NATCHITOCHES CITY COUNCIL: SPECIAL MEETING – TODAY

City of Natchitoches Municipal Building, 560 Second Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana

Friday, September 13, 2019

9:00 A.M.

AGENDA

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. INVOCATION

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. ORDINANCE – FINAL:

#034 Mims Ordinance Authorizing The City Of Natchitoches To Lease All Or A Portion Of The Property Located At 607/Trudeau Street/Depot Street And 720 Sixth Street, Natchitoches, La To The United States Of American Through The Designated Representative Of The General Services Administration (GSA) Public Buildings Service, Setting The Terms And Conditions Of Same, And Authorizing The Execution Of The Lease By The Mayor, Lee Posey, After Due Compliance With The Law, And Further Providing For Advertising Of The Lease And An Effective Date.

V. APPEAL – RHODES PROPERTIES AND DEVELOPMENT, LLC

Purpose: The City Council to review a decision of the Natchitoches Planning and Zoning Commission at the August 6, 2019 meeting that denied the application regarding the St. Maurice Subdivision.

VI. ADJOURN

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NSU– Here is a look at the week of Sept. 15-21 at Northwestern State University.

Sept. 15 – Soccer vs. UL-Lafayette, Lady Demon Complex, 1 p.m.

Sept. 17 – Faculty Showcase Art Exhibition Hanchey Art Gallery, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 — Faculty Showcase, music faculty performance, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18 – Volleyball vs. Prairie View A&M, Prather Coliseum, 1 p.m.

Sept. 19 – Three Reeds Duo CD Release Recital, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

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Mike Casey/Opinion

Mr. Richmond,

Per your instructions, I followed the link to the Chamber Forum you provided and and read all of the responses provided. No one should be surprised or shocked by the lack of responses by those who oppose the Home Rule Charter form of government. They should at least be applauded for their honesty in showing the voters of this Parish that we are not worth their time.

I must admit that I read through your responses several times and kept going back to your claim that personnel costs have been lowered by more than $400,000 annually. I urge you to read through the Parish’s audit for fiscal year 2018. (Online)   In it, you will find that the Parish saw a nominal savings of $15,870 in 2016 over the previous year for payroll. 2017 and 2018 both saw progressive increases and these figures only represent those employees enrolled in the retirement system. Parish employees have been granted cost of living pay increases of as much as 3% in at least three of the last five years. The Parish has also seen noticeable increases in its health insurance costs. Perhaps I don’t understand how to read or comprehend the information provided in the audit, but I find your claim of such substantial savings in personnel costs, at the least to be very misguided and, at most, to be a blatantly false claim.

I am also perplexed by your eagerness to use the limited resources of Parish tax revenues to assist incorporated areas of the Parish. The Parish struggles to fund the 25% match for its own Capital Outlay projects as it is. Taking money from our coffer to prop up the incorporated areas of the Parish is, in my mind, a reckless position. Municipalities are tasked with seeking funding for all types of projects within their municipal limits and they are in direct competition with the Parish for the limited “free money” available through State grant programs.

I urge you to reconsider your stance on this position for the sake of the rural residents of the our Parish.

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

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Saturday night’s Northwestern State-LSU football game is not just one of 12 opportunities for coach Brad Laird’s Demons to play in the 2019 season.

In some ways, it is a referendum on the success of several former Demons, most notably the two head coaches.

Laird, the Demons’ second-year head coach, remains Northwestern State’s career passing yardage leader (6,037) and has made his mark on the university and Natchitoches community during three separate tenures on the NSU coaching staff as well as the time he spent as the executive director of the NSU Foundation and Alumni Association.

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is an N-Club Hall of Famer, earning induction in 2014, and remains a dedicated Northwestern State alumnus. Orgeron has remained in contact with his alma mater, speaking to the 2014 Demons prior to their game at Southeastern Louisiana then headlined NSU’s Legends event in Natchitoches in May 2017.

The pair will square off as head coaches for the first time, but they are far from strangers.

“We’ve had multiple opportunities to speak,” Laird said. “I’ve had multiple opportunities to pick his brain from their fall camp structure to things he’s shared that we’ve implemented here. He knows where he came from. He’s always going to have a passion for Northwestern State and what it did for his career not only as a player but now as a coach. We have those ties as far as what the university means to us. It always helps with the conversations we’ve had.”

Orgeron is not the only former Demon who will be across the field from Laird and his Demons on Saturday night.

