Following Dr. Chris Maggio’s Investiture as Northwestern State’s 19th President, the Maggio family received visitors at the Arnold R. Kilpatrick President’s Residence Sept. 15. The community event featured the talents of students from NSU’s Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts. Artwork by students, faculty and alumni selected especially for the occasion was on display in the home and refreshments included Italian delicacies made from recipes passed down through the Maggio family.

All photos by Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

By Brooke Shirley

The NPJ sat down with NSU’s 19th President, Dr. Chris Maggio, just before his investiture ceremony Sept. 15. Maggio expressed his excitement over continuing to grow with Northwestern State University as its new president.

 

Q: What is one thing you want to accomplish during your tenure?

A: Well, I think first and foremost, I want to show the world what we have at Northwestern State University. We have a world class university situated right here in Northwest Louisiana with excellence in education, nursing, creative and performance arts, science and technology, and liberal arts. You can tell by the momentum that we’ve experienced over the last several years the amount growth of Northwestern on campus here in Natchitoches. Also in our online education because folks are learning about Northwestern and we are very proud of what we have to offer. I’m also proud of the world class faculty we have to deliver the education at the university.

Q: What is your vision and time frame for any infrastructure repair to Northwestern’s campus?

A: We’ve experienced growth over the last several years and thats very exciting! This year is our largest class of enrollment at the university with 10,572 students. We want to continue to grow and we’re aware of the infrastructure needs for that growth to continue. We want to grow in all facets of the university. If we’re going to grow with our face to face students here on the Natchitoches campus, we’re going to need some additional housing. We’ve started the ground work for the framework to provide additional housing.

Q: Do you think we’ll see a return of the college of journalism?

A: Yeah, we’ve actually rebranded our school of journalism. We’ve actually started back and its called New Media under Communications. It was one of our areas of excellence for many years so we are glad to not only bring the School of Journalism back, but to modernize it. We can now focus on not just the traditional journalism, but also broadcast journalism and social media.

Q: What do you attribute this years record enrollment to?

A: Well, I think its a lot of things. I think it’s the Northwestern family which includes the wonderful students, faculty and staff, and alumni. I also want to give credit to Dr. Henderson who is my predecessor of the university. He really set a great tone and a vision for our university.

Hospice of Natchitoches is a proud sponsor of the St. Augustine Church Fair, which will be held Friday-Sunday, Oct. 13-15 in Melrose. Pictured is Father Charles Ray and Dominic Metoyer, Hospice of Natchitoches RN.

The residents of Isle Brevelle will come together the second weekend every October, to celebrate the Annual St. Augustine Catholic Church Fair. Each year this rich community of faith welcomes visitors to share good times, good food, and great history. The Church Fair will feature tours of the Church and Cemetery, crafts, games, food, a turkey shoot and entertainment. Friday night, Fish Fry. Saturday and Sunday, all activities include old fashioned carnival games, bingo, music and authentic Creole foods.

For directions or for more information, call the Church at (318) 379-2521 or call the Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 259-1714.

 

The NSU community gathered at the Freedom Tree on the lawn of the President’s Residence for a POW/MIA Day observation Sept. 15. NSU’s Department of Military Science and the 68th Demon Battalion hosted the program. Cadets honored the military service of Lloyd A. Ponder, local resident and former WWII Pacific Theater Prisoner of War.

All photos by Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

 

Dr. Randall Keator, representing Natchitoches Family Eye Care, presented Mike Hilton, President of Wings Over Natchitoches (WON), with two pair of Ray Ban sunglasses for the silent auction fund raiser sponsored by WON. In addition, Dr. Keator and Dr. Pete Wardell are contributing sponsors for the air show which is free to the public on Oct. 14. Mike Hilton expressed sincere appreciation for the support of Natchitoches Family Eye care and noted that one of the air show aircraft will be of the same type flown by Dr. Keator’s father in WWII. Hilton emphasized that the air show is not only great fun for the whole family but also educational for those interested in aviation history.

