“When I was a kid, I annoyed my mom by always asking ‘Why?’ over and over again. I was never appeased. She would send me to summer camps to make other people have to answer my ‘Whys’.”

As the new Chemistry Instructor at Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA), Christina Hillesheim, a graduate of LSMSA’s class of 2005, has always believed in encouraging curiosity in every student she teaches.

“My goal is to make kids love science,” said Hillesheim. “They don’t have to necessarily love chemistry and want to be a chemist, but I don’t want chemistry to be the class that destroys their interest in learning new things and make them stop asking why. I want to keep that curiosity going.”

Originally, she did not intend on going into teaching. However, while working on her graduate degree at the University of Florida, she co-taught an Introduction to Chemistry class and fell in love with it.

“I always played school as a kid and loved explaining how things worked to people,” she stated. “It wasn’t a surprise once I thought about it.”

Hillesheim received her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and her doctorate from Mississippi State University. Before coming to LSMSA, she taught in Tennessee at both the high school and university level.

Hillesheim’s experience at LSMSA is a unique one compared to most instructors. To this day, she still has fond memories of her time as a student at the school. “It’s not quite Hogwarts, but it’s the next best thing,” she said.

While attending LSMSA, Hillesheim played basketball with the school team. Now, in addition to teaching, she will serve as the assistant coach for the girls’ basketball team.

“Having been here, I know exactly what I’m getting into, and that makes the classroom setting here so much more rewarding,” she said. “I know the students want to be here, and they’re going to be just as eager as I was.”

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Four individuals who have made significant contributions to Creole heritage will be presented with the Creole Peoples Award on Friday, Sept. 14 as part of the 20th annual Creole Heritage Celebration.

The recipients are Dustin Fuqua of the National Park Service, Creole Heritage Center board member Vera Severin and Darrell Bourque and Patricia Cravins of the Amédé Ardoin Project. Special Recognition will be presented to Gregory Reed and Curtis P. Desselles Jr.

The presentation will take place as part of a banquet at 6 p.m. in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom at Northwestern State University. Tickets for the banquet are $40 for Creole Heritage Center at NSU members and $50 for non-members.

An anthropologist descended from French Creoles of Avoyelles Parish, Fuqua grew up embodied with a strong appreciation for the natural and cultural resources of Louisiana. Childhood experiences involving the language, waterways, wildlife and Indian mound sites of the Spring Bayou community guided Fuqua’s interest in heritage preservation. Subsequent education and career choices resulted from ambitions to revitalize the language, traditions, and values of his Creole culture. Reared among traditional cultural practitioners, sportsmen, and family and friends who use the French language, Fuqua has become uniquely positioned to advance the preservation and revitalization of Creole culture in central Louisiana.

Studying under the mentorship of Dr. Pete Gregory at Northwestern State, Fuqua earned a B.A. in Anthropology in 2003 and a M.A. in Heritage Resources in 2007. Fuqua serves the National Park Service as chief of resources at Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Natchitoches Parish, managing the compliance, museum, archeology, and cultural anthropology programs for two National Historic Landmarks, Oakland Plantation and Magnolia Plantation.

Bourque is professor emeritus in English from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, a former Louisiana Poet Laureate, the recipient of the Writer Award 2014 from the Louisiana Book Festival, and the recipient of the James Rivers Award from the Center for Louisiana Studies, ULL, for his contributions to Louisiana Literature and Culture.

At ULL he served as the director of the freshman English program, the director of the Deep South Writers Conference, the director of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Program, director of the Creative Writing Program and the Head of the English Department.

He is the co-founder of the Amédé Ardoin Project (with Cravins), a social justice project to create a public commemorative for the iconic traditional Louisiana Creole musician.

Cravins, a native of Lafayette, was born Patricia Ann Arceneaux. She attended Paul Breaux High School and graduated in 1966. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge. Pat taught English and Speech/Theatre for nearly 40 years in both Lafayette and St. Landry Parishes. The mother of three and grandmother of five, she is the wife of Donald Cravins, Sr., former Louisiana State Senator. They reside in Arnaudville. They were instrumental in locating the Creole Heritage Center on the campus of Northwestern State. Both are committed to stimulating and cultivating the Creole culture.

