The Natchitoches Police Department received a 911 call July 17 at 9:10 pm in reference to a 6 month old baby being taken from a residence in Mayberry Trailer Park. Officers arrived and spoke with the mother of the child who advised that two unknown subjects came to her trailer and began beating on her door. She stated upon opening the door she was sprayed in the face with a substance she believed to be mace. She immediately fled the residence to get away from the attackers and upon circling back discovered the baby missing.

Officers began immediately searching the area and called in additional officers from the Natchitoches Police Department, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s 0ffice, Louisiana State Police and Northwestern State University Police Department. Natchitoches Fire Department was called to the scene to check the mother out.

At approximately 10:20 p.m. NPD received a report of a fire near Breda Ave and upon arrival discovered a baby approximately 6 months of age with obvious burns about his body. The baby was transported to NRMC in critical condition. He was then airlifted to University Health where he later succumbed to his injuries.

This investigation is continuing, further information will be given at a later time.

Approved for release by Chief Dove Date:7/18/18

NOTE: (Not part of the Dove release) The mother’s employer and coworkers have started a go fund me account to show their support.

REMOVED THE GOFUNDME link

A special called School Board meeting July 17 approved students from Natchez to attend Provencal Elementary/Jr. High School. It also approved the transportation and attendance lines as it relates to Cloutierville, Provencal and Natchitoches City schools.

Boundaries for the Natchitoches/Provencal school zones:

Into Natchitoches would include both sides of Hwy. 494 and up to (not including) Hwy. 119 in Natchez. Continuing down 494 to the Bermuda Bridge (East side only), picking up Cedar Bend, Riverview Drive, Lambre Gin. Coming back down Bermuda Road, picking up St. Pauls Church Road, Pratt Lane, Solomon Lane. Also to include Patrick Road, Mari Street, Melle Street and any streets off of them.

Going to Provencal would include 119 in Natchez, Sowell Street, Johnson Loop, Church Street, Robinson Street, Natchez Place and anything on the west side of Hwy. 494. Bermuda Road and anyone with a hardship in this area will be able to go to either Natchitoches or Provencal.

Items added to the agenda included:

Advertise for bids for online course content system. These funds will be spent in Title I on certain educational material. It was added to the agenda at this meeting to gain time to purchase the material before school starts.

A name change was approved for the Frankie Ray Jackson Senior Technical Center. The new name for this coeducational public alternative school will be “The Natchitoches Parish Technical and Career Center.”

Superintendent Dale Skinner said the students and faculty came up with the name last year. With the Natchitoches Jr. High-Frankie Ray Jackson, there were two schools sharing a common name. This lead to problems with testing scores and general public confusion.

 

 

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The Nov. 6, 2018 election will feature the U.S. Congressional race, the Louisiana Secretary of State race, every Natchitoches Parish School Board race and municipal elections in Ashland, Campti, Goldonna, Provencal, Robeline and Natchez.

The qualifying dates for this election are July 18 – 20, 2018 at the Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court office, room 104 at the courthouse. The Clerk’s office will be open for qualifying from 8 am – 4:30 pm.  TODAY!

For more information call the Clerk of Court office at 318-352-8152.

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Rotary Assistant District Governor Linda Thomas introduced Rotary District Governor Cecil Campbell to the Rotary Club of Natchitoches at its July 17 meeting. Campbell highlighted the various local, state, national, and international service projects provided by Rotarians. Ninety-one percent of the Rotary Foundation funds are spent directly on service programs such as fighting disease, providing clean water, growing local economies, supporting education, saving mothers and children, and promoting peace. Pictured from left are Thomas, Rotary President Richard White, and Campbell.

Campbell presented Rotary President Richard White with the Rotary banner, Be the Inspiration (Photos by Dr. Ron McBride).

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A bill by Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D., R-Alto, aimed at stopping the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a major step in the right direction to combatting the ailment, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Jack Montoucet said.

