Behavioral Health Services
Insights, our inpatient psychiatric facility, provides specialized mental health services to individuals ages 50 and above. Reflections, our outpatient program, offers group, individual, education and family therapy to individuals 21 years or older.
Insights – NRMC Main Campus • 501 Keyser Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.214.4380
Reflections – 212 Medical Drive • Natchitoches • 318.238.3696

Comprehensive Wound Care Services
For individuals with chronic wounds, traumatic injuries, and those with diabetes or other conditions which make healing wounds more challenging, the NRMC Wound Care Services are healing problem wounds.
NRMC Main Campus • 501 Keyser Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.214.4822

The Courtyard
Key services for residents include skilled nursing, rehabilitation services (speech, occupational and physical therapy), long-term nursing care, ultrasound therapy, electro-stimulation therapy, Hivamat therapy, diabetes management, medication management, and safety awareness.
708 Keyser Avenue • 318.214.4366

Ear, Nose & Throat Associates
Clinic physician, Dr. Lauren Anderson, FACS, diagnoses and treats patients for conditions affecting the head, neck, mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, nasal cavity and sinus, and inner and outer ear disorders including hearing loss. As a surgeon, she also performs head and neck surgeries, sinus surgeries, adenoidectomies, tonsillectomies, and more.
1029 Keyser Ave., Suite C • Natchitoches • 318.238.6301

General Surgery Associates
General surgeons, Dr. William A. Ball, Jr., and Dr. Damian DeFrancesch, provide traditional, laparoscopic and robotic surgery. In addition to their office appointments and scheduled surgery patients, they provide emergency consultations and emergency surgeries 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
740 Keyser Ave., Suite D • Natchitoches • 318.354.2555

Natchitoches Assisted Living Retirement Community
This gated retirement community is specially designed for resident’s comfort, security and peace of mind that allows each individual to live as independently as possible.
1907 South Drive • Natchitoches • 318.356.0016

Natchitoches Imaging Center
From MRI’s to nuclear imaging capabilities, the Imaging Center uses state-of-the-art technology to provide precise images needed for diagnosis and treatment.
105 East Fifth Street • Natchitoches • 318.214.4650

North Natchitoches Medical Clinic
With an emphasis on wellness and prevention, the clinic serves communities in northern Natchitoches Parish and provides primary care services for newborns to seniors.
3194 Highway 71 • Campti • 318.476.3999

Pain Institute
The NRMC Pain Institute is an outpatient service designed to provide care for patients with chronic pain who are not responding to traditional pain management. By using pain relief therapies, medications, and special procedures, they can effectively manage a patient’s pain.
NRMC Main Campus • 501 Keyser Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.214.4153

PRISM Center
PRISM offers outpatient rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
140 S. Williams Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.214.0088

Regional Cardiology Clinic
Offering a broad spectrum of noninvasive diagnostic services as well as pacemaker and defibrillator care, routine checkups, monitoring, and heart procedures, the clinic focuses on improving the quality of life of each patient.
NRMC Main Campus • 501 Keyser Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.214.4550

Sleep Center
For people who have problems with sleep including sleep apnea, our state of the art sleep center helps doctors monitor and diagnose sleep concerns.
NRMC Main Campus • 501 Keyser Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.214.4464

Walk-In Clinic
For minor illnesses and injuries, the NRMC Walk-In Clinic offers convenient care for colds, sore throats, allergies, immunizations, sports physicals and more.
740 Keyser Avenue • Natchitoches • 318.238.5300
Open seven days a week from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Women’s Health Center
From obstetrics to gynecology to other health concerns, the Center focuses on the unique needs of women. Conveniently located with flexible scheduling to meet today’s busy woman’s needs.
655 Bienville Circle • Natchitoches • 318.238.3652

NRMC also has an association with the Northwestern Louisiana Cancer Center

For more information about NRMC’s clinics & facilities please call 318.214.4513.

By Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

Violent thunderstorms can occur around the state during summer, and in south Louisiana high winds from hurricanes are a real concern. Now is an excellent time to take a look at trees in your landscape. Although trees add immeasurably to our home grounds, trees with problems can be a liability during storms or hurricanes.

First, check for trees that have large dead branches or are totally dead. They should be dealt with as soon as possible. Dead branches should be pruned off, and dead trees should be removed entirely.

Look at the overall condition of your trees. A tree that is sickly and low in vigor and shows significant signs of rotted or decayed areas in the trunk may need to be removed if it poses a threat to buildings. Trees whose trunks have large cavities with extensive decay should be considered for removal because rot weakens the trunk and reduces a tree’s ability to withstand strong winds.

After extreme rain associated with hurricanes or storms that drop huge amounts of water, the soil may be so soft that trees topple over if the weight is not properly proportioned. So trees that are extremely one-sided or leaning significantly may need attention. Selective pruning can relieve the weight on the heavier side, balancing the weight distribution of the canopy.

Also look for branches that hang over the house near the roof. Although the branches may not be touching the roof under normal conditions, the high winds of violent storms or hurricanes can cause trees to bend and branches to flail around considerably. These branches can cause extensive damage to the roof and generally should be removed.