A playwright, storyteller, motivational speaker, actor and director, her most recent involvement is serving as co-chair of the Let’s Bring Amédé Home Project, a symbolic “proper burial” of the slain musicianAmédé Ardoin.

The theme of the celebration sponsored by The Creole Heritage Center at NSU is “Struggles & Persistence – But Still We Rise.”

Registration for all events is $75 for Creole Heritage Center members and $90 for non-members.

The banquet and awards ceremony features keynote speaker Lt. Gen. (ret.) Russel L. Honoré with appearances by Melissa Anderson, USA Ambassador Mrs. and Miss Louisiana Hollí Conway.

A native of Lakeland, Honoré was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Agriculture upon graduation from Southern University and A&M College in 1971. He holds a Master of Arts in Human Resources from Troy State University as well as an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration from Southern University and A&M College, an Honorary Doctorate in Laws from Stillman College and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Stillman College.

Prior to his command of Joint Task Force-Katrina – leading the Department of Defense response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana – Honoré served in a variety of command and staff positions which focused on Defense Support to Civil Authorities and Homeland Defense.

Honoré retired on February 29, 2008, following 37 years of active service with the United States Army. He continues to speak and consult nationally on Building a Culture of Preparedness.

Conway was named second runner-up at Sunday’s Miss America Pageant and won the preliminary talent award.

For more information, contact the Creole Heritage Center at (318) 357-6685 or at creolecenter@nsula.edu.

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BOM is a table sponsor for the NSU Middle Lab School Orchestra Fall Gala Dinner on Sept. 18. The benefit is to raise money for their 2019 Carnegie Hall performance in New York. Pictured from left are Stephen Van Sickle, Tyler Murchison, Farrah Murchison, Blaise LaCour, Shelbi Sampson, Brandy Tilley, Brantley Gray, and Micah Foshee.

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NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Sam Rodrigues
May 23, 1947 – September 10, 2018
Visitation: Friday September 14 from 5-7 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, September 15 at 11 am at Emmanuel Cemetery in Chopin

Annette Johnson
February 17, 1948 – September 10, 2018
Arrangements TBA through Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home

Gary Wayne Pinder
July 14, 1953 – September 07, 2018
Service: Wednesday, September 12 at 10 am at Northside Baptist Church in Montgomery
Interment: Mt. Zion Cemetery in Montgomery

Gayla Banks
September 10, 2018
Arrangements TBA through Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home

WINN PARISH:

Master Cory Pennywell, Jr.
October 6, 2014 – September 9, 2018
Arrangements TBA through Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home

Kirt Roy Ricks, III
August 23, 1994 – September 7, 2018
Arrangements TBA through Southern Funeral Homes

SABINE PARISH:

Elvis James Browning
October 18, 1940 – September 10, 2018
Service: Wednesday, September 12 at 10 am at Cenchrea Nazarene Church
Interment: Mt. Carmel Cemetery

Nell Alford Crnkovic
March 4, 1939 – September 9, 2018
Visitation: Wednesday, September 12 from 12-2 pm at First Baptist Church of Many
Service: Wednesday, September 12 at 2 pm at First Baptist Church of Many
Interment: Ft. Jesup Cemetery

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I have never been fond of overly dramatic, large scale public demonstrations of either piety or patriotism. I find them contrived and on occasion actively contrary to their ostensible purpose. I wrote the piece below in 2016, on the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. I’ve struggled with the thought of how to commemorate and remember an event that took the lives of several thousand of our fellow citizens and the death and maiming of several thousands more in the wars that followed that still go on today, 17 years after the 9-11 attacks. They are well intentioned but so many of the memorials and commemorations fall short

The memorials that matter most will take place largely out of the public eye. They take place in firehouses and police precincts. They take place on military bases and cemeteries across the nation. Friends, family and comrades will raise a glass in memory of a friend, a brother, sister, son or daughter or parent who died on September 11th, or in the wars afterwards. It is not the stuff of cheap and easy patriotism. It is not putting a yellow ribbon on your car. It is commemorating the dead in a way that matters. It is preserving the long continuity of our institutions. The men and women at those innumerable small memorials will go back to work the next day. They will go back on duty. Some will go on and continue the fight. All will go on with a hole in their lives that will never be filled.

