The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), advises the public that Church Street Bridge is now reopened to all traffic after being closed Tuesday, April 18 and half the day Wednesday, April 19.
The closure of the Church St. Bridge is a result of repairs being made to the ornamental guardrail that was damaged during a vehicular collision, according to a DOTD Public Information Officer.
Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards will be a guest lecturer at Northwestern State University on Monday, April 24 at 5 p.m. in the David Morgan Auditorium (Room 107) of Russell Hall. The lecture is open to the public.
Edwards will speak to a business administration special topics course taught by Theodore “Ted” Jones, the Charles D. Ragus Endowed Chair at Northwestern State.
Edwards is Louisiana’s only four term governor. He served from 1972-1980, 1984-1988 and 1992-1996. Prior to that, Edwards served in Congress, representing Louisiana’s Seventh Congressional District from 1965 to 1972.
The City of Natchitoches invites the public to Historic Downtown Natchitoches for the Grand Opening of the Natchitoches Farmers’ Market Saturday, April 29 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Grand opening festivities will include churning butter and grinding corn meal demonstrations by Dick DeBusk, Taste of Natchitoches Cookbook signing by local writer Anita Ann McGee, live music, and over 35 vendors from the surrounding areas.
The Natchitoches Farmers’ Market, previously known as Cane River Green Market, will be located on Front Street in Natchitoches between Church Street and Touline every Saturday, April 29 through July 29 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Market offerings will include fresh produce, value added products, hand crafted items, demonstrations, kid’s activities, live music, food, and much more.
Market Coordinator Valerie Balthazar said they’ve started a community garden at the Detention Center to source another component of the grant, the Mobile Market. This van, wrapped in the Market’s new logo, will travel to the community twice a week from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Dates will be announced soon, but the locations include Pierson Mallet Park on Tuesday and Ben Johnson on Thursdays.
All this and more is being made possible by a Healthy Behaviors Grant grant from The Rapides Foundation. The Rapides Foundation offers grants to non-profits and local governments promoting healthy behavior by creating or improving opportunities for adults and youth in Central Louisiana to engage in safe, accessible activity and by increasing accessibility of healthy foods.
The Natchitoches Farmers’ Market accepts cash, credit cards, EBT, and Snap. For more information on this event visit http://www.canerivergreenmarket.com (soon to be under construction), like us on Facebook, or call (318)238-4211.
“I’ve always wanted to work with planning events and making them happen,” said Balthazar, a former market vendor. When she saw the coordinator position she knew it was meant to be.
“We’re kicking it up a notch this season,” she said.
Family, friends and spectators cheered teams from Natchitoches, Sabine and Red River parishes during opening ceremonies of the Red River Special Olympics at Northwestern State University Tuesday. The track and field competitions were organized by NSU’s President’s Leadership Program with assistance from NSU Athletics, the Natchitoches Jaycees, area law enforcement agencies and other volunteer groups. Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports. The motto of Special Olympics inspires thousands of communities to support the organization: “Let me win. But if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt.”
Northwestern State University’s Fredericks Symphonic Band and NSU Wind Symphony will present a concert “Odysseys” on Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.
The Fredericks Symphonic Band will present a program featuring selections composed by Vaughn Williams, Ticheli and Smith. The Fredericks band is under the direction of Assistant Director of Bands Oliver Molina and assisted by graduate assistant Keith Sanders.
The NSU Wind Symphony under the direction of Director of Bands Dr. Jeff Mathews and assisted by graduate assistant Zebulon Bellon will present works by: Stamp, George, Mackey and Grainger. Vocal faculty member and soprano D’Nissa Hester will join the Wind Symphony as a special guest performer.
Pictured on front row from left are Tommy Tobin, Lonnie Head and Jerry Kerry. On back row are Donny Keeth, Chance Evans, David Dobson, Mike LaCaze and James Matthews. Not pictured is Line Superintendent Lee McKinney.
Tuesday, April 18, is National Lineman Appreciation Day, recognizing the efforts of linemen in keeping the power on and protecting public safety.
The City linemen were hard at work April 18 installing new utility poles on Scarborough Avenue. A limb tore down three poles during a recent storm and workers had temporarily fixed them to restore power to the area.
Similarly, Cleco employs 153 linemen to keep the power flowing to 288,000 customers. In October 2016, Cleco sent a 44-member storm team to aid Georgia Power in its recovery operations following Hurricane Matthew. Working over 5,280 hours, Cleco line crews helped replace and repair nearly 1,000 power poles and run approximately 120 miles of new wire.
