Natchitoches Fire District 9 in Campti reported multiple fire units responding to a hay barn fire on Jim Bell Road in the Blake Lake community tonight, Nov. 11.

A few years ago, Lester Lee was honored as one of the top basketball players in Northwestern State history.

Saturday marks a time for another honor as Lee, a member of the “Fantastic 50” on NSU’s All-Century Demon Basketball Team, will be feted as the Great of the Game during NSU’s 6:02 p.m. football game against Sam Houston State.

A Natchitoches native and St. Mary’s product, Lee lettered for the Demons from 1964-66.

Lee was at his best shooting the ball, never more so than when the Demons faced Gulf States Conference opponents. Lee knocked down 67.9 percent of his shots in conference play as a senior, setting a school record for shooting percentage in conference games.

That record run was part of a senior season that saw Lee make 59.5 percent of his shots throughout the entire season, a mark that remains 10th in school single-season history. His true aim helped the Demons post an 18-7 overall record and a 9-3 mark in GSC play that season.

Lee played for legendary coach Tynes Hildebrand alongside two of NSU’s top-10 all-time scorers – James Wyatt (No. 2) and David Clark (No. 7). His success led him to be one of 12 players from the 1960s honored on the All-Century Team, which was revealed in 2013.

By Ida B. Torn

The nationwide sentiment of the general public’s disdain for excessive polling and robocalling came home to roost in Natchitoches Parish this past Tuesday when the School Board’s bond initiative failed by 27 votes.

Superintendent Dale Skinner placed the failing of the initiative at the feet of John Winston and the Natchitoches Voters and Civic League, which actively campaigned against the initiative by sending out sample ballots encouraging residents to vote against it. While Mr. Winston and his group should take some of the blame, Mr. Skinner should also acknowledge his own role in its failure. Mr. Skinner used the School Board’s parent phone list and bombarded people with a robocall regarding the election. While it is quite possible that Mr. Skinner’s actions were a violation of law, it certainly was an abuse of the School Board’s policy for using the auto-dial system. According to the Student Enrollment Form (see attachments below), the auto-dial system is to be used only for notifications regarding tardiness, attendance, disciplinary actions, grades and events. I’ve never heard of an election qualifying as a student event!

Shortly after the robocalls began, residents took to Facebook to voice their consternation at the abuse. Below is a post made by one recipient documenting the excessive calls and a list of people who have indicated that they voted against the initiative as a direct response to the excessive robocalls.

There is no way of knowing if the initiative would have passed had Mr. Skinner not chosen to abuse his position of power. One thing is clear, though. From national all the way to local levels, political pundits are going to have to formulate a new game plan on how to reach and read the mood of the electorate.

The age of robocalls is dead.

Tara S.
Slayter L.
Cynthia J.
Tony J.
Jessica S
Beth H.
Sunny B.
Ashly B.
Brittany F.
Jackie S.
Krystyn M.
Michael J.
Scarlett V.
Jess P.
Katie B.
Melissa T.
Charles B.
Al T.
Jane C.
Bob P.
Allyson C.
Ronald W.
Robby C.
Jack D.
Chris H.
Hana K.
Wayne N.
Shelly R.
Scott V.
Julie R.
Lisa E.
Mandy F.
Faith I.
Dwayne W.

A Veterans Day Program will be held Friday, Nov. 11 at 2:30 p.m. in the Natchitoches Parish Veterans and Memorial Park behind the old Courthouse downtown. Truman Maynard will be the Master of Ceremonies. Rev. Doug de Graffenried will lead the crowd in the opening prayer. Lakeview High Schools’s Air Force Jr. ROTC will post the colors. After the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem, remarks will be made and a moment of silence will be observed with Taps. Updates on park projects and pavers will be given and Dee Fowler will speak about the VFW/American Legion and Auxiliaries. Dr. Colleen Lancaster will speak on the Daughters of the American Revolution’s patriotic tree and Fr. Blake Deshautelle will give the closing prayer.

The DAR patriotic tree, honoring all area Veterans, will be on display in the downtown City Bank lobby through Nov. 23.