Natchitoches Central High School
Natchitoches Central 28
Southwood 14

St. Mary’s Catholic School
St. Mary’s 40
North Caddo 48

 

Lakeview High School
Lakeview 8
Montgomery 40

 

With La Cap’s All Access Advantage checking account, you have the chance to earn dividends as you make purchases (4.25% APY).* With no monthly fees and no minimum balance, it’s a great way to make the most of your checking account. It’s just our way of showing you that we care about giving you the best rates and services possible.

Open your account today – online at https://www.lacapfcu.org/ or at your closest Natchitoches Branch (318-357-3200).

• No minimum balance required‡
• Earns higher dividends on balances up to $5,000.00*
• ATM Fee Refunds when you sign up for eStatements**
• Elite Saver† account option allows you to earn higher dividends than Regular Savings
• Opening deposit – $50.00
• FREE 24/7 Access Services

* APY = Annual Percentage Yield. La Cap Checking (Share draft) Accounts are variable rate accounts. La Cap may change the dividend rate for your account as determined by the credit union Board of Directors. Dividends are posted and compounded monthly. No minimum balance required to maintain the account. Applicable fees and conditions could reduce the earnings on your account. Qualification to earn dividends: – 25 or more posted non-ATM debit card transactions per month: – 4.25% APY on balances up to but not exceeding $5,000 – .15% APY on balances exceeding $5,000. If qualification stated is not met: – .15% APY on entire balance. Must meet criteria for opening a checking account.

**Foreign ATM fees are charged when accessing a La Cap account through another financial institution’s ATM. By signing up for eStatements on your All Access Advantage checking account, you can receive surcharge refunds of up to $25 per month on Foreign ATM fees. La Cap reserves the right to discontinue this feature at a future date.

†The Elite Saver account is a savings account that pays a higher interest rate than a regular share account. This account is available to members with All Access Advantage checking accounts. You are not required to open an Elite Saver account if you have an All Access Advantage account. You must maintain a minimum daily balance of $5,000 in your Elite Saver account. If during any month your balance falls below the required minimum daily balance, your Elite Saver account will be subject to a low balance fee of $5.00.
‡$2.00 Monthly Service Charge. Any checking account enrolled in eStatements will receive a monthly service charge waiver of $2 per month while enrolled in eStatements. To sign up for eStatements, you must first be enrolled in Online Banking.

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Free online tutoring, job search assistance, and academic and career resources are all available for free, all you need is your Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) card!

Whether you need help with math homework, an English paper, finding a job, or preparing for a test, the NPL’s free database, HomeworkLouisana, can help! At homeworkla.org, NPL patrons can access FREE online tutoring and academic resources from Tutor.com. Kindergarten students through adult learners can get help in math, science, social studies, or English from a live tutor. The service also makes available one-on-one, real-time assistance with your job search. Online tutors are available to help navigate online job sites, complete applications, write or review resumes and cover letters and even offer practice interviews. All services can be accessed from the NPL, from a home computer, or from a mobile device at http://www.HomeworkLA.org.

Students who use HomeworkLouisiana’s online tutoring and homework services report they are able to better complete homework assignments, build confidence in their academic abilities, and improve their grades.

The HomeworkLouisiana Online Classroom is designed to optimize a one-on-one learning session. This includes real-time chat, an interactive whiteboard, math tools (drag and drop shapes, commonly used equations, graphing paper, and much more). A student and tutor can also share files or browse educational resources on the web.

Adult Education Center tutors are available Sunday through Thursday, 10AM-10PM. Live Homework Help tutors are available Sunday through Thursday, 2PM-10PM. The SkillsCenter is available 24/7!

To register for a library card, you may visit either the Natchitoches or Campti location’s circulation desks. Please bring a valid photo ID, and if it doesn’t list your current address in the parish, also bring a bill or lease showing your name and current address. For any further questions, you may call the Main Branch at 318-357-3280 or the Northeast Branch at 318-476-3280.

By Carl I. Walters II., Chief Executive Officer, Outpatient Medical Center Inc. (a Federally Qualified Health System)

Federally Qualified Health Centers have a moral, ethical, social responsibility and federal mandate to provide personalized, professional, medically-appropriate and culturally-sensitive primary care services to anyone needing them. Additionally, they have a federal mandate to reach out and help improve the health of our nation’s most vulnerable patient populations; which is the objective of this article. Did you know?