Dr. Abraham, a former veterinarian, has introduced a bill that requires the Secretary of Agriculture to partner with the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science (NRCNAS) to study and identify the ways CWD is transmitted between wild, captive and farmed cervids. This will provide a credible and scientifically-based foundation of understanding of the disease that can help end its spread.

“We at LDWF fully support Dr. Abraham’s legislation to curtail and, hopefully, stop the spread of CWD,’’ Montoucet said. “It is certainly something that we have devoted many resources to in the past few years. We launched a major effort earlier this year to head off the disease when a white-tailed deer was detected with CWD, just across the river, by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

“Having NRCNAS as part of the fight will aid us in continuing to make sure CWD is held in check,’’ Montoucet said. “It has not been found in Louisiana and our goal is to make sure we keep it out of our white-tailed deer population.’’

“CWD could have devastating effects on Louisiana deer populations and, possibly, other mammals,’’ Dr. Abraham said. “The best hope we have for controlling CWD begins with understanding how it spreads. We don’t have that right now. Since so little information exists on this topic, my bill would instruct some of the brightest scientists in the country to study and learn more about CWD so that we can stop it.’’

The bill, HR 6272 , has four original cosponsors: U.S. Reps. Glen Thompson, R-Pa.; Ryan Costello, R-Pa.; Tom Marino, R-Pa.; and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. It has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee, of which Dr. Abraham is a member.

LDWF worked with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission last year to implement a carcass importation ban, a viable step in preventing the disease from entering the state via infected carcass parts harvested in CWD detected states.

Additionally, LDWF continues cooperative discussions with other state and federal agencies in the fight against CWD and to prevent it from entering the state.

CWD is a neurodegenerative disease found in most deer species, including moose, elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer. It is infectious and always fatal. It is part of a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and is similar to BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad cow disease) of cattle and scrapie in sheep. These diseases cause irreversible damage to brain tissue that leads to salivation, neurological symptoms, emaciation and death of the animal.

Deer infected with CWD can spread the disease even before symptoms develop. It can take one to two years for infected animals to become symptomatic. When symptoms appear, they can include emaciation, lethargy, abnormal behavior and loss of bodily functions. Other signs include excessive salivation, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, excessive thirst and urination, teeth grinding and drooping ears.

It has been found in 25 states, including Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas.

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), advises the public that the bridge on LA 120 over Bayou Blue (Structure #08350420703651) located 3.4 miles west of the LA 120/LA 478 intersection in Flora will be closed to all traffic on Monday, July, 23. This closure will last approximately 2 weeks for a new box culvert structure to be installed. Work at this site will be completed prior to 8/13/18, the first day of school for Natchitoches Parish public schools.

The intent of this project is to remove and replace 4 bridges on LA 120 in Natchitoches Parish. Three of the bridges are between I-49 and Provencal, and one is located west of Robeline.

The public is advised to remain alert to construction and detour signs and changing roadway conditions.

The project was awarded to the low bidder, W. E. McDonald & Son, LLC, in the amount of $5,188,195.89. The work associated with this project should take approximately 350 working days to complete.

Permit/Detour Section
Eastbound traffic will be detoured to LA 117 North to LA 6 East to I-49 South to LA 120.

Westbound Traffic will be detoured to I-49 North to LA 6 West to LA 117 South to LA 120.

Safety Reminder
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Call (318) 561-5100 or (800) 542-3509 or 511 or visit http://www.511LA.org for additional information. Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website @ http://www.dotd.la.gov, by selecting MYDOTD, the Way to Geaux Application for iPhone or Android devices, the DOTD Facebook page or the LA DOTD Twitter page, @Alex_Traffic for further information and details.

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First Responders Appreciation Luncheon lunch will be held on  Wednesday, Aug. 1 from 11 am – 1 pm at the Natchitoches Event Center. On and Off Duty first Responders including staff administration, dispatchers, etc. will be able to pick up a plate lunch and drink free of charge. To-go orders and group to-go orders will be available for pickup as well.

For more information, please contact the City of Natchitoches Department of Programming and Promotions at (318)352-2746.

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NSU- Brooke Boening isn’t a stranger to Northwestern State purple, and she’ll don that color again after being named the Lady Demons pitching coach, announced head coach Donald Pickett on Monday.