Election Day the sanctuary was opened for people to stop by and pray. A funny thing happened on the way to Election Day prayer. The custodians would blow out the candles, turn off the lights, and lock the doors. I know it happened at least twice during the day because I unlocked the doors, turned on the lights and lit the candles. All day prayer is hard enough but with custodians locking the building, it made the prayer event more challenging.

The custodians were simply being good custodians. This was a last minute idea so the custodians didn’t have Sanctuary Opened All Day on the sacred and holy building usage print out. Since they work very hard during the day cleaning, I didn’t bump into them to tell them either. They were doing their jobs, which include blowing out the candles, turning off the lights and locking the doors.

The evening custodian reported to me that someone had left the doors unlocked, the lights on and the candles burning, before he secured the building. I smiled, thanked him and went across the street to unlock the doors, turn on the lights and light the candles again.

My meditation for the evening communion service was entitled, “The Aftermath.” I’m not a prophet and I won’t tell you how I voted but I sensed that no matter the outcome there would be “weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth” on Wednesday morning. I got that right! The meditation reminded us all that “Yea though I walk through the valley of the aftermath, I will fear no evil for thou art with me.” How are you doing in the aftermath?

I have been seeking a distraction in the aftermath of the election. I found the mind-numbing Hallmark channel line-up of sappy Christmas movies. A mindless distraction with a happy ending is a good thing right now. Hallmark Christmas movies star the same actors and actresses. I noticed something the other night, not only is the cast the same for most of the movies, the plots are very similar.

The Hallmark Christmas movies have a formula. Boy or girl is thrown into a situation where they meet their soulmate. There is attraction and a budding romance forms. Then about ¾ of the way through the show the budding romance is threatened by some conflict. There is brief anxiety before the couple gets back together, kisses under the mistletoe, resolves their Christmas conflict and lives happily ever-after or at least until next the Christmas season of the Hallmark movies. The movies are relaxing because you know it is the Hallmark channel and there will be a happily ever after ending.

Life and the Hallmark channel share no relationship in reality. Sometimes patterns do repeat and scripts can be followed, other times it seems that all heck is breaking loose. It is called living. You will find in the moments of greatest chaos that God is present. Even when things are not working out as you planned or wished; God is present.

I have a prayer ritual when I unlock the doors, turn on the lights and light the altar candles. Even though the custodians didn’t know it, they kept me praying all day.

When the formula doesn’t work and the expected doesn’t materialize, what do you do?

BOM is a $1,500 sponsor of the City of Lights Thanksgiving Classic. The basketball tournament is hosted by Natchitoches Central and St. Mary’s High School Nov. 21-23. Pictured from left are Kaleb Usleton, Micah Coleman, Nikki Jones, Krystin Bruno, Tara McKenney, Jason Kern and Thomas Collins.

The Student Government Organization at LSMSA held a Veterans Day Program Nov. 10. An abridged version of a documentary that premiered in 2011 was shown at the program. Part of an oral history project, the film featured several WWII Veterans who grew up in Natchitoches and Northeast Louisiana.

Kent Laborde, a member of the Class of 1987, delivered the keynote address. He earned a B.A. from the Louisiana Scholars’ College at NSU in 1991 and an M.A. from the University of Maryland in 2008. LSMSA SGO President Varun Amin introduced Laborde and welcomed guests to the program.

“Veterans are the service members who have completed their time in service and are adding their experience and expertise to improving civilian society,” said Laborde. “They bring with them the same self-sacrifice, dedication to public service and desire to contribute to the greater food that brought them to the military in the first place.”

Veterans in the audience were recognized alongside five Veterans that were introduced by LSMSA students. They were Cpt. (retired) David Zolzer, U.S. Air Force; Cpt. Trent Friedel, U.S. Navy Reserve; Flotilla Commander Robert Baker, U.S. Coast Guard; Col. (retired) Frank R. Hall, U.S. Army; and Corporal Mark O. Melder, U.S. Marine Corps.

A special recognition occurred during the program when Executive Director Steve Horton presented teacher David Zolzer with a commendation for exceptional teaching from Stanford University as part of its Teacher Tribute Initiative. He was nominated as an outstanding educator by Vy Mai, a member of last year’s graduating class at LSMSA.