Normally, it is best to have this kind of work done by a professional, licensed arborist. Arborists are trained individuals who make a career of caring for the urban forest. Some arborists are self-employed, while others work for tree-care companies, municipalities or public agencies. The areas in which arborists can help you include planting, transplanting, pruning, fertilizing, pest management (such as spraying for caterpillars or treating for termites), tree removal, value appraisals and protecting trees during construction. Selecting the right arborist to do the work is an important decision.

Tips for selecting an arborist

A list of licensed arborists by parish is available at Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry website. Use this list to ensure you are selecting licensed companies and individuals.

Ask to see a copy of their state arborist license. All practicing arborists must be licensed by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. This is necessary for any work done on a tree, including pruning or removal.

Ask to see certificates of insurance, including proof of liability for personal and property damage and workers’ compensation. Then phone the insurance company to make certain the policy is current.

Beware of door-knockers. This is especially common after storms, when nonprofessionals see a chance to earn some quick money.

Never let yourself be rushed by bargains, such as “if you sign an agreement today, I can take 10 percent off the price.”

Ask for local references, and look at other jobs the company has done. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see how well they resolve complaints.

Have more than one licensed arborist look at the job and give you estimates to ensure you get a proper assessment or diagnosis and fair price for the work. This also allows you to get other opinions on work that needs to be done. Don’t expect one arborist to lower his bid to match another arborist’s estimate. And don’t be shy about asking questions. You need to understand what the arborist proposes to do and why.

A good arborist will never recommend — or agree to — topping a tree except under rare circumstances, such as to save the tree after severe physical damage to the crown.

Unless you simply need a tree removed, choose a company that offers a wide range of services, such as pruning, fertilizing, cabling or bracing, and pest control.

Do not allow an arborist to use climbing spikes to climb a living tree unless the tree is being removed.

To make sure the work is performed to the standards you expect, ask for a written contract. It should include the dates when the work will start and finish, exactly what work will be done, what cleanup work will be done and when, and the total dollar amount you will be charged. If a tree is to be removed and the stump ground down, make sure the company agrees to remove all of the wood chips if you don’t want them.

It is strongly recommend that you be present and watch while the work is being done, even if you have to take time off from work. It’s the best way to make sure the work done is what you wanted and expected as well as to avoid surprises after the work is finished.

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.

Aljay Cox Sr.
Visitation:  9-11 a.m. prior to services
Service:  Agape Love Center, 1515 Texas St., Natchitoches, Saturday, July 14 at 11 am.

Donna Mae Knutson
October 20, 1955 – July 09, 2018
Visitation: 1 pm on Saturday, July 14, at First Baptist Church of Robeline.
Service: 2 pm on Saturday, July 14th, at First Baptist Church of Robeline.

Mark Wayne Brosset, Sr.
August 20, 1939 – July 10, 2018
Visitation: 10 am until the time of service on Saturday the 14th at St. John the Baptist.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 10:30 am.
Service: 11 am Saturday, July 14, 2018, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cloutierville, LA.

James Eugene Shaffer
March 21, 1928 – July 2, 2018
Service:  Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 14 at Pardee Cemetery.

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.

Vickie Lane Dwyer
March 31, 1953 – July 4, 2018
Visitation: Saturday, July 14 from 10-11 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, July 14 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Blanchard- St. Denis Funeral Home. Private interment service will be held at a later date at the New Kisatchie Cemetery in Kisatchie.

The Natchitoches Parish School Board’s regularly scheduled meeting, held on July 12, was very brief. The only real items of business were the approval of the Consent Agenda and the acceptance of bids.   All items passed

An agenda item to determine the bus routes for children who previously attended school in Cloutierville was inadvertently left off the Agenda.  A motion was made to suspend the rules to add the item to the Agenda.  The item failed to receive the required unanimous vote when Board Member Emile Metoyer dissented.  A special called meeting has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, July 17 to address the matter.

The omission of the item on the Agenda will delay Echo’s planning and implementation of the changes to the bus routes.

UPDATE TO WINSTON PROPOSAL:  Superintendent Dale Skinner advised the Board that Mr. John Winston informed him that Northwestern declined his proposal for using the Magnet building for an after-school supplemental art & learning center.

READ JOHN WINSTON’S PROPOSAL HERE

Metoyer had the floor:

 

Rick Nowlin on My923 Radio

On the agenda at the next Parish Council meeting, which is set for Monday, July 23 at 5:30 pm at the Natchitoches Parish Courthouse will the Road Tax Proposal that was introduced in June.

The Road Tax proposal is based off of advice from an advisory commission that was formed a few years ago. The commission calculated that to bring the roads up to minimal standards would cost $104 million. The Parish has a budget of $2.7 million annually. A similar tax was offered two years ago, but it was shot down.

Parish President Rick Nowlin said he thought it was time to try again. It’ll be up to the voters to say whether or not they want it. It’s a property tax. To give everyone a little skin in the game, a sales tax will also be introduced at this month’s meeting because everyone pays sales taxes.

Nowlin suggested the Council put both taxes on the ballot. This way the voters can decide if they want to vote for one or the other, or both. Each one would bring in $2 million a year. That’s $4 million annually if they both get passed. Nowlin said the Parish would take about 85-90 percent of that and bond a road program so that over the 10 years it could generate about $30-35 million in road improvements. There’d also be a few million left to put into road maintenance.

