It’s Graduation Season again. If your child is graduating from high school or college, you have reason to celebrate. But what should you give to your newly minted diploma holder? You might want to consider offering a combination of financial gifts and tips, which, taken together, could set your graduate on a path toward a successful, independent life.

What sort of gifts and tips should you consider? Here are a few ideas:

• Give a few shares of stock. Everyone should understand the financial markets and how they work. One great way to encourage this interest is to give your child a few shares of stock. Young people enjoy owning a piece of a company that makes the products and services they like – and the very act of ownership can inspire them to learn more about investing and to ask questions: What causes the stock price to go up or down? How long should I hold this stock? Should I own several stocks like this one, or is it better to branch out to find new opportunities? Over time, in learning the answers to these and other questions, your child can become familiar with investing and how to make the best choices.

• Encourage your graduate to open an IRA. Your child can open an IRA as long as he or she has some earned income. You might want to suggest that your child consider a Roth IRA, which, at the child’s age and income level, may be a good choice. With a Roth IRA, children can access their contributions at any time, tax- and penalty-free. They can’t touch the earnings without incurring both taxes and penalties, however, until they reach 59½. But you will want to encourage them to keep the money in their IRA intact, giving it the chance to grow.

• Provide some financial education. Unfortunately, most young people don’t really receive any kind of formal financial education. Of course, you can try to provide some of this knowledge to your own children, but, as you know, advice from Mom and Dad sometimes gets ignored. However, you might get better results if you arrange for your recent graduate to meet with a financial professional. As mentioned above, owning stocks, and following their progress, can teach your children a great deal about investing, but a financial professional can paint the “big picture” and explain how all aspects of money management – such as borrowing, budgeting, saving and investing –fit together to help individuals stay in control of their finances and make progress toward their important financial goals, such as buying a house and retiring in comfort. Recent graduates, whether leaving high school or college, are at “turning points” in their lives and can benefit greatly from understanding the importance of developing good, lifelong financial habits.

Most of us can think of several money-related mistakes we’ve made over the course of many years. And your children will make some errors, too. But by providing them with some appropriate financial gifts and valuable advice upon their graduation, they may well be better prepared to keep those mistakes to a minimum – while maximizing their ability to make good decisions.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

FINANCIAL FOCUS – May 29, 2017

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To whom it may concern,

I am a Registered Nurse who works for CHRISTUS CLA at the school-based health center located at Natchitoches Central High School. We serve all of the students in grades 9-12 at the school.

Since 2003, CHRISTUS SBHC has served our students in Natchitoches Parish with compassion and commitment. The SBHC has provided countless preventative programs, comprehensive physicals, and immunizations that target our rural community needs.  We have also provided medical and behavioral health services to our chronically ill students that would not have the opportunity to receive care due to their limited resources and poverty stricken population.

In my opinion, our school could not function without the assistance of our School-Based Health Center. We have increased the amount of students in this school who had all of their required vaccines from <40% of the student body when opened in 2003 to 97% of the student body in 2017.

For the School year 2016-2017, so far, we have performed 2135 visits on students at our school. Of those visits, 122 were for Physicals, 352 were for vaccine administration, and 588 were for mental health visits. The other visits were for simple routine care for headaches, abdominal pain, injuries, asthma, etc. Without the help from LDH funds, we would not be able to do many of these things that are beneficial for our students because they are unable to get the care elsewhere. We also give daily medications for ADHD that the students’ have orders from their Primary Care Dr. to have given at school. We monitor our Diabetics on a daily basis as well in supervising them in checking their blood sugar before lunch and as needed during the day. These are another 510 visits that are not documented on in our electronic medical record.

We also work with many outside agencies and programs to provide extra health education to the students at our school. During this school year, we have partnered with the Louisiana Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program to screen 170 students for Diabetes. Of these 170 students, 83 of these students participated in the program throughout the school year. During the school year, they had nutrition and physical activity education provided at six different times. During our initial screenings of this school year, we found one student who had a Hemoglobin A1C of 9.2 (normal 4.3-6) which was considered to be diabetic range. We assisted this student and her parents in getting in to her Primary Care Dr. who in turn sent the student to a Pediatric Endocrinologist in Shreveport. With us working with this student throughout the school year, she has seen a reduction of her Hemoglobin A1C to 6.2 in March of 2017 and she has lost 14 pounds and 4 pants sizes. These are the stories that we work for on a daily basis.

It is vital that funding for school-based health centers be protected from cuts.
1.       If cut, the school system is left to hope their students can manage without the care the health centers provide.
2.       It is well understood by these schools that they do not have enough money to staff a licensed therapist or nurse to provide care. WE save the children this state desperately wants to see do well.