Ending the evening, Milan Arvpino and Dr. Charles Jones performed a rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

Food Bank of Central Louisiana Executive Director Jayne Wright-Velez spoke at a “Food for Thought: Natchitoches Parish” luncheon Nov. 10.

“It’s a cycle people in poverty live in,” she said. “And it’s very hard to break it.”

From humble beginnings the Food Bank has become a force for good in the community, distributing 7 million pounds of grocery items annually. It serves over 80,000 people in 11 parishes including Natchitoches and partner with over 100 agencies. Of the 80,000, 67,000 identify themselves as food insecure. Of those, 8,200 are located in Natchitoches Parish and of those, 2,500 are children.

The Food Bank shipped 60,000 pounds of groceries to Natchitoches and Vernon Parishes during the spring flood event. It also plans to open a food pantry at Natchitoches Jr. High-Frankie Ray Jackson in January.

“We do whatever it takes to be successful, said Wright-Velez. “This means more to me than a paycheck.”

Council on Aging Executive Director Alice Barrios said that working with the Food Bank since the early 90s, she’s seen first hand what it does for the Natchitoches community.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals North Louisiana Chapter held its 25th National Philanthropy Day Luncheon Thursday, Nov. 10 at East Ridge Country Club to honor local philanthropic community leaders. Part of National Philanthropy Day(r) (NPD), the event had more than 150 people in attendance.

NPD is a celebration of philanthropy-giving, volunteering and charitable engagement-that highlights the accomplishments that philanthropy, and all those involved in the philanthropic process, makes to our community.

National Philanthropy Day recognizes the contributions that individuals and organizations make to nonprofits. In North Louisiana, the local AFP Chapter is pleased to host the National Philanthropy Day Luncheon to honor our local philanthropic leaders, organizations, and fundraising professionals. It is important to appropriately recognize volunteers and professionals in our community who reflect the true spirit of generosity, leadership, and community.

“This event salutes the efforts of those who give back to our community,” said Jennifer Martin, president of the AFP North Louisiana Chapter.

The 2016 honorees are:
* Dr. W. Juan and Bonnie Watkins – Outstanding Philanthropist
* Bossier Parish Schools – Outstanding Philanthropic Organization
* Dr. Martin Aviles – Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer (Natchitoches)
* Stephanie Rogers, Bossier Parish Community College Foundation – Outstanding

Fundraising Executive
* Joey Gouthiere and Julianna Gouthiere – Outstanding Young Philanthropic Leaders
* Katja Thomakos – Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, Chamberlain Scholarship Recipient
* Sonnie Nash – Shreveport Bossier Rescue Mission, AFP North LA Chapter Scholarship Recipient

“These organizations and individuals have invested their time and money in organizations who need their help,” said Martin. “We salute their efforts to make a difference and we applaud their selfless giving.”

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents 27,000 members in nearly 200 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs. The AFP North Louisiana Chapter has more than 50 members from nonprofits in North Louisiana.

As the holiday season approaches, Natchitoches, Louisiana, has a new gift to share: The Chateau Saint Denis Hotel which opens for business on November 18. Located one short block from the banks of the Cane River, the downtown boutique hotel provides a perfect setting to experience the Holiday Season in Natchitoches. “We are excited by the warm reception we have already received from the community, and we are quickly filling our guest rooms as people schedule their visit at the most special time of the year in Natchitoches,” says Chris Post, General Manager.

The newest addition to downtown Natchitoches, the French Creole-inspired property is the largest hotel in the downtown and features 87 luxurious rooms and 4,500 Sq. Ft. of ballroom and conference room space—in addition to a grand lobby with fireplaces, an intimate lounge and access to a brick-paved courtyard with a spectacular antique fountain. The boutique hotel offers the unique, compelling, convenient and unforgettable experience that travel and tourism specialists look for when booking travel, as well as the elegant, yet comfortable setting for a perfect get-a-way any time of the year, any day of the week. The Chateau Saint Denis Hotel is also conveniently located directly across from the Natchitoches Events Center which provides 15,000 Sq. Ft. of multi-purpose Exhibition Hall space, 3,600 Sq. Ft. of multiple meeting rooms, an Executive Board Room, a full selection of audio/visual equipment, and offers Convention Planning Services in addition to Approved Food and Beverage Caterers.