Boening’s hire is subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System, which includes Northwestern State.

Boening was an NSU pitcher from 2010-2013 and a volunteer pitching coach in 2015.

The Floresville, Texas, native was a part of the NSU program for an NCAA Tournament trip in 2013 as a senior pitcher and a Southland Conference regular season title in 2015.

“We’re excited to have Brooke back with our program,” Pickett said. “She’s done great things here as a player and as a pitching coach.

“It’s always great to have alumni come back and want to help our program. She’s had an impact everywhere she’s been.”

As a volunteer assistant in 2015, Boening helped tutor an NSU pitching staff with a conference-low 1.19 ERA that featured both All-Southland Conference First Team pitchers Mikayla Brown (Pitcher of Year) and Micaela Bouvier.

NSU’s ERA improved by more than three full points from 2014. Boening will reunite with Brown, who will be pitching as a redshirt senior and likely to enter NSU’s record books in multiple statistics.

Boening said the familiarity with the NSU administration and with Brown should make for a smooth transition.

“I’m really excited that (NSU athletic director Greg Burke) and (Pickett) gave me the opportunity to come back to what I call my second home — my softball home,” Boening said. “This place has always been a big part of me as a player and a coach.

“We’re starting with a certain level of trust because we know each other, and I think that will help me with what will be a young pitching staff this season.”

After two seasons as a pitching coach at Rhode Island, Boening returned to the Southland Conference by bolstering Southeastern’s pitching staff during the 2018 season.

The Lady Lions’ 38-21 mark is SLU’s best in 34 years, due in part to a pair of starting pitchers with double-digit wins. Senior Rachel Hayes made the All-Southland Conference Third Team as the catalyst behind an SLU staff that lowered its team ERA a full point to 2.99.

At Rhode Island, Boening tutored two freshmen to the All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team in her two seasons.

“One of the things I learned is that anybody can win at any time,” Boening said. “At Rhode Island, we fought our way from the bottom of the league.

“Then we had a great season at Southeastern with a team that had leadership, but everybody really stepped it up. The Southland Conference is a league where you have to bring your A-game into every series.”

As a player, Boening posted 28 career wins over four seasons. She went 8-6 as a senior on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament.

Boening finished her career sixth in strikeouts (384), a position she still holds.

During her time at NSU, Boening also held an internship position with the strength and conditioning staff as well as a graduate assistant spot in the academic counseling department.

CREDIT: Chris Reich/mug shot. Gary Hardamon/pitching. Matt Vines/graphic

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NSU – The Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Center announced its selection for their 30th Anniversary Art Competition and a piece by Michael Yankowski, professor of art at Northwestern State University, was selected from over 300 national entries. Juror Sean Fitzgibbons is the director of the Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College, Shreveport.

The work entitled “Eternity: Everything All At Once” is constructed of mahogany. It features hand built metal spider lily flowers, a carved heron skull, and a variety of other fabricated components. Standing 43 inches tall, it expresses ideas about life, death and the eternal, Yankowski explained. The sculpture has been exhibited in the annual Northwestern State University Art Faculty Exhibition. Yankowski has exhibited in numerous national and international competitions. He is represented by Carol Robison Gallery in New Orleans.

The exhibition will run July 27-Aug. 25 with a reception July 27 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Cabe Hall Regional Arts Center, 321 4th Street, Texarkana, Texas.

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By Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center

Long time Natchitoches musician, songwriter and philanthropist Rodney Harrington, singer for Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs, will be inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Hall of Master Folk Artists at the 39th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival which will be held on July 20-21 in Prather Coliseum on the Northwestern State University campus.

In addition to being inducted into the Hall of Master Folk Artists, Harrington will perform at the Festival. On the evening of July 21 Harrington will appear along with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer guitarist James Burton, Estelle Brown of the Sweet Inspirations and Grammy winner and Cajun folk artist Jo-El Sonnier, as guests of Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs in the Festival’s grand finale concert. The concert will include a tribute to Elvis Presley featuring a recreation of the King’s Vegas-style show.