• The African-American population is the least healthy ethnic group in the United States
• African Americans are the poorest ethnic group in the United States
• African Americans have had the lowest median household income in the United States for the past 50 years
• African Americans live in some of the country’s lowest quality housing. Asthma is related to poor housing and African Americans are disproportionately affected by asthma
• African Americans live in the poorest neighborhoods with the highest rates of homicide
• Access to healthy foods is oftentimes a challenge in African American communities
• Black neighborhoods tend to have fewer supermarkets than that found in other neighborhoods
• Rates of obesity and diabetes are highest in poor African American communities
• African American males are six times more likely than other groups to die of homicide and firearms are the primary method
• In 2014 African Americans accounted for 13% of the US population but over 57% of the victims of homicide by firearms
• African Americans had the highest age-adjusted death rate of any ethnic group in 2013 (1083.3 per 100,000 standard population for African American males)
• The African American infant mortality rate has always been 2.5 times greater than other groups since this data has been collected
• In 2013 the rate of pre-term deliveries was 1.6 times higher for African American women. In 2014, low birth weight and preterm births before 37 weeks gestation were highest among African American women
• African American infants have a significantly higher neonatal and post neonatal mortality rate than any other ethnic group and; the major risk factors impacting African Americans death rates are:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Current smoking
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity

As part of Outpatient Medical Center Inc’s commitment to keeping you informed and healthy, if you have a family history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, behavioral instability and you’re not currently under the care of a primary care clinician, I personally encourage you to pick up the phone and call us today at:

Natchitoches Health Center: 1640 Breazeale Springs St., Natchitoches, LA 71457 1-800-268-5872

Leesville Health Center: 1603 B Boone St., Leesville, LA 71446 1-800-308-7569

Tallulah Health Center: 804 Beech St., Tallulah, LA 1-800-308-7566

Let Outpatient Medical Center Inc. partner with you to help keep your family and you healthy and whole. On a personal note, after being a healthcare executive for close to 30 years, I am tired of seeing our community family members debilitated and/or dying at alarming rates and at increasingly younger ages – because we won’t go to the doctor consistently to stay healthy and whole.

I close, pleading with you to help us curb the number of community family members we continue to lose because they won’t come to the doctor. Whether you have the ability to pay for your services or not, our dedicated staff would be honored to be afforded the opportunity to care for your family. At Outpatient Medical Center Inc. it is not about money. It’s about you; because keeping your family and you healthy and whole is what we do. Be healthy, in touch; informed and it remains our privilege and pleasure to care for you.

OMC is JCAHO accredited, one of the highest national seals for providing the highest quality medical services. We also applied to become Patient-Center Medical Home recognized; a distinction we’re committed to adding to our health system quality awards by the end of 2017.

OMC has been awarded $175,700 to expand its Behavioral Health services.

If you haven’t received core medical or dental preventative services in awhile or you’re not under the care of a primary care clinician, pick up the phone and call an OMC office in your area to schedule an appointment.

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Tuesday from 8 am – 6 pm
Wednesday from 8 am – 5 pm
Thursday from 8 am – 8 pm
Friday from 8 am – 1 pm

OMC is now accepting new patients and welcomes active duty, reserve, retired military Veterans and their families. OMC is now offering flu shots. Visit our website at http://www.outpatientmedical.org.

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Northwestern State University’s Office of Electronic and Continuing Education will offer a beginning ceramics class starting Thursday, Sept. 21. The class will be held each Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in Room 113 of the Fine Arts Annex until Nov. 16.

The fee for the class is $150 plus a $20 material fee paid directly to the instructor on the first day of the course. Beginning Ceramics is an introduction to working with clay. The student will learn hand-building and sculptural techniques, as well as work on the potter’s wheel. There will also be room for intermediate and advanced students to take the class and use the art facilities during the class time.

For more information, call (318) 357-6355, (800) 376-2422 or go to nsula.edu/ece/non-credit-programs.