“We’ve got to do a better job of maintaining things,” he said. “We have a small budget for rock and we have to spread it out over the year. If a big storm comes through it can wipe us out by August.”

Now, what does the property tax cost? Half the people in the Parish pay nothing. From the $75,000 threshold for property tax exemption, up to a $200,000 assessed value, covers another 30 percent. For this bracket, the tax would cost $2.40 per week ($125 per year or less).

An advisory commission would be formed to advise the Council on work that needs to be done in each district. If one district passes the tax and another doesn’t, the money raised can only be spent in the district where the tax was passed.

For information on the road tax proposal call the Parish Government at 318-352-2714.

Trent Perritt was on a family vacation in Colorado recently when he took action to save a stranger and her dog. Trent is a corporal with the Natchitoches Police Department and a member of the joint SWAT Team with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

While hiking the trail up to the waterfall at Helen Hunt Falls, Trent and his family spotted a dog that slipped away from its owner and slid down the edge of the falls. The banks of the river were made of slippery cascading rocks.

As Trent watched on, the dog’s owner attempted to rescue it and slipped down the bank as well. Trent and his brother-in-law Dale Carr ran to save the duo, which was stuck on the slippery rocks below the trail. Dale chopped down a small tree to use as an extension and Trent performed a controlled slide down to the woman and her pet. Together, the men got them back on the trail.

“I couldn’t just let her slide down,” said Trent. While Trent said he hasn’t completed training for this type of rescue, a law enforcement officer is always ready to help, even if they’re on vacation.

 

Red River Mill FCU held a soft unveiling July 3 of its new name: Engage FCU with the tagline “Banking for Everyone.” The name change is meant to better reflect the credit union’s expanded service area and promote financial inclusion.

The “Engage” name idea was selected from an internal source, who was ineligible for the $500 prize. So the names of everyone who submitted an idea were placed into a jar and a name was drawn for the winner: David Moscatelli.

“I want to thank everyone who participated in our contest,” said CEO Kathy Deloney. “The response was overwhelming. I also want to thank our Board of Directors, our staff for their enduring support, and our members for trusting us to be your financial partner.”

In the coming weeks, the credit union will roll out its new logo and branding along with special promotions.

Since 1975, Red River Mill FCU has served as the primary financial institution for employees and families of the Red River Paper Mill. Over the years, its mission to provide safe and affordable financial products and services has remained the same.

In 2013, Red River Mill FCU received approval from the NCUA to expand its services to meet the needs of everyone in the community. The credit union was officially certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the US Treasury in 2014. As a CDFI, Red River Mill FCU has competed and won more than $1 million in grant funding, allowing the development of products such as payday alternative loans, a wheels to work program, and financial assistance to those having credit challenges or those who lack savings for down payments.

“Our hope and intention is that everyone feels welcome to join our more than 1,300 members and come ‘engage’ with us for all their financial needs,” said Deloney. “We chose the tagline ‘Banking for Everyone,’ which we believe sends the message that our financial products and services are available to everyone who lives and works in our communities.”

The name change contest was announced April 23 and there were nearly 200 entries. There were many great suggestions, however, the credit union’s regulators have strict guidelines that precluded many of the ideas.

Engage FCU focuses on offering products and services that break down the roadblocks to financial success for individuals and small businesses. It is compelled by its mission and supported by its Board of Directors to offer the highest returns on savings and the lowest rates on loans.

“We look forward to working with each member individually and encourage the community to ‘engage’ with us as we provide counseling, education and support every step of the way as you build your financial future,” said Deloney. “We will assist you with your budget and work with you to build your credit.”

My friends who track such things tell me that my most read articles are when I’m going off about something. Articles about the parish council or pot holes seem to be particularly interesting to readers. When I’m rambling about theological stuff and trying to get you to think a bit, not so much. I admit that I enjoy stirring stuff. An artist in one church drew a cartoon of me standing in front of a sacred cow with a stick raised above my head about to swat the cow. I confess it. I love the book; Sacred Cows make Gourmet Burgers. I guess I should repent, but that would be no fun.

I do appreciate the kind words about these articles. I guess I am fulfilling my mother’s dream for me. She wanted me to grow up and become a writer. I might do that one day. I need to work on it though. I write too much in the passive voice and I have not figured out why. You can’t stir up trouble in the passive voice.

So, this is an article will start people buzzing around town or not.

Did you know that the Methodists and the Episcopalians are about to hook back up?

We Methodists call the Episcopal Church “mother church.” John Wesley was a priest in the Church of England. He never split from the church. He never turned his back on the church of his baptism. He remained a loyal member of the church until his death. In his heart, he never intended to start another church.

In colonial America, the Methodists and the Episcopal church parted company. Although many things we do are like each other, because we are cousins. Until 1938, we Methodists were known as “The Methodist-Episcopal Church.”

It seems that both denominations are planning a reconciliation.

We are getting back together officially in 2020.