Let us be worthy of them.

After the flags come down
By Kevin Shannahan
September 11, 2016

On this, the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks, media is saturated with various tributes and commemorations all imploring us to “never forget.” As I look back over the past 15 years, each of which have seen the nation at war, I see the Sept. 11th attacks recede into historical memory. This is natural as time passes, and not an entirely bad thing. Time does not always heal all wounds, but it does provide perspective.

What I do find objectionable is the passive tone of many of the commemorations. The
attacks were indeed a tragedy. Over 3,000 people lost their lives that day as they went about their everyday business, unaware of the impending attack. The lives cut short, the families torn asunder by the loss of a spouse, the orphans created, that was a tragedy. All too often however, the commemorations fail to make the distinction that the deaths were the result of an unprovoked attack upon innocent civilians, rather than the result of a tornado or other agent of random chance and misfortune. Nor do they celebrate the courage of the police officers, firemen and ordinary citizens who rose to the occasion, often at the cost of their lives.

I want to celebrate Rick Rescorla, Jorge Velazquez, and Godwin Forde. They repeatedly went back into the burning World Trade Center to lead people out. They died on their last attempt as the Tower collapsed with them still inside. This was not Rescorla’s first time in the World Trade Center after an attack. In the 1993 bombing, he spent 12 hours inside the building helping firefighters find and rescue people. As a platoon leader in Vietnam, he fought in the Ia Drang Valley, earning a Silver Star. He was 62 when he died fighting a different enemy.

Hundreds of police officers and fire fighters died doing their duty, faithful unto death to the citizens they were charged to protect. First responders and ordinary citizens pulled people from the rubble. In the Pentagon, Air Force Lt. General and surgeon, P.K. Carlton found himself the only trauma surgeon in the area. He personally rescued people trapped in the rubble and organized the medical response to the attack, treating people on site and commandeering passing civilian cars to take the wounded to hospitals.

I want to celebrate the men and women of Flight 93. When it became apparent what the hijackers’ true intentions were, they did not flinch from what had to be done. They were not soldiers or police officers. They were ordinary men and women. They fought the hijackers with bare hands and improvised weapons in a desperate attempt to retake the plane. We will never know with certainty what Flight 93’s target was to be. The passengers may have saved the Capitol building or the White House. Their courage launched the first counterattack of the war. They died with their face to the enemy and turned a field in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania into sacred ground.

On this Sept. 12th, after the flags come down and the television and radio goes back to normal programming, take a look around you. The real lessons to be drawn from the 9-11 attacks are all around us. The police officers on patrol, the firefighters at the station today are no different than the men and women who ran into the World Trade Center and a burning Pentagon. When the call comes, they will answer it. Look at those harried business travelers at the airport. People just like them saved Washington D.C. from another attack.

Several young men in my old Scout Troop are starting out on their enlistments in the Marine Corps. They were toddlers in 2001 and grew up in a nation at war. They are now taking their place on the ramparts doing the hard, dangerous work that keeps our nation’s enemies at bay. Fifteen years after the attacks, I look around me from the vantage point of age and see that we still produce men and women like Todd Beamer of Flight 93 and Rick Rescorla. When the need arises, they will be there. America will endure.

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The City Council meeting Monday night, Sept. 10, was brief. Perhaps the most notable item on the agenda was the final vote to award the bid for the Natchitoches Sports and Recreation Park to the lowest bidder: Ratliff Construction Company LLC in the total amount of $13.9 million. A subsequent resolution executed a change order to the contract between the City and Ratliff Construction LLC for the Natchitoches Sports and Recreation Park decreasing the sum in the amount of $1,071,534. The revised contract total will be $12.8 million.