The Rapides Foundation brought acclaimed author Wes Moore to Central Louisiana for its fourth annual Symposium on September 6. Moore, a Rhodes scholar, decorated Army combat veteran, youth advocate and CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, spoke about the transformative power of education and leadership and its impact on improving our community. He first brought his message to 3,500 school students at a morning event at the Rapides Parish Coliseum and then spoke before a group of 675 community members at the Riverfront Center. Students from Natchitoches Parish School District attended the Symposium student presentation.

The Rapides Foundation Symposium focuses on a topic of importance to Central Louisiana and is presented each September as a way of celebrating the anniversary of the Foundation’s creation in September 1994. The focus of the 2017 Symposium was Transforming Communities.

Joe Rosier, President and CEO, said the Foundation’s mission of improving the health status of Central Louisiana includes two critical components that contribute to the health of a community – educational attainment and civic leadership and engagement. For this reason, the Foundation focuses its work in three strategic areas to support this mission: Healthy People, Education and Healthy Communities. Directing his comments to students, Rosier said, “Find a place of service, find a place to contribute, both to your own self and to your family and your community.”

In both presentations, Moore shared his personal story of overcoming adversity through education, embracing personal responsibility, and emerging as an inspirational leader.

His moving life story is the subject of an upcoming motion picture from Executive Producer Oprah Winfrey based on Moore’s New York Times best-seller, The Other Wes Moore. The book tells the story of how educational opportunities, strong parental influence, mentors and a community support network helped him transcend the fate of a man with the same name who lived just blocks away and took a tragically different path to prison.

Moore told the group he was “beyond humbled to be here,” and praised the work of the Foundation. “When I first heard about the work of The Rapides Foundation, and when I heard about the focus on education, it made perfect sense. You cannot talk about education without talking about the importance of health in that conversation. At the same time you can’t have a conversation about health if you don’t also understand the role that education is going to play in it.”

Moore lost his dad at a young age, leaving his mother to make sacrifices to provide for her children. She eventually moved the family from Baltimore to the Bronx to get help from her parents. “Almost immediately after I got there I found myself picking and choosing what days to go to school … hurting the people that actually did love me so I could trust people who couldn’t care less about me,” Moore said. He was only 11 when he felt handcuffs on his wrists for the first time. When he was 13, his mother followed up on what he considered idle threats and sent him to military school.

“As soon as I arrived, I made it clear I wasn’t going to stay,” Moore said of his initial experience at military school. After several unsuccessful attempts to escape, he pleaded with his mother to take him home. “I started going through this whole list of things she needed to do to make my life easier. This is the woman who would sacrifice everything for her kids. I think my little sister said it best when she said, ‘Our mother wore sweaters so we could wear coats.’ And now I’m telling her what she has to do to make my life easier,” he said. Eventually, Moore understood what his mother had been trying to explain – that there were many people who were sacrificing on his behalf and rooting for him.

Moore ending up thriving at military school, went on to college and received the prestigious Rhodes scholarship, reserved for only 32 recipients a year. The same day the Baltimore Sun wrote a story about his accomplishment, it ran an article about four young Baltimore men accused – and later convicted – of killing an off-duty police sergeant in an armed robbery. One of the individuals was named Wes Moore.

The article made Moore question why two men who grew up in the same part of town with the same name and similar backgrounds could take such widely different paths. Moore ended up conversing with the “other” Wes Moore, who remains in prison serving a life sentence. Their correspondence and Moore’s research resulted in his famous bestseller.

“I share this story … to help us remember how thin that line is between our life and someone else’s life,” he said. “The truth is there are Wes Moores that exist in every one of our communities. People who are one decision away, people who are one policy decision away, people who are a natural disaster away from going in one direction or going in a completely different direction — people who every day are straddling the line of greatness and they don’t even know it. The fact is, our society is full of ‘others.’

Addressing the 3,500 students in the Coliseum, Moore said, “Every single one of you are here because the expectations that people have of you are high. Every single of one you are here because there are people who love you and who believe in you and who want you to succeed and there are people who want you to understand that your success will never simply be about how you did on a test or what your GPA is. Your success also comes back to a measure of understanding of what is it that you can do to help people understand the lives of other people better so we don’t have to continue having tragedies happen over and over.”