It is simple. The state wants to save money, so the idea is to cut our funding. However, please know that we are already saving state dollars by keeping these children out of the hospitals, off the streets, and in the classroom.

We are asking everyone to make a call today to members of the Senate Finance committee and tell them to restore funding to our School-Based Health Centers. We encourage you to also contact your Senators (not on the Finance Committee) and House Representatives to let them know how important SBHCs are to the future of Louisiana and that we must have our funding restored.

The Senate legislative line is 225-342-2040.
The House legislative line is 225-342-6945.

You may also call the Secretary of the Department of Health, Rebekah Gee, at 225-342-9503 to let her know she must save our SBHCs!

Please help us in advocating for the School-Based Health Centers in our parish (NCHS, Lakeview, Marthaville and Cloutierville). We appreciate any and all that you will do to help us in this battle.

Sincerely,
Ashley Sesvold, RN
318-354-1393

The Natchitoches Parish Journal received this submission. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Natchitoches Parish Journal.  If you have an article or story of interest for publishing consideration by the NPJ, please send it to NPJNatLa@gmail.com.

The Historic District Business Association (HDBA) is a sponsor of the City Park Grand Reopening set for Saturday, June 3 from 10 am – 1 pm.

The City of Natchitoches, Northwestern State University and the Natchitoches Parish Journal are co-hosting this event, which is free and open to the public. National Recording Artist Trini Triggs will be the event Emcee. There will be live music in the City Park amphitheater, free food, T-shirt raffle, activity booths, Zumba, face painting, inflatables and more.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities the day of the event such as monitoring the inflatable’s, helping serve food or set up. Anyone interested in volunteering can email a volunteer signup form (SEE BELOW) to Dallas Russell at DRussell@natchitochesla.gov.

Family Day Volunteer sign up 2017

 

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By Kevin Shannahan

Kevin’s Gallery

One hundred sixty nine young men and women marked an important milestone in their young lives Tuesday, May 23 at NCHS as they officially ended their tenure at the Natchitoches Junior High and looked towards their next step at Natchitoches Central High School.

The End of Year Ceremony, the second to be held under the dynamic leadership of principal Edwin Mason, boasted a capacity crowd of over 1,300 friends and family as well as school board members Ralph Wilson and Thomas Melder. The young men wore white shirts and ties while the young ladies wore black dresses. The students carried themselves with class, dignity and a justifiable pride in their accomplishments.

The guest speaker was Dr. Ellen Smiley of Grambling State University who delivered a rousing speech encouraging the young scholars to believe in themselves and their abilities. It was a fitting send off for the new alumni before they continue their educations this fall at NCHS. The Natchitoches Parish Journal wishes them all the best in high school. We look forward to seeing what the future holds in store for this superb group of young people.

Photo protection is turned off. Anyone may download any photos they wish.

Get ready to cast a line and catch some catfish at the Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery’s annual Open House and Kids Fishing Derby Staurday, June 3 from 8 am – noon.

“The Fish Hatchery enjoys providing an opportunity for kids to reconnect with nature,” said Hatchery Manager Grant Webber. “The kids love to catch fish and have fun.”
The event is free and open to the public. Kids ages 2-15 can fish for catfish in two stocked ponds. Adults must accompany children. Activities include archery game, casting contest, face painting, rides on the “Victory Train,” a visit from the Caddo Parish Bird Man and CCA and Alexandria Zoo booths. Lunch will be provided from 11 a.m. – noon courtesy of the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. This event is made possible by the Friends in Support of the Hatchery Group (F.I.S.H.).

You are very special.  Yes, I do mean you.  And, with all modesty aside, so am I.  And so are each and every one of us.

Let me explain what I’m talking about.

Earlier this week Mary and I went to the annual pot luck supper and show-and-tell held by the Natchitoches Genealogical and Historical Association.  We all bring eats then show our own little historic objects and/or papers and talk about our ancestors.

And that got me to thinking what an amazing thing it is that any of us were born.  And the fact that we were, makes us so special.  Many of us will agree that we are all part of God’s plan and that we were always meant to be born.  But, even so, the whole thing is still rather astounding.

Because the odds of all our thousands and thousands of ancestors getting together at just the right time seem beyond astronomical.  I’m sure we can all come up with stories of chance or unusual meetings of our ancestors in recent generations.  So just think of the fact that everything had to go just right all back through the ages.  Because if just one of our ancestor couples had not gotten together, we would not be here.