Other items on the agenda included:

PROCLAMATIONS:

Gordon Douglas Day On Behalf Of The Women’s Resource Center (Accepted by: Sheryl Hatcher)

September 16 Through September 22, 2018 As Constitution Week (Accepted by: Dr. Greg Granger)

September 2018 As Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month In The City Of Natchitoches (Accepted by: Leah Lentz)

PLANNING & ZONING – INTRODUCTION:

Change Zoning Classification Of Property Described As Follows: Lot 105 Feet Front West Side Williams Avenue By Depth To Cane River Lake, North By City Property, South By Philp From R-1 Multiple-Family Residence District To R-1 Multiple-Family Residence District, Special Exception For Use As A Vacation Rental Home (444 Williams Ave.)

RESOLUTIONS:

Execute an Agreement With The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) for improvements at the Natchitoches Regional Airport;

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be September 24, 2018.

 

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Northwestern State University reached a record enrollment this fall for the second straight year with the registration of 11,081 students.

Enrollment at the university, which has increased for five consecutive years, is up by 509, a 4.8 percent increase over the previous enrollment record last fall of 10,572.

NSU President Dr. Chris Maggio said, “This continuing growth in enrollment reflects the vibrant atmosphere at Northwestern and the positive reputation and image of the university in this region, the state and beyond.”

Maggio added, “At the very root of this record enrollment is the ongoing success and satisfaction of students, the quality, effectiveness and dedication of faculty and staff members and the strong support of alumni and friends of the university.”

The Northwestern president said, “The expansion and enhancement of academic programs, improvements in infrastructure and facilities and continued growth in private financial contributions from alumni and others are providing much of the momentum for this surge in enrollment.”

This fall’s freshman class enrollment of 1,562 is an increase of 1.3 percent over last year, according to Acting Registrar Barbara Prescott.

Maggio said increased freshman registration “should help assure future enrollment growth.”

NSU student Casey Williams said the campus atmosphere is one of the things that attracted her to the university.

“Being a fourth generation Demon, Northwestern State University already felt like home,” said Casey Williams, a nursing major from Leesville. “The university fosters a sense of community that allows everyone to be themselves and grow as students and citizens. Being an aspiring nurse, NSU’s nursing program was also a perfect fit, considering their great reputation.”

Williams, a sophomore, is in her first semester on NSU’s campus after earning 40 hours through the dual enrollment program in high school. She is active in campus activities as a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, the Purple Pizazz Pom Pon Line and serving as an NSU Ambassador.

“After my first few weeks at NSU, I’ve come to the conclusion that our university is one full of positivity and empowerment,” said Williams. “I have truly found my niche and have loved every second of being a Demon.”

The university expanded its academic programs by adding a Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance. NSU is seeking additional programs that will enhance economic development opportunities in the region and state.

Northwestern State continued to offer more opportunities for students to study internationally and has signed articulation agreements with community and technical colleges to make it easier for students to transfer to Northwestern State to earn a bachelor’s degree without losing credits.

Maggio said Northwestern State undertook a number of projects to enhance facilities and improve the overall student experience.

The former Neebo building on University Parkway was converted into a new bookstore. The facility will house a Chick-fil-A Express later this year. A circular drive and ADA compliant parking area were installed in front of Watson Library for library patrons and those who visit Café DeMon. NSU’s Academic Advising department will relocate to the first floor of Watson Library with access through the Academic Success Center, which completes the revitalization of Watson’s first floor where the Academic Advising Center, Academic Success Center and Testing Center are all in one location.

The university is installing an elevator in the Teacher Education Center and is developing a concrete activity platform behind the TEC which is also ADA accessible. Other building upgrades include a privately-funded remodeled state-of-the-art classroom in Bienvenu Hall and plans to improve the heating and air conditioning equipment that will continue this fall.