“The linemen working in the City Utility department keep the power on,” said City Utility Director Charles Brossette. “Through rain, snow and hurricanes, they’re on call 24/7, 365 days a year to restore electricity when it’s needed. They’re the best crew around even if the public never hears much about them.”
Pictured from left are City linemen Brandon Berryman, Rodney Achord and Terry Pack.
Join the City of Natchitoches for lunch Friday, April 21 from 11 am – 1 pm as it raises funds for the American Cancer Society. The City will cook 500 hamburgers for $5 a plate, which includes a burger, chips and a cookie. Just fill out the attached form and return to City Hall or call 352-2772.
Davin White, Athletic Director for the Natchitoches Recreation and Parks Department, presented 14-year-old Jaylon Braxton with a Volunteer Services in 2017 City League Basketball Award recognizing the time he’s put into refereeing basketball games.
Jaylon is the son of Ruby Braxton and the late Coach Mack Braxton, who coached the Lakeview High School Basketball Team. Jaylon is an eighth grader at Natchitoches Jr. High where he is a straight A student. Last year he went to the Junior Olympics.
While his talent lies in track and field, particularly the triple and long jump, Jaylon felt like something was missing. His father passed when he was 4-years-old and growing up, everyone recognized his father’s name as a Natchitoches legend. Ruby said Jaylon always felt like he was missing something because he couldn’t remember his dad as everyone else does.
Jr. High Basketball Coach Corey Dean took Jaylon under his wing, as Coach Mack had done with him years ago. “That’s why Jaylon is in the position he is in his life,” said Ruby.
While Jaylon is too young for an official job, he volunteers his time as a referee at the Recreation Department where he’s participated in sports programs for the past 8-9 years.
“Every Saturday he wakes himself up to get ready to go to the gym,” said Ruby. “He’s dedicated and passionate about what he’s doing and I’m thankful for Davin for giving him a chance.”
Davin is just happy to have Jaylon involved at the Recreation Department. “He’s a quiet, smart kid who has a great personality,” he said. “He came in at a young age and took the training seriously.”
While Jaylon knew he wouldn’t be pursuing basketball professionally, he found refereeing as a way to honor his father by being involved in a sport he loved. He underwent two weeks of referee training at the Recreation Department to study the signals and calls.
Davin says the great thing about learning how to referee is that basketball is a sport played in every town across the county. Whether its at a collegiate level or for the NBA, there will always be a job available for those who take it seriously.
“The kids can get a trade they can take with them when they leave the Recreation Department,” said Davin. “There’s a lot of kids here who play and also referee.”
The Natchitoches Parish School District is planning for its upcoming event, an Information and Recruitment Day for families of children birth to age four in Natchitoches Parish, which will be held Thursday, May 4 from 4:30-6:30 pm at the Natchitoches Event Center. This event will provide information about all educational opportunities available for children including childcare, public school Pre-K, and Headstart programs. For additional information call the NPSB Media Center at 352-8389.
Pictured from left are Cassaundra Cole, Amy Metoyer, Melissa White, Jodi Shirley and Linda Lee.
An auto accident can be a traumatic experience for any driver, but sometimes the aftermath is just as devastating. If you cause an accident, imagine realizing you don’t have adequate insurance to cover bills for injured parties and damages. What if you or a family member was injured because of someone else’s negligence?
Imagine discovering the driver who caused the accident doesn’t have adequate coverage or is uninsured, which includes 13.9 percent of Louisiana motorists, according to pewtrusts.org.
These are the scenarios Rodney and Eddie Harrington often face when clients come to the Harrington Law Firm for legal assistance after being involved in a wreck.
“Don’t assume that everyone else on the highway even has insurance,” said Rodney. “Insurance serves a very important purpose and too many people assume if they have the minimum coverage required by Louisiana law, they’re protected. People say ‘I have full coverage,’ but I can tell you from experience that as high as medical bills are these days it doesn’t take long to get to the $15,000 minimum. Anything above that the driver is liable for.”
All too often car owners place less importance on their auto insurance than they do on buying the car itself. An expensive policy with inadequate coverage does a driver no good when an insurance company can’t cover a claim because it’s beyond the policy holder’s coverage limits.
A Natchitoches Insurance Agent said motorists should view insurance as a way to protect themselves.
Minimum liability insurance covers $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 in property damage. But there are other components to auto insurance that most people don’t consider. These include medical payments, comprehensive and collision and uninsured motorist coverage.