Let me come up with a hypothetical situation.  Let’s say that back in 1452 in France one of my grandfathers was about to set out on a sea voyage to attack England.  (This was just when the Hundred Years War was about to end.)  But grandfather Pierre drops a cannon ball on his foot, misses his ship and is nursed back to health by the inn keeper’s daughter, whom he shortly marries.  So if grandpere hadn’t dropped the darned cannon ball, I wouldn’t be here.

I don’t have to look back into the unknown past to find such close calls that would have left me unborn.  My great-grandfather John Baker, who fought with  the 10th Missouri Confederate Infantry, was in Shreveport at the end of the Civil War.  Most of his regiment took steamboats down the Red River and then returned to Missouri up the Mississippi.

For some reason, grandfather John missed the boat (just like my made up French ancestor!) and instead he walked or rode across northern Louisiana, obviously heading for the Mississippi River to catch a ride home.

Well, when he got to Morehouse Parish, he met a lass named Mary Ann McCord and he never got past good old Morehouse Parish.  Their daughter, Maude Baker, happened to marry a new young doctor in the area, one Joseph W. Darby Sr.  They are my paternal grandparents.  Unfortunately both passed away before I was born.

My own mother and father met on a blind date for the 1927 LSU-Tulane football game.  Suppose one of them had been sick!

Mary has another near miss story as well.  Her great-grandfather was out riding the streets of New Orleans in his surrey wagon in the 1890s when he spotted a pretty girl sitting on the steps of a convent home for girls.  The rest, obviously, is history.  But suppose the lass had chosen to hang out around the rear of the convent that day or, feeling under the weather, stayed in her room?

So, our fate has been shaped over generation after generation of such instances, going back to the beginning.

I think this is fun to think about.   I bet you have some good near-miss stories of your own.  Happy genealogy to you all!

DeLois Knott McCartney
April 28, 1927 – May 23, 2017
Vistation: Thursday, May 25 from 8-10 am
Service: Thursday, May 25 at 10 am at Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield
Interment: Beulah Cemetery in Marthavillex

Leo Jester
August 30, 1932 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, May 24 from 5-8 pm and Thursday, May 25 from 9-11 am at the funeral home
Service: Thursday, May 25 at 11 am in the Chapel of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home
Interment: Greenwood Memorial Park

Louis “Cooter” Clinton Marien
December 21, 1939 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, May 24 from 9 am – 12:30 pm at the funeral home
Service: Wednesday, May 24 at 1 pm at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral
Interment: Alexandria Memorial Gardens
George Washington
March 28, 1944 – May 19, 2017
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 1 pm at the Agape Love Center Church, 1515 Texas Street in Natchitoches
Interment: St. Savior Baptist Church Cemetery (Cane River)
Visitation: Saturday, May 27 from 8 am – noon at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home, 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Terrence Gates
May 16, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, May 27 from 9-11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel
Interment: Fern Park Cemetery on Texas Street.

Clarence Forest
May 13, 2017
Visitation: Friday, May 26 from 6-8 pm at Winnfied Memorial Funeral Home Chapel
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 12 pm at Gaines Chapel AME, 842 Anita Street in Natchitoches
Interment: Breda Town Cemetery

Melinda Louise Millican Zolzer
October 01, 1950 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, May 27 from 12-2 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, 533 Second Street in Natchitoches
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 2 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church of Natchitoches
Interment: Trinity Episcopal columbarium

Judith Louise Murphy
March 07, 1944 – May 21, 2017
Service: Thursday, May 25 at 1 pm in the chapel of Southern Funeral Home
Interment: Gayla Traina Cemetery

Joseph Patterson
May 19, 2017
Visitation: Friday, May 26 from 5-7 pm
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 10 am at Boone Funeral Home, 3903 Meriweather Road in Shreveport (next to Queensbourgh Lodge)
Interment: Forest Park West Cemetery
Knight Templar Honor Guard and Masonic Rites

Thomas “T-Boy” Green
May 20, 2017
Arrangements TBA

Frankie D. West
July 18, 1950 – May 23, 2017
Arrangements TBA

Linda King
February 19, 1951 – May 23, 2017
Arrangements TBA

Frankie D. West
July 18, 1950 – May 23, 2017
Arrangements TBA

NSU Middle Lab 6th Grade May Terrific Kids.

Judge Desiree Dyess presented sixth grade Kiwanis Terrific Kids students with certificates recognizing their academic achievement.

Pictured from left are Gavin McConathy, Reed Walker, Logan Saucier, Na’Riaya Sowell, and Houston Walker.  Not pictured Emma Giddens.