The fun thing about all this is that most members of the Methodist Church and most members of the Episcopal church have no idea this is in the works. This article will cause the phones in the various offices to start ringing. The Episcopalians will want to know if they must do contemporary worship and the Methodists are wondering if they will have real wine with their communion. There could be great ecclesiastical folderol.

Relax.

This is in the proposal stage still. It is a proposal on full communion. The Methodists will vote on it at our General Conference in 2020. I’m not sure when our Episcopal brothers and sisters will vote. It is amusing that conversations have gone on for years and the laity seem not to know about them.

What is happening is that we will fully recognizing each other’s communion and ordination. Some day after 2020, if the proposal is approved by both denominations, a Methodist minister might be assigned to the Episcopal Church and an Episcopal priest might be assigned to the Methodist Church. Younger clergy are in for an interesting future in our two churches.

We will remain two separate denominations, we will swap stuff.

Crazy huh?

The Apostle Paul said that we Christians are called to the ministry of reconciliation. He wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

The United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church are talking about official reconciliation. This conversation has gone on for years.

We are called to help each other get along. We are called to build bridges over the things that divide us.

Reconciliation starts with conversation and empathy. It is not easy work.

In some cases, groups faithfully agree to disagree and that is honest.

With whom do you need to be reconciled?

Small banks serving America’s impoverished communities were recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund with $22.8 million in Bank Enterprise Awards (BEA Awards).

The Awards had been at risk as a result of the Trump Administration’s proposed $15 billion rescission package, which failed to pass by its 45-day deadline of June 22, 2018. The failure of this package resulted in the Awards’ long-awaited release to a record-breaking 113 banks and thrifts headquartered in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Louisiana received the second highest of these awards after Mississippi, with 14 recipient banks headquartered within the state.

In total, 119 community development banks across the country requested a total of $131.7 million from the program, which exceeded available funding by nearly 580 percent. Ninety seven percent of the money was awarded to 103 mission-focused banks that are certified as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), 63 of whom are members of the Community Development Bankers Association (CDBA).

The awards come at a critical time for Louisiana. According to the most recent benchmark report from the US Census Bureau, income inequality continues to rise. This problem is acute in Louisiana, with a poverty rate of 20.1 percent – the second-highest in the nation. 31 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes are plagued by persistent poverty.

“BOM is honored to be one of the 113 community banks that were awarded the 2017 BEA Awards through our partnership with CDFI and CDBA,” said Ken Hale, President and CEO of BOM Bank in Natchitoches, Louisiana. “We strive to promote and revitalize our communities and help bridge the economic gap by financing small business and providing financial literacy. Our newest endeavor within our partnership has been our Credit Builder Loan Program, which has been a huge success. We are looking forward to strengthening our partnerships with economically distressed communities.”

The BEA Program is a performance-based incentive that banks compete to receive based on documented increases in lending and services in economically distressed communities such as Louisiana’s persistent poverty counties. Awards received are used to support new activity in these areas. Over a year-long assessment period, the 113 recipients to the 2017 BEA Awards reported:

a $470.4 million increase in their loans and investments in distressed communities;
a $18.6 million increase in their loans, deposits, and technical assistance to CDFIs;
a $7.3 million increase in the provision of financial services in distressed communities; and
a $2.5 million increase in their equity and equity-like loans and grants to CDFIs.

These loans and financial services help encourage entrepreneurial activity, job creation, homeownership, and safe small dollar lending options for low-income communities.

“But for the banks committed to serving the nation’s most impoverished urban and rural markets, these are communities that otherwise would be left behind. The BEA Program is highly effective in getting capital to the places that need it most.” said Jeannine Jacokes, CEO of the Community Development Bankers Association, the national trade association of community development banks.

Despite the enormous success of the BEA program in revitalizing disenfranchised communities since 1996, the Trump Administration sought to rescind the 2017 awards, as well as eliminate funding for the program in the fiscal year (FY) 2018 and FY 2019 budgets. Congress voted to maintain robust funding for the CDFI Fund and the BEA Program in FY 2018 and FY 2019.

Northwestern State University College of Nursing faculty and students assisted in training colleagues in disaster preparedness by creating a skills fair for public health nurses in northwest Louisiana.

“Whenever disaster strikes in Louisiana, the Office of Public Health is there to help maintain and restore health,” said Anna Morris, assistant professor of nursing. “Their nurses and nurse practitioners, along with others employed at local health units, will be tasked with staffing shelters in the event of hurricanes or other disasters. According to Yolanda Chandler, Regional Nurse Manager, it is important for the nurses to stay up-to-date on their skills because they never know what type of health issues they will find in shelter inhabitants.”

Morris and Lab Coordinator Debbie McInnis created the skills fair in which public health nurses could practice their IV and catheter insertions, wound care and insulin administration.

Senior nursing students Alexandra Collier and Samantha McGee of Haughton, Kali Hodges of Minden, Shawna Longoria of Frierson and Lauren Richardson of Greenwood and Assistant Professor of Nursing Bethany Shirley also helped give demonstrations and short lectures to the 28 nurses. The nurses were from health units in Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Natchitoches, Bienville, Sabine, DeSoto and Red River parishes. After the lectures, the nurses were able to refresh their skills using mannequins with the students as their guides.