While these minimum amounts may be considered “full coverage” they can’t always cover even the most minor of medical bills.
“It’s important in a state where liability is so low to have adequate coverage,” said Brown. “Louisiana is known for its liability claims. It’s one of the highest ranked states in the nation. Doubling your coverage won’t double your premiums. It won’t cost you much more per month to protect yourself.”
Protection is the key, said Harrington. The average person can’t pay $100,000 and it’s not unusual to see damages in excess of this. The only way to protect against uninsured or underinsured motorists is to buy the right kind of coverage and enough of it.
“I spend much of my time fighting insurance companies to get what my clients deserve”, he laughed, “Now here I am telling people to buy more!”
The case of Jeff S., one of the Harrington Law Firm’s clients, graphically illustrates this point.
Jeff was horrifically injured in a motorcycle accident in 2015. The person causing the accident only had $15,000 in insurance. Rodney had advised Jeff to get Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage a few years before the accident. Thankfully, he took the advice.
“The insurance company didn’t pay readily,” said Jeff. “Rodney sued them and made them pay the full $300,000 of my Uninsured Motorist coverage. If it wasn’t for him, I would have never gotten the coverage in the first place and I’m sure I could have never made them pay.”
While Jeff is an actual client, results may vary.
“I’ve seen many heart breaking situations where people who sustained serious injuries in a wreck find out the other party has no insurance or just the bare minimum,” said Rodney.
“They could have protected themselves by spending just a few more dollars and getting adequate Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage,” he continued, “I spend a lot of my time fighting for the compensation my clients are entitled to when they’ve been injured and advising my clients about the type of coverage they need to make sure they are fully protected.”
Harrington concluded by saying that anyone who is not certain about the type of coverage they have or whether they have adequate coverage should pull out their policies and double check. He said that anyone having questions on the types and amounts of coverage they need could call The Harrington Law Firm for a free appointment and that he or Eddie would be happy to visit with them.
“Certainly if anyone has been involved in an automobile accident and wants to know his or her rights or is having a dispute with an insurance company, we would be happy to visit with them about it.”
For more information go online to http://www.theharringtonlawfirm.com.
Bulletproof vests are a key element of protection for law enforcement officers across the country. At the Natchitoches Police Department, there are 55 officers who are required to wear body armor at all times, according to Chief Mickey Dove.
Did you know that a bulletproof vest has a shelf life of 5 years? After 5 years the materials and fibers in the vests begin to break down and the protection they offer begins to diminish.
The National Institute of Justice states that officers who don’t routinely wear body armor are 3.4 times more likely to suffer a fatal injury from a torso shot than officers who routinely wear body armor.
Dove said the police department is appreciative of the Natchitoches Rotary Club’s upcoming efforts to help defray the cost of new vests for its enforcement officers.
The Rotary Club will hold “Bulletproof the Blue: A Law Enforcement Experience like no Other” Saturday, April 29 from 8 am – 1 pm at Dark Woods Haunted Attraction.
The event features three interactive scenarios, involving police issue Glock handguns with “simunition” (non-lethal rounds) that will put participants in situations designed to replicate an actual police call.
“It’s a great idea for an event,” said Dove. “A lot of people may judge police officers, but this will give them an opportunity to experience realistic, high stress scenarios based off of what we go through on a daily basis.”
Tickets will be $45 per person, which includes a T-shirt and BBQ lunch provided by City Bank and Trust. There are reduced rates for group packages, law enforcement, firefighters and active duty military. NSU students with a valid ID can purchase a ticket for $30. There are also corporate sponsorship packages available at reduced rates. The event is open to anyone 16 and older.
To register online – CLICK HERE
For more information contact David Guillet at City Bank and Trust, 318-352-4416 or Natchitoches Rotary Club on Facebook.
By Joe Darby
Dear reader, you’re going to see a little bit different side of me in this week’s column. You’re going to see manifested some anger, disgust and pride, which I almost always try to keep out of my weekly scribblings.
What set me off was a news story in which some folks are proposing that LSU name its beautiful Parade Ground near the Campanile in honor of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, known for his brutal treatment of Southern civilians during the Civil War.
Among the boosters of the idea are James Carville, the mean spirited pit bull Democratic activist and former Bill Clinton advisor, as well as Jonathan Earle, dean of LSU’s Honors College. I can’t say anything disparaging about Earle because I know nothing of the man, but I do question his judgment. I could say lots that’s disparaging about the obnoxious Carville, but I don’t want to waste much time on him.