Bill Johnson is another N-Club Hall of Famer on No. 4 LSU’s staff. Johnson joined the Tigers in mid-August, not long after he stood in front of the Northwestern State team alongside 18 other former Demon football players and imparted his share of wisdom to the 2019 Demons.

Less than three weeks later, Johnson joined Orgeron’s coaching cadre.

“The coaching profession has some funny twists and turns you go through,” Laird said. “Before he spoke to our team, he had been on the sideline for 40 straight years, and he was thinking he wouldn’t be on one for the 2019 season. It’s awesome for him. It shows you the opportunities here at Northwestern State, as a coach and as a player.

“Those guys are both considered defensive line geniuses. For us to be playing them this year is special. It’s awesome. It’s great for Northwestern State and great for those guys, too.”

Hear all the play-by-play action starting Saturday at 5:30pm  LIVE on your new Radio home for NSU Demon Football… 94.9 The River.

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Soon my bride and I will jump on a ship and go cruising through the Gulf of Mexico. I’ll let you know how it all turns out.

I have concerns.

The cruise line has not assigned a room to us yet. We are paid in full. We know the type of room we have requested. I keep checking on the website and my room assignment is listed as TBA. I think that means “To Be Assigned.” I am paid in full for a room to be assigned, what?

I have enjoyed playing the fool about this. I have told my bride that we actually paid for a nomadic cruise. We will not have a room. We must sleep on the deck chairs. We must shower beside the pool where all the other pool users shower. We can borrow towels and bathrobes from the spa on the ship. We don’t have to worry about eating, because that is the one certainty of a cruise. You will eat.

I have called about the room. No luck. The nice lady said, “Your room will be assigned on the day of departure.” I tried to protest that my luggage needs to know the room to find me. She seemed unconcerned that my luggage would not find its way to the room.

I have pondered ordering a room decoration package to see if that would be the catalyst for a room assignment. How can they decorate my room, if my room has not been assigned?

The cruise line basically told us, “have faith in us” in matters related to TBA rooms.

Then our cruise was scheduled to make two stops in the Bahamas. That was before the disaster of Hurricane Dorian. I can’t see a cruise ship stopping in two Bahamian ports given the devastation experienced by that nation. If we do stop in our scheduled ports in the Bahamas, I think I’ll look for the Methodists because they will be there working disaster relief. That would be a fun shore excursion. I would much rather do storm recovery than swim with the dolphins.

Our planned ports of call are now very much in question.

This morning I was playing with my weather models. My hobby is a strange one, I’m a weather nerd. I have multiple weather stations. I can tell you the readings of the backyard in Gibsland and Natchitoches. I have begging for my own Doppler Radar, but as of yet, that request has fallen on deaf ears.

The weather models this morning showed a tropical “thingy” forming and moving over the area of our cruise at the time we are on the cruise.

Can we add this up? We are taking a nomadic cruise with a vagabond room assignment. Our destination will certainly be modified while still heading to the Eastern Caribbean. Even on our modified Eastern Caribbean vagabond cruise, there is a good chance that we will experience some tropical weather.

God told Abram to go! He basically said, “Abram you have lived with your daddy long enough, I have plan for your life. I have a plan for your kids and grandkids. I have a plan for you what will reach all the way to Natchitoches, Louisiana and the year 2019.

Abram, go!

He had no room assignment, no maps, no travel guide, no Internet, no social media, and no weather forecast. Abram had faith! His faith would waver from time to time, but most of the time he had faith.

That is what you need for a vagabond cruise and for life. You need faith.

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The Three Reeds Duo will have a release concert for their second CD, “Metamorphosis” at Northwestern State University on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

The Three Reeds Duo is made up of NSU faculty members Paul Forsyth on saxophone and Leah Forsyth on oboe. They will be joined at the concert by Chialing Hsieh on piano.

Copies of the CD will be available for sale at the concert. The concert will feature music from this new album, music from the duo’s previous album (signals cross), and a new arrangement by NSU faculty member, Dr. Adam Hudlow.

The duo will also perform at Florida State University on Sept. 25, as part of the Schulkonzert Series in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sept. 26, at Georgia State University on Sept. 27 and at the University of Alabama-Huntsville on Sept. 28.