“We are honored to induct Rodney Harrington into the Hall of Master Folk Artists,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center and the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival. “He is not only a great musician, but his philanthropic efforts have benefited so many throughout the state. Audiences throughout the South respond so powerfully to the music of the Moondogs because of the band’s love for Louisiana culture and music. As leader of the Moondogs, Rodney has been a phenomenal cultural ambassador for Natchitoches and Louisiana.”

Harrington has been involved in music his entire life and has been an active part of the Natchitoches and Louisiana music scene for more than 30 years. During that time, Harrington’s contribution to Louisiana’s regional roots and original music have been in his various capacities as a performer, song writer, producer, attorney, concert and festival promoter and organizer, philanthropist and radio host.

Harrington helped form a popular Natchitoches group in the late 1980s called Dick Dante and the Infernos which performed for several years. In 1995, Harrington and some friends formed the group Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs. Over their nearly 25 years of existence, the Moondogs have become a popular band not only in the Natchitoches area, but across the South. Under Harrington’s leadership, the Moondogs have managed to constantly change members (over 60 musicians have been members of the band over the years) while steadily increasing in popularity. The Moondogs have garnered numerous awards and been called by City Lights Entertainment Magazine “Quite simply Louisiana’s best show band.” Offbeat Magazine of New Orleans, a Louisiana roots magazine, in its review of one of the Moondogs’ critically acclaimed albums has observed “Tradition never sounded so good.”

Harrington has written and recorded several Louisiana and Natchitoches flavored original songs. One of them, Cane River Blues, was featured in a Hollywood movie. Various compilation albums include his songs, such as “Hey Santa” which was featured on the recent The Very Best of Louisiana Christmas, a compilation released by the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, with songs by Fats Domino, Aaron Neville, Dr. John, Brittney Spears and other Louisiana artists.

Harrington’s music related philanthropic activities have been numerous. He helped organize and for several years has served on the board of the James Burton Foundation which has provided hundreds of guitars for school children, veterans and their families and ailing children in hospitals. The Foundation has also started music programs in schools that would not otherwise have them. Harrington has also served on the board of The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium, which worked on the preservation of that historic venue and on the Board for the Ark La Tex Music Heritage Foundation, which raises money to purchase musical instruments for schools. For several years, Harrington has served as the chairman of the board for the Natchitoches Jazz and R&B Festival. Under Harrington’s leadership, the Festival has grown over the years to become one of the more popular music festivals in Louisiana and the South.

Harrington has often helped raise money for the Northwestern State University Department of Music. When the Natchitoches Central High School Orchestra needed funds to go to Carnegie Hall, Harrington organized and produced a fundraising concert which raised thousands of dollars for the trip which made it possible for many students to make the trip who otherwise would not have been able to. When Natchitoches blues artist Hardrick Rivers needed a prosthetic leg, Harrington came up with an idea for a concert called HardrickFest, which he organized and produced to raise money to purchase a prosthetic leg for Hardrick.

For the past 20 years, Harrington has hosted the syndicated radio show “Jammin’ With Johnny—The Johnny Earthquake Show.” The show, which is broadcast over much of Louisiana and into East Texas, has been rated number one in its timeslot. In addition to spotlighting and promoting area community cultural events, the show often features interviews with artists and live music in the studio featuring local and area artists. “Jammin With Johnny” is believed to be the only radio program in North and Central Louisiana that features live music on a regular basis.

The Festival will be held in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum located at 220 South Jefferson Street on the NSU campus in Natchitoches. The Festival will be held Friday, July 20 from 4:30 p.m. until 10:15 p.m. and all day on Saturday July 21 from 8 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.. The family-oriented festival is wheelchair accessible. Children 12 and under are admitted free of charge. For a full schedule of events, to purchase tickets or for more information call (318) 357-4332, send an email to folklife@nsula.edu, or go to louisianafolklife.nsula.edu.