Carville and Earle made their proposal recently on campus, on the occasion of a talk by Civil War scholar James Lee McDonough, a Sherman biographer.
So now, we have liberal activists not only trying to demolish any statue, monument or other memorial to Confederate leaders, but who seek to impose upon this area a tribute to a man notorious for his harsh treatment of Southerners.
They say the honor is called for because Sherman was the first superintendent of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy in Pineville, which later moved to Baton Rouge and became Louisiana State University. Carville told the gathering on campus that Sherman “really liked” Louisiana and was in turn liked by the state’s citizens. Uh, yeah, James, but that was before he completely despoiled and ravaged a big part of the South.
Author McDonough said Sherman “…loved the South. He had friends in the South…”
Oh yeah? Tell that to the thousands of civilians — women, children and old men — in Georgia and the Carolinas, whose homes he burned, whose crops he destroyed and whose livestock he slaughtered, all so that those people could starve during the winter of 1864.
When asked why he was being so cruel, his answer was “War is hell.” He was right and he was pretty much the devil with the pitchfork, poking his defenseless victims in the belly.
Sherman wasn’t the only Union general to use such tactics. Gen. Philip Sheridan did the same in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, as did Gen. Nathaniel Banks right here on the Red River in Louisiana, after Confederate Gen. Dick Taylor kicked his behind at Mansfield.
But Sherman’s bummers, as his soldiers were called, were among the most brutal of their kind. So I say that just because someone had a one-time connection to an area does not mean that area owes him or her any particular honor. Hitler was born in Vienna. Should that city have a monument to him?
No, no, I’m not comparing Sherman to Hitler, but just making a point about personal connections.
It should also be remembered that Sherman was no friend to African Americans. His tactics of destroying food sources hurt all Southerners in that region, black and white, slave and free. Many slaves naturally flocked to his armies, hoping for a safe haven and liberation, but he did not welcome the black refugees at all.
It is also my opinion, after having read about the Civil War for the last 60 years or so, that Sherman’s military skills were greatly overrated. He wasn’t overly effective in the Vicksburg campaign, his soldiers failed at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga and it took him forever to take Atlanta from a greatly outnumbered Confederate army led by the timid Joe Johnston, although the mountainous terrain did work against him. As for his march to the sea, when his bummers were preparing for the starvation of Southern women and old men, he faced only token opposition.
No sir, Misters Carville, Earle and McDonough. LSU should never honor such a man as William T. Sherman. He doesn’t deserve it and he never will. Never.
Milton Lloyd Godley, MD
June 26, 1928 – April 15, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 2 pm in the chapel of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home
Interment: Alexandria Memorial Gardens
Visitation: Wednesday, April 19 from 8:30 am – 2 pm
Wanda Marie Chicola Ozier
December 26, 1951 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, April 19 from 4-8 pm and Thursday, April 20 from 11 am – 1 pm
Service: Thursday, April 20 at 1:30 pm at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Mamie Elizabeth Younger
August 11, 1928 – April 12, 2017
Services were held April 18 at Blackwater United Methodist Church. Burial followed at the Melton Family Cemetery outside of Winnfield.
Roger Dale Sharbino
(January 12, 1947 – April 4, 2017)
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 3:30 PM at Lakeview Baptist Church
Interment: Lakeview Cemetery.
James Arch LaCroix
June 01, 1954 – April 15, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 2 pm in the Chapel of Kinner & Stevens Funeral Home
Interment: Hurricane Creek Cemetery in White Sulphur Springs Community
Kimberly Spangler Womack
July 05, 1980 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, April 19 from 9-10 am
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 10 am at Southern Funeral Home
Interment: Wright Cemetery in Sikes.
Ernestine LaCaze
July 21, 1923 – April 15, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 3 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Interment: Memory Lawn Cemetery of Natchitoches.
Howard Brandon
October 2, 1923 – April 13, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 10 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel in Many
Interment: Zwolle City Cemetery in Zwolle
Dorothy A. Cross
April 12, 2017
Service: Thursday, April 20 at 11 am
Interment: Montgomery Cemetery
Clarence Cannon
April 16, 2017
Visitation: Friday, April 28 from 6-8 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home in Natchitoches
Service: Saturday, April 29 at noon at the Morning Star Baptist Church of Natchez
Interment: Morning Star Baptist Church Cemetery
Lennard Thomas Pimpleton
March 19, 1947 – April 12, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 1pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Winnfield
Interment: Winnfield Cemetery
Albert “Boogie” Procell Jr.