Natural Springs Garden Center and Nursery is in the business of growing and business is growing. The Center will mark 12 years of servicing the Natchitoches community with its annual Customer Appreciation Celebration and Anniversary Sale this Friday-Monday, May 26-29 during business hours.

Regular business hours are Mondays-Fridays from 8:30 am – 5 pm, Saturdays from 8:30 am – 4 pm and Sundays from 1-4 pm. This Sunday, May 28, will be the last Sunday the Center is open for the season.

All live plants will be 40% off. Everything in the Ole Country Store will be 30% off. Remember products grown at Natural Springs (about 90 percent of its inventory) are not subject to sales tax.

There’s also a “do it yourself” potting bench. Bring a pot, plant what you purchase on-site and leave the mess at Natural Springs. Owners Corkey Bruce and Mace Morris, or one of their staff, are always happy to assist with potting. They even have the soil you’ll need.

Planning for their business venture began in 2004 and the Garden Center opened in 2005. An accountant by trade, Corkey originally ran a landscape/lawn service as a self-taught licensed horticulturist. Natural Springs was born from a need to have an inventory for the landscape business. Soon after Hurricane Katrina they began growing their own plants with the help of a transplant from Southern Louisiana.

The nursery has become a destination as school groups, bus tours and students stop by regularly to peruse the wide selection of plants. Natural Springs partners with FFA and Horticulture groups from Lakeview, NCHS, Florien and Coushatta. Students spend time in the nursery studying for horticulture identification for competitions.

Corkey believes in smart and economic gardening. While they may not be name brand, she carries the best solutions to solve all gardening problems from insect and disease control to fertilization. She also prides herself on the Center’s reasonable pricing.

Corkey learned to garden from her grandmothers and says working with plants is a great stress reliever. Her son Mace spent 10 years in the military. Working at the Center since its beginning Mace says he’s developed a passion for plants. While the nursery is their core business, Mace is more interested in the technical side, which includes back flow prevention inspections and irrigation design and installation.

The Center is pet friendly (on-leash), providing a drinking station. They’re also known to have water guns on hand to make visits a much cooler experience for the kids.

“We don’t want a bunch of customers,” said Mace. “We want a bunch of friends.”

Follow Natural Springs Garden Center, located at 4243 University Parkway, on Facebook for videos and other information.

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A fictional story by Junior Johnson

Dylan wasted no time as he left Aiden and Noah with his Mom and Grandmother Lodrigue.  He knew that Reverend Cryer’s life was at stake as he headed toward Cloutierville to find Doctor Scruggs.

Not long after Aiden’s departure Abslom and Levy arrived with their boys pulling Reverend Cryer on a litter behind one of the horses.  His condition seemed to have stabilized but he was still unconscious and extremely pale.

Levy and Abslom’s wives Lucille and Martha had already begun to boil a large pot of water and had Levaine, Ramona, and Gayle prepare a comfortable bed for Reverend Cryer, along with fresh bandages.

Levy’s father Tony was well known in the area for his use of herbs and potions to cure minor and some major ailments of people who came to see him. He considered himself a faith healer and said that prayer and herbs were a good combination to make a person well again.  He had never used his herbs for a gunshot wound though.

While waiting for Dylan to return with Doctor Scruggs, Tony Lodrigue did the best that he could to make Reverend Cryer comfortable.  Being careful not to open the wound to more bleeding, he cleaned and applied a herbal ointment to help prevent infection, and covered the wound with a sterile bandage.  All they could do now was wait, and pray.

In a filthy little shack on the bank of Cane River at Monett’s Ferry, another Doctor had a difficult decision to make and he knew time was important.

Once he was able to get Captain John Winston on his surgeons table and look at the condition of his leg from the snake bite, he knew that there was not much hope of saving the leg, and it was quite a possibility that he would not even be able to save Winston’s life.

The Doctor had dealt with snake bites before but in this case too much time had taken place since the big water moccasin had sunk its fangs into this cowardly murderer.  Infection had set in and too much poison remained in his system.

The leg had to be removed before gangrene set in, and there was no guarantee that Winston’s life could be saved even then.

Had the Doctor known of Captain John Winston’s past, the decision may have been easier to make, but he was a Doctor after all, and he had to do what he could to save the life, if not the leg.

While decisions had to be made at Monett’s Ferry, Dylan finally arrived in Cloutierville to find Doctor Scruggs in his office.  After quickly telling of Reverend Cryer’s gunshot wound to the chest, Dylan followed the Doctor’s instructions and saddled two horses from the stable behind the office.  Dylan’s horse had been pushed to it’s limit on the ride from CoCo Bed.