Support for the Fiddle Championship and the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

The Festival is also supported by generous sponsorships from Acme Refrigeration of Baton Rouge, Bank of Montgomery, Louie Bernard, the City of Natchitoches, Cleco, John Conine; Corkern, Crews, Johnson & Guillet; CP-Tel, Delta Car Wash, Dan and Desirée Dyess, Georgia’s Gift Shop, La Capitol FCU, the Harrington Law Firm, Billy Joe Harrington,  the Natchitoches Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Natchitoches Wood Preserving, Inc., NSU Men’s Basketball, Page Builders, LLC, R.V. Byles Enterprises, UniFirst, Dr. Michael Vienne, David and Shirley Walker, Waste Connections and Young Estate LLC.

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NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Rex Sutton Britt
May 25, 1949 – June 27, 2018
Service: Saturday, August 4 at 11 am at Trinity Baptist Church

Laverne Bayonne
May 20, 1930-July 11, 2018
Visitation: Friday, July 20 from 5-9 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, July 21 at 10 am at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Natchitoches
Interment: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery in Cloutierville

WINN PARISH:

Gary Leon Shipley
November 20, 1956 – July 14, 2018
Service held July 17

Loyd Harry Murphy
September 29, 1938 – July 13, 2018
Visitation: Thursday, July 19 from 9-11 am at the First Assembly of God Church in Winnfield
Service: Thursday, July 19 at 11 am at the First Assembly of God Church in Winnfield

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Every month, the Cane River Food Pantry gives out food packages to around 230 of our fellow citizens and their families who need a little help keeping food on the table. The food pantry has been in service for 20 years and has been in its Natchitoches location for the past 4 years.

The Cane River Food Pantry is a true community effort, staffed and run entirely by volunteers. NSU athletes have unloaded food trucks. Student groups from NSU have organized food donations and helped with packing food boxes and passing them out. They have been joined by local Boy Scouts and volunteers from different churches working together to package and distribute the food. The stocks of food received from the regional food bank are supplemented by food donated by people and churches all over Natchitoches Parish.

There are a number of people in our community whose circumstances are such, either due to health or lack of transportation, who cannot get to the food pantry. In that event, volunteers drive out to deliver their food packages. The Food Pantry also offers donated clothing and coats free to any who need them.

The Cane River Food Pantry needs you help to continue its mission to help the less fortunate in our parish. There are trucks to unload, food to package and then hand out. There is a continual need for food donations. There are tasks suited to every level of ability. Every month, people come to the Cane River Food Pantry for assistance. Some are elderly. Some are handicapped. Some are young families, others in trying circumstances. They are our fellow citizens. They need our help.

The Cane River Food Pantry gives out food on the 2nd Saturday of every month. On the Wednesday before, food deliveries are unloaded. On the Thursday before, the food boxes are packed for hand out and delivery. If you would like to donate and/or volunteer to help, please contact Ms. Donna Green at First United Methodist Church 318-357-8296.

NOTICE: The Cane River Food Pantry will be moving from its old location on Edwine Drive to a new location at 148 Blanchard Road (down Keyser Ave past the movie theater-Blanchard Road will be on the left.) This will be in effect starting in August.

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The Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office was notified of a fatal mobile home fire at 1822 Clark Road in Campti in July 14.

The fire was reported to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at 3:06 a.m. via 911.

During the course of the investigation, investigators learned that there were three individuals residing in the residence.

Those individuals are 45-year old Nelsoener Bush, 53 year-old Keith McHellen, and 6-year-old Issaiah Brown.

All three individuals died in the fire.

At this time, next of kin have been notified.

All individuals were sent for autopsy and results are pending.

According to an earlier news release by the La State Fire Marshall’s Office they do not believe the fire to be suspicious at this time.

The incident continues to be investigated by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office and Natchitoches Parish Fire District #3.

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The Louisiana Department of Health will host a free Louisiana Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Working Group (La-CBRNE) workshop on the campus of Northwestern State University Tuesday, July 17-Wednesday, July 18. The workshops will take place primarily in the NSU TV Studio on the first floor of Kyser Hall on the Northwestern State University campus.