February 19, 1949 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, April 19 from 6-9 pm at the funeral home with a Rosary at 6 pm
Service: Thursday, April 20 at 11 am at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel in Coushatta
Interment: St. Ann Cemetery
Chris Posey came before the Parish Council meeting Monday night, April 17, to see what progress was made regarding Fire District 1 in Cloutierville. Allegations against the Fire District were made at a December meeting. Members came before the Council in January to refute them. Rick Nowlin, Patsy Ward Hoover and Russell Rachal agreed to form an advisory committee and look into the matter.
After meeting March 31 with newly appointed Fire District 1 Board Chairman Harry Hawthorne, who compiled financial and operational records for the advisory committee, Nowlin said the committee saw things that caused them some concern.
“We need to handle this carefully,” he said. “But we’ve seen enough to suggest that there’s a problem.”
The information and committee findings will be submitted to the appropriate authorities (District Attorney, Board of Ethics and Legislative Auditor). Any further discussion will have to be saved for an executive session until an opinion is rendered by the afore mentioned authorities.
In other business the meeting ran smoothly. The Council members were focused on keeping the meeting streamlined, even though the agenda had over 30 items on it.
Visitor Randy Stelly asked that the Council conduct itself in a more professional manner than it did at last month’s meeting, which he said he watched via a live stream. He said the meeting are too long and that inappropriate behavior can cause scouts looking to bring businesses to Natchitoches to steer clear of the Parish.
An ordinance failed to pass because there was no motion from a Council member. This was because the representative from the District Attorney’s Office said the ordinance (add a 3 percent COLA increase for Parish employees) was illegal on its face. The Council doesn’t have the authority to amend an adopted budget unless there are specific circumstances involved.
Another ordinance for introduction (scarify King Hill and Sisson Roads) was tabled because the DA Rep said a resolution would be appropriate. An ordinance is only required if the road’s direction or location is changing. A resolution will be voted on at next month’s meeting.
A third ordinance (amend Parish Zoning Ordinance relative to uses requiring planning commission approval in I-A districts) died for lack of a second.
Ordinances introduced:
· Quitclaim deed on Lot 1 and South half of Lot 2 of Block DA of Breda addition from the Parish to Robert Jackson Sr.
· Amend section of the Parish Council Code of Ordinance (requirements for Parish Council meeting)
· Add solid waste scale house attendant and salary range to the job description in the Natchitoches Parish Personnel Manual
· Remove job requirements of engineer and engineer duties from the Director of Public Works job description
Other agenda items:
· 2017 budget revision for highway to the line items bottom ash, disaster recovery and LGAP
· Adopt millage rates for the 2017 tax year to remain the same
· Adopt proclamation declaring April 17-22 as National Community Development Week
· Adopt proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month
· Adopt proclamation declaring May 7-13 as National Travel and Tourism Week
· Approve election in Fire Protection District No. 1 on Saturday, Oct. 14 to authorize the levy of a special tax therein
· Award lease of rubber-tire tractor/loader/backhoe to Doggett Machinery Services of Shreveport for a John Deere Model 310L at $1,062 monthly for 36 months
· Award LGAP pavement patching project to Lites Bros. Asphalt Inc. of Many for $160 per ton
· Approve a Citizen Participation Plan/Citizen Complaint Procedure be adopted and Debbie Miley be appointed as Citizen Complaint Officer for compliance with the LCDBG Program
· Proceed with development of the LCDBG application
· Approve procurement policy be adopted for compliance with the LCDBG Program
· Proceed with the procurement and selection of professional services to assist in the development of the LCDBG application and implementation of the project
· Authorize Parish President to award contract for bottom ash to the lowest bidder meeting bid specifications
· Authorize Parish Treasurer to seek accounting software proposals
· Reappoint Bobby Outlaw Sr. and James Wagley to the Fire District 10 Board
The Parish Council made an emergency amendment to Monday night’s agenda (April 17) to discuss accusations that were brought against Council Clerk Sheryl Frederick. Frederick waived her right to notification and opted to have an open meeting instead of going into executive session.
The accusations were made in a letter written by Head Start Director April Wade (SEE DOCUMENT BELOW). While the letter said Sheryl displayed inappropriate conduct during a meeting held at the Head Start facility earlier in the month, several Parish employees vouched for her.
Their testimonials were all the same. A member of the policy council who was attending the meeting became belligerent with the Parish employees, going so far as to state that she demanded their respect, according to Cathy Creamer. The member, who was not identified at the Parish Council meeting, got in Cathy’s face. When Sheryl came to Cathy’s aid, the member backed her into a corner and called her “big,” “ignorant,” and “the devil.”