Three Reeds was formed in 2005 for a performance at the 2006 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference at the University of Iowa. Three Reeds has built a repertoire consisting of baroque and classical transcriptions, original composition for the instrumentation (sometimes incorporating piano) and most recently many new compositions, written for and commissioned by, the Three Reeds Duo. This ensemble has performed in a variety of venues throughout the country, from weddings to International Double Reed Society conferences and World Saxophone Congresses.

Equally adept at both the classical and jazz repertoire, Paul Forsyth has performed recitals and taught masterclasses at numerous concert halls, universities and conferences around the world. He has been featured as a soloist and chamber musician at North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences, World Saxophone Congresses, John Donald Robb Composer Symposiums and International Saxophone Symposiums. He has been instrumental in commissioning numerous new works for solo saxophone, saxophone quartet and saxophone/oboe duo. As a top-call saxophonist in northern Louisiana, he has performed with such performers as Regis Philbin, Lew Soloff, the Temptations and Bobby Vinton. In 2017, Paul Forsyth was named the NASA Competition Committee Chairman. He joined the faculty of Northwestern State in the fall of 2007 and currently serves as professor of saxophone.

Bringing with her a strong background in both orchestral and military band performance, Forsyth joined the faculty at Northwestern State in 2011 where she is an assistant professor of oboe. Prior to her time in Louisiana, she served as oboist with the United States Army Field Band in Washington, D.C. from 2007-2011, where she also performed regularly throughout the United States with the Woodwind Ambassadors Quintet. She was solo English Horn with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra from 2005-2007. A native of central Ohio, Leah Forsyth holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree from The Florida State University. She has performed with the Louisiana Philharmonic, Tallahassee Symphony, Charleston (South Carolina) Symphony, Ohio Light Opera, Brevard Music Center Orchestra and the Columbus (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra.

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Following the big road shutout victory against Jackson State, the Northwestern State soccer team returns home for the final two non-conference matches of the season, starting Friday at 7 p.m. against Texas State.
Admission to the contest is free thanks to the sponsorship of the Louisiana Army National Guard.

“It will be a great test for us to keep the mentality and keep our focus and continue to learn and grow as a team,” co-head coach Jess Jobe said. “We hope the win against Jackson State could be a catalyst for us to be able to put a couple wins together.

“It would be great timing for us going into conference play. We’re looking forward to being back home in front of our home crowd.”

NSU (1-5) is coming off a weekend in which it only allowed one goal in a split last weekend against UL Monroe and Jackson State.

Freshman Olivia Draguicevich scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win at Jackson State last Sunday, and leads the team with two goals. The other came at Baylor on Aug. 25. Sophomores Kiara Padilla and Jalen Donaldson also have goals for the Lady Demons this season.

The Lady Demons have had the shot advantage in each of the past four contests, including decisively in three of them.

The defense has limited chances by the opponents recently, only surrendering 17 shots in its last four matches, and nearly half of those (eight) came in one game against Louisiana Tech.

At goalkeeper, sophomore Acelya Aydogmus started the first four matches and senior Kayla Bomben played the last two, a pair of 1-0 games.

“To have someone who is constantly pushing me has made me a better goalkeeper,” Bomben said. “I respect her so much and she is so good for me and we are good for each other.”

TSU (4-1-1) comes in off a 1-1 tie at New Mexico State. The Bobcats won their first four games, surrendering only one goal in the process. Their first three contests were all won 1-0, including against Southland foe Incarnate Word. Overall, they have allowed just four goals in six matches.

Of TSU’s seven goals scored, Kaylee Davis has three of them, including scoring both goals in an overtime win against Houston Baptist Sept. 1. She also has taken 26 shots, which is far and away the most on the squad.

The Bobcats have used two goalkeepers, but have started Heather Martin all six games. The senior has 18 saves on the season and has a goals against average of 0.65.

“We want to grow and sort out a few things systematically and be on the same page,” Jobe said. “We want to make sure our identity is well established. We just want to get better. We want to give our best effort Friday, and if we do that, I think we’ll be happy and have opportunities to win the game.”

NSU concludes the weekend at home Sunday against in-state foe UL Lafayette, which is the non-conference finale. The Lady Demons begin conference play with a trip to rival Stephen F. Austin Sept. 20.