As soon as Doctor Scruggs had gathered the equipment he would need to treat the Reverend, they both mounted up and departed hurriedly for CoCo Bed, both saying prayers that they would not be too late.

Back at the Johnson home on CoCo Bed, Abslom, Levy, and the two Deputies from Mississippi gathered to discuss how to deal with the treacherous Captain John Winston.  There was nothing more they could do for Reverend Cryer, except to wait for Dylan and Doctor Scruggs to return.

The Deputies told of Captain John’s jailbreak and the murder of their jailer. He was wanted for murder in Mississippi and they were determined to bring him back to face the gallows.  One of the Deputies had a vested interest in Winston’s capture and return.  The jailer had been his brother.

Future Farmers of America (FFA) students from Lakeside High School presented their speeches to the Rotary Club of Natchitoches members at their weekly meeting May 23. Pictured from left are Rotary President Fred Terasa; LHS students Salem Johnson and Kelsey Shoemaker, and LHS FFA Advisor and Agriculture Teacher Ryan Riley.

Mayor Lee Posey highlighted and described the many additions and improvements in the city. Pictured from left are Councilman-at-Large Don Mims, Jr., City Director Edd Lee, District 1 City Councilman Eddie Harrington, and Rotary President Fred Terasa.

Rotarians Ben W. Stevens, Jim Rambin, Eddie Harrington, Mayor Lee Posey and Buster Jordan received the Rotary medal from Rotarian President Fred Terasa.

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, State Police and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS arrived on the scene of a 18-wheeler crash on Interstate-49 near milepost #124 north of the Montrose overpass May 23 at 2 pm, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office. Deputies say only minor injuries were involved.

One hundred and four seniors comprised the 33rd graduating class of LSMSA at its commencement ceremony May 20.

“We are here to make this a truly memorable day so that you can look on the accomplishments the day celebrates with pride and appreciation,” said Dr. Steve Horton, executive director.

Jay Dardenne, commissioner of the Division of Administration for the state of Louisiana, gave the commencement address.

Graduating seniors were:
Acadia Parish – Bryce Istre of Egan, Constance Schaefer of Morse and Johnneisha White of Church Point
Allen Parish – Luis Ortiz of Oberlin and Kori Williamson of Reeves
Ascension Parish – Ian Sager of Geismar, Brady Wilson of Prairieville and Gabrielle Yoes-Favrot of Gonzales
Avoyelles Parish – MyChel Robinson of Mansura
Beauregard Parish – Macie White of Merryville
Bienville Parish – Kodie Garza of Ringgold
Bossier Parish – Charles Chapman of Haughton, Kamryn Chauncy and Lauren Tuggle, both of Benton, and Kat Frost, Kelsey Meshell, Tamika Simpson and Kira Yeates, all of Bossier City
Caddo Parish – Gavin Jones and Ryan Scott, both of Shreveport
Calcasieu Parish – Kennedy Ellender of Westlake, Christian Hairr of Sulphur, and Varun Amin, Ludwig Colimon, Mia Grichendler, Brendan Nalbone, Samantha Neubauer, Aagrika Neupane, Sterling Trafford and Gabby Tramonte, all of Lake Charles
East Baton Rouge Parish – Karly Brown, Lewis Johnson, Luc Kharey, Shona McCullough, Ross Stephens, Stephen Watson and Mathew Weick, all of Baton Rouge
Evangeline Parish – Beth Fontenot and Bethany Jenkins, both of Ville Platte
Iberia Parish – Amanda Borel, Triniti Bulliard and Marissa Ramsey, all of New Iberia
Iberville Parish – Lindsay Michelle of Plaquemine
Jefferson Parish – Jordan Booth of River Ridge, Camille Loy of Terrytown, and Allison Walters and Madi Weakley, both of Metairie
Lafayette Parish – Shrey Mishra and Heather Soileau, both of Lafayette
Lafourche Parish – Tierney Dardar of Galliano and Tyler Cenac and Gwyneth Engeron, both of Houma
Livingston Parish – Christina Barrileaux and Alexandria-Dawn Fuselier, both of Walker, and Abbie Boudreaux, Marcos Cecchini, Alaina Davis, Karleigh Gwyn, Genesis Lambert, Halle Mahfouz, Courtney Sanders and Carrie Thomas, all of Denham Springs
Natchitoches Parish – Vi Kinney, Elizabeth Long, Michael Mayeux, Kabir Shah and Adriana Walker, all of Natchitoches
Orleans Parish – Grace Yuan of New Orleans
Ouachita Parish – Milan Arpino and Elizabeth Gill, both of Monroe, and Larke Tyler of Calhoun
Rapides Parish – Isaiah Benavides of Alexandria, Sidney Paulk of Deville and Cheyanne Rogers of Pineville
St. Charles Parish – Annemarie Picolo of Destrehan
St. John the Baptist – Janie Bourgeois of LaPlace
St. Landry Parish – Alexis Angelle of Arnaudville and Zoe Matt of Washington
St. Martin Parish – Andrew Hebert and Lucy Rhymes, both of Breaux Bridge, and Tori Laviolette of St. Martinville
St. Mary Parish – Maya Bochas of Morgan City and Parker Felterman and Mason Rutledge, both of Patterson
St. Tammany Parish – Ben Bordelon, Grace Dumdaw and Annie Noel, all of Mandeville, Alexis Cambridge, Rachel Mendoza and Kori Reine, all of Slidell, Lenora Davis and Victoria Frabbiele, both of Covington, and Rory Marziale of Bush,
Tangipahoa Parish – Sierra Bailey and Corey King, both of Hammond
Vermillion Parish – Matthew Olivier of Abbeville
Vernon Parish – Malak Alammar, Joshua Ballagh and Alastair Dunn, all of Leesville, and Brandon Tibbetts of Anacoco
Washington Parish – Veronica Jimenez of Bogalusa
West Baton Rouge Parish – Chance Foret of Addis
West Feliciana Parish – Claire Leming of St. Francisville
Winn Parish – Jared Hulsey of Dodson