While Sheryl was offended, she kept her composure and was ushered out of the room by her coworkers. Her coworkers said they never heard Sheryl use explicit language, never saw her raise a hand or any of the other actions the letter accused her of.
“I don’t like this at all,” said Sharon Harris, referring to the copy of the letter each Council member received.
Parish President Rick Nowlin, who was present at the meeting where the altercation occurred, commended Sheryl for her composure and said he was very surprised to get the letter.
When an audience member questioned why the Head Start Director would write such a letter in the first place, it was brought to the Council’s attention that she wasn’t even in the room to witness the altercation.
Sheryl, a member of the policy council herself, said she is unaware of an action ever being taken to approve the member’s position on the council in the first place.
“She was just brought in,” said Sheryl. “I represent the Parish, we were in a Head Start facility with children and I wouldn’t stoop to her level.”
Council member Russell Rachal said he thinks the Council should require the director to submit a letter to them on how she will handle these false accusations.
“I think this is a bunch of lies and she owes us an explanation,” he said.
A representative from the District Attorney’s Office recommended, based on the letter and testimony, that the Council vote to express its opinion that Sheryl engaged in no inappropriate conduct and no actions will be taken. This was passed by a unanimous vote.
Photos from CARI archive
Cane River Creole National Historic Park continues to preserve the history of the plantations under its care, Magnolia and Oakland.
One project that was recently completed is the installation of a new roof on the main house at Oakland. This included asbestos abatement, the removal of the asbestos roof, the repair of leaks, and the installation of a new slate roof.
At least three unique roof-covering treatments were historically used at the Oakland Plantation Main House. The initial roof covering used after construction in 1821 was split cypress shakes. In 1906, the Prud’homme family salvaged slate from a local historic structure and used it to replace the wooden shingle roof. The slate roof covering was used at the Main House until it was replaced by Johns-Manville with asbestos-cement fiber roof shingles in 1951.
• 1958/59 Asbestos Roof – no sill overlap
• 1920’s Slate Roof – appears to have no sill overlap. The original framed photo is on exhibit at the Main House Master Bedroom OH 202.
• 1914 Slate Roof – appears to have no sill overlap. The original framed photo is on exhibit at the Main House Parlor OH 206 South Wall above Doorway to OH 205.
1925 Slate Roof – difficult to ascertain…
Another project is the trail system at Magnolia. An AmeriCorps crew relayed the trail from 10-15 years ago to provide safe and accessible access to the site and its historic structures. It had become buried under 2-3 inches of soil and vegetation. A brand new trail from the parking lot to the cabins, which was built with compacted gravel, follows an old historic road.
CRCNHP Superintendent Carrie Mardorf hopes to get more crews out in the future for more work. Of course, volunteers from the community are always welcome.
The park has also entered into a partnership with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training for a training workshop on repointing mortar, which had 35 participants from the region.
This served as a diagnostic for the next project on the horizon, addressing Magnolia’s cabins holistically to stabilize them. They will also reroof the tenant cabin this summer.
Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested a Campti man on abuse and drug charges Sunday, April 16 at 12:15 pm. NPSO Patrol Division deputies responded to reports of a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of Fisher Street in Campti.
They spoke with an unidentified female victim, observing a laceration to her forehead and bruising to her body.
The victim stated that her boyfriend, identified as Derrick Lloyd, was acting strange, and when she asked him to leave the residence he became angry allegedly striking her in the head with an object causing her to lose consciousness. She further stated that when she awakened she attempted to leave the residence but Lloyd allegedly blocked the door preventing her to leave.
The victim was able to get free and contacted the NPSO for assistance.
Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS also responded to the scene to treat the victim.
Lloyd also reportedly left the residence before deputies arrived on scene.
Deputies issued a BOLO for Lloyd to Campti Police Department who took him into custody a short time later on Coleman Street.
Deputies responded to Coleman Street, placed Lloyd under arrest and during a search incidental to his arrest discovered a cellophane bag containing approximately ¼-gram of suspected methamphetamine on his person.
Derrick Lloyd, 28 of the 100 block of Fisher Street in Campti, was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center and charged with Possession of CDS Schedule II Methamphetamine-2nd Offense, Aggravated 2nd Degree Battery and False Imprisonment.
Lloyd remains in the Natchitoches Detention Center awaiting bond in the 10th Judicial District Court.