Photo Credit: Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services

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Lakeview High Honor Roll 1st 9 weeks:

9th Grade Principal’s List
Trinity Browder, Serenity Bush, Allison Cherry, Hailey Poydras, Bayleigh Quick, Sammya Rachal, Emma Lee Viers and Hannah Walsworth

9th Grade A Honor Roll
Colby Creamer, Ja’Gloria Ford, Tanner Gardner, Shiann Harris, Taron Lofton, Austin Martin, Dillon Pikes, Piper Smith and Jennifer Williams

9th Grade B Honor Roll
Evan Baker, Akira Bonner, Kaelin Bruce, Lauren Cutis, Za’niyah Grayson, Clifton Jones, Cameron Litton, Alexsi Pier, Randell Slaughter, Trenton Smith and Zion Smith

10th Grade Principal’s List
Zoie Britt, Meagan Corley, Kaitlynn Long, Ahmed Nasser, Kandice Palm, and Elizabeth Poydras

10th Grade A Honor Roll
Nyla Carter, Aky’a Chatman, Raymond Connell, Morghen Demery, Cami Faircloth, Emma Hatten, Duston Humphries, James Owens, Dominick Rachal, Breana Smith, Kayla Smith, Tyler Telsee, and Destiny Williams

10th Grade B Honor Roll
Amari Austin, Joise Ayres, Shaniya Braxton, Jamichael Burgess, Haley Carney, Liberty Collins, Jadean Fenn, Jameshia Fisher, Sara Garner, Ashlie Key, Micah Martin, Antuan Nash, Alexander Perry, La’shanti Prudhomme, Cartina Reliford, Mahdi Shuaibi, Chasity Thompson, Tukevion Waldrup, Riley Williams, Chelsey Winslow, and Gage Ybarra

11th Grade Principal’s List
Brenton Cherry, Jeffery Custis, Amber Hembree, Emma Mcdonald, Zenobia Poydras, Averianna Slaughter and Jason Smith

11th Grade A Honor Roll
Amari’ Ardison, Destinee Britt, Makensie Hodges, Oliva Litton, Kinley Nelson, Carissa Noel, Jo Porter, Ethan Smith and Tierra Stacks

11th Grade B Honor Roll
Alexia Adams, Patrick Beaudion, Layla Below, William Breshers, Shakayla Browder, Taylor Coutee, Zachery Gorham, Tevin Hickman, U’donis Jones, Kadarius Law, Mary Lebrun, Joshua Mattox, Ingerlisha Nicholas, Derrick Rock, Mykel Slaughter, Shaliyah Smith, Cameron Taylor, Ce’azia Triggs, Larry Vaughn and Cole Yelverton

12th Grade Principal’s List
Takia Ardison, Savanna Collier, Makayla Cook, Chayton Friday, Shermarcus Page, Lance Smith, Airamya Williams and Shaneta Williams

12th Grade A Honor Roll
Ka’Brian Bonier, Nathaniel Braden, Kadon Cook, Zackari Favela, A’shanti Garner, Ke’shawn Jefferson, Danielle Morrison, Gracie Niette, Myla Porter, Jakerian Washington, Jasmine Williams and Emily Windham

12th Grade B Honor Roll
Kenneth Banks, Al’donn Beavers, Jaquan Bobb, Emily Corley, Zaria Edwards, Angel Hayes, Mackenzie Phillips, Jh’kolby Roberson, Devonte’ Robinson, Raven Speir, Landon Vaughn, Timothy Washington and Tyler Williams

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The Natchitoches Knights of Columbus (Council #1357) presented a Diamond-level Sponsorship to the Women’s Resource Center for their upcoming Celebration of Life Gala scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 pm at the Natchitoches Events Center.

Pictured above from left are WRC board member, Stephanie Campbell; Knights of Columbus, John Scott; WRC office manager, Danette Westfall; Knights of Columbus Joe Roque & Mike Menou.

The Annual Gala is the Women’s Resource Center’s largest fundraising event of the year and allows them to continue to serve pregnant women and their children in our community at no cost. It is sure to be a wonderful event with guest speaker, Shawn Carney and complete with a buffet meal catered by Lasyone’s. You can request tickets by calling the Women’s Resource Center at 318-357-8888 or texting 318-527-0010. Tickets must be obtained in advance.

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BOM is honored to be a Bull Rider Sponsor of Antonio’s Dream Arena Memorial Rodeo on September 20-21. The Rodeo will begin at 8 pm on both evenings and will be held at the arena, located at 10867 Hwy. 1 in Cypress. Pictured from left are Emily Breedlove, Pamela Esparza, and Katrice Below.