“For years, our students have been trained by the Public Health Offices during their community health rotation. It was rewarding for us to be able to return the favor and help update their skills,” Morris said. Dr. Dana Clawson, dean of the College of Nursing, was fully supportive of the endeavor.

“All agreed the event went well, and we will continue to collaborate in the future,” Morris added.

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.

Aljay Cox Sr.
Visitation:  9-11 a.m. prior to services
Service:  Agape Love Center, 1515 Texas St., Natchitoches, Saturday, July 14 at 11 am.

Donna Mae Knutson
October 20, 1955 – July 09, 2018
Visitation: 1 pm on Saturday, July 14, at First Baptist Church of Robeline.
Service: 2 pm on Saturday, July 14th, at First Baptist Church of Robeline.

Mark Wayne Brosset, Sr.
August 20, 1939 – July 10, 2018
Visitation: 10 am until the time of service on Saturday the 14th at St. John the Baptist.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 10:30 am.
Service: 11 am Saturday, July 14, 2018, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cloutierville, LA.

James Eugene Shaffer
March 21, 1928 – July 2, 2018
Service:  Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 14 at Pardee Cemetery.

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.

Vickie Lane Dwyer
March 31, 1953 – July 4, 2018
Visitation: Saturday, July 14 from 10-11 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, July 14 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Blanchard- St. Denis Funeral Home. Private interment service will be held at a later date at the New Kisatchie Cemetery in Kisatchie.

Kevin Shannahan/Opinion

“Let truth and falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?” 

-John Milton in Areopagitica

The police, contrary to popular belief, do not commonly arrest people for the sheer fun of it. If nothing else, an arrest entails a good deal of paperwork. Criminal defendants are not particularly attractive people. I spent a day in City Court a few months ago for a story. It was not an uplifting experience. A day spent observing City Court is more than enough to make one a firm believer in the phrase “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” By the end of the session, I was quite depressed having witnessed a seemingly endless parade of people who made some truly bad decisions, often not for the first time, and one suspects, not for the last. A Mensa meeting, it was not.

Throwing the lot under the jail, or something a bit more Draconian, at the least possible expense to the taxpayers, seems at first glance to be a great idea. It is not. “Lock ’em up and throw away the key” places us at the top of a slippery slope with one foot on a banana peel. Not particularly caring how they get thrown under the jail, or in what condition they are in when they get there, places both feet on the banana peel.

Louisiana’s Public Defenders have been underfunded for decades, arguably well past the point of not being able to meet the state’s legal obligation to provide a defense for citizens accused of crimes who are unable to afford legal counsel. Funding the state’s public defenders is a tough sell in a state like Louisiana. I can hear most of my readers at this point thinking something along the lines of “so what?”, if not something more colorful.

I’ll concede the obvious. Most people who wind up in court, really are guilty, if not of what they stand accused of, then of something equally bad, if not worse. Chances are the accused drunk driver did not get caught on his first foray onto the highways. The brawlers, thieves and whatnot did not decide on a whim to give another lifestyle a try while coming home from choir practice. There are people who truly do need to be in jail. This is not about them. It is about us.

Conservatism is marked by a realistic view of man’s fallen nature, of the temptations of power and of how to build – and maintain – our institutions to safeguard our liberties. We do ourselves no favors by valuing ends over means. The state has virtually unlimited resources. It has armed men and women with the authority to enforce its mandates. It has the ability to take away your property, liberty and your very life. The power of the state, while necessary for the maintenance of the ordered liberty of civil society, needs checks and balances upon that power. The nature of man is the same throughout time and place. People become neither angels nor devils when they put on police uniforms, judicial robes or become prosecutors.

There will always be the temptation to take a shortcut, often arising from the best of motives, that of taking an eminently deserving person off the streets. The present situation in which the criminal defense system for indigent defendants is so grossly underfunded compared to the resources given the District Attorneys and police exacerbates these insidious temptations by making it less likely that there will be consequences for bending the rules. That situation, allowed to fester, will lead to more serious abuses. Darker temptations will emerge. This is good for no one.

This is not about coddling criminals. The Public Defenders Office serves as a necessary part of preserving everyone’s freedom by counterbalancing the power of the state. Make it a fair fight.

 

 

NATCHITOCHES – Hilton “Hil” Lytle, a master fiddle maker, is donating two fiddles to be given free to young entrants (18 years or younger) of the upcoming annual Louisiana State Fiddle Championship. The Championship will take place in the Magale Recital Hall, which is housed in the CAPA Annex located at 140 Central Ave in Natchitoches on the Northwestern State University campus.

According to folklorist Susan Roach’s profile of him in Delta Pieces. Lytle was born in Zenoria, Louisiana, and grew up in Jena. By the time he was ten years old he had learned the names of all the trees in the country, how they grew, and how fast they grew—a knowledge he would use later in building string instruments. As a boy, Lytle made his first cigar box fiddle, with strings from his family’s brand new screen door: “So I noticed one of the screen wires at the top of the door was loose so I decided I’d pull it out and I’d make my music box using that for the wire to pluck. So when I pulled that wire out, it come down the entire length of a 6-foot screen door so I had plenty of wire.” He built his first violin in 1970 by consulting Foxfire books. With the help of his late wife, Nancy, he began to build musical instruments. He learned more instrument-building techniques from Doc Savage of Monroe.