Leo Jester
August 30, 1932 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, May 24 from 5-8 pm and Thursday, May 25 from 9-11 am at the funeral home
Service: Thursday, May 25 at 11 am in the Chapel of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home
Interment: Greenwood Memorial Park

Louis “Cooter” Clinton Marien
December 21, 1939 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, May 24 from 9 am – 12:30 pm at the funeral home
Service: Wednesday, May 24 at 1 pm at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral
Interment: Alexandria Memorial Gardens

Peggy Dean St. John
January 11, 1953 – May 20, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, May 24 from 1-2 pm at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church
Service: Wednesday, May 24 at 2 pm at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church
Interment: TBA
George Washington
March 28, 1944 – May 19, 2017
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 1 pm at the Agape Love Center Church, 1515 Texas Street in Natchitoches
Interment: St. Savior Baptist Church Cemetery (Cane River)
Visitation: Saturday, May 27 from 8 am – noon at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home, 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Terrence Gates
May 16, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, May 27 from 9-11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel
Interment: Fern Park Cemetery on Texas Street.

Clarence Forest
May 13, 2017
Visitation: Friday, May 26 from 6-8 pm at Winnfied Memorial Funeral Home Chapel
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 12 pm at Gaines Chapel AME, 842 Anita Street in Natchitoches
Interment: Breda Town Cemetery

Melinda Louise Millican Zolzer
October 01, 1950 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, May 27 from 12-2 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, 533 Second Street in Natchitoches
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 2 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church of Natchitoches
Interment: Trinity Episcopal columbarium

Judith Louise Murphy
March 07, 1944 – May 21, 2017
Visitation: Wednesday, May 24 from 5-8 pm at Southern Funeral Home
Service: Thursday, May 25 at 1 pm in the chapel of Southern Funeral Home
Interment: Gayla Traina Cemetery

Joseph Patterson
May 19, 2017
Visitation: Friday, May 26 from 5-7 pm
Service: Saturday, May 27 at 10 am at Boone Funeral Home, 3903 Meriweather Road in Shreveport (next to Queensbourgh Lodge)
Interment: Forest Park West Cemetery
Knight Templar Honor Guard and Masonic Rites

Thomas “T-Boy” Green
May 20, 2017
Arrangements TBA

Janice Bolton of Bolton Realty and David Stamey of Collins and Stamey Real Estate announce that Bolton Realty will be acquiring Collins and Stamey Real Estate at the end of June.

Originally formed in 1984 as Dannie Collins Real Estate, David Stamey joined the firm as an agent in 1986. Stamey stated that since taking office as Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court, he has focused on those duties while serving as an advisor to his agents. He will continue to assist agents as an Associate Broker for Bolton Realty.

Bolton Realty opened in 2006 and will be relocating from the current location at 760 Front Street to the Collins and Stamey building at 304 University Parkway in early July.