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Farm Bureau recognized Will Brew, a senior at Lakeview High School as the Player of the Week. Brew is a Quarter Back and was 5 for 8 with 138 passing yards. He had 8 rushes for 78 yards with 2 Touch downs, along with (2) 2 point conversions. Congrats Will!

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NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Michael Ray Dyas
August 21, 2019
Arrangements TBA

Shirley Graham
September 11, 2019
Arrangements TBA

Nadine Dorsey
April 17, 1944 – September 6, 2019
Visitation: Saturday, September 14 from 9-11 am at the Agape Love Center Church, located at 1515 Texas Street in Natchitoches
Service: Saturday, September 14 at 11 am at the Agape Love Center Church
Interment: New Light Baptist Church Cemetery of Marthaville

Roy E. Evans, Jr.
October 10, 1980 – September 06, 2019
Service: Saturday, September 14 at 2 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Natchitoches
Interment: Rockford Baptist Church Cemetery

Charlene Armstead
September 05, 2019
Service: Saturday, September 14 at 2 pm at the Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church near Clarence

SABINE PARISH:

Shirley Ann Wells
January 4, 1936 – September 10, 2019
Service: Friday, September 13 at 2 pm at First Baptist Church of Zwolle
Interment: Zwolle Cemetery

Dr. Robert Adam Brocato
March 12, 1982 – September 8, 2019
Service: Friday, September 13 at 11 am at St. John’s Catholic Church in Many
Interment: Many Cemetery

Barbara Horton Phares
November 14, 1932 – September 10, 2019
Visitation: Friday, September 13 from 5-7 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many
Service: Saturday, September 14 at 10 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel
Interment: Many Cemetery

Dottie Jo Woodel
December 25, 1955 – September 10, 2019
Service: Saturday, September 14 at 2 pm at Warren Cemetery

WINN PARISH:

Oleta Cobb Hutchinson
September 14, 1961-September 7, 2019
Service: Saturday, September 14 at 4 pm at Couley UMC, located at 14245 Hwy. 84 in Winnfield

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City Bank & Trust Company has an exciting new look! Our previous logo, which served us for over 30 years, is being retired. In its place is a fresh, updated City Bank logo that includes vibrant new colors. The rich navy blue signifies trust and integrity while the deep red embodies the passion and energy City Bank provides to its customers and the community. The Fleur-de- lis was incorporated to reflect the connection we share with this historic city in which we live, work, and raise our families.

The purpose of this rebrand is to modernize the company’s image as we grow and seek to attract new customers. You can rest assured there will be no change to City Bank’s genuine commitment to your best interests and delivering exceptional customer service each and every day. These ideals have been at the heart of this bank since Day 1, more than 85 years ago.

As John Ackel, President and CEO explains, “This rebrand isn’t about changing who we are or what we do. It’s about celebrating where we have been and where we are going. Our new slogan, Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow, reflects how we are keeping pace with the ever-changing banking industry and the ways people do their banking. City Bank is committed to providing progressive banking solutions combined with exemplary customer service.”

City Bank & Trust Company was established in Natchitoches in 1933 and is an integral part of this historic community. City Bank has approximately $235 million in total assets with five full service branch locations located in Natchitoches, Campti, and Many.

City Bank is a community-focused financial institution that offers a full range of financial services to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. These services include: consumer and commercial loans; mortgages; personal, commercial, and non-profit accounts; safe deposit boxes; instant issue Visa debit cards; ATMs; wire transfers; travel and gift cards; telephone banking; and an array of online and mobile banking services. To learn more about City Bank, please visit our website at www.mycitybank.com and/or visit us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

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The Natchitoches Chamber of Commerce met for its monthly membership meeting and luncheon at Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant on Sept. 11. Chamber President Laura Lyles began the meeting with an update on membership, events, and new programs, such as the Fall Professional Development Series and the Rideshare landing page.

After delivering welcome remarks, Lyles introduced State Treasurer John Schroder. Schroder has served as Treasurer since 2017 and is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He has served on the Appropriations, Joint Budget, Civil Law, Criminal Justice, Education and Homeland Security committees.

Schroder addressed the crowd of Natchitoches residents, telling them how he believes that the government should be run as a business is run. He informed attendees of the budget cuts he made in his own office, and spoke of his office’s work with unclaimed property. He emphasized his focus on transparency, and invited attendees to view his office’s website https://www.treasury.la.gov/ to learn more about both unclaimed property and the transparency of the State Treasurer’s office. At the end of the meeting, Schroder said he returns often to Natchitoches for the Christmas Festival, which he looks forward to every year.