The workshop will emphasize state protocols, available assistance from state and federal agencies, FBI national improvised explosives familiarization, clandestine lab models, IED awareness and decontamination. La-CBRNE Working Group consists of FBI Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Intelligence, LA-SAFE (State Fusion Center), U.S. Postal Inspector Service, Louisiana National Guard CERFP/62d CST (WMD), Louisiana Department of Health EPI, LDH SNS, LDH Office of Public Health State Laboratory, Louisiana State Police HAZMAT, Louisiana State Fire Marshal and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and United States Coast Guard.

Law enforcement, fire departments including volunteer departments, homeland security/emergency preparedness officials, healthcare professional (hospital or EMS) and Fusion Center Liaison Officers are invited.

For more information, contact Ric Moore at GOHSEP/Lao-SAFE (Fusion Center) at (225) 925-3672 or buren.moore@la.gov.

Attendees will receive information on the threat posed by improvised explosives including Victim Operated IED (VOIED) explosives, i.e. letter and package bombs. Students will see different trigger mechanisms and witness the detonation of a variety of VOIEDs/IEDs, some of which can be mixed using common household chemicals. This demonstration is designed to underscore the potential danger of VOIEDs and indicators/procedures to deal with them.

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the workshops will conclude at 5 p.m. on Day 1 and at 4:30 p.m. on Day 2.

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The Nakatosh Shriners club of Natchitoches hosted a Sporting Clays Tournament at the Natchitoches Parish Shooting Range Saturday, July 14. The event, in its 4th year, and a growing favorite among area sportsmen, featured 36 shooters in nine four person teams. The shooters tested their skills at various stations along the course and enjoyed a hearty lunch afterwards. The competition was about more than bragging rights however. The local club was raising money for the Shriners’ Hospital in Shreveport in addition to other local charitable endeavors such as a scholarship at NSU. Saturday’s shoot is expected to raise about $1,500 to advance these worthy causes.

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Lakeview High School’s Air Force JROTC (AFJROTC) Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, Major (Ret) Bob Kellogg, joined 18 other AFJROTC instructors from five states, to conduct a week-long Cadet Leadership Course at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Miss. Lakeview’s top four freshman cadets: Cadet Amn Kain Custis, Cadet SRA Blake Smith, Cadet SRA Zach Gorum, and Cadet SRA Ethan Smith were selected to attend this course, which is one of the premier Air Force JROTC Cadet Leadership Courses in the southeastern United States. The activity was hosted by Biloxi High School, Biloxi, Mississippi, July 8-13.

The curriculum included public speaking, leadership, core values, team building, time-management, problem-solving, ethics, and organizational skills. In addition to the academic instruction, the cadets also competed in drill competitions, physical fitness, and flight challenges. The activity, which marked its 21st year, was attended by over 150 cadets from 15 high schools throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. The course concluded with a formal parade and graduation/awards ceremony. Lakeview’s graduates of this course will assume junior leadership roles in the upcoming school year and mentor incoming freshman cadets.

Cadet Senior Airman Blake Smith, of Lakeview’s Air Force JROTC, was selected as a Distinguished Graduate (top 10%) of the week-long, in-residence, Cadet Leadership Course.

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The Cane River Waterway Commission issued the following statement as a followup to a press release published June 15 in the NPJ.

Since mid-June 2018, testing has continued on the Cane River Waterway Commission’s “Cane River Lake Pumping Station.” The system was last tested on July 2, 2018. Although the system has proved operable during short tests, it has operated below specifications, delivering about one-third the water flow rate required by the specifications. On July 6, 2018, the Commission’s project engineer formally requested that the contractor provide a proposal to bring the project into compliance with the specifications. This proposal should be delivered to the project engineer prior to July 20, 2018. The Commission shall continue to provide more information on the project as that becomes available.

https://natchitochesparishjournal.com/2018/06/15/cane-river-lake-pump-station-troubleshoots-issues/

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Public Notice is given that the regular meeting of the Natchitoches Parish Communications District Board of Commissioners scheduled for July 17 is cancelled. The next regular meeting is Aug. 21 in Room 210, Natchitoches Parish Court House.