The victim was issued a LAVNS form required by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement in cooperation with the La. Sheriff’s Association, La. District Attorney’s Association and the La. Department of Public Safety.
LAVNS is an on-line resource and toll-free automated system that allows you to search for information regarding an adult offender’s current custody and case status. Through this system, you can also register to be notified automatically when an offender is released, transferred, or escapes from a Parish facility or has a change in case status.
Deputies assigned to NPSO Patrol Shift “A” made the arrest assisted by Campti Police.
Save the date for the Memorial Day Service at the Natchitoches Parish Veterans and Memorial Park Monday, May 29 at 3 pm. The VFW and American Legion Post will host a reception following the ceremony.
They hook for fun; rugs that is. They strip, wool for their rugs.
Members of the Red Stick Rig Hooking organization have a sense of humor when it comes to their titles. Hookers from Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas gathered at a Hooking Convention in Natchitoches April 9-14.
These hookers and strippers create beautiful masterpieces in the rugs they hook. Thins ribbons of wool are stripped and then hooked through a template. The end result is fun rugs to be hung on a wall or thrown on a floor. Some can even be used to create one-of-a-kind footstools.
“This is a community,” said Kim Meyer. “We share tips, tragedy, success and life experiences. It’s more than hooking; it’s a support group. These conventions throughout the year give us an opportunity to hook up with people from across the country.”
A painter first, Kim attended a hooking class looking for something different. She immediately fell in love with it. She learned everything she knows from her teacher Susan Myers, who owns a store in Wichita Falls, Texas called Sheppard’s Wool.
“All of us started out as something else,” said Colleen Calver, from Dallas. “We all evolved into hooking.” Colleen was working on a footstool for her daughter.
This fiber art originally started on ships in the northeast. Fishermen would make rugs out of burlap for the ship’s floors, which were freezing in the cold northern climates. They would bend nails to use for hooks.
Director Gayle Solieau, from Baton Rouge, said the group plans on returning to Natchitoches next year for their convention. The City is one of their favorite destinations and they can’t wait to get together and hook again.
KNWD 91.7 FM The Demon, Northwestern State University’s student-run radio station, is proud to host their fifth annual DemonFest Music and Arts Festival April 21-22 on Iberville Green at Northwestern State University. The gates open at noon both days with music beginning at 1 p.m. Along with many musical acts on two stages, attendees can expect a variety of art, clothing, music, and food vendors.
KNWD will partner with the NSU Student Activities Board Concert Committee this year to bring in Billboard chart-topping electronic duo 3OH!3 as headlining act for Day 1. The NSU SAB’s annual SpringFling, a free event for students, will be happening alongside DemonFest Day 1 for the first combined “DemonFling” event. 3OH!3 is best known for their 2008 hit “Don’t Trust Me,” and their 2010 hit featuring Ke$ha, “My First Kiss.” 3OH!3 performs on the main “Demon Stage” at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21. Leading up to 3OH!3, attendees can expect a lineup of local artists such as MAXDAB, DJENKO, SAVEJ, BeXrDwN and much more.
Headlining Day 2, KNWD has brought SWMRS, a unique punk-rock band that brings in elements of many different genres. They are most recognized for their alternative smash hit “Figuring It Out,” which the group performed on the Late Late Show with James Corden. SWMRS perform on the Demon Stage at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. Before SWMRS, DemonFest attendees will be treated to a line up including Rareluth, harbor., BRDFRD, The Wall Chargers and many more.
DemonFest is free to all NSU and LSMSA students, faculty and staff with a current ID sticker. Tickets will be on sale on March 20. One-day passes will be $10 and a weekend pass will be $15. For tickets or more information, please visit http://www.nsulastudentmedia.com or the KNWD 91.7 FM Facebook page.
A fictional story by Junior Johnson
Two majestic homes stood on the bank of Cane River in the community known as CoCo Bed.
Built by a successful French builder the year before the War of Northern Aggression began in 1861, they were almost identical in appearance.
There were beautiful white columns on the front and back of the two story buildings that were constructed with bricks made of clay, mud, and moss.
Cane River flowed behind the homes and almost a thousand acres of sugar cane waved in the wind for as far as the eye could see.
Abslom Johnson and his wife Martha occupied one of the homes, along with their son John Wesley and his wife Ada and their sons Harvis and Dempsey. Abloom and Martha’s grandchildren Pete and Noah also lived with them. Their parents died of Yellow Fever when the boys were very young.