At NSU’s Shreveport campus, the university has teamed with Follett to open a new bookstore in the university library to better serve Shreveport nursing students and a project is underway to improve ADA accessibility at the Warrington Nursing and Child and Family Network building. In Natchitoches, NSU’s College of Nursing is installing a nursing lab with 10 nursing hospital beds for Natchitoches nursing clinicals students.

For more information on Northwestern State, go to nsula.edu.

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After 56 years with Natchitoches Regional Medical Center today, Sept. 10, today begins the final week of employment of the hospital’s legendary Gene Spillman. In honor of his long tenure, the hospital is chronicling his long history and impact on Natchitoches and NRMC. Check out there FB Page (@nrmchospital) for comments, stories and lots of throwbacks.

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Ricky Hatchet wants to know if you’ve you heard the word? Join the Mobile Rewards Program for Ivan Smith Furniture of Natchitoches for your chance to win up to $500 instantly off your next purchase.

Working with Ivan Smith for 3 years now Ricky has over 11 years experience in furniture sales. He started from the bottom as a delivery guy, then decided to try his hand as a salesman.

“I’m a big people person with a knack for talking,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to help customers find the items they need, even if they don’t know they’re looking for it.”

Ivan Smith has a team of salesmen with a combined 50 plus years of experience who will help you pick out what’s right for you from appliances, to living room sets, to dining room tables. Just sign up today!

To sign up with Ricky Hatchet text 55Ivan to 40213

Ricky is a Natchitoches native. He is one of six siblings and is married to Kristie Brown. Ricky still works with the advice Kristie gave him when he first started: Sell the whole store.

“You have to find something you enjoy and you’ll never work another day in your life,” said Ricky. “I see people, not dollar signs. You do good things for your customers and everything falls into place and everyone leaves happy.”

Mobile Reward subscribers are entered into monthly drawings for $200 gift cards. Every sign up also gets a coupon for 10% off the purchase of an accessory item (no expiration date).

Subscribers also receive exclusive offers:

Cash and Christmas Sales
Notifications on Company-wide Savings
Natchitoches Store Specials like Annual Warehouse Sales
Invitations to VIP Events

But don’t worry, it’s free to sign up and you can opt out at any time. Ivan Smith will never send more than two texts to your phone each month.

“This is the perfect program for home owners that know what they want to buy, but want to wait for the right time to buy it,” said Dane Terrell.

Ivan Smith Furniture – Natchitoches

Home town faces with big store buying power.

936 Keyser Avenue
(318) 352-5889

Paid Advertisement

The Natchitoches Fire Department will test hydrant flows in the following areas this week: Texas Street, Hill Avenue, Salim Street on to the Bypass as well as Watson Drive, Hancock Avenue, and Parkway Drive.

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Sheriff Victor Jones invites Natchitoches Parish Law Enforcement and the public to a 9-11 Ceremony of Remembrance on the NPSO parking lot at the Natchitoches Parish Courthouse Tuesday morning Sept. 11 at 9 am.

In the event of inclement weather, the brief ceremony will be moved inside to the first floor of the courthouse.

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The right to vote is the most sacred right we as Americans possess. Without it, we have no voice to choose our leaders, our form of government or to make other vital decisions that we enjoy in a democratic society.

Voter Registration Week is held annually and the Registrar’s Office spearheads registration drives at the local high schools during this week. This year, Voter Registration Week is Sept. 24-28. Although registration drives are targeted for this week by the Registrar’s Office, voter drives by organizations and individuals are held throughout the year at public events as well as at Northwestern State University. The Registrar’s Office provides information, registration forms and other pertinent information for individuals or groups sponsoring these drives.

Applications to register to vote in Louisiana can be submitted by current residents at the age of 17, however, the registration will not be processed and valid until the registrant’s 18th birthday. Registrants who turn 18 on the day of any election will then be eligible for that election. Applicants who are applying for a Louisiana driver’s license at the age of 16 are allowed to register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles, and likewise, the registration will not be processed until the registrant reaches the age of 18. All Louisiana residents can register to vote or make changes to their voter registration at the DMV while renewing their driver’s license.