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Shreveport– United Way of Northwest Louisiana will begin accepting applications for its 2019-2020 competitive grant cycle on Wednesday, Aug. 1. Any nonprofit organization serving the ten parish region of Northwest Louisiana with a focus on health, education, financial stability or essential needs is encouraged to apply.

Annually, the United Way of Northwest Louisiana partners with the Community Foundation of North Louisiana for the annual competitive grant process to further promote positive change in the community. By combining efforts into one competitive grant process, United Way strengthens the strategic investments into our region, while reducing administrative costs.

Interested organizations must have a 501(c)3 status prior to submitting the application and are required to attend at least one mandatory orientation session prior to submitting the application. Five orientation sessions are offered from July 25 – August 2. Reservations are required and sessions will be held at Community Central, 401 Edwards St. in Shreveport.

The application process has two phases. For the first phase, applicants will submit a proposed project, program budget, and organizational information. The deadline for submitting a Phase One application is 4pm on Aug. 21. These applications will be reviewed by a committee of volunteers who will select organizations to proceed to the next phase. Phase Two applications will be due by 4pm on Nov. 15.

For further information on the process, eligibility guidelines or to register for one of the required sessions, visit http://www.unitedwaynwla.org/about-us/grant-opportunities/.

United Way fights for the health, education, financial stability and essential needs of everyone. For a list of 2018-2019 grantees please visit www.unitedwaynwla.org/our-focus/.

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NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Madeline Lorene Anderson
April 29, 1941 – July 09, 2018
Visitation: 2 pm until service time on Tuesday at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: 3 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home.

Rex Sutton Britt
May 25, 1949 – June 27, 2018
A memorial service honoring the life of Rex Britt is Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Baptist Church.

Laverne Bayonne
May 20, 1930-July 11, 2018
Visitation: 5-9 p.m. Friday, July 20 at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 7 p.m. on the 20th in the funeral home chapel.
Service: A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Natchitoches, Interment will follow at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery in Cloutierville.

WINN PARISH:

Gloria Brewer
August 10, 1942 – July 16, 2018
Visitation: Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Southern Funeral Home, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM, and again on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, at Southern Funeral Home, from 9:00 AM until 10:45 AM.
Service: 11:00 AM on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at First Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Zion Hill Cemetery, in Tannehill.

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Virtually anyone who has gone to school and taken the required course on Louisiana history has heard of the Great Raft and of Captain Henry Shreve, the man responsible for clearing it and after whom Shreveport is named.

Calling the Great Raft a logjam doesn’t quite do it justice, however. It was a 100+ mile long accumulation of fallen logs and driftwood that had piled together over thousands of years into an impenetrable mass that rendered the Red River impassible to navigation. In the days of steamboats, when commerce moved by water, this was a major impediment to economic growth in a then young and largely unsettled America.

A standing room only crowd of over 50 people came to the Grand Ecore Visitors’ Center Saturday, July 14th to hear Texas Historian Robin Cole-Jett speak on this subject that almost everyone has heard of, but of whom few people know the whole story. Ms. Cole-Jett teaches American and Texas History at North Central Texas College in Corinth, Texas. She has been teaching and giving presentations around Texas for the past 16 years and is the author of 4 books, with a 5th on the way. The talk in Natchitoches was her first foray into our state. Ms. Cole-Jett held the audience spellbound for over an hour as she talked about the Red River’s role in the settling of the West. She spoke of the economic, cultural and ecological interplay between the river and the people who used it for travel and commerce and who changed its course with various engineering projects over the years.

The talk was sponsored by the Cane River National Heritage Area as part of their “Lunch and Learn” series of presentations. Prior events included the popular “Birds of Prey” presentation. The CRNHA has partnered with the Grand Ecore Visitors Center to provide programming and events such as this. The Natchitoches Parish Journal would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Cole-Jett for her interesting look into how the interplay between a river and the people who live by it has effects decades into the future not always apparent. We also hope that this will not be you last visit to our state.

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