Roach says that Lytle is now one of the most respected instrument builders in the Delta region, and has crafted many instruments, including guitars, dulcimers, hammered dulcimers, Dobros, mandolins, banjos, violas, cellos, and, of course, the violin (fiddle). His specialty is producing violins with exceptionally beautiful tones using a special “tap-toning” technique that he developed. His skills led to participation as a featured artist at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. He frequently participated in stage shows there, performing his own “Geriatric Blues” with his harmonica and wash tub bass. At the Ozark Folk Center Lytle demonstrated instrument building as a master craftsman, taught apprentices, and helped establish the Music Roots Program to which he has donated over 400 instruments.

Lytle continues his craft to this day, having built in all over 764 fiddles, most of which he has given to young musicians who could not afford to purchase them. Lytle’s instruments have appeared on the Miss Louisiana stage, in the hand of Lauren Ford—the 2011 Louisiana state fiddle champion—and as far away as the concert halls of Nashville. He knows where every single one of his fiddles has ended up. More importantly, though, he’s intent on passing down what he’s learned to a new generation of luthiers, and has helped many build their own fiddles. In October 2017 Lytle was officially honored by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser as a Louisiana tradition bearer. Dr. Susan Roach, folklorist and Director of the School of Literature and Language at Louisiana Tech University, describes Lytle as “a true Louisiana folk treasure because of his traditional creativity, his artistic excellence, and his generosity in passing on that excellence.”

In celebration of Lytle’s great contributions he will be inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center Hall of Master Folk Artists. Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center, said that “We are honored by Mr. Lytle’s induction into the Hall of Master Folk Artists. His tireless work mentoring young musicians as he has guided them through the process of making their own instruments has inspired many of them as they have taken up the tradition. Mr. Lytle has helped revitalize fiddle playing throughout Louisiana. We are indebted to his tireless efforts and kindness to so many.”

Lytle began donating his handmade fiddles to contestants of the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship in 2017, with the first beneficiary being the second place winner, 12-year-old Mary Elizabeth Harris of Breaux Bridge. Observed Harris about the fiddle, “It’s beautiful. And I love the history behind it.” Harris encourages other young fiddlers to enter the Championship, saying “You should definitely do it. It’s awesome and amazing and fun!”

In addition to Mr. Lytle’s donated instruments, Carl and Joyce Parker of Downsville, Louisiana are also donating a fiddle that Mr. Parker built with Lytle. As well, bluegrass artist Clancey Stewart, plans to donate the fiddle that she received from Lytle to the Grand Champion of the upcoming 2018 Fiddle Championship.

The categories of competition in the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship are Twin Fiddles, Non-Championship, and Championship. Contestants in the Twin Fiddles division and the Championship division will compete for cash prizes. The top two fiddlers from each age group in the Championship Division will compete for cash prizes as well as the opportunity to be recognized as the state’s best fiddler. The winner of the Championship Division will be awarded the title of Grand Champion and will play on the Festival’s main stage in Prather Coliseum at 5 PM. Participants may play in either the Non-Championship or Championship Divisions (not both). All participants may compete in the Twin Fiddles category. The Louisiana State Fiddle Championship is open to all Louisiana residents. The family-oriented festival is wheelchair accessible. Registration for the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship is at noon in the first floor foyer outside the Magale Recital Hall on the NSU campus. To pre-register or for more information call (318) 357-4332, send an email to folklife@nsula.edu, or go to http://louisianafolklife.nsula.edu/2018-louisiana-state-fiddle-championship/.

The Louisiana State Fiddle Championship is hosted each year by the annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival. Now in its 39th year, the Festival will be held July 20-21 in Prather Coliseum, located at 220 South Jefferson Street on the NSU campus in Natchitoches. Children 12 and under receive free admission to all events on both days. Tickets can be purchased at the Coliseum. The ticket booth opens at 4:30 pm on July 20 and at 8:00 am on July 21. The Festival features three stages of music and food on both days, and on Saturday the Festival will also include crafts and narrative sessions.

A highlight for fiddle playing festival goers will be a Cajun fiddle workshop conducted by fiddlers Gina Forsyth, David Greely, and Terry Huval, which will take place at 11 AM on Saturday July 21 in Prather Coliseum. Participants in this interactive workshop will learn and trade tricks, techniques and theories with these master artists. Participation in the Cajun fiddle workshop will be free for members of the Festival audience. Said Rasmussen, “The Festival attempts to bridge the distance between artists and the Festival patrons, thus breaking the artificial barriers between artists and audience. Rather than watching from the sidelines, everyone who takes part in these activities will share and engage in Louisiana’s rich culture.”
Support for the Fiddle Championship and the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., City Bank, the City of Natchitoches, Cleco, the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, 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.

Paid

 

A new attraction is coming to Natchitoches in the form of Cane River Brewery Company. Developed by two friends who spent their college days in Natchitoches said they “saw a need for craft beer.”

Justin Krouse and Cade Gentry originally wanted to open a restaurant in Natchitoches, but decided against the idea because there was “already a lot of good restaurants” and “didn’t want to make the market smaller.”