He urged both audiences to make their lives matter. “Whether it’s time to leave school, whether it’s time for you to leave your job, whether it’s time for you to leave your community, or whether it’s time for you to leave this planet, make sure that it mattered that you were ever even here,” he said. “The truth is, none of us are promised anything. So while we’re here, let’s actually do something with it. When you see a human suffering, do something with it. When you see a chance to actually use your voice for something bigger, use it. Because there is nothing more powerful than you individually and collectively choosing to embrace how impactful you can be.”

Dr. Rosaline Caldwell currently serves as the Pediatric Surgery Nurse Practitioner for Pediatric Surgical Associates at Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Rosaline received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. As a newly registered nurse in 1997, she went to work at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport in the department of pediatrics. There, she provided superior nursing care to acutely ill children in the emergency department, the intensive care unit, and the general pediatric wards. Her desire to care for sick children fueled her passion to further her knowledge base. So in 2003, she began her pursuit of an advanced practice degree in nursing. Two years later, in May of 2005, she received her Master of Science Degree in Nursing with a concentration in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Shortly after completing graduate school, she completed her certification in Primary Care. Rosaline has been with Pediatric Surgical Associates since that time and now has over 20 years of experience providing care to acutely and chronically ill pediatric patients. Rosaline completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in August of 2017 from Northwestern State University.

In July 2005, Rosaline, along with two Pediatric Surgeons, formed the only pediatric surgery team in Northwest Louisiana. For at least six years prior to that time, there were no pediatric surgical services available to the people of Northern Louisiana. Rosaline and her team, now consisting of three surgeons, care for the pediatric surgical needs of a population of 1.2 million in Shreveport and her surrounding areas.

Rosaline was nominated for the 2010 Louisiana Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year. In March of 2013, she was a participant in the Nurse in Washington Internship, where she had the opportunity to address legislative issues affecting nurses with Senators and Louisiana Representative, Dr. John Fleming. In March of 2015, she was voted Outstanding Medical Professional by the Shreveport/Bossier African American Chamber of Commerce.

Rosaline’s professional organizations include: the American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association, in which she has served as member, Legislative Special Interest Group Chair, and Development Chair on the Board of Directors; the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners and has served as the President of Northwest Louisiana Pediatric Society.

Rosaline is a published author of five peer-reviewed medical journal articles, a content reviewer for the 3rd edition of Nursing Care of the Pediatric Surgical Patient, and a speaker on the local, regional and national levels.

Rosaline is happily married to Minister Fred Caldwell, II. The Caldwells have a beautifully blended family of five children and two grandchildren.

Malcolm DeBlois
October 17, 1939 – September 12, 2017
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 2:30 pm at Natchitoches Community Care Center in Natchitoches

Dorothy Marie Stroud
February 25, 1929 – September 10, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, Sept. 16 from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at Southern Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 2 pm at Mt. Zion Cemetery

Faithlynn Lorraine Meshell
April 9, 2016 – September 14, 2017
Visitation: Monday, Sept. 18 at 5 pm at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Florien
Service: Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 2 pm at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
Interment: Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in Florien

Sophia (Chris) Scruggs
March 18, 1924 – September 12, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, Sept. 16 from 12-1 pm at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cloutierville
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 1 pm at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cloutierville

William “Bill” Pierce
February 29, 1940 – September 13, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, Sept. 16 from 5-8 pm at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Sunday, Sept. 17 at 2 pm at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home
Interment: Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches

Walter Earl Rushing
January 11, 1962 – September 13, 2017
Visitation: Sunday, Sept. 17 from 11 am – 12 pm
Service: Sunday, Sept. 17 at 12 pm at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church near Clarence
Interment: Iron Springs Cemetery of Ashland

Melissa Fletcher Dunn
October 4, 1971 – September 12, 2017
Visitation: Saturday Sept. 16 from 8-11 am at Hargis Baptist Church
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11 am at Hargis Baptist Church located at 1313 LA-122 in Montgomery
Interment: Hargis Baptist Church Cemetery

Dr. Stan Chadick
March 27, 1941 – September 11, 2017
Visitation: Saturday, Sept. 16 from 12:45-3 pm
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 3 pm in the Crossroads Sanctuary at the First United Methodist Church of Natchitoches

Paula Geoghagan
May 15, 1967 – September 7, 2017
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11 am at First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches

Jermaine Williams
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11 am at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Zwolle
Interment: Garden of Memories Cemetery

Deacon Henry Johnson Sr.
Visitation: Saturday, Sept. 16 from 8-9:30 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home and from 10-11 am at the First Baptist Church on Amulet Street
Service: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11 am at the First Baptist Church in Natchitoches
Interment: St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Bermuda

By Kevin Shannahan

Don’t miss “Kevin’s Gallery” link below.