Janice Bolton stated “I am very excited about this opportunity to expand Bolton Realty. With the merging of two very successful firms, we will be poised to continue the tradition of both firms of providing excellent service for our client’s real estate needs. We will also be able to offer agents more opportunity and tools. We will work hard to make this as seamless a transition as possible.”

Bolton Realty offers full service and a licensed agent is always on call. Their motto of “Bringing You Home” will continue to be the goal for the serving the client.

The City Council meeting was short Monday night, May 22, but the news from Atmos Energy was big. Atmos is upgrading its natural gas, from the ground up by replacing distribution main pipelines and service lines in West natchitoches around University Parkway, the Hwy. 1 Bypass.

Safety and reliability are important and the new pipeline allows Atmos to continue providing its customers with safe and reliable natural gas service. The project, which will install around 40,000 feet of pipe, will take approximately 6-8 months to complete.

Atmos is the largest natural gas supplier in Louisiana, with around 359,000 customers. In 2016 $88 million was spent laying 8,500 miles of pipe  in 280 communities.

When replacing pipes, it may be necessary to dig on or around a customer’s property. Workers will use directional boring to limit overall damage. If any yards need to be excavated, Atmos assures its customers that temporary repairs will be made to the yard, sidewalks and pavement until work is completed. Arrangements will then be made to restore the affected areas. Pipe replacement may also result in a brief interruption of gas service.

Letters were sent our and hangers were placed on customers’ doors to make the public aware of the upcoming project. Yard signs will be placed in the vicinity of work.

Agenda items included:

Appoint Charles Brossette as the Director of Utilities for Natchitoches
Execute a certificate of substantial completion to the contract between the City and Quality Court Industries LLC for the Natchitoches Tennis Complex Expansion-Phase 1
Execute a change order to the contract between the City and Progressive Construction for the Lafayette Street Rehabilitation

MidSouth Bank is a sponsor for the Grand Reopening of City Park Saturday, June 3 from 10 am – 1pm. The event is free and open to the public with free food, music and activity booths.

Improvements include: two pavilions, walking track with benches and security lighting, new benches at the playground equipment, pocket park with amphitheater and stage area, dedicated bus drop off and pick up and large parking lot. Park is fully ADA compliant and handicap accessible. The City of Natchitoches funding partners were Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc. and grant funding from the Land Water Conservation Fund.

“The updates to the swimming pool and walking track as well as the increased green space in City Park are all part of the Coty’s healthy living initiative to encourage children in the community to go outdoors and get active,” said Mayor Lee Posey. “We also plan to add some more playground equipment at City Park in the future.”

Pictured from left are MidSouth Bank Loan Assistant Tanikka Adams, City of Natchitoches Community Programs Manager Dallas Russell, Natchitoches Parish Journal Editor Corey Poole, MidSouth Bank City President/Commercial Lender Rhonda Jones and Community Outreach Development Specialist LaCarsha Babers

Kevin Shannahan accepted a donation from the Natchitoches Lions Club May 22 on behalf of Sarah McFarland, scoutmaster for the Boy Scout Troop 60. Shannahan also spoke about the benefits of participation in the troop. The Boy Scouts provides youth with programs and activities that allow them to try new things, provide service to others, build self-confidence and reinforce ethical standards.

The Rapides Foundation’s Cenla Medication Access Program has tapped into the resources of a national company that offers lower prices on many vital prescription medications. Through its partnership with Health Plan Partners, CMAP offers CMAP Extra, a prescription drug benefit card that can be used by everyone, regardless of age, income or residency.

While the CMAP Extra card can be most helpful to people without health insurance or prescription benefits, it also provides savings for people with insurance who have exceeded their policy limits, have high deductibles or who need medications that aren’t covered by their current insurance policies.

Enrolling in the program is simple: visit cmapextra.com, click on the “Register” tab and enter your name, address, phone number and email address. Then print out the CMAP Extra card. Next time you purchase prescriptions, show the card to your pharmacist. Your drug cost will be reduced automatically, and you pay only the reduced amount.

Most major pharmacies are in the network. Card members can find participating pharmacies and check drug prices online at the CMAP Extra website. The card covers both generic and brand prescriptions.

There are no registration or monthly program fees, and participants do not have to provide credit card information to participate. Since this program is not insurance, there are no pre-existing condition exclusions.

“This card is a great benefit for people who are caught in a situation where their medications are not covered, or they’re not eligible for our free prescription medication program,” said Wendy Roy, CMAP Program Director. “Not every prescription is covered, but if it is, we have seen some significant savings. We urge everyone to sign up for it.”