All new voters registering by mail who do not provide identification must vote in person the first time, unless they are a student at an institution for higher learning located outside of the registrant’s parish of residence. Upon presentation of a copy of their student identification or fee bill showing current enrollment, along with an Application to Vote by Mail, the voter will be added to the list to receive their ballot by mail.

For the upcoming November 6th election, the deadline for in person and by mail registration is Tuesday, October 9th at 4:30 p.m. and online registration is Saturday, October 16th, at 11:59 p.m.

Early voting for all interested voters will be held in the Registrar of Voters Office from Tuesday, October 23rd to Saturday, October 27, and Monday, October 29 through Tuesday, October 30, 2018, 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Absentee voting by mail is available for voters who will be out of parish on Election Day and the week of Early Voting, or if a person is over 65, or has a mobility impaired ID card (must provide a copy). The last day to make a written request for an absentee ballot is Friday, November 2, 2018, at 4:30 p.m.

For more information on voter registration or the upcoming election, please contact the Registrar of Voters Office at (318) 357-2211.

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Northwestern State University recognized three Honorary Captains for the coin toss prior to Saturday’s home football game against Grambling. Guest Captains were, from left, Master Sergeant Christopher Upp, senior military instructor in NSU’s ROTC program; Captain Hannah Marze and Lt. Col. Wendell Bender, professor of military science, with Lt. Col. Arthur Smalley, chief of staff of the NSU Demon Regiment. Upp Is an infantryman with over 17 ears of Army service. Having been deployed 72 months in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a combat veteran who earned the Silver Star Medal, the nation’s third highest personal decoration for Valor in Combat, and the Purple Heart. Marze is an NSU alumna from Pineville and commissioned through NSU’s ROTC program in 2013. She is the S2 Intelligence Officer for the 3rd Battalion, 353rd Armor Regiment, Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk. Bender is a Logistics Officer and combat veteran with over 32 years of service. He most recently served at Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he was the Plans Chief for overseas deployment training. Northwestern State’s Department of Military Science honors members of the armed services during all home football and basketball games.

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Liz LaBorde began working at City Bank’s Campti Branch 17 years ago. She and her family moved back home to the Clear Lake area after living in many different places. Coming from a financial institution in Open Springs, Miss. Liz had prior banking experience, but the only position open at the time in Campti was for a teller. Liz took it and worked her way through every position at the bank. She currently holds the position of Campti branch manager and lender.

“I already knew a lot of the people in the Campti community,” said Liz. “I just got to reconnect with them.”

Liz’s husband David was in the Air Force, so they’ve moved many times, from the East to the West coast and as far North as Alaska. When David retired, they decided to move back home to Campti. They have two daughters: Michelle and Adrian and two granddaughters: Katelyn and Daisy.

Liz has always enjoyed banking. She’s a graduate of the Campti High School and spent time studying business and accounting.

Growing up in the area, Liz always thought City Bank would be a wonderful place to seek employment. Working in bigger areas Liz realized it can be hard to get to know your customers. City Bank is a community bank and Liz loves working for them.

“It’s like a family,” she said. “You get to know your customers and their children and their grandchildren and you get to watch them grow. I love what I do. I love helping customers reach their financial goals. The better you get to know someone the better you can help them buy a car, establish credit, or purchase their dream home.”

Liz is a Chamber Ambassador. She and her family attend the Nativity Catholic Church in Campti where Liz is the director of education and a member of the Campti Parish Council.

City Bank was established in Natchitoches in 1933 and has been an integral part of this historic community for over 80 years. The City Bank family constantly strives for excellence and we pride ourselves on the personal services we offer to all of our customers. As a City Bank customer, you will benefit from a full range of services including internet banking, mobile banking, bill pay, Visa debit cards, Access 24, as well as a variety of consumer, commercial and residential mortgage loans.