The other home was occupied by Levy Lodrigue and his wife Lucille, their two sons Tony and John Levy, and their sisters Levaine, Romona, and Gayle. They were anxiously waiting for their eldest daughter to arrive with her two children, Aiden and Dylan. They all mourned the loss of Rita’s husband Daniel when they received the news three years earlier.
Daniel was Abslom’s brother.
Abslom and Levy had purchased their land from a planter who had fallen on hard times. While construction of their homes was ongoing, they successfully raised cotton and sugar cane, alternating the crops every year. They also raised cattle to sell and use as a food source for their families.
For their labor force they had constructed 10 shotgun style houses situated on the riverbank alongside their homes.
The Johnson’s and Lodrigue’s owned no slaves but had an equal number of blacks and whites who worked peacefully alongside each other and were paid equal wages.
A small group of their workers had returned from Natchitoches the day before with news that the riverboat would be arriving that night and Mrs. Johnson and her party would depart the next morning to arrive later that evening.
There was a lot of activity surrounding the Johnson and Lodrigue homes as preparations were made for their arrival.
A large beef was slowly cooking over a fire for the feast planned that night. All of the workers would be joining in the celebration.
While the meat was cooking, Tony, John Levy, Pete, and Noah, all took their fishing poles and worms down the hill and were catching fish from Cane River to compliment their meal.
Earlier that morning, unknown to Abslom and Levy, the evil Captain John Winston and five of his murderous cowards had departed Monett’s Ferry headed upstream in canoes. The cowardly Winston was trying to work out a plan of action, but wanted to get a look at the lay of the land. He was determined to kill Mrs. Johnson and her sons Aiden and Dylan.
As the sun was beginning to set, shouts rang out and the old plantation bell began to ring. Everyone gathered around the wagon as it pulled up in front of the plantation houses.
The Deputies had planned to take the riverboat back from Natchitoches, but decided at the last minute to accompany the Johnson’s to their final destination.
As everyone was laughing, hugging, and crying at the arrival of the family, Tony, John, Levy, and Noah hurried up the riverbank in search of Uncle Abslom and their father Levy.
Pete was missing, and they suspected fowl play. This terrible news immediately turned the joyous homecoming into shock and fear.
What had happened to Pete?
Roger Dale Sharbino
(January 12, 1947 – April 4, 2017)
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 3:30 PM at Lakeview Baptist Church
Interment: Lakeview Cemetery.
Ray O Hargis
February 03, 1923 – April 14, 2017
Visitation: Tuesday, April 18 from 10-11 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Tuesday, April 18 at 11 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches
Interment: American Cemetery in Natchitoches
John Marion Ammons
December 27, 1925 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Monday, April 17, 2017, at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home from 5-8 pm.
Service: Tuesday, April 18 at 2 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funereal Home in Natchitoches
Interment: Old Bethel Cemetery in Natchitoches
James Arch LaCroix
June 01, 1954 – April 15, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 2 pm in the Chapel of Kinner & Stevens Funeral Home
Interment: Hurricane Creek Cemetery in White Sulphur Springs Community
Kimberly Spangler Womack
July 05, 1980 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Tuesday, April 18 from 5-8 pm, and again Wednesday, April 19 from 9-10 am
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 10 am at Southern Funeral Home
Interment: Wright Cemetery in Sikes.
Ernestine LaCaze
July 21, 1923 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Tuesday, April 18 from 5-9 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home. (Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7 pm in the funeral home chapel)
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 3 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Interment: Memory Lawn Cemetery of Natchitoches.
Howard Brandon
October 2, 1923 – April 13, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 10 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many
Interment: Zwolle City Cemetery in Zwolle
Visitation: Tuesday, April 18 beginning at 5 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Hm. in Many
Dorothy A. Cross
April 12, 2017
Service: Thursday, April 20 at 11 am
Interment: Montgomery Cemetery
Clarence Cannon
April 16, 2017
Visitation: Friday, April 28 from 6-8 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home in Natchitoches
Service: Saturday, April 29 at noon at the Morning Star Baptist Church of Natchez
Interment: Morning Star Baptist Church Cemetery
Lennard Thomas Pimpleton
March 19, 1947 – April 12, 2017
Service: Wednesday, April 19 at 1pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Winnfield
Interment: Winnfield Cemetery
Albert “Boogie” Procell Jr.
February 19, 1949 – April 15, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, April 19 from 6-9 pm at the funeral home with a Rosary at 6 pm
Service: Thursday, April 20 at 11 am at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel in Coushatta
Interment: St. Ann Cemetery