Gentry and Krouse described how their progress took “a while” but that they’re “glad” they waited. They first took a trip to Chicago to learn the brewing process. However, in the end they decided to hire a master brewer who has the experience needed to help the company grow.

At this point in time, flavors for the beer is not being released to the public. Although, Cane River is expected to have roughly 10 flavors on draft and one or two which will be distributed in the local area.

The brewery will be located in the old 1920s mill located on Mills St. This location is the original located Gentry and Krouse wanted when they were looking at locations in Natchitoches.

One of the benefits Gentry and Krouse see about their brewery opening is that it will be “another destination for everyone in Natchitoches.” They also mentioned how it will bring people who have not visited Natchitoches in the past to the town.

Cane River Brewery Company is expecting to open late this fall.

 

 

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested an Ashland man in connection with the stabbing of his brother during a disturbance in the Ashland community in north Natchitoches Parish on Tuesday afternoon according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday afternoon July 10 at approximately 2:37pm, Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Division responded to a 911 call from an elderly female requesting Sheriff’s Office assistance at her residence in the 200 block of Swiney Road near Ashland, La.

Deputies arrived on scene, discovering a male covered in blood suffering from what appeared to be lacerations to his right shoulder, back, abdomen, and a stab wound to his hip walking in the yard.

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS also responded to the scene.

Deputies learned while talking with the victim, that he and his brother identified as Al Dennie Swiney of Ashland were involved in a physical altercation when Swiney produced a knife allegedly cutting and stabbing the victim.

The victim was transported to Christus Coushatta Health Care Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Deputies took Swiney in custody at the scene and transported him to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division for an interview.

While at the Criminal Investigations Division, a patrol deputy and detective interviewed Swiney where he alleged confessed to the physical altercation and cutting his brother.

The altercation allegedly occurred because Swiney stated his brother was using his tools without permission.

Al Dennie Swiney, 63, of Ashland, La. was treated for a laceration at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, then transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with Aggravated Second Degree Battery.

No bond is currently set.

Deputies M. Giamonne, Sgt. John Augustus and Deputy K. Lewis were assisted by Lt. M. Wilson and a Detective Kilpatrick in the arrest.

NPSO Press Release

 

 

I am of that generation that didn’t play or watch soccer.  I mean, if back when I was, say, 10 years old, someone would have suggested that my school should form a soccer team, I imagine our first reaction would have been, “Whhaaaat?”

We probably would have thought it had something to do with boxing because people got “socked” in boxing, didn’t they.  To an American boy in the 1950s, there was baseball.  You know, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Bob Feller, those guys. We had every baseball card we could get our hands on and everybody wanted to grow up to play centerfield for the Yankees.

Football was interesting too, of course, but a lot of folks didn’t pay too much attention to pro or college basketball, at least in Baton Rouge they didn’t.

And soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it, was simply unknown and un-thought of.

I know, of course, that younger folks today know very much about it and many play it.  After all, one of the more cliched terms in our society now is “soccer mom.”

But me, well this old geezer still doesn’t watch it.  I’d rather curl up with a good book than watch a bunch of guys — or gals — kick the ball back and forth, back and forth, up and down the field and once every 30 or 40 minutes or so, finally kick it into the net.  I mean, a runaway score in soccer is like 3-0, right?

However, this is, of course, World Cup year, that special tournament held every four years that drives the rest of the planet fairly bonkers over who will win  the championship.

So the other day, I used my TiVo to see what sports were on the air and I saw Russia vs. Croatia, World Cup Soccer.  Out of curiosity,  I began watching the game.  Naturally, I immediately started pulling for little Croatia.  Everybody likes the underdog and besides, what American would want an outcome that would make Vladimir Putin happy?

It was more interesting than I expected, but I must say I was bewildered by the free kicks, penalty kicks and other arcane rules that totally confused me.  But, just as someone who doesn’t understand the fine points of the infield fly rule could still enjoy a baseball game, I kept watching until the end.

And what and end it was, too. They went into overtime but the game was still tied, 2-2, as it had been at the end of regulation time.  I didn’t understand how their overtimes work, either, I must say.  But the climax was reached when each team got five shots at kicking a goal and Croatia kicked one more than Russia did.  And won the game.

The cameras showed the fans in the stands.  The Croatians were ecstatic and the Russians were in tears — just like Yankee and Red Sox fans are after a big playoff game.  I mean they took this really seriously.  And I can understand that.  After all, it’s not just your college team or your hometown pro team that’s competing, it’s your nation, for goodness’ sake.  So, yeah, you’re going to take it seriously, I’m sure.

But this doesn’t mean I’m going to start watching soccer on TV as a habit.  At least not until I learn more about penalty kicks and how those crazy overtimes are set up.

 

 

 

Kevin’s Gallery

The Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts Alumni Association held its annual service weekend July 6th-8th at the school’s campus. Over 180 alumni and friends of the school gathered to work on service projects for their alma mater. The alumni cleaned classrooms, pressure washed and built a float among other projects.