For more information go online to https://www.mycitybank.com or call the Campti branch at 318-476-3723.

Due to the recent rainfall experienced by the Parish, President Rick Nowlin has lifted the Parish-wide burn ban. Residents are still encouraged to use caution when burning materials, whether in open or contained areas.

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Dr. Pamela Francis, associate lecturer of English at LSMSA, has been recognized by the Yale University Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a recipient of the 2018 Yale Educator Award. In addition, Francis received a similar recognition from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for being “especially influential in [students’] development.”

Francis, who received her Ph.D. from Rice University, has taught English at LSMSA since 2013. This semester, she is teaching courses on Writing and Composition, World Literature, and Gothic Literature.

Francis joins Leah Lentz, co-director of the College Counseling Center, as a recipient of the Yale Educator Award. The Yale Educator Recognition Program recognizes outstanding educators from around the world who support and inspire their students to perform at high levels and to achieve excellence. Of this year’s 371 nominees, who represent 42 states and 12 countries, 59 teachers and 28 counselors were selected to receive the award. Matriculating students are invited to nominate high school educators, and a committee of Yale admissions officers reviews each nomination individually and designates recipients. In September, the winners were sent engraved desk sets and congratulatory letters, and administrators of high schools were notified of their achievement.

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NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Gary Wayne Pinder
July 14, 1953 – September 07, 2018
Visitation: Tuesday, September 11 from 6-9 pm at Northside Baptist Church
Service: Wednesday, September 12 at 10 am at Northside Baptist Church in Montgomery
Interment: Mt. Zion Cemetery in Montgomery

Gayla Banks
September 10, 2018
Arrangements TBA through Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home

WINN PARISH:

Kirt Roy Ricks, III
August 23, 1994 – September 7, 2018
Arrangements TBA through Southern Funeral Homes

Edith Ann McDaniel Price
February 11, 1938 – September 7, 2018
Visitation: Tuesday, September 11 from 8- 10 am at Southern Funeral Home Service: Tuesday, September 11 at 10 am at First Baptist Church of Winnfield
Interment: Garden of Memories Cemetery of Winnfield

SABINE PARISH:

Nell Alford Crnkovic
March 4, 1939 – September 9, 2018
Visitation: Wednesday, September 12 from 12-2 pm at First Baptist Church of Many
Service: Wednesday, September 12 at 2 pm at First Baptist Church of Many
Interment: Ft. Jesup Cemetery

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Kevin’s Gallery

The Northwestern State University Demon Football team delivered a winning start to the 2018-2019 football season with a decisive 34 to 7 victory over the legendary Grambling State University Tigers Saturday September 8th before a record crowd.

The contest marked the first home game of the season and the debut of Brad Laird at Turpin Stadium as NSU’s Head Football Coach. Coach Laird, no stranger to Turpin Stadium, is a NSU Alumni and football player who garnered several records during his career. He also served as an assistant coach under several of his predecessors before taking the helm of his alma mater. The wealth of experience and leadership he and his staff have brought to NSU was on full display throughout Saturday’s game. It is indeed a new and reinvigorated program.

The action started earlier that afternoon at the tailgating area as the Alumni Association sponsored a tailgate cookout and entertainment. The air was filled with the smells of delicious cooking as tailgaters from various NSU organizations, local supporters and a large contingent of loyal Grambling fans partied before the game.

Halftime featured a rare treat with both the Spirit of Northwestern and Grambling Bands performing. The Grambling Band put on an amazing halftime show that showcased the energetic style that is the band’s hallmark. They were followed by the Spirit of Northwestern Band who entertained the hometown fans with their superb musicality. Both bands kept up a steady drumbeat of support for their teams throughout the game.

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wished to commend Coach Laird, his staff and the Demons for a most auspicious start to their season. Fork ’em Demons!

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Northwestern State University will offer an English for Everyday Living class, a basic English speaking/listening/writing class for the Natchitoches community. The course is non-credit and designed or adults whose first (native) language is not English.