Kevin’s Gallery

Northwestern State University’s 1st Year Experience, Alumni Association and Student Activities Board got the student body fired up for Saturday’s home opener against Lamar University with a truly epic pep rally. Hundreds of loyal Demon fans of every age packed the alumni tailgating area in order to see the show. They didn’t leave disappointed. The NSU Cheerleaders kicked off the action with their signature high flying moves followed by spirited performances by the NSU Pom Line and Demon Dazzlers. The Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band kept the crowd entertained throughout the evening and ended the pep rally with the alma mater and fight song.

The evening concluded with a high energy, crowd pleasing concert by the ’80’s tribute band The Molly Ringwalds. The band dressed in costumes from that era and kept the crowd on their feet and dancing with their collection of 1980’s hits.

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wishes to commend the NSU community for putting on this superb event and to extend our best wishes to the football team this season. Fork ’em Demons!

Natchitoches Junior High School JAG members conducted community service at the Cane River Food Pantry in Natchitoches Sept. 7. Pictured are Aerial Jones, Leayah Colbert, Raven Johnson, Caitlin Nash and India Jackson.

 

BOM is proud to announce our Gold sponsorship of the Women’s Resource Center’s “Celebration of Life” annual fundraising Gala Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Events Center with special guest Mike Long. Pictured from left are Dion Boyett, Beverly Broadway and Gretchen Dauzat.

 

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two men and are still looking for another in connection with a residential burglary south of Natchitoches according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Victor Jones Jr.

NPSO Patrol Division deputies responded to a reported residential burglary in the 400 block of Bermuda Road, south of Natchitoches Sept. 12 at 3:48 pm. Forced entry was gained into a residence through a rear door.

Items reported stolen were a LG 50-inch television, Vizio 42-inch television, two pair of cowboy boots, a security safe containing approximately $1,300 in cash, two watches (one Seiko brand), assorted jewelry consisting of five diamond rings, and a brief case containing assorted documents valued at approximately $15,000 dollars.

Detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division also responded to the scene. While reviewing surveillance video, deputies observed three suspects in the residence according to Chief Investigator Greg Dunn. Deputies recognized one of the suspects as LeAndrew Evans of Natchitoches.

NPSO Deputies summoned Natchitoches Police requesting assistance locating Evans. Within 30 minutes, Natchitoches Police had Evans in custody and transported him to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division.

Deputies began canvassing an area near Martin Luther King Drive, observing two individuals fitting the description and wearing the same clothing as observed in video surveillance. Detectives attempted to make contact with the individuals but when they recognized law enforcement, one individual (identified as Donald B. Harrison of Natchitoches) fled the area on foot behind JW Thomas Apartments. The other suspect (identified as Alex Willis, of Natchitoches) was taken into custody.

Detectives say while interviewing two of the suspects they learned the suspects were involved in the burglary of the residence. At the time of the burglary the suspects were traveling in a brown 2001/2002 Ford Crown Victoria. Detectives also recovered some of the stolen property in the Texas Street area but are still attempting to recover the televisions and jewelry.

Deputies arrested:

*LeAndrew D. Evans, 28, of the 400 block of Martin Luther King Drive, Natchitoches, booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center, charged with 1-count of Simple Burglary.

*Alex J. Willis, 31, of the 100 block of La. Hwy 119, Natchez, booked into the DC, charged with 1-Count of Simple Burglary.

Deputies are currently looking for and asking for the public’s assistance in locating 26-year-old Donald B. Harrison, B/Male, Hgt/510, Wgt/160, Hair/Black, Eyes/Brown with a last known address on Koonce Street, in Natchitoches.