CMAP Extra is an additional service of CMAP, a Foundation-funded program that offers free or reduced-cost prescriptions to eligible clients. CMAP, which is offered statewide, is part of the Foundation’s Healthcare Access Initiative. The initiative recognizes that access to quality healthcare is important to reduce health disparities and improve health.

The CMAP Extra card program gives CMAP staff another resource to offer residents who are trying to reduce their medication costs. “A little help can go a long way. Everyone can and should be enrolled in CMAP Extra,” Roy said.

To sign up for the CMAP Extra Card, visit cmapextra.com. For more information about CMAP, go to cmaprx.org.

Natchitoches Parish Veterans and Memorial Park now has a large message board for display of Park information. The board is double sided and will display the names of all the Veterans who have a brick in the park. It also has a literature rack that will contain the park brochure, brick applications, applications for membership in the American Legion, Sons of the Legion, VFW and both Auxiliaries. It will be ready for viewing at the Memorial Day Program Monday, May 29 at 3 pm. Immediately following the program, there will be reception honoring Veterans and their families at the VFW and American Legion Post building on the corner of 400 St. Denis and Fourth Street. Refreshments will be served along with musical entertainment, hosted by both Auxiliary Units. Local Veterans and Volunteers who worked to install the Message Center, pictured from left, are Henry Maggio Jr., Greg St. Andre’, Mike Menou Jr. and John Masson.

Northwestern State University’s Radiologic Technologist to Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences program has been ranked as one of the most affordable in the nation.

SR Education Group ranked NSU’s program as the 10th most affordable radiology degree in the country. Among bachelor’s programs, Northwestern State’s program was ranked eighth. The complete rankings are available at onlineu.org/most-affordable-colleges/radiology-degrees.

The RT to BSRS program provides an individualized plan of education to assist technologists, who are ARRT registered in radiography, in gaining the skills necessary to meet their future career goals. The program is designed to meet the needs of the adult learner. All courses are available online making the program accessible and convenient.

The technologist may earn credit without enrollment in 44 hours of radiologic sciences courses. Northwestern State offers an individualized plan for learning to assist radiologic technologists registered in radiography who are pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in radiologic science. The length of the program will be based on the amount of prior academic coursework completed.

“The RT to BSRS program was designed for the working radiologic technologist,” said Kelli Haynes, director of the BSRS program and an associate professor of radiologic sciences. “The faculty work with a number of healthcare partners to provide a quality program for a reasonable cost. Those who complete the program are in an excellent position to advance in the profession and see their degree pay off.”

Haynes pointed out that online students at NSU do not pay out of state tuition, greatly reducing their costs. She said the program consists of two parts: general education courses and advanced radiologic sciences courses. The classes can be used for continuing education hours.

For more information on NSU’s RT to BSRT program, go to nsula.edu/academics/nursing-allied-health/allied-health-2.

Lakeview’s junior class celebrated their promotion to senior status with a ring ceremony May 19. The students selected someone special to present their class ring to them and they were officially pronounced as seniors by Principal William Hymes. The beautiful ceremony was a great way for the presenters to share in their special moment.

Pictured on first row from left are Serenity Beavers, Michael Banks, Audrey Bamburg and Alanna Anderson. On second row are Alyssa Breaud, Kristen Breedlove, Shunderika Browder, Caitlyn Brown, Camryn Brown, Damien Brown and Brianna Bush. On third row are Adam Calder, Cadie Coleman, Quintarious Coleman, Trent Collier, Hannah Collum, Julee Daniels and Diavione Frazier. On fourth row are Layton Friday, Haley Garrison, Grayson George, Mason Harper, Katherine Hicks, Jacaria Holden and Calvin Howard Jr. On fifth row are Za’Chary Jackson, Emily Johnson, Hunter Layfield, Malachi Lester, Chauntae Marshall, Macy Martin and Madison McLaren. On sixth row are Norman Moreland, Alayshia Moss, Sloan Peacock, Alexcia Pikes, Jessie Rachal, Brandon Roberts and Nikayla Rock. On seventh row are Skylar Ryder, Shelby Savell, Tony Scott Jr., Diamond Smith, Marcus Sowell, Tyler Sullivan and Daviion Telsee. On eighth row are Jacob Thomas, Katharina Unger, Cassidy Vascocu, Everett Waldrup, Savannah Walter, Skylar Williams and Raegen Williamson. On ninth row are Ariel Wilson, Dillan Winslow, Jalen Winslow, LaDarrion Winslow, LaDavion Winslow and Shayanna Wyatt.