Natchitoches delivers what the traveler of today desires: authenticity, history, culture, spectacular architecture, Southern Hospitality, and the beauty of landscapes and streetscapes—a walkable, livable community on the banks of the beautiful Cane River Lake. And, the Chateau Saint Denis Hotel, in the heart of Natchitoches, is the ideal location for everything from that memorable holiday memory or that “Escape Weekend,” to that unforgettable wedding or that successful corporate meeting or retreat.

For further information or to make reservations at the Chateau Saint Denis Hotel, please contact Ashley Sarpy, Sales Manager for the Chateau Saint Denis Hotel at asarpy@ChateauSaintDenis.com . Phone: (318) 238-7507; Toll Free: (877) 238-7502.

Natchitoches Police Department officers located a vehicle in the Broadmoor Shopping Center Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. The car was identified as a suspect vehicle in reference to a burglary that occurred Nov. 4 at French Market Express. An alert NPD officer observed a subject, later identified as Brandon Kendrick, 33, bring items to the vehicle and then enter a store in the shopping center.

The officer entered the business and placed Kendrick under arrest for the burglary that occurred at French Market Express. After further investigation it was determined that Kendrick had stolen merchandise from three stores in the shopping center and had an active arrest warrant from an unrelated shoplifting incident. A search of Kendrick’s vehicle uncovered suspected methamphetamine, suspected marijuana, prescription medication and drug paraphernalia.

Kendrick was charged with four counts of theft of goods, simple burglary, simple possession of marijuana, possession of CDS schedule II, and possession of CDS schedule IV.

This investigation is ongoing.

Nov. 10
Veterans’ Day Program: 4:15 p.m.
LSMSA

NSU Volleyball vs. Stephen F. Austin: 7 p.m.
Prather Coliseum

Nov. 11
Veterans’ Day Program: 2:30 p.m.
Natchitoches Parish Veterans and Memorial Park

NSU closed for Veterans’ Day

NSU Women’s basketball vs. LeTourneau: 12:30 p.m.
Prather Coliseum

Nov. 9-12
‘All in the Timing’ Play: 7:30 p.m.
Theatre West on NSU Campus

Nov. 11-12
Provencal Fall Fest

Nov. 12
Art Unveiling: 2-4 p.m.
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum

Cane River Green Market: 8 a.m. – noon
Downtown Riverbank

Cane River Bike Ride: 9 a.m.
Oakland Plantation

NSU Football vs. Sam Houston: 6 p.m.
Prather Coliseum

NSU Volleyball vs. Sam Houston: 1 p.m.
Prather Coliseum

Adoption Event – Natchitoches Humane Society (NHS)
Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
South Drive

Nov. 14-15
LHSAA Cross Country Championship Meet
Nearly 2,400 high school runners, and their families/friends, will descend upon Natchitoches over a three-day period, totaling an estimated 10,000 visitors to the community. Teams and fans will arrive Sunday and Monday midday.

Natchitoches, LA – An admissions recruiter from Louisiana Tech University visited the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts on Monday, Nov. 7, in the College Counseling Center. Bryan “Wally” Babcock spoke with students about scholarships, academic programs, housing and extracurricular activities available at Louisiana Tech. Pictured is Caroline Koonce, a sophomore from Baton Rouge, speaking with Babcock.

By Junior Johnson

I’d like to begin my story by proudly saying I’m a Christian and I believe in the power of Prayer. I’m convinced that we all have a Guardian Angel who tries to watch over us.  Later in life I named mine Godfrey Daniels, after an expression the great comedian W.C. Fields used in some of his stories.

My mom told me of the first time my Guardian Angel protected me. I was 3-years-old and we were living in a little share croppers house on CoCo Bed Road near Cloutierville.  My Dad worked in the logging woods and planted cotton for the Estate of Sam LaCaze.

On the days my mom was in the field picking cotton, she would fix up a comfortable pallet on the turn row and have a little tent to keep the burning sun off me. She would make us a lunch of sandwiches and kool-aid and check on me every time she made her way back pulling her sack of cotton.

On a return trip she discovered me missing and began frantically calling for me. You know a mother’s anguish.

