels, including academic achievement and personal development that he and his staff have emphasized over the past four years. He has been a first-class representative of our athletic department and university, and on a personal level has been enjoyable to work with on a daily basis.

“While it is always difficult to lose good coaches who are also quality individuals, Lane’s reputation and resume were bound to attract interest and, in fact, have done so over the past couple of years. I wish he, Susan, and their wonderful family all the best and thank them for the mark they left on NSU and the Natchitoches community.”

In addition to its nine Southland Conference regular-season titles, the Demons have reached NCAA Regional play three times and have produced a slew of head coaches, including four current SEC head coaches – Mike Bianco (Ole Miss, former NSU graduate assistant), Rob Childress (Texas A&M, former Demons pitching coach), John Cohen (Mississippi State, former NSU head coach) and Dave Van Horn (Arkansas, former NSU head coach).