Deputies say Harrison has prior weapon violation arrests therefore if seen, we ask that you not approach, but to contact the NPSO at 352-6432, NPD at 352-8101 or your nearest law enforcement agency.

Evans and Willis remain in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center awaiting bond to be set by a District Judge.

All three suspects have prior criminal histories.

Detectives ask that if you have purchased any of the stolen items in the Natchitoches area to please contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division at 318-357-7830. If you are caught with the items you will face criminal charges of Illegal Possession of Stolen Things.

Sheriff Jones said that we have recently seen a spike in vehicle burglaries and residential burglaries in Natchitoches Parish. We ask that neighbors keep an eye on their neighbor’s property while they may be at work or out of town.”

Please lock your vehicles and keep valuables out of sight on the exterior of residences such as All Terrain Vehicles, etc.

If you see something suspicious-say something contact the NPSO or NPD as soon as possible.

In this case, the homeowners video surveillance system was valuable along with the quick suspect recognition by deputies that lead to apprehensions. We would also like to thank Natchitoches Police Department for their assistance in the arrest of one of the
suspects.

Involved in the investigation and arrests were: Deputy M. Smith, Lt. R. LaCaze, Asst. Chief of Investigations R. Turner , Detective D. Sowell assisted by the NPSO Patrol Division and NPD.

 

Now think about it, if you needed a surgical procedure, would you try to perform your own surgery on yourself in order to try to save a few dollars?  Odds are that would not turn out too well for you.

Although that sounds a bit farfetched, many times that is tantamount to what a person does when they try to handle their own automobile accident claim, especially when there are injuries involved.

“Why should I hire a lawyer?”, you may ask.  You’ve heard that lawyers generally handle accident claims on a contingency basis and that you will have to pay the lawyer part of your recovery as his fee.  You may think that you can just deal with the insurance company yourself, handle your own claims, thereby saving the portion of the recovery that you would have to pay your lawyer.

There you go again, trying to perform your own surgery.

First of all, you need to understand that insurance companies are generally some of the most profitable corporations in America.  One of the ways they are able to maintain this favorable profit margin is by paying out the least they can on claims.

Sure, insurance companies spend millions on slick advertising campaigns that say things like “Like a Good Neighbor,” or “You’re in Good Hands.”  But at the end of the day, they have experienced claims adjustors working for them whose sole purpose is to get claims settled while paying out the least amount possible.  They also have armies of attorneys working for them with the same goal.

If you are involved in an automobile accident and try to handle your own claim, then it will be you pitted against an experienced claims adjuster or even potentially an army of attorneys.  You’re going to need some experienced, qualified assistance to help level the playing field.

While the handling of a personal injury claim may seem simple to you, it is certainly not.  In fact, there are many issues out there that the average layman would have no way of knowing and which could potentially cause a claimant to get much less than they are entitled to or lose their claim all together.

Here’s an example of just a few of questions/potential pitfalls which could come up in an automobile accident case:

1.  What are the types of insurance coverages available to compensate you and what are the policy limits?

2.  What types of damages can you collect?  Damages to you automobile?  Pain and Suffering?  Lost Income?  Medical Bills? Rental automobile expense?  Other damages?

3.  How long do you have to make a claim with the insurance company before you lose your rights forever?  What is the true value of your claim? (To know this you would have to know the amount that Louisiana courts have awarded in similar type claims.)

Are you confused yet?  These are just a few examples of the type of questions that will need to be answered to properly handle a personal injury claim.  While it may not be brain surgery, it can get very complicated.

If you’ve been in an automobile accident and, particularly if you’ve been injured, do the prudent thing.  Hire a lawyer, one that is experienced in handling accident cases.    If you try to deal with the insurance company yourself, then you very likely will not be in “Good Hands” and they may not treat you “Like a Good Neighbor.”

I think another insurance company advertises that they are “On Your Side.”  Well, that is what you need, someone on your side, to take on the adjusters and insurance company lawyers who are definitely on the company’s side.

The Harrington Law Firm located at 459 Jefferson Street in Natchitoches, Louisiana.  The attorneys are C. Rodney Harrington and C. Edward “Eddie” Harrington.  They handle all types of Personal Injury cases together with Bankruptcy, Social Security Disability, Successions and Divorces.  For free consultation call (318) 352-5900.