The alumni association was formed in 1985 and boasts over 5,000 members. The service weekend has been an annual tradition since 2008, and has saved the school-and the taxpayers-thousands of dollars over the years,

Not all the volunteers are LSMSA alumni however. LSMSA board member and LA District 51 Representative Beryl Amedee was on hand and pitched in by mopping floors and washing a bus. It is a measure of the bonds of community fostered by the LSMSA that her alumni come home each year to help their school. The Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts is a force for good in our state, and indeed our nation.

 

 

 

Natchitoches is first on the list of America’s 25 Cutest Main Streets in Small(er) Towns. The list was published July 3 by Fodor’s Travel, a trusted resource for over 80 years.

Fodor’s Travel offers expert travel advice for every stage of a traveler’s trip, hiring local writers who know their destinations better than anyone else.

Fodor’s Travel says that America’s main streets are staging comeback and Natchitoches’ Front Street “exudes southern charm with all the antebellum trimmings.”

For the full list go online to: https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/americas-25-cutest-main-streets-in-smaller-towns

 

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.

Donna Mae Knutson
October 20, 1955 – July 09, 2018
Visitation: 1 pm on Saturday, July 14, at First Baptist Church of Robeline.
Service: 2 pm on Saturday, July 14th, at First Baptist Church of Robeline.

Mark Wayne Brosset, Sr.
August 20, 1939 – July 10, 2018
Visitation: 10 am until the time of service on Saturday the 14th at St. John the Baptist.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 10:30 am.
Service: 11 am Saturday, July 14, 2018, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cloutierville, LA.

Ottie Frech
November 18, 1931 – July 04, 2018
Visitation: The family will receive friends at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home on Friday July 13th from 8:00 AM to 10:15 AM
Services: Graveside service at Fern Park Cemetery at 10:30 AM.

James Eugene Shaffer
March 21, 1928 – July 2, 2018
Service:  Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 14 at Pardee Cemetery.

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.

Vickie Lane Dwyer
March 31, 1953 – July 4, 2018
Visitation: Saturday, July 14 from 10-11 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, July 14 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Blanchard- St. Denis Funeral Home. Private interment service will be held at a later date at the New Kisatchie Cemetery in Kisatchie.

 

 

John Winston on the behalf of his son and others made a presentation to the School Board Tuesday night.  Winston explained how he and others want to take the old Magnet School located on Northwestern’s campus and turn it into an after-school supplemental art and learning center.

Winston’s group is asking for 18 months to grow their investments and sort out any logistics. The board decided to push back the vote on whether or not to begin the process of signing over the building to Winston until he speaks to Dr. Maggio about his plans on Wednesday (today) since NSU owns the land.

If Dr. Maggio agrees to the idea, the board will hold off on demolishing the building.

Ralph Wilson described this idea as a “win-win opportunity” and that it would be “good [for] the community.”

Winston agreed to return to the Thursday night School Board meeting to report on his conversation with Dr. Maggio.

 

 

 

James and Adams have turned their father’s passion for bee keeping into a family business.

“It’s in our family’s DNA from our father to our grand papa,” said Johnny Ray. “What started as a family hobby has turned into a full-fledge business for us. James and I are proud to work together and carry on the family tradition.”

Johnny Ray caught his first bee when he was 3-years-old with his father Johnny M. Adams. While he and James sold honey on the side of the road as children. They’re 4th generation bee keepers and Johnny has two daughters, a son, and a daughter-in-law that make up the 5th generation.

“As far as bee keeping goes, that’s the way it should be,” said James. The brothers are even in the process of merging their separate businesses into a single family adventure: Honey River Farms.

They’ve travelled the world and continue to work other jobs, but they’ll never give up their bees. “It’s always something we’ve done through the years,” said James. “It’s not just a job, it’s a passion.”

Removing a hive of bees from buildings, trees and other precarious places means the brothers have to be more than just bee keepers. They fill the role of carpenter, electrician, fabricator and more as each removal calls for a different set of skills.

They have to reach the hive first, which could mean a good bit of demolition if the hive is located inside a wall or other hard to reach space. Once they can remove the comb, they take the “brood,” which is the heart of the hive. They place it in a “brood frame,” which is put into a hive box. A “queen cage” is used to capture the queen bee.

Once the queen cage is placed inside the hive box, bees from the original hive start to migrate to the box. There’s also always bees that station themselves at the hive’s entrance to signal to the others where “home” is. By filling the air and the space around the original hive with smoke, James and Johnny coax the bees to gather in the new hive box.

And what about protective suits? Johnny Ray says some people like wearing suits and some don’t. His father and grand papa never wore any. Getting stung is just part of the job. “We’ve been stung from the tops of our heads to the tips of our toes, and everywhere in between,” he said with a laugh.

The brothers have a couple hundred hives between them. All the honey is harvested and sold locally. They’re also available to do educational lectures/visits. For more information call 318-332-1125 or 318-332-5372.

 

It’s that time again! The Natchitoches Humane Society (NHS) will hold its monthly bath day at Tractor Supply on Saturday, July 14 from 9 am – 1 pm. Baths for dogs under 60 pounds are $10 and baths for dogs over 60 pounds are $15. Nail clipping is $10. There is a $5 discount if you do both a bath and nail clipping. Cash and checks made payable to NHS will be accepted. If possible, bring your own towel.