Our little house was on the riverbank of Cane River and she just knew that I had gone down and fallen in the water. She went down the riverbank and spotted my 3-year-old butt out on a tree limb overlooking the water, as I dropped cotton locks into the water laughing and watching them drift downstream. I shutter to think what would have happened had I fallen into the water.  Thank you my Guardian Angel.

About three years later I was playing in a field near the same house and there was a huge Black Angus Bull grazing along a fence, trying to get the green clover on the other side.  He had a horn span wider than I was tall. Having no fear I pulled up a handful of clover and attempted to feed the Bull.  He swiped his head across my body and one of his horns ripped my shirt and cut a gash across my chest and broke a rib. I ran home screaming and crying. My dad was home and he and mom put me in the car and rushed me to our doctor in Natchitoches. Thank you my Guardian Angel.

As far as I know I did not have to bother my Angel for years but that is what they watch over us for.

I was a young college student working one summer as a route supervisor for Walker Farms Dairy in Alexandria.  One morning I was driving a home delivery milk truck out in the country.

It was nearing daylight and I had just placed my customers order at his back door and was arranging products in my truck when the wind blew the back door closed. I knew that I was in trouble because  there was no interior door latch and my customer worked nights and was sound asleep for hours. As I sat in the cold darkness I began to get scared. I attempted to kick the door open to no avail. Although not air tight I was using more oxygen than was coming in.  After about 30 minutes I began to get light headed and could hear muffled traffic outside.

When I had almost given up the back door flew open with blinding light. Someone had seen my truck parked there for a while and figured something was wrong. Thank God because I would have run out of oxygen within the hour. Thank you again my Guardian Angel.

It was about 10 years later when I really needed my Guardian Angel again.

I had just begun my career in the Oil & Gas Industry and was working on a little offshore contract for the old Gulf Oil Co. with only one other person.

It was grocery day and when the supply boat arrived my co-worker lifted the grocery box from the boat by crane and once settled on deck I opened the door and began removing the small packages of groceries. All of sudden out of the corner of my eye there was a flash movement and I had a fierce hit on my head which knocked my hard hat off as I fell to the ground outside the box. I was breathless but told my coworker I thought a snake had struck me. Looking at my hard hat there was two huge scratches imbedded into the hard plastic along with a liquid which we presumed to be poison from the snake.

My co-worker killed the snake while I was changing my pants. It was 6 feet long and had 14 rattles. It probably slithered into the box at the dock. Thank you again Godfrey Daniels my precious Guardian Angel.

I know my Guardian Angel was always looking out for me but it was not until almost 30 years later when my doctor told me that I had Cancer. I was really scared and said extra Prayers.

Thank you again for pulling my old carcass through the painful treatments that you and my precious wife Ginny helped me get through until my Oncologist said I was Cancer-Free.

Ten months after I returned to work my Guardian Angel Godfrey Daniels was called upon again on Oct. 9, 2013 as I was returning home to my sweet wife and our helicopter crashed in the Gulf of Mexico. I’m sure Godfrey said he was being overworked, but I know he will always be there.

If it’s true that we have nine lives then Godfrey Daniels, and of course my Lord and Savior has gotten me through six of them and my Faith is still strong…

I know that your Guardian Angel will also…..as the words of the great Brooks and Dunn song “I Believe” goes…….

Renee’s Dance Studio in Natchitoches joined the Northwestern State University Excellence Team through a donation to the NSU Foundation. Dance studio owner Renee Oates is a Northwestern State graduate who earned a degree in theatre with a concentration in dance and has been the coach for the Demon Dazzlers dance line for six years.  On the front row from left are dance students Sienna Henderson, Kyleigh Severin, Sadie Summerlin, Ainsley Armstrong, Madelynn Misuraca, Trissa Terrell, Jaden Smith and Landri Ezernack. On the middle row are Marcus Maxie, Avery Summerlin, Michelé Maxie, Nakeira White, Makenzie Davidson, Victoria Wiggins and LarKaye Carter.  On the back row are Scarlett Saizan, Maria Rome, NSU Development Officer Tiffany Chasteen, Oates, Lisa King, Jolie Rachal and Crystal Brooks. The donation will support the NSU Columns Fund, a tax-deductible giving program that supports academic endeavors, scholarships and building renovations.  For more information on how to contribute to Northwestern State, contact Chasteen at the Office of University Advancement at (318) 357-5213.