We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the bankruptcy code. Results may vary. Free initial consultation.

Paid Advertising

The 25th Annual Marthaville Good Ole Days Festival will be held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15-16. The parade starts Saturday at 10 a.m. Four wheeler parade starts about 10 minutes before the main parade.

Schedule of Events:

Friday, Sept. 16
6 PM: Welcome- Reading of 25 years of festival workers
6:15 PM- Recognition of past society chairpersons
6:25 PM- Tribute to founding meeting members
6:30 PM- Thanks to everyone (Fuzzy Hennigan)
6:35 PM- Opening prayer (Rev. Ray Dyess)
6:40 PM- Justin Cruse
6:45 PM- Faith X 8 (Bethel Christian Academy)
7 PM- Bethel Congregational Methodist Church
7:05 PM- Life Church
7:35 PM- Crossroads Baptist Church
7:50 PM- Beulah Methodist Church
8 PM- Marthaville First Baptist Church
8:15 PM- Red River Cowboy Church Band featuring Leighton and Becky Birdwell Kniffen

Saturday, Sept. 16
8:30 PM- Kids area opens
9 AM- Antique Car/Truck Judging (Heritage Building)
9:30 AM- Posting of colors, prayer (Stanley Davis, National Anthem (Rex Kelso and Robert and Robert and Laurie Gentry)

***Introduction of Grand Marshal Gov. Edwin Edwards***

9:45 AM- ATV, 4 wheeler, motorcycle parade
10 AM- 25th Annual Good Ole Days Festival Parade
11 AM- Youth music show
11:30 AM- Introduction of 2017 Miss Good Ole Days Queen Shelby Leigh Greer and her court and all visiting queens
11:45 AM- Performance Groups
12:30 AM- Classes of 1947,1957 and 1967 from Marthaville High School
12:45 AM- Parade and performance awards
1 PM- Youth music show
2:30 PM- Afternoon Break
6 PM- Nashville Music Show featuring Sarah Dress, Justin Cruse, Kerry Singletary and Friends, and the Becky Birdwell Kniffen Band with Leighton Kniffen

The Day Surgery waiting room of any hospital is a slice of our culture. If you want to know what is happening in the world pay attention to folks waiting to be called back for their surgery. Watch and listen as family and friends deal with the anxiety this environment and situation produces.

That poor besmirched fellow was sitting in the waiting room, awaiting his turn to go back and be prepped for his surgery. I will tell you that any surgery is an anxiety producing event. This guy, and the whole waiting room was listening to his wife, whom I have designed “Helga the Horrible.” From listening to her, and believe me no one on the second floor missed a word she said; she was having a tough time with her husband’s surgery.

“Helga” had dropped her husband off by the front door of the hospital and then parked the car. While she was parking the car, she “lost” her husband. When she found him on the second floor at Day Surgery, he was moments away from being called back for the big operation. There in front of God and all of us, Helga let her husband have it. She blasted him for not waiting for her by the front door. His defense was that the orderly came and moved him to the second floor. She blasted him for the stupidity of the orderly who moved him without telling Helga that he had been moved. Her husband reported that he was not in charge of personnel at the hospital and that in fact the orderly had been very kind to him. She reloaded and blasted him for not having a newspaper for her to read while she waiting, as she had left her device in the car and didn’t want to go back to the car to retrieve it. The nice man got up and found Helga a newspaper. She was not happy that it was a day old.

Then Helga got upset because her husband was not more upset about his surgery. She catalogued every ache he might face. She enumerated every pain her friend had after the same surgery. She went into brutal detail about every danger he could face during surgery and after surgery. Her Scandinavian ire was up that he was calm before this procedure and how dare he leave her to worry about all that could happen to him. Then she stood and said to a man who hadn’t eaten since midnight and was about to have surgery, “I’m hungry and I’m going to get breakfast.”

When “Helga” walked off, the poor fellow breathed an audible sigh of relief. I’m thinking that if his wife is like that all the time, major surgery likely gave him some relief. He was probably happy that he was going to get some sleep.

When you get up to leave….are people glad you came or glad you’re going?