The class is for people who use English every day to live and to work in the local community, the city and parish, said Dr. Jim Mischler, chair of the Department of English, Foreign Languages and Cultural Studies. Katie Rayburn, a student in NSU’s TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) graduate program, will assist Mischler in the classroom and work with students individually.

“The motivation for developing the course is the number of phone calls I receive every year from people in the Natchitoches community, asking if our department offers a basic-level ESL [English Second Language] course for people who want to speak, listen and write in English better,” Mischler said. “We have not offered such a class previously, but the feedback I have received shows that there is a clear and consistent need for it. We are happy to provide a course that could serve the personal and workplace needs of the local community.”

The class will meet on campus two nights a week for eight weeks beginning Sept. 17. Participants will focus on learning English in conversation in writing for both formal and informal communication. Participants will learn to introduce themselves, describe things, people, places and events; ask and answer questions, take and give instructions and/or directions, counting and measurement. New vocabulary and grammar will be introduced each week and practiced. At the end of the course, each student will receive a detailed evaluation of their current English language skills and suggestions for future study.

The class will be held Mondays and Wednesdays in Kyser Hall Room 318 from 5:30-7:15 p.m. Sept. 17-Nov. 14. The fee is $49. Materials for the class will be discussed at the first session.

For more information on NSU’s non-credit programs call (800) 376-2422 or (318) 357-6355.

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The Chamber of Commerce invites the public to attend its monthly luncheon, which will feature a presentation about its new initiative: the A+ Coalition. The luncheon will be held Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 11 am – 1 pm in the Banquet Room at Lasyone’s. Admission (includes lunch) is $25 for Chamber members and $30 for non members.

The Chamber is proud to roll out the next phase of its Education Committee: the A+ Coalition. At the beginning of a new school year and with School Board Elections quickly approaching, now is the time to discuss the importance of education to our business community and the growth of Natchitoches Parish. A+ Coalition leaders will introduce the exciting new movement and the ways in which our Chamber membership as well as the Natchitoches Parish community at large can stay informed, get involved, and be a part of the movement that will help advance education in Natchitoches.
For more information or to register go to:  Register HERE.

Please attend – our Children need you!

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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 recently moved to its new location at 446 Martin Luther King Drive in Natchitoches. A representative from the Louisiana SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-formerly food stamps) will be on hand to assist those who may wish to apply and answer questions.

The Cane River Food Pantry is a true community effort, staffed and run entirely by volunteers. NSU athletes have unloaded food trucks. Student groups such as Helping Hands, Greek Letter Organizations and Student Government 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 Cane River Food Pantry needs your 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.

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There’s lots of catching up to do so make sure to save the date for the Natchitoches Central High School Class of 2008 10-Year Reunion!

The festivities will begin Friday, Oct. 12 at the pre-game tailgate at NSU. Join classmates for throwback tunes and current jams with DJ Rob Real of 98.7. A catered meal will be provided. BYOB!
The reunion continues Saturday, Oct. 13 with a formal ball featuring food, music and a cash bar.

Cost of tickets covers:

– Event space reservation (2)
– A full Catered Meal both nights (plus non-alcoholic drinks) per person
– cash bar service
– DJ’s
– Photographer
– event space (minimal, tasteful) decorations
– t shirt and souvenirs
– games and door prizes
Guests (husband, wife, side piece, friend) must have a ticket! Everyone is invited and encouraged! Please make sure to PURCHASE ANOTHER TICKET FOR THEM! +1s are NOT included in your ticket purchase.

Itinerary:

Friday, Oct. 12

5pm – 7pm pre-game tailgate under the Pavilion at Northwestern State University Star Quality Catering and DJ Rob Real of 98.7

7pm-until Homecoming Game

10pm-2am Mariners Restaurant “The Cove”

Saturday, Oct. 13

8pm-12 am “The Reunion” FORMAL BALL

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum on Front Street

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