I can’t tell you how many folks I’ve heard say, “I’ll be so glad when this election is over and we can get back to normal.”

Well, the election is over, but will our politics ever be “normal” again?

In a stunning upset — at least to the country’s media and show biz elite — comparable to NSU beating Alabama in football, Donald Trump will be our next president.

I remember presidential elections going back to Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s.  But never in 60 plus years of watching presidential politics has your humble scribbler seen anything like the election of 2016.

For months I’d felt nothing but contempt for both candidates — one, a lying, greedy woman of questionable emotional stability who felt entitled to the nation’s highest office, and the other a loose cannon, impulsive school yard bully type who never let his brain get in the way of his mouth.

I must say I got a kick out of watching the networks Tuesday night and seeing the utter shock and despair of the media elite.  With the exception of the folks at Fox, they were just stunned that their beloved Hilary had not won. The stupid boobs had actually elected Trump!

One comment by a member of that all-knowing elite said it best for them.  “This is a triumph of the great unwashed,” he said, using a term from the 19th century that applied to ignorant peasants and workers.    Now that is what I call arrogance, the arrogance of the elite.  As for me, I shower every day.  Which leads me to what I want to tell you next.

I had long planned to vote in the Louisiana Senate and House races and for local issues, but not cast a ballot for president.   But, at the last minute, in the voting booth, I touched the “X” next to the name of Trump.  I just couldn’t bring myself to vote for Hilary Clinton, whose policies would continue to weaken what’s left of our energy independence, would continue Obamacare in some form or other and would appoint hard left liberals to the Supreme Court.  You get the picture.  Her presidency would, in effect, have been Obama third term.

Besides all that, I had absolutely no trust in her word. I was afraid of her greed and feared her vindictiveness.

So, with all his flaws — and they are many — I voted for Trump.  As did enough other Americans to give him a comfortable victory in the electoral college.  We voters sort of reversed the old adage — better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.  In this case, we rejected the devil we knew, simply because we knew her too well.

I got a chuckle election night when my daughter Becky, a wonderful woman and nurse who lives in Jefferson Parish, called me.  Becky knew of my feelings about both candidates and that I’d told her I wasn’t voting for anybody for president.  She had essentially agreed that both candidates were extremely poor choices.

But she called to say she knows I love her unconditionally so she wanted to admit she’d voted for Trump.  “Well, sweetheart, so did I,” I told her.

But what have we Trump voters done?  Have we elected a man who will truly strive to bring the country together, as he promised in his victory speech?  Will he stop uttering his mean spirited verbal attacks on a good section of our American population?  Will he refrain from going after anyone who levels the slighted criticism of him?  Will he surround himself with wise advisors who can tell him how foreign policy really works?

We can only pray that he will.  He, along with a Republican Senate and House, has a historic opportunity to accomplish much in these very difficult times.  It’s up to him.  As the French told the US after the Louisiana Purchase:  “You have yourselves a bargain.  It’s up to you to make the most of it.”

Northwestern State University’s Theatre and Dance Department will present All in the Timing by David Ives Nov. 9-12 in Theatre West on the NSU Campus. Wednesday – Saturday performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. and there will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $15. NSU and LSMSA students get in free with a current student ID. Senior citizens and children 12 and under are $12. The world according to David Ives is a very odd place, and this play is a virtual stress test of the English language — and of the audience’s capacity for disorientation, uncertainty, randomness and delight.  All in the Timing is fragmented into short, twisted, convoluted, and highly amusing plays as a cast of six actors play a variety of characters who plunge into the black holes of language where their simplest desires are hilariously thwarted.

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS, and Natchitoches Parish Fire District #5 responded to a All-Terrain Vehicle injury crash Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m. on private property in the 12000 block of La. Hwy 1 south of Cypress.

Deputies say Bobby Joe Mitchell Jr., 20 of Natchitoches, was operating a 2016 Can AM ATV on private property when he apparently attempted to jump a levee near a crawfish pond. The ATV then impacted the ground ejecting Mitchell.