Eight seniors of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) were named today as National Merit semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). They are: Karan Baker of New Iberia, Andre Bourque of Gretna, Natalie Cambre of Slidell, Steely Forrester of Baton Rouge, Mila Griffith of Shreveport, Beatrice Hoang of Harvey, Drake Pelletier of Haughton, and Scott Roques of Broussard.

These students will join approximately 16,000 others to compete for finalist status and a chance at one of 2,500 National Merit Scholarships.

National merit Scholarship winners of 2020 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 345,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.

More than 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honor the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Pictured above, on front row from left, are Mila Griffith, Natalie Cambre, Beatrice Hoang, and Steely Forester. On second row are Andre Bourque, Drake Pelletier, and Scott Roques. Not pictured is Karan Baker.

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A Post Master’s Certificate in Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) at Northwestern State University has been approved by the State Board of Regents.

According to Dr. Dana Clawson, dean of the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health at NSU, Louisiana has a shortage of advanced practice registered nurses who possess specialized nursing knowledge and advanced nursing skills to provide quality health care to adults, older adults and the elderly who are critically or chronically ill, have urgent or emergent conditions, a traumatic injury or are at risk for life-threatening instability or rapid physiologic health deterioration.

“For years NSU has produced the most nurse practitioners of any single state supported university in Louisiana,” said Clawson. “We are so excited to have one of the best AGACNP’s in the state, Dr. Bea Launius, as the primary faculty for our PMC AGACNP program. Dr. Launius has been the coordinator of the AGACNP program for over 10 years with outstanding results.”

Clawson said because people live longer with chronic health conditions such as coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease and other diseases, the need for AGACNPs will continue to escalate.

“Nationally there is a current shortage of adult-gerontological acute care nurse practitioners, because of the scarcity of this type of nurse practitioner program,” said Clawson. “In Louisiana, NSU is the only university to offer the post-graduate AGACNP certificate.”

NSU’s MSN program includes concentrations for six Nurse Practitioners (NPs): Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP, Adult Gerontology Primary Care NP, Family NP, Primary Care Pediatric NP, Psychiatric Mental Health NP across the Lifespan, and Women’s Health NP. To practice as an adult-gerontological acute care nurse practitioner in Louisiana, an RN must obtain a minimum of a MSN with a concentration in adult-gerontology acute care. The purpose of the AGACNP PMC is to provide the needed didactic and clinical education for RNs or APRNs who already possess a graduate nursing degree in a concentration other than adult-gerontology acute care, to meet the requirements to become an AGACNP.

“We fully expect there to be many nurse practitioners who are prepared to practice in a single population return for their post master’s certificate in adult gerontology acute care to expand the population for which they can provide care,” said Clawson. ““Many quality nurse practitioners desire this additional post master’s certification to provide care for a broader population of patients than is allowed with their current certification. Nurses have a heart to help as many patients as they can, this degree equips them to do just that.”

According to Clawson, the structure of the certificate program will vary depending upon coursework already completed during the student’s previous graduate work. Based on an individual transcript review and an analysis of the gap between previous master’s learning and the AGACNP requirements, the practicing nurse practitioner could earn the certificate in three to four semesters. To maximize flexibility, most of the courses will be available online, and clinical courses will be hybrid, with some in-class meetings and some online delivery. Students who successfully complete the proposed post-graduate certificate may apply to take a national certification exam. Upon passing the exam, the nurse may apply for advanced practice registered nurse license (APRN) with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) and practice in the state as an AGACNP.

For more information on Northwestern State’s College of Nursing, go to nursing.nsula.edu/nursing-programs.

The public is invited to hear from political candidates for the upcoming election at an event titled “We the People” meets “The Candidates.” Attendees can come and go during the event, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 14 at 4 pm at the Goldonna Elementary Auditorium. Candidate order will be randomly drawn the night of the event.

LA Senate @ 4pm
“Louie” Bernard
Douglas Brown
“Trey” Flynn

LA Representative @4:30 pm
Gabe Firment
Carl Ray Lasyone

District 4 Council @ 5 pm
Rodney Bedgood
Justin Lester
Marty Cheatwood

Parish President @5:45
Precious Barber
Gerald Longlois
John Richmond
Lee Waskom
Nicholas Wright
Carl Sias

Sheriff @ 7 pm
Steve Rachal
Steve Pezant
Stuart Wright

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