The ATV then rolled over on Mitchell before rolling off of him.
Mitchell was transported from the scene by EMS and later transferred to University Health in Shreveport with serious injuries.

The crash investigation is currently continuing by Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Division.

Election day may be his biggest challenge yet, but newly elected Clerk of Court David Stamey says he’s ready.

“I inherited a well oiled machine,” he said.

Commissioners prepped for Election Day, completing a recertification school in July and last Thursday, focusing on challenges they face during an election.

They’re tested, but it’s still tough. A Monday night meeting updated all Commissioners-in-Charge (each precinct has a chief commissioner) on ballot submissions.
Commissioner-in-Charge Jimmy Gunter said working Election Day is something he’s always enjoyed doing. He’s done this 12 years now, working as Commissioner-in-Charge for 10 of them.

“I like watching the people vote, especially the future voters going into the machine with their parents and grandparents,” he said.

Also, voting machines were delivered Monday to the 50 different precincts. They’ll be picked back up Thursday, which is when another meeting will be held to check the machines and confirm the votes. The following Monday the votes will be certified, which is when it’s safe to say the returns are official.

Stamey said he feels Natchitoches voters will have a lot of influence on the next court of appeals, school bond issue and road tax.

With 300 commissioners working throughout the Clerk of Court Office, the day lasts from 5:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. They are sworn in with an oath for diligence, honesty and fairness. They then gear up the voting machines and open the doors for a daylong voting marathon.
There are also three Secretary of State employees on hand to fix voting machines or correct problems.

Meanwhile, Stamey prepares to answer any calls from the precincts. He visits as many as he can, showing support and making sure there aren’t any problems.
Once voting starts for the day, mail-in ballots are counted in conjunction with the Registrar of Voters and the Board of Election Supervisors.

The first precinct goes up online, then absentee and early voting are reported on the Secretary of State’s website. Soon after Natchitoches precincts start checking in. Commissioners meet with office employees at a separate location, who bring the information in before it gets filtered out to the rest of the parish.

“It’s a day that rocks on for 15 hours,” said Stamey. “The superstars are the commissioners that are there all day long.”

Stamey says their devotion comes from a love of community service and of the Natchitoches community that drives them over anything.

“They love what they’re doing and I’ve come to realize that we wouldn’t have elections without them,” said Stamey. “The fact that they’re willing to do it is amazing.”
And they get to do it all again Dec. 10 with run-offs in the Senate and so many people running in the Congressional race.

While it may be a well-oiled machine, Stamey said it wouldn’t run as smoothly without partnerships with the Natchitoches Parish School District.

“We use so many schools that it would be hard to have a successful election without their support,” said Stamey. “Parish Government is also a huge partner and we have about 8-10 precincts located in church halls. It’s pretty neat to see the community coming together because everyone wants honest and fair elections.  It amazes me the amount of teamwork that goes into putting on an election from individuals and entities alike.”

Kyzar wins seat on 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal

The vote count (unofficial) – 47,289 votes for Kyzar to 44,063 for Peters. Results are not official until Tuesday.

The court is one of five circuit courts of appeal — and the largest — in Louisiana. It covers 21 parishes in southwest and Central Louisiana — Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, St. Martin, Vernon and Vermilion.

Other Results:

 

Natchitoches Parish Fire District 7 in Marthaville responded to a vehicle accident this morning, Nov. 8, on Hwy. 174. Upon arrival the vehicle was fully involved in fire. Minor injuries were sustained.

On November 7, 2016 at approximately 10:30 P.M. the Natchitoches Police Department responded to the1200 block of Texas Street in reference to a shooting. Officers arrived and found the victim, Tommy Wiley Jr., B/M age 30, in the parking lot unresponsive. Wiley was transported to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

NPD officers spoke with witnesses who stated that the victim and suspect got into a verbal altercation that turned physical. Investigation indicates that the two have had problems in the past.

Following the investigation NPD investigators arrested Cedric Daniels B/M age 31, and charged him with second degree murder. Daniels was placed in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

This matter is still under investigation and more arrests are pending.

Approved for release by: Chief Dove Date: 11/08/16